A Tale of Two Entrepreneurs Essay Example

A Tale of Two Entrepreneurs Essay Example A Tale of Two Entrepreneurs Essay A Tale of Two Entrepreneurs Essay 2. In Andrea’s instance I would rede her to look at her options. She must look into the benefits and the drawbacks of remaining within the company and reassigning sections. or taking her redundancy bundle and get downing up her ain concern. She should measure and mensurate the chance. Not merely banking on the authorities authorization as her lone client she must analyze if other clients are approachable. She must measure is if her market potency and one-year growing is could be important and lasting. She might besides mensurate if the client payback would be less than one twelvemonth. and if she would interrupt even within the first 2 old ages. Andrea should besides measure her competition and see if she can vie and supply her services at lower cost than them. and lower capital. All the above is of import for her to look at when measuring and distinguishing get downing her ain concern from being a mere thought to an chance. Kit excessively should look at these same facets of distinguishing between a good thought and an chance as Andrea. He should look into happening out the costs involved in runing his concern in an environmentally friendly mode. and step if the venture will be sustainable every bit good as net income maximizing. with cost effectual steps. He must measure and explicate a program on how he would construct relationships and confederations with both the little houses in the industry every bit good as the larger companies who make and market the concluding merchandise. With the accomplishments and experience of his spouse. he could larn more about how to get down a new venture and learn from the errors made in the yesteryear. measure them and explicate a program to make better. 3. If I were in their places. my determination would be to ramify out and travel into little concerns. It would be good to accomplish independency in this little concern. It would do the move to anticipating a net income after taking such a hazard and go forthing the security of the big company. In Kit’s place I would take the opportunity to get down a concern whose operations have less detrimental effects on the environment. therefore lending to a better environment doing a important difference. In Andrea’s instance I would do the move every bit good as it would be a solution to the authorities authorization as they are looking to outsource its cardinal services. every bit good as a solution to my job as I was in a rut at work and would hold needed to reassign sections or happen new employment. This move would give an chance to make my full potency that could hold been held back in the confines of the authorities authorization. 4. The Entrepreneurship Process is driven by chance. Market demand is cardinal to mensurating an chance. In Andrea’s instance we see that there is feasible demand for her Payroll concern. If she branches out and starts her concern she has the chance of acquiring the contract for the authorities authorization she was working for earlier and supply the necessary service to them. This client is approachable. therefore heightening the chance. In Kit’s instance. he saw the chance of get downing a concern with a difference that operated in an environmentally friendly manner puting him apart from the other concerns out at that place. There would be a concern like his that uses environmentally friendly and less detrimental procedures. It is of import to understand and marshal resources and non be driven by them. Andrea would measure up for a redundancy payment which would be an available resource to pull off and utilize to get down up her concern. It is nevertheless of import n on to be focused on what hard currency one has like her hubby – If I could hold a large adequate redundancy bundle I’d articulation you – because this would restrict creativeness and keep the enterpriser back. Kit on the other manus had a concern program I place as one of the resources he was use make usage of. the environmentally friendly attack to his concern would be a utile scheme for his concern. He besides planned to utilize relationships as a cardinal resource. Constructing a web between other little houses in the industry would be a utile resource in his ain concern. An entrepreneurial squad is critical for success. Kit planned to spouse up with Robin Davidson for his concern venture. Davidson has relevant experience and had been the laminitis of a former high tech company. He had motive to stand out. leading and bravery as he sought after Kit to spouse with him and get down up another concern after his old concern collapsed. He was a good spouse in that he was instead matter-of-fact and caused Kit to see the hazards and realistic side of things as he shared his thoughts. sure – every bit long as it doesn’t push our monetary values up and lose concern. ’ Taking the Rough with the Smooth 1. Entrepreneurs can larn many valuable lessons from the puting up of Innocent Drinks. First one can larn from the three gentlemen to look at one’s ain life for inspiration on a new venture. They based their thought on something they personally knew a batch about. and proved to be a existent market chance. Entrepreneurs learn that thoughts are deserving small. but execution is cardinal. The thought of the automatically-filling bath was good. though execution would be hard as it would be difficult to convert others that it would work. The thought of the drinks was a good thought and it successfully implemented. Aspiring enterprisers can larn a valuable lesson in coaction and the effectivity of a dependable squad. Reed properties acquiring through this stage to the strength of their friendly relationship and to being portion of a squad. Another lesson one can larn is to research the merchandise and the market and larn everything you can about your enterprise. The gentlemen had no experience in the fruit and drink market. but they conducted their ain research in merchandise tasting and in the market at the wind festival. One can larn the lesson of doggedness from the Richard Adam and Jon’s experience. The cash ran dry’ and distributors ab initio refused to stock their drinks. but they persevered. personally presenting them to wellness stores. From there we see that gross revenues began and the companies wanted more. If they had given up. they would non be the success they are today. Another lesson for enterprisers is to be the solution where others complain. One should calculate out a manner to work out the jobs and do a net income in the procedure. if they could merely come up with a manner of making something healthy and didn’t require a batch of time†¦ †¦this minute of penetration led to Innocent Drinks†¦ 2. A critical success factor is holding a compelling instance for invention. In this instance they had the thought of the automatically make fulling bath which did non win as they found it difficult to convert people. On the other manus. the Innocent Drinks thought was conving and they made a compelling instance. and people could see why the invention was necessary. Another success factor is that their concern program fostered teamwork and the support of their friendly relationship and passion to see this concern venture through. A creatively resourced and dedicated squad turned this thought into an invention when they took affairs into their ain custodies and began personally presenting the drinks. The enterprisers were willing to take the hazard of showing themselves to local juice company and giving free samples. and personally inquiring the proprietors to sell their drinks. even when they had had non hard currency and had been rejected by distributers. therefore showing another critical success factor. Another success factor is holding a well defined. yet flexible executing procedure. They had the initial program of utilizing distributers. but after they refused to stock their drinks. they entrepreneurs were flexible and came up with personally presenting the drinks. 3. Innocent drinks measured chance and good differentiated this chance from an idea’ . They had a big market demand as they this thought was based on something they knew approximately. they knew that the client was approachable. They identified the market preparedness and saw the consumer tendencies and behaviors such as their ain that were seeking a new merchandise. Customers were asked to put their empty cups in a yes’ or no’ bin†¦ and the yes’ recorded a skiding triumph. The chance was really big. turning and vague. Resources – the concern had really limited resources and investors were looking at different concern propositions to what they had. and so at a point the cash ran dry. ’ The enterprisers had to be originative and larn to make more with less. Successful enterprisers devise originative and saving schemes to marshal and derive control of resources. e. g. they loaded a new wave with drinks and personally delivered them to wellness stores and delicatessens. Entrepreneurial Team – Richard. Adam and Jon formed a great squad that was motivated to stand out. had tolerance for hazard. ambiguity and uncertainness as neither of them had done anything like this venture before. They had a good friendly relationship and supported each other as a squad through adversities. Richard Reed attributes acquiring through this stage to the strength of their friendly relationship and to being portion of a squad. This squad had resiliency. committedness. finding and continuity. which is seen in their actions when they kept on with bringings distributors refused to stock inheritor drinks Importance of tantrum and balance – it is importance to happen a balance among the drive forces of a squad. resources and chance. These factors seldom match. but if they are in the right proportions ( e. g. big plenty squad. sufficient resources. if the company will turn 20 % over the following 2years ) In this instance we see they has deficient resources. but that was balanced out by their holding a strong friendly relationship and squad to acquire them past the adversity. Sustainability as a base – a sustainable venture means accomplishing economic. environmental and societal ends without compromising the same chance for future coevalss. This concern was sustainable as Innocent Drinks was a fruits smoothie that tasted good. was good for you. and that could be easy and rapidly consumed. It successfully addresses the societal issue of healthy life and good nutrient quality. Importance of clocking – we see the importance of timing in this instance as Innocent Drinks was started merely at the start of the dot-com epoch. when investors were non looking into their sort of concern proposition. Because of this their fiscal resources were really limited due to few or the deficiency of investors taking to the hard currency running out. However. there is no perfect clip decision and prehending the chance makes all the difference. which is what the enterpriser did and they succeeded.

Term Paper Social Work Ethics Essays

Term Paper Social Work Ethics Essays Term Paper Social Work Ethics Essay Term Paper Social Work Ethics Essay Scenario one speaks about a single unemployed mother of two children who is thinking about having an abortion. She decides to make an appointment with a Social Worker about it, however that Social Worker decides that it’s not in the best interest of the client, doesn’t care about her wants and hands her a church pamphlet. Right away I see that there is a direct infraction, as a Social Worker one should never speak of their own beliefs and values when working alongside with a client. A Social Worker should always put what the client wants, within reason, first, as an act of self-determination for the client. The infraction that I found in the Code of Ethics is the third principle â€Å"Responsibility to Client†, specifically looking at the sub-principles 3. 1 and 3. 4. 3. 1 Speaks of how College members must â€Å"provide clients with accurate and complete information regarding the extent, nature and limitations of any services available to them† (pg. 11 Code of Ethics). As a member of the College, we as Social Workers have a duty to provide all resources available to a client, even if it may not agree with our own personal values, attitudes and beliefs. I also believe that we are responsible to provide accurate information; as a Social Worker I would not turn away a client looking for resources and tell her to go to a church, specifically my own church, and to seek God and forgiveness for thinking of abortion. I think it is important to deal with each situation without any hidden agendas and to look for the best possible outcome for the specific clients requests. 3. 4 Discusses how College members â€Å"do not discriminate against anyone based on race, religion, political affiliation, national origin etc†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (pg. 11, Code of Ethics). I think this was appropriate as a sub-principle as it speaks of how this Social Worker in the scenario brings in their own personal values, attitudes and beliefs and uses them against the client seeking professional help. I believe it is a direct infraction of one’s religion and rights as a person. As a Social Worker, I would have spoken to Mrs. Tremblay thoroughly to make sure that this is what she wants, as it is a permanent decision and I would want to make sure that this decision was made purely from her decision and not based on what I have to say. I would have given Mrs. Tremblay resources that are available that she may have wanted, such as hospitals, support groups, counseling services etc, and well as letting Mrs. Tremblay know that if she ever needs extra support that I would be available with a non-judgmental ear. Scenario two speaks of how Mr. Smith feels â€Å"blue† and see’s a Social Worker in therapy, however that Social Worker tells Mr. Smith that he/she is specialized in Mental Health, and diagnoses Mr. Smith with a depressive episode of Bipolar Affective Disorder, and tells the client to start group therapy and take a week vacation to help alleviate the symptoms. From reviewing the case, it would have to depend on whether or not this Social Worker has a Doctorate Degree in Social Work to be able to diagnose the client or not (as mentioned in the footnote from the Advertising principle) however from reading the text, I feel as though this Social Worker believes that he/she has just specialized in the field of Mental Health, and not earned a Doctorate in the field. I found that the infraction happened under second principle of â€Å"Competence and Integrity†, under â€Å"Competence† with the sub-principles 2. . 1 and 2. 1. 3. 2. 1. 1 Discusses how â€Å"members are responsible for being aware of the extent and parameters of their professional scope† (pg. 5, Code of Ethics). I believe that this is a direct infraction to what happened in the scenario. Since the Social Worker believes that they are specialized in the field because it is an area of practice that they have worked in seeing many patients â€Å"like him†, h owever does not have the appropriate credentials, the services are beyond the member’s professional scope of practice. As a Social Worker, and a member of the college, I would follow what the sub-principle says, and recommend for a particular service, refer Mr. Smith to other professionals who are able to legally diagnose Mr. Smith. 2. 1. 3 Discusses how â€Å"College members maintain current knowledge of policies, legislations programs and issues related to the community in their area of practice† (pg. 6, Code of ethics). I think that this was an appropriate sub-principle as it describes that any member of the College should have full knowledge of their boundaries regarding what and what they are not allowed to discuss with clients. If I were the Social Worker in this scenario, I would have talked to Mr. Smith about how he is feeling, to try and see which professional I could recommend Mr. Smith to. I would take notes on what we talked about, such as Mr. Smith feeling withdrawn, poor appetite and loss of sleep and referred him to the professional I feel would fit Mr. Smith the best. I feel as though it would possibly be beneficial to continue seeing Mr. Smith to talk about how he is feeling, and create goals with him if he wanted to continue our services together, however I would not ersonally diagnose Mr. Smith since I do not have a specific Doctorate in that area. Scenario three discusses that an Aboriginal girl is having troubles at home, and was picked up and brought to the Social Workers office. The Social Worker feels conflicted because the family is an â€Å"upstanding† family in the community and that Social Worker cannot believe that they are having family troubles. The Social Worker calls to let the family know that they have the child. With this case, I see that there is a slight of a conflict of interest and a judgment made seeing how the family is an â€Å"upstanding family† and that the Social Worker â€Å"cannot believe that they have having problems†. However, I feel as though there wasn’t an infraction made seeing as the Social Worker on the case did not provide any services to the family. The Social Worker was the Worker on hand who initially greeted the child upon the drop-off, therefore has a Duty to Report. The principle that I found this case was a part of was principle of Integrity found under the second principle, and the sub-principle is 2. . 1. 2. 2. 1 Speaks of how â€Å"College members do not engage in professional relationships that constitute of a conflict of Interest†¦ College members do not provide any professional service to a client† (pg. 6, Code of Ethics). Since the Social Worker only performed what their specific task was, and did not provide any profession al service to that child, I believe that no infraction was created. If I were a Social Worker on Case, I would have called the family to let the child know that they were in my current care, however I would not engage in any professional relationships since it is a conflict of interest. I would speak to another coworker or supervisor to discuss this conflict, I would write a brief case note describing that I was initially at intake, that I could not continue my professional duty as a Social Worker due to the conflict of interest, and I would write who I passed the case along too. I would also include a signature from my coworker as a trail in case the notes were ever subpoenaed to court. Scenario four discusses how a Social Worker is a full-time worker at a large family counseling agency and maintains a private practice two evenings a week in his/her home office. Since the office has a six month waiting list for services, management asks you to take referrals in your private practice. In this case, there is no infraction. The Social Worker on case is accepting referral’s from other employee’s which is mentioned in the Footnotes of the principle â€Å"Responsibility to Client† which mentions that â€Å"College members may accept referrals from their employees†(pg. 12 Code of Ethics). However, if the case was that the College member is â€Å"soliciting their employer’s clients for private practice† it would be a violation of the sub-principle 3. (pg. 11, Code of Ethics). If I were to be the Social Worker on hand in this case, I would make sure that the only clients I spoke to in terms of coming into my private practice were strictly those who were referred to by other members of the College. I value and believe in the help that can be received when asked for, and by allowing other members to be part of this â€Å"helping movement† we are aiding in their own goals to be reached which helps one with their own values of self-determination. Scenario five discusses how Mr. Smith wants his Social Worker to write up an illness certificate so that he can have a few weeks off work, however Mr. Smith has no problems that would justify getting that time off work, but that Social Worker feels that a week off from work is good for everybody in general. Reading through this I see right away that there is an infraction. There is no reason that Mr. Smith should get a week off work because he has made some progress in therapy, and has been working well on his problems. I see the infraction under the Fourth principle of â€Å"Social Work and Social Service Work records† under the sub-principle 4. . 2. 4. 1. 2 Discusses how â€Å"College members do not make statements in the record†¦ record, issue or sign a certificate, report or other document†¦ that is known to be false, misleading or inaccurate†(pg. 15 Code of Ethics). In this case, the Social Worker feels as though Mr. Smith would benefit from having this week off and decides that it is a good idea, though Mr. Smith has no problems that would qualify him for this week off. In my own opinion, if I were the Social Worker in the case, I would continue to motivate Mr. Smith with his new found self-determination, especially when he is continuing to progress and complete goals that were initially set for him, why would a week off be beneficial. I feel as though that week off may set off a pattern that could lead him back to ground zero. I do not find it appropriate to fill out false information, especially when it could be documented and subpoenaed back to court and could be shown that I went out of my way to favoritize a client because he has made some substantial work in therapy. I would continue to motivate, encourage and work alongside Mr. Smith until he no longer is in need of my services. Scenario six discuses the case of a Social Worker who works in a private practice in a rural town of 5,000 and how a member of the same board would like you to talk to his son since he is having behaviour problems. I see this as an infraction of the second principle â€Å"Integrity† under the sub-principle 2. 2. 1, seeing as the Social Worker and the client know each other on personal terms, it is a direct conflict of interest. . 2. 1 Discusses how â€Å"College members do not engage in professional relationships that constitute a conflict of interest. where College members do not provide a professional service to a client†(pg. 6, Code of Ethics). In this instance, though the Social Worker in the case may be the only Social Worker in the town, he is still one of the few professionals, which means that there are other professionals that may assist his friend Barry and their child. The reason that I find it so important that we do not work with friends, acquaintances, or anyone of the sort that we know outside of our professional spectrum is biases. You cannot work with a client that you know because you will not be able to take a look at the situation with a blind eye. As a side point of the sub-principle, it mentions that doing so, â€Å"avoids conflicts of interest and/or dual relationships with clients† (pg. 6, Code of Ethics), this means that as a Social Worker, having a professional relationship will never interfere with your personal one. It also discusses how â€Å"if the conflict of interest does arise, declaring the conflict of interest and taking appropriate steps to address it could eliminate the conflict† (pg. 6, Code of Ethics), which means that discussing the conflict of interest could avoid the whole situation entirely. If I was the Social Worker working on this case, I would discuss with my friend Barry that there is a conflict of interest and I would not be able to fully give his son the appropriate counseling required because I would be going into the counseling sessions with a hidden agenda. Since the scenario discusses that the Social Worker is one of the few, I feel like I could still reference Barry’s son to other professionals that could still talk to him about the issues that are going on. Scenario seven discusses how there is a custody dispute where both ex-spouses agree to pay 50% of the costs, however something arises where the husband pays his and her halves of the cheque and the social worker decides that since the bill has been paid out in full, there is no need for further discussion about the money issues. From reading on about he case, I read that there is most definitely an infraction, under the principle â€Å"Fee’s† and the sub principle 6. 1. 6. 1 Discusses how â€Å"College members do not charge or accept any fee which is not fully disclosed† (pg. 29, Code of Ethics). From what I gather from the Scenario, the ex-wife was not aware of what the payment outcomes were, and since both spouses originally decided to each pay 50% of the costs I believe that by the Social Worker accepting the full bill and not discussing it with both parties, he is in fact breaking one of the principle’s under the Code of Ethics. If I was the social worker in this scenario, I would allow for both parties’ to be aware of what is happening in the custody dispute, that way there if one party is not fully accepting of what is going on, we can go ahead to figure out what the next best step is. I believe that it is important to keep both sides completely involved in the case when it, at the end involves both ex-husband and ex-wife. I, as a Social Worker value honesty and view this scenario as not being fair to both parties involved. I also believe that if this instance were to be subpoenaed to court, and the wife finds out that the husband paid her half out, and it shows that I took that money, I feel as though my professional license could be jeopardized due to the lack of honesty. Scenario eight discusses how Rachel has been referred to a mental health agency from a local Child and Family Agency in a first nation community. Rachel has two children between the ages of 5 and 7and is trying to get out of an abuse relationship. Rachel’s sister-in-law (husband’s sister) works for the Child and Family Center, and wants to find out the update on Rachel’s situation. Personally I found this to be a complicated situation, where I would definitely want to discuss with other co-workers about their opinions for extra feedback of the best scenario. Right away I thought of the fact that Rachel’s kids are young, being 5 and 7, as soon as they enter a Shelter for Women leaving abusive relations, Children and Family Services must be called as it is a Duty to Report. However, if Rachel’s sister in law was, for instance the woman who took the initial call, it would be in her best interest to follow the rules of it being a conflict of interest and to pass the call to another worker. In this scenario it also speaks to the fact that Rachel discloses that she is worried that Richard will find out where she is, which is when the Social Worker got a call from the sister-in-law asking for an update. This Social Worker is working in a Mental Health Agency, so the only outcome I can see it being appropriate would be to say that the children are no longer in your care, and that if there is any more details that need to be discussed, a confidentiality form must be signed by all parties included and that information must be relayed to the worker in charge of the case. Therefore, I realized that there was an infraction made regarding the fifth principle of confidentiality, under the sub-principles 5. 1 and 5. 3. 6. 5. 1 Discusses how â€Å"college members comply with applicable privacy and other legislations†¦ use of disclosure of client information including personal information, unless otherwise permitted by law† (pg. 23, code of Ethics). This discusses how unless there was a consent signed by the parties involved that allows for members of the College to speak to each other, nothing should be said that can put any client in risk. Therefore as mentioned earlier, unless there was a confidentiality form signed by all parties, and that Rachel’s sister in law was in fact on the case, this is a direct infraction. 5. 3. 6 Describes how â€Å"College members do not disclose the identity of and/or information about a person who has consulted or retained them unless the person consents† (pg. 24, Code of Ethics). As mentioned earlier, I believe that no information should ever be relayed to any other member of parties involved due to the fact that it can be a direct breach of confidentiality. In my opinion, if information is ever let out to the wrong person, that client can be put in direct harm, and even possibly killed. As mentioned earlier, I would go about this by every precaution available to make sure that my client is in the best situation for safety. I would speak to other co-workers to get a second opinion and I would go about every safety precaution from signing consent forms to discussing with those on the case from all parties involved about what is best for the client, since that is what my main priority is. Scenario nine discusses how a Registered Social Worker with a Master’s degree and 20 years in psychiatric settings has a 95% success rate in treating depression. Many clients tell the Social Worker that they are a Doctor because they believe strongly in the skills used. I found that this is an infraction as the Social Worker is not a registered Doctor and as a Social Worker should firmly state their position in the School of Social Work. The Principles that I found the infractions under are â€Å"Advertising† and the sub-principles 7. 1. 6, 7. 3. 3. 7. 1. 6 States that embers â€Å"cannot claim a special advantage that is unsupported by professional or scientific evidence† (pg. 31, Code of Ethics). Personally I feel like the Social Worker in this scenario is telling his clients that by having a 95% success rate and that many clients refer to the Social Worker as a â€Å"Doctor† when no doctorate degree was ever received is an infraction of that rule. The S ocial Worker should be firm and honest with the clients stating that he is not a Doctor, however they have specialized in the field for 20 years, creating a great rapport with clients among the community. . 3. 3 States firmly that â€Å"College members correct whenever possible, false, misleading, or inaccurate information regarding qualification or services†(Pg. 32, Code of Ethics). I believe that this was a main sub-principle that was being broken. As opposed to the social worker stating that they were in fact not a Doctor, nor did he have a doctorate’s degree, the Social Worker carried on and laughed about the comments being made. As mentioned earlier, the Social Worker involved should have mentioned to all clients calling him â€Å"Doctor†, that he is in fact, just specialized in his field. As a Social Worker in this case, I would only mention what was known as true fact when it came time to speak to clients, if they assumed I was a doctor, I would correct them and state facts such as â€Å"No, not a Doctor, however, I have my masters in Social Work, and I’ve specialized in the Mental Health field for over 20 years†. I believe that honesty is what is important when it comes down to making a rapport with clients, that it is important to me as a Social Worker to be aware of these types of infractions so that there is no gray area in our sessions together as client and Social Worker. Scenario ten speaks of a Social Worker who receives a call from Pat, a potential client, which turns out that the client cannot get services from you however you refer the client to other counseling agencies. Two and a half years later, the social worker meets Pat once again and hit things off, where a sexual relationship begins. Personally, I do not see this as an infraction due to the principle of â€Å"Sexual Misconduct†, under the sub-principles 8. 8. However if circumstances were shorter and it had not been a year, this would be an infraction of 8. 6 due to the fact of the relationship starting at time of referral. 8. 8 Discusses how â€Å"sexual relationships between College members and clients whom the members have provided social work or social service work services are prohibited for a period of one (1) year following the termination of the professional relationship† (pg. 6 Code of Ethics). In my opinion, and from what I have read, the Social Worker and client discussed the situation briefly and two and a half years later have met up once again. I do not see that as a direct infraction, however if it had been short of a year, and the client had by chance worked with the Social Worker at hand to get help, there would be an infraction under the sub-principle 8. 6. 8. 6 Speaks of how †Å"sexual relations between College members and clients at any time during the professional relationship are prohibited. College members do not have sexual relations with any person who they’ve had a professional relationship due to the risk of creating a conflict of interest† (pg. 35, Code of Ethics). Explaining in fact that if Pat and the Social Worker did have a professional and Sexual relationship, they would be creating an infraction directly. As a Social Worker, I value, and believe that is it important to respect clients as people, and not take advantage of the vulnerability they may be facing once taking a step further to discuss deep rooted and personal issues with be, as a Social Worker. I believe that there is a rule placed for a reason and that it would not be fair to any people seeking my own personal help to take advantage of their vulnerability (intentionally or not) and use it while having a professional relationship with the client as well. Scenario eleven discusses how there is a Social Worker in an Aboriginal mental health agency, who has a specific client Mary Lou, who is about to terminate her treatment with the Social Worker since she has completed her goals. As a thank you gift, she has made a dream catcher for the Social Worker out of love and appreciation. Personally I do not feel that there is any infraction in this case, seeing as it was not a sexual misconduct for Mary Lou to give the gift and for the Social Worker to accept it a â€Å"thank-you gift†. Just to be certain however, I would look at the principle â€Å"Relationship to Client† under the sub-principle 1. 7. 1. 7 Discusses how â€Å"College members employed by organizations maintain an awareness and consideration of the purpose, mandate and function of those organizations and how they may limit professional relationships with clients† (pg. , Code of Ethics). I believe that in this statement it displays that College members must keep their relationship in mind when working alongside with clients. I believe that there would be a significant problem if the clients were offering us fee’s on the side, â€Å"tips† almost, or that the client has found an emotional love for the worker, however this is not the case. As a Social Worker, I believe t hat there is nothing better than knowing that one appreciates what you’ve done for them in terms of creating that rapport. I believe that there is a specific reason why we all chose to get into this program, and helping others is a major reason, if it wasn’t, why else would it be? I do not believe that there is anything wrong with a gift of appreciation, especially one that demonstrates their culture. I value the rapport that we build with clients and the things we learn from each of the cases that we work on we are able to learn and grow each time. Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers. (2008). Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice Handbooks . Toronto : Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers.

Organizational behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Organizational behavior - Essay Example It is basically a practice of proper or suitable human behavior within the organizational setting (Griffin and Moorhead 3). The human behavior within the organization depends on many important factors and they are the organizational structure, motivational factors, job satisfaction, leadership qualities of the managers, communication processes and many more. However, with the advancement of the behavioral approaches of the new age work forces the organizational behavioral approaches of the management are also changing. The ROWE program in Best Buy is a great example to be studied by most of the organizations. Organizational structures (on the basis of decision making) Centralized: According to the centralized method the top level managers take the final decision and it is been carried downwards to the employee level. In this case the numbers of the managers are less and they stay away from the service point. Most of the traditional organizations follow the centralized structure. Dece ntralized: The decentralized system is totally different. The decision can also be taken in a much lower level. However, it is better than the centralized methods as the decision is made fast and the decision maker stays near the service point (Finkler et al; 43). Relation between organizational behavior and Structure: Strategy is the long term goal of the organization towards the proper direction. There are many strategies related to the organizations behavior and many strategies are discussed above and will be discussed in the later part of this paper. However, the organizational behavior and the organizational structures are closely related to each other. The decision making process and the behavior of the organization highly depend on the organizational structure. The structure and the behavioral strategies have reciprocal relationship (Hitt, Ireland, and Hoskisson 312). This important relation focuses one strategy formulation and the strategy implementation. In the recent time the ROWE program in the Best Buy can be presented to understand the relation between the organizational behavior, the structure and the strategies accordingly to match both the entities (Hitt, Ireland, and Hoskisson 312) Organization Behaviors: Group behavior: An organization is made of different people from different cultural back grounds and the group behavior plays a vital role in this context. However, group behaviors can referrer to many things. For an example, a group made of similar mentality people for some personal achievements can be a great negative character for an organization. However, a systematic grouping of employees for the betterment of the organization can be called as a team. And, team work is a great positive point for any organization. However, a group behavior is less predictable as many people are associated with a group (Yalom, and Leszcz 261). Job Attitudes: The attitude is a relative and evaluative statement; it can be favorable or unfavorable towards an object, person or job (Robbins, 55). It is a complex behavior of a person and it is highly dependent upon individual. However, attitudes can be molded with proper behavioral practices. The attitude of an employee towards her or her job depends upon many important factors and they are the job profile, motivation

Fair trade company that specialises in coffee and tea Assignment

Fair trade company that specialises in coffee and tea - Assignment Example The present research has identified that the fourth largest coffee producing country in the entire globe is Indonesia. The start of coffee production in the country dates back to the colonial times. The economic activity has greatly contributed to the growth and development of the country. The country’s location makes it suitable for the production of coffee. The country flourishes in an ideal geography of coffee plantations. The geographical coordinate system contributes to the ideal climate for the growth and production. The latitude and longitude contribute to the prevalent environmental degradation and the destruction of forests that offer a conducive place for the growth of endemic tree species in the entire world. In 2007, the country produced a total of 420,000 metric tons in the volume of coffee. The country exported 271,000 metric tons of the total amounts and allowed 148,000 metric tons for local consumption. On the exports, 25 percent encompasses Arabica coffee, wit h the remaining being Robusta coffee. The country’s Arabica Coffee is strong-bodied with a low acidic nature. These qualities make them suitable for blending purposes with the higher acidic brands from the Central part of America. The governor from Dutch in Malabar, India sent a ship of Coffee Arabica seedlings to the governor in Batavia in 1699. Currently, Jakarta is the new name for Batavia. The planting activity was successful. Hence, the exportation venture commenced in 1711.

Goals in life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Goals in life - Essay Example Starting with what you know involves getting to know yourself a little better without all the hang-ups and expectations of the world you were brought up in. To get to know yourself better, you have to sit down and really think about what’s important to you, what your morals are and what you feel is ethically correct. This is all about those intangible things that are meaningful to you. If you’re thinking about how impressive a 15 bedroom house would be to your friends and family, you’re on the wrong track but if you’re thinking about how it might be necessary to have 15 bedrooms in order to house all those children you want to have, you might be onto something. Follow the thought a little deeper and you might discover that what is important to you is that you have a close relationship with a number of different people. The next step after figuring out what’s really important to you is to experiment with those areas that you aren’t all that familiar with. Do you like to do things outdoors? If you’ve grown up in the inner city, this might be a very difficult question to answer. While you’re young is the time to experiment with different ways of living, different ways of looking at the world and different ideas of what you might wish to do in life. Talk with people who are from different countries, different backgrounds and different socio-economic classes. You might learn something about yourself and you will certainly gain a greater appreciation for the diversity of the world around you. You may discover that your inner city dreams of the 15 bedroom house meant that you want close relationships with people but that you also desire more personal space, meaning an office job will not make you happy. Finally, knowing what is really important to you and having had the chance to experiment with a variety of viewpoints, you are ready to begin setting your goals. Envision what your life might look like in 20 years

Liver Function Tests Literature Review and Practice

Liver Function Tests Literature Review and Practice Introduction The liver is the largest internal organ in the body. In adult the liver weighs approximately 1-2.5 kilograms. It is â€Å"wedge-shaped†, soft and reddish-brown in colour. It is situated underneath the diaphragm. The liver is divided into right and left lobes by the middle hepatic vein. The right lobe is bigger and consists of caudate and quadrate lobes. The blood is supplied to the liver constitute 25% of the resting cardiac output and through two major blood vessels: hepatic artery and portal vein. Blood leaves the liver via the hepatic vein, which drains directly into the inferior vena cava. Bile is formed in the liver and it is collected in the bile capillaries which drain into the right and left hepatic ducts. The liver is organised in lobules within which blood flows past hepatic cells via sinusoids from branches of the portal vein (bringing absorbed materials from gastrointestinal tract) to the central vein of each lobule. Hepatic artery blood (providing oxygen needed for many of the metabolic processes carried out by the liver) also enters the sinusoids. The central veins coalesce to form the hepatic veins which drain into the inferior vena cava. Each liver cell is also apposed to several bile canaliculi. The canaliculi coalesce to form the right and left hepatic ducts, which join outside the liver to form the common hepatic duct. The cystic duct drains the gallbladder. The hepatic duct unites with the cystic duct to form the common bile duct. The common bile duct enters the duodenum at the papilla. Ganong, (1995) Hepatocytes or parenchymal (liver cells) which further classified on the basis of their site in the lobule comprise about 60% kupffer cells lining the hepatic sinusoids comprise 30% of the liver cells and the remaining 10% of cells consist of vascular and supporting tissue and bile ducts. The significant important of the liver came from the ability of this organ to perform a wide variety of functions which contribute in the body homeostasis, in particular regulation of blood sugar. When there is an excess sugar, the pancreatic cells secret the hormone insulin that converts excess sugar into glycogen (storage form of glucose). Glycogen provide rapid accessible source of energy for the body when blood glucose decrease. Also gluconeogenesis (formation of new glucose) from amino acids such as alanine and ascorbic acid take place in liver. The coagulation factors which are required for blood clotting, albumin and various lipoproteins which are required for transport of lipid in blood stream are synthesized in the liver. The only exception of protein synthesis is the synthesis of immunoglobulin. Cholesterol which serves as precursor of steroid hormones is mostly synthesized in by the liver. Also liver has the ability to excrete and detoxify e.g. ammonia formed from the brea kdown of amino acids or microbial action in the gastrointestinal tract converted to urea. Steroid hormones which are inactivated by conjugation with glucuronate and sulphate excreted into urine as water soluble forms. A wide range of medications (drugs) inactivated by endoplasmic reticulum enzymes and some are excreted in the bile. Kupffer cells in the hepatic sinusoid extract toxins absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. Other important excretory function is the excretion of bile acid formed from cholesterol in the liver to gall bladder where it stored until required for lipid digestion in the small intestine. The ability of liver to carry out its excretory function of the metabolism end products depends on, healthy functioning hepatocytes, adequate blood flow through the liver and patent biliary duct. The other important function of liver is Storage of vitamins such as vitamin A, D and vitamin B12. In addition, metabolism and excretion of bilirubin is one of the major functions of the liver. Bilirubin is an ecteric waste product pigment formed from the breakdown of haemoglobin (Hb) in the red blood cells in the lymph reticular system at the end of their life span which is approximately 120 days. Normally an adult produces about 450 umol/L daily. Gaw et al, (1999). Hb contains four haem group, an iron atom and prophyrin ring attached to each haem group. When Hb molecules metabolize, the iron atoms are removed and reused again in the processing of a new Hb molecule. The prophyrin ring breaks to form a open tetrapyrole derivative biliverdin chain which is further reduced to form unconjugated bilirubin (lipid soluble).Whitby, (1988). The lipid-soluble bilirubin can cross cell membrane include brain barrier and cause brain cell damage. Therefore it has to be transported by a special carrier called albumin in the plasma in order to be converted to water-soluble so that can be excreted into bile. The binding of albumin accomplished by being not enter cells readily and also not filtered through glumerulus unless there is glomerular proteinuria. When the albumin-bilirubin complex reach the liver, it dissociates by the receptors on the plasma at the same time. Inside hepatocytes, bilirubin molecules join to relatively non-specific anion binding proteins called ligandin (Y protein), is soluble transport protein in the smooth endoplasmic reticulum. Calbreath, (1992). The glucuronic acid molecules attach to unconjugated bilirubin molecules to form bilirubin glucuronides in a reaction mediated by uridine diphosphate (UDP). Bilirubin glucuronides complex is water-soluble conjugated bilirubin which then excreted into small i ntestine. The conjugation process depends on the active secretion of bile acids and therefore serum bile acids concentration are more sensitive index of hepatic transport function than the total bilirubin. Small amount undergoes reabsorption in the small intestine and the rest is degraded by bacterial action mainly in the colon where it is de-conjugated to form urobilinogen. Portions of urobilinogen re-enter the hepatic circulation and excreted by the liver into bile. Small fraction filtered by kidney into urine, but the majority is excreted in faeces providing its orange-yellow characteristic. If the bilirary tract becomes blocked, serum bilirubin concentration will rise as uncojugated bilirubin not excreted and the patient becomes jaundice. Jaundice is a yellow discoloration of the skin or the sclera of the eye. The yellowish coloration is caused by an excess amount of bilirubin in the plasma which is not detectable until the concentration is greater than 40 umol/L. gaw, et al (1999). The normal concentration is up to 20 umol/L. causes of jaundice classified into three categories including haemolytic (prehepatic) jaundice characterized by an increased breakdown of haemoglobin, hepatic jaundice due to failure of the conjugation mechanism and post hepatic or obstructive jaundice because of obstruction of biliary system. Most newborn babies are characterized with physiological or neonatal jaundice due to natural process of breaking down RBCs. As their livers are immature, they can not process bilirubin as quickly as when they are old. This increase in bilirubin concentration and has no significance to do with liver. Marshal, (2000). In clinical practice usually all the tests related to liver diseases are called liver function tests (LFT). Biochemical tests include measurement of bilirubin, the aminotransferases (ALT and AST), albumin total protein and alkaline pkosphatase in serum specimen. Albumin and total protein reflect the synthetic liver function. ALT and AST used to measure the severity of liver cells damage although they are not specific index of acute damage to hepatocytes, but they are sensitve indicators to cytoplasmic and mitochondrial membrane. Gaw, et al (1999). Increased conjugation bilirubin concentration and increased ALP activity at sinusoidal surface indicate cholestasis, a blockage in the bile flow. Prolonged cholestasis can result in severe jaundice with very high bilirubin concentration result in deposition of bile salts, characterized by itching, bleeding due to vitamin K malabsorption, cholesterol retention and dark urine with pale stool. The prothrombin time (PT) which is used to asses t he synthetic function of liver is prolonged due to cholestasis. Measurement of ÃŽ ³ glutamyl transferase can give an indication of hepatocellular enzyme induction due to drugs or alcohol. Materials and method Please refer to medical biochemistry practical book (BMS2). Result Calculation Determination of ALP The equation obtained from the graph is used to calculate the amount of phenol liberated by the action of ALP. The equation is: Y = 0.1753 The enzyme activity is measured in international unit per 1 minute (IU/1) therefore to obtain the activity, the result has to be converted first to umol/1 and then divided by the incubation time (15 minutes) as follow: (Value of phenol concentration in mmol/1 X 1000) / 15 = IU/L Patient 1: Result: 0.207 / 0.1753 = 1.18083 x 1000   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  = 1180.8 umol/L To get the enzyme activity in 1 minute:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  = 1180.8 / 15 = 78.7 IU/L ALP enzyme activity of patient 1= 78.7 IU/L Patient 2: Result: 0.215 / 0.1753 = 1.2264 x 1000   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  = 1226.4 umol/L To get the enzyme activity in 1 minute:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  = 1226.4 / 15 = 81.7 IU/L ALP enzyme activity of patient 2 = 81.7 IU/L Determination of bilirubin The concentration of bilirubin is calculated by using the following equation Absorbance of the test x STD concentration Absorbance of STD Result: Patient 1 = (0.413/0.431) x 350 = 335.3 umol/L Patient 2 = (0.037/0.431) x 350 = 30 umol/L The results of Aspartate transaminase (AST), albumin and total protein were provided by the tutor. Conclusion The biochemical finding shows that patient 1 may have haemolytic disease where as the other patient (patient 2) suffer from acute hepatitis. Discussion Liver function test are done to asses the integrity of the liver to carry out its normal synthetic and metabolic functions. This is achieved through series of numerical tests that reflect the healthiness of the liver when comparing the result obtained with normal reference ranges. The measurements of enzyme activities are very useful in following the progress of the liver disease once the diagnosis has been made. From the result it is obvious that patient 1 has got normal TP, ALB, AST and ALP results, which means that there is liver damage. Total protein is combined of immunoglobulin proteins and other proteins. A persons total protein level gives information about the liver damage, kidney damage and nutritional health. Albumin is small protein made in the liver. If a person suffers from liver damage, the albumin concentration will drop because the liver can not maintain the normal production of albumin. Aspartate transminase (AST) is the enzyme found in the liver, heart and muscle. Levels of this enzyme are usually assessed in conjugation with reading for other liver enzyme to determine or monitor the liver involvement. On other hand the bilirubin is very high above the normal range (hyperbilirubiaemia) and normally the bilirubin which is present in plasma is unconjugated bilirubin. Since the unconjugated bilirubin is high it indicates that is excessive red blood cells (RBCs) destruction (haemolysis) which occurs in haemolytic anaemia. Normally the red blood cells survival is 120 days, but in haemolytic anaemia is less. Because of that the RBCs are destroyed in large quantities in the RE system (particularly the spleen). When the RBCs are destroyed, the haemoglobin is released and bilirubin is produced. It is mainly produced from the haem moiety of the haemoglobin (it is also produced from myoglobin, cytochroms and peroxidase, which are widely distributed in the body). The liver can not conjugate and remove this large amount of unconjugated bilirubin and since it is protein bound the renal glomeruli can not filter it. That leads to overflow of unconjugated bilirubin in blood circulation. These mean that this patient may have haemolytic jaundice (prehepatic jaundice), because the protein synthesis is normal and ALP, AST are normal which means that there is no liver involvement. Haemolytic jaundice also occurs in haemolytic Disease of Newborn, transfusion of incompatible blood, hereditary spherocytosis and autoimmune red cell destruction. Marshall,(2000). The results of patient 2 show normal total protein, albumin and ALP. There is a slight increase in bilirubin level (hyperbilirubinaemia) and AST is above the very high. AST is an intracellular enzyme and is mostly found in the cytoplasmic and mitochondrial membrane of hepatocytes. So it is a sensitive marker for the severity of damage hepatocytes. ALP concentration usually rises in cholestasis (this is by extra-hepatic obstruction of the bile duct) but in this patient was normal, which means that the kupffer cells and sinusoidal surface is not yet damaged. Total protein and albumin were also normal and that indicates that the metabolism and synthesis in the liver is not yet affected. Bilirubin was slightly high which support that there is liver disease and due to this, there is defect of bile salt and bile pigment excretion. In addition to that, conjugation and detoxification functions are well defected because of hepatic cells damaged. These happen due to a condition called Hepatiti s (liver inflammation). Hepatitis is the common cause of acute liver injury. Acute hepatitis usually occurs due to viral infection particularly with hepatitis viruses A, B, C, D and E, but also Epstein-bar virus and cytomegalovirus or toxin (e.g. alcohol and paracetamol). Marshall, (2000) In the early stages of hepatitis, increased plasma ALT and AST activities may be the only abnormal chemical finding. There will be also an increased level of urobilinogen and bilirubin in urine (the urine will be darkened). The stool may be very pale due to impaired biliary excretion of bilirubin and urobilinogen then disappears more or less completely from the urine. Marshall, (2000) The above results reveal that liver is functioning well but partly defected because of the early stage of the disease. This patient may have acute liver disease (Acute hepatitis). To confirm these results hepatitis virus profiles should be done. Question Jaundice in the newborn is common. Why? Jaundice in the newborn is called Neonatal Jaundice. It is common because before birth, an infant get rid of bilirubin through the mothers blood and liver system. After birth, the babys liver has to take over processing on its own. The activity of the hepatic conjugation enzyme is usually low at birth but increases rapidly thereafter. Almost all newborns have higher than normal level of bilirubin; because the immaturity of their livers. In most cases, the babys system continues to develop and can soon process bilirubin. However, some infants may need medical treatment to prevent serious complications which can occur due to the accumulation of bilirubin. There are at least two significant processes that predispose normal infants to jaundice: The rate of bilirubin production is higher in infants than adults because their red blood cells have half-life and turn over more rapidly. Infants have a relatively limited ability to conjugate bilirubin and conjugation in the liver is necessary for efficient elimination. Write short notes on Gilberts disease. Gilberts disease is a harmless inherited condition in which the unconjugated bilirubin level in the blood is increased. Bilirubin is an end product of haemoglobin breakdown and it is conjugated in the liver with glucuronate. This process is catalysed by specific enzyme called uidine diophosphate glucuronyl transferase which is found in endoplasmic reticulum, which helps the body to conjugate bilirubin and get rid of it. Thus Gilberts syndrome is a genetic disorder which means that there is slight deficiency of this enzyme. Patient with Gilberts disease can have intermittent bilirubin level but the values are often increased when blood is drown after a period of fasting or during a time of concurrent viral illness or when the person is stressed, either physically or mentally. People with Gilberts syndrome are not ill but they may complain of vague abdominal discomfort and general fatigue for which no cause found. The condition is not usually apparent until adolescence or early adult life. It is sometimes discovered incidentally, in the course of investigations done for related reasons. All liver function tests (LFTs) are normal, except for serum bilirubin which is raised. X-ray and liver biopsy show that there is no liver disease. Gilberts syndrome should not be regarded as a disease and people with the syndrome are not ill.

Current Happenings In Music Piracy In Usa Essay

The ever continuing creation and circulation of new software through the Internet has pulled the courts deeper into a legal predicament. Due to this budding expertise, legal intellectuals and courts are vigorously debating the advantages of proving liable the gatekeepers who actually indulged in distribution of products that facilitate the violation of copyrights. According to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1988, a copyright owner can sue infringers for up to $ 1, 50,000 per offense. It also permitted the RIAA and other claimants to search the Internet histories of said copyright infringers through their Internet Service Providers [ISPs] even without the knowledge of concerned individuals. ISPs have vehemently opposed such intrusion, unsuccessfully and it is to be noted that the subpoenas have attracted criticism from congress as well. Punishing the real infringers is turning to be arduous task in digital copyright law. The question now arises as to who is the real infringer, whether the Internet users who actually download the copyrighted music or the gatekeeper or Internet Service Providers who facilitate such free downloading and infringement of copyright law. This question has become greater relevance as RIAA recently filed suits against some real infringers rather than on peer-to-peer [p2p] networks which had sent shockwaves through legal community. In this legal tussle, one district court actually declined to ban the provision of p2p software by Grokster, compelling the recording industry to file suit against real users of p2p software. However, the copyright owners are seriously appealing the decision made in favor of the software providers, looking for to influence the Ninth Circuit to view the software companies responsible and thereby desist the requirement to pursue individual infringers. MGM v GROKSTER Supreme Court of USA held in Metro-Goldwyn –Mayer Studios Inc. V Grokster, Ltd that one who distributes a mechanism with the intention of encouraging its use to violate copyrights, as demonstrated by clear expression or other confirmatory steps initiated to encourage infringement, is responsible for the violation of copyright by the actions of unrelated persons. The most advertised legal suits seem to be slackening traffic at music sites like Grokster, Kazaa and Morpheus which encouraged illegal file sharing. According to RIAA, at any given period, about 3 to 5. 1 million Internet users are on the Internet, downloading music through these gatekeepers and infringing copyright law. It has been estimated that sales have declined from $ 15 billion to $ 11 billion in the last four years itself. Though, the Supreme Court initiative to identify new rules for a digital age, the copious observations made by the Justices in Grokster case resulted in a gloomy standard with virtually no application outside the specific facts of that case. Delivering an undivided opinion mainly on the realities of the case, the Judges subsequently disintegrated on the relevance of law, held blurred observations without any practical means to control the ever-increasing contagion of online piracy while at the same time offering inconsistent applications of the earlier standard for gatekeeper liability in the Sony case. Thus, the court’s effort to solve the copyright infringement problem runs the peril of trespassing the judicial branch’s authority by shaping a lawmaking strategy issue better decided by the authority of Congress. Metro-Goldwyn –Mayer Studios [MGM] filed a suit in the fall of 2000 against StreamCast Networks and Grokster contending that the defendants wittingly and knowingly distributed their software so as to facilitate the users to reproduce and circulate copyrighted products infringing the Copyright Act. Further, MGM alleged that software offered by these two companies acted no major noninfringing intention. The software facilitated the neitzens through he use of p2p [peer-to-peer] networks, to connect with the other users and download both the noncopyrighted and copyrighted video and music. In their lawsuit, MGM not only claimed damages for the loss arising out of infringement of copyrighted products which was indulged by neitizens but also preyed for an injunction to stop the continued distribution of the software. Many of the facts offered in the case were acknowledged by either party. At the first instance, the neitizens were freely transferring music files that have copyrights which were freely accessible due to availability of software. Secondly, neitizens who were downloading the copyrighted video and music were indulged in illegitimate actions in contravention of the Copyright Act. Respondent’s argued that, under the principle followed by the Court in Sony case, the product was ‘capable of major nonifnringing use. ’ The Court rather relied its decision on the distributors’ lack of real knowledge about particular actions of violation and the product’s potentiality of major legitimate usage. On appeal, the decision of the District Court was confirmed by the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit which based its decision on the footing that a defendant was accountable for causative violation only when they had acquaintance of the infringement committed by neitizens and materially responsible for the infringement. The Ninth Circuit viewed that the software was capable of major non-infringing applications and opined that liability under the Sony principle did not occur in this case. Further, the companies were decided not to be liable for the acts of their users due to the decentralized configuration of the software. As such, the Ninth Court observed that StramCast and Grokster did not materially responsible for the actions of their users as they played no role in the search, reclamation, or storage of infringing files. According the Ninth Court, the only role played by StreamCast and Grokster was the provision of free software while the infringement was committed by the users. Aggrieved by the decision of the Ninth Court , MGM appealed to Supreme Court thereby presenting a novel legal issue to the Court: to decide ‘under what scenario , the distributor of a product competent of both lawful and unlawful usage is responsible for the actions of violation of copyright by unrelated persons exploiting the product’. The opinion of the court was authored by the Justice Souter which described that,† one who distributes a mechanism with the intention of encouraging its usage to violate copyright, as demonstrated by apparent expression or other positive steps pursued to promote contravention, is responsible for the consequential actions of violations by unrelated users. â€Å" The Supreme Court thus viewed that both the District Court and the Ninth Circuit court had bungled the Supreme Court’s verdict on Sony’s case. Thus, the lower Courts had erroneously established that a producer cannot be held contributorily responsible for the infringing exploitation of a product. Further, the Court was of the view that a lack of precise awareness of infringement and failure to act upon that lack of familiarity did not block the application of other theories of secondary liability. Justice Souter observed that under Sony, distributors or gatekeepers may not be held responsible under the hypothesis of contributory liability where the neitizens are acting upon their own will or wish. Moreover, Sony did not foreclose other avenues to liability in situations such as were presented by Stream Cast and Grokster. Justice Souter further opined that nothing in Sony case demands courts to disregard proof of objective to encourage infringement, if such evidence presents. Contrary to the views of the lower courts, Sony was not meant, to exclude principles of fault-based liability that emanate under general law. Thus, Justice Souter relied upon this finding and viewed that the Sony rule as regards to third-party accountability would not relate where evidence goes beyond a product’s features or the awareness that a product may be put to infringing applications, and instead demonstrates actions or statements directed to encourage infringement. Supreme Court held that both of the parties were not correct in their pleadings applying the Sony test to the facts of the present case. Justice Souter held that the appropriate legal principle on which rule is not the contributory liability of StreamCast and Grokster under Sony, but rather under common-law principle of ‘inducement’ infringement. The presence of evidence substantiating a meaningful inducement on the part of a gatekeeper who will trounce the unwillingness of the courts to charge a third party liable where the defendant distributes a product suitable for some noninfringing, lawful application. In this case, according to Justice Souter, there were three features of the evidence in the trial documents revealed that the respondents provoked the infringement of copyrights and acted with an unlawful intent which includes the following; ? Encouraging the illicit use of their programs through their marketing activities. ? Failure on the part of defendants to make efforts to restrain the illegal use of the products ;and ? Deriving substantial profit due to the illegal activities by users of the programs. As regard to the each of the above features, the Court observed particular qualities of the distributors especially noteworthy. Further, in this case, both the defendant companies demonstrated a longing to satisfy the demand for illegal downloading of copy righted products by explicitly endeavoring to appeal to previous users of Napster. Further, neither of the respondents installed or tried to offer any filter so as to desist the infringing activities pursued by the users of their product. According to Court, this clearly demonstrated that the respondents’ wish to help its users’ infringement. Further, the revenue, the respondents derived from selling advertising space illustrated that the respondents had a wish to augment the infringing use of their products. Hence, the Court scrutinized the totality of the scenario, observing the record in the pretext of all the evidences offered and granting no single element more weight than the others. According to Justice Souter, the intention of the case, was harmonizing the value of copy-righted creative pursuits and the value of novelty in communications and technology. Further, if much emphasis is given to safeguarding the rights of the copyright holders, then it may result in impediment in the growth of new technology. However, if more emphasis is given on permitting the free development of new products without fear of liability, the less safeguard the courts offer to the owners’ of copyrights. In this case, Justice Ginsburg made a concurring opinion. While she concurred with the holding of the case as regards to third-party liability on the theory of encouraging infringement , but had given her opinion separately on the applicability of Sony’s doctrine to the existing case. Justice Ginsburg maintained that, even under the stand laid own in Sony, there is ‘at least an ‘a real issue as to material fact and on the liability of StreamCast and Grokster, on a theory of contributory infringement. With the both defendants, there remained a substantial question as to whether the free software is capable of major noninfringing use. However, there existed only generalized or anecdotal evidence as regards to potential noninfringing application of the software. Due to this fact, the lower court were unable to conclude whether, at the time of summary judgment, the free software were capable of a major noninfringing application. According to Justice Ginsberg, the test requiring that a product be ‘capable’ of major noninfringing application necessarily involves that real noninfringing application must be demonstrated. Hence, she concluded that, if the case is not decided on remand by summary judgment in favor of MGM on the ground of encouraging infringement by StreamCast and Grokster, she would have the lower court might have annulled the summary judgment in favour of StreamCast and Grokster relying that it does not conform to the demand set off by the Court in Sony case. Though, the Supreme Court verdict is unanimous, the contradictory relevance of the Sony test and the distinctive circumstances of this particular case, manifest anything but cohesions, thereby resulting copyright owners and developers uncertain of the Court’s likely action of future cases. However, Supreme Court verdict in Grokster case was termed as a major victory for copyright holders. However, the darker side of Grokster case is that analogues cases may be filed in the lower appellate courts before the Supreme Court finalizes a contemptuous decision in the sphere of vicarious liability for third-party users. The decision in the Grokster case raises many issues like resolution of many controversial cyber law issues, the impact the decision will have on modern technology, the impact on copyright safeguard measures and the part of the judiciary in shaping the laws of cyber law. However, in Grokster case, Supreme Court did nothing to resolve the question of liability in scenarios where inducement on the part of the distributor is in existence. It is to be noted that there existed striking differences between Napster case and Grokster case. In Napster case, it was clearly established that Napster did encouraged infringement. But in Grokster case, there existed a different set of facts is tenuous at best. It is to be noted during the oral arguments in the Grokster case , Justices Scalia and Breyer deliberated the question of how the Court’s ruling would impact the inventor in his garage who does not yet aware the impacts of his technology. For instance, the inventor of a photocopier offers instruction on the operation of the machine, including instructions on how to make photocopies from the machine. At this juncture, the inventor has encouraged the users to infringe copyright by offering the mechanism, not closely monitoring the users and rather educating them on the tools of infringement. The solution to this problem remains unanswered with the Supreme Court’s ruling in Grokster. It is to be noted that Grokster case has not advanced any solution to the issue but rather made it more complex. In Grokster case, three justices, led by Justice Breyer, stating that summary judgment under Sony was rather correct whereas other three justices concurring with the Justice Souter that a discussion of the Sony standard is not required to the holding of the case. As a result, a legal quandary was rather emanated where the lower courts are left with little settled law and perhaps even more uncertainty than previously subsisted.

Brain Blast! Factors Affecting Retention

Brain Blast! Factors Affecting Retention BY hypoactive Chapter I Statement of the problem: The different factors affecting retention of fourth year students of Vulcan Ecumenical School Three Specific Questions: Why do some people have a better memory than others? ; How do we remember? ; and Why do we forget? Significance of the Study: To widen the knowledge of the readers about retention; Alms to show different ways on how one can have a better retention; This study Is to benefit students especially those from Vulcan Ecumenical School Scope and Limitation This study mainly focuses on the senior students of Vulcan Ecumenical School.The articles gathered here are a combination of local and foreign literature. Chapter II Review of Related Literature Presented In this chapter Is a synthesis of facts that support the topic the researchers would want to prove. Included in the chapter is the definition of memory, parts of the brain that are in charge on remembering and forgetting, connectiv ity of the brain, a deeper understanding on autobiographical and semantic memory, long term and short term memory, how and why people remember and forget, the reason why some people have a better memory than others and some methods on how one can Improve his/her memory.Local Literature According to Alfonse M. Albany of Philippine star, the human brain weighing roughly one-and-a-half kilos, with a volume more or less half that of a medium-sized coconut, with its about 100 billion neurons, each with some 10,000 interconnections, is probably the most complex structure that we know. Yet, that structural complexity hardly begins to hint at the incredible variety and the enormity of its functions. Surely, this is a case of a whole that is vastly greater than the sum of its parts.Albany said that the brain is the seat of our consciousness and of our emotions, the repository of our memories. It synthesizes and analyses our sensory inputs, decides what behavioral responses are appropriate or necessary to promote our continued survival. And when parts of it fail to perform properly, we are burdened with depression, or schizophrenia, or Alchemist's diseases, or other such debilitating disorders. The ancient Greek physician Hippocrates put it well: â€Å"Men ought to know that from nothing else but the brain come Joys, delights, laughter and sports, and sorrows, grieves, despondency, and lamentations. No wonder the brain has been the subject of intense scientific scrutiny's for a very long time. A currently active area of study concerns the â€Å"connectivity† of the brain. Physiologists distinguish â€Å"structural† or â€Å"anatomical† connectivity from â€Å"functional† connectivity and both from â€Å"effective† connectivity. The first merely means the physical connections between groups of neurons 1 . The second refers to correlated behaviors of different brain regions. The last involves the transfer of information from one region to another, possibly affecting the behavior of the latter ? a causal connection 2.Our Marvelous Brains On one of the articles of Koruna Sanchez she wrote that because of the amount of information that the human brain receives everyday, a sort of built-in filter kicks in to only allow those that seem important. Otherwise the brain would literally heat up and burn out faster than we would want it to. A good example was when a portrait of the famous Mona Lisa was shown to several persons, they all failed to notice a OF in the background, which of course is not in the original painting.Because we know, or supposed to know what the Mona Lisa looks like, we don't look at other details anymore. Misdirection's is another way to distract the brain. So many examples of seduction were shown, which is the bread and butter of a good magician or illusionist, and yes, even con artists and criminals. Your brain is made to focus on something while ignoring everything else. Watching a basketball bein g passed several times among players while totally ignoring a gorilla that walks among them. And this is what criminals like pickpockets master.That little bump on the shoulder is enough to distract you while they go after your wallet or purse. Or using beautiful women to get the attention of gullible men. You know the rest. Foreign Literature 1. Definition of memory According to lucid research. Mom, the human memory is a complex activity of the brain that allows us to store information and retrieve it again when we need it. There are two discrete memory systems: A system that keeps a record of our personal life experiences is usually called Autobiographical memory. A system that holds the knowledge about the world is called Semantic memory.It is possible for one system to work better than the other because these two work in somewhat different ways. For example, a student might have a good autobiographical memory and recall in detail everything about an event, but a poor semantic me mory o failing to remember things that need to be learned in school. Both memory systems can store information from all our senses – vision, hearing, smell, taste, touch – but in semantic memory visual and auditory-verbal modes of information usually predominate, unless another mode was particularly important.For example, a perfume maker would have a very well-developed semantic memory for doors. 2. Get to know your Brain Parts of the brain that is in charge of remembering and forgetting: The Cortex As said by Dry. Paul Nassau, the Cortex 5 is the outer covering of the brain. It is a word that translates to mean â€Å"bark of a tree†. This is one part of the brain that is responsible for your most complicated thinking abilities. Your memory, language, personality, intentional motor skills, spatial ability and visual perception are all controlled by the Cortex.The Medial Section of the Brain This part tends to be older and more primitive. These are responsible fo r controlling drives, impulses, fears, instincts, emotions, reflexes, subconscious processes and automatic behaviors. Supporter The â€Å"Subcultures† are the deeper brain structures. This permits a smooth integration of information processing in the brain. 3. Short-term Memory According to Keener Cherry, Short-term memory is also known as primary or active memory. It is the information that comes from giving attention to sensory memories.Duration of short-term Memory: Most of the information stored in this memory usually last for approximately 20 to 30 seconds. While many of our short-term memories are quickly forgotten, attending to this situation allows it to continue on the next stage – Long-term memory. The Capacity of Short-term Memory: â€Å"The Magical Number Seven, Plus or Minus Two†, expert psychologist George Miller suggested that people can store between five and nine items. More recent research suggests that people are capable of storing approximate ly four chunks of information in short-term memory. . Long-term Memory According to Keener Cherry, Long-term memory refers to the continuing storage of information. The information is largely outside of our awareness, but can be called into working memory to be used when needed. Some of the information is easy to recall, while others are more difficult to access. Duration of Long-term Memory: Long-term memories can last for a matter of days to as long as many decades. Types of Long-Term Memory Long-term memory is usually divided into two types – declaratively (explicit) memory ND procedural (implicit) memory. Declarative includes all of the memories that are available in consciousness. Declarative memory can be further divided into episodic memory (specific events) and semantic memory (knowledge about the world). Procedural memory involves memories of body movement and how to use objects in the environment. How to drive a car or use a computer are examples of procedural memor ies. 5. A deeper understanding about Autobiographical and Semantic Memory According to human-memory. Net, Autobiographical or Episodic memory is a memory system consisting of experiences recollected from an individual's life.Individuals can see themselves as actors in these events, and the emotional charge and the entire situation surrounded by the event is usually part of the memory. On the other hand, Semantic memory is a more structured record of facts, meanings, concepts and knowledge about the external world that we have attained. As stated by Luke Mastic, semantic memory is generally derived from the episodic memory, in that we learn new facts or concepts from our experiences, and the episodic memory is considered to support and underpin semantic memory. 6. Why do we forget? Lucid research. M says that the human memory is a system which is intended to remember information as well as forget information. Generally, we only retain the information we need for as long as we need it , and then it is forgotten. The human brain is constantly bombarded with huge amount of knowledge, and even though the information storage capacity of the human brain is very large, if we store every single item of information that ever reached our senses from the moment we were born, our memory would totally be overloaded before we started school. The fact is: we simply do not need to retain most of the information we receive each day.We only need to preserve some of that information and can safely forget the rest. The trick is to make sure that the information we do need is stored properly in memory ready for memory for a short time provided we strive to keep it there (e. G. By thinking about it or by rehearsing it to ourselves). This process is called short-term memory or at times working memory because we use this when working on any activity, such as listening to a conversation. But unless we also make an active effort to store that information in long-term memory in a semantic form, it will be forgotten very rapidly.Once in long-term memory, information is reasonably permanent. However, if we don't use that information we are likely to find a difficult to access when we need it, and the information is not stored very efficiently, it will also be difficult to access. When we say we have forgotten some item of information what we really mean is either: (a) the information was never properly store in long-term memory in the first place, or (b) the information has been stored in long-term memory but we can't find it because it has been stored in an disorganized way and/or because we haven't used that information for ages. 7.How do we remember, and why do we forget? An article by Shish Uranus said that the notion of memory is so intriguing that we've come up with more metaphors for it than for any other mental phenomenon. Early theories predicted a memory â€Å"Ingram†24, a literal text written by the body to describe past experiences. Freud popularize d descriptions of repressed memories, experiences physically buried in the depths of the subconscious. Modern descriptions are dominated by analogies to computers, in which the human brain is a hard disk that stores experience in electronic files and folders. Our memory represents a change in who we are.Our habits, our ideologies, our hopes and fears are all influenced by what we remember in the past. At the most basic level, we remember because the connections between our brains' neurons change; each experience primes the brain for the next experience. 8. How does the Brain process information Chris McKee said that information processing starts with input from the sensory organs, which transform physical stimuli such as touch, heat, sound waves, or photons of light into electrochemical signals. The sensory information is repeatedly transformed by the algorithms of the brain in both bottom-up and top-down processing.For example, when looking at a picture of a black box on a white ba ckground, bottom-up processing puts together very simple information such as color, orientation, and where the borders of the object are – where the color changes significantly over a short space – to decide that you are seeing a box. Top-down processing uses the decisions made at some steps of the bottom-up process to speed up your recognition of the box. Top-down processing in this example might help you identify the object as a black box rather than a box-shaped hole in the white background.Once information is processed to a degree, an attention filter decides owe important the signal is and which cognitive processes it should be made available to. For example, although your brain processes every blade of grass when you look down at your shoes, a healthy attention filter prevents you from noticing them individually. In contrast, you might pick out your name, even when spoken in a noisy room. There are many stages of processing, and the results of processing are 9. W hy do some people have better memory than other people According to Joyce Ward, people vary in the efficiency of their long-term memory.Some have a good memory and some poor long-term memory. This is probably determined partly by hereditary. But research has shown that most of the difference between people with good and poor memory can be attributed to the methods they use to learn that information in the first place. By developing the appropriate memory strategies we automatically store information in a more organized and efficient way that makes it easier for us to locate when we need it. Despite individual differences in memory, research indicates that in most people memory can be improved significantly by appropriate training. His does not mean that we can enlarge the storage capacity of our memory, what it means is that we can make our Emory more efficient, so that it is more likely to absorb new information and hold that information in a way that makes it easy for us to find i t again immediately when we need it. In order for the brain to process information, it must first be stored. There are multiple types of memory, including sensory, working, and long-term. First, information is encoded. There are types of encoding specific to each type of sensory stimuli.For example, verbal input can be encoded structurally, referring to what the printed word looks like, phonemically, referring to what the word sounds like, or semantically, referring to what the word means. Once information is stored, it must be maintained. Some animal studies suggest that working memory, which stores information for roughly 20 seconds, is maintained by an electrical signal looping through a particular series of neurons for a short period of time. Information in long- term memory is hypothesized to be maintained in the structure of certain types of proteins. 0. Capacity of the Human Memory According to Robert Gonzales, the comparison between the human brain and a computer is not a pe rfect one, but it does lend itself to some interesting lines of inquiry. The capacity of an average human head varies, depending on who you ask. Some experts estimates it in as low as 1 terabyte or approximately 1000 gigabytes. The reason behind the 100-terabyte estimate still has its flaws. It assumes, for example, that each synapse store 1 byte of information. In reality, each one could conceivably store more or less than that. 1 1 .Improving the memory No. 1: Stay Mentally Active Just as physical activity helps keep your body in shape, mentally stimulating activities help keep your brain in shape. Do things that challenge your mind such as solving crossword puzzles and learning to play an instrument. No. 2: Socialize regularly Social interaction helps ward of depression and stress, both of which can contribute and other. No. 3: Get organized You are more likely to forget things if your home is cluttered and your notes are in not in order. No. 4: Focus Limit distractions, and don' t try to do many things at once.If you focus on the information that you're trying to remember, you'll be more likely to recall it later. Understanding – if we understand the information it will be easier for us to remember, and if we understand how memory works, it is easier to make it work well for us personally Practice – the more often one does an activity, the more likely he/she will member it- Memory Strategies – ways of processing information that will help a person remember well. Organization – this ensure that information is stored in a more meaningful and well-organized way which is easy for the brain to recall it. 2. Tips for enhancing your ability to learn and remember According to helped. Org, these are some ways on how one can enhance his/her ability to learn and remember. 0 Pay attention – You can't remember something if you never learned it, and you can't learn something?that is, encode it into your brain?if you don't pay enough att ention to it. It takes about eight seconds of intense focus to process a piece of information into your memory. If you're easily distracted, pick a quiet place where you won't be interrupted. Involve as many senses as possible.Try to relate information to colors, textures, smells, and tastes. The physical act of rewriting information can help imprint it onto your brain. Even if you're a visual learner, read out loud what you want to remember. Relate information to what you already know. Connect new data to information you already remember, whether it's new material that builds on previous knowledge, or something as simple as an dress of someone who lives on a street where you already know someone. For more complex material, focus on understanding basic ideas rather than memorizing isolated details.

Early Action vs. Early Decision Whats the Difference

Early Action vs. Early Decision What's the Difference SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Would you like tofinalize yourcollege plans as soonas possible?If early notificationsounds good to you, then you might want to apply early action (EA) orearly decision (ED). Before choosing one of these admissions plans, you shouldthoroughly understand what itentails and consider all the important factors. This guide will weigh the options ofearly action vs.early decision, along with advice for choosing the best plan for you. To begin, let's review what you need to know about applying early action. What is Early Action? Early action has, like its name indicates, an early deadline. Under early action, you both apply earlier than the regular deadline and find out earlier if you've been accepted. The most common EA deadline is November 1, with November 15 as a close runner up. Most colleges send out notifications to early action candidates in mid-December, so you should have your response before the end of the calendar year. This winter notification is a whole lot sooner than regular notification, which is usually in April.You might be accepted, denied, or deferred to the regular applicant pool andconsidered again in February or March. For the most part, you can apply to as many schools as you want early action. There are a few exceptions to this rule, though. Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, and Yale, for instance, all have restrictive or single choice early action. Restrictive EA means you can only apply to that one school early. You can later apply wherever else you want regular decision. Regardless of whether your school has restrictive or non-restrictive early action, you aren't obligated to attend the school if accepted, nor do you have to respond to an offer any earlier than usual. You still have until the national response deadline of May 1 to decide where to enroll. This policy gives you the opportunity to compare admissions offers, as well as financial aid packages, from all the schools on your list before choosing one. This policy is the main difference between early action and early decision. While applying early action isn't binding, early decision is. Applying ED means that if you get accepted, you will enroll in the school. What is Early Decision? You can only apply to one school early decision. The reason for this is that early decision means you're making a binding agreement to enroll in that school if you get accepted. This contractwill be part of your application and will require a signature from your parents and school counselor, as well as from you. Typically, early decision deadlines match early action deadlines. You may apply by November 1 and hear back in mid-December. If accepted, you'll agree to enroll and send in your deposit within about a month. Like with early action, you could be accepted, denied, or deferred (in which case, you're no longer held to the binding agreement). Some schools also offer Early Decision II, which is also binding but has a later deadline. Early Decision II deadlines are usually in January, and you'll hear back in February. With both ED I and ED II, you'll be obligated to send in a deposit monthsbefore the national response date of May 1st if you get accepted to your school of choice. Early decision is a good option for students who want to make their college plans early and know exactly what school they want to attend. If you've done your research and are 100% sure about a college, then applying EDsignals your enthusiasm to the admissions committee. Most schools only offer one or the other when it comes to early action and early decision. Let's take a look at some popular schools with early admission plans and their deadlines. Popular Schools withEarly Action Some popular schools that offer early action, in addition to their regular decision deadline, include, Boston College CalTech Georgetown Harvard MIT Princeton Stanford University of Chicago University of Michigan UNC Chapel Hill University of Notre Dame University of Virginia Villanova Yale All of these schools have an EA deadline of November 1, with one exception. UNC Chapel Hill has an even earlier EA deadline of October 15. Of these schools, Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Stanford, and the University of Notre Dame have single choice early action. Again, this restrictive EA means you can only apply early to that one school. The other schools on the list don't have that restriction. Below aresome well knownschools thatoffer Early Decision deadlines. Popular Schools with Early Decision Popular schools with early decision deadlines in November include, Brown Cornell Dartmouth Duke Johns Hopkins Northwestern University of Pennsylvania All of these schools have November 1 deadlines except for Johns Hopkins with an ED deadline of November 2.As mentioned above, some schools offer both Early Decision I and Early Decision II, both binding but with different deadlines. The following schools offer both the early and later Early Decision deadline. School Deadline for ED I Deadline for ED II American University November 15 January 15 Boston University November 1 January 4 Bowdoin November 15 January 1 Brandeis November 1 January 1 Colby November 15 January 1 Pomona November 1 January 1 Smith November 15 January 1 Tufts November 1 January 1 Vanderbilt November 1 January 1 Wesleyan November 15 January 15 As you can see, the ED II deadlines resemble regular decision deadlines. Instead of having to wait until April to hear back, though, youshouldbe notified inFebruary. If you're accepted, you'll be expected to send your deposit shortly thereafter. Now that you know how early action and early decision work and which schools offer them, let's talk about the advantages of each plan. Starting fromthe colleges' perspectives, what's the point of offering early deadlines? Why Do Colleges Offer Early Action orEarly Decision? There are a few reasons that early admissions appearto benefit colleges. One is that students who apply early tend to be particularly competitive. Those students who are prepared to apply inNovember to these often selective schools are oftenthe most qualified candidates. A few years ago, Harvard and the University of Virginia eliminated early admissions, claiming that it unfairly advantaged wealthier students with more "cultural capital" and greater college counseling resources. When other schools didn't follow suit, both schools reversed their decision and reintroduced early action, saying that they found that students from all backgrounds desired an early option. Practically speaking, they probably also found that they were missing out on some of the most qualified applicants, who just ended up applying elsewhere. Another reason that schools may benefit from early admissions is that it gives them a more accurate sense of their "yield." In other words, they can more accurately predict how many students will accept offers of admission, since early candidates are more likely to enroll (and ED applicants are pretty much certain to enroll). Being able to more accurately predict their numbers may be a reason that some schools offer both Early Decision I and Early Decision II. Finally, a third reason that schools benefit from early admissions is that it allows them to space out their review of applications over a longer period of time. For schools with limited staff and resources, spacing out the process is more feasible than reviewing all applications in one hectic review season. While these are some of the reasons that schools benefit from early deadlines, what are the advantages for you as an applicant? What Are the Advantages of Applying Early? One common idea around early admissions is that early applicants have a better chance of getting in. Is this true? Are you more likely to get accepted if you apply early? Unfortunately, there's no black and white answer for this. There are some compelling reasons to think that applying early does boost your chances. For instance, data shows that a higher percentage of early candidates get accepted than regular candidates. In this past year, for instance, Harvard increased its early action acceptance rate from 6% to 17%. Applying early action, and especially early decision, may also signal to admissions committees how committed to and excited abouta school you are, thereby making an impression in your favor. However, these reasons don't mean you should automatically apply early. The fact that a greater percentage of early applicants are accepted may largely reflect their own merits. It may be that the most qualified candidates apply early, while the pool of regular applicants include those forwhomthe college is a reach. Most students don't apply early to a school if their grades and scores aren't at least on target with the school's expectations. Ultimately, applying early can be a great option if you're prepared to do so, but whatever advantage there iswon't make lowgrades or test scores look any higher than they are. It's not advisable to rush your application or to apply to a school where your academic profile is weaker than that of the average accepted student. Your first priority should be sending the strongest application you can, whether that's in November or January. If you have decided that applying early is a good match with your college plans, which of the two options should you choose, early action or early decision? Which Should You Choose? Early Action vs. Early Decision In most cases, a college will only offer one or the other. Depending on the schools you're interested in, they might essentially make the choice between early action and early decision for you. If you do have a choice, the most important factor to consider is whether or not you're 100% sure you want to attend a school. Before making the commitment of early decision, you should research and visit the school, as well as talk to students who go there about their experience. If you've reached this point of certainty, then early decision couldmake sense for you. You also may consider financial aid as you decide between early action and early decision. With early decision, you agree to enroll regardless of the financial aid package you get. With early action, you still have until May 1 to compare different financial aid packages. This is one major reason early decision isn't a feasible or accessible option for everyone. Make sure you understand your colleges' application policies and any restrictions they place on your applications to other schools. If you're applying to Harvard early action, for example, you can't apply early action anywhere else. Keep track of all your deadlines, and keep preparing for any regular applications you plan to send in case your early application doesn't get accepted. You can still be putting together strong regular decision applications should you get denied, deferred, or decide to apply elsewhere. If you're applying to meet a deadline in November, you want to work on your application materials throughout junior year and the summer. Your SAT or ACT scores, recommendation letters, and personal essay require several months to a year of planning and preparation. You can check out this guide for a more detailed timeline, as well as the full lists ofdeadlines or early action and early decision schools. More Resources for College Planning What College Should You Go To? How to Choose a College How to Request a Letter of Recommendation: Complete Guide How Long Should You Study for the SAT? 6 Step Guide How Long Should You Study for the ACT? 6 Step Guide How to Write About Extracurriculars on Your College Application Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: