Living in a World of Warcraft: the Complex Sociality of Virtual Worlds

Living in a World Of Warcraft: The Complex Sociality of Virtual Worlds Through the convergence of gaming, the internet and Web 2. 0 technologies, the virtual worlds of Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOGs) have emerged: complex new social and cultural environments that bring with them tremendous opportunities for learning. This convergence of contexts, a defining feature of new media, combines the potential sociality of the internet with the fun and challenge of gaming, blurring the lines between entertainment, play, information and socialisation (de Freitas & Griffiths, 2008, p. 1). Through fantasy-styled role-playing MMOG (MMORPG) World of Warcraft (WoW), I will explore evidence of the benefits and drawbacks of these new forms of sociality, and examine ways in which of MMORPGs show potential to develop new social practices and ways of learning, both from a player/learner perspective (Jenkins, 2006; Shaffer, Squire, Halverson & Gee, 2005, p. 106), and in terms of studying and u nderstanding social dynamics of human groups on a larger scale (Szell & Thurner, 2010, p. 14). WoW's enormous success exemplifies the massive social phenomenon of online gaming and virtual worlds (Shaffer, Squire, Halverson & Gee, 2005, p. 106). Released in 2004, Steinkuehler & Williams describe WoW as â€Å"the latest step in a progression of social games† (2006, p. 887), referring to the many evolutions in this style of game since its early origins in Dungeons and Dragons-style pencil and paper games (Bradford, 2010, p. 7). Socialisation and the building of relationships is central to the game, which attracts an extremely broad audience worldwide: within 5 years of release, WoW's subscriber base grew to 11. 5 million (Bradford, 2010, p. 56). Steinkuehler & Williams posit that – as new social environments outside of home, school and work – virtual worlds can provide a social context akin to â€Å"pubs, coffee shops, and other hangouts† (2006, p. 889).Cha t channels within the game not only facilitate in-game activities, they also carry â€Å"constant conversation about the game and topics well beyond it† (Steinkuehler & Williams, 2006, p. 894), to the extent that the in-game social interaction is considered by some players to be more important than the actual gameplay (Stetina, Kothgassner, Lehenbauer & Kryspin-Exner, 2010, p. 473). The virtual worlds of MMOGs – such as WoW's Azeroth – are â€Å"known for their peculiar combination of designed ‘escapist fantasy' and emergent ‘social realism'† (Steinkuehler & Williams, 2006, p. 887).Indeed, opportunities for socialisation in virtual worlds are incredibly diverse, evidenced by the unusual records WoW holds for the â€Å"Most People at a Virtual Funeral† and â€Å"Largest Virtual Beer Festival† (Guinness World Records, 2012). Real-world issues can impact the virtual world too, exemplified by WoW's annual â€Å"Running of the Gnomes †, where low-level pink-haired gnome avatars – most created or â€Å"rolled† specifically for the event – run through dangerous terrain to a designated location and, by grouping together, â€Å"form a heart for breast cancer awareness† (Iserloth, 2012).The event raises money for the Cleveland Clinic for vaccine research, and this year exceeded the $1,000 goal (O'Neal, 2012). Such events epitomise the unique social culture of MMORPGs: impervious to the physical boundaries of real-world events, creative player-instigated socialisation takes full advantage of the flexible social environment of the virtual world. Games, in all of their various forms, have given rise to â€Å"new forms of sociality† (Bradford, 2010, p. 63), as evidenced by the role Communities of Practice play in game culture.Bradford's research shows that, whether a game is designed to be played with others or not, â€Å"communities which cluster around games constantly engage i n negotiations over strategies, experiences and opinions† (2010, p. 56). Like most video games, WoW is surrounded by a powerful network of knowledge (Gee, 2003, p. 187) through these Communities of Practice, consisting of â€Å"a content domain, a group of persons interested in this domain and a shared practice to increase the effectiveness of each member† (Wolf, K, 2007, p. 191).There are also communities dedicated to a seemingly endless wave of user-created media, from webcomics created using WoW screenshots to highly-produced â€Å"machinima†, a convergence between games and cinema which combines film-making techniques with computer-generated imagery (CGI), rendered in real-time using game engines (de Freitas & Griffiths, 2008, p. 13). Players forge reputations amongst these robust communities (Shaffer, Squire, Halverson & Gee, 2005, p. 106), participating in forums to share advice on how to advance in the game, hosting news sites or writing FAQs and walkthrou ghs.Along with in-game social facilities, they make up â€Å"a crucial component of MMORPGs† (Bradford, 2010, p. 58), necessitating the learning and development of â€Å"effective social practices† (Shaffer, Squire, Halverson & Gee, 2005, p. 106). Despite the growing popularity of gaming culture, a lack of understanding of the social contexts of gamers still produces stereotypical views of gamers, attributing to them â€Å"deviant behaviours and emotional problems† (Stetina, Kothgassner, Lehenbauer & Kryspin-Exner, 2010, p. 477).In a recent example, Colleen Lachowicz, a Democratic Party candidate for the Maine State Senate, was the subject of a campaign organised by the Maine Republican Party in October 2012 to make public what they called Lachowicz's â€Å"bizarre double life† (Benedetti, 2012) as an orc in WoW. A website created for the campaign proclaimed â€Å"Maine needs a State Senator that lives in the real world, not in Colleen’s fantasy w orld† (Colleen's World, 2012), and a mail-out, featuring images of Lachowicz's avatar with highlighted quotes including â€Å"I love poisoning and stabbing! and â€Å"I can kill stuff without going to jail† was posted to voters (Maine Republican Party, 2012). Lachowicz's casual comments typify the playful tone of MMOG socialisation (Steinkuehler & Williams, 2006, p. 899) and the misinterpretation, whether accidental or deliberate, is evidence of stereotyping due to a lack of understanding of the complex social culture of MMORPGs. When considering the social potential of MMORPGs, it is also important to acknowledge â€Å"problematic play†: playing excessively at the detriment of real-life priorities and relationships (Snodgrass, Lacy, Francois Dengah II, Fagan, 2011).Not all players are effected and numerous studies show that many cases of problematic play are associated with pre-existing psychopathological problems (Stetina, Kothsgassner, Lehenbauer & Kryspin-Ex ner, 2010, p. 474; Snodgrass, Lacy, Francois Dengah II & Fagan, 2011, pp. 1212-1213) including depression, OCD and low self-esteem. Certain player motivations may increase risk of problematic play, such as reliance on online socialisation and escapism as a coping strategy (Stetina, Kothsgassner, Lehenbauer & Kryspin-Exner, 2010, p. 478).A 2011 study suggested playing with real-life friends or family minimises problematic play, by helping to retain awareness of the real world (Snodgrass, Lacy, Francois Dengah II & Fagan, 2011). Furthermore, such play can enhance existing relationships (Steinkuehler & Williams, 2006, p. 891). While immersion – â€Å"experienc(ing) the avatar as ‘I'† (Bradford, 2010, p. 57) – can play a role in developing problematic behaviour, it is important to note that not all immersive play is problematic (Stetina, Kothsgassner, Lehenbauer & Kryspin-Exner, 2010, . 478). Immersion plays a vital role in games such as WoW, allowing players to â€Å"think, talk and act in new ways† and â€Å"inhabit roles that are otherwise inaccessible to them† (Shaffer, Squire, Halverson and Gee, 2005, p. 105), creating a more level playing ground for socialisation and situated understanding (Steinkuehler & Williams, 2006, pp. 891-892). With their complex economic, social, political and cultural systems and the potential to access the data of thousands of online players at any given time (Szell & Thurner, 2010, p. 14; Shaffer, Squire, Halverson and Gee, 2005), MMOGs are potentially ideal environments for researching â€Å"collective human phenomena and social dynamics† (Szell & Thurner, 2010, p. 314). In 2007, Lofgren and Fefferman suggested that WoW could be used as a tool to â€Å"substantially boost the reality quotient of disease simulators† (Vastag, 2007), following an in-game epidemic of the virtual disease â€Å"Corrupted Blood† in 2005. Corrupted Blood, introduced through a downloadable upda te, was a highly infectious â€Å"de-buff† designed to make combat more challenging in a new area of the game, accessible only to higher level players.A programming error allowed the disease to spread beyond the intended area into heavily populated areas of the game, â€Å"mimicking the travel of contagious carriers over long distances that has been the hallmark of many disease outbreaks in history† (Lofgren & Fefferman, 2007, p. 625). Lofgren and Fefferman noted that players' â€Å"dedication to the virtual community† (2007, p. 627) provoked diverse reactions – some risking their own character in an effort to heal others, others logging out in â€Å"a panic response† (Vastag, 2007, p. 264) and some even propagating the chaos by intentionally spreading the disease (Vastag, 2007, p. 64) – approximating to â€Å"reactions of people in real-life situations of danger† (Lofgren & Fefferman, 2007, p. 627), suggesting MMORPGs hold great prom ise in terms of measuring social dynamics and collective human response for purposes of scientific research. At its core, gaming culture relies on effective cooperation and collaboration, both in-game and through communities of practice outside of the game. Participation in video games and the communities surrounding them teaches and encourages players to engage in â€Å"effective social practices†, establishing and building upon new and effective forms of entertainment, pleasure and sociality. Bradford, 2010). The success and popularity of these unique worlds has shown immense potential for further study into large-scale social dynamics and human phenomenon, potential which has yet to be fully explored. As contexts and media forms continue to converge, it seems certain that the millions of players whose avatars inhabit the rich virtual worlds of MMORPGs and other online games will continue to create and explore new and innovative opportunities for socialisation and learning. Works Cited Benedetti, W. (2012). Republicans out Democrat in World of Warcraft Witch Hunt.Retrieved from http://www. nbcnews. com/technology/ingame/republicans-out-democrat-world-warcraft-witch-hunt-6283586 Bradford, C. (2010). Looking for my corpse: Video games and player positioning. Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, 33(1), 55-64. Retrieved from http://www. informit. com. au Colleen's World. (2012). Retrieved from www. colleensworld. com de Freitas, S. , & Griffiths, M. (2008). The convergence of gaming practices with other media forms: what potential for learning? A review of the literature. Learning, Media and Technology, 33(1), 11-20. doi:10. 080/17439880701868796 Gee, J. P. (2003). What Video Games Have To Teach Us About Learning and Literacy. New York, NY: Palgrave Mamillan. Guinness World Records. (2012). Retrieved from www. guinnessworldrecords. com Iserloth, A. (2012). World of Warcraft gathers for breast cancer. Retrieved from http://www. universitychronicle. net/index. php/2012/10/22/cancer-wow-walk/ Jenkins, H. (2006). War Between Effects and Meaning: Rethinking the Video Game Violence Debate. In D. Buckingham & R. Willett (Eds. ), Digital Generations (pp. 19-31). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.Lofgren, E. T. & Fefferman, N. H. (2007). The untapped potential of virtual game worlds to shed light on real world epidemics. The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 7(9), 625-629. doi:10. 1016/S1473-3099(07)70212-8 Maine Republican Party. (2012). Candidate's Bizarre Double Life Raises Questions. Retrieved from https://www. mainegop. com/2012/10/candidates-bizarre-double-life-raises-questions/ O'Neal, A. (2012). World of Warcraft players go pink to raise money for breast cancer research. Retrieved from http://www. examiner. com/article/world-of-warcraft-players-go-pink-to-raise-mo

Creating Performance Goals and Measures for Your Charter School Essay

This document is designed to provide guidance and assistance in developing sound goals and measures – both educational and organizational – for inclusion in your charter agreement with [Authorizing Agency]. The following guidance focuses especially on providing deeper guidance for developing strong educational goals and measures – i.e., those that will comprise the Academic and Student Non-Academic Performance indicators of your charter agreement. This task demands particular attention because educational performance indicators are often more challenging to state in meaningful, objective terms than are non-educational measures, such as those focusing on Organizational and Management Performance (the third category of performance indicators required for your charter agreement). However, the principles for developing all of these types of goals and measures are very similar; thus, to the extent applicable, you should follow the guidance in these pages for developing your non-educational goals and measures as well. I. General Criteria for Goals Goals should be SMART: Specific and Tied to Standards Measurable Ambitious and Attainable Reflective of Your Mission Time-Specific with Target Date 1. Specific A well-defined goal must be specific, clearly and concisely stated, and easily understood. Academic goals should be tied to academic standards that specify what students should This document was first developed by Margaret Lin as a guidance tool for the Charter Schools Office of Ball State University (IN) to offer to the schools it oversees. It has been adapted for distribution at the Annual Conference of the National Association of Charter School Authorizers, Nov. 13-14, 2003, San Diego, CA. Many of the concepts, definitions and principles in these pages are adapted from the following sources: Measuring Up: How Chicago’s Charter Schools Make Their Missions Count, by Margaret Lin (Leadership for Quality Education, 2001); Guidelines for Writing Charter School Accountability Plans, 2001-2002 (Charter Schools Institute, State University of New York), http://www.newyorkcharters.org/charterny/act_guide.html; and â€Å"Some Expectations Regarding the Contents of Charter School Accountability Plans,† District of Columbia Public Charter School Board. know and be able to do, for each subject or content area and for each grade, age, or other grouping level. Equally important, academic goals should be developed with solid knowledge of students’ baseline achievement levels. 2. Measurable A goal should be tied to measurable results to be achieved. Measurement is then simply an assessment of success or failure in achieving the goal. 3. Ambitious and Attainable A goal should be challenging yet attainable and realistic. Academic goals should be based on a well-informed assessment of your school’s capacities and your students’ baseline achievement levels. 4. Reflective of Your Mission A goal should be a natural outgrowth of your school mission, reflecting the school’s values and aspirations. 5. Time-Specific with Target Date A well-conceived goal should specify a time frame or target date for achievement. Ball State expects its charter schools to specify both long-term goals that each school expects to achieve by the end of its fourth year of operation, along with annual benchmarks that will enable the school, authorizer and other stakeholders to monitor and assess the pace of progress. Definitions of Key Terms To develop adequate learning goals and measures, schools should begin with a clear understanding of a few essential terms: Goal: A clear, measurable statement of what students will know and be able to do in order to be considered â€Å"educated† after a certain length of time attending the school. Standard: A clear, measurable statement of what students will be expected to know (a content standard) or be able to do (a performance or skill standard) at a given point in their development, usually each year and at graduation. (Standards are usually defined grade-by-grade and subject-by-subject, and are thus more specific than – but necessary to support – overarching school goals.) Assessment (sometimes also â€Å"measure†): A method, tool or system to evaluate and demonstrate student progress toward – or mastery of – a particular learning standard or goal. (Examples: A standardized test, or a portfolio-judging system) Measure: An application of an assessment that defines progress toward or attainment of a goal and indicates the level of performance that will constitute success. (Example: â€Å"Students at the Successful Charter School will improve their performance on the reading portion of the Stanford-9 by at least 3% per year, on average.†) Assessments – and by extension, measures – should be valid, reliable, and demonstrate scoring consistency: †¢ Valid: Assesses the skill or knowledge it is intended to assess. Reliable: Provides consistent results when taken repeatedly by the student at a given point in his/her development, as well as by other students at the same point in development. Scoring Consistency: Produces consistent scores, ratings, results or responses when a particular assessment tool, scoring guide or rubric is used by different evaluators to assess the same student performance or work sample. 3 II. Essential Principles to Guide the Development of Sound Educational Goals and Measures †¢ Your mandate as the operator of a charter school is not just to teach well but also to demonstrate objectively – in ways that are clear, understandable and credible to a variety of external audiences – that you are doing so. Thus, you must measure and report academic progress precisely and extensively. Distinguish between goals and measures. Goals are the starting point, but require valid, reliable ways to measure and demonstrate that you have achieved them. Make sure that your goals are clear, specific and measurable. Your measures for attainment of those goals should describe how you will assess progress, and how much progress will constitute success. Educational goals must be connected to a well-defined set of learning standards for both content (what students should know) and performance (what students should be able to do). Such standards should exist for every subject or content area and each grade, age or other grouping level in the school. Focus on outcomes and evidence of learning, not inputs. For example, participation rates or the number of hours spent on an activity are not sufficient measures of success. Participation and investment of time are  necessary first steps, but they are inputs, not measures of learning and accomplishment. In developing goals for your accountability plan, focus on what’s most important. Ten or fewer clear, well-chosen and carefully measured educational goals (for both Academic and Student Non-Academic Performance) should allow you to provide a convincing story of your progress and achievements – and will be more effective than listing a score of vague, trivial, redundant or hard-to-measure indicators. The measures you develop to assess achievement of each goal, if not based on standardized assessments, should be demonstrably valid and reliable. (The attached framework will provide some help in developing validity and reliability of assessments.) A Note on Defining Standards: Milestones on the Path to Broader School Goals Educational goals must be tied to clear content and performance standards specifying what you expect your students to know and be able to do in order to graduate or be promoted to the next level. These standards need only to be referenced in your accountability plan, but they form the foundation of your school’s education program. As such, selecting and developing grade-bygrade, subject-by-subject standards is an essential component of accountability planning that goes hand-in-hand with broader goal-setting. Of course, many of your school standards will be Indiana state standards. However, most schools have important aims beyond the state requirements, and developing these supplemental standards is a technically challenging task. It usually consists of several steps, including: 1. Articulating desired characteristics of â€Å"educated† students at a general level – or setting your  school’s overarching goals; 2. Breaking these general qualities and goals into more concrete graduation or exit standards; and 3. Benchmarking these exit standards down into specific and measurable grade-age-level content and performance standards.2 III. Practical Steps for Developing Sound Educational Goals and Measures †¢ Define a set of goals that describe what success will look like at your school. These goals should be carefully selected to reflect the breadth and depth of your mission, and should answer critical questions such as: How will you know if your school is succeeding (or not)? What will be important characteristics of â€Å"educated students† at your school? What will students know and be able to do after a certain period of time? Outline your goals in precise, declarative sentences. Example: â€Å"All students at the Excelencia Charter School will be proficient readers and writers of Spanish within four years of enrolling.† Identify at least one and possibly multiple measures to assess and demonstrate progress toward each goal. These measures must indicate both (1) the level of performance you will expect your school or students to achieve, and (2) how much progress will indicate success. (It is not sufficient to say you’ll administer a certain type of assessment; you must explain how you expect your students to perform on it to demonstrate progress and success.) Adapted from Accountability for Student Performance: An Annotated Resource Guide for Shaping an Accountability Plan for Your Charter School (Charter Friends National Network, 2nd ed., 2001), p. 5, http://www.charterfriends.org/accountability.doc. You may develop different types of measures to assess (1) absolute achievement; (2) student growth or gains; or (3) achievement compared to other schools. (The box below provides an example of different ways to measure achievement of the same goal.) For every goal, choose means of assessment that make non-attainment of the goal as objectively apparent as success. That is, the assessment(s) should tell you (and external audiences) immediately whether you have achieved a particular goal or not. Make sure that your measures of student learning are based on knowledge of your students’ baseline achievement levels. Without such knowledge, your measures will not be meaningful or realistic. Set long-term goals as well as intermediate (typically annual) benchmarks to assess progress. Administer assessments corresponding to this timeline to provide longitudinal data over the term of the charter. To have time to counter learning deficits that students may have upon entering your school, you may consider setting certain goals for students who have been enrolled in your school for a certain period of time, such as â€Å"students who have been in the school for at least three years.† For every measure you develop, ask yourself, â€Å"Will this measure be readily understandable and credible to someone who doesn’t spend a day or a week in our school getting to know us?† Remember, your school will be judged by the media, community leaders and the public at large, in addition to your authorizer and parents. For measures not based on standardized tests, establishing external credibility typically requires demonstrating validity and reliability. (The attached framework offers an overview of one way for schools to do this.) Understand what data you will need to gather to support each measure. Remember, if you have no data, you have no case proving your school’s achievements. Likewise, if you have insufficient data, you have an insufficient case. There is no single best way to measure achievement of a particular goal. As charter schools, you are free to choose measures that you prefer, provided that they are also meaningful and persuasive to external audiences. The following example shows how three different measures might be applied to a single learning goal. (These goals could be developed by one school or by three different schools that have the same goal.) Note that each measure describes how progress will be assessed and how much progress will constitute success. The third measure allows the school to assess skills beyond those measured on standardized tests, and would thus require some demonstration of validity and reliability or be used in addition to externally validated assessments.

Compare and contrast Grand Odalisque and Velazquez's Princess Essay

Compare and contrast Grand Odalisque and Velazquez's Princess - Essay Example The painting also represents an eclectic mix of styles that combine classical form with Romantic themes, which is a contrast to contemporary style and content. â€Å"Las Meninas† (1656) represents a masterpiece of Spanish painting by Diego Velazquez, and one of the most prominent paintings. The painting also doubles up as one of the most controversial and imitated painting in history. The painting depicts a scene from daily life within the palace of Felipe IV in which the Princess is at the centre in the company of her ladies-in-waiting (â€Å"Meninas†). Naturalism of the painting with its impact of spontaneity and relative informality should be understood within the context of Velazquez’s identity as a court painter and a member of the court of Philip IV (Mitchell 58). The painting demonstrates Velazquez skill in the utilization of â€Å"claroscuro† in which the point of light lights up the characters and establishes an order within the composition. I am drawn to these art works owing to the praise and criticism that they draw. Grande Odalisque, for instance, remains one of the Ingres’ most popular nudes given that the anatomical distortions of the odalisque persist to fascinate art fans. The paper compares and contrasts two masterpiece paintings belonging at diverse artistic periods and detailing distinct characteristics of artists’ distinct styles, namely: Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres and Diego Velazquez. Grande Odalisque/Une Odalisque Stylistic Characteristics: Grand Odalisque The painting contains a clear outline and linear style highly typical of the Neoclassic movement; hence, the female figure within the painting is accentuated by light and possess a distinct contour highlighted by the setting of the darker movement. This renders the painting to be highly sensual, realist, and romanticized. Use of space: The body of the nude occupies the entire frame of the canvas in which her head, elbow, and buttock are only few inches away from the edge of the canvas, and her toes extend beyond the bounds of the edge. Techniques: One of the techniques that Ingres employs features his anatomical distortion as seen in the female nude. In Grand Odalisque Ingres drew extended sinuous lines to lengthen her back and pelvis area. Critics claim that the lack of anatomical realism makes her body appears boneless. Use of color: Ingres use of color is carefully planned, whereby he differentiates the warm tones vis a vis the cool colored silk. Lighting: The foreground of painting remains completely unlit heralding focus to the long and affective body of the odalisque. It appears that major spotlight awarded to her body, especially lighting and drawing attention to the areas that he elongates (her arm, back, and pelvis area). Tone: The Grand Odalisque is sensual and erotic, whereby the odalisque is offering herself to the sultan, but offers just a small preview of her body. Brushstroke: Ingres employs tight brushwo rk to attain his near photographic realism. Ingres incorporates the likeness of the texture of the model’s skin, the velvet, and the silk. Cultural Context: Grand Odalisque In the artwork, Ingres has generated a fresh aloof eroticism emphasized by its exotic context. The painting reflects sensual fascination with the orient and portrays his attraction for foreign eroticism. Some art historians cite the elongation of the Odalisque’

Recovery of the China Stock Market and Challenges in the Post-Crisis Essay - 1

Recovery of the China Stock Market and Challenges in the Post-Crisis Era - Essay Example In fact, an outflow of approximately US$25 billion was experienced by China in December only, and at some point in the fourth quarter of 2008 a sum of US$150 billion was pulled out from the country, according to the report of the Bank of China (Min-Chan 2009, 43). The dramatic economic growth of China has to a certain extent been fuelled by its thriving export-driven production. Nevertheless, the export of China by mid-2008 diminished to a ‘negative 20-percent growth rate from the positive 20-30 percent rate in previous years’ (Platt 2009, 50). Because of these developments some financial analysts predicted that China would confront a financial crisis in 2009 and 2010. The prediction happened and this forced the Chinese government to initiate a set of stimulus package (Yao & Zhang 2011). These attempts of China to recover from the global financial crisis will be analyzed in this paper. The end of 2007 witnessed the sharp rise of China’s stock markets; however, the end of 2008 witnessed the bubbles’ remarkable rupture. The SSECI showed a decrease from 6,135 in 2007 to 1,608 in 2008 (Yao & Zhang 2011, 26). It has improved to some extent, but has been wrestling to swing around 3,000 from the period of the bubble disintegration. The SSECI showed 2,900 at the end of 2010 (Yao & Zhang 2011, 26). These changes are shown in the figure below: China exposed the avenues to new share offerings, letting loose a stream of initial public offerings (IPOs) to aid in the absorption of surplus liquidity and calm a raging stock market. What began as a drop of IPOs became a surge, with numerous companies primed to register in the Shanghai Stock Exchange (Platt 2009). According to Michael Guillen, professor of international management and director of the Lauder Institute, in his remark about the recovery attempts of China’s stock market in the Financial Times (2009), â€Å"During the last two years, monetary policy has

Concentrated Solar Power Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Concentrated Solar Power - Essay Example The second chapter introduces us to possible solution to the problem stated in the introduction chapter. In the third chapter, various aspects of the solution are analyzed. In this case, the research has clearly explained justifications for using the solution outlined. The conclusion gives a summary of main ideas outlined in the research. In addition, various recommendations have been presented for potential advancement of this technology. We have analyzed various ways through which the lighting problem in the rural areas and other areas that are not connected to the grid can be lighted up. In addition, we have been focussing on the ways that can be adopted in order to in the installation scale down the electricity bills payable by consumers for the power supply. One of the main openings to providing a solution for the stated problems is to utilize the solar energy. It is important to note that every single household is always connected to the solar energy; since it is freely availab le as a gift of nature. This report investigates a power system used to generate electricity for powering domestic holdings, business and industries. The essay makes various recommendations for effective installation of solar panels to ensure that maximum power will be produced. In addition, this work provides technical skills for technicians involved in the installation. This research has been conducted with the aim of unmasking the potential that the solar energy possess if it was fully exploited.

Indonesia Development Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Indonesia Development - Case Study Example Another major reason is the widespread corruption existing there. Rise in public expenditure and widespread reforms in judicial systems and police service can be suggested as the major policy options for alleviating the current situation. More focus needs to be given to the health and education needs of poor. These need assistance from international organizations like World Bank. According to (Seers 1989, 485), development cannot be measured in terms of economic development alone. This is because for economic development Gross Domestic Product is used as the main indicator. This indicator is only an aggregation and hence in a country with significant poverty, a luxury item like car will be counted more than an essential commodity like food items. Hence, GDP can overestimate the level of development in a country (Seers 1989 486). Further, economic development need not always lead to human development. It involves development in terms of combination of social, economic and political development rather than economic development alone. Therefore, development needs to be measured in terms of a combination of economic and social terms. Based on the above definition of development, the current level of development in Indonesia is assessed. The major indicators of development used are economic and social indicators. For indicating economic development, the growth rate of GDP, inflation, money supply, foreign exports and imports and foreign investments are used. The main social indicators used are population growth rate, infant mortality rate, life expectancy, school participation rate, adult literacy rate and unemployment rate.Further, the reasons for the current level of development are also examined. Finally, the main policies to be adopted for improving the current level of development are suggested. How to implement these policies and what assistance is needed for the country to improve the situation are also examined. 2. Current Level of Indonesia's Development and its Reasons In terms of economic development, Indonesia achieved considerable growth since 1966 (Hill 2000, 11).From 1969 to 1997, there has been a rapid rise of about 150 percent rise in GDP in Indonesia. In this period, service sector has been following the economy's overall growth very closely (Hill 2000, 11).The main reasons for the sustained economic growth in this period have been suggested as high investment rates and thereby rapid technological transfer (Dick and Vincent 2002,354).Money supply growth and Inflation were all under control in this period(Hill 2000,30). At present, Indonesia has an economic growth of 4.2 percent, which is the highest in South East Asia though this was less than the GDP growth of 6.2 percent in 2008(Asian Development Outlook 2009,136). This decline might be due to the global financial crisis of 2008. Private and government consumption grew by 5.4 percent and 18.0 percent while investment declined slightly in 2009. Service sector has been the major contributor to GDP growth followed by industrial and agricultural sector in 2009.Inflation declined to 2.7 percent in 2009 from 12.7 percent and poverty incidence measured by the national poverty line declined to 14.7 percent in 2009 from 15.4 percent. Net foreign investment inflows are $3.5 trillion in 2009 and balance of payments recorded a surplus. The trends in foreign trade show that the

A Critical Discussion of the Concept of Integrated Marketing Essay

A Critical Discussion of the Concept of Integrated Marketing Communications from an Advertising Strategy and Planning Perspective - Essay Example A significant debate over recent years has been the significance of ensuring the integration of these tools of marketing communications† (Yeshin, 2006). Introduction The desire to implement effective marketing communications and advertising strategies since the inception of corporate world prompted the integration of varied aspects deemed by managers to ensure clients’ satisfaction (Luck & Moffatt, 2009). The aim of this action was to capture large pool of clientele globally as well as corporations have high client’s retention rate essential in ensuring higher market share than other key players in the same field (Luck & Moffatt, 2009). However, this concept, which is Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) has received both welcoming and dissuading arguments from varied scholars whereby the latter category deem IMC is a â€Å"management fad† (Cornelissen & Lock, 2000, p. 9). Hence, according to the dissuading category, IMC is not a new devised effective tool but a fashion of what used to be prior to the inception of utilizing it. Conversely, some scholars have argued pro about the idea of IMC coupled with availing adequate proven examples, which support the argument that have persisted up to date. Therefore, this study seeks to provide a critical discussion of Yeshin’s (2006) statement on the subject of IMC relating to both advertising strategy and planning in UK. ... Evolution in this case encompasses integrating of technology with other marketing aspects especially in communicating, planning and execution, whereby according to IMC’s devotees or proponents this is not a â€Å"management fad† (Cornelissen & Lock, 2000, p. 9). This is because advertising cannot exist solely by its own but entails other varied and essential aspects meant to aid it in attaining the required corporate reputation in the market. Therefore, integration of the current communications knowhow usually supplements advertising aspect, which to date has experienced transitory period. Similarly, Cornelissen and Lock’s approach or argument aligns well with Luck and Moffatt (2009, p. 313) study where they expound more about significant evidence of transition in terms of marketing strategies. Based on their study, â€Å"communications† usually implies diverse marketing methods, which current policymakers ought to embrace in order to improve both particip ants’ interaction and relationships contrary to the 20Th century’s advertising approaches (Luck & Moffatt, 2009). Hence, posing the aspect of evolution whereby in the past, marketers solely focused on distribution channels as well commodities’ exchange, which is contrary to the current period whereby market mix has taken over as key marketing strategy. This aligns with the relayed statement whose implication cites integration of varied methods or communications together with advertising aspect aimed at heightening corporation’s reputation despite numerous counterarguments against it. Other arguments in favor of IMC aspect characterizing the current corporate world encompass establishing of communication programmes contrary to the earlier four key mass media forms

Regulation of International Trade Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Regulation of International Trade - Essay Example This raises an important issue in the environmental concern. By the fact slug vacuuming in waters of bohemia interfere with aquatic lives then it implies with that if interfered even with the endangered aquatic species. Seabed is home of many aquatic lives. Marine conservation and international free trade reconciles with dolphins with tuna and sea turtles with shrimp. During the 1990s, the World Trade Organization (WTO)-GATT provisions, multilateral efforts promote conservation of endangered marine species through trade sanctions against other governments. These acts of unilateral economic coercion were held to be discriminatory tactics done in unfair restraint of international trade. But in so doing, the WTO findings aroused the ire of environmentalists worldwide. These findings, by the WTO became portrayed not as decisions upholding free trade, but as mandates against marine conservation and environmental protection. Even so, this denial of lawful permissibility to use unilateral economic coercion to protect endangered species internationally does not signal the demise of national efforts to conserve living marine resources. Rather, these WTO findings point up the manner in which potential trade and marine conservation disputes should be handled, i.e., through means of peaceful settlement. The key to future international marine conservation relies on a multilateral rather than a unilateral approach. The United Nation Environmental programme (UNEP) is the international body for overseeing on implementation of environment multilateral agreements, treaties and conventions. The year 2004 Word environmental day, the theme was wanted seas and oceans dead or alive. Thus, environmentally conscious governments, should continue to encourage global adoption of marine conservation policies without interfering with international norms and standards of international commercial transactions For the above reasons waters of Bohemia unlike waters of Atlantis runs at a risk of losing seabed green fish among other important aquatic lives including the endangered and undiscovered marine lives. Now through comparing the GATT 1994 law and Green fish preservation act, it should come to a point of solution. GATT law states on restrictions and quotas based on environmental concerns while the act calls either for ban of fishing, licensing or green fish friendly based. Green Fish Act 2004 seems unchallengeable from numerous treaties and conventions that supports it. 1 To the fact that there are national, regional and international treaties, conventions and agreements concerning on water resources it should be applied imposition of environmental concerns by GATT 1994 while the act calls either for ban of fishing, licensing or green fish friendly labels. To the fact that there is national regional and international treating, contentious and agreement concerning on water resources it should be applied imposition of environmental friendly methods of fishing should be applied. For instance, as stated by the green fish preservation act 2004, the use of green friendly label on all sea slug produce is required. Principles of Free Trader and

Education research paper on Oral Proficiency in the Foreign Language

Education on Oral Proficiency in the Foreign Language classroom - Research Paper Example Foreign-language teachers are as a result advised to promote classroom participation of students since through this they will be able to enhance their foreign language speeches. This paper in particular tries to find the appropriate ways that teachers can employ in order to promote foreign language oral proficiency in their classrooms. Research was carried out through interviews, surveys and classroom observations and various findings presented, from which conclusions were drawn. Table of contents Abstract 2 Introduction 4 Literature Review 5 The Importance of Oral Assessment 5 Motivating Students to Speak 6 Results/ Presentation 16 Interview Results/Findings 16 Survey Results/Findings 18 Classroom Observations 19 Discussion and Analysis 20 Pedagogical Applications 24 Recommendations 27 References 30 Appendices 33 Introduction Increasing global development and the need for expanded second language skills have led many educators to seek ways to ensure that students of foreign language s leave their classes with a level of language proficiency. Though tests of written language are frequently defined by state standards that are based on written assessments, spoken language proficiency and the use of oral assessments in language classes are receiving increasing attention. The current literature on this topic reflects varied views of educators and administrators, both in relation to foreign language instruction and as a reflection of efforts in this country to support second language instruction for those with limited English proficiency. The application and increasing emphasis on oral assessments in foreign language instruction in the United States has extended from the realization that spoken language proficiency is an imperative part of the application and utility of language learning. In correlation, educators have applied a range of strategies to improve oral language performance, including methods to motivate learners, improve classroom process, and improve ora l language skills. The purpose of this research is to learn and investigate how to prepare activities to engage students in speaking and how to assess speaking in class. Given that not all students will speak the target language outside of class the classroom is a crucial if not the only space for students to engage in the spoken language in their early learning experience. The purpose of this study is also to ultimately create an assessment system that would match effective teaching practices. The research questions guiding the study are: How can I incorporate oral assessment as a daily part of class? How much weight should I place on oral assessment? How can I provide a classroom environment that will motivate students to speak in class? What would appropriate tasks look like? How do other skills/factors support speaking? Literature Review The Importance of Oral Assessment Foreign language instructors have taken the lead from second language (L2) instructional models that place an emphasis on the acquisition of oral language skills and the application of assessments to determine a learner’s pragmatic skills, the skills that they can use in an authentic speaking environment (Ishihara, 2009). Language educators have recognized that pragmatic competence should be achieved through language experiences in the classroom, and instructors can benefit from making

Sonalika Traktor Essay Example for Free

Sonalika Traktor Essay Established in 1969, Sonalika group from the very beginninghastried to understand customer need so that they get better value for their money, hard earned.Sonalika has stateof manufacturing, spread in acres, located at Hoshiarpur and tax free zone at AMBin Himachal Pradesh.Sonalika is the one of the top 3 tractor manufacturing companies in India, other products include of,Multi utility vehicles, engines and various farm equipments. Today the group stands tall with anapproximate turnover of 3200 Core INR. An average growth of 30% makes it one of the fastestgrowing corporate in India. Its is also one of the few debt free companies.Group has strength of about 2000 employee technocrats. History reveals that innovation is the keyto continued progress and when applied to technology that touches human life, it can unfold a wholenew economic phenomenon that has the power to change the world.With unique initiatives like the Thought leadership Forum, Leadership Forum, sonalika have beenable to create a unique platform for learning through success stories of industry leaders. â€Å"No, doubt that the sonalika products has created a niche for themselves not only in India but also in foreign market. To maintain quality have any defect even at micro level is been takencare of and rectified. The technology for which they use, is of the high quality and world-class quality standards.† The industry has gradually transformed itself into a world-class player involved in building state-of-the-art products, solutions and technologies. As an industry, they are very conscious of responsibilityto society.Sonalika Foundation intends to become a catalyst, encouraging our members to do more, capturingbest practices for quality and harnessing a greater range of resources, from the industry and beyond,to make a major impact on the development.It has been their vision to cater to the needful agriculture and auto industry with quality productsthrough untiring dedication and activities. As they step in to their fifth decade of existence, it continueto lead the development.Tractor and car plants work in 2 to 3 shifts depending upon volume of work for maximum production.It Continue to march ahead on road to success and glory driven by the force of initiative  anddetermination to have a leading position in the tractor industry in the days to come . They haveventured in to automobi le sector also with the launching of Rhino – MUV- to write another successstory. PROJECT HEADING The Study of tractors in and around Ghaziabad specially their buying practices,specific needs, model / hp / make preferences and opinion about Sonalika tractorfor this particular segment / their specific need . INTRODUCTION OF TRACTOR INDUSTRY International Tractors Limited was incorporate on October 17, 1995 for the manufacture of Tractors and has since then built a distinct position for itself in the Tractor industry. ITL ismanufacturing various Tractors of Sonalika brand between 30 H.P to 90 H.P, and CLASS brandbetween 70 hp to 90hp. The tractors manufactured by company have secured a reputation of performance, quality and reliability in the market because of their maximum pulling power, minimumfuel consumption and low emission. All this makes ITL one of the top three tractor selling companiesin India. These tractors are also exported to various countries including South Africa, Australia,Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, Canada, Bangladesh, Algeria, Zambia, Senegal, Ghana etcITL has entered into strategic alliance with YANMAR of Japan for joint manufacturing tractors inIndia. ITL has a marketing arrangement with TATA International for development of selected South American and African market. The company’s marketing efforts are promoted by dealer network of 600, and 450 subdealers. Such a networking has enabled the company to grow like a well-knit familywhose roots lie in its customers, who have providing constant feedback and support to allow thecompany to turn their dreams into products. â€Å"Our Manufacturing Process, Quality Control systems and Research Developmentfacilities are ISO-2000 certified,  by the joint Accreditation system Of Australia and NewZealand. We are the first Tractor manufacturing company in the country to beaccredited with ISO-14001. It bears testimony to fact that company is having world-classRD facilities, maintaining controls and systems of international Standard and Environment norms.† They are also manufacturing tractors, meeting norms of Smoke Mass Emission, Tested andcertified by ARAI, Pune. United States Environmental Norms Agency, Washington DC has alsocertified our Engines. These certifications enabled SONALIKA Tractors to enter into world Market.All the Models of Tractors and Combines Harvesters manufactured by us are tested approved bycentral Farm Machinery and Tractors Training Testing Institute, Bundi (MP) India, (theGovernment of India Institute authorized for issuing test reports). WELCOME TO KEY SURVEY AND STUDY A.  WHAT IS TRACTOR A  tractor  is a vehicle specifically designed to deliver a high tractive effort (or torque) at slow speeds,for the purposes of hauling a trailer or machinery used in agriculture or construction. Mostcommonly, the term is used to describe the distinctive farm vehicle: agricultural implements may betowed behind or mounted on the tractor, and the tractor may also provide a source of power if theimplement is mechanised.The word tractor was taken from Latin, being the agent noun of trahere to pull. The first recordeduse of the word meaning an engine or vehicle for pulling wagons or ploughs occurred in 1901,displacing the earlier term traction engine (1859).Tractors are used extensively in mowing and land-clearing applications. In fact, the commonsuburban riding mower is basically a scaled-down tractor. Theyre also used in construction,landscaping, livestock operations, and industrial settings. B.  BASIC OF CHOOSING A TRACTOR Getting the right tractor is important: its an expensive purchase and one that you can easily last 10,20, or 30 years or more. This Buyer Zone Tractors Buyers Guide will help you through the process,answering questions such as: How much horsepower do you need? What features are most important? Which attachments are the most useful? How can you choose the right dealer? How much you can expect to pay?Start choosing a tractor by determining if one is actually right piece for you. There are three mainpoints to consider when choosing which type of equipment is right for you: FLEXIBILITY Skid steer loaders and tractors are designed to power many kinds of attachments,while excavators and loader/backhoes are dedicated to the specific tasks of digging and loading. As aresult, the specialized machines are more efficient at their specific jobs, but the generalists are usefulin more ways. SURFACE IMPACT Skid steers and excavator tracks can wreak havoc on grass or loose surfaces.In contrast, even fairly substantial tractors equipped with the right tires can work on these types of surfaces without doing noticeable damage. OVERAGE AREA Since they can move at faster speeds, tractors are more appropriate than skidsteers for work that involves covering a lot of ground: mowing or plowing large fields. Hydrostatic transmissions are the best choice if the primary operators of the tractor arent familiarwith using manual transmissions. However, theyre more expensive, and they reduce the availablehorsepower slightly when compared to manual transmissions.If your operators are comfortable with using a clutch, you can save some money and get a little morepower out of your tractor by choosing a manual transmission. SAFETY (ROPS) All new tractors are required to come with rollover protection structures (ROPS) that greatly improvesafety. When used in conjunction with a seatbelt, ROPS prevent the tractor from crushing theoperator in a rollover accident.Another safety feature to look for is an operator presence switch. These systems can detect theoperators weight in the drivers seat –  and if theres no one in the seat, they automatically shut off theengine.Most tractors will have basic lights and flashers for road operation, but you should check localregulations for any rules about driving tractors on public roads to see if there are more specificrequirements. TIRES Your application will also determine what type of tires you should choose. Tractors can use manytypes of pneumatic tires: agricultural tires for working in loose dirt; industrial tires for heavy mowingand loader work, or turf tires that reduce damage when mowing finished lawns. Your dealer shouldshow you several types of tires that appropriate for your use. F.  TRACTOR ATTACHMENTS While the tractor itself provides the power to get your job done, the attachments are what actually dothe work. As one dealer told us, a tractor without attachments is basically a slow ride to the mailbox.Buying the right  attachments for the job you need to do is an essential part of a tractor purchase. Themost common type of application is moving materials around, and for that job, a front-end loader isa great choice. A simple scoop on two arms, a loader can be used for carrying dirt, rocks, mulch, orother loose materials; for leveling and landscaping work; and for carrying heavy items. Unlike mostattachments, this popular tool connects to the front of the tractor, instead of the back, meaning it canbe left on while using the back end for other attachments.Some popular attachments: Box blades  are used to scrape or push earth, for grading, leveling, or bulldozing applications. Mowers  come in many types: rough cut and brush mowers for cutting through heavy growthand finish mowers for more detailed work.  In agricultural use,  tillers,  plows, and  disk harrows  are excellent tools for preparing fields. If snow is an issue in your location, front-end  plows  and  blowers  turn your tractor into asnow-removal machine. Backhoes provide serious digging power  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ   but at a high cost: theyre among the mostexpensive attachments you can buy. Not all tractors can support backhoes,either. Other attachments include  landscape rakes,  spreaders,  forks,  grapples, and  hay bailers. CONNECTING TRACTORS ATTACHMENTS Most attachments connect using a three-point hitch at the back of the tractor. This lets them use thepower take-off unit (PTO) as a power source. Almost all tractors use a standard 540 RPM PTO andthree-point hitch, which means attachments are generally interchangeable between different tractors.Verify that the horsepower rating of your PTO is enough to run the attachments you plan on using.1000 and 2000 RPM PTOs are also available, but unless you need a specialized attachment that onlyworks at those speeds, theyre not important. Some tractors have a PTO located in the middle of thetractor, beneath the operator. This can be helpful for precise mowing, but its not very common. G. CHOOSING A TRACTOR DEALER Buying a tractor involves more than just choosing the right model and the  right attachments: you haveto choose a tractor dealer you can work with for the long term. Like any piece of heavy equipment,your tractor will wear and eventually break, making your relationship with the dealer important.Having warranty coverage on your tractor isnt worth much if the dealership cant do the work youneed. Ask potential tractor dealers about their service policies: What kind of parts inventory do you keep on hand? How many technicians do you have? What is their training and experience like? Do you do on-site service if my tractor needs repairs? What about scheduled maintenance? Do you have guaranteed response times? Do you provide loaners if my tractor needs to be taken in for service? Will you pick my tractorup if it needs to go in for extensive work? You should visit the dealer’s facility. Simply seeing the parts warehouse and service areas can give you a good sense of their capabilities. REGULAR MAINTAINENCE Relatively simple tasks like changing the oil, replacing filters, and lubricating joints are an essentialpart of extending your tractors lifespan, and many tractor owners choose to take care of routinemaintenance on their own. But in addition to repairing breakdowns, your dealer should also help withthis type of preventative maintenance.They should provide you with a detailed maintenance manual, and walk you through the basicmaintenance procedures if necessary. They can also be your source for the parts and supplies youneed to keep the tractor running smoothly. Handling this routine maintenance isnt difficult, but it does require that you stick to a schedule.Because regularly scheduled maintenance is so important, it can make sense to purchase amaintenance contract. For a small yearly fee, the dealer will make sure all required maintenance isdone right and on time, either at your location or theirs. OTHER CONSIDERATIONS Many tractor manufactures have been around for decades. While newer or lesser-known brands maybe cheaper, choosing a brand with longevity helps unsure that youll be able to find parts when youneed them.Better dealers will let you take a tractor for a demo at your own site. This is a great way to evaluatedifferent models: youll be able to get a feel for how well each performs in your specific applications.Youll also be able to directly evaluate subjective issues like visibility and ease of use. Lastly, don’t underestimate your personal reactions. Choose a dealer you feel is honest with yo u andeasy to work with: those impressions are often good indicators of how the dealer will treat you in thelong run. If the dealer aggressively starts selling you on a tractor without trying to determine yourneeds, you may want to keep moving. Quality dealers want to put you in the right tractor, knowingthat if youre satisfied with your purchase, youll eventually come back. softening of commodity prices preparing the ground for the industry to earn higher profitabilitymargins. The pickup in volumes also lowered the overhead expenses for the tractor manufacturers,boosting their profitability. While the OEMs did not lower the listed sales price of tractors, the benefitof lower steel prices was passed on to the end customers via discounts. This is an accepted practice inthe industry; given that once prices are lowered it is difficult to raise them subsequently. However,during H2 2009-10, the tractor majors increased the prices with the reversal of commodity prices andthe discounts have also come down INDUSTRY TREND BY REGION The biggest markets for the tractor industry include States like Uttar Pradesh (UP), Andhra Pradesh(AP), Madhya Pradesh (MP), Rajasthan, and  Maharashtra, which together accounted for around 50%of the total tractor sales in India during 2009-10. The tractor industry witnessed a strong y-o-y growthof 28.3% during 2009-10, with most of the States reporting positive growth during the year. The  northern region  remains the largest tractor market in India with sales of around 1,67,000 unitsas of 2009-10. This region reported a growth rate of 35.7% in volume sales in 2009-10 over theprevious fiscal, with the key contributors including UP, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. The northernregion benefited from higher MSPs (for crops), limited availability of labour (forcing highermechanisation), and increasing non-agricultural use of tractors. Additionally, increased infrastructuredevelopment activities (especially highways) led to appreciation in land values and use of tractors fornon- agricultural purposes. In some cases, farmers also received compensation for the Government’s acquisition of select land patches (adjoining highways), which increased the availability of cash withthem. Feedback from industry players  suggests cash purchases (including purchases using KisanCredit Card) in some northern States increased to 35-40% of the total tractor volumes in 2009-10 from 10-15% in the past.Tractor volumes in UP grew by 42.7% during 2009-10, with H2, 2009-10 reporting particularlystrong growth (around 51% y-o-y) mainly on the back of high sugarcane prices for the kharif  cropand improved irrigation facilities. In the case of Punjab, tractor volumes remained strong for the fifthstraight year in 2009-10 (y-o-y growth of 42%). In Rajasthan however, growth in tractor volumes wasrelatively subdued in 2009-10 (around 24% y-o-y) as compared with the figure for the northernregion as a whole. Tractor sales in Rajasthan were especially low in H2, 2009-10 versus H1, 2009-10,due to lower kharif output on account of deficient rains and inadequate financing availability.In the eastern region, tractor volumes continued to report strong growth in 2009-10, albeit on a smallbase, and went up by 53.8% over 2008-09, being driven mainly by the higher MSPs announced forpaddy. Within the region however, many financiers remained reluctant to finance tractor purchases insome States like Bihar. Nevertheless, in Bihar, tractor volumes grew 66% over 2008-09 to around29,000 units in 2009-10, thereby accounting for over 50% of the total sales in the eastern region. TheBihar market, where tractor penetration had been lo w historically, has shown sustained growth overthe last few years and become one of the important markets for the tractor industry. Overall, in theeastern region, growth in tractor volumes is expected to moderate, going forward, as the benefit of alow base get diluted gradually.The western region  reported sales of around 92,000 tractor units during 2009-10 —   a growth rate of 35.7% over the previous fiscal  Ã¢â‚¬â€   benefiting particularly from the strong performance thatMaharashtra, Gujarat and MP posted during H2, 2009-10 (55% y-o-y growth over H2, 2008-09). Thefactors contributing to the strong growth in the region during H2, 2009-10 included a benign baseeffect, higher crop prices (of sugarcane and cotton in Maharashtra, and of cereals and soyabean inMP), and greater availability of retail finance.The performance of the southern region  in terms of tractor sales was relatively modest during 2009-10, with the growth rate being around 11.9% over the previous fiscal. While most States in the regionreported healthy growth, AP, which is the largest tractor market in the south, de-grew by 10.4% in2009-10. The AP market has been undergoing a volume correction since 2007-08, with the precedingfour to five years having witnessed a large and sustained volume growth; this factor apart, the de-growth of 2009-10 was also aided by irregular monsoons. The other big market in the southernregion, Karnataka, reported growth of 74% in tractor volumes in 2009-10 mainly on the strength of higher MSPs for rice; however, volume growth is expected to modera te in 2010-11 because of thebase effect. In Tamil Nadu, tractor sales were flat during H1, 2009-10, but the performance improvedin H2, 2009-10 mainly because of improved retail  financing by the PSBs. INDUSTRY TRENDS BY TRACTOR HORSE POWER(HP SEGMENT) The Indian tractor market has traditionally been a medium HP market, with 31-40 HP tractorsaccounting for around 47% of the total industry volumes. In 2008-09, the 31-40 HP category hadreported sales of 157,602 tractor units, which was about the same as the previous year’s figure but  lower than the 2006-07 statistic by 7%. In 2009-10 however, this category reported a strong revival,with the volume growing by 22%2 over 2008-09; the revival was led by UP, Karnataka and MadhyaPradesh.The other major segment in the Indian tractor market is the 41-50 HP range, which accounts foraround 23% of the total industry volumes. This segment grew by around 10% during 2009-10,thereby underperforming the growth in overall tractor volumes (around 19%) that year. The mainreason for this underperformance was the low growth that the southern region, the biggest market forthis segment, reported in 2009-10. The 51 HP segment of the Indian tractor market alsounderperformed the industry growth rate in 2009-10 mainly because of the de-growth in the exportswhich is a key demand area for these high HP tractors. SOME LONG TERM DEMAND DRIVERS (TRACTOR INDUSTRY) Low penetration of tractors in Indian agriculture: Indian agriculture is characterised by low farmmechanisation, fragmented land holdings, and high dependence on monsoon rains (in the absence of adequate irrigation facilities). Tractor penetration in India is low at around 13 tractors per 1,000hectares as against the global average of 19 and the US average of 29. While this does indicate therelative backwardness of Indian agriculture, it also points to the significant scope that exists forraising tractor penetration, which bodes well for tractor demand over the long term. Government support for the agricultural sector: Although agriculture contributes just around 20%  to India’s GDP, it provides employment to a large rural population, which is why the sector remains a strong focus area for the Government. The tractor industry benefits significantly from theGovernmental focus on agriculture, with measures such as nil excise duty on tractors (even the exciseduty on tractor parts has been lowered from 16% to 8%) and inclusion of tractor financing underpriority sector lending (by PSBs) serving as long-term demand drivers. Financing of tractor purchaseis of great significance for the industry, it being a key demand facilitator. Export of tractors: Indian tractor manufacturers have been increasingly targeting the internationalmarkets over the last few years. The industry exported a total of around 37,900 tractors during 2009-10, with the USA, Africa, South America, and some Asian countries being the top destinations. Theindustry leader, Mahindra and Mahindra (MM), has acquired Yancheng Tractors, the fourth largesttractor manufacturer in China (in terms of FY2008 volumes), to improve its presence in the country.In the developed markets, Indian tractors have a relatively marginal presence, with sales being largelyrestricted to the hobby farming segment.

Old Age An Incurable Disease Health And Social Care Essay

Old Age An Incurable Disease Health And Social Care Essay Health is a central issue and fundamental human right associated with increase in longevity of population ageing. The maintenance of health status and functioning with age is a critical factor impacting upon many other aspects of the lives of aged, their family and communities. Ageing is a natural process which is inevitable and thus being the end of the human life cycle. Perceiving ageing with fear is recent phenomenon, it seems to be increasing each day, as world become more complex and moreover ageing is associated with decline in functional ability which affects all aged peoples. Aged have limited regenerative abilities and more prone to disease, syndrome and sickness than adults. Old age is an incurable disease, You do not heal old age but You protect, promote and extend it. James Sterling Ross The number of persons above the age of 60 years is fastly growing, especially in India. India is the second most popular country in the world has 76.6 million people at over the age of 60, constituting above 7.7% of total population. The most obvious manifestations of old age are changes in physical appearance such as wrinkles appearing on the face, graying of hair, restriction of movements and more prone to chronic illness. Too frequently, older adults suffer from the emotional side effects of ageing such as feeling of distress and anxiety regarding their future, loneliness and social isolation. The major area of concern is the health of the aged with multiple medical and psychosocial problems which have an impact on functional ability of aged. Functional disability in the aged is defined as an acquired difficulty in performing basic everyday tasks or more complex tasks needed for independent living Davidson. (2011). The most common problem confronting aged people is functional disability that leads to dependency and institutionalization. The functional disability in the aged includes three dimensions: physical, emotional, and mental performance. The population of functionally disabled aged is growing rapidly. The number of aged who suffered with functional disability due to arthritis, stroke, cognitive impairment, anxiety and emotional distress is expected to increase at least 80 percent by 2049. Functional disability limits the autonomy of older people, introduces dependence, and reduces the quality of life and increase the risk of nursing home admission. Studies have shown that the proportion of aged persons who cannot move and are confined to their bed or home ranges from 77 per 1000 in urban area and 84 per 1000 in rural areas. The family and community play a vital role in the care of a functionally disabled aged. The supportive care for aged with functional disability is the major concern which includes early rehabilitation with adequate nutrition, fluids, range of motion exercise, second hourly position changing; skin care and reviewing medical follow up. This will enable to prevent the development of complications such as infection, bed sore, constipation, movement incapability, urinary tract infection, deep vein thrombosis, muscle atrophy and contractures with resultant deformity in the aged. Studies shown that majority (70%) of the aged over 60 years with functional disability are expecting the need of care by the caregivers to perform their daily activities. Caregivers are the one who is always present with the aged client, satisfying their needs and solving their problems. The caregivers of the aged may be their spouse, childrens or some other paid caregivers. The involvement of caregivers in caring the aged ones has been a help to create a great confidence in the aged to perform some kind of activities of daily living and also it has profound effect on aged reaction to medical treatment, emotional adaptation and rehabilitation. To implement the care for aged it is necessary that caregivers must be aware of functional disability in the aged to provide supportive care. BACKGROUD OF THE STUDY: By reviewing the bureau report 2009, globally aged population will increase from 595 million to 2 billion, a four fold rise by 2050, in terms of proportion 10% in 2000, 15% by 2025 and rise to 21.6 % by 2050. Ageing population is an end product of demographic transition, the number of older adults aged above 60 years is increasing and they are becoming larger percentage of over all population. In India, it is estimated that the elderly population has grown from 12.6 million in 1901 to 80.93 million in 2010 and India is the second largest country comprising aged in the whole world and is likely to touch 300 million within next half century. Data available from India suggest that almost 50 per cent of the elderly suffer from chronic diseases with the prevalence of diseases increasing with rising age from 39 per cent in 60-64 years to 55 per cent in those older than 70 years. Research by the National institute of ageing reports that 80% of the aged are living with chronic conditions. Most of them are able to meet their own needs but only 25% of them require a special type of care. More than two third of the aged (22 %) live independently in a family setting. It is estimated that 10% of the aged need some form of long term care in the home. Prevalence of various functional disabilities gradually increases with advancing age, starts at the age of 60 years and cause a growing need for help especially after the age of 65 years. Ageing process and changes in life style pattern such as chronic alcoholism, smoking, use of tobacco, sedentary life style, obesity, lack of exercise and improper nutrition during the young age has led a risk of chronic disease conditions among elderly population which results in 70% of disability making elderly more dependent on family and caregivers. Eden. (2000) stated that old age is still perceived as a casual agent for seeking dependence in performing daily activities and the factors frequently causing dependency are age, gender, falls, illness etc. A large population of todays ageing is dependent on the family members for their health maintenance. Approximately 54% of the aged above 60 years are dependent, 24% of them are partially dependent and 22% of them are independent in performing their daily activities. The dependence on others for meeting the various needs will generate a felling of physiological and psychological dependence among the aged. The prevalence of unmet needs for functional disability in the aged due to vision problems is about 4.3%, 22.6% due to hearing problem, 32.5% due to immobility, 50% due to cognitive impairment, 62% due to difficulties in activities of daily living, 35% due to chronic illness, 25% due to psychological and social problems among those aged 60 and older. The involvement of caregivers in caring the aged will help to create a great confidence in aged to perform some kind of activities of daily living. Approximately 4.1 million caregivers are involved in intense care giving. Hence the care giving is not only the responsibility of health professionals but also the family members, relatives, friends and even non- professionals who cares for the aged in home. NEED FOR THE STUDY: Advances in technology and the combination of high fertility and declining mortality in twentieth century have resulted in rapid and large number of aged people worldwide especially in developing countries. In every country, the proportion of people aged over 60 years is growing faster than any other age group. Ageing causes numerous changes in the physiology of human beings which decreases functional ability. This in turn makes them dependent on caregiver. Inadequate care results in falls and depression among older adults. Among the aged, the focus is not only on reducing disease related morbidity and mortality, but also on promoting optimal health and ensuring disability-free years. The literature states that the effect of functional disability will have an effect on quality of life among aged, as the aged become dependent where the caregivers should play a major role in taking care of such aged person. Caregivers are the one who is always present with the aged client, satisfying their needs and solving their problems. It is necessary that caregivers must be aware of functional disability in the aged to provide supportive care. Investigator, during her clinical posting and community postings came across many aged with functional disability such as loss of control in body movements, functional immobility and associated coexisting illness who were dependent on their caregivers for their daily activities. While interacting with their caregivers the investigator came to know that they are not having adequate knowledge regarding the effects of functional disability and the care needed for the aged. Investigator felt that, aged with functional disability need some form of long term care in the home. If the caregivers had the knowledge they would help the aged in taking care of their health to prevent further complications. So the investigator felt the need to assess the knowledge regarding functional disability in the aged and its supportive care among caregivers to develop insight on the needs of older adults. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM: A study to assess the knowledge on functional disability in the aged and its supportive care among caregivers at selected settings in Chennai OBJECTIVES: To assess the knowledge on functional disability in the aged and its supportive care among caregivers at selected settings in Chennai. To associate the knowledge regarding functional disability in the aged and its supportive care with selected demographic variables among caregivers at selected settings in Chennai. OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS: ASSESS: In this study assess refers to the process of gathering information as expressed by the caregivers in response to the semi-structured interview schedule and analyzing it with the statistical method. KNOWLEDGE: In this study knowledge refers to the awareness about functional disability and its supportive care as expressed by caregivers as response to the semi-structured interview schedule and analyzing to the statistical method. AGED: In this study the aged refers to the people above 60 years who are available in the hospital and community. CAREGIVERS: In this study the caregivers refers to the family members, relatives and paid non professional persons in the age group from 21 years to 65 years who are taking care of the aged. FUNCTIONAL DISABILITY: In this study the functional disability refers to deviations from the normal or customary function of an individual within any of the three dimensions i.e, physical, emotional or social skills necessary for an independent life. SUPPORTIVE CARE: In this study the supportive care refers to the care which is provided to support the functionally disabled aged in meeting their daily needs. SETTINGS: In this study setting refers to the place or type of surroundings from where the sample is collected i.e, community and hospital setting. ASSUMPTIONS: The knowledge on the functional disability in the aged and the supportive care among the caregivers will vary from adequate to inadequate. The knowledge on functional disability in the aged and the supportive care among caregivers will be influenced by the selected demographic variables. DELIMITATION: The samples are the caregivers of the aged available in the community setting i.e, Thoraipakkam, Navalur and those admitted to the two hospitals i.e, V.H.S multi speciality and Dr.Kamakshi memorial hospital. Period of data collection is limited to one month. PROJECTED OUTCOME: The results of the study will project the knowledge levels of whom regarding various functional disabilities in the aged and the supportive care needed. The knowledge levels will highlight the need for educating the caregivers on various problems of functional disability By assessing this need, we can formulate the various methods of educating the caregivers on common problems of functional disability and it supportive care in the aged. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK A concept is an image or symbolic representation of an abstract idea. Conceptual frameworks are interrelated concepts or abstractions that are assembled by virtue of their relevance to a common theme Polit and Beck (2001). It is a device that helps to stimulate research and the extension of knowledge by providing both direction and impetus. A framework serves as a spring board for scientific advancement. A conceptual framework serves as a guide, to identify systematically and precisely defined relationship among the variables. It gives an idea to the main view and common theme of the research that is a visual diagram by which the researcher explains the area of interest. MODEL: The conceptual framework adopted for the study is based on PENDERS HEALTH PROMOTION MODEL (1987). Health promotion is, directed towards increasing the level of well being and self actualization in a given individual or group. This model focuses on the three aspects, Modifying factors. Cognitive perceptual factors. Participating in health promoting activities. MODIFYING FACTORS: It refers to the situational, maturational, socio cultural, personal and biological factors. In this study, it refers to the demographic variables like age, gender, marital status, educational status, occupational status, family income, type of family, any previous experience of taking care of the aged, relationship with the client, history of any present diseases in aged person, degree of physical dependency, hours spent in the care of the aged person, any previous information on functional disability in the aged and its supportive care. COGNITIVE PERCEPTUAL FACTORS: In this model, cognitive perceptual factors have important motivational significance. These variables can be modified through nursing actions. In this study it refers to the knowledge of caregivers regarding functional disability in the aged and its supportive care in the aspects of disability in the aged, vision problems, hearing problems, loss of control in body movements, memory impairment , functional immobility, activities of daily living, importance of exercises, coexisting illness, psychological problems and family support. PARTICIPATING IN HEALTH PROMOTING ACTIVITIES: Participation of caregivers in this study is considered as one of the health promoting behavior as this will help the caregivers to be aware of their existing knowledge on functional disability in the aged and its supportive care, which enhance through the advices given. CUES FOR ACTION: The responses of the caregivers regarding their knowledge on functional disability in the aged and its supportive care provide cues for nursing action like reinforcement and also creating awareness in terms of early rehabilitation of functionally disabled aged with adequate nutrition, fluids, range of motion exercise, second hourly position changing; skin care, reviewing medical follow up, providing assistive devices, assisting in daily activities, emotional support, engaging in social activities, promoting comfort and psychological support. MODIFYING COGNITIVE PERCEPTUAL PARTICIPATING IN HEALTH FACTORS FACTORS PROMOTING BEHAVIOUR KNOWLEDGE OF CAREGIVERS REGARDING FUNCTIONAL DISABILITY IN THE AGED AND ITS SUPPORTIVE CARE: Information regarding health promoting behavior includes, Disability in the aged Vision problems Hearing problems Loss of control in body movements Memory impairment Functional immobility Activities of daily living Importance of exercises Coexisting illness Psychological problems Family support Participation of caregivers in the study and sharing information regarding functional disability in the aged and its supportive care DEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLES: Age Gender Marital status Educational status Occupation Family income Type of family Relationship with the client Any previous experience of taking care of the aged Hours spent in the care of the aged person Any previous information on functional disability in the aged and its supportive care History of any present diseases in aged person Degree of physical dependency Reinforcement Adequate knowledge Eliciting the knowledge of caregivers regarding functional disability and its supportive care through semi-structured interview schedule Moderate knowledge Inadequate knowledge Cues for nursing action FIG.1 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK BASED ON PENDERS HEALTH PROMOTION MODEL (1987) CHAPTER II REVIEW OF LITERATURE Review of literature aids the researcher to understand what already known in relation to problem of interest and what remains to be known. It helps to plan and conduct the study in a systematic manner. It is defined as reviewing and analyzing the work of literature in relation to the specified topic in research Simai Haji Mati. This chapter deals with selected studies and articles which are related to the objectives of the proposed study. For the present study an extensive review of literature relevant to study was undertaken and is presented under the following headings. Part I: General information about ageing, functional disability in and its supportive care. Part II: Studies related to functional disability and its supportive care in the aged. Part III: Studies related to knowledge of caregivers of aged on functional problems and its supportive care. Part I: General information about ageing, functional disability and its supportive care. Ageing is the process of optimizing opportunities for health, participation and security in order to enhance quality of life as people age. It applies to both individuals and population groups. Ageing allows people to realize their potential for physical, social, and mental well-being throughout the life course. According to Stephan John. (2009) Ageing is denoted as, Young old 65-74 yrs. Middle old 75-84 yrs. Older old 85 and older Darnton. (1995),emphasized that quality of old age people depends mainly on psychological well being, perceived health status with independency in meeting self care needs. Normal Ageing process: The ageing process creates profound changes that there will be 1-2% decline in functional ability per year. Normal Ageing brings about the changes in physiological, Social and Psychological well being Judith A. McCann. (2003) Physiological aging process: Changes in body composition, reduction in bone mass and strength, reduction in blood volume, reduced motility of the large bowel, changes in autonomic function, reduced elasticity of eye lens, high tone hearing impairment and reduced motor and sensory function. Social and psychological aging process: Feeling of distress, anxiety regarding their future, loneliness, depression, grief, sadness, and social isolation. However, some of the above effects of ageing can be slowed by engaging in interventions that improves outcome in the health events. Functional disability in the aged is defined as an acquired difficulty in performing basic everyday tasks or more complex tasks needed for independent living. It is an important health indicator in the aged, jeopardizing quality of life and causing heavy social impact with long-term institutionalization and increased use of medical care. Reducing functional disability in the aged is a major challenge for public health- Frazil.(2005), performance in functional disability includes three dimensions: physical, emotional, and mental performance. Physical performance relates to the bodys sensory and motor function. Emotional performance is measured through the individuals adaptation to various events in their lives. Mental performance is evaluated through tests that measure the individuals intellectual and rational capacity. The causative factors for functional disability are as follows: Vision problems, hearing problems, loss of control in body movements, memory impairment, functional immobility, difficulties in performing daily activities, lack of physical exercises, coexisting illness, psychological problems and family support. The effects of fundamental disability include walking, lifting objects, climbing stairs, reading standard-size print and hearing disturbances, short-term memory loss, disturbance in daily activities, disorientation to time and place, reducing mobility and social activities. The care necessary for the effects of functional disability are early rehabilitation with adequate nutrition, fluids, range of motion exercise, second hourly position changing; skin care, reviewing medical follow up, providing assistive devices, assisting in daily activities, emotional support, engaging in social activities, promoting comfort and psychological support. By over viewing the various informations regarding functional disability in the aged will thereby helps the caregivers to prevent further complications and also provide supportive care for the aged. Part III: Studies related to functional disability and its supportive care in the aged. Felix. (2001) stated that disability is systemic; no body system is immune to its effect. From his statement it is evidenced that meeting the self care activities and physical maintenance are essential for managing the effects of disability. Nandi Manju. (2002) stated that as ageing increases there will be decline in functional ability, which is compromised with good nutrition, assistive support, with psychosocial concerns and with medical care. Steffen Been. (2005) proposed a statement that there will de decline in cognitive and functional abilities of old age due to continuous degeneration of numerous brain cells which aid them to obtain a fully dependable care from caretakers. Frey. (2006) stated that decreased level of physical activity and growing number of chronic illness that often increase with age, frequently create vicious circle of illness, and related functional disabilities that has adverse effect on activities of daily living. In this statement, he highlighted that decrease in functional ability makes the individual to become more dependent and need constant support and supervision. McDougall.(2006) conducted a cohort study to identify the prevalence of memory impairment among 265 older adults by means of survey method and the results showed that 29.4% (78 individuals) of them had memory impairment in the later adult period .He also concluded that those with declining memory are less aware of their deficits in meeting activities of daily living. Human research center for ageing.(2006) stated that immobilization, loss of control in body movements and falls need not to be the consequence of living to advanced age all this may be prevented through muscle strengthening and range of motion exercise which has reported benefits of spontaneous activity by the old age people. Stark.et.al.(2007) conducted a correlational study to assess the health status of functionally disabled aged under the supervision of institution and family by means of health indicator assessment scale and the results showed that the older adults who receiving the care such as adequate nutrition, fluids, range of motion exercise, second hourly position changing, skin care, reviewing medical follow up and participating in family activities are in the family are having moderate health status than the older adults in the institutionalized care. Zbylut j. (2007) conducted a national survey to evaluate the health status of older persons and prevalence of common health problems among elderly above 60 years. The survey results shows that a large number of older persons were suffering from one of more age-associated chronic diseases like osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, dental problems, visual problems, cognitive impairment and depression which may impair their functional ability and quality of life. Kart berg. et.al (2010) conducted a descriptive study to assess the functional ability among the aged by means of questionnaire in the aspects of physical, mental and social abilities and the study concluded that low functional ability lead to dependency and stressful environment for the aged which again increase the risk of complications. Lawton and Brody.(2010) described that assessment of functional ability often includes evaluation of individuals ability to carry out activities of daily living which is an early sensitive indicator to promote quality of life of old age people. From the above studies the investigator identifies the prevalence, impact of functional disability in the aged and the important aspects of supportive care for the aged. It helped to formulate the need for the study and also helped to identify the major areas which should be included while formulating the objectives. Part IV: Studies related to knowledge of caregivers of aged on selected functional problems and its supportive care. Skalska.et.al. (2007) conducted a cohort study with the aim to evaluate the knowledge on various areas of functional problems among 62 caregivers of aged at risk by means of questionnaire and the samples are (78% family members and 22% non related) results revealed that only 41% caregivers had knowledge on functional problems such as (vision, hearing, and memory problems in the aged) and 59% were not aware of functional problems mainly in cognitive and social problems. Chelma.et.al. (2009) conducted a explorative study to identify the measures on management of functional problems of elderly among 629 caregivers by means of check list, the result revealed that 47% of them were aware on the common measures and 53% were unaware on common measures on management of functional problems among elderly. Through these studies the investigator understands the importance of caregivers awareness on functional disability in the aged and its supportive care which helped me to formulate the tool. CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY This study was undertaken to assess the knowledge on functional disability in the aged and its supportive care among caregivers at selected settings in Chennai. This chapter on methodology includes research approach, research design, setting, population, criteria for selection of sample, sample size, sampling technique, data collection tool, development and description of the tool, validity of the tool, pilot study, data collection procedure and plan for data analysis. RESEARCH DESIGN A non experimental descriptive design was chosen for this study. RESEARCH APPROACH Research approach was descriptive in nature. SETTING OF THE STUDY The setting of the study was chosen on the basis of feasibility, in terms of availability of adequate samples from hospitals and community. Voluntary Health Services Hospital, Adyar, Chennai. Dr.Kamakshi Memorial Hospital, Pallikaranai, Chennai. Community- Thoraipakkam and Navalur. POPULATION FOR THE STUDY The population of the study consists of the caregivers of the aged in selected hospitals and in the community. SAMPLE OF THE STUDY The caregivers of the aged within the selected hospital and in the community who have fulfilled the inclusion criteria. CRITERIA FOR THE SELECTION OF SAMPLES Inclusion criteria: The caregivers who are taking care of the aged with functional disability. The caregivers in the age group of above 20 yrs. Both male and female caregivers of aged people. Caregivers who are willing to participate. Exclusion criteria: The caregivers who are included in the pilot study. The caregivers of the aged who are independent in doing their daily activities. Care givers who do not understand and communicate in Tamil or English. SAMPLE SIZE The sample size of this study is 60 caregivers of the aged people at selected settings, Chennai. SAMPLING TECHNIQUE Purposive sampling technique is used in this study. DATA COLLECTION TOOL The data was collected from the caregivers using semi-structured interview schedule. DESCRIPTION OF THE TOOL The tool prepared in this study was based on the information gathered from the review of literature; objectives of the study and the personal and professional experience of the investigator. It consists of two parts Part I: It consists of demographic variables like age, gender, marital status, educational status, occupation, family income, type of family, any previous experience of taking care of the aged, relationship with the client, hours spent in the care of the aged person, any previous information on functional disability and supportive care, history of any present disease in aged person and degree of physical dependency of the aged. Part II: It consists of 11 questions which have three parts to assess the knowledge on functional disability in the aged and its supportive care among caregivers using semi-structured interview schedule. SCORING PROCEDURE: In part II: In first question, part (A) the correct option carries one mark; the incorrected option carries zero mark. In part (B) each option carries one mark. For all other question from (2 to 11), The first part of each question carries one mark for each YES option and no mark for NO options. And the second and third part of each question carries one mark for each option. Thus a total of 101=10 for first part of question 461=46 for second part question 381=38 for third part question Total of 94 marks will be awarded under the knowledge regarding functional disability in aged and its supportive care among caregivers. It is interpreted in percentage as: Adequate knowledge : Greater than 75% Moderate knowledge : 50-75% Inadequate knowledge : Less than 50% VALIDITY OF THE TOOL The tool used in this study was validated by the experts in the field of general medicine and Medical surgical nursing. PILOT STUDY The pilot study was conducted in Voluntary health service hospital, Dr.Kamakshi memorial hospital, Thoraipakkam and Navalur community area, Chennai from 20.7.12 to 25.7.12 after obtaining the permission from the respective heads of the organization. Totally 6 caregivers (2 from each of the hospitals and community area) who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were selected purposively, to generalize the study. A

Jack Nicklaus Essay -- essays research papers fc

Jack Nicklaus For the past 30 years, Jack Nicklaus has been considered by many to be the greatest golfer of all time(1). His stamina has matched that of Arnold Palmer, and only the likes of Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson, Bobby Jones, and Tiger Woods are to be considered players in Nicklaus' league. In numbers of major tournaments won, Nicklaus stands alone with 18 victories(1), a number that does not include major titles won on the Champions Tour. He has won 73 times on the PGA Tour and has 58 second-place and 36 third-place finishes, as well as a total of 113 victories worldwide.(1) Nicklaus has finished top PGA Tour money winner 8 times and has also held the tour's low-scoring average eight times.(1) He was named the PGA's Player of the Year in 1967, 1972, 1973, 1975, and 1976, and Golf magazine in 1988 named him the "Player of the Century."(1) In his career on the PGA Tour, Jack Nicklaus has proven to be one of the best golfers in the history of the game, and has shown a true love for the s port since childhood on until his old age. Nicklaus began playing golf at the age of 10 in his hometown of Columbus, Ohio(7). He shot a 51 on the first nine holes he ever played.(2) At the age of 13, he broke 70 and held a three handicap.(2) Tutored by club pro Jack Grout, Nicklaus showed real Page 1 potential early on for tournament play and he dominated local and national junior golf events as well as going on to capture two U.S. Amateur Championships in 1959 and 1961.(1) By the time he turned pro in November, 1961, he had established himself as the country's greatest amateur golfer while at the same time giving the professionals a scare. He finished runner-up to Arnold Palmer by only two strokes in the 1960 U.S. Open, and was a fourth-place finisher in the 1961 U.S. Open(1). In 1962, at the Oakmont Country Club outside of Pittsburgh, Nicklaus beat Arnold Palmer in a playoff to win the U.S. Open(1). Palmer's millions of diehard fans and the huge crowd of gallery members, called Arnie's Army(9), that followed their hero from tee to green, were crushed by their hero's loss. The Nicklaus victory went down as one of the most unpopular the world of golf had ever known(9). Nicklaus's mind, even more than his great natural talent and long-ball swing, was the key to his success. He rarely made a poor decision in a tournament and never second-guessed himself. One of t... ...Woods, who claims Jack is his Page 4 â€Å"idol†.(4) Jack Nicklaus doesn’t play the kind of golf he was once able to, but he still never fails to disappoint his fans, such as when he recorded a hole-in-one in 2003 at the Senior British Open. (1) The mark he has left on the game of golf is undeniable and indisputable, and he will certainly be remembered as one of the greatest to ever play the game for generations to come. Page 5 Works Cited 1. www.pgatour.com 2. www.nicklaus.com/nicklausfacts/ 3. The Volume Library, Book II. Copyright 1999, Southwestern Company, Nashville, TN 4. Woods, Tiger. Tiger Woods: How I Play Golf Time Warner Publishing, 2001 5. www.encarta.com 6. www.nicklausmuseum.org 7. www.golfeurope.com 8. www.golf.about.com 9. Sportscentury: Jack Nicklaus; ESPN documentary Page 6