Research Method in Management Science Assignment - 1

Research Method in Management Science - Assignment Example Basially, content analysis is utilized as a statistical exercise that supports the tagging of different types of behaviors in the cultures that are studied. The method of content analysis has different benefits for researchers who employ it. In the first place, it is a cost-effective method that is also unobstrusive. This method also allows the researcher to learn much about an organization’s financial status, objectives, and customer body in cases where management research is taking place (Siyaranamual, 2009). When used in concert with other research methods such as archival records and interviews, content analysis becomes even more powerful beause this method can easily be used to keep a record of any cultural adjustments that may take place over time. Content analysis also offers or supplies an objective account of incidents, themes, issues, or documented events which may not be visibly apparent to the researcher or viewer (West, 2009). Content analysis also makes it possible for researchers to use more efficient surveys which may have open-ended questions which encourage respondents to volunteer more information. Content analysis has in the past been used by researchers to conduct studies in different disciplines such as education, history, anthropology, and psychology. It is also often used to conduct studies on management concerns. In regards to management research, content analysis functions as an effective device for carrying out literature reviews in a transparent and systematic manner. In conducting organizational research using content analysis, researchers are also able to recover and scrutinize the nuances of stakeholder perceptions, corporate culture, and societal trends (Judge, Filatotchev, & Aguilera, 2010). In management research, the use of content analysis permits researchers to be able to examine aspects such as perceptual and social constructs that may be hard to evaluate

Arguement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Arguement - Essay Example Schier argues that this passivity among many citizens is due to change of politics from mobilization, as a method of winning power, support and control, to activation (7). Skocpol, on the other hand, explains the phenomenon in terms of change of American associational life (7-8). But a critical analysis and review of the two theories reveals that Schier’s theory is more plausible, while Skocpol’s theory is weak, untenable and highly flawed. To better expose the many flaws in Skocpol’s theory, let us first look in detail the different positions held by the two scholars. To begin with, let us look at the theory of Schier. Schier begins his argument by making a distinction between the terms mobilization, and activation. He defines mobilization as ‘’ the partisan method of stimulating very high turnout in elections during the peak party power that lasted from 1876-1892’’ (7). In contrast, he defines activation as, ‘’ the more c ontemporary method that parties, interest groups, and candidates employ to induce particular, finely targeted portions of public to become active in elections, demonstrations, and lobbying’’ (7). Schier goes on to show in detail how these two processes of winning power and control differ (8-9). First, the two processes differ in focus, whereby mobilization is inclusive while activation is exclusive and for a select few. Secondly, the two processes differ in agent or source of stimulation of the public, while mobilization was a heavily partisan process, dominated by strong party organizations and party messages, in activation thousands of different organisation and individuals attempt activation. Thirdly, the two processes differ in method. Mobilization involved broad appeals carried out through personal conversation, while activation is research driven and targets particular individuals. Lastly, the processes differ in their strategy, mobilization seeks to mobilise as many people as possible to help the given candidate to win elections, while activation targets just a small, well-informed segment of the society to advance a certain goal, for example to help in polls. As it can be seen from the above explanation, activation alienates some people, as it were, from the active politics, since it aims only at a particular, few members of the society while leaving out the vast majority of the society. This exclusion of some members, more often than not, leads to the ‘’inactivated’’ and excluded members of society becoming inactive and passive in politics. Skocpol, on the other hand, understood the cause of the increasing decline in active participation in national politics by the Americans, as the result of decline in American associational life. In the contemporary America, exclusive elite, and professionally managed organisations have replaced the former organisations of the last few decades which had open membership to all citizens, irrespective of one’s social class. The emergence of progressive movements in America played a big role in the change of associational life in America. Skocpol’s theory hinges on two main claims. First, she holds that in American society, social organisations and politics are closely related, such that change in associational life of the society would invariably lead to change in civic life. She goes on to argue that, over the last few decades, American social life has greatly changed, and this has led to the change in American social civic life (6). Unlike in

The Physical Soil Properties Environmental Sciences Essay

The Physical Soil Properties Environmental Sciences Essay Soils are composed of five main components mineral particles derived from rocks by weathering; organic materials humus from dead and decaying plant material; soil water in which nutrient elements are dissolved; soil air both carbon dioxide and oxygen; and living organisms including bacteria that help plant decomposition. Soils differ in their fertility levels, because they have different proportions of these components and because the mineral particles have been affected to different degrees by weathering. Age of soil minerals, prevailing temperatures, rainfall, leaching and soil physico-chemistry are the main factors which determine how much a particular soil will weather (Sinha and Shrivastava, 2000). Soil thus, is important to everyone either directly or indirectly. It is the natural bodies on which agricultural products grow and it has fragile ecosystem (Sinha and Shrivastava, 2000). South Africa ranks among the countries with the highest rate of income inequality in the world (Aliber, 2009). Compared to other middle income countries, it has extremely high levels of absolute poverty and food insecurity threat (FAO, 2009). As part of this, a potential contributor to food security might be small-scale agricultural production. Aliber (2009) indicated that input support targeting smallholder farmers could boost production and food security. Utilisation of uncultivated arable lands and subsistence agriculture might be one option to contribute to incomes and/or savings, as well as to encourage food diversification (Altman et al., 2009). Land with high agricultural suitability is considered to have greater long-term security with regards to both agricultural production and development. From a planning perspective, high agricultural flexibility is therefore considered an appropriate measure of high quality agricultural land that is highly productive and fertile. Only a small proportion of worlds soils have a very good level of fertility, most of which have only good to medium fertility and some have very low fertility, and are often referred to as marginal soils (Ashman and Puri, 2002). Well-known fertile soils are deep alluvial soils formed from river mud, organic matter- rich soils on loess material, nutrient rich Vertisols and volcanic soils (Brady and Weil, 2004). Under poor management, soil fertility can be seriously depleted and soils may become useless for agriculture. 2.2. SOIL PHYSICO-CHEMISTRY Soil is a natural medium on which agricultural products grow and it is dependent on several factors such as fertility to be considered productive (Shah et al., 2011). The fertility of the soil is depended on concentration of soil nutrients, organic and inorganic materials and water. These soil physico-chemical properties are classified as being physical, chemical and biological, which greatly influence soil fertility (Ramaru et al., 2000). To manage soil fertility, knowledge and understanding of these properties is required (as discussed below). 2.2.1. Physical soil properties (i) Soil texture Soil texture refers to the relative proportions of the various size groups of individual particles or grains in a soil (Rowell, 1994). It is dependent on the mixture of the different particle sizes present in the soil. Based on these different sizes, soil particles are classified as sand (0.05- 2mm), silt (0.002-0,5mm) and clay ( Clay particles hold larger quantities of water and nutrients, because of their large surface areas (Brady and Weil, 1999). This property causes the swelling and shrinking of clay soils, but only those with smectitic group of clay minerals. The large surface area of clay particles gives nutrients numerous binding sites especially when the surface charge density is high, which is part of the reason that fine textured soils have such high abilities to retain nutrients (Velde, 1995). The pores between clay particles are very small and complex, so movement of both air and water is very slow (Brady and Weil, 1999). Clay particles are negatively charged because of their mineralogical composition. Soils with such particles usually have high CEC and can retain water and plant nutrients; thus such soils are considered to be fertile and good for plant growth (Brady and Weil, 1999). The knowledge of the proportions of different-sized particles in soils is critical to understand soil behavior and their management. Since sand particles are relatively large, so are the voids between them, which promote free drainage of water and entry of air into the soil (Brady and Weil, 2002). The implication of free drainage in sandy soil is that soil nutrients are easily washed down into the soil and become inaccessible for use by plants (Brady and Weil, 2002). Sandy soils are considered non-cohesive and because of their large size, have low specific surface areas and thus have low nutrient retention capacity (Rowell, 1994). Sand particles can hold little water due to low specific surface area and are prone to drought, therefore have a very low CEC and fertility status (Petersen et al., 1996). The pores between silt particles are much smaller than those in sand, so silt retains more water and nutrients (Rowell, 1994). Soils dominated by silt particles therefore have a higher fertility status than sandy soils and provides favorable conditions for plant growth when other growth factors are favorable (Miller and Donahue, 1992). (ii) Soil structure The term soil structure refers to the arrangement of soil particles into aggregates (Six et al., 2000). Soil structure is affected by biological activities, organic matter, and cultivation practices (Rowell, 1994). It influences soil water movement and retention, erosion, nutrient recycling, sealing and crusting of the soil surface, together with aeration and soils structural stability, root penetration and crop yield (Lupwayi et al., 2001). Soil structure can be platy, prismatic, granular, crumbly, columnar and blocky (RCEP, 1996). An ideal soil structure for plant growth is often described as granular or crumb-like, because it provides good movement for air and water through a variety of different pore sizes and it also affects root penetration (RCEP, 1996). An ideal soil structure is also stable and resistant to erosion (Duiker et al., 2003). Organic matter and humification processes improve structural stability, and can rebuild degraded soil structures (Brady and Weil, 1999). Therefore it is vital to return or add organic material to the soil and to maintain its biological activity in order to enhance soil structure for plant growth. Favorable soil structure and high aggregate stability are therefore vital to improving soil fertility, increasing agronomic productivity, enhancing porosity and decreasing erodibility. (iii) Water retention capacity Water holding capacity refers to the quantity of water that the soil is capable of storing for use by plants (Brady and Weil, 1999). Soil water is held in, and flows through pore spaces in soils. Soil water can be described into the following stages: gravitational, capillary, and hygroscopic, based upon the energy with which water is held by the soil solids, which in turn governs their behavior and availability to plants (Rowell, 1994). Water holding capacity is an important factor in the choice of plants or crops to be grown and in the design and management of irrigation systems (Brady and Weil, 1999). The total amount of water available to plants growing in field soils is a function of the rooting depth of the plant and sum of the water held between field capacity and wilting percentage in each of the horizons explored by the roots (Brady and Weil, 1999). Field capacity is the amount of soil moisture or water content held in soil after excess water has drained away and the rate of downward movement has materially decreased, which usually takes place within 2-3 days after a rain or irrigation in pervious soils of uniform structure and texture (Govers, 2002). The ability of the soil to provide water for plants is an important fertility characteristic (RCEP, 1996). The capacity for water storage varies, depending on soil properties such as organic matter, soil texture, bulk density, and soil structure (RCEP, 1996). This is explained by the degree of soil compaction, where problems will arise if excessive compaction occurs which would results in increased bulk density, a decrease in porosity and aeration and poor water drainage (Gregory et al., 2006), all resulting in poor plant growth. (iv) Electrical Conductivity (EC) Soil electrical conductivity (EC), is the ability of soil to conduct electrical current (Doerge, 1999). EC is expressed in milliSiemens per meter (mS/m) or cm (cm/m). Traditionally, soil scientists used EC to estimate soil salinity (Doerge, 1999). EC measurements also have the potential for estimating variation in some of the soil physical properties such as soil moisture and porosity, in a field where soil salinity is not a problem (Farahani and Buchleiter, 2004). Soil salinity refers to the presence of major dissolved inorganic solutes in the soil aqueous phase, which consist of soluble and readily dissolvable salts including charged species (e.g., Na+, K+, Mg+2, Ca+2, Clà ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢, HCO3à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢, NO3à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢, SO4à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢2 and CO3à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢2), non-ionic solutes, and ions that combine to form ion pairs (Smith and Doran, 1996). Salt tolerances are usually given in terms of the stage of plant growth over a range of electrical conductivity (EC) levels. EC greater than 4dS/m are considered saline (Munshower, 1994). Salt sensitive plants may be affected by conductivities below 4dS/m and salt tolerant species may not be impacted by concentrations of up to twice this maximum agricultural tolerance limit (Munshower, 1994). Electrical conductivity is the ability of a solution to transmit an electrical current. The conduction of electricity in soil takes place through the moisture-filled pores that occur between individual soil particles. Therefore, the EC of soil is determined by the following soil properties (Doerge, 1999): . Porosity, where the greater soil porosity, the more easily electricity is conducted. Soil with high clay content has higher porosity than sandier soil. Compaction normally increases soil EC. . Water content, dry soil is much lower in conductivity than moist soil. . Salinity level, increasing concentration of electrolytes (salts) in soil water will dramatically increase soil EC. . Cation exchange capacity (CEC), mineral soil containing high levels of organic matter (humus) and/or 2:1 clay minerals such as montmorillonite, illite, or vermiculite have a much higher ability to retain positively charged ions (such as Ca, Mg, K, Na, NH4, or H) than soil lacking these constituents. The presence of these ions in the moisture-filled soil pores will enhance soil EC in the same way that salinity does. . Temperature, as temperature decreases toward the freezing point of water, soil EC decreases slightly. Below freezing, soil pores become increasingly insulated from each other and overall soil EC declines rapidly. Plants are detrimentally affected, both physically and chemically, by excess salts in some soils and by high levels of exchangeable Na in others. Soils with an accumulation of exchangeable Na are often characterized by poor tilth and low permeability and therefore low soil fertility status, making them unfavorable for plant growth (Munshower, 1994). (v) Bulk Density (BD) Soil bulk density is defined as the mass of dry soil (g) per unit volume (cm3) and is routinely used as a measure of soil compaction (Gregory et al., 2006). The total volume includes particle volume, inter-particle void volume and internal pore volume (Gregory et al., 2006). Bulk density takes into account solid space as well as pore space (Greenland, 1998). Thus soils that are porous or well-aggregated (e.g. clay soil) will have lower bulk densities than soils that are not aggregated (sand) (Greenland, 1998). Plant roots cannot penetrate compacted soil as freely as they would in non-compacted soil, which limits their access to water and nutrients present in sub-soil and inhibits their growth (Hagan et al., 2010). Compacted soil requires more frequent applications of irrigation and fertilizer to sustain plant growth, which can increase runoff and nutrient levels in runoff (Gregory et al., 2006). The bulk density of soil depends greatly on the soils mineral make up and the degree of compaction. High bulk density usually indicate a poorer environment for root growth, reduced aeration and undesirable changes in hydrologic function, such as reduced infiltration (Brady and Weil, 1999). The presence of soil organic matter, which is considerably lighter than mineral soil, can help decrease bulk density and thereby enhancing soil fertility (Hagan et al., 2010). 2.2.2. Soil Chemical properties Soil chemical properties which include the concentrations of nutrients, cations, anions, ion exchange reactions and redox properties, but for the purpose of this study focus will be based on properties that have an implication on soil fertility including: (i) Soil pH Soil pH is an important soil property that affects several soil reactions and processes and is defined as a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of the soil (Bohn, 2001). It has considerable effect on soil processes including ion exchange reactions and nutrient availability (Rowell, 1994). Soil pH is measured on a scale of 0 to 14, where a pH of 7.0 is considered neutral, readings higher than 7.0 are alkaline, and readings lower than 7.0 are considered acidic (McGuiness, 1993). Most plants are tolerant of a pH range of 5.5-6.5 which is near neutral pH range (Bohn, 2001). Soil pH is one of the most important characteristics of soil fertility, because it has a direct impact on nutrient availability and plant growth. Most nutrients are more soluble in acid soils than in neutral or slightly alkaline soils (Bohn, 2001). In strongly acidic soils the availability of macronutrients (Ca, Mg, K, P, N and S) as well as molybdenum and boron is reduced. In contrast, availability of micronutrient cations (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu and Al) is increased by low soil pH, even to the extent of toxicity of higher plants and microorganisms (Bohn, 2001). The pH of a soil is also reported to affect so many other soil properties (Brady and Weil, 1999), including nutrient availability, effects on soil organisms, fungi thrive in acidic soils, CEC and plant preferences of either acidic or alkaline soils. Most plants prefer alkaline soils, but there are a few which need acidic soils and will die if placed in an alkaline environment (Brady and Weil, 1999). (ii) Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) Cation exchange capacity is defined as the sum of the total of the exchangeable cations that a soil can hold or adsorb (Brady and Weil, 1999). A cation is a positively charged ion and most nutrients cations are: Ca2+, Mg2+, K +, NH4+, Zn2+, Cu2+, and Mn2+. These cations are in the soil solution and are in dynamic equilibrium with the cations adsorbed on the surface of clay and organic matter (Brady and Weil, 1999). Clay and organic matter are the main sources of CEC (Peinemann et al., 2002). The more clay and organic matter (humus) a soil contains, the higher its CEC and the greater the potential fertility of that soil. CEC varies according to the type of clay. It is highest in montmorillonite clay, lowest in heavily weathered kaolinite clay and slightly higher in the less weathered illite clay (Peinemann et al., 2002). Sand particles have no capacity to exchange cations because it has no electrical charge (Brady and Weil, 1999). CEC is used as a measure of soil nutrient retention capacity, and the capacity to protect groundwater from cation contamination (Brady and Weil, 1999). It buffers fluctuations in nutrient availability and soil pH (Bergaya and Vayer, 1997). Plants obtain many of their nutrients from soil by an electrochemical process called cation exchange. This process is the key to understanding soil fertility (Rowell, 1994). Nutrients that are held by charges on a soil are termed exchangeable as they become readily available to plants (Rowell, 1994).The higher the CEC of a soil, the more nutrients it is likely to hold and the higher will be its fertility level (Fullen and Catt, 2004). Factors affecting cation exchange capacity The factors affecting cation exchange capacity include the following (Brady and Weil 1999), soil texture, soil humus content, nature of clay and soil reaction. Soil texture influences the CEC of soils in a way that it increases when soils percentage of clay increases i.e. the finer the soil texture, the higher the CEC as indicated in Table 2. CEC depends on the nature of clay minerals present, since each mineral has its own capacity to exchange and hold cations e.g. the CEC of a soil dominated by vermiculite is much higher than the CEC of another soil dominated by kaolinite, as vermiculite is high activity clay unlike kaolinte which is low activity clay. When the pH of soil increases, more H+ ions dissociate from the clay minerals especially kaolinite, thus the CEC of soil dominated by kaolinite also increases. CEC varies according to the type of soil. Humus, the end product of decomposed organic matter, has the highest CEC value because organic matter colloids have large quantities of negative charges. Humus has a CEC two to five times greater than montmorillonite clay and up to 30 times greater than kaolinite clay, so is very important in improving soil fertility. Table 2.1: CEC values for different soil textures (Brady and Weil, 1999) Soil texture CEC range (meq/100g soil) Sand 2-4 Sandy loam 2-12 Loam 7-16 Silt loam 9-26 Clay, clay loam 4-60 (iii) Organic Matter The importance of soil organic matter in relation to soil fertility and physical condition is widely recognized in agriculture. However, organic matter contributes to the fertility or productivity of the soil through its positive effects on the physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil (Rowell, 1994), as follows: physical stabilizes soil structure, improves water holding characteristics, lowers bulk density, dark color may alter thermal properties; chemical higher CEC, acts as a pH buffer, ties up metals, interacts with biological supplies energy and body-building constituents for soil organisms, increases microbial populations and their activities, source and sink for nutrients, ecosystem resilience, affects soil enzymes. Soil organic matter consists of a wide range of organic substances, including living organisms, carboneous remains of organisms which once occupied the soil, and organic compounds produced by current and past metabolism of the soil (Brady and Weil, 1999). Soil organic matter plays a critical role in soil processes and is a key element of integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) (Brady and Weil, 2004). Organic matter is widely considered to be the single most important indicator of soil fertility and productivity (Rowell, 1994). It consists primarily of decayed or decaying plant and animal residues and is a very important soil component. Benefits of Organic matter in soil according to Ashman and Puri, (2002) include: increasing the soils cation exchange capacity and acting as food for soil organisms from bacteria to worms and is an important component in the nutrient and carbon cycles. Organic matter, like clay, has a high surface area and is negatively charged with a high CEC, making it an excellent supplier of nutrients to plants. In addition, as organic matter decomposes, it releases nutrients such as N, P and S that are bound in the organic matters structure, essentially imitating a slow release fertilizer (Myers, 1995). Organic matter can also hold large amounts of water, which helps nutrients move from soil to plant roots (Mikkuta, 2004). An important characteristic of organic matter in soil fertility is C: N ratio. The C: N ratio in organic matter of arable surface horizons commonly ranges from 8:1 to 15:1, the median being near 12:1 (Brady and Weil, 1999). The C:N ratio in organic residues applied to soils is important for two reasons: intense competition among the micro-organisms for available soil nitrogen which occurs when residues having a high C:N ratio are added to soils and it also helps determine their rate of decay and the rate at which nitrogen is made available to plants (Brady and Weil, 1999). (iv) Plant Nutrients Plants require 13 plant nutrients (Table 2.2) (micro and macro nutrients) for their growth. Each is equally important to the plant, yet each is required in vastly different amounts (Ronen, 2007). Essential elements are chemical elements that plants need in order to complete their normal life cycle (Scoones and Toulhim, 1998). The functions of these elements in the plant cannot be fulfilled by another, thus making each element essential for plant growth and development (Scoones and Toulhim, 1998). Essential nutrients are divided into macro and micronutrients as illustrated in Table 3. Macronutrients are those that are required in relatively high quantities for plant growth and can be distinguish into two sub groups, primary and secondary ones, (Uchida and Silva, 2000). The primary macro-elements are most frequently required for plant growth and also needed in the greatest total quantity by plants. For most crops, secondary macro nutrients are needed in lesser amounts than the primary nutrients. The second group of plant nutrients which are micronutrients are needed only in trace amounts (Scoones and Toulhim, 1998). These micronutrients are required in very small amounts, but they are just as important to plant development and profitable crop production as the major nutrients (Ronen, 2007). Classification Element Function in plant growth Source Deficiency symptoms and toxicities Macro nutrients Primary Nitrogen (N) Chlorophyll and Protein formation Air/Soil, applied fertilisers Slow growth, stunted plants, chlorosis, low protein content Phosphorus (P) Photosynthesis, Stimulates early growth and root formation, hastens maturity Soil and applied fertilisers Slow growth, delayed crop maturity, purplish green coloration of leaves Potassium (K) Photosynthesis and nzyme activity, starch and sugar formation, root growth Soil and applied fertilisers Slow growth, Reduced disease or pest resistance, development of white and yellow spots on leaves Macro nutrients secondary Calcium (Ca) Cell growth and component of cell wall Soil Weakened stems, death of plants growing points, abnormal dark green appearance on foliage Magnesium (Mg) Enzyme activation, photosynthesis and influence Nitrogen metabolism Soil Interveinal chlorosis in older leaves, curling of leaves, stunted growth, Sulfur (S) Amino acids, proteins and nodule formation Soil and animal manure Interveinal chlorosis on corn leaves, retarded growth, delayed maturity and light green to yellowish color in young leaves Micronutrients essential Iron (Fe) Photosynthesis, chlorophyll synthesis, constituent of various enzymes and proteins Soil Interveinal chlorosis, yellowing of leaves between veins, twig dieback, death of entire limp or plants Manganese (Mn) Enzyme activation, metabolism of nitrogen and organic acids, formation of vitamins and breakdown of carbohydrates Soil Interveinal chlorosis of young leaves, gradation of pale green coloration with darker color next to veins Zinc (Zn) Enzymes and auxins component, protein synthesis, used in formation of growth hormones Soil Mottled leaves, dieback twigs, decrease in stem length Copper (Cu) Enzyme activation, catalyst for respiration Soil Stunted growth, poor pigmentation, wilting of leaves Boron (B) Reproduction Soil Thickened, curled, wilted and chlorotic leaves; reduced flowering Molybdenum (Mo) Nitrogen fixation; nitrate reduction and plant growth Soil Stunting and lack of vigor (induced by nitrogen deficiency), scorching, cupping or rolling of leaves Chlorine (Cl) Root growth, photosynthetic reactions Soil Wilting followed by chlorosis, excessive branching of lateral roots, bronzing of leaves Additional nutrients Carbon (C) Constituent of carbohydrates and photosynthesis Air/ Organic matter Hydrogen (H) Maintains osmotic balance and constituent of carbohydrates Water/Organic matter Oxygen (O) Constituent of carbohydrates and necessary for respiration Air/Water/ Organic matter Table 2.2: Essential plant elements, their sources and role in plants (Ronen,2007) Deficiency of any of these essential nutrients will retard plant development (Brady and Weil, 2004). Deficiencies and toxicities of nutrients in soil present unfavorable conditions for plant growth, such as: poor growth, yellowing of the leaves and possibly the death of the plant as illustrated in Table 3 (Ahmed et al., 1997). Therefore proper nutrient management is required to achieve maximum plant growth, maximum economic and growth response by the crop, and also for minimum environmental impact. In addition to the nutrients listed above, plants require carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, which are extracted from air and water to make up the bulk of plant weight (Brady and Weil, 1999). Achieving balance between the nutrient requirements of plants and the nutrient reserves in soils is essential for maintaining soil fertility and high yields, preventing environmental contamination and degradation, and sustaining agricultural production over the long term. 2.2.3. Soil Biological properties (i) Soil organisms Soil organisms include mostly microscopic living organisms such as bacteria and fungi which are the foundation of a healthy soil because they are the primary decomposer of organic matter (Brady and Weil, 1999). Soil organisms are grouped into two namely soil microorganisms and soil macro organisms (Table 2.3). Table 2.3: Soil Macro and microorganisms and their role in plant and soil (Brady and Weil, 1999) Classification Organisms Function in plant and/or soil Source Microorganisms Bacteria Decomposition of organic matter Soil surface and humus particles Actinomycetes Source of protein and enhance soil fertility Surface layers of grass lands Fungi Fix atmospheric nitrogen and enhance soil fertility Soil (without organic matter) Algae Add organic matter to soil, improve aeration of swamp soils, and fix atmospheric nitrogen Moist soils Macro-organisms Nematodes They can be applied to crops in large quantities as a biological insecticide Soil and plant roots Earthworms Enhance soil fertility and structural stability Aerated soils Ants and termites Soil development Dominant in tropical soils Soil can contain millions of organisms that feed off decaying material such as old plant material, mulch unprocessed compost (Ashman and Puri, 2002), Microorganisms constitute Soil organic matter is the main food and energy source of soil microorganisms (Ashman and Puri, 2002). Through decomposition of organic matter, microorganisms take up their food elements. Organic matter also serves as a source of energy for both macro and micro organisms and helps in performing various beneficial functions in soil, resulting in highly productive soil (Mikutta et al., 2004). Macro-organisms such as insects, other arthropods, earthworms and nematodes live in the soil and have an important influence on soil fertility (Amezketa, 1999). They ingest soil material and relocate plant material and form burrows. The effects of these activities are variable. Macro-organisms improve aeration, porosity, infiltration, aggregate stability, litter mixing, improved N and C stabilization, C turnover and carbonate reduction and N mineralization, nutrient availability and metal mobility (Amezketa, 1999; Winsome and McColl, 1998 and Brown et al., 2000). The various groups of soil organisms do not live independently of each other, but form an interlocked system more or less in equilibrium with the environment (Brady and Weil, 1999). Their activity in soil depend on moisture content, temperature, soil enzymes, dissolution of soil minerals and breakdown of toxic chemicals. All have a tremendous role in the development of soil fertility (Alam, 2001). Their actions involve the formation of structural systems of the soils which help in the increase of agricultural productivity (Alam, 2001). 2.3. SOIL CLAY MINERALOGY The clay fraction of soil is dominated by clay minerals which control important soil chemical properties including sorption characteristics of soils (Dixon and Schulze, 2002). Minerals are naturally occurring inorganic compounds, with defined chemical and physical properties (Velde, 1995). Minerals that are formed in the depths of a volcano are called primary minerals (Pal et al., 2000). Feldspar, biotite, quartz and hornblende are examples of primary minerals. These minerals and the rocks made from them are often not stable when exposed to the weathering agents at the surface of the earth (Dixon and Schulze, 2002). These rocks are broken down (weathered) continuously into small pieces by exposure to physical and chemical weathering processes (Dixon and Schulze, 2002). Some of the elements that are released during weathering, reform and crystallise in a different structure forming secondary minerals (Melo et al., 2002). Secondary minerals tend to be much smaller in particle size than primary minerals, and are most commonly found in the clay fraction of soils (Guggenheim and Martin, 1995). Soil clay fractions often contain a wide range of secondary minerals such as kaolinite, montmorillonite and aluminum hydrous oxides, whereas the sand or silt particles of soils are dominated by relatively inert primary minerals. The clay fraction is usually dominated by secondary minerals which are more chemically active and contribute the most to soil fertility (Melo et al., 2002). Two major secondary mineral groups, clay minerals and hydrous

Essay --

As can be seen in fig.1, the VCS system converts given IMGE into random shares. To the naked eye, the random shares do not providing meaning. The VCS system has many applications in the real world. They include transmission of military orders securely, authentication and authorization, transmitting passwords and so on. The researchers worldwide focused in physical properties like color, pixel expansion etc. The proposed construction of VCS based on threshold for levels of whiteness; color VCS was considered in colored VCS. Other scheme is proposed which allows sharing of multiple secret images. Naor et al. introduced EVCS (Extended Visual Cryptography Scheme) with a simple example. This paper proposes EVCS corresponding to VCS. The EVCS takes a secret image and the original share images as input and generates shares that can satisfy the criteria given below. †¢ Secret image can be recovered from any subset of shares. †¢ Forbidden shares can’t be used to obtain secret image. †¢ All the shares are meaningful images. EVCS is something similar to stereography where covering shares are m...

The Silk Road

March 7, 2013 Humanities The Silk Road Rome_____________Central Asia______________Han China | India The Nomads The Silk Road crossed nomadic territory Extreme Agriculture: humans + omega animals Sparce population in a large area Calorie Exchange: 90,000 calories * Plants- 100,000 calories * Animals- 10,000 calories Horse= mobility No borders (territorial imperative )= pastures War; Secure pastures Archery Who are they? Scythians Altaic people * Turks * Mongols * Koreans * Japanese Contributions to history Chariots (HORSE)-harness on the withers /bit (light cart, drive-by{bronze tires}) * Cavalry –mounted archer (they move in hordes ) Artificial symbiosis +Trade * (population pressure and supplemental income) Population Crisis The Silk Road- 100 BCE-300CE Trade is going to increase population above what the herds can feed Central Asia becomes fully occupied Plagues hit Rome + China * Defenses collapse * Trade ends Switch to Raid Mongols: Xiong- Nu Han Wudi (Conqueror) his actio ns created the Silk Road (100 BCE) Xiong-Nu Split into two wings Eastern Wing: allies of the HanWestern Wing marched away Chinese Court ; paralyzed/ Dynastic Cycle Warlords- Mongol Soldiers (fatal error- introduced to China) Turks; Conquer North China Horse/Rice Western Xiong-Nu Pushed west + hit the Goths (Scandinavia) Germans Tribal Groups Nuclear Family (industry) Extended families (agriculture) Clan (hunting + gathering: 7th cousin) Tribe -multiple clans-totem/incest( totems are animals that represent your essence)- it’s a pastoral system Next generation will need an election. Warriors are going to vote. Germans flee west Visigoths – yr 409 Rome Ostragoths- Italy The Franks- FranceThe Danes- Denmark The juts- Jutland (the neck of denmark) Burgundian- Burgundy Angles- England Saxons- Saxony Vandals- Vandalism-453 Rome Alemmani- germany The old trade routes I. Trade Nodals A. Nodal= Cluster of cities B. Nodal #1 : Flanders (belgium) 1. Ghent 2. Ypres 3. Bruges Countr y/count C. Rhine D. North Italy= Nodal # 2 4. Milan 5. Venice 6. Genoa 7. PISA 8. Florence They’re all city-states Network cities because they survive on trade network-crossbow Gun powder/ cannon E. Mediterranean 9. Constantinople (Changes name to instanbul) 10. Alexandria 11. Tunis * * * *

Assignment 2 for General Linguistics Essay

I. Chapter 6: SEMANTICS: The study of meaning and denotation EXERCISE 8 (page 224) a. A second is part of a minute A minute is part of an hour An hour is part of a day * A second is a part of an hour, and it is also a part of a day. It is a transitive relation because a minute, an hour and a day express the same thing which is Time. b. The toenail is part of the toe The toe is part of the foot. The foot is part of the leg * The toenail is part of the leg. It is also a transitive relation because leg, foot, toe and even toenail are parts of body. c. Henry’s toe is part of Henry Henry is part of the 23rd Battalion But Henry’s toe is not part of the 23rd Battalion. * It is not a transitive relation because Henry’s toe is only a part of his body, it cannot represent as Henry as the whole. II. Chapter 9: PRAGMATICS: The study of language use and communication EXERCISE 7 (page 250) The sentence I promise I will call the police if you don’t quiet down is not literally and directly used to promise nor warn. According to the theories of Bach and Harnish 1979, Recanati 1987, this sentence is not directly used to promise but rather are directly used to do what declarative sentences normally do – declare or state. It is only indirectly used to promise and warn. The sentence I promise I will call the police if you don’t quiet down is used directly to state or declare that the speaker is promising, and indirectly it is used to promise that the speaker will call the police if someone doesn’t quiet down and warn that the speaker will call the police if someone doesn’t quiet down. In my opinion, this sentence tends to be used as a warn more than a promise. EXERCISE 10 (page 10) a. A rolling stone gathers no moss Meaning: This proverb refers to a person who does not settle down is not attached to anything or anyone. If a person never stays in one place, he or she never â€Å"gathers† or gets attached to things or people. Moss grows on stones which have been on the ground for many years, so a stone which rolls cannot grow moss. The saying is † A rolling stone gathers no moss. † It means if you keep moving and learning that you don’t just sit there becoming a couch potato. It is true a rolling stone gathers no moss but only overtime. At the begging of the rock rolling then it will gather moss, but overtime it will lose all the moss it has gained. The term ‘rolling stone’ commonly refers to a person who is frequently changing his work or profession. Just as a stone that is continually rolling doesn’t gather any moss on it, similarly a person who is constantly changing his occupation doesn’t succeed in any achievement. Acquisition of wealth or learning or experience requires time and steady prolonged application of energy to some tasks. On the other hand one who is constantly chopping and changing will never become wealthy or learned or experienced. He will merely be dissipating his energies and will get nowhere. The popular fable of the farmer who dug many shallow wells in his farm in search of water is a fine illustration. Had he dug deep at one place, he would have definitely found water. By being ‘a rolling stone’ few people accomplish their goals. In today’s world of breakneck competition, migratory birds stand absolutely no chance. It is by working at a place, putting in constant labour that one earns a reputation and recognition. The intended message: This adverb can be understood as an advice to people â€Å" You should worl single-mindedly at one work. You shouln’t change your work so frequently†. b. Look before you leap Meaning: This proverb simply means that you must think before you act. Before you do something (or â€Å"leap† into something) you must consider the consequences (or â€Å"look†) of your actions. The intented message: â€Å"Be careful! † c. A stitch in time saves nine. Meaning: This proverb tells that timely effort will prevent more work later. A little preventative maintenance can eliminate the need for repairs later. This proverb warns us against neglecting small faults or imperfections which may lead to further damage or increased problems later. â€Å"A stitch in time saves nine† advises us to realize the value of time management and that small things do make a big difference. We should all learn that it is best to work diligently, consciensciously, and carefully while using our time wisely and efficiently. The intended message: â€Å"Do it now, don’t wait till it’s too late†

Life Lessons Learned From the Holocaust essays

Life Lessons Learned From the Holocaust essays Many protesters of Operation: Iraqi Freedom claim that it is pre-emptive and unnecessary. Many of the supporters, on the other hand, are stating the exact opposite of these claims. Many are going so far as to say that Saddam Husein and his regime have been committing such atrocities against the people of his country that we are late in removing him from power. In this day and age, it is hard to get anyone to agree on something. Everyone has their own opinions and views. Unfortunately, people dont realize that the ability to express your opinion is almost forbidden in countries like Iraq. If you talk down about the government, you could be placing yourself or those you love in mortal danger. Many people in America today take for granted the freedoms granted to them by our fore-fathers. They love to use these freedoms and would hate for them to be suddenly stripped away. That is because, as the Declaration of Independence states, people are endowed with certain unalienable rig hts. Unfortunately, many people like Saddam Husein never took this message to heart. They have taken away these unalienable rights. That is why this pre-emptive strike is necessary. Hitler did the same in Nazi Germany during the years of the Holocaust. America, though, in WWII did not do anything to stop him until it was too late. If America had stepped into the war at an earlier date, before all most of Europe had fallen, Hitler could have been stopped. Instead, Hitler was left to do as he pleased. What he pleased, though, turned out to be the death of millions of innocent people. This teaches a valuable lesson to future generations. Problems which are solved quickly cannot escalate into something uncontrollable. In 1923, Adolf Hitler and his paramilitary group, the SA brownshirts, attempted to overthrow the Bavarian government in the Beer Hall Putsch. This landed Hitler in prison for nine months w...

St. Valentines Day Massacre

St. Valentines Day Massacre Around 10:30 a.m. on St. Valentines Day, February 14, 1929, seven members of Bugs Morans gang were gunned down in cold blood in a garage in Chicago. The massacre, orchestrated by Al Capone, shocked the nation by its brutality. The St. Valentines Day Massacre remains the most notorious gangster killing of the Prohibition era. The massacre not only made Al Capone a national celebrity, but it also brought Capone, the unwanted attention of the federal government. The Dead Frank Gusenberg, Pete Gusenberg, John May, Albert Weinshank, James Clark, Adam Heyer, and Dr. Reinhart Schwimmer Rival Gangs: Capone vs. Moran During the Prohibition era, gangsters ruled many of the large cities, becoming rich from owning speakeasies, breweries, brothels, and gambling joints. These gangsters would carve up a city between rival gangs, bribe local officials, and become local celebrities. By the late 1920s, Chicago was split between two rival gangs: one led by Al Capone and the other by George Bugs Moran. Capone and Moran vied for power, prestige, and money; plus, both tried for years to kill each other. In early 1929, Al Capone was living in Miami with his family (to escape Chicagos brutal winter) when his associate Jack Machine Gun McGurn visited him. McGurn, who had recently survived an assassination attempt ordered by Moran, wanted to discuss the ongoing problem of Morans gang. In an attempt to eliminate the Moran gang entirely, Capone agreed to fund an assassination attempt, and McGurn was placed in charge of organizing it. The Plan McGurn planned carefully. He located the Moran gangs headquarters, which was in a large garage behind the offices of S.M.C. Cartage Company at 2122 North Clark Street. He selected gunmen from outside the Chicago area, to ensure that if there were any survivors, they would not be able to recognize the killers as part of Capones gang. McGurn hired lookouts and set them up in an apartment near the garage. Also essential to the plan, McGurn acquired a stolen police car and two police uniforms. Setting Up Moran With the plan organized and the killers hired, it was time to set the trap. McGurn instructed a local booze hijacker to contact Moran on February 13. The hijacker was to tell Moran that he had obtained a shipment of Old Log Cabin whiskey (i.e. very good liquor) that he was willing to sell at the very reasonable price of $57 per case. Moran quickly agreed and told the hijacker to meet him at the garage at 10:30 the following morning. The Ruse Worked On the morning of February 14, 1929, the lookouts (Harry and Phil Keywell) were watching carefully as the Moran gang assembled at the garage. Around 10:30 a.m., the lookouts recognized a man heading to the garage as Bugs Moran. The lookouts told the gunmen, who then climbed into the stolen police car. When the stolen police car reached the garage, the four gunmen (Fred Killer Burke, John Scalise, Albert Anselmi, and Joseph Lolordo) jumped out. (Some reports say there were five gunmen.) Two of the gunmen were dressed in police uniforms. When the gunmen rushed into the garage, the seven men inside saw the uniforms and thought it was a routine police raid. Continuing to believe the gunmen to be police officers, all seven men peacefully did as they were told. They lined up, faced the wall, and allowed the gunmen to remove their weapons. Opened Fire With Machine Guns The gunmen then opened fire, using two Tommy guns, a sawed-off shotgun, and a .45. The killing was fast and bloody. Each of the seven victims received at least 15 bullets, mostly in the head and torso. The gunmen then left the garage. As they exited, neighbors who had heard the rat-tat-tat of the submachine gun, looked out their windows and saw two (or three, depending on reports) policemen walking behind two men dressed in civilian clothes with their hands up. The neighbors assumed that the police had staged a raid and were arresting two men. After the massacre had been discovered, many continued to believe for several weeks that the police were responsible. Moran Escaped Harm Six of the victims died in the garage; Frank Gusenberg was taken to a hospital but died three hours later, refusing to name who was responsible. Though the plan had been carefully crafted, one major problem occurred. The man that the lookouts had identified as Moran was Albert Weinshank.   Bugs Moran, the main target for the assassination, was arriving a couple of minutes late to the 10:30 a.m. meeting when he noticed a police car outside the garage. Thinking it was a police raid, Moran stayed away from the building, unknowingly saving his life. The Blonde Alibi The massacre that took seven lives that St. Valentines Day in 1929 made newspaper headlines across the country. The country was shocked at the brutality of the killings. Police tried desperately to determine who was responsible. Al Capone had an air-tight alibi because he had been called in for questioning by the Dade County solicitor in Miami during the time of the massacre. Machine Gun McGurn had what became called a blonde alibi he had been at a hotel with his blonde girlfriend from 9 p.m. on February 13 through 3 p.m. on February 14.   Fred Burke (one of the gunmen) was arrested by police in March 1931 but was charged with the December 1929 murder of a police officer and sentenced to life in prison for that crime. The Aftermath of the St. Valentine's Day Massacre This was one of the first major crimes that the science of ballistics was used; however, no one was ever tried or convicted for the murders of the St. Valentines Day Massacre. Though the police never had enough evidence to convict Al Capone, the public knew he was responsible. In addition to making Capone a national celebrity, the St. Valentines Day Massacre brought Capone to the attention of the federal government. Ultimately, Capone was arrested for tax evasion in 1931 and sent to Alcatraz. With Capone in jail, Machine Gun McGurn was left exposed. On February 15, 1936, nearly seven years to the day of the St. Valentines Day Massacre, McGurn was gunned down at a bowling alley. Bugs Moran was quite shaken from the entire incident. He stayed in Chicago until the end of Prohibition and then was arrested in 1946 for some small-time bank robberies. He died in prison from lung cancer.

3 Stoic Strategies For Becoming Happier

3 Stoic Strategies For Becoming Happier Stoicism was one of the most important philosophical schools in ancient Greece and Rome.   It has also been one of the most influential.   The writings of Stoic thinkers like Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius have been read and taken to be heart by scholars and statesman for two thousand years. In his short but extremely readable book A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy (Oxford University Press, 2009), William Irvine argues that Stoicism is a admirable and coherent philosophy of life.  Ã‚   He also claims that many of us would be happier if we became Stoics.   This is a remarkable claim.   How can the theory and practice of a philosophical school founded fifteen hundred years before the industrial revolution have anything relevant to say to us today, living in our constantly changing, technology dominated world? Irvine has many things to say in response to that question.   But the most interesting part of his answer is his account of specific strategies that the Stoics recommend we all use on a daily basis.   Three of these in particular are especially important: negative visualization; internalization of goals; and regular self-denial. Negative visualization Epictetus recommends that when parents kiss a child goodnight, they consider the possibility that the child might die during the night.   And when you say goodbye to a friend, say the Stoics, remind yourself that you perhaps you will never meet again. Along the same lines, you might imagine the home you live being destroyed by fire or by a tornado, the job you rely on being eliminated, or the beautiful car you have just bought being crushed by a runaway truck. Why entertain these unpleasant thought?   What good can come from this practice of what Irvine calls â€Å"negative visualization†?   Well, here are a few possible benefits of imagining the worst that can happen: Anticipating misfortunes can lead you to take preventative measures.   E.g. Imagining your family dying of carbon monoxide poisoning may prompt to you install a carbon monoxide detector.If you have already imagined how something awful might happen, if it does occur you will less shocked.   We are all familiar with this on a mundane level.   Many people, if they take an exam, imagine or even convince themselves that they have done badly so that if it turns out that this is the truth, they will be less disappointed.   Negative visualization, here and elsewhere, prepares us mentally and emotionally to deal with unpleasant experiences when they arrive–as they inevitably will.Contemplating the loss of something helps us to appreciate it more fully.   We are all familiar with the way we have a tendency to take things for granted.   When we first buy a new house, car, guitar, smart phone, shirt, or whatever, we think it’s wonderful.   But within a fairly short ti me the novelty wears off and we no longer find it exciting, or even interesting.   Psychologists call this â€Å"hedonic adaptation.† But imagining the loss of the thing in question is a way of refreshing our appreciation of it.   It’s a technique that help us to follow Epictetus’ advice and learn to want what we already have. Of these arguments for practicing negative visualization, the third is probably the most important and the most convincing.   And it goes well beyond such things as newly purchased technology. There is so much in life to be grateful for, yet we often find ourselves complaining that things aren’t perfect.   But anyone reading this article is probably living the sort of life that most people through history would have viewed as inconceivably pleasant.   Little need to worry about famine, plague, war, or brutal oppression.   Anesthetics; antibiotics; modern medicine; instant communication with anyone anywhere; the ability to get to just about anywhere   in the world in a few hours; a vast amount of great art, literature, music, and science available through the internet at the touch a of key.   The list of things to be grateful for is almost infinite.   Negative visualization reminds us that we are â€Å"living the dream.† Internalization of goals We live in a culture that puts tremendous value of worldly success.   So people strive to get into elite universities, to make lost of money, to create a successful business, to become famous, to achieve high status in their work, to win prizes, and so on.   The problem with all these goals, though, is that whether or not one succeeds depends in large part on factors outside one’s control. Suppose your goal is to win an Olympic medal.   You can commit yourself to this goal entirely, and if you have enough natural ability you may make yourself one of the best athletes in the world.   But whether or not you win a medal depends on many things, including who you are competing with.   If you happen to be competing against athletes who have certain natural advantages over you–e.g. physiques and physiologies better suited to your sport–then a medal may simply be beyond you.   The same goes for other goals, too.   If you want to become famous as a musician, it isn’t enough just to make great music.   Your music has to reach the ears of millions of people; and they have to like it.   These are not matters you can easily control. For this reason the Stoics advise us to carefully distinguish between things that lie within our control and things that lie beyond our control.   Their view is that we should focus entirely on the former.   Thus, we should concern ourselves with what we choose to strive for, with being the kind of person we want to be, and with living according to sound values.   These are all goals that depend entirely on us, not on how the world is or how it treats us. Thus, if I’m a musician, my goal shouldn’t be to have a number one hit, or to sell a million records, to play at Carnegie Hall or to perform at the Super Bowl.   Instead, my goal should just be to make the best music I can within my chosen genre.   Of course, if I try to do this I will increase my chances of public recognition and worldly success.   But if these don’t come my way, I won’t have failed, and I shouldn’t feel especially disappointed.   For I will still have achieved the goal I set myself. Practicing self-denial The Stoics argue that sometimes we should deliberately deprive ourselves of certain pleasures.   For example, if we usually have dessert after a meal, we might forego this once every few days; we might even once in a while substitute bread, cheese and water for our normal, more interesting dinners.   The Stoics even advocate subjecting oneself to voluntary discomfort.   One might, for instance, not eat for a day, underdress during cold weather, try sleeping on the floor, or take the occasional cold shower. What is the point of this kind of self-denial?   Why do such things?   The reasons are actually similar to the reasons for practicing negative visualization.   Self-denial toughens us up, so that if we have to deal with involuntary hardship or discomfort we will be able to do so.   There is really a very familiar idea.   It is why the army makes boot camp so hard.   The thinking is that if soldiers become accustomed to hardship on a regular basis, they will cope better with it when being able to do so really matters.   And this sort of thinking by military leaders goes back at least to ancient Sparta.   Indeed, the militaristic Spartans were so convinced that depriving men of luxuries made them better soldiers that this sort of denial came to be integral to their whole way of life.   Even today, the word â€Å"Spartan† means lacking luxuries.Self-denial helps us to appreciate the pleasures, comforts and conveniences that we enjoy all the time and are in danger of taking for granted.   Most of will probably agree with this–in theory!   But the problem with putting the theory into practice, of course, is that the experience of voluntary discomfort is––uncomfortable.   Still, perhaps some awareness of the value of self-denial is part of the reason why people choose to go camping, or backpacking. But are the Stoics right? The arguments for practicing these Stoic strategies sound very plausible.   But should they be believed?   Will negative visualization, internalizing goals, and practicing self-denial really help us to be happier?   The most likely answer is that it depends to some extent on the individual.   Negative visualization may help some people to appreciate more fully the things they presently enjoy.   But it could lead to others becoming increasingly anxious over the prospect of losing what they love.   Shakespeare, in Sonnet 64, after describing several examples of Time’s destructiveness, concludes: Time hath taught me thus to ruminateThat Time will come and take my love away.This thought is as a death, which cannot chooseBut weep to have that which it fears to lose. It seems that for the poet negative visualization is not a strategy for happiness; on the contrary, it causes anxiety and leads him to be even more attached to that which he will one day lose. The internalization of goals seems very reasonable on the face of it: do your best, and accept the fact that objective success depends on factors you can’t control.   Yet surely, the prospect of objective success–an Olympic medal; making   money; having a hit record; winning a prestigious prize–can be tremendously motivating.   Perhaps there are some people who care nothing for such external markers of success; but most of us do.   And it’s surely true that many wonderful human achievements have been fueled, at least in part, by the desire for them. Self-denial is not especially appealing to most people.   Yet there is som reason to suppose that it really does do us the sort of good that the Stoics claimed for it.   A well-known experiment done by Stanford psychologists in the 1970s involved having young children see how long they could hold off eating a marshmallow for the sake of getting an additional reward (such as a cookie in addition to the marshmallow).   The surprising upshot of the research was that those individuals who were best able to delay gratification did better in later life on a number of measures such as educational achievement and general health.   This seems to bear out will power is   like a muscle, and that exercising the muscle through self-denial builds self-control, a key ingredient of a happy life.

Developing Artificial Intelligence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Developing Artificial Intelligence - Essay Example This is because it is yet unclear as to what comprises a human being’s thoughts, and what is the driving force behind his/her intelligence. Is it a manifestation of the immortal soul or is it just a complex network of nerves comprising the nervous system? To create an intelligent machine or a computer, it is necessary to grant it with thinking capabilities that are at par with humans. If such an intelligent machine is ever created, how can we test whether it can think on its own? How can it be certified as Artificial Intelligence? Alan Mathison Turing, a computer analyst, mathematician and cryptoanalyst, provided a simple solution to this problem. In a paper published in the Journal Mind, in 1950, Turing suggests that rather than creating complications by using the word â€Å"think†, defining it, or asking whether machines can â€Å"think†, it is easier to develop a task that requires thinking, and testing whether a machine can succeed in that task. Alan   Math ison   Turing,   a   computer   analyst,   mathematician   and   cryptoanalyst,   provided   a   simple   solution   to   this   problem.   In   a   paper   published   in   the   Journal   Mind,   in   1950,   Turing   suggests   that   rather   than   creating   complications   by   using   the   word   â€Å"think†,   defining   it,   or   asking   whether   machines.... Turing put forth the idea that machines could be devised to think and be capable of â€Å"rivaling human intelligence†. He writes: The original question, "Can machines think?" I believe to be too meaningless to deserve discussion. Nevertheless I believe that at the end of the century the use of words and general educated opinion will have altered so much that one will be able to speak of machines thinking without expecting to be contradicted (p. 440). This idea was revolutionary and contrary to the popular notions and beliefs of his time (â€Å"The Alan Turing Internet Scrapbook†). Turing suggested an imitation game that could be used to test whether a computer is as intelligent as a human being. The directions of the game are as follows: A human and a machine, labeled ‘X’ and ‘Y’ are placed in separate rooms. Another human, who is the judge/interrogator/observer, is placed in another room and is unaware of who is in which room. He only knows t he human and the machine by the labels, ‘X’ and ‘Y’. The judge/interrogator will have to find out who is the human and who is the machine based on the responses he gets from both, the human and the machine. The machine will try to make the judge conclude that the other human is the machine. The human will try to help the judge in identifying the machine (Turing, 1950). In simple words, a computer and a human should be placed in two separate rooms and should communicate through textual messages with a third human, who is the judge or the observer. The judge would interrogate both, the human and the machine. The judge will then decide who is in which room. If the judge fails to make the right judgment and fails to distinguish between the human and the machine, the machine is said to be successful and will have

Designer Babies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Designer Babies - Essay Example The author focuses on attracting and maintaining the audience’s attention. The title of the essay, â€Å"Designer Babies†, can elicit the audience’s interest and maintain it throughout the article as they strive to comprehend the circumstances surrounding the designing of babies. The article is logically organized into introduction, body, and conclusion that are crucial elements of a well-structured essay. The thesis statement is found in the first paragraph where the author argues that some people accept sex selection for children, â€Å"Some people already argue that using that to select the sex of your child is fine, or perhaps for medical reasons† (Sandel Para 1). However, researchers have not addressed other issues such as physical appearance and intelligence. Another feature that makes the article rather captivating constitutes excellent transitions between paragraphs and effective use of rhetoric questions. Paragraph transitions are organized in such a way that they answer questions posed in the previous paragraphs, or pose a question for discussion in the paragraph. Questions are vital in this essay as they help in engaging the reader as the article progresses. The writer does not use numbering in the article, but organizes the essay into varying lengths of paragraphs with smooth transition between paragraphs. Long paragraphs are used to explain the author’s ideas, while short paragraphs at the end of the chapters are used to summarize ideas and giving conclusive solutions to the questions. Sandel refers to historical events when discussing his opinions to support his views. â€Å"What’s the moral of the story of the dark history of eugenics?† The author hooks the readers by effectively posing questions in the arti cle. Sandel effectively apply logos, which appeal to the audience’s logical reasoning (Halmari 6). Sandel begins his essay by investigating the morality in selecting the genes that can be used to shape the

Uncanny architecture---signifier of Victorian architecture Annotated Bibliography

Uncanny architecture---signifier of Victorian architecture - Annotated Bibliography Example Crinson also builds on his argument by offering an explanation on what the buildings represent in terms of architectural styles. He further explains that the architects made the styles absurdly incongruous. The architecture was a representation of what was happing during the time of construction. This kind of architecture is vividly applied on almost all the buildings that are dated the Victorian age. The buildings have a variety of readable meaning attributed to the architectural style, monuments, and convictions. They depict the cultural and religious aspect of the Victorian age (Crinson 5). He also notes that the architectural style, monuments and convictions, have over the years been transformed due to the continued interaction with different culture and modern architectural style from different parts of the world. Crinson does a review if the significant aspects that define the Victorian architecture noting that windows, door frames and roofing were significant aspects of the ar chitecture. He noted arched windows panels; double doors and brick roofing tiles were very significant in the Victorian architecture. Crinson provides validity to his arguments by providing evidence to support his claims. Citing an example, he gives sufficient evidence to support his claim by showing the cultural exchanges that influenced the Victorian architecture. He provides evidence through an objective overview rather than a narration of personal sentiments. The book is relevant to my study in that it addresses the qualities of the Victorian age architecture in specific the key elements that distinguish the Victorian architecture style from other architectural styles. In addition, the book provides targeted agendas on the thematic issues such as political agendas, religious, and racial aspects. The book’s targeted audience is any individual who is interested in learning about how the Western architecture has changed over time and

Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 4

Assignment - Essay Example In reality however excellence has a dimension as limited as the companies itself. It means that the organization strives to find the best available practice rather than following market leaders or competitors. This finding the best practices and implementing them will result from an exhaustive self assessment and investigation by the organization itself. The level of excellence that an organization has achieved is generally measured by the results the organization has delivered and is very greatly dependent upon the performance management systems used. Organizational excellence is an overall way in which organizations work from balancing stakeholders interests to the management of profits and prioritizing ones needs without losing control with such operational efficiency that doesn’t lead to doubts about its performance and utilization of resources. The achievement of such excellence has since always been a dilemma with multiple theories based on it. But in a nutshell it should be understood that the means of achieving excellence were always and will always be an item of great interest and research and though unanimity will never be achieved, the best way is to strive hard to question how to achieve it and then implement those solutions with utmost efficiency. What should be remembered however is that in the race of excellence there is no finish line. The business excellence model largely determines how organizations all over the world handle their operations and how decision making takes place. Different parts of the world have different excellence models which are dependent upon the organizational structure in those regions as well as the preferences of customers and the mindset of the employees. Customer focus and logical decision-making, form the core of all models. One of the earliest excellence models is the Deming Excellence model which is based on

Effect of Geology on Road Transport Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Effect of Geology on Road Transport - Essay Example Effect of Geology on Road Transport Geological rocks cover most parts of the region, which makes it impossible for trucks to pass through for delivering sand and gravel. Poor drainage is another factor that contributes to the fact that trucks cannot be used to transport the products from Salt Ste. Marie to Ontario. Lakes and forests occupy a considerable part of the southern Ontario with widespread bogs. The shield of Canada appears flat in nature, but the south part is characterized by highlands elevated at a height of 2,275 feet. This makes it extremely costly to design roads that would facilitate access of Southern Ontario by trucks. The lowland of St. Lawrence located South east, comprises two sections that are St. Lawrence River valley and peninsular part located between Huron, Lakes Ontario and Erie. The Canadian Shield extension joins with the Adirondack Mountains in New York City. This makes it impossible to construct a road through where the trucks delivering sands would use. In addition, numerous rolling land levels characterize the lowland in southern Ontario where a number of escarpments exist along with steep hills. The Hudson Bay part of the southern Ontario lowland is plain and on the lower parts, that fringes James and Hudson bays northwards. The surface of this region is characterized by marshy and flat areas and comprises of marine deposits, which are elevated above the level of sea during geological period. Scrubby forests enclose most of the region with vegetation such as lichens, mosses vegetation, tundra, and other shrubs. Consequently, the terrain, surface structure, and forest in this region make it exceedingly hard for transportation of sand and gravel by trucks to the Southern Ontario, despite the high cost expected for the products in the region. The operators in Sault Ste. Marie overrule the transportation of sand and gravel to the Southern region because of the easy transportation of the products by trucks within the region of production. Climate is a crucial factor i n road transport. The southern Ontario is characterized by short summers and temperatures in the month of July averages from 55Â ° F in the Northern part to 70Â ° F in the extensive South. Humidity increase as one move to south, ranging from 380mm every year near Hudson Bay to 1010mm in southeast. Snowfall is substantial throughout the settled areas that average 71 to 121 inches annually. Consequently, trucks cannot travel in such a region because of the ice rocks and humidity. Security is a factor is considered while transporting products by road. The geology of southern Ontario region does not offer security to road transport due to the dangers exposed in travelling through forests by trucks. This is because 40% of the land is covered with forests. Most of the forests are a potential source of timber, but only the accessible forests are beneficial. Part B There are conditions that can facilitate routine transportation of sand from Salt Ste. Marie to Southern Ontario. Poor draina ge, in the southern Ontario, led to the emergence of Canadian Shield and the Great lakes; hence, water occupies a percentage of 20% of the region adequate to facilitate water transportation. The drainage in the Southern Ontario part is formed by rivers, flowing in the St. Lawrence region that includes Moose-Mattagami, Albany, Seven, and Attawapiskat. The plenty of rivers

Personal and professional development for business Essay

Personal and professional development for business - Essay Example As I reflect about my school life and attempt to gain success in professional field, I have understood the massive influence of my education on my present learning. I have historically infused education as a vital part and am currently improving myself through the way of higher education and training. These past experiences and present education will lead me to the outset of developing my personal career interests i.e. to become a gym instructor and to attain a commendable position in Tesco Plc. I desire to proposer my career in the field of fitness industry and retail segment and thus, there is a need for personal and professional development. Through personal and professional development plan, I can utilise my strengths and reduce my weaknesses for gaining better prospect of success in my career. Education and Training From the schooling days, I was quite obsessive regarding the selection of my profession which can provide me better enjoyment and where I can render my complete effo rt. Since I want to become a gym instructor, I have taken training on body building and exercising. I am quite good in workout and also have good physique which is an essential component of a gym instructor. I have also taken education on the subject of physical fitness. On the other hand, I have also the desire to perform as a top-level employee in Tesco. Due to this reason, I have also attempted to gain educational knowledge on business. Presently, I am pursuing BA Honours with specialisation in marketing. Since marketing is one of the vital activities of Tesco, this course will be helpful for me to obtain better understanding about different aspects of Tesco’s operations. I have a strong desire for utilising my learnings from present education in my future professional life. Key Lessons Learned from Education and Training In the past two years, I have acquired enormous knowledge about the basics of body building along with maintaining a good health. Through my training on physical fitness, I have learnt the ideas and principles which are associated with the development and application of individual physical activity plan. I have also gained an understanding about planning, applying, assessing and reviewing routine activities which contribute to health based fitness elements (Education and Advanced Learning, 2013). During by bachelor education, I also have acquired good communication skill which is regarded as vital trait for a gym trainer. This ability will allow me to deal with my clients effectively and to understand their interests and issues. Furthermore, in my educational career, I have also acquired the quality of inspiring other individuals. I have proper skill to guide people for accomplishing specific activities. In past two years while performing as a leader in my educational career, my performance was quite commendable as I have effectively motivated entire team towards accomplishing high performance. This ability would be helpful for me i n order to become a fitness trainer and can also enhance my employability (Lendrum, 2014). Throughout my specialisation in marketing, I have understood the basic ideologies of business, management and marketing. This course has close relationship with the career I pursue, i.e. to reach in a top-level position in Tesco. I was also educated about the problems and challenges of the business world and the methods to deal with them (Narver & Slater,

Effect of Geology on Road Transport Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Effect of Geology on Road Transport - Essay Example Effect of Geology on Road Transport Geological rocks cover most parts of the region, which makes it impossible for trucks to pass through for delivering sand and gravel. Poor drainage is another factor that contributes to the fact that trucks cannot be used to transport the products from Salt Ste. Marie to Ontario. Lakes and forests occupy a considerable part of the southern Ontario with widespread bogs. The shield of Canada appears flat in nature, but the south part is characterized by highlands elevated at a height of 2,275 feet. This makes it extremely costly to design roads that would facilitate access of Southern Ontario by trucks. The lowland of St. Lawrence located South east, comprises two sections that are St. Lawrence River valley and peninsular part located between Huron, Lakes Ontario and Erie. The Canadian Shield extension joins with the Adirondack Mountains in New York City. This makes it impossible to construct a road through where the trucks delivering sands would use. In addition, numerous rolling land levels characterize the lowland in southern Ontario where a number of escarpments exist along with steep hills. The Hudson Bay part of the southern Ontario lowland is plain and on the lower parts, that fringes James and Hudson bays northwards. The surface of this region is characterized by marshy and flat areas and comprises of marine deposits, which are elevated above the level of sea during geological period. Scrubby forests enclose most of the region with vegetation such as lichens, mosses vegetation, tundra, and other shrubs. Consequently, the terrain, surface structure, and forest in this region make it exceedingly hard for transportation of sand and gravel by trucks to the Southern Ontario, despite the high cost expected for the products in the region. The operators in Sault Ste. Marie overrule the transportation of sand and gravel to the Southern region because of the easy transportation of the products by trucks within the region of production. Climate is a crucial factor i n road transport. The southern Ontario is characterized by short summers and temperatures in the month of July averages from 55Â ° F in the Northern part to 70Â ° F in the extensive South. Humidity increase as one move to south, ranging from 380mm every year near Hudson Bay to 1010mm in southeast. Snowfall is substantial throughout the settled areas that average 71 to 121 inches annually. Consequently, trucks cannot travel in such a region because of the ice rocks and humidity. Security is a factor is considered while transporting products by road. The geology of southern Ontario region does not offer security to road transport due to the dangers exposed in travelling through forests by trucks. This is because 40% of the land is covered with forests. Most of the forests are a potential source of timber, but only the accessible forests are beneficial. Part B There are conditions that can facilitate routine transportation of sand from Salt Ste. Marie to Southern Ontario. Poor draina ge, in the southern Ontario, led to the emergence of Canadian Shield and the Great lakes; hence, water occupies a percentage of 20% of the region adequate to facilitate water transportation. The drainage in the Southern Ontario part is formed by rivers, flowing in the St. Lawrence region that includes Moose-Mattagami, Albany, Seven, and Attawapiskat. The plenty of rivers

Construction and De-construction of Race Essay Example for Free

Construction and De-construction of Race Essay Races exist. They are everywhere in the world. In our history classes, we have discussed the existence of Caucasians, Mongoloids, Negroes, etc. The members of each racial group have common characteristics that make them distinct from other groups. However, in the quest to understand better the human variations across races, professionals from various fields – medicine, biology, anthropology, etc – have conducted studies to prove, or disprove, the existence of races in the scientific sense. In Modern Human Variation: An Introduction to Contemporary Human Biological Diversity , three models of human classification were discussed. First is the typological model which â€Å"focuses on a small number of traits that are readily observable from a distance such as skin color, hair form, body build, and stature. † Diamond (1994) gives truth to this, citing that â€Å"all native Swedes differ from all native Nigerians in appearance† and that one race cannot be mistaken with the other. However, Diamond also argued that â€Å"there are many different, equally valid procedures for defining races, and those different procedures yield very different classifications. † He further discussed other studies in which the differing geographical locations of humans contribute to their varying human traits. Factors such as survival and sexual selection, and a third possible explanation which is no function at all, were considered in human classification. Again, inconsistencies of this theory were later discovered, showing evidences that â€Å"among topical peoples, anthropologists love to stress the dark skins of African blacks, people of the southern Indian peninsula, and New Guineans and love to forget the pale skins of Amazonian Indians and Southeast Asians living at the same latitudes† (Diamond, 2004). With these contentions, the typological model is contradicted. On the other hand, the population model â€Å"looks for breeding populations first and then considers the anatomical and physiological traits that may distinguish them. † This means looking into a single group where members mate only with people within the group. The same article discussed, however, that with the relatively convenient means of intercontinental travel, intermixture of humanity has emerged, thus making the population model relatively ambiguous in the study of human variation today. The third model, the clinal model, â€Å"is based on the fact that genetically inherited traits most often change gradually in frequency from one geographic area to another. † With this framework, the clinal model may seem to be the soundest theory on human classification. However, it cannot be fully relied on since â€Å"the distribution of some traits is partly discontinuous†¦ these can be understood as results of historical migrations or exclusive breeding within more or less closed communities. † We have tried to construct races through scientific studies but failed to establish its exact definition. This brings us back to again to the crux of our contention. Do races exist? Yes, they do. People from all over the world have been grouped based on their physical characteristics, culture, religion, ethnicity, and other factors. Groups were given names so that individuals can easily identify in which group they belong. This is how lay humans understand the word â€Å"race† today. The concept has been constructed to satisfy the human need for order. But as Goodman (2005) puts it, â€Å"race is not a mere social construct, but as a lived experience has devastatingly real effects. † The construction of race led to the emergence of racial discrimination, making some â€Å"races† assume superiority over others. With this assumption, people of the â€Å"superior race† consequently assumed power over the â€Å"minorities†. The political advantage of the â€Å"superior race† gave way for them to gain more access to resources and wealth. Discrimination further reached the social sphere, with the â€Å"minorities† being labeled as the â€Å"ugly† people since their physical traits differ, most of the time in the opposite manner, from those of the â€Å"superior race†. Looking back through world history, our books tell us stories of some â€Å"races† (e. g. Africans) who were enslaved by the â€Å"superior races† during the earlier times. At present, racism still exists in the form of prejudice to certain â€Å"races† that have been generalized to possess certain characteristics. In Asia, the revolt of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has caused prejudice against Muslims in most parts of the world, generalizing these people as terrorists. Accordingly, the social construction of races have inflicted numerous, and perhaps even millions, of incidents of social injustice worldwide. Then again, combining the clinal and population models, Keita et al (2004) contend that â€Å"the nonexistence of ‘races’ or subspecies in modern humans does not preclude substantial genetic variation that may be localized to regions or populations. † The authors cited a recent study on the single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the human genome, which can â€Å"make forensic distinctions possible even within restricted regions such as Scandinavia. † It was however clarified that â€Å"because this identification is possible does not mean that there is a level of differentiation equal to ‘races’. † We cannot totally negate the scientific studies conducted and currently being conducted on human biological variation. These studies, as in the point of view of Keita et al have policy implications for health studies. While Keita et al advocate for more refined and detailed study on human biological variation, Goodman is also supported in his position to â€Å"call for a new vocabulary and concepts† to study the same. This way, the widely-known concept of race may be de-constructed. Difference in skin color, hair form, body build, religion, culture, ethnicity, and others, does not make an individual less of a human, and as such these characteristics should not be seen as barriers to social justice.

Concern on environmental issues worldwide

Concern on environmental issues worldwide There has been a rising concern on environmental issues worldwide nowadays. Ministry of foreign affairs statistic shows that over the years, the temperature has been rise because of carbon dioxide trapped and green house gases have affected the global climate. This change will affect the people live all over the world. This also includes access to water, health, food and the well being of the environment. Todays consumers have started to recognize that their purchasing behaviors actually cause a big impact to the environment. Therefore, companies should practice offering environmentally friendly products and service to people to prevent this world become worse. Although, Malaysia has undergone an excellent development followed governmental efforts to attract foreign investor to come and invest for a green product development in Malaysia, the action of environmental responsible behavior among Malaysian consumers are still low. One of the examples of the lack of environmental responsible behavior is shown in an article in Bernama whereby garbage thrown by one of the state in Malaysia residents is the main cause of river pollution in the state. According to a survey which was handled on by global market insight and information group, only 8% of Malaysian respondents responded that they have changed their behavior in a greatest deal to benefit the environment on the aspect of eco-friendliness of habits and behaviors In addition 83% respondents reported that their views on a companys and their Colleges friendliness to the environment would influence them to purchases a green products and services. Studying the determinants of generation-Y consumers green purchase behavior will be definitely benefit green marketers. Generation-Y (also known as a millennial) is defined as A label attributed to people born during the 1980s and early 1990s. Members of Generation Y are often referred to as echo boomers because they are the children of parents born during the baby boom (baby boomers). Because children born during this time period have had constant access to technology (computers, cell phones) in their youth, they have required many employers to update their hiring strategy in order to incorporate updated forms of technology. In a simple word, generation-Y grew up with a technology and relies on those things to perform their job and their task. In addition, when going through a literature review in Malaysian context, there are still a gap existed between environmental knowledge, intention and behavior towards green product. [Said et al. (2005)]. Even though people that have vast knowledge about green products are not necessarily would buy a green product. Therefore, factors those determine and affect Generation-Y to purchase a green product would be worth to find out. 1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE RESEARCH Environment is defined as what surrounds a thing or an item or in other words it means the surrounding. It could be a physical element which is physical environment, that includes the built environment, natural environment such as air, water, land, atmosphere and etc or it could be human environment where people surrounding the item or thing which also known as the social environment. Today environment is getting worst and worst. Many environmental issues arise. Environmental concerns have been growing in recent years. One of the examples of environmental issue is global warming. Global warming and climate change refer to an increase in average global temperatures. Natural events and human activities such as burning garbage and waste are believed to be contributing to an increase in average global temperatures. This is caused primarily by increases in greenhouse gases such as Carbon Dioxide. The greenhouse effect keeps the earth warm when functioning normally. For the first time in h istory, human activities are altering the climate of our entire planet. According to (Jack, 2010), in less than 2 centuries, humans have increased the total amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by 25% from the burning of fossil fuels and the destruction of forests. In addition to the natural fluxes of carbon through the Earth system, human activities, particularly fossil fuel burning and deforestation, are also releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere (The Carbon Cycle; the Human Role, Earth Observatory, NASA). Green product is define as a product that produce limited carbon footprints; they may require fewer resources to produce, consume less energy or emit fewer hazardous emissions.  Green product is also a product that is non toxic, water-efficient, and also recyclable and biodegradable. There are many green products that have been produce for people in the market. For example, a household cleaner. Nowadays its nearly impossible to go shopping without finding a plethora of products that claim to be environmentally and consumer friendly. Oddly enough, many cheap and eco-friendly substances, such as vinegar, have been used for years as home cleaners. Whether you buy a green cleaning product at a store or use something on hand in your pantry, you can reap the benefits of choosing products that are gentler on you and the environment. Phosphate-free dishwasher and laundry detergents are also consider a green product because they do not discharge environment-damaging phosphates into waterway s. Other examples of green cleaning products are those labeled certified biodegradable; these have passed several stringent tests relating to biodegradability and environmental impact conducted by an independent certifying agency. According to Consumer Reports, the certified biodegradable label is more meaningful than a general biodegradable label. Glass and metal cleaners, kitchen and bathroom cleaners, and laundry detergents are products that might carry this label. The rationale for going green is twofold. Clearly, the positive effects on the environment are a key driver for purchasing green product.  Green product provides myriad environmental benefits. They can replace toxic materials that may be harmful to people or animals. Also, some products save energy and water, while others limit solid waste and manufacturing releases. Green products create a healthier environment for people through reduced exposure to cleaners, solvents, paints and other hazardous substances. Green product also can reduce allergies. Many families find that their children are suffering from allergies, even though their family history does not necessary say that there are no allergies. In some situations, chemicals found within cleaning products contain allergens. Bleaches, toxic cleaning sprays and other chemicals used to clean the home commonly contain a variety of ingredients specifically able to cause or trigger allergies in people.   Generation Y are the cool generation, they embrace brand and live in the new world of digitize communication. Thus that might be interesting to find their perception and their level of awareness towards environmental issues that the world is facing nowadays. Gen Y has grown up in a very structure, busy and over planned world. Also, Gen Y is made up of confident, optimistic young people who feel valued and wanted. In a article of science daily, Gen-Y is a people that will go all the way when it comes to saving the environment as long as it benefit to world economic and environment. They are maturing into a pragmatic generation that wants to do the right thing for the environment but also has real economic concerns 1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT Consumers or practically customers are the sellers and buyers that boost the countrys economy. Therefore, many firms are actually putting many efforts in order to attract more customers because these customers create businesses opportunities and generate profits to them. As the world nowadays facing so many problems regarding to an environmental issue, the consumers and their attitudes or behaviors to purchase a green product are the important factors to be considered. Consumers nowadays have more choices due to the effects of globalization. They will prefer the function of the product rather than the brand or whatsoever to ensure a healthier future. To determine the current level of Gen-y consumers preference towards the green products. To determine what are the determinants or factors of Gen-y consumer preferences towards the green product. To determine the consequences or effects of Gen-y consumer preferences towards the green product. To determine consumer level of awareness of Gen-y consumer towards green product. 1.3 RESEARCH OBJECTIVE Awareness towards environmental issue that the world nowadays facing play a major role encourage people to purchase a green product. Thus, this study is attempts to relate on the various variables that influence consumer especially generation-Y to purchase a green product. The objectives are as the following: * To study the factors affecting the consumer especially Gen-Y to purchase green product. Gen-y is a new generation and It is crucial to understand as they are more advance and modernize. Thus, several researches have been conducted in order to understand consumers in a way that how they behave, and what are the factors that cause them to behave or react to the responses of the products. Leading factors such as price and quality are always the top concerns to the consumers. Product attributes will moderate the effects of price on quality judgments. Partial of the consumers may focus on buying low prices goods and neglect the quality of the products. This group of consumers takes the price as a measure of sacrifice. For instance, consumers take the price served as the benchmark for comparing utility gains from the quality of the product. One the other hand, some portion of the consumers will be willing to pay a premium price for the quality and function of the products, as they are very sensitive to the signals of the quality of one product. Thus, it is hope that this stud y will contribute further to the understanding of factors of price and quality that may lead to the consumers prefer for a green product * To understand the awareness level of people about Go Green campaign. Nowadays, there are many environmental campaign have been organized by a government and private sector. This campaign is aim to encourage people to more concern about the environment. Thus, it is hope that this study will explore how people react to a environmental campaign and what is their level of awareness about the awareness campaign. * To examine the benefit for people involvement in Go Green program. We might be asking, how we will benefit from getting involved in this environmental campaign. Well, recently there has been an increase in events directly related to the availability of natural resources. For example energy shortages that resulted to load shedding, change in weather patterns and water shortages. As a result, civil society is recognizing the need to manage our natural resources more effectively and responsibly. In doing so, we can ensure positive effects on our health, quality of life and even the cost of living. Thus, this study will help people to getting known more about what they will gain if they participate in the environmental campaign. *To discover what consumer perception towards green product. In curiosity to identify what are the main components or criteria that consumer especially gen-Y are looking forward in order to purchase a green product. It is true that each and every one of us are special and unique in the way we are, thus, every consumer has their very own perception in purchasing a green product. Different people from different backgrounds may have different perceptions on these products. In addition to that, different demographic groups may have different perceptions to this kind of product as well. Thus, this study will help to identify whether the consumer especially gen-y prefer to buy a green product or not to safe a mother of earth. 1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY This study is crucial as there are a lot of green products have been selling nowadays. Obviously, when we talk about green product, the price for that particular item might be so expensive. The study on factors affecting consumer especially Gen-Y buying a green product may allow us to know in depth why are previous efforts taken does not produce as it is thought it would be. Based on the study conducted, motivations towards the environment, knowledge on green product, social norm, awareness and self-image have an impact on the consumer especially Gen-Y buying a green product. Government may need to enhance its program in educating people green product. New and more interesting Go Green program and method is a definite necessity in motivating people to increase their interest/awareness on a green product and indirectly motivates them to purchase it. 1.5 SCOPE OF STUDY The research focus on students in Multimedia University (MMU) Melaka campus and teenagers from outside the campus which comes from various demographic backgrounds such as the faculty, ethnicity and nationality. The focused respondents are a great resemblance on the exact population in Malaysia. 1.6 ORGANIZATIONAL OF RESEARCH 1.6.1 Chapter 1: Introduction Regarding this chapter, it introduce the background of this research such as why do people as a consumer buy a green product. Thus, this will create a strong preference among the gen-y consumers locally and abroad to consume and purchase green products. These sections will explain in details in the of consumers preferences from the Malaysian perspective and as well from the global view for green products. This chapter also recognized the problem statement and the research objectives for this research. Finally, the justification of the research will help to justify the benefits and those who will gain in this research. Chapter 2 : Literature Review A thorough study will be conducted on the dependent variable and independent variables. The main purpose for this chapter is to weigh the pros and cons of the topic and to discuss in details on the ideas and knowledge concerned. In this chapter, every definition of the dependent variable and independent variables will be cited from the journals in order to strengthen every point mentioned. Several of arguments and various points of views from different authors in order to provide a stronger formation of each point can be founded in this chapter. In addition to that, this chapter explains the relationships on several independent variables relate to the dependent variables. 1.6.2 Chapter 3 : Research Methodology Research methodology is usually conducted after the thorough study of literature review. In this chapter, theoretical framework will be form to illustrate the relationships between the dependent variable and the independent variables. Hypotheses or a proposed explanation which were made on the basis of limited evidences will explain the relationships between two or more variables. All the hypotheses stated will be tested together with empirical data. This chapter also includes the description of the sampling data, data collections and as well as the development of the questionnaire for this research. Chapter 4 : Data Analysis After questionnaires are collected from all the respondents, then few tests will be conducted to test on the validity and reliability of the results. The responds of the questionnaires from the respondents are represented by a set of numbers that symbolize their own significant meanings. Whereas the tests that will be carry out are to analyze the responses from the respondents so that it will derive to a stronger conclusion at the end of this research. Chapter 5 : Conclusion This chapter will provide the final outcome of this research. Thus, the final results will be explained and we will be able to identify how the exact hypotheses that formed earlier are hold.