Saturday, August 31, 2019
Public Education Financing Essay
In the present modern economics, public education financing is considered as one of the flourishing characteristics for the economy of any country. However, a wide variation has been observed in the financing practices related to the public education in the United States, as well as, across different parts of the globe. In this regard, differences and diversification can be observed in various economical activities that are considered especially for the public education system of a country. (Cubberley, 1916) For instance, the American educational system may also provide huge differences in terms of distribution and expenditures across the country. However, significant and noteworthy alterations have been observed in the public educational system of the United States. Over the last few years, the abovementioned theme has been a major concern of public debate at all levels. (National Association of Secondary School Principals, 1972) During the last few years, in order to get maximum funds for pubic education, different states of the US have made significant changes in public education funding system. In this regard, various experts believe that little analysis of the subject has been done in the past, and more considerations should be provided to the subject, which has an influencing effect on the education system of every country. (Rice, 1893) One of the biggest sources of public education financing is national funding system, as community wide funding system is implemented for the financing of educational activities across the country. In this regard, most of the public education financial expenses are funded at national level. In this funding system, all nationals of a country bear a substantial tax rates on income for pubic education financing. (Fitch, 1904) The important thing in this funding is that all the tax collected from individuals are funded and distributed equally among all the students, which is one of the major characteristics of a public education financing system. (Jordan, 1992) At community level, public education financing occurs at a certain community level and students receive sponsorship according to their requirements. Moreover, at community level education funding system, parents of the students support all the costs of their children’s education, which is same as private education funding. Nonetheless, at community level funding system, funding for public education is collected on behalf of communities and sorted randomly into communities contrary to perfect sorting. In this system, all contributors of the public education finance contribute same tax rate fixed by their community. Certainly, at community level, public education financing contributes a small share in overall education expenses, and this thing does not have a great impact on wide economic variable elements, such as social security benefits, etc. (National Association of Secondary School Principals, 1972) However, according to one of the experts in education, a rapid concern in the development sector has been observed in recent years, and a vital role has been played by the federal government. One of the reasons of expression of this concern is that more diversification has been observed in the capabilities of funding by the state governments. Moreover, steady increment has been observed in the mobility of these states. Lastly, the federal government has observed an important change in its perspective regarding the public education, and social welfare of the people has been given due importance during the recent years. On all the aforementioned public education-financing categories, finance education schedule is selected by agents through voting, which is carried out by either the community or federal government. It has been observed that balancing of the educational budget is performed by the provision of different taxation options to the voters by the government, and similar funding is provided according to the taxation level selected by the voters. However, it has been observed that young generation has not been given due significance by disallowing them from the voting, and education can be supported by only the voters who face the political decision.  The level of taxation is represented by a tax rate and the tax is levied on capital and labor income of all agents residing in the relevant area. When setting up the tax schedule, policy makers care only about being elected, and so they maximize the number of votes. As a result, any party in office will follow the same policy and that policy is the one that is voted for by the greatest number of agents. (Garber, 1964) During the period 2001-2002, the US spent approximately four hundred and twelve billion dollars in both elementary, as well as, secondary levels of the public education system. This budget on public education was spent with a view to declaring it the biggest single field of direct public expenditures, even beyond the national defense figures. Approximately, in the educational ground, this fund benefited around forty seven million public school students and five million of private schools. (Ana, 2004) Interestingly, per student expenditure during that period was $8,685 yearly. It has been noted by most of the experts that aforementioned budget was collected from federal, state and local sources. However, the amount spent during the year 2001-2002 on public education finance was varied form one state to another. In this regard, Connecticut was the state, which got the highest per student education funding fund, and Utah got the lowest fund for public education. In the United States, the state and the local government are responsible for public education funds. In the fiscal year of 1999, forty-nine percent of the funds for public education financing came from state appropriations in which, forty-four percent came from domestic revenue and the US federal government contributed seven percent funds for public education financing. In this regard, domestic government raised funds for education mainly through property taxes. On the other hand, for public education financing state rely on numerous funding sources such as corporate & personal income taxes, sales & excise taxes. However, public education financing from the US federal government remained constant if compare to past figures. (Jordan, 1992)            Historically, with the passage of time, a constant rise has been observed in school funding from the perspective of states. In this regard, the state contributed thirty percent in 1940, which was raised by 40 and forty-nine percent in the year 1970, as well as, 1999 respectively. However, figures of each state observed substantial variations by one another. Throughout the history of public education funding, funding sources of each state varied from others, and most importantly, the tax rates such as personal and property tax rates were varied according to states. In this context, Hawaii’s funds for education mainly came from state sources, and New Mexico public education funds came from both state and domestic sources. In this regard, it has been believed by Richard W and Lindholm that the provision of education as a local responsibility has been closely related with the imposition of property tax as a local tax in the United States. Every year, all the states contribute hundreds of billions of dollars on education financing. In order to distribute collected funds among different territories, states have designed some ground elements that differentiate territories from one another, as well as, estimate the affect of those differences on the cost of furnishing educational services, and distribute funding consequently. Besides all the factors discussed above, territory wealth in school funding is one of the most important elements that distinguish one territory to another. In this context, it has been believed by some of the experts in education, such as Torres and Puiggros that overall capability for the maintenance of students, as well as, the promotion of higher education has been improved and enhanced by the public schools, in addition to increasing the equality of educational opportunities. Actually, some territories are wealthy as compare to others. In this regard, states have designed a number of fundamental funding systems that evaluate the estimation of school territories funding levels and distribute it in keeping different grounds, such as domestic differences of wealth element. Although, different states have designed different public education funding system, but one can found many similarities in school funding structure system. Under the flat grant approach, in spite of domestic particular context, every territory gets the same flat grant for each student entered in any educational institute. Obviously, in this public education funding system it ponders that the state must assure a minimal level of funding for all educatees and then gives domestic territory liberty to increase funding beyond that level as they think fit for it. During the period of 1960s and 1970s, the power equalization funding approach arose out of the work of education crusaders; actually, they were the people who observed the huge deviations among different territories in the ability to lift domestic funds ensued in education funding inequalities. (Ana, 2004) The solution was to assure all territories a standard amount of fund for each educatee for each unit of taxation. For instance, every state is liable to determine that all school territories must be able to increase hundred dollars on each student, per mill of property tax rate. In any case, where school territory’s tax base does not able to rise forty dollar per student, in this case, the state will fulfill territory’s education funds demand of equal to difference between 100 and 40, or sixty dollar per student, per mill. (Garber, 1964) However, all districts which are considered as wealthier districts and whose tax base rate rises seventy dollars per students, per mill, will only get thirty dollars per student, per mill from the state. â€Å"In this way, the state â€Å"levels the playing field†for school districts in terms of the ability to raise revenue, ensuring that funding disparities are a result of differences in taxpayer preferences, not taxpayer wealth.†Undoubtedly, this approach shows the responsibility that all states all responsible for education funding according to their wealth and resources. The funding approach of foundation plans is presently use in almost forty states. This approach integrates components of the former described two approaches. Nonetheless, every state furnishes the deviation between the totals of revenue-raised form the domestic tax and the foundation funding level.            For instance, a state can found a foundation funding level of six thousand for each student. However, in a territory having one thousand students this will reflects a total funding of six million dollars. In this regard, if the state calculates a minimal domestic tax rate of two hundred mills increased two million in domestic property taxes, the states will have to furnish an extra fund, which will equal to the deviation between two million and six million. (Richter, 1986) In this approach, if employing the two hundred-mill lower limit tax rate in a wealthier territory with the same number of educatees increased five million, in this situation, the state is bound to furnish only one million in state’s education funds. In this regard, both territories ends up with the similar domestic tax rate and the similar combined state and domestic funding point for each student, though the proportional weight of those 2 sources is different to a great extent. It can be evaluated that this approach is designed to extenuate inequalities in domestic wealth. However, it takes the idea of equality in further steps; in this approach, typically, both outcome and opportunity are taken into consideration and rates are determined with respect of varying degrees of different states. (Williams, 1980) This foundation plan has designed to keep in mind that the domestic school territories must not enjoy limitless prudence while setting funding levels that are intolerably different from other states norms. The full state-funding plan is practically an uncommon approach for funding public education funds, in this approach of public education funding; the state is responsible for all education expenses. Hawaii is completely fit for this example; Hawaii within a single school territory combines full state funding. In suggesting or deciding public education funding policies, Hawaii is capable to eliminate, any deviations occur between domestic and state governance. Interestingly, in this public education funding system, domestic authorities have no control over levels of funding. (Ana, 2004) All the four aforementioned public education-funding categories show only the fundamental structure of public education funding plans. Nevertheless, in order to collect funds for public education most of the states use schemes that joint components of some or all of these funding plans. For instance, a state may distribute some funds through a flat grant education funding approach, or other may apply foundation plan to collect public education funding. In lieu, a state has an authority to give territories permit to raise tax rates in order to collect maximum funds for public education. It can be analyzed that the prime motive behind the public education funding is to get maximum funds, which can be used, effectively in public education. According to some public education funding reformers, public education funds schemes is just a technique to give equality among taxpayers at all levels such as property and other tax burdens. Domestic property taxes such as sales and income taxes are some of the main sources of California’s pubic education funds. In addition, these collection sources are supplemented with money from the California’s state lottery, federal government and other sundry public education funds collected domestically by school territories. The following diagram represents that how the public education funds were collected in California during the period of 2002-2003. K-12 Funding Comes From Five Sources (Ana, 2004) State Aid State aid collected mostly from California’s sales and income taxes. Property Taxes During the period of 2005-2006, property taxes were collected domestically and distributed to all schools through a formula determined by state.  Federal Aid Federal aid was appropriated for some especial purposes such as special children’s education, child nutrition programmes, child left behind programmes and so forth. Domestic Miscellaneous            Domestic miscellaneous funds included, interest income, revenue generated from domestic parcel tax elections, communality contributions and so on. Lottery California state lottery funds were collected on behalf of public education funds on per student basis. Proposition 98 Proposition 98, the provisions of a voter initiative, this law define the responsibility of each state, under this rule every state is bound to contribute in K-12 community and education colleges. This public education funding contains both domestic property tax revenues and state monies. As far as amount of guarantee is concerned, it is determined by using a set of formulas dictated by law. Since the year 1988, one of the most crucial factors for the determination of amount of revenue received by the public schools is the calculation of the minimum guarantee, because of the passage of Proposition 98. In addition, proposition ninety-eight insures a minimal level of funding for public education. Proposition ninety-eight funds represents about eight dollar out of every ten dollar apportioned to K-12 education in California. As mentioned above, California’s public education funds, other sources include domestic sundry resources, federal government, and lottery, which shared twenty percent in Public education funds.  (Williams, 1980) Legally speaking, a minimum of thirty-four of the receipts from the California state lottery should have to be allocated to public educational institutes. Moreover, the apportioned money for each student basis, should have to be used only for instructional uses and not for research and development (R&D) purposes. In the year 2000, Proposition 20 was approved and accepted by the voters, which required that instructional materials should be considered and given due importance by half of any increment in the share of revenue collected from the lottery for the education. For the year 2005, as well as, 2006, approximately $146 per pupil was received by the districts from the above-mentioned source, from which, instructional materials were bought by roughly $25 from the total amount per student. The domestic sundry category of funds per annum shows about six percent of entire revenue collected for K-12 schools. Moreover, this public education funding was separate from domestic tax incomes the state control. It came from the sources that were domestically administered, that income generated from cafeteria sales, income from lease, income from sale of territory property and so forth. Interestingly, for less than twenty percent territory in the state, a significant source of domestic sundry income was the voter-approved domestic parcel taxes. In reality, these were some of the special types of property taxes, which were not related to the value of property. Nonetheless, according to some of the experts, one of the most important policies on the domestic level is the education system in the United States. The implementation of American ideology in the lives of American people is represented by the education system of the country, and due significance should be provided in this regard, which has been given in the past, and must be given in the coming years. (Hutchins, 1961) In the United States, both government and public are expecting a lot from educational institutions like school and colleges. In the past, educational institutes were being gainsaid to fit the demand of a country’s economy that is increasingly oriented towards knowledge in all respects and information skills. (Hutchins, 1961) At both federal and state level, present American legislative has made some changes in educational funding system and have created some new systems that will test educational institutes’ teachers’ and students’ performance. In the light of present ongoing changes in public education financing system, many experts have already said that these ongoing policies will advance education level. Conclusively, the paper has tried to study different aspects and perspectives of public education system across the world, and specifically, in the United States. It was noted during the paper that during the last few years, in order to get maximum funds for pubic education, different states of the US have made significant changes in public education funding system. Every year, all the states contribute hundreds of billions of dollars on education financing. Moreover, various features of the government financing on the federal, state, as well as, community level were discussed in the paper. Lastly, different characteristics related to the funding of the education system in the country were studied and evaluated during the paper, which will support the better understanding of its funding by the students, experts, and policy makers in the future.  References            Kenneth Forbis Jordan. (1992). Financing Public Education in an Era of Change. Phi Delta Kappa Educational Foundation.            National Association of Secondary School Principals. (1972). Financing Public Education. National Association of Secondary School Principals.            Lee Orville Garber. (1964). The Law Governing the Financing of Public Education. Interstate Printers and Publishers.            Mary Frase Williams. (1980). The Public School and Finances. Pilgrim Press.            Clayton Darius Hutchins. (1961). Trends in Financing Public Education, 1929-30 to 1959-60. U.S. Department of Health Education.            Otto Santa Ana. (2004). Tongue-Tied. Rowman & Littlefield.            Ellwood Patterson Cubberley. (1916). Public School Administration. Houghton Mifflin Co.            Charles Elliot Fitch. (1904). the Public School. J. B. Lyon Company Printers.            Joseph Mayer Rice. (1893). the Public-School System of the United States. The Century Co.            Albert J. Richter. (1986). the Impact of the Rural Recession on Public School Financing and Programs. NEW Professional Library.
Friday, August 30, 2019
Just like Helen Keller Essay
Marketing new services that will enhance existing organizations must be carefully thought out and planned to be considered a needed addition to any organization. Companies which have been founded on principles of ethics and quality services, ensure that every additional service provided to the many existing services must meet the expectation of each customer that is serviced. Team B has begun to target the process of marketing the expansion of processing packages that are undeliverable within the Fed Ex organization. Instead of returning the packages to place of origination, or re-delivering packages after an additional delivery failure, a process specifically geared to contact the person for whom the package is meant, will be the newly planned addition to the existing services which Fed Ex provides. Learning Team B will focus on reviewing the existing organization, providing a more detailed description of our LT goals in this process, review the importance to our success in planning and executing the idea, provide a SWOTT analysis on the project, and will develop a marketing strategy in order to be successful with this new process. Providing a consumer friendly service will give Fed Ex further success in the industry of package delivery to all consumers; both within the U. S. and Internationally. In today’s fast paced, high competition and deadline driven environment millions of people turn to FedEx Corporation everyday to get packages to the desired destination because of the assurance and commitment behind the name. FedEx Corporation was built upon providing top of the line innovative solutions and it continues to be an crucial part of the FedEx the overall culture and business strategy. FedEx Corporations commitment has been an instrumental part in the overall development of products, ideas and services that have given FedEx’s customers the ability to grow their businesses around the world. What is known as FedEx Corporation today, was originally introduced in 1971 as FDX Corp, and since their inception has engineered the shipping and logistics industry and has set the mark over and repeatedly, for all others in the business to meet. Since its beginning, FedEx Corp has been seen in the public eye as a leader in the transportation and logistics industry. The FedEx Corporations ability to collectively work together through their different entities demonstrate the leadership and foresight of the trusted FedEx brand. It is this loyalty which brings customers to FedEx every day. â€Å"FedEx provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. FedEx Corporation offers integrated business applications through operating companies competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. †(FedEx Corporation, 2009). With a marketplace that is always changing FedEx Corporation is always putting forth full effort to be on the forefront of technology and to bring new and innovative ideas to maximize their profits and customer choices. FedEx currently handles an â€Å"averaged 3. 4 million†a day and delivers to over 213 countries†(E-Logi, 2009). Even in a hard international economical time, many â€Å"Customers are increasingly seeing the value of using FedEx to reach new markets, grow their businesses and cut inventory carrying costs. The global economy is expanding steadily, particularly the manufacturing sector, giving our business more opportunities to grow in the future. †(FedEx Corporation, 2009). As one can tell FedEx Corporation is a trend setting and revolutionary business force which continues to be on the forefront of innovation due to its ability to focus on the customer, ability to make tough decisions and always absolutely positively delivering on its promises. Federal Express is a global leader in getting packages to consumers. Business consumers already enjoy services like a hold feature for important packages and documents. This service is designed for the organization that ships a large number of packages and documents to regular business partners or employees. Employees and partners can retrieve their package from the closest sorting facility by having a hold placed on any or all incoming packages. Federal Express notifies partners and employees via pre-recorded voice mail that their package is available for pickup at the location nearest them. The service that is being contemplated is a kiosk idea, where customers business or individuals can send packages or documents, as well as pick them up all in an automated system that is based on the needs of the consumer. Undelivered packages and documents will be retained with in the kiosk, and consumers can pickup their delivery. This will be offered in a few different manners. Customers can log into the web site and obtain a pin number for the package, or it can be e-mailed or an automated voice mail can be sent to a cell or land line telephone. Customers whom do not want deliveries to be sent to there place of residence can have the option to have this become their primary way of receiving anything shipped by Federal Express. People in a specific delivery area will have the ability to ship and receive their packages and documents using the same kiosk based on geographic and delivery area. The kiosk will be totally automated and open twenty four hours a day, based on customer needs. Marketing is defined as the strategy-allocating resources (time and money) in order to achieve the objectives of (a fair profit for supplying a good product or service). The economy uses tactics to get buyer’s attention in order to gain maximum success. â€Å"Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large†(American Marketing Association, 2008, p. 1). Marketing is vital to any organization in meeting the needs and wants of the consumers and if the marketing department is not focusing on meeting the needs of the consumers, stakeholders or vendors, the organization will not be successful. Marketing helps the organization develop a plan, collect data on the target population, examine and explore areas of the organization that will improve services to his or her customers in order to provide top quality services. FedEx marketing department has decided to explore the problem of holding customers package when they are not home to receive these packages. With the current system, customers can pick up their packages at the nearest Kinko’s FedEx store, but in order to know if the package is there for pick up, the customer would need a tracking number then have internet access to see if the package is there for pick up but many times, the package is not there before the driver finishes his or her route, therefore, FedEx has decided to incorporate a kiosk system. This system will create a faster tracking system and enhance the quality of service provided to the consumers, vendors and stakeholders. The marketing department will create services that would fit the lifestyles of the consumers, by understanding demographics, psychographics, cost and time in providing a new service as well as if the new service will be beneficial to the consumer. Without a clear understanding of the importance of marketing in the success or failure of the organization, misrepresentation of marketing can have consumers going to the competition because of getting their needs better met with faster turnaround services, better customer service and overall, top quality management. Strengths of reputation and organizational processes of Federal Express now known as, Fed Ex are what they have worked hard to create. Companies which have the focus of excellence usually have the proper organizational values in a progressive environment. Weaknesses within Fed Ex are between the past upper management decisions to categorize delivery drivers as independent instead of employees of Fed Ex. In 1998, 203 drivers filed a lawsuit against Fed Ex, citing they were paid as independent contractors instead of regular employees with benefits. (1) This class action suit would cause competitors to think Fed Ex has less sensitivity to employee requests for better benefits and more importantly working relationships within the company. Opportunities may present of growth within a company for in-house middle management and upper management. Promotions are readily available to the employee who shows they are working toward the growth of the company. Threats may be exhibited in ways which show habits that are representative of carelessness and lack of ethical behaviors of employees. Intrusion of thieves which may attempt to sabotage or rob delivery persons of packages delivered is another type of external threat. Any action which causes the inability to provide the services for which the company is known for may be categorized as a threat. Major mistakes, poor decision making skills, package losses, or failure to deliver on time are all errors which represent key threats to an established business such as Fed Ex. Of these threats they are known as internal and external threats. Trends may be what a company starts and is shown throughout the city, state or world as a mainstream guide for other companies in similar fields of service. Other companies may begin to show the public how a stable company works; as a level of standards. As a company which is known for delivery, productivity, quality improvement techniques and reputation, Fed Ex is a trend setter. Analysis of the plans of a package holding process will aid with deliveries that cannot be delivered after the second attempt. This is an opportunity for Fed Ex to stand out from among the other delivery services. Creating a personalized processed to contact the recipient until located will cut costs with returned item shipping, in addition to up-building of customer services. Marketing research can be a quantitative or qualitative process. Quantitative research would be conducting surveys to the consumers. Qualitative research includes focus groups and observational studies. The best marketing research approach for our service would be a qualitative approach. It is the less expensive approach and a more efficient way of getting feedback from the consumer for our particular service. Marketing research follows the guidelines of the scientific process. The research project for this particular process is a 24 hour automated Kiosk for Fed Ex customers to send and receive packages based on their own needs. The next step would be to collect primary and secondary data about the new Kiosk service. Then we can perform qualitative research by use of observational studies, by picking a sample of Fed Ex customers to test the new Kiosk service. From the observational studies, we can then compile the data on how the customers reacted to the new Kiosk service. Once we have all this data we can then summarize our findings and determine whether or not this idea is feasible for Fed Ex. The market research process leads us to our marketing strategy for the new Kiosk service. A good marketing strategy includes a target market and marketing mix. Our target market would be adults over the age of the 18, and our marketing mix would include the 4p’s: product, price, place and promotion. References American Marketing Association. (2008). Marketing definitions. Retrieved January 22, 2009 from http://www. seologic. com/ E-Logi (2009). E-longi. net FedEx corp. Retrieved January 6, 2009, from http://www. e-logi. net/index. php? ID=696 FedEx Corporation (2009). FedEx Corporation – investor report. Retrieved January 5, 2009, from http://ir. fedex. com/releasedetail. cfm? ReleaseID=259392 http://www. fedexdriverslawsuit. com/ (1) Retrieved Feb. 8, 2008 http://www. fedex. com/Dropoff/start? locale=en_US Retrieved 2-7-09
Thursday, August 29, 2019
Analysis of Case Study for Skills and Knowledge - myassignmenthelp
The enablers of innovation mainly help in bringing the continuous stream of the innovation related strategies of the organizations. The innovation enablers help in the application of the skills, knowledge and the specific tools in the organizations. The five different types of enablers are discussed below, Introduction and change and the implementation of innovative ideas are sometimes difficult for the organizations. The driving forces of innovation can be described as the factors which help in the implementation of change in the organizations. The first driver of innovation in organizations is commoditization. This force relates to the pressure of driving the prices and the margins lower. The digital revolution in the external environment deals acts as a driving force for the changes to be implemented in the organizational processes. The advent of social media in the business world acts as a driver of innovation and helps in the creation of communities, sharing information and connecting the people instantly. Globalization is another major driver of the innovation in organizations. The levels of competition have increased due to the increase in the scope of business of the organizations. The high levels of competition further enable innovation and change implementation in the various organizations. The increasing turbulence in the business environment due to the changes in the economy and shift in the demographics acts as a driver of the innovation in the organization (Gupta and Barua 2016). The companies need to move in a faster pace to compete with the others in the market and improve their operations accordingly. The culture of the organization where change is to be implemented is also a driver of innovation. The enablers of innovation on the other hand are mainly related to the behaviour and the attitudes of the employees. The structure of the organization is a major enabler of innovation. The structure is mainly related to the hierarchy of the organization and the ways by which the instructions and directions related to change reach the employees. The skills of the employees of the organization play a major role in the implementation of change and innovative ideas (Rizos et al. 2016). The difference between the drivers and the enablers of innovation is that the drivers of innovation are mainly related to the factors of the organization and the external environment where it operates. On the other hand, the enablers of innovation are mainly related to the employees and the internal environment of the organization. The enablers mainly deal with the skills and the attitudes of the employees who are a major part of the entire change process (Hussein et al. 2016). The process of innovation in an organization is supported by various mechanisms which are discussed as follows, The organization which has been examined in the case study, namely, ACME, believed in the creation of innovative methods to perform business operations. The organization has a modern infrastructure and the research and development facility which is present in the company helps the employees in the process of thinking. The innovative ideas and nature of the employees are nurtured and encouraged by the management of the organization. The organization has been developing the research and development related facilities since the time of its establishment. The surplus revenues that are gained in the operations of the organization are invested in further developing the research and development related facilities. The owner of the organization also spends most of the time with the employees who are a part of the R & D team. This helps in fostering their talent and innovative ideas further and work in a collaborative manner (Bhanot, Rao and Deshmukh 2017). Bhanot, N., Rao, P.V. and Deshmukh, S.G., 2017. An integrated approach for analysing the enablers and barriers of sustainable manufacturing. Journal of cleaner production, 142, pp.4412-4439. Dubey, R., Sonwaney, V., Aital, P., Venkatesh, V.G. and Ali, S.S., 2015. Antecedents of innovation and contextual relationship. International Journal of Business Innovation and Research, 9(1), pp.1-14. Gupta, H. and Barua, M.K., 2016. Identifying enablers of technological innovation for Indian MSMEs using best–worst multi criteria decision making method. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 107, pp.69-79. Hussein, A.T.T., Singh, S.K., Farouk, S. and Sohal, A.S., 2016. Knowledge sharing enablers, processes and firm innovation capability. Journal of Workplace Learning, 28(8), pp.484-495. Kaushik, A., Kumar, S., Luthra, S. and Haleem, A., 2014. Technology transfer: enablers and barriers–a review. International Journal of Technology, Policy and Management, 14(2), pp.133-159. Mageswari, S.U., Sivasubramanian, C. and Dath, T.S., 2015. Knowledge management enablers, processes and innovation in small manufacturing firms: a structural equation modeling approach. IUP Journal of Knowledge Management, 13(1), p.33. Rizos, V., Behrens, A., Van Der Gaast, W., Hofman, E., Ioannou, A., Kafyeke, T., Flamos, A., Rinaldi, R., Papadelis, S., Hirschnitz-Garbers, M. and Topi, C., 2016. Implementation of circular economy business models by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs): Barriers and enablers. Sustainability, 8(11), p.1212. Tran, V. and Voyer, B., 2015. Fostering innovation: An organisational perspective. British Journal of Healthcare Management, 21(3), pp.141-145.
Wednesday, August 28, 2019
The Indiscriminate Nature of Cancer Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
The Indiscriminate Nature of Cancer - Case Study Example The WHO and The Pfizer Medical officers held their research from different perspectives of age, one at a tender age, and the other at his sunset days. For instance, Mariam’s case explains why the failure of people to make use of the available knowledge about chronic disease prevention and control mechanism continues to endanger the future generations (Redman, 2007). Mariam case exemplifies the culture shock, most impounding on the poor majority of the global community. The Sridhar’s case is a cancer condition brought by his way of living. Having chewed tobacco and drank heavily since his youthful days, this lifestyle has deteriorated his respiratory and blood systems resulting in cancer. Since cancer continues to endanger people’s lives through such lifestyles, the main issue lies in having enough knowledge and awareness or resources, like Mariam’s problem, to prevent the spread of cancer (Ray, 2005). Studies done in India to examine the percentage of elde rly people at risk of having cancer or already battling with it indicates that 2.3 percent is battling with cancer while 4.5 percent risks being victims due to their lifestyle (Weisman, 2002). In Tanzania, the researcher also found that the younger generation born of able families, despite their lavish and uncontrolled feeding habits had a1.9 percent chances of having cancer. In addition, children from poverty-stricken families have uncontrolled eating habits yet cannot afford reasonable medical cover, hence 5 percent of them are more susceptible to cancer at tender ages of 14-25 years (Mukherjee, 2010). The WHO and The Pfizer Medical researchers separated the two cases in order to highlight their assessment. The most important issue that the group had in place was to disseminate the knowledge in understanding what cancer was. By making cancer more realistic to the youthful generation, not only in India but also in Tanzania, the group thought this would alter the resultant effects of cancer in old days because of unreasonable living (Ray, 2005). Â
Tuesday, August 27, 2019
Economics of State and Local Governments Research Paper
Economics of State and Local Governments - Research Paper Example ative inflation period during the same period, which stood at 9.06 percent, calculated by using consumer price indices for January 2013 and January 2009 (Griender). The Texas government applies sales and use taxes at the final points of sale. Consumers are taxed for the goods and services they purchased outside Texas and used within the state of Texas. The sales and use tax is the highest tax revenue for the Texas government. In the fiscal year 2014, the Texas government collected approximately $19 billion in state sales taxes. Texas charges an average tax of 6.25% for all foods (Griender). The government set the rate in the year 1990, and there have not been any changes in the rates since then. Cities, transit systems, districts in the state and counties may impose the local taxes, which may be up by another 2 %. Majority of Texas residents pay total sales taxes of 8.5%. There are, however, many goods that are exempted from this tax. These commodities include motor vehicles, crude oil, mixed drinks, insurance premiums, and aviation fuel. This is because these items are taxed under other provisions. The Texas state aims at increasing sales tax revenue and removing the exemptions. The government also puts various measures to improve collections. Some of these measures include examination of funds from sales tax, tightening the eligibility for exemptions as well as scrutinizing applications for tax refunds on items meant to be tax-free. Texas state government collects various fees that are charged to people operating motor vehicles within the state. The largest source of these records revenues is the car registration fees and permits, which are meant for special vehicles such as vehicles with excess weight and size. Motor vehicle fees generate about $2.4 billion in a fiscal year (Griender). The 82nd legislature has powers to consider proposals that aim at increasing the motor vehicle registration fees. According to estimates from the Texas Transportation
Monday, August 26, 2019
Comparison contrast essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Comparison contrast - Essay Example The reason for being athletes Athletic can broadly cover all the physical activities that individuals involveinactivities that help boost their physique. People have different motives for participating in sporting events. Allender advocates that frequency of a person in events associated with bodybuildingdetermines the potential to win. An individual requires much physical energy to enhance the capability to perform better. Despite the positive impacts on an individual’s life resulting from involvement in sports, there are differing elements constituting to why individuals continue participating in athletes. Some do it for pleasure while others have hopes of growing into world champions. Contrast between Andy and Darwin a) Strength The strength of an individual player is of prime concern for the ability to remain in the field. Athletes have differing potential due to their frequent partaking in sports. Andy is a tennis player while Darwin is a Cub’s baseball player. Des pite the fact that all are ball games, Mueller states thatessential strength to involve oneself in the game differs from person to person. Andy usesless strength thanDarwin doesdue to the movement one makes when in the field.Opinionatedly, all athletes need enough energy for undertaking their positions while in the field. b) Salary Salary is the primary motive for people’s engagement in sporting activities. Through competition, one once declared the champion obtains several medals for the team. The salary attached to various players is different in regard to the activities they carry out. For instance, the salary of Andy is different from Darwin’s salary. The reason for the difference is the incapacitation of the team’s treasury. Salary difference may also be due to one’s performance. Coaches are very crucial people in the team, as they are the regulators of activities performed. Coaches are capable of determining who is to do what coaches should ensure t hat all players have equal pay despite what the individual does for the team. Robert, Weinberg, and Daniel illustrate that a better salary system motivates individuals into participating in athletics. c) Human health Physical activities are significant for the health of certain individuals. For one, an individual not fond of sports may end up acquiring some illnesses, some of which are avoidable through chipping in in physical activities. Such diseases as obesity affect the health of an individual and leads to incurring costs for proper medication (Mueller). Andy due to lack of involvement in much movement in the field may develop chronic diseases than Darwin who has to move to the ball. It is worth necessitating individuals have the motive to participate in sports to impede suffering from diseases. Lessons learnt from distinguishing the athletes Through the comparison, it is vital to note that individuals gain important requisites for their bodies. First, it is true that individual s get to know the importance of athletics in their bodies. Allender indicates that athletics help individuals in their health, as it is through exposure to physical activities that one is in a way able to reverse contraction of diseases (specifically, obesity). Secondly, continued involvement in athletic actions keeps the body fit for other activities. One is able to move from a
Sunday, August 25, 2019
Business Tax Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words
Business Tax - Essay Example on, whether an activity is considered as trading or non-trading depends on the specific facts of different cases as provided in the badges of trade (Hmrc.gov.uk, 2015). In this regard, this paper states the general rules relating to how HMRC determines trading and applies them to interpreted different transactions in different scenarios. The badges of trade aid in deciding whether a transaction after review, is a trade or non-trade for the application of corporation taxes. The first of the badges of trade is the profit-seeking motive which states that with evidence that the sole intention of purchasing an asset is to re-sell at a profit and not holding it as an investment leads to the conclusion that trading has occurred or is being carried on (Great Britain & Hodge, 2013). The implication of the profit-seeking principle is not that a profit-seeking objective should definitely mean a trade is being carried on but that this motive should be weighed with the other factors provided in the badges of trade. For an example of a case law, Salt v Chamberlain (1979) case concerned losses that had been made by an individual in the transaction of buying and selling quoted securities with a motive of making profits. In that case, the prosecution asserted that the evidence that an individual is engaged in transactions involving speculative dealings in the stock market is considered as carrying on a trade (Great Britain & Hodge, 2013). In this case, the claim was that all the other badges of trade were present but the General Commissioners and the court declined to disturb the findings indicating that they were not trade transactions (Hmrc.gov.uk, 2015). This case implied that the motive of seeking profit is a question of fact that and is not determined by the professed intentions of the person and in most cases it is inferred from the surrounding situations. The second badge is emphasized on the number of the transactions and states that repeated and systematic transactions
The Experiment Setup and Economic Theory Assignment
The Experiment Setup and Economic Theory - Assignment Example Microeconomics theory puts into account the total of quantity demanded by the consumers and the supplied quantity by the producers. The aim of microeconomics is to analyze mechanisms of the market that put in place the relative prices amongst services and goods, and allocation of scarce resources amongst substitute uses. It also analyzes market failure. In a monopolistic competition, there are some assumptions that the producer has to make concerning the demand and supply as they assume there is a perfect competition in the market. This shows that there are many consumers and producers in the market as one does not require the entry and exit fee to qualify to be the member of that firm. In the monopolistic firm, the prices are controlled by the producer. That is why they are termed as the price controllers as they are the ones who determine the price of a given product. And since they make decisions themselves, they are the ones who determine the prices of the commodity that they sell to the consumers. When the prices are high, the demand goes down as the consumption of the commodity reduces. Due to higher prices, the consumers do not satisfy their needs and wants. As a result of low consumption, the supply of the product goes down in the market. On the other hand, when there are low prices in the market, the product demand increases as the consumers are able to purchase the commodity at a lower price, and due to high consumption rate, the supply also increases. In the first session, one is interested in determining the price of the commodity, thus known as price determination. When the producer lowers the price below the ones shown in the first session, the quantity of the commodity will increase as the demand is high. The result is low prices and low profits. And if the seller increases the price of a product, the demand for that product will decrease as the buyers will be unwilling to purchase the product, thus decreasing the quality of the commodity. Â
Saturday, August 24, 2019
Technology Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Technology Law - Essay Example The police department is the government wing that is noted not to implement the laws effectively. Despite the fact that t the police officers are to help the citizens obey and respect the rule of law in the process aiding in the implementation of the laws, research in the police department shows that the police officers play a bid role in breaking the law. Police officers are known to be corrupt in the course of the duties. In so doing, they let criminals and other lawbreakers to go against the rule of law because they have been bribed. This forms an obstacle in the government quest for law implementation. The gap created between the laws on the books with the law enforcement creates a huge risk to the society. Criminals and other gangs take advantage of this weakness to terrorize the society members. This creates fear, and the security of the society deteriorates. With poor security investments in the areas cannot take place (Landes & Posner, 1975). The citizens have developed negative attitudes to both the people responsible for regulating the laws, as well as the lawmakers. From history, the lawmakers have been exploiting the public through creation of laws that only favors them and seems to be undermining the citizens. This experience has forced the public to have a negative attitude towards the lawmakers. The public is that the lawmakers cannot make any law that can benefit them; the laws that are always made are weak and burden the poor most (Roland & Verdier, 2003). On the other hand, their attitude towards the law enforcers is even worse. Despite the fact that the law enforcers role is to protecting the public interest through regulation of laws they are putting the public interest in jeopardy by putting theirs first. This makes the public detest the law regulators as much as the lawmakers since they both serve their interest ahead of the public interest (Polinsky & Shavell, 2007). Concerning power balance, the law regulators are claiming that
Friday, August 23, 2019
Problem of Drugs Usage in School Research Paper
Problem of Drugs Usage in School - Research Paper Example For a period of 8-9 months every year, children spend their time at school five days every week, around 6-7 hours daily. School therefore gives children the opportunity to be away from their parents/guardians. It also gives the younger children a time where they can try being like the cooler children more and more. This opportunity to appear cooler, more mature and older in older teens’ eyes makes many pre-teens and teens trying and abusing alcohol and drugs. The children also believe that this is a time when their parents/guardians are not watching over their shoulder what these children are up to. Some time ago being at school was concentrate on education but that focus is many a times being directed to the social atmosphere that a child can acquire while at school. Most children, especially teenagers, do not believe when told that they possess all the qualities that the adults they live with see in them. Most do not accept as true the fact that they possess the skills to be anything in life. They may therefore resort to drugs and alcohol abuse in order to do away with many of the expectations and pressures they believe are there – most teens report having the knowledge of how to use drugs during school hours while others report having the knowledge of where they could obtain them. Rather than using bathroom breaks, hall passes, and lunch time for their name sake, some school children spend this time popping a few pills, taking a few drags or having a few drinks. Considering the fact that high school and college life is among the most stressful of all periods in the life of a person, school children maintain that taking away their capability of blowing off steam is even more harmful compared to the drinking-caused activities. School children get pissed off when someone denies them the right to have fun. It is similar to taking some people's purpose in life away. Thinking that this is the only thing that people do is very sad. However, that is what is important to them and they are ready tight for it (Teendrugabuse.us, 3). Reports from the Partnership for a Drug Free America indicate that according to a national study, 73 percent of teens testify that the major reason as to why they use drugs is to deal with school pressure. This is a vast discrepancy with the only 7 percent of parents holding the view that their children may make use of drugs to cope with stress (Selectown.com, 2). Nyhan notes that although signs announcing drug-free zones ma y ring middle schools and high schools a national report revealed that more school children are coming across booze, blunts, pills and other illegal drugs in their playfields, lockers, classrooms and bathrooms. According to a report by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse of Columbia University, the percentage of children who attend middle schools where drugs are used, sold or stored jumped 63% from the year 2002, and rose 39% at high schools. Put differently, 80% percent of high school children said that they witnessed students who were using, possessing, dealing, drunk, or under illegal drugs’ influence. In actual fact people in the modern society do not care about school laws or rules and drug use among students is pretty much common (1-4). The school environment has become a haven for drug dealers to deal and sell drugs to children,
Thursday, August 22, 2019
Dr jekyll and mr hyde Essay Example for Free
Dr jekyll and mr hyde Essay This again shows that he wants no company and wants to be left alone. The next example, which shows secrecy, is the fog, when Utterson goes to Soho. The fog is described as, embattled vapours and swirling wreaths. Also it says The fog lifted a little and showed him a dingy street. This portrays secrecy because it is as if the fog reveals to him the street as if he didnt know it was there. Another point of the fog being secretive is where it says and the next moment the fog settled again upon the part. This was the home of Henry Jekylls favourite. This shows secrecy as well because the fog has cut him off from everything else apart from this building which he goes into. Both these points show how the fog has a secretive impact on the story. Jekylls property contributes to the theme of duality this is because it has two sides to it both different. On the one side is the big grand house which is decorated nicely, however the other side which is the laboratory, has barred windows and appears very spooky. The last example shows secrecy. It is Jekyll stating in his will which says In case of the decease of Henry Jekyll, all his possessions were to pass into the hands of his friend and benefactor Edward Hyde as well as In the case of Dr Jekylls disappearance or unexplained absence for any period exceeding three calendar months This is all very secretive and when the readers read this they do not know why Jekyll would do this and why he actually has. It is all very secretive. R. L Stevenson was influenced to focus on duality and secrecy; these influences were from the Victorian times. Some men were highly respected, wealthy, married and successful men however they just like Jekyll lead a secret life, they went to prostitutes and lead lives secretly which no one knew about and definitely wouldnt have expected. A lot of people like grave robbers were skulking around, and in the Victorian times scientists were all experimenting trying new medicines and different potions and constantly experimenting like Jekyll. All of this Shows Duality and secrecy and shows how he got the influences to focus on the themes. In this section I will compare two characters and to see what they are like, what language is used to describe them and how does the characters relate to the themes. First of all Hyde is like an animal and the language used to describe him is inhumane, in the story, the phrases used to describe him are: like a cornered animal, like an animal evil looking, out of control like a wild animal and unpredictable. These all make him sound savage and a very evil man. However when you compare him with Carew the two are very different. Carew is described as: an aged beautiful gentleman, pretty manner of politeness and innocent. Carew is portrayed as a very kind gentleman who wouldnt hurt anyone and the language used to describe him is very innocent because of his kind personality. When you directly compare the two they are like complete opposites berceuse of where Hyde is evil and animal like, but whereas Carew is very kind. One of the moral ideas in this story is be careful what you wish for. This is because Jekyll wanted to be free of a moral conscience, however when he did and became Hyde it overpowered him, and then he wanted to be free of the thing he wanted in the first place, so much so he even took his own life. Another moral idea is not to overlook anyone because they dont know if they lead double lives like in the story Utterson knew Jekyll and never couldve guessed he could have done what he did. The message for the reader at the time was that the well respected gentlemen are not what they seem to be and should not be overlooked. The story is still relevant to the modern society because men are having affairs that people are not aware of, so this relates to the theme of duality which is expressed in the story. Also because of the moral decline in modern society the story is important because of the good men in the story, which relates to respectability which is shown in the story, for example Jekyll is well respected for being a well known doctor, however in modern times people are not very well respected because there are less morals and as people are turning to drugs or alcohols and the crime levels many people are not respected and possibly less, than in the story. Morals from the story involving secrecy and duality and nowadays I think they are still very valid. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE John Steinbeck section. Download this essay Print Save Not the one? Search for
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
Past Madrassah Reform: a History
Past Madrassah Reform: a History The 1962 Reforms Since its inception, Pakistan has tried three times to undertake major renovations in the madrassah school system. The first reforms occurred in 1962 under General Ayub Khan. In 1961, a committee was formed to analyze the current curriculum and make recommendations concerning how best to reform the system so that graduates would be more employable. The resulting report was released in 1962. Notable alterations included: introducing courses like mathematics into the curriculum, instructing in Urdu at the primary levels and Arabic and/or English at the higher levels of study, and testing graduates in five exams including Euclidean mathematics.27 The second part of the reform strategy was to control the level of funding madrassahs received. Khan sought to strengthen the role of state institutions at the expense of traditional community leaders like the ulama, who he thought opposed his regime and thus limited his power. One way he limited religious scholars influence was to restrict who could fund madrassahs.28 The funding portion of reform was moderately successful, but the recommended changes to the curriculum exposed a core conflict that would derail the 1962 reforms and all the reforms that followed. To alter the madrassah curriculum meant, in a way, reforming the nations practice of Islam, which is sacred to the vast majority of Pakistanis. Since madrassahs produce the next generation of religious scholars, government changes to the schools that contradicted what the ulamas viewed as instrumental in training their successors had social implications far beyond making modifications to a curriculum. Many disagreed with the governments interpretation of Islam, and, as a result, rejected the proposals of the 1962 report.29 The 1979 Reforms The second round of attempted reforms occurred in 1979 under the regime of General Zia-ul Huq, and were far more extensive than the 1962 reforms. As previously noted, Zia was responsible for the Islamization of Pakistan. Under his regime, the nation became far more sectarian and Islam infiltrated more aspects of life than it had under past rulers. Unsurprisingly, Zia was very interested in the countrys madrassahs. The reason for the 1979 reform was almost identical to the one in 1962: the madrassahs were failing to provide adequately employment opportunities outside of the religious sect, and thus it was decided the system should undergo modernization. The recommendations were very similar, as well-again reinforcing the necessity of introducing more modern subjects into the curriculum, including: . . . Urdu, arithmetic, and general science at the primary level; English, general mathematics, and Pakistan studies at the secondary levels; political science, political economy, and English as optional subjects at the baccalaureate and masters level; and comparative religious sciences as a mandatory subject at the masters level. The committee proposed an autonomous National Institute of Madrassahs to compile and revise madrassah curricula, supervise these institutions, administer standardized tests, and award diplomas to the students. The proposed national institute, the committee recommended, was to have an equal number of members from all four subsects within the madrasah education system, and representatives from the government.30 The Report of 1979 sought to create a curriculum that all the different sects of Islam would accept. That being said, the boards ultimately saw the compromise of their beliefs as a loss, because their students would no longer be ideal representatives of their branch after being taught a hybrid faith. 31 Though the results of the 1962 and 1979 reports were similar, there was a significant difference in the composition of the 1979 committee that authored the later report. This committee included numerous ulamas, who worked alongside government officials in constructing the proposed reform. The 1962 committee, however, did not include ulamas nor did it consult with them about which reforms they would support. As a result, the ulamas were originally more open to the 1979 report, as they felt they had significant input in the process. However, while they were invited to participate in the committee, they were not a majority voice on the committee and the committee was led by a government official, so some ulamas still resented the governments authority in dictating the final report.32 It didnt take long after the release of the report for many ulamas to issue reservations about the proposed reforms; others boycotted it completely. The 1979 reforms occurred at the same time as the Iranian Revolution and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. The fact that Irans mullahs were successful in overthrowing the Iranian shah, and thus inserting religious figures in powerful political roles in a nearby country, convinced many Pakistani madrassahs that their schools did not need to modernize to be influential in the region.33 Many completely disregarded implementing the reforms, convinced, more than ever, that religious education was more important to Pakistan than the curriculum endorsed in the 1979 reforms. Such tumultuous regional events had a profound impact on Pakistan, and complicated the madrassah reform process greatly. In fact, these events led to the expansion of a more extreme curriculum in madrassah, making the schools more threatening to development just as the state sought to reform them. During this time Pakistan became the battleground for an international Sunni versus Shia war. Iran was helping the countrys Shias generate support, while countries like Saudi A rabia were funding Sunni militant groups, often through madrassahs. In competition for the funding being offered by Saudi Arabia, some schools attempted to increase their focus on Wahhabism to ensure they would receive more funding than other madrassahs.34 Slowly, schools evolved from being primarily intellectual and religious institutions to political ones, as more students became involved in the religious revolutions occurring outside their borders. The Iranian Revolution served as a huge inspiration to Pakistans minority Shia population, who, seeing the successful Shia revolution in Iran, grew emboldened in their aspiration for political power. The number of Shias in the country began to increase, as many moderates in the country shifted their allegiance to Shia due to its opposition to Zias aggressive Islamization campaign.35 Zia, a Sunni, saw the rise in Shia activism as a threat to his regime, especially following the 5 July 1980 demonstration in Islamabad where 25,000 Shias v iolently protested the zakat36 law put in place as part of Zias lamization campaign.37 The zakat funds allowed the government to increase funding to schools like madrassahs since they often cater to the underprivileged. In 1984 alone over nine percent of the zakat fund was distributed to 2,273 madrassahs.38 Zias hope was that through these donations the madrassahs would become dependent on the state for their finances and, upon graduation, employment. While some madrassahs eagerly accepted the contributions to their struggling schools, other resented the government oversight and the obligations to the Zia regime that accompanied the zakat funds. They no longer wanted to be dependent on the government for what they viewed as bribes to expand government oversight of religious schools. The reliance on zakat funds, others believed, had caused voluntary contributions to madrassahs to sharply decline, resulting in an overall loss of income for schools.39 The Shias decided to actively reject the zakat funds, which they believed were contradictory to their faith. Despite wa nting to limit the Shias influence, Zia had to relent to the 1980 protests of the Shia, as they effectively shut down Pakistans capital city. The victory of being exempt from paying zakat to the government inspired many independents in the country to declare themselves Shias. In retribution, Zia funneled more zakat funds into the nations Sunni-controlled madrassahs. The madrassahs became a venue in which Zia could resist the Shia influence, and thus these madrassahs became increasingly anti-Shia. Since Zia actively encouraged this behavior in order to resist the rise in Shias, it is no wonder that the school system became a place in which students grew intolerant of Shias, which led to a more sectarian and aggressive society. For the short-term goal of limiting Shia influence, Zia created a school system that, even today, remains entrenched in perpetuating an exclusionary worldview, rather than an accepting and tolerant environment for students. As previously reported, Z ia, in an attempt to recruit the support of the nations ulamas, decided some madrassah degrees would be considered equal to degrees from government schools. This movement correlated to the 1979 reforms, for though Zia wanted to increase employability for madrassah graduates, he wanted to make sure that as professionals the graduates had skills useful in the workplace. Under the assumption they could study Islam and still graduate qualified to work in the government, the number of madrassah graduates skyrocketed. Between 1960 and 1980, over 5,000 ulamas had been trained; following the equivalency certificates in 1981-1985, over 6,000 ulamas graduated-thats 1,000 more graduates in a quarter of the time.40 Though this initiative was intended to provide madrassah graduates with more authority, many new ulama graduates became less interested in the traditional study of Islam, and more concentrated on religious ideology as a means to influence the government. As such, some opened their own madrassahs so that they could funnel more graduates into the government or increasingly powerful political parties.41 In the late 1980s, the country began its decade of democracy. However, rather than economic prosperity and social equality, the decade produced poorer economic conditions and economic stagnation. The recession reduced employment opportunities, and many madrassah graduates who assumed they would secure a job within the government went unemployed. The curriculum many of the new madrassahs implemented left their students unqualified to beat out top students from government or private schools for the few positions available in the government, and it also left them unqualified for traditional ulama positions, which they theoretically could have secured if they had followed traditional madrassah curricula. Rather than making students qualified for both religious and government work, the 1979 reforms had made students unqualified for either. With no opportunities in government or in religious posts, many new madrassah graduates focused their efforts on pursing their political agendas.42 They abandoned established political parties to form more extreme, militant ones. They also opened their own, more ideologically-minded madrassahs at an accelerated rate, thanks in part to the ncrease in zakat funds given to some madrassahs. While the more established madrassahs largely maintained their traditional curriculums, the madrassahs that were built during this time-especially those close to Afghanistan-were overseen by low ranking ulama who replaced traditional curricula with those that endorsed militarization. The goal of these madrassahs was to train students to become political activists, which they saw as more influential than a traditional ulama Post September 11th, it is clear how this radical momentum leading into the 1990s produced in Pakistan an environment similar to that in Afghanistan which provided Osama bin Laden p rotection and opportunity in planning the September 11th attacks. Why I Chose to Be an Accountant: A Reflection Why I Chose to Be an Accountant: A Reflection Accounting is an information and measurement system that we use for the purpose of identifying, recording, measuring, and communicating relevant and reliable information about an entity to those with an interest in the entity. Accounting is a very challenging and rewarding career with a wide variety of career paths that one can venture in. Accounting is more of a communicating language in the world of business and as a result, the demand for accountants are constantly increasing, making accounting an extremely marketable career path. An accountant, like a majority of other jobs, has the ability to work as an independent accountant or work in a corporate atmosphere. I decided to make a career into the field of accounting in the corporate market, working for a firm and then a private company. My goal is to achieve a position of a CFO or venturing into my own business. When I first heard about accounting I thought it was a generic degree that had only one specific work area inside of a business. However, after speaking to accountants and learning more about the career I learned of several opportunities that are available to an accountant with a Bachelors degree. This can include auditing, bookkeeping, budget analyst, financial accounting, management accounting, tax, and much more. Inside each of these careers, accountants could also find a specific niche that they particularly like. For example, I spoke with a lady who works as a tax consultant but has never done a tax statement in her life because all she does is work with international markets for her company as it pertains to the budgeting for the tax aspect. Auditing is one of the most common areas that accountants have chosen to build their careers in. I believe in this era that we are in today, the work of an auditor is extremely important to ensure that the numbers reported by an entity are accurate and as a result, we, as citizens, are able to invest in companies accordingly. Also, having the ability to audit a company requires in-depth knowledge into the market, legal environment, and the entity. Although I am interested in audit, I would like to start my career in tax. This is because taxation is an extremely important to a company and is extremely limited in regards to acceptance and turnover of employees. I believe to be a qualified tax accountant, an individual must have good knowledge of the necessary kind of government regulations and generally accepted accounting principles. As a tax accountant, I will be first be placed on a team in a tax department, where my duties can include reviewing files and company financial records, preparing ledgers, filling out tax forms, maintaining contact with tax agencies and holding meetings that are related to taxation and strategy (Admin, n.d.). My backup plan is to venture in becoming a forensic accountant with the FBI. I believe with my degree, as well as my military background in the U.S. Marines, I will be a qualified candidate. However, I dont believe in pursuing that as my primary career goal because the government funding is fi ckle as well as the pay, compared to the corporate market. Although tax in many firms, have a low acceptance rate and many companies require you to have at least 2-3 years work experience in the field as well as at least a bachelors degree, I believe I will excel when given the opportunity. This is because not only do I have a passion for it but I also excel in the quantitative areas. As far as the work experience that is required, I will be trying to go through an internship to full-time offer with one of the local firms in Miami, which doesnt require the work experience. With every accounting career field, you are required to work a lot of hours during busy seasons. At times I have heard of accountants working up to 7 days a week for 13-14 hours a day. I believe every qualified accountant expects a salary that is higher than or on par with other undergraduates from a number of business schools. Unfortunately, these expectations are rarely met in the current society. Currently the broad career field of Accountants and Auditors has an average hourly wage is $36.19 with an average annual salary of $75,280 (Labor, 2016). However, as an entry-level tax accountant, I can realistically expect to earn between $47,568-$59,269 (salary.com, n.d.). Quite a number of students have joined the big accounting firms that pay higher salaries but its usually an average of around $50,000-$60,000. In other words, a lot of qualified accountants will be forced into sectors that dont pay as well. I believe in order to make the most in the beginning of my career, I should try not to fall victim to this lower market of accounts by realizing the dilemma and work and figure out ways to avoid it. One way I hope to avoid this is by completing my Master s in Accounting as well as my CPA. I also believe by doing programs like VITA and internships, will make me a key candidate that will be viewed as having the ability to succeed in any turmoil the company might face. The type of internships I will be looking to acquire internships that will give me experience with software solutions such as Inuit QuickBooks, Sage 50 Accounting, ATX Total Tax Office, CCH ProSystem fx TAX, Delphi Technology, and Oracle E-Business Suite Financial ls (Development, n.d.). Hopefully the internship I will be offered a full-time position in which I believe can help progress my career in one of the corporate offices because of a majority of their corporate promotion structure. I believe this will help mold me into an accountant that will be incredibly marketable in the corporate market. In conclusion, I would say that accounting is the very diverse career path that will forever be in demand. As our world moves more towards global transactions I also believe that we accountants will be in more demand. This is because accountants are a necessity to determine how successful a business entity is, that can be detrimental in determining if a business segment can survive in a new international market, costs needed to allocating, etc. For a successful career in accounting, I should always look for opportunities to mold myself as a capable accountant as well as adapt the new technology advances and learn how to adapt to the changing government regulations and generally accepted accounting principles. References Admin, W. (n.d.). What does a Tax Accountant Do? Retrieved March 27, 2016, from http://www.topaccountingdegrees.org/: http://www.topaccountingdegrees.org/faq/what-does-a-tax-accountant-do/ Development, N. C. (n.d.). Accountants. Retrieved March 22, 2017, from My Next Move: https://www.mynextmove.org/profile/summary/13-2011.01 Labor, U. S. (2016, March 30). www.bls.gov. Retrieved March 22, 2017, from Bureau of Labor Statistics: https://www.mynextmove.org/profile/ext/oesmaps/13-2011.01 salary.com. (n.d.). Tax Accountant | Salaries. Retrieved from salary.com: http://www1.salary.com/Tax-Accountant-I-Salaries.html
Tuesday, August 20, 2019
Study on the A Not B Error
Study on the A Not B Error After being discovered by Jean Piaget in 1954 perseveration tasks became one of the main means of investigation in cognitive development psychology, initially in children and later also in non-human animals. The most known of these is the, so called, A-not-B task, which even after many years of research still elicits debates about its underlying mechanisms. This paper aims to provide a review of existing empirical data in order to answer questions of who and why makes the A-not-B error. The first section of the review will give a theoretical background by describing the classic task used by Piaget, the importance of such experiments. This will provide a clear picture of what the A-not-B error is. The two following parts will focus on the questions of who makes the error and why, by an analysis of a set of classic experiments. Each study will be analyzed in terms of its goals, results, and what the impact of these findings is. The last part will include general conclusions based on st udies analyses from previous parts. In order to answer the questions stated in the review title, what is the A-not-B error, who makes it, and why?, classic data will be analyzed in order to determine what the best candidates for explanation of the mechanisms responsible for the error are (in the classic A-not-B task). The most convincing hypothesis will be chosen based on its explanatory power (can it explain most of the existing data?) and its relation to other approaches (can it incorporate other ideas?). Publication of the book The Construction of Reality in the Child in 1954 marks the beginning of research on perseverative tasks in infants. The author, Jean Piaget, described many hide and seek games, invented in order to investigate the understanding of permanence of objects in infants and its changes in time. One of these games became one of the most widely used to explore infant cognition, the A-not-B task. The classic example of its procedure involved a 9 and a half month old child called Laurent. Piaget placed him on a sofa and presented him with two hiding covers, one on the right, and one on the left. Then, he placed his watch under the cover A, and observed Laurent lift the cover to retrieve the watch. After this hiding and seeking was repeated several times, Piaget hid his watch under the cover B. Laurent watched this action attentively, but when given a choice searched back at the location A. As the author put it, at the moment the watch has disappeared under the garment B, he [Laurent] turns back toward coverlet A, and searches for the object under the screen. From this wrong choice, Piaget concluded that Laurent did not understand the independence of objects from his own actions on them. Since these initial results, the A-not-B error has been continuously studied and proven to be a strong and universal phenomenon in human infancy. However, the underlying mechanisms are still being debated, why the error happens and what it means. What is clearer, are the crucial elements of the task to produce the A-not-B error (Smith, 1999). In the original procedure an infant sits in front of two hiding locations that are highly similar and separated by a small distance. While the infant watches, an attractive object (for example a toy) is hidden in one of the locations, described as A. After a delay (which can vary), the infant is allowed to search for the object by reaching to one of the two hiding locations. This hiding and seeking is repeated several times, af ter which the object is hidden again, but this time in location B. Again, after a delay the infant searches for the object. In this traditional method, 8 to 10 month old infants keep reaching back to the initial location A, thus making the A-not-B error. More recent data suggests that there might be also other important elements of the experiment, including posture of an infant, social context, or who the person interacting with subjects is. Before proceeding to a more detailed analysis of existing A-not-B task data, the significance of such research will be briefly described. Investigations of A-not-B task are important for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it provides a clear paradigm to explore the development of infant cognition, how it changes in time. More specifically, it allows investigation how different processes involved in finding the object interact (such as looking, discriminating locations, posture control, and motor planning). Secondly, it also allows comparative experiments when the task is administered to nonhuman animals. Such research allow comparisons of cognitive abilities of different species and how these abilities might have evolved from common ancestors. However, after many years of research there is still no consensus on what is the meaning of the error and what its developmental importance is. The question of what the A-not-B error is has already been answered. The next question is about who makes the error. An answer to this question will be approached by analyzing a selection of studies on the A-not-B tasks which investigated human infants (Homo sapiens), rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta), and dogs (Canis lupus familiaris). The predominant group of participants checked on the A-not-B task are human infants of different ages. Diamond and Goldman-Rakic (1989) investigated extensively how the age of infants and the length of delay between observing and searching influences the commitment rate of the error. The experimental procedure was based on the original task, designed by Piaget. However, several differences were also introduced. Instead of sitting freely, infants were held sitting on their parents lap, prevented from turning or looking at the hiding location during the delay. Care was taken to ensure that the infant was observing the whole hiding process. In order to prevent visual fixation on correct hiding location, the infants were distracted by the experimenter calling them and counting aloud. Correct reaches were rewarded by gaining the hidden object (an attractive toy). In a case of an incorrect reach, the experimenter showed the right choice by uncovering the object, but did not allow the infan t to reach for it. Testing for A-not-B began immediately after the infant first uncovered a hidden toy from one of the hiding places. Different lengths of delays between hiding and searching were introduced to the procedure to check what the crucial time to commit the error was. The first introduced delay was a 2 second one. Most infants below 8-8.5 months of age made the A-not-B error at these or smaller delays, whereas only one infant above 11 months did so. The second delay was 5 seconds. By 8.5 months only half of infants made the error at delays of 5 +/- 2 seconds. By 9.5 months half of the infants required delays greater than 5 seconds for the error to appear. The last experimental delay was 10 seconds, where no infant below 8.5 months had passed, whereas by 12 months the average delay needed to be longer than 10 seconds. An interesting observation from this experiment is that infants who maintained visual fixation on the correct hiding location also reached correctly, while t hose who shifted their gaze, failed to do so (performed at chance levels). Another interesting fact is that infants tried to correct themselves when they made the A-not-B error (but not in the youngest ages). To sum up, the A-not-B error occurs in human infants at delays of 2-5 seconds at 7.5-9 months, and at delays greater than 10 seconds after one year. These findings also are consistent with studies conducted by Gratch and Landers (1971) and Fox et al. (1979) which both found that infants of 8 months made the error at a delay of 3 seconds, as well as with a study by Millar and Watson (1979) which showed that infants of 6-8 months could avoid the error when there was no delay, but committed it with delays as brief as 3 seconds. This last finding corresponds closely with Diamond and Goldman-Rakic who found that infants of 8 months will succeed on A-not-B task if there is no delay, but that they will also fail at delays of 3 seconds. Diamond and Goldman-Rakic used the same procedure to investigate ten rhesus monkeys with prefrontal lesions in comparison to monkeys with different brain lesions (parential), and ones with brains intact. Only animals with the prefrontal lesions committed the A-not-B errors at different delay lengths. There was no significant difference in performance between unoperated and parentially lesioned monkeys. Their age ranged from 2 to 6 years. At the delay of 2 seconds, all monkeys with prefrontal lesions committed the error. At the delay level of 5 second results were similar, all monkeys with prefrontal lesions committed the error. At the delay of 10 seconds the performance of prefrontal animals did not meet criteria for the error (such as at least one error in the reversed trial, the error at least once repeated during the same trial), exactly like human infants below 9 months. Behaviour of prefrontally damaged monkeys was noted to be very similar to that of human infants described befo re. The last research analyzed in order to provide an answer to the question of who commits the A-not-B error was conducted by Topà ¡l et al. (2009) on dogs, wolves, and human infants. In a series of experiments a behavioural analogy between human infants and dogs was found. The goal of the research was to investigate the functional nature of dogs sensitivity to communicative cues in a comparative framework, by the use of the A-not-B task. In one of the experiments dogs were shown to be influenced by the communicative context in their perseverative erroneous searches for hidden objects at a previously repeatedly baited (with a toy) location A, even when they observed the object being hidden at a different location (B). Such results are highly similar to those found in human infants. The task involved looking for a hidden object that the dogs saw being hidden behind one of two identical screens. The first phase consisted of the dog being allowed to repeatedly fetch the object (toy) from behind of the screens (location A). In the test phase, the experimenter hid the toy behind the alternative screen B. Dogs managed to fetch the hidden object correctly in all screen A trials. The main result from the test phase is that dogs in the social-communicative trial (the hider attracted the dogs attention) committed the A-not-B error more often than animals in the non-communicative (hiding with experimenters back turned toward the dog) or non-social (experimenter stayed still while the object was moved between screen by another experimenter, not visible to the dog) version. Additionally, animals in the non-social condition were significantly more successful than chance during the test phases. To sum up, the error was eliminated when the hiding events were not accompanied by communicative signals from experimenters. Dogs were shown to be influenced by the communicative context in their perseverative erroneous searches for hidden objects at the previously repeatedly baited loca tion A, even when they observed the object being hidden at a different location B. Such results are highly similar to those found in human infants. Thus, the A-not-B error was proven to also exist in dogs. Naturally this analysis does not exhaust all existing research on perseverative tasks. However, the aim of this review is to focus on A-not-B error only, in its classic version designed by Piaget. Other species, investigated in different variants of perseverative error tasks, included chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata), cotton-top tamarin monkeys (Saguinus oedipus) (Hauser, 1999), as well as magpies (Pica pica) (Gà ³mez, 2005). After the data of who makes the A-not-B error was summarized, an analysis of the underlying mechanisms should follow, to answer the question of why the error is made. In literature different hypotheses are present. Principal of these include areas such as object permanence, memory deficits, information bias, immaturity of prefrontal cortex, and action oriented responses (reaching). The first explanation was provided by the author of the A-not-B task himself, based on his initial research on perseverative errors. Piaget attributed this error to a lack of conception of object permanence in human infants. In his view infants commit the error because they do not understand that an object continues to exist even when out of sight. Their reach back to location A is therefore seen as an attempt to bring that object back to existence. This is the first, historical explanation, which has been disproved by various studies. For example, Baillargeon (1987) has shown that some young infants (3.5-4.5 months) might have some understanding of object permanence. When watching possible (a screen rotating and stopping at a box behind it) and impossible events (a screen rotating as though there was no box behind it), infants looked longer at the impossible ones, which can be understood that they were not expecting them to happen. Similar results were also reported by Ahmed and Ruf fman (1998), where infants who made the A-not-B error in search tasks looked significantly longer at impossible events than possible ones in a non-search version of the task. Such behaviours required a comprehension that when objects are out of sight, they continue to exist. Infants did not expect the object to be retrieved from a wrong place and therefore they had to understand in some sense where the object was actually located. Such results call into question Piagets claims about the age at which object permanence emerges. An alternative explanation focused on memory as a factor responsible for the error occurrence. In her research, Diamond (1985) found that different delay lengths between hiding and object searching affected the rate of the error. Thus the conclusion was that the recall memory was causing the A-not-B error. However, such view was challenged by Butterworth (1977), who found that use of transparent covers in hiding locations does not decrease the error rates, which is inconsistent with the recall hypothesis. Seeing an object underneath a cover should create no need of using the recall memory and lead to the error not being committed, which did not happen. This study also can be used to argue against the hypothesis that competition between different kinds of memory is responsible for the error. Harris (1989; after: Ahmed Ruffman, 1998) proposed that infants make the A-not-B error because of two memory traces in combination with poor attention. In this view, information about the object at location A is held in the long-term memory, whereas information about the object at new location B is kept in a weaker short-term memory. However, the fact that infants continue to make the error even when provided with clear cues of the object location (transparent covers), suggests that the underlying cause is not related to memory issues. Another classic explanation placed the difficulty on the encoding of information. Bjork and Cummings (1984) suggested that encoding at new location B requires more processing (is more complex) than encoding repeated location A because B must be distinguished from A. Sophian and Wellman (1983) also referred to information selection, where prior information was mistakenly selected over the new information about location B because infants forgot current information (which relates strongly to the short-term memory limitations) or because infants did not know that current information should take over. These findings again can be debated in light of the transparent covers study by Butterworth (1977) and the violation-of-expectations study by Ahmed and Ruffman (1998). With the use of transparent covers, encoding new information does not pose major cognitive challenge since the desired object is visible all the time. The proposition of infants not knowing which information should precede is enough ambiguous in itself (what know means in this context, do adults know which information from their environment should be the most valid one?) and is additionally contradicted by the findings that infants look longer at unexpected retrieval of objects from old locations. Therefore, they behave as though they know where the object is currently hidden. All of the hitherto presented hypotheses have met their nemesis data. At this point, two major explanations of the A-not-B error will be presented that yielded wider acceptance. One of them, supported by neuropsychological literature, is the importance of the prefrontal cortex, especially its relation with perseveration and inhibition. The prefrontal cortex is an anterior part of the frontal lobes of the brain, which is often associated with planning behaviours, decision making, and moderating social behaviour. As Hauser (1999) states it, the act of perseveration (a repeated production of particular action or thought) often represents the consequence of a particular cognitive problem, related to inhibition. In order to prevent perseveration such mechanism is required to reject some alternatives while favouring others, which may involve activation of the prefrontal cortex (Kimberg et al., 1997). Infants, therefore, are highly susceptible to the commitment of the A-not-B error because of their immature prefrontal cortex. The research by Diamond and Goldman-Rakic (1989) provided the first evidence that A-not-B performance depends upon the integrity of the prefrontal cortex and that maturation of this region underlies improvements in the task performance in human infants between 7.5 and 12 months of age. Further support comes from other groups of subjects of this study. Monkeys with lesions in the prefrontal cortex also committed the error, whereas monkeys with brains left intact, managed to choose the correct location B. As the authors noticed, the A-not-B task performance of operated monkeys and 7.5-9 month old human infants was highly comparable (both groups made errors at delays of 2-5 seconds). This significance of the prefrontal cortex can be explained by analyzing two main abilities required for the error to occur, which depend upon the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex: temporal separation and inhibition of dominant response (Diamond Goldman-Rakic, 1989). The A-not-B task requires subjects to relate two temporally separate events: hiding cue and searching action. With no delay between hiding and searching even 7.5-9 month old human infants and prefrontally operated monkeys can manage to choose the correct location B. However, even when a brief delay (2-5 seconds) is introduced, they start to fail in object searching. Therefore, the aspect of delay plays a crucial role in committing the A-not-B error. This disadvantage can be overcome when subjects are allowed to maintain visual fixation or body orientation towards the new location during the delay. A similar effect is created by a visible cue which consistently indicates the correct choice (for example a mark on one of the locations). Those two findings indicate a possible involvement of short and long-term memory in the process of committing the error. In the case of fixation on the correct choice, a representation of this choice does not have to be held in short-term memory, and in th e case of learning an association between a landmark and a reward, the long-term memory is activated, guiding reaching behaviour accordingly. This brings back the argument about the role of memory in explaining the A-not-B error. The second ability stemming from the prefrontal cortex, the inhibition of dominant response, is mostly related to the act of reaching for the hidden object. In the A-not-B task subjects are first repeatedly awarded for reaching to location A, which leads to strengthening of this response. However, such conditioned tendency to reach to A must be inhibited in the test trial if the subject is to succeed and reach correctly to new location B. The fact that subjects reach back to location A even when they appear to know where the object is hidden (by looking there) or should know where the object is placed (transparent covers with visible toys), adds validity to the notion that inhibiting the conditioned response is difficult and that memory might not play a maj or role in explaining the error (the problem is not simply forgetting location of an object). Even when the object is hidden, human infants and operated monkeys will often immediately correct themselves if their initial reach was incorrect. It appears therefore that subjects know the object is hidden in location B but still cannot inhibit the initial response of reaching to the previously rewarded location A. However, human infants often look in the direction of the correct hiding place, even when simultaneously reaching to the wrong one. It seems that the act of reaching itself might cause troubles, which relates to the next major explanation of the A-not-B error. Smith et al. (1999) advocated a change in theoretical debates on possible explanations of the A-not-B error. Their explanation focuses on performance and behaviour during the task, which is described as reaching to successive locations in visual space. Errors are made by returning to an original location when the goal location had changed. Reaching to a place consists of a series of ordered steps, beginning with cognition (perceiving the target, forming a goal) and ending with action (selecting a motor pattern, forming a trajectory of the reach). The proposition states that the A-not-B error is mainly a reaching error, emerging from a directional bias to location A created by previous looking and reaching, and because the visual input available to guide the reaching hand is insufficient to overcome the bias (similar covers close to each other, not fully developed reaching skills of 8 to 10 month old infants). Crucial to this hypothesis is the idea of a continuous interaction between looking, reaching, and memory of previous reaches. In other words, it is important that there are two similar potential reaching targets and that infants have a history of repeatedly reaching to one of the locations. Results from experiments by Smith et al. experiments indicated that goal-directed reaches of infants stem from complex interactions of visual input, direction of gaze, posture, and memory (therefore indicating strong context effects). Such a system is inclined towards perseveration since it creates the reach based on current visual input and memories of recent reaches. This bias will prevail whenever the new information input is highly similar to previous reach information or whenever the systems memory of previous reaches is strong. Such an effect could be described as a version of a previously analyzed information bias. These general processes of goal-directed reaching are not specific to a particular moment in development, which suggests that older children and even adults are prone to commit the A-not-B error if placed in the appropriate situation. For example, when no visual cues are given, like in the case of hiding objects in sand (Spencer et al., 1997; after: Smith et al., 1999). However, if these processes are not specific to a certain age, why then a decline in making the error is observed? Authors point to two developmental changes that can contribute to an answer: increasing infants ability to discriminate among visually similar locations, and increasing skill in reaching. Although Smith et al. state that there is no discrepancy between their results and data from investigations of the role of the prefrontal cortex, they do not agree with the explanation placing emphasis on inhibition failure in this region of the brain. In such a view, infants reach successfully to the correct location not because a dominant habit to reach to A was inhibited, but because the current visual information biasing the system in the B direction is stronger than the previously conditioned action towards A. Therefore, direction of the infants reach depends on internal and external dynamics shaping the goal-directed action (outside stimuli and previous experience). The goal of this review was to answer the questions of what the classic A-not-B error is, who makes it, and for what reasons. The answer to the first two is a straightforward one. In order to determine who makes the error, it is enough to administer the original procedure devised by Piaget to various subjects (with slight modifications if used with nonhuman animals). The question of why the error is committed has a more complex nature. A range of proposed explanations have been presented, along with an analysis of how valid these hypotheses are in light of existing empirical data. Due to limitations of space, the review has focused on presenting a summary of the main hypotheses: object permanence, memory deficits, information bias, immaturity of prefrontal cortex, and goal-oriented reaching. The two latter possess the largest explanatory power, as they incorporate or explain elements of other approaches. The most important difference between them is present in the definition of who c an commit the error. In the neuropsychological approach only subjects with immature or a damaged neocortex will make the error, whereas in the reaching approach this error is not so limited. Another main difference concerns the concept of inhibition. Described as a main element of the influence of the neocortex on choosing the right location, it is removed completely from the reaching approach. However, certain similarities are also present, since the neuropsychological hypothesis includes the aspect of programming a goal-oriented reach. Considering these characteristics together, as the best candidate for an explanation of the A-not-B task the immaturity of the neocortex will be chosen. It can provide sufficient explanation for why human infants with immature prefrontal cortex, prefrontally damaged monkeys, and dogs make the error. In the case of the latter, the inhibition process might play the major part. Dogs committed the error mostly in the communicative experimental conditio n, which might suggest that overcoming a bias created that way is too difficult, inhibition in the prefrontal cortex (which is often assumed to organize social behaviour) is too weak. Of possible importance is the domestication process, during which dogs were selected to respond to human communicative signals. In terms of Marrs levels of explanation (Humpreys et at., 1994), the prefrontal cortex could be described as planning behaviours in order to act appropriately in the world (computational level), by the use of inhibition processes (algorithmic level) on the neuronal networks (implementional level). Additional empirical data, obtained in order to validate the prefrontal cortex hypothesis, should include studies on infant rhesus monkeys and other infant species, as well as autistic human children (due to their lack of social skills which could be attributed to malfunctioning prefrontal cortex). A set of such data would allow comparisons with existing findings. Naturally, new rese arch might bring a change of focus in mechanisms underlying the A-not-B error, as the issue of perseverative errors is a complex one and requires further investigation.
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