Integrating different perspectives Essay Example for Free

Integrating different perspectives Essay School violence is a growing concern in our schools at present, and it is a reality that we must deal with if we are ever to find solutions for these situations and how to prevent it form happening again. The world was shocked when the recent killings in Virginia Tech occurred last month and somehow it seemed irrational and illogical for an academically excellent student to have committed. But as the images of horror and violence flashed through the millions of television sets across the world, one asks what may have caused the person to commit such acts and what may explain his behavior. Violence is a form of aggression and it is often an outward or overt expression of anger and hostility which is a product of a perceived emotional affront or sense of persecution (Armistead, 1996). There are several psychological perspectives that have looked into the issue of school violence and it has been observed that most if not all of those that have occurred are extremely violent, with the use of weapons and guns and have resulted to the death of one or more individuals in school. There are also other forms of violence which may have gone unnoticed and unreported to school officials but nonetheless have probably involved bullying in its many forms; from physical, emotional, psychological, racial or even technology based. The cognitive psychology perspective says that violence is the end result of mental distortions and cognitive dissonance that an individual may have experienced in relation to his/her relationships and interactions in class and in school. For example, the Korean student who killed 30 people in Virginia Tech said in his video that he was seeking retribution or revenge from the rich kids in school, because he has suffered much from them. The sense of being insulted and humiliated may be imagined but to the student, it is his reality. He may have experienced or witnessed an incidence where a poor student was bullied and he had identified with the person so much that he claimed the action as targeting him. This mental distortion of what is real and not, of the building paranoia causes the person to behave in ways that may lead to violence. When the individual believes that he has nothing left, or that he has suffered so much that it is time to avenge himself in order to stop the mental anguish thus move the person to violent acts like shooting those he perceives as enemies, to burn the school that he feels have been unfair to him or to poison a class who have ridiculed him (Lowry, Sleet, Duncan, Powell Kolbe, 1995). Another perspective that explains school violence and violence per se is the biological and evolutionary psychology perspective. This approach says that there is a biological basis for violence, and that a child who has been violent early in life and who has parents who have violent streaks will likely become violent. The perspective argues that aggression is coded into the brain of the person and that it is a normal reaction that lesser animals have continued to exhibit as a means of protecting themselves from predators, and since we share the same instinctual drives. Violence is a behavior triggered by survival instincts, for example, a student who has been flunked by every teacher in his school may certainly lose the opportunity to graduate from high school or got to college. Now the school is the world of the student, it is where he/she builds relationships, accomplishes something, learns and thrived on. If the student is flunked, then he may cease his existence in the school, or is in danger of falling out from the group and losing his sense of belongingness (Menhard, 2000). This naturally is a threat to his survival in the school and thus would be moved to protect his existence in the school system; he may come to school and kill those who will prevent him from reaching his goals. Lastly, the social learning perspective says that school violence occurs because it is now becoming a social reality and that each child is exposed to so much aggression and hostility that it has now become a social construct that is almost an accepted aspect of the American educational system (Newman, 2005). Social learning theory argues that a child learns a behavior if it is rewarded and reinforced, it is also learned if it is shared and accepted by significant others in the child life. For example, if a child grew up in a family where violence is a normal occurrence, it may lead the child to believe that there is nothing wrong with violence. Moreover, if after hurting someone, the child is able to get what he/she wants, then the behavior in reinforced, if the child is praised for hitting the next door bully, then he would learn that hitting is not wrong. Media influence if not depicts and glamorizes violence perpetuate its perception as a normal aspect of human behavior. The peer group and the school is the most influential group in a student’s life, if the student is thwarted, punished and humiliated by either his peers or the school in general, his only recourse is to become violent in order to redeem his self because it is what people do when they are oppressed. School violence is painful, it is jolting, it is irrational and sometimes quite baffling, but what is common to all of the perspectives is that school violence is only a result, an end product that is brought about only by certain events and experiences and from which more effective means of preventing school violence can be developed. References Armistead, L. (1996).What to do before the violence happens: Designing the crisis communication plan. NASP Bulletin, 80, p. 31-37. Lowry, R. , Sleet, D. , Duncan, C. , Powell, K. Kolbe, L. (1995). Adolescents at risk for violence. Educational Psychology Review, 7, 7-39. Menhard, F. (2000). School Violence: Deadly Lessons. New York: Enslow Publishers. Newman, K. (2005). Rampage: The Social Roots of School Shootings. New York: Basic Books.

The Devlopment of Modern Africa Essay -- essays research papers fc

The Development of Modern Africa   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are over 40 countries in sub-Saharan Africa and the wealth of natural resources and the prevalence of wealth in the northern segments of Africa have led many to speculate about the equity and economic development in the sub-Sahara. Unfortunately, the progression of economic, political and social factors in this region have done little to improve the overall conditions, and have instead demonstrated a consistent bias towards the government and the social elites that has impacted the chances of successful development in the region. Since the end of World War II, changes in the infrastructure, the political forces, and in the capacity for collective action in many of these countries has underscored what some have described as the â€Å"Africa crisis† (Stryker, 1986).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the major issues that still remain in this region is the history of development in the sub-Sahara, generally traced back to the history of British rule, and the relinquishing of colonial control which led to greater regionalization. But there was little in place in terms of expansion planning or economic development in the period following the end of the Second World War, and it can be argued that the struggle for economic development is linked to existing and maintained inequities, based both on social conditioning and political control, that has weakened the agrarian force and impacted the development of industrialization. During the 1980s, when many countries through out the world were experiencing the successful pull away from years of recession, the countries of the African sub-Sahara were not impacted by this positive transformation, and instead, it was posited that the decline in economic conditions would result in years of continued recession (Stryker, 1986). A number of theorists have attributed this crisis to different components of the politics, the economic base, and the social perspectives, as well as basic problems like the lowest world-wide life expectancy, lowest nutritional and literacy rates, lack of access to medical care, safe water supplies, and support services, and high population growth coupled by the highest infant mortality rates in the world (Stryker, 1986). It has been recognized that of the 40-50 poorest counties of the world, most (2/3) are located in the sub-Saha... ...ility, the perception that reforms could somehow promote a major transformation within the varied communities of the sub-Sahara placed too great an emphasis on the process of development and too little emphasis on the impact that the division itself would have on existing communities. Bibliography Berry, Sara (1992, Summer). Hegemony on a shoestring: indirect rule and access to agricultural land. Africa, v62 n3, pp. 327(29). Gyimah-Brempong, Kwabena (1992, May). Do African governments favor defense in budgeting? Journal of Peace Research, v29 n2, pp. 191(16). Jaycox, Edward (1993, March). Structural adjustment spurs African development. Africa News, v38 n2-3, pp. 14(1). Lonsdale, J.M. (1970). Nationalism and Traditionalism in East Africa. in Collins, R., Ed. Problems in the History of Colonial Africa, 1860-1960. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc. Seitz, Steven (1991, January-April). The military in black African politics. Journal of Asian and African Studies, v26 n1-2, pp. 61(15). Stryker, Richard (1986). Poverty, inequality, and development choices in contemporary Africa. in Martin, P. and O’Meara, P., Eds. Africa. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press.

Working with Financial Statements

Working with Financial Statements Accounting is the heart and soul of executing a successful business. Accounting is used to provide record for all items that are paid and received for a business over any period of time. Within the purpose of accounting lies the need to provide continuity and sustainability within a business, without it a business will not thrive. The information obtained is kept on record, in order to give insight to upper management on data concerning the daily revenue and expenses of that business. This data is needed to not only inform the employees of the business, but also the investing parties of that business as well.Success in business is equated to being accountable of all aspects of revenue and expenses. To help aid in the understanding of the practice of accounting, Team A will discuss the subjects of revenue and expense recognition principles. We will also discuss the importance of journal adjustments that are prepaid, unearned, and accrued for both reve nues and expenses over time. Each item discussed helps provided and maintains a balance for the completion of a financial statement. If entered correctly, the all entries used will provide a clear picture of the account efforts of any business.The Revenue Recognition and Expense Recognition Principle Being able to account for a business’s revenues and expenses in a certain accounting period is difficult to determine. To do it correctly, one would need to understand two principles that set the standard; the revenue recognition principle and the expense recognition principle. In chapter 4 of our textbook Financial Accounting Tools for Business Decision Making, it states â€Å"the revenue recognition principle requires that companies recognize revenue in the accounting period in which it is earned.In a service company, revenue is considered to be earned at the time the service is performed. † Therefore, the definition is that it is only to be recorded when the items sold where the profit can be estimated reliability and when the amount is recoverable. What tells the revenue to be recognized and to ignore when the cash inflows occur is when the account will use the accrual basis of accounting. An example to illustrate revenue recognition principle is when a phone company sells talk time through scratch cars. There is no revenue to recognize when a customer purchased the scratch card.The revenue is recognized when the customer has made the call and actually consumed the talk time. The expense recognition principle is defined in the same chapter as, â€Å"The principle that dictates that companies match efforts (expenses) with results (revenues). † They provide a simple rule to remember as â€Å"Let the expenses follow the revenues. † which would indicate how the expense recognition goes hand and hand with the revenue recognition. To illustrate that, we could say it is sales commission owed to an employee because it is based on the total of a sale.In the same accounting period as the sale, the commission expense is when it should be recorded. At the same time, the sale is recognized and expensed when the cost of inventory is delivered to the customer. That is when the commission expense should be recorded in the same accounting period as the sale. That would be the example of the matching principle is associated with the cause and effect of accounting. Situations That Require Adjusting Journal Entries Adjusting entries are grouped as deferrals and accruals and each has two subgroups. The two categories of deferrals are prepaid expenses and unearned revenue.Prepaid expenses are recorded as assets until they are used or consumed. For example prepaid monthly insurance is recorded as an asset until the coverage has been consumed. Because prepaid expenses expire with time does not require daily adjustments, which would be unrealistic. When preparing financial statements adjusting entries are made to record the expense co nsumed of the prepaid assets and show the remaining amounts in the asset account. Unearned revenue is when cash is received before service is provided, which increases the liability account. For that reason unearned revenue are opposite of prepaid expenses.When a company receives a payment for a future service, it credits liability the unearned revenue account increases. The recognition process occurs during the accounting period where the service was provided. Then the company makes the adjusting entry for the unearned revenue by debiting the liability account and crediting the revenue account. Before the adjustment is made liabilities are overstated and revenue is understated. The second category for adjusting entries is for accruals. Preceding the entry adjustments the revenue account or the expense account are understated.Consequently the entry adjustment for accruals increases the balance sheet and income statement account. Accrued revenue is accumulated revenue that is not rec orded at the statement date because revenue is accrued with passing time, which is impractical to record daily. The adjusting entry records the amount owed to a business at the balance sheet date and the revenue earned in that time. The adjusting entry increases both the revenue account and the asset account. If services provided to client that were not billed will not be recorded.The accrual of unrecorded service account increases accounts receivable, which also increases stockholder equity by increasing revenue account. It would be unethical for a company to backdate sales or accounts receivable to increase revenue and asset accounts to meet a quarter’s target sales. Expenses incurred but not yet paid or recorded at the statement date are called accrued expenses. Adjustments are made to recognize expenses incurred at the current accounting period and record debt that is present at the balance sheet date. Consequently adjusting entry increase expense account and increase lia bility account.Why Adjusting Entries are Important Every business or organization makes adjusting entries in the end of a set accounting period. Adjusting entries are entries made at the end of an accounting period to make certain that the profits and expenditures recognition principles are followed (Kimmel, Weygandt, & Kieso, 2011). Accrual transactions and the purposes of these transactions should be reported when these financial actions occur. These actions should be recorded not only when cash is paid or received but also anytime a financial action takes place.These important concepts in accounting are imperative because they recognize net gains or losses and a business’ financial position can be identified within the accounting period. The preparations of general entries and postings are important and the information added to these journals should be precise and reliable. The truth in numbers is critical, and the information should be calculated exactly. There are numero us reasons regarding why adjusting entries are important. To establish if the accurate value of cost of goods sold and gross profit, adjusting entry of closing stock is needed.To determine the correct value of net profit, adjusting entry of depreciation is needed. Making adjusting entries of advance expenses are essential because after this step is completed an accountant can take away advance expense from expenses collected, and this will be charged in next accounting period when these expenses will be payable. To show the correct amounts due to a third party and to show correct expenses for the accounting period making adjusting entries of outstanding expenses are important. In this entry the accountant must have debit expense and credit outstanding expense for a third party accounted for. ConclusionAs one can see, revenue recognition and expense recognition are important parts of the accounting process of any business. It is also important to understand what situations require a company to adjust their journal entries and why it is so important to do so. With the appropriate accounting techniques and accurate journaling, a company’s financial statements become more accurate and easier for both internal and external users to understand. Not only do accurate financial statements keep a company above suspicion and consequence, but it helps users make informed decisions about that company based on its financial health.Without good decision making based on accurate information, a company will not be able to succeed. References Kimmel, P. D. , Weygandt, J. J. , & Kieso, D. E. ( 2010). Financial accounting: Tools for business decision making (6th ed. ). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. 2011 Financial Principles Explained. Retrieved from http://accountingexplained. com/financial/principles/revenue-recognition Walther, L. (2012) Financial Accounting 2012 Edition. Retrieved from http://www. principlesofaccounting. com/chapter3/chapter3. html sofaccounting. com/ chapter3/chapter3. html

Animal Farm An Allegory of Russian History Essay - 903 Words

Animal Farm is an allegory of the period in Russian history between 1917 and 1944. It is a satirical story written in the form of an animal fable. In writing Animal Farm as a fable, George Orwell is able to present his subject in simple symbolic terms by treating the development of communism as a story that is taking place on a single farm with talking animals. The characters of Animal Farm represent figures in Russian history during the Russian Revolution. Places, objects, and events of the Russian Revolution are also symbolized in Animal Farm. One of the main characters of Animal Farm is an allegorical parallel of Joseph Stalin. Napoleon is the pig that emerges as the leader of Animal Farm after the Rebellion. He represents†¦show more content†¦This phenomenon is not unique to Russia or Animal Farm: it happens throughout the world. Governments have done similar things to improve their standing by blaming an invisible enemy. The purges and show trials with which Stalin eliminated his enemies and cemented his power mirrors the false confessions and executions of animals that Napoleon distrusts after the windmill collapse. Stalin’s tyrannical rule and abandonment of the founding principles of the Russian Revolution are represented by Napoleon’s turn to violent government and the adoption of human traits and behaviours. Animal Farm symbolizes Russia and the Soviet Union under communist party rule. But more generally, Animal Farm stands for any human society, be it capitalist, socialist, fascist, or communist. It possesses the internal structure of a nation, with a government (the pigs), a police force or army (the dogs), and a working class (other animals). Its location amidst a number of hostile neighbouring farms supports its symbolism as Russia. The Farmhouse in the story is a symbol of the Kremlin. The Kremlin is home of the Tsar (Mr. Jones). After the revolution, there were some that wanted to destroy the farmhouse, but it was decided to preserve it as a museum. The Kremlin was saved in a similar manner. Eventually Napoleon (Stalin) decided to take up residence there. Orwell uses the farmhouse to show the difference in authorityShow MoreRelatedAllegory Of George Orwells Animal Farm And The Russian Revolution749 Words   |  3 Pagesbook called Animal Farm demonstrates that the story is an al legory for the Russian Revolution. The story explains about power and how is the society being ruled. At first, it has been nice, until there is power and nobody is actually equal to each other. Mostly, the animals or people do not accept anything like that, but the society has changed and it will never be the same. Therefore, the book, Animal Farm, and history, Russian Revolution, have similar connections of what do the animals and peopleRead MoreWays of Viewing Animal Farm: Historical Allegory, Fable, and Suspension of Disbelief752 Words   |  4 PagesAnimal farm tells the story of a group of animals rebelling successfully against the previous owner, Mr Jones, who was considered to be a tyrant of animal/manor farm. The farm was planned to be communist place but because of most of the animals gullibility and unintelligence the pigs who where smarter took control and made a hierarchy and exploited the animals. Then eventually the pigs became more like humans doing things like walking on two legs and wearing cloths. However would animal farm beRead MoreSimilarities between Animal Farm and the Russian Revolution874 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿The Russian Revolution Animal Farm Animal Farm is a satirical novella by George Orwell, and it can also be understood as a modern fable. The book is about a group of animals who drive away the humans from the farm which they live on, and it is primarily based on the Russian Revolution. Animal Farm is well known as an allegory. Most fables have two levels of meanings. On the surface, the fable is about animals. But on the second level, the animals stand for types of people or ideas. The way theRead MoreHow Has George Orwell Used Animal Farm to Present His View of Human Nature?789 Words   |  4 PagesGeorge Orwell’s Animal Farm is a satirical allegory through which he presents his cynical view of human nature. He uses the animal fable effectively to expose the issues of injustice, exploitation and inequality in human society. Orwell uses the allegory, Animal Farm, to present the story of The Russian Revolution and essentially express his opinions on the matter. By plainly exposing the unjust and corrupt system that is communism, Orwell is ultimately presenting his pessimistic view of humanRead MoreAn Allegory In Animal Farm By George Orwell?819 Words   |  4 Pagesopportunities does writing Animal Farm as an allegory rather than an academic essay offer Orwell? The novel Animal Farm was written by George Orwell. This book was published in 1945 during the time of World War 2. It intended to portray the communism that was happening throughout Russia. Orwell took a massive risk in publishing and jeopardized his wellbeing to publicise his thoughts and to get his point across to the public. This essay will discuss what opportunities Animal Farm provides Orwell by writingRead MoreAnimal Farm By George Orwell Essay1430 Words   |  6 PagesAnimal Farm is of course, a satirical allegory, very specifically of the Russian Revolution and of Stalin (Napoleon in the book), but more generally of revolution, the idealism of utopias, and the way in which people take control of societies founded on principles of equality. It is a satirical allegory of Soviet totalitarianism. Orwell based major events in the book on ones from the Soviet Union during the Stalin era. Orwell, a democratic socialist, and a member of the Independent Labour PartyRead MoreAnimal Farm is an allegory that was written by George Orwell that tells the story of the Russian800 Words   |  4 PagesAnimal Farm is an allegory that was written by George Orwell that tells the story of the Russian Revolution and the Soviet Union by using a great deal of symbolism. Three things that Orwell represented in his allegory were the leaders of the Russian Revolution/Soviet Union, the government, and even objects that were important to the Revolution. In Animal Farm George Orwell used his characters to represent the leaders of the Soviet Union and the people of Russia. Mr. Jones, the farmer whom the animalsRead MoreAnimal Farm By George Orwell1397 Words   |  6 PagesAn important quote by the influential author of Animal Farm, George Orwell, is, â€Å"Every line of serious work that I have written since 1936 has been written, directly or indirectly, against totalitarianism.† George Orwell, a Democratic Socialist, wrote the book Animal Farm as an attack on the Communist country of Russia (â€Å"The Political Ideas of George Orwell,† worldsocialism.org). He had a very strong disliking of Communism and the Socialist party of Russia. 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