Three Challenges that Educational Leaders Face Today Essay

Educational Leaders Challenges The educational environment is one that is built and founded on principles that were created in the 20th century. Its roots stem from this earlier century as well as from even more historic time periods. Most recently, demand for 21st century skills has created vast excitement and interest (Reeves, 2013). However, the curriculum and the assessment process that is currently being practiced in the learning environment is one that continues to be utilized with through the foundational basis of earlier centuries. While the desire and the urgency for 21st century skills is highly publicized, curriculum continues to be rooted in that of 20th century practices and current assessment practices struggle to†¦show more content†¦Fourth, the ability to use critical thinking within the educational environment can help to mediate challenges and identify key motives to events that test the learning atmosphere. Last, the ability to problem solve provides the proper identification of underlying issues and mediate its effects on the educational infrastructure. These skills are vital to the personal advancements of modern achievement. However, while it would be difficult for any educational leader to underestimate the power of communication or teamwork, there is an immense gap between communicating its importance and the reality of its actual implementation (Reeves, 2013). Communication is a vital tool that can be used both in written and oral context. This type of interaction can be used to convey ideas and emotions but studies have shown that the use of evidence-based practices to assess communication skills is low (Reeves, 2013). In addition to this, the importance of teamwork is extremely vital to the achievement of goals and objectives and the ability to collaborate together. While it is important to display, there is no state test that evaluates students in a team or collective atmosphere (Reeves, 2013). This lack of inclus ion to state tests is alarming as it is the use of these tools by teachers, administrators, and the educational system that determine overall effectiveness and performance. Last,Show MoreRelatedLeadership : The Field Of Distance Education1734 Words   |  7 Pagesteaching and learning in the field of higher education today. Kotter (2012) pointed out that leadership is the ability to create or make suitable changes when necessary and sets the stage for the future. This is the kind of leadership that is needed for distance education to take the lead in education and stay abreast with the ever-changing new and innovative technology; the vehicle that has made e-learning so popular and competitive today. 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Feasibility Study on Investment in Brazilian Paper and Pulp Industry Free Essays

IMG-6 Global Business Environment Feasibility study for investment in the Brazilian Paper and Pulp Industry Report By: Ashish Jindal (063011) Avneesh Luthra (063012) Aayush Singhal (063013) Deepak Arora (063014) Feasibility study for investment in the Paper and Pulp industry in Brazil An overview of Brazil Brazil is the largest country in South America. It is the world’s fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population, with over 192 million people. It is the only Portugese-speaking country in South America. We will write a custom essay sample on Feasibility Study on Investment in Brazilian Paper and Pulp Industry or any similar topic only for you Order Now Brazil is the largest national economy in Latin America. It is the world’s sixth largest economy at market exchange rates and seventh largest in terms of purchasing power parity, as per the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. Brazil has a mixed economy with abundant natural resources. The Brazilian economy has been predicted to become one of the five largest in the world in the decades to come. It has large and developed agricultural, mining, manufacturing and service sectors, as well as a large labour pool. Brazil’s current GDP is estimated to be $2. 294 trillion and Per Capita GDP $11,769 The Paper and Pulp Industry in Brazil Brazil is the largest producer of paper and pulp in South America. On the world stage, it is the 4th largest producer of pulp with a production of 13,315,000 tonnes and 9th largest producer of paper with 9,428,000 tonnes (2009). Brazil’s Pulp Paper Production Source: Bracelpa Brazil is predominantly a tropical country. As a result, the soil and climate in most regions of Brazil are favourable to forest growth. The main geographical areas in the paper and pulp industry are the states of Sao Paulo, Parana and Santa Catarina. Furthermore, eucalyptus trees in Brazil have short growing cycles (approximately 7 years), compared to 10-12 years in Chile and 25 years in the United States. Thus, production of wood in Brazil requires less time and a smaller growing area when compared to Europe and North America, resulting in higher yields. Industry Overview- 222 companies spread in 539 municipalities, located in 18 states. – 2. 2 million hectares of planted area for industrial use. – 2. 9 million hectares of preserved forests- Total certified forest area: 2. 0 million hectares- Exports 2010: US$ 6. billion- Trade Balance 2010: US$ 4. 9 billion- Taxes: R$ 2. 2 billion- Investments: US$ 12 billion in the last 10 years- Jobs: 115 thousand direct jobs (industry 68 thousand, forests 47 thousand) and 575 thousand indirect jobs. | Source: Bracelpa, March 2011 Macro Environmental Analysis Political Legal environment The Foreign Direct Investment regime in Brazil has been fairly liberal and foreign capital i s viewed with sympathy by the large majority of political currents and parties, who see it as a source of employment and modernization of the economy. The 1990s saw a host of path-breaking liberalisation reforms in the Brazilian economy. Certain investment policies were formulated in the 90s to attract more FDI in to the country. The Central Bank of Brazil simplified the registration procedure for FDI inflows. This led to a decline in the administrative costs associated with the entry of FDI inflows into Brazil. A series of constitutional amendments were enacted within 1995 and 1996, which helped remove constitutional distinction among national companies and foreign companies. In 2002 Investe Brazil was set up to promote investments in Brazil. Despite a formally well functioning business environment, corruption and bribery are still serious obstacles to doing business in Brazil, especially in business dealings with the government. Multiple corruption scandals have emerged over the years, involving politicians and bureaucrats taking kickbacks from companies in exchange for awarding public contracts. The levels of bureaucracy and lack of transparency in rules make Brazil a difficult country to do business in. Economic Environment The paper and pulp industry is one of the mainstays of the Brazilian economy. The Brazilian paper and pulp sector is comprised of nearly 200 companies. Most companies in this sector are privately owned. Foreign-owned companies account for about 6% of the output. Therefore, there is great scope for foreign investors to enter into Pulp Paper Industry in Brazil. Latin American Pulp and Paper Producers Composition in 2010 In recent years, there has been a marked increase in paper consumption in Brazil, which is an important indicator of the economic development of a country. Between 1997 and 2008, the average annual rate of paper consumption increased by approximately 3% per year, reaching 9 million tons in 2008, according to estimated figures from Bracelpa. Improvements in the purchasing power of Brazil’s citizens have led to growth in the newsprint market (up to 18% in 2009). In the same year, 21% of paper and board and 33% of pulp production was exported. Brazil’s paper industry has potential for growth in both the domestic and export markets. Domestic consumption has huge growth potential, because per capita consumption in Brazil is still low when compared with other developed nations. Consumption of paper and board in Brazil is close to 44 kg per capita. Furthermore, differences are enormous between the north and south-east parts of the country. In Western Europe, consumption of paper and board is 173 kg and in North-America 333 kg per capita. Social Environment Brazil has skilled labour in abundance. Minimum wages in Brazil are way lower in comparison to other nations. Brazilian legislation is, however, relatively inflexible and outdated in relation to labour costs, making things complicated. A continued shift towards a wealthier population has been apparent in Brazil since 2004. There has been significant growth in the populations’ real disposable income. Strong consumption (Household consumption above 60%, Government consumption close to 20%) has been supporting Brazil’s growth profile over the past two decades. Formal job creation increased from 1. 2 million jobs in 2009 to 2 million jobs in 2010. The cost of living in Brazil is approximately 30% lower than in the UK and Europe, and for those with a foreign income there is a guarantee of value for money. Technological ; Natural Factors Brazil’s high technology and natural advantages in forestry make it one of the world’s lowest-cost producers of pulp, and in the last 20 years Brazil has become an important pulp exporter. Brazilian exports of high quality papers to Europe are growing in volume, and expected to increase in the near future. This growing market is truly attractive and one can grab the share in this market by setting up a new industrial venture in Brazil. However, this industry sector is very competitive for reasons like state-of-the-art mills, sound management and well-established plantation forestry technologies. Furthermore, availability of raw material is not a problem in Brazil as there is huge availability of good quality raw materials required for extracting and manufacturing pulp and paper. By analyzing the rotation and yield comparison of different pulp species in different countries, it is found that Brazil has the best rotation (years) and yield (m3/ha/year). This shorter maturing period also enables Brazilian producers to expedite the process of genetically improving the Eucalyptus species utilized Species| Country| Rotation (years)| Yield (m3/ha/year)| Eucalyptus| Brazil| 7| 44| Eucalyptus| South Africa| 8-10| 20| Eucalyptus| Chile| 10-12| 25| Pinus spp| Brazil| 15| 38| Pinus spp| Chile| 25| 22| Pinus spp| New Zealand| 25| 22| An association named ABTCP – Brazilian Paper and Pulp Technical Association – is currently one of the most important associations worldwide in its segment. It was established with the purpose of technically qualifying the paper manufacturers in Brazil, in order to raise basis for a sustainable industry. In addition, technological development in the paper ; pulp industry has been supported by the research efforts of major producers and by financing from BNDES, the Brazilian Development Bank. Opportunities The paper and pulp sector in Brazil is fast becoming the third largest in the world. The financial crisis of 2009 affected the Brazilian pulp and paper industry greatly. Brazil ultimately postponed its investment programmes. However, with the economy showing signs of recovery and emerging market’s increase in demand, those programmes have resumed Over the next seven years, an estimated US$20 billion is going to be invested in the nation’s forest base and in the construction of new mills. 10 new plants are due to be built in Brazil by 2020. At this moment pulp production is at 13. million annual tonnes, by the end of 2017 this is expected to reach 20 million annual tonnes. Also, during the same period, planted forest areas are predicted to grow by 25% and paper production will rise from 9. 3 million tonnes to 12. 5 million tonnes. This has all come about through the new global scenario in the pulp and paper sector. While the international financial crisis r educed global consumption, prices and raw material demand in traditional markets it also opened up opportunities to expand sales in growing markets, in particular China and India. Challenges The pulpwood market in Brazil has gone through major transformations. From a point where it had the lowest conifer fibre costs in the world, it now is close to the global average. Any rise in fibre costs is a concern for forestry companies as the key factor determining a company’s global cost competitive position remains its raw material base. Brazil also faces a strong challenge as businesses in Brazil have to deal with a number of problems, which includes bulky tax regulations, inefficient government bureaucracy, and corruption. Brazil has become less competitive in the last few years as a reason of this. Conclusion The Brazilian paper and pulp industry offers enormous potential to potential investors. The industry, with its advantage in terms of rotation, is expected to grow substantially in the coming few years with various investment programmes being in the phase of implementation. There is the challenge of a complex bureaucratic environment but the long term benefits outweigh the costs. FDI is thus recommended. Bibliography http://pulp-paperworld. om/ex1/item/768-abtcp. html http://www. forestry-invest. com/2010/brazil-becomes-world%E2%80%99s-3rd-largest-pulp-and-paper-producer/513 http://www. bracelpa. org. br/bra2/sites/default/files/estatisticas/booklet_eng. p df http://www. roundtownnews. com/rtn-features/rtn-money/item/36741-ten-reasons-to-invest-in-brazil. html ftp://ftp. fao. org/docrep/fao/009/j9425e/j9425e04. pdf http://riotimesonline. com/brazil-news/rio-business/brazil-among-most-expensive-for -business/# http://www. pulpandpapercanada. com/news/the-case-for-brazil/1000225895/ How to cite Feasibility Study on Investment in Brazilian Paper and Pulp Industry, Essay examples

How Does Conrad Link His Physical Exploration to a Psychological Journey of Discovery free essay sample

The â€Å"Heart of Darkness† is a tale of passage and discovery, not only into the heart of Africa, but into the heart of our human mind. Written by Joseph Conrad, this novel follows Marlow’s expedition into the unknown depths of the Congo in search of Kurtz and his adored wisdom. Conrad links Marlow’s physical journey to a psychological quest of discovery into evil and darkness inside each one of us. Through the impassable landscape, the language barrier between the colonists and the natives, and embodiment of Kurtz this idea is portrayed. We are given a glimpse of what mankind is capable of, how destructive and hostile we can be. But the question this novel probes at is to what length can we restrain ourselves from revealing our inner darkness? The significant background of this text is that eight years prior to writing this book, Joseph Conrad had served as the captain of a Congo steamer. We will write a custom essay sample on How Does Conrad Link His Physical Exploration to a Psychological Journey of Discovery? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page His life-changing experiences on his voyage into the Congo shaped the pages of this book. He has lived and experienced all that Marlow has, and therefore puts more validity into his meaningful words. The pages of this book echo the thoughts and truths of Conrad and express not only a fictional journey, but a factual discovery. The third person narrative technique, within Marlow’s first person narration of the story, separates the audience from the truth and demonstrates the ef fect the Heart of Darkness has not only on Marlow, but soon the audience as well. One technique which demonstrates the clear contrast between the colonists and the natives is language. Through the two distinct means of communication a barrier is placed between the two sides. The colonists place a condemnatory prejudice on the African people, labelling them as â€Å"barbaric savages†. But the reality is that we, the audience as well as the colonists do not fully understand their culture and way of life and therefore cannot make sense of their speech and behaviour. The way they look, dress, speak, behave are so unfamiliar to what western society is accustomed to, therefore we try to label and classify them based on our social systems, therefore they remain to us as â€Å"brutes†. This is an unjust prejudice, which centres our inner evil which is developed further in the novel. Our communication is our identity, and through it we are able to discover more about people than merely judging from outward appearances. Marlow and his â€Å"white† crew could not speak the language of the Africans, therefore this barrier posed as a catalyst of the bigotry they later place on them. The dense and unforgiving landscape in the story is an illustration of the many difficulties in our world today. Our individual paradigms are linked to the setting of the Congo; a mysterious void of darkness ready to be unearthed. Marlow’s physical journey up the Congo is paralleled to our psychological journey into our self. The setting itself is a linking symbol of our own lives, whereby as the river changes and turns, we discover more about our human nature. Marlow encounters numerous snags along his journey down the river, which corresponds to the numerous obscured â€Å"snags† we have in our own relationships. All we know about people are what they reveal to us externally. Their inner thoughts, emotions and capabilities however are concealed to us. Likewise in the story the snags down the river are hidden from the outside, but once revealed cause a multitude of trouble. Marlow describes the journey up the river as â€Å"traveling back to the earliest beginnings of the world, when vegetation rioted on the earth and the big trees were kings†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The river is a representation of times before colonisation, where nature rules and beauty reigns, free from man-made influences. It is a symbol of beauty and treachery. The river seems to want to expel the Europeans from Africa altogether through its omnipotent current, perilous snags and human protectors. Marlow struggles with the river, travelling upstream only as fast as the mighty current will let him. It is as if the river is trying to pull the steamship back to where it belongs, away from the Congo and back to the civilisation of Europe. The psychological discovery which this journey of Marlow represents; is man’s burning desire to overpower and conquer all that it sees. But here in the depths of the unknown, the trees are the kings. They outnumber the humans significantly, â€Å"trees, trees millions of trees†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and demonstrate that we cannot have control over all things, that there is a higher power which governs even us. Marlow’s journey into the unknown is predominantly in search of the idealism of meeting Kurtz. Before we finally encounter Kurtz in the story, an admirable reputation of him and all he represents is formed. Marlow is so fixated on the wisdom and greatness of the man that he becomes more of a God than a person. He is a representation of darkness and is the focal point of the play to some degree. He is a personification of his surroundings, part of the African earth, an ominous shape in the foliage of trees. Kurtz and Marlow are the only two characters named in the entire tory, which places emphasis on them and distinctly dehumanises the other characters in the story. Conrad amplifies Kurtz’s significance through waiting to the third chapter to finally reveal him to Marlow and the audience. We feel as we have earnestly waited for an eternity to finally meet him. His entrance on a stretcher carried by the African natives is an image of significant connotation. He is described initially by Marlow as â€Å"an insoluble probability†. He has overcome death, an immortal legacy which will never die. However, what the image further tells us is that the effects of the overpowering jungle has taken hold of him, filling him with a psychological and bodily darkness. He is enveloped with an inner evil which breeds insanity. He has lost his previous European identity and has become one of them, a â€Å"dark shape among the multitude of trees†. His crippled state further demonstrates the physical effect his quest for ivory has cost him. It is an illustration to us of how immense greed can bring about a darkness that cannot be cured. Conrad has used Kurtz’s life and physical journey as an analogy of our own voyage of discovery. If we do not restrain ourselves from the repressing our inner greed, it can envelope us, just as it did to Kurtz. The complete juxtaposition of the characters on the steamboat itself is another point which develops the meaningful idea of the story. Marlow’s Steamboat has aboard both native cannibals and European crewman. The distinct contrast between how the two distinct groups deal with the imploding darkness which envelopes them is notably different. The natives are cannibals, which imply that they acquire the taste of human flesh. However they demonstrate immense restraint to not eat any of the crewmen on-board. Even after their rotting hippo meat is thrown overboard they restrain themselves from turning on the Europeans. The cannibals may be simple people who the colonists do not understand, but they demonstrate restraint and abiding respect which the colonists do not. Interesting as it may be, the alleged â€Å"savages† show more civility than the so called â€Å"civilised colonists†. The Europeans have colonised with intense cruelty and hatred, without restraint or reason. It is a clear demonstration of how they perceive the world with a narrow mind, not seeing past their own cruel actions. Marlow, however begins to identify with the Africans and portrays to us through Conrad, that they show more humanity than the colonists. â€Å"†¦they are not inhuman†¦. they are not enemies†. This voyage by Marlow helps him see the reality of the preconceived folly of the Europeans. The Congo and the Africans themselves have opened his eyes to the truth, and similarly ours as well. The â€Å"Heart of Darkness† is more than just a physical journey, it is a psychological passage to inner discovery. Conrad has revealed to us the inner darkness of man, through parallelism to Marlow’s expedition into the Congo. Through the mysterious setting acting as a symbol of our lives today, along with the contrasts of the natives and the Europeans and the epitome of Kurtz, this psychological journey was revealed. Our inner darkness is hidden from us, but through the realisation of this novel we are one step closer to realising the full supremacy of it.

Gothic Essay Example

Gothic Essay Oates short stories usually follow young characters through their struggles in life. There are many family imperfections in Oates stories that mostly tend to have a disturbing image in the readers head. While it seemed that Joyce Carol Oates experienced dark childhood experiences, she seems to explore her thoughts according to similar events that had happened in her life. Written by Joyce Carol Oates, â€Å"Spider Boy† is an example that highly defines gothic horror. Many of her works deal with violence, rape, death, or a character that has gone completely mad. Naked† has many dark and nightmare like scenes, Oates writes on how a normal day can be your worst; it is that Oates puts a woman in a scene that would be worse than an average nightmare by stripping the character of who they were. Joyce Carol Oates tests our minds by infusing strange actions within her stories that trigger psychological awareness in the human mind. â€Å"Spider Boy† is another well-written story by Joyce Carol Oates that underlines gothic horror, by giving a scenario of a young boy luring his father’s victims, so that his father rapes and then kills the victims. The short story has characters that seem to be insane. First, we have a pedophile father that takes advantage of smaller teens; he uses his son Philip to do so by interacting with them and them reeling them in as the father uses friendly words and gestures to trap the victim. The mother seems to be happy to be married to the husband; a little too happy. The mother seems to live in her own little world were everything around her is perfect, she ignores all bad from the father and pretends it’s a normal thing. Blinded by what it really is, Philips mother tries to keep a positive and perfect image on their families’ life. Philips sister is a shadowy character; not much is known about her. And finally there’s Philip; a young boy who only seeks the attention of his father by doing what he is commanded to do. Obedient as is, Philip does not want to disappoint, and does as he is told; not realizing that what he is doing is wrong. Oates writes a series of events on how the father of the young boy is completely out of his mind, seeking his mad desires. Oates writes, â€Å"There are places in the world where people vanish. His father had said this† (Oates 3). The mystery behind the dark events on what happens to people when they go to certain places. This quote is the beginning of something bad that is going to happen; it gives the presence of horror. â€Å"Philips father explained that the hitch-hikers were a secret between him and Philip that no one must ever know† (Oates 12). This is the dark secret that lures in the background of the story, hoping that Philip would help keep the â€Å"skeletons’ in the closet. We will write a custom essay sample on Gothic specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Gothic specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Gothic specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Putting too much trust in the hands of someone that could easily bring you down to your knees is a big risk, which is why the father bends the truth a little to sidetrack Philip into believing what his father is doing is ok. Joyce Carol Oates performs a twisting of events that end up as the story began; Philip finds himself as Spider Boy once did. Oates writes, â€Å"He saw the boy on the creek bank glance up at him and wave †¦impulsively he raised his arm to wave back. Maybe they would call him? Maybe they would invite him to join them? † (Oates 22). This passage is closely related to when Philip met spider boy and presented himself as friendly, Philip then used that to lure spider boy in to his father’s web. It could possibly be that the boy in in the end was being used by his father to lure in Philip. This makes me think, it is very strange that there would only be a son and a father on the top of a mountain with nobody around. As Philips father used him for nothing more than to be used as bait, Philip felt unloved. In the bottom of Philip’s heart, he felt that maybe, just maybe he would fit in and be happy with strangers just as his father was with Spider Boy. The ending relates to the beginning of the story. Philip’s father tells him that people vanish in the world in certain places is where Philip finds himself on the top of â€Å"Mountain Meadow†, where he could possibly disappear. The final short story that I liked written by Joyce Carol Oates, â€Å"Naked† is about a woman that is attacked by a group of kids and striped from her clothes, as she is left to walk to her house bruised from her body. In the story Oates demonstrates and highlight gothic horror by adding suspense from the very beginning, as she was hiking in a wildlife preserve and felt as if someone was watching her. Oates writes, â€Å"They’re only children, she told herself even as, instinctively, as she took a step back†¦and the next instant they were upon her†¦ as the children swarmed over her, pummeling her with their fists, pounding, kicking, tearing† (Oates 1). She underestimated the size of the children, for it was not the size but the numbers that they came in. This passage underlines the horror and the violence that is occurring to her, as if it was something that you would see in the movies. As she is left naked and helpless, she tries to find a way back home without being seen. Oates writes, â€Å"But her clothes had been taken from her. And her car keys†¦A car pulled into the graveled parking lot not far away. She heard car doors slamming and men’s voices. In panic she plunged into the shrubs to hide† (Oates 4). She was ashamed to be discovered naked by the men, she did not want to be seen, she was embarrassed and afraid to be the talk of the town. This passage is describing on what a nightmare might be like, bringing a horrific experience to the character. As she reaches her destination, she stays outside the house from where she could see her family, like that of being a stocker. As Oates writes, â€Å"She had never seen her house from such a position of course and would not perhaps have identified it. She saw movement by one of the windows—a figure that must have been that of her husband, though not quite so tall as she would have imagined her husband—and shortly there came another figure to join him, male or female she could not determine† (Oates 8). As she saw what appeared to be her family, she waited on the outside, not wanting to be seen by them. Her behavior toward the whole incident was too unbearable that she decided not to show her face, as she was too embarrassed to be seen by her own husband. Many of Joyce Carol Oates books deal with the horror that a certain character have to go through. The stories that I have chosen all complement each other, they are alike in a sense that they all hold something dark and mysterious deep within the stories themselves. Good gothic horror stories always has a cliffhanger, Violence is another key that Oates includes in her works, it underlines the characters personality, and as the story progresses, the characters mentality starts to change as they see life in another way. Naked† is the story that defines changes in a person who goes through changes the way the character thinks of herself and her surroundings. Gothic horror is the hairy spider that one would find in the most unexpected of places. It also plays around with the readers mind, making it think of the worst possible thing that could happen. In the story, we see that the woman who is lost between herself with the set of thought that she is now alone with no help to save he r from the stage she is in. Being said, she now needs to return back to her home without being seen to eep from being ashamed of herself because she is naked, and being married to the man she is with, it would mean great devastation to her family. Along the journey home, the woman seems to be changing about her feelings towards people/ In a sense of saying that she not wish to live the lifef she is living now. As soon as she gets home, she decides to change her life around, with the feeling that she knows now what is right. Gothic horror also contains deep dark secrets, like that of â€Å"Spider Boy†. Philip tries to keep his father’s secret as his jealousy overruns him, making him feel left out by his father. The psychopath of his father only uses Philip as bate, almost like that of fishing, in which he later finds himself in the same position as spider boy. Joyce Carol Oates writes good gothic stories, but tend to be repetitive as the characters in her stories seem to be in a similar position. Oates work always seem to have an element of surprise to the reader, as her stories give an ending, but for the reader to find out on their own in which trigger a psychological awareness, and makes the reader finish the story, giving them the element of ending the story either good or bad.

Energy Flow in Ecosystems

Energy Flow in Ecosystems If there is only one thing you learn about ecosystems, it should be that all of the living residents of an ecosystem are dependent upon one another for their survival. But what does that dependence look like?   Each organism living in an ecosystem plays an important role in the flow of energy within the food web. The role of a bird is very different from that of a flower. But both are equally necessary to the overall survival of the ecosystem, and all of the other living creatures within it. Ecologists have defined three ways that living creatures use energy and interact with one another. Organisms are defined as producers, consumers, or decomposers. Here is a look at each of these roles and their place within an ecosystem. Producers The main role of producers is to capture the energy from the sun and convert it into food. Plants, algae, and some bacteria are producers. Using a process called photosynthesis, producers use the suns energy to turn water and carbon dioxide into food energy. They earn their name, because- unlike the other organisms in an ecosystem- they can actually produce their own food. Produces are the original source of all food within an ecosystem. In most ecosystems, the sun is the source of energy that producers use to create energy. But in a few rare cases- such as ecosystems found in rocks deep beneath the ground- bacterial producers can use the energy found in a gas called hydrogen sulfide, that is found within the environment, to create food even in the absence of sunlight! Consumers Most organisms in an ecosystem cannot make their own food. They depend upon other organisms to meet their food needs. They are called consumers- because that is what they do- consume. Consumers can be broken down into three classifications: herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores. Herbivores are consumers that only eat plants. Deer and caterpillars are herbivores found commonly in a number of environments.Carnivores are consumers that only eat other animals. Lions and spiders are examples of carnivores. There is a special category of carnivore called scavengers. Scavengers are animals that eat only dead animals. Catfish and vultures are examples of scavengers.Omnivores are consumers that eat both plants and animals depending upon the season and availability of food. Bears, most birds, and humans are omnivores. Decomposers Consumers and producers can live together nicely, but after some time, even the vultures and catfish would not be able to keep up with all of the dead bodies that would pile up of the years. Thats where decomposers come in. Decomposers are organisms that break down and feed off of the waste and dead organisms within an ecosystem. Decomposers are natures built-in recycling system. By breaking down materials- from dead trees to the waste from other animals, decomposers return nutrients to the soil and create another food source for herbivores and omnivores within the ecosystem. Mushrooms and bacteria are common decomposers. Every living creature in an ecosystem has a role to play. Without producers, consumers and decomposers would not survive because they would have no food to eat. Without consumers, the populations of producers and decomposers would grow out of control. And without decomposers, producers and consumers would soon become buried in their own waste. Classifying organisms by their role within an ecosystem helps ecologists understand how food and energy ebb and flows in the environment. This movement of energy is usually diagrammed using food chains or food webs. While a food chain shows one path along which energy can move through an ecosystem, food webs show all of the overlapping ways that organisms live with and depend upon one another. Energy Pyramids Energy pyramids are another tool that ecologists use to understand the role of organisms within an ecosystem and how much energy is available at each stage of a food web. Most of the energy in an ecosystem is available at the producer level. As you move up on the pyramid, the amount of available energy decreases significantly. In general, only about 10 percent of the available energy from one level of the energy pyramid transfers to the next level. the remaining 90 percent of energy is either utilized by the organisms within that level or lost to the environment as heat.   The energy pyramid shows how ecosystems naturally limit the number of each type of organism it can sustain. Organisms that occupy the top level of the pyramid- tertiary consumers- have the least amount of available energy. Therefore their numbers are limited by the number of producers within an ecosystem.

Annotated Bibliography on Innovation Scholarly research

On Innovation Scholarly research - Annotated Bibliography Example It is due to this reason that the article can be used for practical reference. The tone used by the author in the article is quiet systemic which means that it is not for the general audience. However, the article lacks a slight degree of practical examples to make the material easy to understand. There were a number of researches which were conducted in order to formulate a similar relationship but only this research has been able to highlight it. It will not be incorrect to note that this research article is a classic in the field of innovation study with respect to human resource management. The aim of the chosen research is to evaluate the impact that in-house R&D and innovation can have on the medium-sized firms (SMEs). The study is basically quantitative in nature as the authors have made use of data from the German CIS. The author has used easy to understand tone which makes the research readable for general audiences. The research lacks a number of case studies which could have brought a more even layout of material of the research. The author of the research is a professional of HRM which makes the study credible. Considering the objectivity of the research, it should be noted that the data is most contemporary linking the gap of research done so far on this subject matter. The authors of the aforementioned article are professionals in the field of HRM and have relevant degree making this research as a desirable reference of this field. It should be noted that the article has focused on the innovation of employee participation at workplace. The authors have made use of qualitative approach to meet the hypothesis of the research. The research was conducted in 2011 which makes the research to be used in the present times increasing objectivity. The targeted audience of the research is businessmen. However, the tone of the research is easier to understand which makes the

Catholic Church and Artificial Birth Control Methods Research Paper

Catholic Church and Artificial Birth Control Methods - Research Paper Example The Catholic Church is emphatic on the notion that birth control is not only wrong but also a grave sin. This paper will discuss the Catholic Church or doctrine and its emphasis on the ban of artificial birth control methods. From the date of its inception, the Catholic Church has insisted that birth control is a sin. Birth control and its methods have been understood from the times of ancient Roman and Greek empires. During this period, birth control was undertaken using condoms made from animal skin and other poisons that were used as spermicidal. The Catholic Church has followed the first mention of birth control issues recorded in genesis 38:8-10. According to the catholic doctrine, this is where birth control methods have been banned in the bible. Here Onan was instructed to engage in sexual intercourse with the widow of his brother. However, in that activity, Onan withdrew his penis so that he could not impregnate her. This resulted to the slain of Onan (Jutte 142). The Catholi c Church also cites Deuteronomy 23:1 that says that a person who crushes his testicles or cuts off his member will not be allowed in the Assembly of God. Crushing testicles and cutting off the member were considered as effective ways of sterilization at that time. Therefore, the Catholic Church states that this verse is clear on the Bible’s stand on birth control issues. The ban on birth control methods were also reiterated by the Catholic Church leaders in their time. For instance, the Clement of Alexandria in 195 AD said that the seed has a divine institution towards the propagation of human species. Therefore, the seed should not be ejaculated vainly, damaged or be wasted. This assertion agrees with the song of Monty Python called Every Sperm is Sacred. During the industrial revolution in 1930, Pope Pius XI was angered by the acceptance of birth control by other churches of the Christian doctrine (Tentler 7). This made him put a casti connubii in December 1930 that read, à ¢â‚¬Å"†¦ therefore, openly departing from the uninterrupted Christian tradition some recently have judged it possible solemnly to declare another doctrine regarding this question, the Catholic Church ... in order that she may preserve the chastity of the nuptial union from being defiled by this foul stain, ... proclaims anew that any use whatsoever of matrimony exercised in such a way that the act is deliberately frustrated in its natural power to generate life is an offense against the law of God and of nature, and those who indulge in such are branded with the guilt of a grave sin.† (Genovesi 174) The Catholic Church has hold on to the ban even in modern times. The catholic doctrine states that God created sex for the procreation of children and maintain the chastity of marriage. It is in this sense that the Catholic Church forbids sex outside marriage. This is because the church emphasizes that the teachings of birth control methods should be taught and understood in t he context of marriage specifically for the husband and his wife. However, the modern day Catholic Church has slightly changed on its emphasis on birth control methods. The traditional Catholic Church did not allow for any birth control method. On the other hand, the modern Catholic Church allows married couples to use natural birth control methods (Rengel 198). The modern day Catholic Church states clearly that it does not condemn the use of pills or condoms. This