Role of Government in Encouraging Innovation

ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IN ENCOURAGING INNOVATION 12/4/2011 Strategic Innovation Management Authored by Nandini Kapur (D326) Kanika Katyal (D325) ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IN ENCOURAGING INNOVATION ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IN ENCOURAGING INNOVATION S T R AT E G I C I N N O VAT I O N M A N A G E M E N T Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 2 INTRODUCTION†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 4 STATE INDUCED INCENTIVES FOR INNOVATION †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 4 TECHNOLOGY INCUBATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF ENTREPRENEURS †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 5 SUPPORT INTERNATIONAL PATENT PROTECTION IN ELECTRONICS & IT (SIP-EIT)†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 6 MULTIPLIER GRANTS SCHEME †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 6 NATIONAL INNOVATION FOUNDATION †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ TECHNOLOGY PROMOTION, DEVELOPMENT AND UTILIZATION (TDPU) †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢ € ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 7 Technology Development and Demonstration Program (TDDP) †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 7 Technopreneur Promotion Programme (TePP) †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 8 ‘INNOVATION OF SCIENCE PURSUIT FOR INSPIRE RESEARCH (INSPIRE)' †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 8 CONCLUSION †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Page 1 ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IN ENCOURAGING INNOVATION EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Government plays a vital role in any national in novation system, in that it formulates policies that may or may not be conducive to business environment and may or may not reward entrepreneurial quest for innovative products. It further creates an institutional framework which may in varying degree support basic and advanced research in universities, industrial R&D, and grass-root innovations including in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The Government also determines whether, in which industry sectors, and to which degree it welcomes foreign participation, e. g. in form of foreign direct investments (FDI) and whether or not it would like foreign firms to engage in R&D activities on domestic soil. This paper describes the Government of India’s activities that influence, directly or indirectly – intentionally or unintentionally, India’s innovation system. It then moves on to how innovation can be encouraged in the country, and how the entire process can be expedited by Government’s role in policy making. Page 2 ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IN ENCOURAGING INNOVATION INTRODUCTION The inability of India to adequately provide for its own population no longer reflects a failure of implementation, but rather of a failure of innovation. In India, innovation is emerging as one of the most important rubrics in the discourse on how to bring about greater and more consistent economic and social development. One observes steadily growing investments in R&D across the country, the setting up of national and state innovation bodies, as well as the introduction of government-sponsored innovation funds. Despite widespread agreement on the importance of innovation in India, there are wide gulfs between different conceptions of innovation and the path India that should take towards securing benefits through investments in innovation. India needs more frugal innovation that produces more frugal cost products and services that are affordable by people at low levels of incomes without compromising the safety, efficiency, and utility of the products. The country also needs processes of innovation that are frugal in the resources required to produce the innovations. The products and processes must also have frugal impact on the earth’s resources. The Government of any country plans and formulates policies that affect the business environment and its way of operation. Such policies can reward or deter entrepreneurial quest, can either encourage or be an impediment to innovation. Page 3 ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IN ENCOURAGING INNOVATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY Since independence from the British rule in 1947, India has been investing a significant part of its resources, in creating quality institutions of higher education and research. In 1958 Indian Government passed a â€Å"Scientific Policy Resolution 1958†, which stated: â€Å"The key to national prosperity, apart from the spirit of the people, lies, in the modern age, in the effective combination of three factors, technology, raw materials and capital, of which the first is perhaps the most important, since the creation and adoption of new scientific techniques can, in fact, make up for a deficiency in natural resources, and reduce the demands on capital. But technology can only grow out of the study of science and its applications. † In keeping with this objective the Government has established a number of scientific publications in regional languages for school children and other groups in the society to increase scientific awareness in India. These publications are available to public at large mostly at subsidized, affordable rates. Finally, in 2003 a â€Å"Science and Technology Policy† was announced, which recognized â€Å"the changing context of the scientific enterprise†. The new policy has put greater emphasis on innovations to solve national problems on a sustainable basis. For this purpose it even ended the insistence on indigenous development of technology so as to master â€Å"national needs in the new era of globalization†. One of the concrete, declared objectives is â€Å"[t]o promote international science and technology cooperation towards achieving the goals of national development and security, and make it a key element of our international relations†. Dietrich Kebschull, India Representative of the German federal states of Hamburg and SchleswigHolstein said Indian Government has provided valuable backing for key high-tech sectors such as Biotechnology, Pharmaceuticals, IT and IT-enabled sectors, e. g. by providing â€Å"extensive policy and infrastructural support† through setting up of technology parks and continuing strengthening of communication facilities. Indian Government actively tries to foster entrepreneurship, for instance by encouraging spin-offs of R&D institutions to promote technology transfer. Increase of new ventures (e. g. start-ups) is an important Governmental aim. STATE INDUCED INCENTIVES FOR INNOVATION The Government has launched several innovation funding programs. According to information provided by the Technopreneur Promotion Programme (TePP) at Department of Scientific & Industrial Research, S&T budget has been increased significantly in previous years. â€Å"No project application†, recounts an official, â€Å"has been rejected on account of financial constraints†. 20 outreach centers have been established in various parts of the country to facilitate support programs. Whereas focus of the funding programs was up to 2007 as such on innovations and not on particular sectors, in the 11th Five-Year Plan (2008-2012) the focus is to be put on â€Å"niche technology areas† like nanotechnology, biotechnology and ICT. Page 4 ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IN ENCOURAGING INNOVATION The processing time for TePP applications is typically just 3 to 4 months with 20% acceptance rate. â€Å"Rejections†, asserts an official working with TePP, â€Å"are invariably given with feedback†. Another senior official in DST points out that all scientific ministries at administrative level are headed by scientists and technologists. The posting of scientists in key positions in Ministry of Science and Technology (MST), the nodal agency in the Government for funding innovation projects and incubating activities, says this official, are done deliberately to ensure that there is less bureaucracy in the functioning. To bring â€Å"grass-root level into contact with the formal sector, universities and other research centers†, a â€Å"National Innovation Foundation† had been established. In Dec. 2007, India’s Department of Telecom announced a USD 2. 5 billion package to fund innovations in communications technologies. Entrepreneurs, SMEs, universities and NGOs that have developed communication technologies may seek funding for the â€Å"commercial roll-out of their innovations†, especially those â€Å"linked to improving quality of services or making telecom operations more economical† Also the New Millennium India Technology Leadership Initiative (NMITLI) program is worth mentioning. This program has been launched with an intention to go â€Å"beyond today’s technology and seeks to build, capture and retain for India a leadership position by synergizing the best competencies of publicly funded R&D institutions, academia and private industry† An official at German Embassy in New Delhi says local Government supports those foreign SMEs that don’t have enough resources to start their own R&D units, by providing facilities / incubators, especially via research institutions like Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and Society for Innovation and Development (SID), both in Bangalore, to settle down in India and also to cooperate with local research institutes and firms. Additionally, India also offers tax incentives for R&D operations in the country. For example, expenditure incurred on R&D may be deducted from corporate taxes with a weighted average of 150%. For a detailed account of financial incentives, see DSIR (2006). TECHNOLOGY INCUBATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF ENTREPRENEURS Department of Information Technology’s (DIT) Technological Incubation and Development of Entrepreneurs (TIDE) scheme was launched in the year 2008. The Scheme has multipronged approach in the area of Electronics, ICT and Management. Some of the broad objectives of the scheme include the following. ? Setting up and strengthening Technology Incubation Centres in institutions of higher learning, nurture Technology Entrepreneurship Development for commercial exploitation of technologies developed by them Promoting product oriented research and development ? Page 5 ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IN ENCOURAGING INNOVATION ? Encourage development of indigenous products and packages and bridging the gap between R&D and commercialisation. At present the scheme is being implemented at 15 TIDE centers. Eventually the scheme proposes to support 27 TIDE centers and 2 virtual incubation centres over a period of 4 years. SUPPORT INTERNATIONAL PATENT PROTECTION IN ELECTRONICS & IT (SIPEIT) SCHEME In order to encourage filing of international patents, a Scheme Support International Patent Protection in Electronics & IT (SIP-EIT) has been put in place. The Scheme Supports International Patent Protection in Electronics & IT by SMEs(Small and Medium Enterprises) and Technology Start-Up Companies. Under this scheme, SMEs and Technology Start-up units will be reimbursed up to 50% of actual costs, up to a maximum of Rs. 15 lakhs per application, incurred in filing international patent applications in Electronics and ICT domain for their indigenous inventions. Through this scheme DIT aims to encourage indigenous innovation and enable the companies to capture global opportunities in the area of Electronics and Information Technology. MULTIPLIER GRANTS SCHEME Multiplier Grants Scheme (MGS) encourages collaborative R&D between industry and academics/ R&D institutions for development of products and packages and bridge the gap between R&D and commercialization. NATIONAL INNOVATION FOUNDATION The main goals include providing institutional support in scouting, spawning, sustaining and scaling up grassroots green innovations and helping their transition to self supporting activities. NIF seeks to achieve this goal by drawing upon the HoneyBee network and its collaborating partners. The Honeybee Network and Society for Research and Initiatives for Sustainable Technologies and Institutions (SRISTI) have been scouting innovations by farmers, artisans, women, etc. at the grassroots level. The Honey Bee database of 10,000 innovations, collected and documented by SRISTI, would be a part of the National Register of Innovations, is to be managed and supported by NIF. The primary objectives of NIF are to: ? ? ? Help India become an innovative and creative society and a global leader in sustainable technologies by scouting, spawning and sustaining grassroots innovations. Ensure evolution and diffusion of green grassroots innovation in a selective, time-bound and mission oriented basis so as to meet the socio-economic and environmental needs of society. Provide institutional support in scouting, spawning, sustaining and scaling up grassroots green innovations as well as outstanding traditional knowledge and helping their transition to self supporting activities. Page 6 ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IN ENCOURAGING INNOVATION ? Build linkages between excellence in formal scientific systems and informal knowledge systems and create a knowledge network to link various stakeholders through application of information technology and other means; etc. To meet its objectives in scouting, awarding and incubation of grassroot innovations, NIF has set up five dedicated departments to execute innovation to enterprise development models:? ? ? ? ? Scouting and Documentation Business Development and Micro Venture Value Addition and Research and Development Intellectual Property Management Dissemination and Information Technology Management TECHNOLOGY PROMOTION, DEVELOPMENT AND UTILIZATION (TDPU) Aimed at promoting technology development and industrial research in the country as well as encouraging its utilization by various sections of economy, be it industry, academic, scientific institution and the society at large. The programmes and activities under this scheme are centered around promoting industrial R&D; development and commercialization of technologies; acquisition, management and export of technologies; promotion of consultancy capabilities; etc. Under TDPU Programme, there is one very important programme component called â€Å"Technology Development and Innovation Programme (TDIP)†, which aims to develop technologies and promote innovation in the country. TDIP is sub-divided into 2 programmes, namely:- Technology Development and Demonstration Pr ogram (TDDP) It was earlier known as ‘Programme Aimed at Technological Self-reliance (PATSER)'. It is a plan scheme of Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) to promote industry’s efforts in development and demonstration of indigenous technologies, development of capital goods and absorption of imported technologies. That is, its broad objectives for achieving self-sufficiency in industrial growth are:? ? Supporting industry for technology absorption, development and demonstration. Building indigenous capabilities for development and commercialisation of contemporary products and process of high impact. ? Involvement of national research organisations in joint projects with industry. ? Technology evaluation in selected sectors. To achieve such objectives, DSIR provides on a selective basis partial financial support to research, development, design nd engineering (RDDE) projects proposed by industry in the following areas: ? Development and Demonstration of new or improved product and process technologies including those for specialized capital goods, for both domestic and export markets. ? Absorption and up gradation of imported technology. Page 7 ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IN ENCOURAGING INNOVATION The partial financial support by DSIR is primarily meant for covering expenditure involved in prototype development and pilot plant work, test and evaluation of products flowing from such R&D, user trials, etc. Bulks of costs of the project are from the industry’s resources. Technopreneur Promotion Programme (TePP) It was launched to tap the vast innovative potential of the citizen of India. TePP is a mechanism to promote individual innovators to become technology-based entrepreneurs (Technopreneurs). Thus, its main objectives are to:? ? ? Promote and support untapped creativity of individual innovators. Assist the individual innovators to become technology based entrepreneurs. Assist the technopreneur in networking and forge linkages with other constituents of the innovation chain for commercialization of their developments. The activities under TePP include providing financial support to selected and screened individual innovators having original ideas for converting them into working models, prototypes and so on. TePP assistance is provided to the innovator to meet expenditure on the following: ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? R&D/Engineering consultancy Procure small equipment, tools etc. required Raw Material/ Accessories (for prototype/process trials), Fabrication cost (for prototypes) Patent guidance and support Manpower Testing & Trials any other relevant costs TePP support to the innovators is limited to 90% of the total cost of the project and remaining 10% is to be borne by the innovator/inventor. ‘INNOVATION OF SCIENCE PURSUIT FOR INSPIRE RESEARCH (INSPIRE)' It is another such innovative programs proposed by the Department of Science and Technology for attraction of talent to science. The basic objective of INSPIRE would be to communicate to the youth population of the country the excitements of creative pursuit of science and attract talent to the study of science at an early stage and build the required critical human resource pool for strengthening and expanding the Science & Technology system and R&D base. INSPIRE Scheme has included three components. They are: (i) Scheme for Early Attraction of Talents for Science (SEATS); (ii) Scholarship for Higher Education (SHE); and (iii) Assured Opportunity for Research Careers (AORC). Page 8 ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IN ENCOURAGING INNOVATION CONCLUSION There is a large pool of technically-trained personnel in India, but its density of Research Scientists and Engineers (RSEs) is one of the lowest. However, there is no appreciation of this issue as a problem in policy circles. The country has very few research grants specifically for the enterprise sector. Even those that it has are largely utilised by public sector enterprises. The technological infrastructure of the country is fairly sophisticated (at least by Developing Country standards). The network of laboratories under the umbrella of the CSIR forms an important component of this technological infrastructure. The interaction of these labs with the enterprise sector, despite efforts to enhance it, is still very low. Part of the difficulty arises from the low demand for innovations from the enterprise sector. Tax incentives are not very popular because of their

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Quest for Justice - Case Study Example The South Poverty Center has offered its services to the investigators from Center's Intelligence Project; both the units have worked in cordial atmosphere to "secure justice for the hate victims targeted by domestic terrorists" (Lester, 2005). The law firm has been able to achieve desirable results, and judgments were pronounced against "ten major white supremacist organizations, and more than fifty individuals were sentenced for their participation in stylish stunts" (Lester, 2005). The Intelligence Project conducted mutually by Southern Poverty Law Center and American Civil Liberties Union resulted in the "criminal conviction of different individuals in stylish stunts cases". The law firms publish their respective journals in which the investigation work conducted against racists and radical groups have been reported, such publications "expose the activities of the radical right and are made available for free to media, human rights workers and law enforcement" (Lester, 2005). The American Civil Liberties Union has stressed that the courts are supposed to perform improved role of arbitration and accounta

Diplomatic Immunity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Diplomatic Immunity - Essay Example cial review is stronger where the executive finds an individual not to have been a diplomat, but even so the courts have generally acceded to the determination of the executive. However, since the history of international law shows that, from time to time, a claim of immunity must be adjudicated in various contexts, when an appropriate issue is duly raised before the courts, it is within the area of judicial competence and responsibility to determine whether a claim of diplomatic immunity is valid. For instance, when the State Department, in making a certification, not only rules upon a persons diplomatic status but also states a conclusion of law in making the determination, the determination is reviewable, that is looked at, by the courts. Also, where the status and right to immunity have not been determined by executive action, they are a proper subject of decision by the courts. The Vienna Diplomatic Convention provides absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for diplomats and their family members who are not nationals of the receiving state. These individuals also enjoy immunity from civil suit except in three instances: (a) an action regarding real property in the receiving state unless the property is held on behalf of the sending state for purposes of the mission1, (b) an action relating to succession (in which the diplomatic agent is involved as executor, administrator, heir or legatee) not on behalf of the sending state2, or (c) an action relating to any professional or commercial activity in the receiving state outside of a diplomats official functions3. When the diplomatic agent stops his functions his immunity ceases as well, except â€Å"with respect to acts performed by such a person in the exercise of his functions as a member of the mission, immunity shall continue to subsist.† (Vienna Article Convention). The State Departments interpretation of the provisions of the Convention, although given deference,are not conclusive. Notwithstanding

Music assigment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Music assigment - Essay Example The audiences are particularly attentive as the songs are being played as they find themselves knocked off their feet by the skillfulness and humor of the band. Moreover, the success of the majority of his albums has positively influenced the reception of his Benny performances as audiences are always eager to learn more from performances done by the band. The use of visual aspects in performances featuring blues after dark by Benny Golson add to the performance as they make the show lively, hence retaining the audience attention in listening the different bands being played. Blues after dark by Benny Golson is a piece of the album gone with Gibson. The duration of the piece is eight minutes and thirty seven seconds and the original date which it was released was January 20, 2009. The tune reminds an audience of the artistry involved in the composition of the piece since it is associated with synchronized swimming. The piece also has a wonderful team of blues which is carefully coordinated to show the chemistry and teamwork resulting to the melancholy of the piece. The sound produced from the piece is rich and compelling to audiences as its simple and passionate. I remember Clifford by benny Gibson is piece paying homage to the hard bop jazz trumpeter Clifford Brown. The use of lyrics versions in this piece has improvised the use of instrumental solos, making the piece interesting to the different audiences present at the performance. The sound effects used in the piece also compliments the use of instruments like the piano, thus creating a rhythm that augurs well with audiences listening to the performance. Instrument use like use of string, brass enhances the beats of the piece thus making the performance to be conducted at the stipulated time. Blues after dark by Benny Golson and I remember Clifford by benny

Continuation of 3003 3b Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Continuation of 3003 3b - Essay Example The poem is a dramatic monologue written in 1842. In the poem only of one side of an ongoing conversation is heard. Although the speaker is unnamed, he is an Italian Duke of Ferrara while the listener is a messenger. The messenger comes from a Wealthy Count. He brings a marriage offer to the Duke with the Count’s daughter. From the poem, the crucial aspect is the revelation of the Duke’s character in the way he says what he has to and how he says it. In the monologue, the reader’s focus is on solely on the speaker who unsparingly brags about his wealth. Further, the Duke steadily relates the disposal of his earlier wife with offense to his vanity. In his bragging, the Duke fails to mention his last wife by name and only signifies her as mere possession like any other he had. In addition, the term ‘Last’ could have been used to signify previous or the most recent in a lengthy line of other previous wives. Irony arises from the fact that the Count mess enger’s visit, intends to arrange for marriage dowry for the Count’s daughter. From the portrait, the Duchess is revealed as having a very innocent personality. It is because of her beauty that the Duke develops negative emotions of jealousy and apathy and ends up killing her. He justifies his actions with the madness that he could not love without possessing especially since ‘her looks went everywhere’. Through his motivation to destroy the Duchess identity, the Duke ends up literary killing her, but leaves behind her portrait, which he shows off to his guests. The short story is an almost exclusive dialogue that portrays a serious discussion in a situation involving the decision-making affecting the lifetime of a young female (Paul, 2005). In the story, Hemingway provides the role of an eavesdropper to the audience regarding the conversation between the couple.

Finance Essay Example for Free

Finance Essay These policies are characterized by a combination of risk and return, and can have from a conservative to an aggressive profile. The three types of working capital policies most recommended and used are: Aggressive Policy, Average Policy, and Conservative Policy. The aggressive policy working capital management focuses on maintaining current assets amounts at minimum levels, which is reflected in the total asset turnover higher, with a higher margin. This policy emphasizes the aspect of returns on risk-return decision. This policy is the highest risk policy but with more funds to reinvest in the company or usiness. According to Kulkarni (2011) â€Å" it is a high risk arrangement though, because, should your creditor come asking for money, and for some reason, you dont have enough money to pay them off, you might end up having to sell a costly asset to pay off your debt to them. † (Kulkarni, A. 2011 , Working Capital Policy, 9). The matching policy working capital management leaves a person with cash available to reinvest in his company or business. This policy entails a medium level risk and with this policy the business assets matched business liabilities. According to Kulkarni (2011) â€Å"this policy works in an arrangement where the current assets of the business are used perfect to match the current liabilities. It is a medium risk proposition and requires a good amount of attention. † (Kulkarni, A. 2011 , Working Capital Policy, 6). A conservative policy working capital management focuses on maintaining a high liquidity, as well as other accounts assets, as inventories and accounts receivable, which is very expensive, because they remain idle resources that eventually become unproductive, with slow rotation of assets due to the large investment in current assets. This policy emphasizes the minimization of risk, as opposed to maximizing yields that is not risk to be sure liquidity. A conservative policy may be best for people who want to keep low risks. According to Kulkarni (2011) â€Å"This is the policy with the lowest risk, but it reduces the money used in increasing the production† (Kulkarni, A. 2011 , Working Capital Policy, 11). Recommended Policy The working capital policy recommended for Lawrence Sports is the matching policy, more commonly referred to as the moderate approach. The working capital is funded by short and long term borrowing, equity financing or a combination of them. It is vital for the company to balance the risk and return of financing. The moderate approach falls in between the two other polices described above and is the most balanced. This enables Lawrence Sports to balance its risk and returns. Furthermore, it finances short term debt with temporary assets while permanent and fixed assets are financed by long term debt and equity sources (Zeepedia, n. d. ). A moderate approach gives Lawrence Sports the ability to maintain the relationships necessary to continue business, balance the working capital to still create a profit, and repay what is owed to the bank. Figure 1. Different Policies Regarding the Level of Investment in Working Capital demonstrates how the Moderate Approach compares with the others in terms of the level of investment in working capital (Watson ;amp; Head, 2012, p. 72). Risk It is important for a company to choose the best working capital policy, one that features a level of risk the company can handle. Team C decisions about working capital management are being driven by the intrinsically related priority of risk management. Team C’s aim is to minimize the risk of insolvency while maximizing the return on the assists (Dixon, 1991). Teams C choose the matching working capital policy because it entails a medium level of risk and it will also leave Lawrence Sports with more cash to reinvest in the business. Lawrence Sports will keep low levels of working capital so that they can employ the funds more productively elsewhere like purchasing more goods or more machinery. It is a relatively amount of risk balanced by a relatively moderate amount of expected return. The best level of working capital would be the one in which a balance is achieved between risk and efficiency which also requires continuous monitoring to maintain proper level in various components of working capital, i. e. , cash receivables, inventory and payables, etc. Contingencies A contingency is an unexpected event or situation that affects the financial health, professional image, or market share of a company. It is usually a negative event, but can also be an unexpected windfall such as a huge order. Anything that unexpectedly disrupts a companys expected operation can harm the company even if the disruption is because of a windfall (Duff, 2013). In the case of Lawrence Sports there should be a contingency plan in place in the event product is damaged or lost either in transit or by some unforeseen event. Another contingency plan Lawrence Sports should consider is a cash reserve to cover accounts receivable loses if Mayo defaults on invoice credits. In this case vendor defaults affect bottom line but in turn Lawrence would not have to borrow money from Gartner and avoid high interest rates. For Lawrence to recover from such an incident Lawrence Sports needs to use its working capital to cover the costs so that funds are not continuously incurred on the bank loan. In order for Lawrence Sports to raise the capital to cover a contingency plan Mayo would have to relinquish all sales to Lawrence Sports, payments to Gartner will have to be stretched out further and Murray would lose working capital and halt operations because Lawrence Sports payments would be differed even longer. These hefty decisions are all apart of risk management and can negatively affect business relations.

Borderline personality disorder: Object relations perspective

Borderline personality disorder: Object relations perspective The term Borderline was coined by Stern in 1938 to describe a group of clients that exhibited primitive thinking and defense mechanisms, regressive transferences, destructive behaviors, and intense countertransference reactions (Berzoff, Flanagan, Hertz, 2008; Gunderson, 1984). Today, Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a well known and recognized diagnosis; yet, it is still perceived to be a frustrating, perplexing, and complicated disorder for clients and clinicians to experience, understand, and treat (Berzoff et al., 2008; Gunderson, 1984). Clients with BPD can present with a number of different characteristics and symptoms. However, clinicians and theorists have identified key symptomatology associated with the diagnosis of BPD. One of the most prevalent characteristics of BPD is the presence of intense and unstable interpersonal relationships (Berzoff et al., 2008; Gunderson, 1984; Millon, 1992). In this realm, individuals with BPD struggle to develop and maintain close an d intimate interpersonal relationships as a result of a terrifying fear of abandonment and lack of object constancy (Berzoff et al., 2008; Gunderson, 1984; Millon, 1992). Clients with BPD frequently experience ambivalence in relationships with a desire for attachment coupled with a simultaneous need for distance, and will frequently oscillate between compliant and self-destructive behaviors in interpersonal relationships (Berzoff et al., 2008; Gunderson, 1984; Millon, 1992). Clients with BPD are dependent on others to satisfy their needs of closeness and intimacy, and these individuals will often exhibit negative behavior in a desperate attempt to garner attention that ultimately results in the dissolution of relationships further perpetuating their fear of abandonment (Berzoff et al., 2008; Gunderson, 1984; Millon, 1992). Additionally, relationship boundaries are often permeable and diffuse resulting in issues associated with engulfment or detachment (Berzoff et al., 2008; Gunderso n, 1984; Millon, 1992). Individuals with BPD also frequently seek relationships with people that victimize or mistreat them, and reject healthy partners and relationships (Berzoff et al., 2008; Gunderson, 1984; Millon, 1992). Clients with BPD are also characterized by an unstable and fragmented sense of self (Berzoff et al., 2008; Gunderson, 1984; Millon, 1992). They frequently struggle with establishing a healthy sense of self-esteem, lack ambition, and experience difficulty in setting and attaining goals resulting in low achievement in various aspects of life (Berzoff et al., 2008; Gunderson, 1984; Millon, 1992). A number of ego functions are also impaired in individuals with BPD. Clients with BPD have difficulty regulating their affect and exhibit a range of intense and negative emotions including anger, hate, and bitterness (Berzoff et al., 2008; Gunderson, 1984; Millon, 1992). Individuals with BPD also tend to lack impulse control resulting in unpredictable, self-destructive, and ego dystonic behaviors including self-mutilation, sexual promiscuity, and substance abuse (Berzoff et al., 2008; Gunderson, 1984; Millon, 1992). Clients with BPD also utilize a number of primitive defenses including splittin g, projection, projective identification, denial, primitive idealization, and devaluation (Berzoff et al., 2008, p. 331). Lastly, individuals with BPD may occasionally suffer from psychotic episodes and dissociative experiences despite a relatively stable sense of reality testing (Berzoff et al., 2008; Gunderson, 1984; Millon, 1992). There are numerous theories regarding the etiology of BPD. However, this paper will focus on the significant contributions that object relation theorists William Fairbairn and Otto Kernberg have made regarding the etiology and treatment of BPD. Theoretical Perspectives (Object Relations) Fairbairn: Fairbairn made great contributions to understanding issues of dependency, the use of splitting, and the inexplicable desire to continuously seek out and attach to frustrating and rejecting objects commonly seen in clients with BPD (Celani, 1993). Fairbairns theory places an emphasis on attachment and ego development in accordance with object relations rather than traditional Freudian drive theory (Celani, 1993; Greenberg Mitchell, 1983). Fairbairn posits that personality disorders develop in early childhood, and created a developmental model to explain how an infants interactions and relationships with objects in their early environment can influence dependency and future pathology (Celani, 1993; St. Clair, 2004). Developmental Model Fairbairns model consists of three stages of development: infantile dependence, transitional stage, and mature dependence (Celani, 1993; St. Clair, 2004). Of particular importance to the development of BPD is the transitional stage, which is aligned with Mahlers rapprochement stage, in which a child struggles with the conflict of wanting to separate from the mother while simultaneously desiring to remain connected to the mother (Celani, 1993; St. Clair, 2004). The transitional stage is critical in the developmental process as the mothers rejection of or ability to connect with the child and satisfy their needs will ultimately determine the quality of the object relationship and level of dependency a child has on the mother (Celani, 1993; St. Clair, 2004). Successful completion of this stage results in the ability of a child to integrate positive and negative aspects of the mother, view the mother as a whole rather than partial object that is separate from the child, and develop a hea lthy object relationship with the mother (Celani, 1993; St. Clair, 2004). Clients with BPD are unable to successfully complete this stage of development due to an inability to differentiate from the maternal object resulting in increased dependency (Celani, 1993; St. Clair, 2004). This pathology is later replayed in adult relationships when clients with BPD exhibit a desire to separate from a frustrating object coupled with a conflicting desire to stay connected to or dependent on the frustrating object (Celani, 1993; St. Clair, 2004). Dependency and Attachment Fairbairn described clients with BPD as suffering from severe splits in their ego resulting in a sense of omnipotence, a sense of detachment, and an excessive focus on the inner world (Celani, 1993, p. 6). Fairbairn believed that these personality deficits were a direct result of an unnurturing environment that forced a deprived and frustrated infant to split the mother into part objects in order to preserve the need satisfying aspect of the mother (Celani, 1993; Greenberg Mitchell, 1983). According to Fairbairn, over time the rejected and frustrated child comes to view his mother as a bad object but is hopelessly attached to and dependent on her (Celani, 1993; Greenberg Mitchell, 1983). Fairbairn developed the concept of stubborn attachment to explain why rejected children become increasingly attached to the frustrating object (Celani, 1993; Greenberg Mitchell, 1983). According to Fairbairn, rejected children come to understand that their mothers do not love and value them result ing in feelings of deprivation and inferiority that lead children to become fixated and hopelessly dependent on their mothers as both frustrating and exciting bad objects (Celani, 1993; Greenberg Mitchell, 1983). In essence, Fairbairn asserts that the more neglectful and depriving a mother is, the more a child will cling to the mother in an attempt to win her love and affection (Celani, 1993; Greenberg Mitchell, 1983). This behavior is seen in clients with BPD who repeatedly attach to rejecting and frustrating bad objects continuously replaying the same futile attempt to win the love and nurturance they were deprived of in childhood (Celani, 1993; Greenberg Mitchell, 1983). Fairbairn asserts that the lack of a nurturing and loving environment results in reactive hate in which the child feels they are innately bad and reflect this belief onto future relationships (Celani, 1993; Greenberg Mitchell, 1983). This is evident in the behavior of clients with BPD who often respond to int eractions with objects in their environment with anger and hostility reflecting their own internal feelings of badness (Celani, 1993; Greenberg Mitchell, 1983). The paradox of this behavior is that individuals with BPD are desperately seeking a loving and nurturing relationship, but their hostile and destructive behavior often results in further abandonment and abuse (Celani, 1993; Greenberg Mitchell, 1983). The Moral Defense One of Fairbairns major contributions to the understanding of BPD was his proposal of the Moral Defense Against Bad Objects (Celani, 1993; Greenberg Mitchell, 1983). The moral defense is a childs ego defense against the dilemma of being attached to and dependent on a frustrating object (Celani, 1993; Greenberg Mitchell, 1983). This ego defense allows children to stay attached to a frustrating or rejecting object by repressing memories of abuse or abandonment and the rage associated with those memories, and developing a view that the child himself is the bad object and responsible for and deserving of the behavior of the parent (Celani, 1993; Greenberg Mitchell, 1983). In essence, the child internalizes and represses the negative aspects of the frustrating object allowing the child to view the parent as a good rather than bad object (Celani, 1993; Greenberg Mitchell, 1983). Unfortunately, the moral defense results in a child learning to introject bad objects and reject good object s which ultimately influences the development of BPD (Celani, 1993; Greenberg Mitchell, 1983). Borderline adults continuously seek and return to the exciting aspect of bad objects while rejecting the good and nurturing objects they desperately need (Celani, 1993; Greenberg Mitchell, 1983). Endopsychic Structure Fairbairns endopsychic structural theory provides an explanation for this paradoxical behavior by focusing on the central role of the ego and the defense of splitting as a result of a childs inability to mask object failures (Celani, 1993; Greenberg Mitchell, 1983; St. Clair, 2004). Fairbairn asserts that children must split off the negative aspects of the bad object and focus on the exciting aspects of the bad object in order to survive abuse and deprivation (Celani, 1993; Greenberg Mitchell, 1983; St. Clair, 2004). Fairbairn postulates that the endopsychic structure is composed of a central ego and two subegos: the libidinal and antilibidinal egos (Celani, 1993; Greenberg Mitchell, 1983; St. Clair, 2004). Each aspect of the ego associates with a different part of an object (Celani, 1993; Greenberg Mitchell, 1983; St. Clair, 2004). The antilibidinal ego is home to the rejecting aspect of the bad object, and the libidinal ego houses the exciting aspect of the bad object which pro motes hope for future gratification (Celani, 1993; Greenberg Mitchell, 1983; St. Clair, 2004). In the normal developmental process, the central ego connects with a good or ideal object and grows in response to a nurturing environment that contributes to stable ego functioning and a healthy sense of self (Celani, 1993; Greenberg Mitchell, 1983; St. Clair, 2004). In a frustrating or rejecting environment a child internalizes the bad object, splits the object internally to reflect the satisfying and unsatisfying components, places these aspects respectively into the libidinal and antilibidinal egos, and aggressively represses these aspects of the ego (Celani, 1993; Greenberg Mitchell, 1983; St. Clair, 2004). This ego split allows the child to view a bad object as both frustrating and exciting (Celani, 1993; Greenberg Mitchell, 1983; St. Clair, 2004). The libidinal and antilibidinal egos dominate the world of an individual with BPD, and are constantly in conflict with one another (C elani, 1993; Greenberg Mitchell, 1983; St. Clair, 2004). This internal conflict explains the sudden shifts in mood that clients with BPD often experience as well as the continuous return to the exciting aspect of the bad object in interpersonal relationships (Celani, 1993; Greenberg Mitchell, 1983; St. Clair, 2004). Kernberg: Kernberg created a theory underlying the development of BPD that integrates object relations theory with aspects of Freuds drive theory (Clarkin, Yeomans, Kernberg, 2006; St. Clair, 2004). Kernberg asserts that the mind consists of psychological structures (ego, superego, and id) that are formed by internalized object relationships in early development, particularly that of the relationship with the mother (Clarkin et al., 2006; St. Clair, 2004). This primary object relationship is correlated with the drives of libido and aggression, and lays the foundation for ego development and the establishment of a stable, integrated, and cohesive sense of self and objects in the environment (Clarkin et al., 2006; St. Clair, 2004). Kernberg emphasizes the important role affect plays in object relationships, and asserts that affects result from both biological and environmental influences (Clarkin et al., 2006; St. Clair, 2004). According to Kernberg, BPD pathology results from innate o r genetic pregenital aggression and/or frustrating object relationship experiences in the developmental process (Clarkin et al., 2006; St. Clair, 2004). Kernberg asserts that these feelings of intense aggression inhibit a child from integrating positive and negative self and object representations, and results in the use of primitive defense mechanisms to protect and dissociate the positive image of the self and the object from aggressive feelings associated with negative self and object representations (Clarkin et al., 2006; St. Clair, 2004). In essence, primitive defenses are used to separate contradictory views of the self and object in an attempt to resolve feelings of intense anxiety associated with intrapsychic conflict (Clarkin et al., 2006; St. Clair, 2004). Kernberg also draws a correlation between attachment, affect, and the development of BPD by asserting that children with consistently frustrating and distressing self and object experiences in early development have incr eased negative affect or aggression which contributes to intrapsychic conflict (Clarkin et al., 2006; St. Clair, 2004). Kernberg also asserts that early failures in attachment contribute to the development of BPD by decreasing an individuals ability to experience and modulate a range of affects and control impulsivity (Clarkin et al., 2006; St. Clair, 2004). Let us now examine Kernbergs concepts and theories associated with the etiology of BPD more closely. Object Relation Units According to Kernberg, objects are internalized as units which include an image or representation of the self, an image or representation of the object, and an affect associated with a drive (libido or aggression) that connects the internalized images of object and self (Clarkin et al., 2006; St. Clair, 2004). In short, an individual internalizes an object relation unit which represents aspects of the self and other that are connected by an affect of pleasure or frustration (Clarkin et al., 2006; St. Clair, 2004). Kernberg referred to these internalized units as object relation dyads that correspond to specific moments of interaction with objects in early development (Clarkin et al., 2006; St. Clair, 2004). Kernberg asserts that infants experience and internalize multiple object relation dyads with varying levels of affective intensity throughout the developmental process (Clarkin et al., 2006; St. Clair, 2004). Experiences associated with high affect intensity are generally associat ed with pleasurable or frustrating interactions, such as when a mother satisfies or fails to satisfy a childs needs (Clarkin et al., 2006; St. Clair, 2004). Kernberg posits that these high affective experiences are internalized and become part of affect-laden memory structures in the developing psyche (Clarkin et al., 2006, p. 5). Kernberg asserts that an abundance of intense frustrating or negative affective experiences interferes with the development of a stable ego and sense of identity by inhibiting an individuals ability to integrate these experiences in later development (Clarkin et al., 2006; St. Clair, 2004). Thus, the interactions a child has with early object relation dyads significantly affects the development of their personality structure, sense of self, and views of others in their environment, and can lead to BPD pathology in adulthood (Clarkin et al., 2006; St. Clair, 2004). The Process of Internalization According to Kernberg, an infant progressively internalizes object relation units in early development, which provides the foundation for psychic structures, through the process of introjection, identification, and ego identity (Clarkin et al., 2006; St. Clair, 2004). Introjection is the earliest and first stage of internalization where self and object images are fused and associated with intense and primitive affects (Clarkin et al., 2006; St. Clair, 2004). If infants are inundated with feelings of frustration and aggression during this stage of internalization it will result in the development of negative self and object representations which adversely affects ego and personality structure development (Clarkin et al., 2006; St. Clair, 2004). Splitting is generally used adaptively in the introjection process to help a child separate positive and negative self and object representations; however, the continued use of splitting in the internalization process can lead to BPD pathology (Clarkin et al., 2006; St. Clair, 2004). Identification is the next level of internalization and encompasses a child learning social roles through interaction with objects in their environment (Clarkin et al., 2006; St. Clair, 2004). These object relationship interactions are also connected by libidinal or aggressive affective states that influence a childs interpretation of social roles (Clarkin et al., 2006; St. Clair, 2004). The last step of internalization contributes to the development of a healthy and stable ego that is able to differentiate and organize self and object representations and affects in a coherent manner that supports identity development (Clarkin et al., 2006; St. Clair, 2004). According to Kernberg, individuals with BPD are able to complete the process of differentiating between images of self and object, but are unable to effectively integrate libidinal and aggressive self and object representations as a result of pregenital aggression (Clarkin et al., 2006; S t. Clair, 2004). Thus, children internalize both positive and negative aspects of early self and object relationships which are activated to varying degrees in future relationships (Clarkin et al., 2006; St. Clair, 2004). Developmental Model Kernberg also proposed a developmental model of psychic structure formation that coincides with the internalization process (St. Clair, 2004). Kernbergs developmental theory consists of five sequential stages (St. Clair, 2004). Of particular importance to the development of BPD are the third and fourth stages which align with Mahlers separation-individuation/rapprochement stages (St. Clair, 2004). The third stage of development occurs when a child is one and a half to three years of age, and constitutes a childs ability to differentiate between positive and negative self and object representations, and the use of splitting to protect positive self and object representations from negative object relation units (St. Clair, 2004). The fourth stage of development occurs between the ages of three to six and is defined by a childs ability to view self and object representations as whole, and to integrate good and bad aspects of the object relation dyads and their associated affects into a realistic view of self and object (St. Clair, 2004). Clients with BPD are generally fixated in these stages of development resulting in an inability to integrate good and bad self and object representations, a primitive use of splitting, a weak and dissociated ego, a lack of object constancy, and the development of a diffuse and unstable identity (St. Clair, 2004). Kernberg believes that the inability to integrate positive and negative object relation units results from overwhelming feelings of frustration and aggression as a result of negative self and object experiences in early development (St. Clair, 2004). Primitive Defenses Kernberg asserts that much of the pathology associated with BPD results from the rigid and excessive use of primitive defense mechanisms to protect and separate the ego and imbued positive self and object representations from intense aggression associated with negative object relation units (Clarkin et al., 2006; Clarkin Kernberg, 1993). Although many of these defenses are used adaptively in early development, the continued use of such defenses in adulthood as a result of an inability to integrate positive and negative object relation units frequently contributes to the development of BPD (Clarkin et al., 2006; Clarkin Kernberg, 1993). Splitting is the primary defense used by clients with BPD, and involves separating good and bad object relation units in an attempt to avoid intrapsychic conflict (Clarkin et al., 2006; Clarkin Kernberg, 1993). Splitting is frequently used in conjunction with idealization and devaluation in clients with BPD (Clarkin et al., 2006; Clarkin Kernberg, 1993). Idealization complicates the process of splitting by imbuing either the self or external objects with faulty or unrealistic qualities of power and omnipotence (Clarkin et al., 2006; Clarkin Kernberg, 1993). Idealization is dangerous for clients with BPD because it creates further contradictory experiences for the client when the self or object is unable to fulfill the unrealistic expectations; this phenomenon generally results in an abrupt shift to devaluation or degradation of the self or the previously idealized object (Clarkin et al., 2006; Clarkin Kernberg, 1993). The process of splitting and the concomitant use of idealization and devaluation also make the therapeutic experience difficult and emotionally draining as a result of intense transference and countertransference issues (Clarkin et al., 2006; Clarkin Kernberg, 1993). Clients with BPD also frequently rely on the defenses of projection and projective identification in an attempt to rid themselves of feelings of intense aggression (Clarkin et al., 2006; Clarkin Kernberg, 1993). Projection occurs when an individual places their own negative feelings onto someone else and views these displaced feelings as emanating from that person as opposed to themselves (Clarkin et al., 2006; Clarkin Kernberg, 1993). Projective identification takes this process one step further and results in an individual depositing negative feelings into another while simultaneously eliciting those feelings out of that person (Clarkin et al., 2006; Clarkin Kernberg, 1993). Unfortunately, the use of projection and projective identification often results in a desire to control the person that carries the projected feelings or the development of fear associated with the projectively identified object (Clarkin et al., 2006; Clarkin Kernberg, 1993). Lastly, the defense of denial a llows individuals with BPD to negate and separate past feelings of aggression and frustration from their present emotional state (Clarkin et al., 2006; Clarkin Kernberg, 1993). Consistent reliance on these defense mechanisms in adulthood leads to significant difficulties in the realm of interpersonal relationships for clients with BPD (Clarkin et al., 2006; Clarkin Kernberg, 1993). Neurobiology Much of the literature and research on the neurobiological etiology of BPD emphasizes the connection between abuse, trauma, and attachment in early childhood (Applegate Shapiro, 2005; Cozolino, 2010; Teicher, Ito, Glod, Schiffer, Gelbard, 1994). Studies have indicated that nearly 81% of clients diagnosed with BPD have suffered some form of abuse or trauma in their childhood (Teicher et al., 1994). The presence of trauma and/or abuse in early development frequently results in the dysfunction of the limbic system, cortical region, and frontal and temporal lobes of the brain (Cozolino, 2010; Teicher, 1994). The limbic system develops in early infancy and is considered to be the social and emotional aspect of the brain which includes the orbitofrontal cortex, anterior cingulate, amygdala, and the hippocampus (Applegate Shapiro, 2005; Cozolino, 2010; Teicher et al., 1994). Abuse and trauma often have deleterious affects on neural regulation within the limbic system that adversely affect s emotional and behavioral aspects of personality development (Teicher et al., 1994). For example, an excessive release of norepinephrine in response to stress can impair the hippocampal memory networks resulting in the formation of dissociative symptoms commonly seen in clients with BPD (Teicher et al., 1994). Additionally, trauma often increases kindling, or the repeated stimulation of neurons resulting in increased excitability, in the limbic system which can adversely affect behavioral inhibitions (Teicher et al., 1994). Limbic kindling is associated with the expression of inappropriate and excessive aggression and/or sexual promiscuity frequently seen in clients with BPD (Teicher et al., 1994). The lack of integration between the right and left hemispheres of the brain is also thought to contribute to the formation of intrapsychic conflict and splitting associated with BPD (Teicher et al., 1994). Cozolino postulates that BPD results from negative, frustrating, or frightening interactions with early caregivers resulting in an inability to regulate affect and integrate experiences as a result of insecure attachment (Applegate Shapiro, 2005; Cozolino, 2010). From a neurobiological perspective, insecure attachment occurs when an infant is exposed to negative interactions with the primary caregiver which increases the production of cortisol in the brain and induces feelings of fear and danger within the amygdala; this affective response is then processed by the orbitofrontal cortex and stored as implicit memory in the right hemisphere of the brain (Applegate Shapiro, 2005; Cozolino, 2010). Cozolino (2010) argues that the characteristic fear of abandonment and aggression associated with BPD stems from implicit memories of real or perceived abuse, abandonment, and frustration in early development. Cozolino (2010) also asserts that frequent and abrupt shifts in mood and the oscilla tion between positive and negative views of the self and objects may result from dissociation within the orbitofrontal cortex impairing the brains ability to adequately process information (i.e.: right-left/top-down). Cozolino (2010) further argues that increased levels of cortisol in the brain may impair hippocampal and amygdala functioning resulting in the experience of intense affective states and a reduction in an individuals ability to appropriately modulate affect. Lastly, Cozolino (2010) argues that insecure attachment can result in a reduction in the level of serotonin in the brain increasing the risk of depression, irritability, and decreased positive reinforcement from interpersonal interactions (p. 283). Diversity Sociocultural factors play an integral role in the process of personality development (Miller, 1996; Millon, 2000). From a young age, children are influenced and guided by cultural values, traditions, norms, and expectations that contribute to how they view themselves and the world around them (Miller, 1996; Millon, 2000). Every culture has a unique way of interpreting and addressing issues of anxiety, distress, depression, and emotional upheaval (Miller, 1996; Millon, 2000). Some cultures value these symptoms and view them as a natural means of growth and development, while others perceive the presence of these symptoms as pathology (Miller, 1996; Millon, 2000). Paris contends that many traditional cultures provide protective factors that inhibit the development of BPD and other personality disorders, while others argue that individuals from virtually all cultures suffer from symptoms similar to BPD due to a perceived sense of social failureà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦inadequacy, marginality, an d powerlessness (Miller, 1996, p. 194). However, each culture differs in how they view, express, and treat these symptoms; thus, it is imperative that clinicians consider the influence of sociocultural factors on personality development and/or pathology in order to accurately diagnose and treat clients (Berzoff et al., 2008; Miller, 1996; Millon, 2000). The prevalence of BPD and other personality disorders in American culture provides a unique understanding of how sociocultural factors influence personality development (Miller, 1996; Millon, 2000). Millon (2000) argues that American culture is filled with ambiguous and contradictory values, beliefs, and expectations that contribute to identity diffusion and interpersonal conflicts. American culture also places a strong emphasis on achievement and encourages competition in various aspects of life placing intense pressure on individuals to continuously strive for excellence while inadvertently setting the stage for failure and feelings of guilt and shame (Millon, 2000). The presence of conflicting demands and expectations, an emphasis on competition and success, and harsh sociocultural conditions such as poverty, prejudice, and racism in American culture complicate the process of personality development and perpetuate symptomatology commonly associated with BPD including dissociation, intrapsychic conflict, and a fragmented identity (Miller, 1996; Millon, 2000). There is also debate surrounding issues of gender bias in the assessment and diagnosis of personality disorders (Becker, 1997; Berzoff et al., 2008; Widiger, 2000). Many scholars argue that the Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM) defines and describes personality disorders in a way that is biased toward traditional male or female characteristics (Becker, 1997; Berzoff et al., 2008; Widiger, 2000). As a result, personality disorders that are associated with dramatic emotional responses, dependency, and masochist qualities such as Histrionic and Borderline are often over diagnosed in women (Becker, 1997; Berzoff et al., 2008; Widiger, 2000). Scholars argue that this bias pathologizes female traits without consideration of the impact that societal, familial, and cultural pressures and external influences have on these behaviors (Becker, 1997; Berzoff et al., 2008; Widiger, 2000). Women are generally socialized to be more in touch with and expressive of their emotions, compliant or submi ssive to others needs, and dependent or reliant on others to varying degrees (Becker, 1997; Berzoff et al., 2008; Widiger, 2000). Yet, these very characteristics can be viewed pathologically when they are incorrectly or incongruently expressed in accordance with social and cultural norms and expectations (Becker, 1997; Berzoff et al., 2008). Additionally, the DSM criteria fails to account for the relevance of the psychological distress that many women experience associated with trauma, sexual abuse, domestic violence, and oppression which results in women being frequently misdiagnosed with BPD as opposed to post traumatic stress disorder (Becker, 1997; Berzoff et al., 2008). It is important for clinicians to be aware of gender biases within the DSM, as well as personal gender biases, when assessing pathology in a client, and to ensure that a diagnosis accompanies adequate consideration of the social and cultural norms placed on women as well as the influence trauma, victimization, a nd oppression have on personality development and pathology (Becker, 1997; Berzoff et al., 2008; Widiger, 2000). Treatment Fairbairn: Fairbairns treatment model was designed to address the needs of what he termed dependent borderlines who express an obstinate attachment to frustrating-exciting objects within their environment that perpetuate ego splits and intrapsychic conflict (Celani,

Home Schooling :: Education Violence Essays

Home Schooling Home schooling is defined by Miriam Webster’s online dictionary as â€Å"to teach school subjects to one’s children at home.† (Miriam Webster online dictionary). Home schooling is becoming an increasingly popular for parents. Home schooling instructional styles can vary from home to home. â€Å"†¦from a daily routine following a scheduled curriculum to a child-led learning in which parents supervise and help.† (Educational Resources Information Center). Home schooling is often a hard choice to make and many things must be taken into account before making the decision. Many parents are afraid of school buildings. After Columbine, parents seem scared to let their child walk into a school building. Parents may also disagree with what is taught in their child’s classroom. Some want total autonomy over what their child is exposed to. According to a CBS news articles, â€Å" Parents feel that they can provide a better education at home, religious reasons, there is a poor learning environment at home, family reasons, and they feel that their children will develop character and morality (CBSnewsstories.com). Parents have the opportunity to teach their children what they feel should be taught. They can teach the morals that they believe in, the religious factions that they believe in, and what they feel are the important aspects of life. Also children have the autonomy to choose when and where they want to study. For example, a child could do English from 8:00-9:30, then do soccer from 9:30-10:30 and then finish the day doing work. The child is no t confined to a regimented 6-hour learning day and a 2-hour practice time. The child can make his/her own schedule and may even be more interested to do the work because he or she planned it out. â€Å"Children can learn about things they are interested in at a time in their lives when they are ready to learn. No preconceived schedule forces them ahead or holds them back. Vacations and outings can be planned for times when the family is ready, and often when the crowds are smaller and the costs lower.† (CBSnewsstories.com). Children who may be better in math than English have the opportunity to take a higher level math class while remaining in a lower level English class. This flexibility can help children to enjoy school more and let parents know that their child is on the right track in each subject area.

Spacecrafts :: Space Shuttle Outer Space Race

Spacecrafts The first spacecraft was launched into space on October 4th, 1957 by the Soviet Union. Since then, there have been many more spacecrafts launched into space. I want to find out where the idea for sending a spacecraft into space came from, what spacecrafts do for the average person in their day to day lives, why the space race so important to the U.S. and the USSR and the advancements it made in spacecraft technology, and what NASA and other space agencies are planning to do with spacecrafts in the future. I have always had an interest in this subject and want to find out more about it. In 1903, Konstantin Tsiolkovsky proved mathematically that it was possible to launch a spacecraft into space using liquid fuels. After that, many people began working on ways to accomplish what Tsiolkovsky proved mathematically. Twelve years later, in 1915, Robert Goddard established that it was possible to send a rocket to the moon. In 1926, Goddard took a big step by launching the first liquid-fuel rocket. The Soviets took the first huge step in space by launching the first satellite, Sputnik 1 into space in 1957. The Soviets also took the next big step in space by putting the first human in space, Yuri Gagarin on April 12, 1961. On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first human to step onto the moon. Since then, there have been many launches and missions into space. Ever since Tsiolkovsky proved it was possible to launch a spacecraft into space, people worked very hard to make that a reality. Although Tsiolkovsky did not come up with the idea to send a spacecraft into space, he did prove it was possible and got the ball rolling in sending a rocket into space. Spacecrafts do a lot of things for many people who do not even realize that they are using spacecraft technology to do what they are doing. When you watch the news in the morning to get the weather for the day, a satellite was used to observe weather patterns around the globe to provide the information you are viewing on the television. Any time you use your cell phone, you are using a satellite to connect to the person on the other line. Many people have satellite television rather than cable, which transfers information from a satellite to your television. Spacecrafts :: Space Shuttle Outer Space Race Spacecrafts The first spacecraft was launched into space on October 4th, 1957 by the Soviet Union. Since then, there have been many more spacecrafts launched into space. I want to find out where the idea for sending a spacecraft into space came from, what spacecrafts do for the average person in their day to day lives, why the space race so important to the U.S. and the USSR and the advancements it made in spacecraft technology, and what NASA and other space agencies are planning to do with spacecrafts in the future. I have always had an interest in this subject and want to find out more about it. In 1903, Konstantin Tsiolkovsky proved mathematically that it was possible to launch a spacecraft into space using liquid fuels. After that, many people began working on ways to accomplish what Tsiolkovsky proved mathematically. Twelve years later, in 1915, Robert Goddard established that it was possible to send a rocket to the moon. In 1926, Goddard took a big step by launching the first liquid-fuel rocket. The Soviets took the first huge step in space by launching the first satellite, Sputnik 1 into space in 1957. The Soviets also took the next big step in space by putting the first human in space, Yuri Gagarin on April 12, 1961. On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first human to step onto the moon. Since then, there have been many launches and missions into space. Ever since Tsiolkovsky proved it was possible to launch a spacecraft into space, people worked very hard to make that a reality. Although Tsiolkovsky did not come up with the idea to send a spacecraft into space, he did prove it was possible and got the ball rolling in sending a rocket into space. Spacecrafts do a lot of things for many people who do not even realize that they are using spacecraft technology to do what they are doing. When you watch the news in the morning to get the weather for the day, a satellite was used to observe weather patterns around the globe to provide the information you are viewing on the television. Any time you use your cell phone, you are using a satellite to connect to the person on the other line. Many people have satellite television rather than cable, which transfers information from a satellite to your television.

Development of Attachment Essay -- Psychology

It has been shown that the relationships infants develop early on in life have lasting effects on their identity and behavior. Extensive research has indicated that the relationship between an infant and its caregivers is particularly important. All children are different, and in order to have a healthy relationship with your child, you should adapt your parenting methods to fit his specific needs. All children differin fundamental ways, two of the most comprehensive being their temperaments and attachment styles. A child’s temperament is the way in which he reacts to the world, new situations, people, and experiences. Attachment is an infant’s enduring emotional bond to his parentsor primary caregivers. Both of these factors affect children not only in infancy, but throughout their lives. Temperament has been shown to be a consistent aspect of a  person’s behavior over time, and their style of attachment to their primary caregiver often shapes the quality of platonic and romantic relationships with others as they age. A child’s temperament can affect his parent’s reactions and feelings toward him, and subsequently his attachment style. Infants are put into three defined categories of temperament: easy, difficult, and slow to warm up. Easy babies adjust readily to new experiences and are generally happy and easy to calm. Difficult babies are easily upset, have intense negative emotional reactions, and have irregular bodily functions. Slow to warm up babies react to new stimuli as difficult babies would initially, but with repeated exposure will react more like easy babies. Easy babies often engender positive reactions and feelings from their parents, which helps produce a secure attachment relationship between the paren... ...t them independently. This not only sets him up for immediate success in school or whatever he is focusing on, but also in the future when dealing with college or work. He will be more motivated to complete his work to the best of  his ability and to work past any barriers or conflicts that arise. Works Cited Allard, Lindsey T., and Amy Hunter. â€Å"Understanding Temperament in Infants and Toddlers.†Ã‚  Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning. Vanderbilt University, n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2014. . Davis, Jeanie L. â€Å"10 Commandments of Good Parenting.†Ã‚  WebMD. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2014. . Siegler, Robret, Judy DeLoache, and Nancy Eisenberg.  How Children Develop. 3rd ed. New York: Worth Publishers, 2011. 425-98. Print.

Personal Development Report Essay

This personal development report reflects upon my learning experiences and outcomes during my first year at Nottingham Trent University. It aims to document the ways in which I have developed and areas for further consideration as part of a continual learning process. The report will be structured around 5 main areas as shown below 1. Placing learning on BABM within the wider context of lifelong learning 2. Taking personal responsibility for career planning 3. Taking personal responsibility for the learning process 4. Valuing the importance of developing personal effectiveness 5. Demonstrating an enquiring mind I have also looked at how all this learning at university relates and fits within a wider context of lifelong learning. Conclusions and recommendations for what I am going to do to improve in the months from May 2001 to 2002 are based on the areas I have mentioned in the above. I will do this in the form of a Personal Development Plan using the smart objectives as follows: (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Related to overall life-long goals and set over a Time period). I have made conclusions of the development plans, which have concentrated both on Core Transferable skills and also some softer skills. Introduction 1.My Learning At University Within A Wider Context Of Lifelong Learning 1.1 The concept of lifelong learning The concept of lifelong learning is as relevant now as it has ever been, with the traditional job for life being replaced by shorter periods of work for different firms requiring essentially the same skills and qualities in employees. Therefore the ability for these skills to be transferable is very important. To develop these skills therefore is extremely important with many employers putting greater emphasis upon these core skills and less emphasis upon specific skills. These skills can be used in many different situations and circumstances to allow the employee to perform to the best of their ability. â€Å"The concept of work is continuously changing. An individual not only has several jobs in a lifetime but may also have several careers. Therefore everybody needs continuous updating of skills and competence throughout their working life† ERT report, 1989 The following skills are widely considered to be Core Transferable Skills  · Organisational Skills  ·Ã‚  Interpersonal/ Social Skills  · Analytic and Problem Solving Skills  · Teamwork  · Creativity  · Self Motivation  · Initiative and Leadership 1.2The learning curve It is these skills that have been particularly important to develop whilst at university and it is the experience of university both academically and socially that has provided the ideal environment for these skills to be developed. The combination of leaving home and adapting to a completely different environment both educationally and socially has meant that the learning curve especially in the first semester was very steep. To live away from home for the first time without any contacts in an unknown city is a life changing experience and forces oneself to adapt and mature quickly after leaving the security of the family home. Being entirely responsible for yourself is also a new experience requiring maturity and forward thinking as well as planning to enable yourself to function. The way in which these skills have been developed forms the backbone for lifelong learning, one which employers recognize and actively seek in graduates. 1.3Lifelong learning defined The concept of lifelong learning is complex and is not easily defined resulting in no unilateral definition, however its importance is widely agreed. â€Å"The Development of human potential through a continuously supportive process which stimulates and empowers individuals to acquire all the knowledge, values, skills and understanding they will require throughout their lifetime and to apply them with confidence, creativity and enjoyment in all roles, circumstances and environment† Longworth, 1996 p22 â€Å"The need for a learning society to convert and compete is not just urgent, it is a matter of economic life and death. It is a matter of social success or disaster. It is a matter of survival† Cann in Bradshaw, 1995 The development of these skills both as part of the BA Business Management Degree and the wider University experience is key to becoming an attractive employee This is particularly so as years two and three of the Degree are â€Å"in company† so the development of these skills and the pace at which these must be  developed is crucial. This report will aim to reflect upon my first year experienc e and where appropriate utilize activities, questionnaires and assignments in an attempt to build a personal development review and action plan for the proceeding 12 months in the form of a personal development plan. 2.Taking Personal Responsibility For The Learning Process The biggest contribution to taking responsibility for the learning process was the decision to further my learning at university. This decision has allowed myself the opportunity to further my learning both academically and socially in ways that I would be unable to had I not made the decision to attend university. Also the decision to accept my place on the BABM course was another way in which I have demonstrated my personal responsibility for learning. The course is intense for each of the three years, more so than most undergraduate courses and the decision to accept a place on this course rather than other courses where workload and intensity were less was important. The course aims to enrich individuals with far greater experience both academically and in terms of transferable skills therefore by choosing BABM I feel I have made the best possible choice to continue my learning in the most relevant way providing me with higher levels of transferable skills than other graduates may have. 2.1 Taking responsibility for myself To be able to take responsibility for the learning process I have had to take responsibility for myself and become more accountable to myself in terms of making myself work harder and setting aside time in which to work. .University work is very different to that I have encountered before in terms of deadlines are much longer, scope for research is much larger, less specific titles to assignments etc etc so being accountable for myself is very important. 2.2 Time management Because the work is very different to that experienced before I have had to manage my time in a much more responsible manner to enable me to fulfill my potential, progress, and attain the best possible marks for myself. Examples of where I have managed my time effectively are physically difficult to produce as the BABM timetable is extremely varied from week to week so to produce a timetable where work and free time could  be planned in advance was very difficult to do. Undoubtedly time management and grades are very much linked and my grades for semester 1 and those received thus far for semester 2 have been good and I feel this has been partly due to my good time management skills. My peer assessment feedback included 5 of 6 people stating that I was well organized and three out of 6 stating that I was disciplined. This is included in appendix 1. 2.3Taking responsibility for learning The DLBM debate where our topic was â€Å"interviews are the most unreliable method of selection† required ourselves to complete a large amount of research. Our group split into two and four with the latter researching that I was a part of. The grade we received for this was high 70% and showed the level of research the group had done and is typical of myself being keen to take responsibility for learning. Development of interpersonal skills I am a member of The Herefordshire Golf Club where in 2000 I was captain. In this role I was required to talk to people of different ages and backgrounds and I feel this role has allowed my interpersonal skills to develop and I have learned a lot from this position as it provides a different scenario from academic studies. This role also developed my leadership skills as well as my organizational skills. 3.Value The Importance Of Developing Personal Effectiveness As part of the Developing Learning for Business and Management module the group completed two sessions on personal effectiveness including â€Å"ËÅ"assertiveness’ and â€Å"ËÅ"effective communication/ active listening’ These sessions have allowed my awareness to the importance of assertiveness and communication skills to be greatly improved and have highlighted ways in which I can improve on these skills. My level of skills prior to the sessions was of a good level and I believe I have the basic fundamentals to allow myself to develop communication and assertiveness naturally. However my increased awareness brought about by the sessions has allowed myself to take a more proactive approach to developing personal effectiveness. 3.1Demonstrated active listening/ effective communication An example of where I have demonstrated both active listening/effective communication whilst  being assertive was in a role-play with Vanessa Knowles DLBM lecturer as part of a tutorial session. Vanessa played the part of the under performing employee and I played the part of the employer. Vanessa used several different behaviour characteristics in attempt to alter my opinions and decisions. I feel that I learnt a lot by this, the importance of clear communication and active listening whilst not letting some-ones behaviour alter my decisions. 3.2Development of self confidence The session also increased my confidence especially as the role-play was conducted in front of an audience and made me more willing to be assertive rather than passive which is a tendency I will sometimes withdraw to. In the peer assessment feedback session this was something people felt was maybe a weakness of myself. Ben Gasson for example said â€Å"You should be more confident and forceful, often what you have to say is just as valid if not more so than other people, just say what you think sometimes† This analysis is very true of myself and to be more assertive I must first become more confident within myself. 3.3Development of leadership skills In the Belbin peer assessment it was also said that I was sometimes fearful of conflict. This I agree is true sometimes when maybe I am unsure of all the facts or am not in a position to speak confidently, I sometimes let others dominate me when really their ideas are no better than my own. However I feel that the example as mentioned above (role-play) demonstrated my ability not to be fearful of conflict. I am not a person to cause conflict within a group but at the same time I would not say i am fearful of conflict and can be assertive when necessary. One area for development are my leadership skills. Although I feel that I have become much more confident this year and this has enabled me to take a more active or leadership role in certain situations. However I feel that I still have a long way to go to enable myself to be a natural leader and to do so would be a great achievement. To improve this area of personal effectiveness is a definite priority for the next 12 months. My job at Marks & Spencer’s requires me to work on the customer service desk listening to customer’s complaints and dealing with their problems. This role requires me to have good active listening skills and not be fearful of conflict whilst maintaining good customer service. This shows that my personal effectiveness and assertiveness can when necessary be very prominent. 3.4Ability to effectively communicate My ability to effectively communicate has been demonstrated in many ways this year, presentations, debates, meetings, interviews etc. My peer assessment said that my presentation skills are good and I can speak in confidently at a good pace. This was highlighted in the DLBM debate where it was mentioned in the group mark sheet as well as the business simulation feedback sheets. 4.Work With Others To Achieve Goals The ability to work with others to achieve goals is another very important transferable skill that employers seek. The Belbin team role questionnaire included in appendix __ and states that predominantly I am a team worker co-coordinator. This opinion is held by both myself and my peer group showing that I view myself and my group views me as a team worker. 4.1Working with others in practice My ability to work with others to achieve goals, I believe is one of my biggest strengths. Much of the work on BABM is team orientated as this will be the case when in the workplace in years 2 and 3. Examples of this have included the business simulation module where I feel I made a good contribution to the team. Other examples have included the DLBM debate, the organizational behaviour presentation as well as the smaller group assignments we have be set. 4.2My role within groups The experience I have gained working in groups this year has developed many of my skills far more than a normal undergraduate course may have done. My skill within groups is one of analysis and reflection of what others have said and making rational and coherent arguments from debate. This ability has proved to be very useful this year however I feel than within group work I need to take a more pro active role  stimulating debate and discussion. As was stated in my peer assessment feedback I sometimes need to â€Å"relax, say what I think, and be more confident† and this is an area I need to work on in the next 12 months 4.3Teamwork outside the classroom During 2000 I have played golf for The Herefordshire Golf Club where much of the competition is in team format. Very different to university teamwork where communication is key, playing golf requires analysis of the situation and choosing the best course of action in a short time consulting your partner to achieve the best possible result. Again I feel I have learnt a lot from this sporting experience as often I am under pressure to make team decisions quickly at university and although in an entirely different situation the process is the same. 5.Demonstrate An Enquiring Mind An enquiring mind and to be interested in your work is essential to being successful, without this I feel would result in lack of motivation and a significant reduction in output. My educational background shows how my enquiring mind is diverse and heavily influenced the â€Å"ËÅ"A’ level subjects I chose. I tried to choose subjects I was genuinely interested in and felt that I would be most motivated to work hard on. This at the time didn’t include business studies but my work experience at Marks & Spencer’s has led me to become interested in business. I wanted to know why decisions were taken at head office, what influenced them and how they took those decisions. My father works in business and as I have always been interested in his work and find it interesting. 5.1Examples of enquiring mind At university it is particularly important to have an enquiring mind as many of the subjects are only covered very briefly in the actual lectures therefore requiring me to be interested in them and to have an enquiring mind to allow myself to get a good knowledge of each subject. This is very different to â€Å"ËÅ"A’ levels and I feel that I have improved greatly in this area since attending University. However I also feel that I still have a lot of room for improvement particularly in subjects that I find difficult and those that are maybe less interesting to myself. I should try to complete all the recommended reading rather than completing only that which I find interesting. I found the organizational behaviour module to be particularly interesting and read a lot of the textbook despite the fact that the essay I had to write was only a small proportion of the book. For the DLBM debate I was part of the â€Å"research team† as I enjoy finding information that can be used to form an argument. I enjoy reading national papers and try to do so as often as I can as I am interested in the wider scope of global business. My enquiring mind sometimes get the better of me and I find myself reading about completely irrelevant topics to that I am meant to be studying for and wasting time but I believe this reflects my enquiring mind For the information systems/ information technology module we could either build a website of produce a leaflet. Despite the fact I had never produced a website before I chose to do this as I enjoy using computers and felt that although this would be more difficult it would be more beneficial to myself in the long run. 6.Take a Personal Responsibility For Career Planning Taking responsibility for career planning is very important, and the BABM course demands that students do this much earlier than other students on other undergraduate schemes. Because of this career planning is very important specifically with regards to years two and three of the course to enable me to make the maximum of my interview and company opportunities. The first step in career planning for myself was my work experience at Marks & Spencer’s that motivated me to choose the BABM course. Choosing to be on the BABM course itself also was of great importance to my future career with the uniqueness of the course enabling me to gain more experience earlier. 6.1Interview skills development Whilst on the BABM course I have had to take responsibility for my future career and have demonstrated this in a number of ways. Firstly interview technique was important to develop and the practice interview as part of the DLBM module gave good feedback as to my style and competencies. The feedback I got (see appendix 3) was generally good with areas to improve on including becoming more focused upon the process I went through when giving examples rather than the example itself. Also I tended to undersell myself when given the chance to impress but apart  from this the feedback was generally good 6.2C.V and application form enhancement My C.V and application form was also another area that required me to take personal responsibility. I read articles on the Internet and books from the library on how to write a C.V as well as attending lectures on C.V’s. I got feedback from my dad who takes part in selection processes as part of his job as well as Vanessa Knowles the DLBM lecturer. The feedback I got was very good highlighting areas that needed to be improved 6.3Increasing personal awareness of placements For the pre selection week I researched each company individually, sent off for their annual reports, looked at their web sites and read the national press to gain any knowledge I could before I attended the sessions. This gave me an insight not only into the companies that I was researching but also the industries they operated in. It also allowed me to view the types of placements offered to students such as myself and has increased my knowledge of the type of placement I am looking to secure. 7.Conclusions I feel that in the last 12 months I had developed tremendously as a person and feel that I have become much more confident, outgoing and assertive. My transferable skill base has improved greatly due to my experience on BABM and at university generally. I feel that my value as a person to an organization has increased greatly and I feel confident that the skills I have learnt this year will continue to be used long into the future not only just during the period â€Å"in company†. However I realize that my skills can and will be improved enormously by the experience I will gain whilst in company and that lifelong learning is a valid and very important concept. My personal development plan outlines areas I intend to improve over the next two years and contains ways in which I intend to monitor evaluate and measure myself and my development. I have tried as far as possible to make my targets Specific Measurable Achievable Relevant and Timescaleable to enable myself to develop myself in the most effective manner. The personal development plan will allow myself to continually review my progress and will hopefully prove a useful tool in the next two years whilst on the BABM course