The impact of globalization on HRM in multinational organizations Assignment

The impact of globalization on HRM in multinational organizations - Assignment Example It has brought about an integration of the companies all over the world and has facilitated trade by way of reducing transportation costs and doing away with the barriers to trade. Globalisation has also facilitated a free flow of goods and service, knowledge, skills, capital and labour. During a strong economic growth period world exports shot up in various countries thereby contributing heavily to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Previously, human resource management (HRM) was typically concerned with the cost cutting activities and the administrative activities, focusing on bringing about efficiency in the system and the minimised the cost. However in the present world the role of HRM has changed and focuses on an organization’s long-term objective. The companies’ business strategies were affected by globalisation in a large manner. The companies had access to a large variety of markets and could market their products in global markets. The emerging markets of the developing countries are of lucrative content to such MNCs who are looking to diversify. Due to the emergence of new markets the external financing sources of the companies also increase. A very important source of financing is Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) that has opened avenues for the MNCs to invest in the developing countries. FDI has a dual benefit to both the country and the company. There is a global market for the products of the MNCs. Moreover due to abundance of labour resources in the developing countries the MNCs often shift their production processes to such countries such that they can carry out production at low costs. Also the political stabilisations across the globe and the favourable relations between the countries have made positive impac ts on the strategic positions of the companies. The socio-political globalisation has given rise to regulatory bodies that govern the different policies that mark the path of trade between various companies. The most

Explain the major theoretical approach to infantchild development & Essay

Explain the major theoretical approach to infantchild development & Analyse the psychosexual stage theory of infantchild development - Essay Example F Skinner. The theory believes that behavioural development happens through classical and operant conditioning and stresses the role of nurture. There is a strong relation between stimuli and behavioural response. In this case development is seen as a continuous process where learnt responses keep accumulating and new ones increase with age. Several studies were conducted to reinforce the theory that responses in behaviour are a result of external stimuli and that the external factors are more important as compared to internal factors. To take an example, John Watson experimented with an infant's responses to a rat and stimuli coupled with it. The infant was not afraid of the rat. However, he developed fear of the rat after a series of sharp sounds were made whenever the rat was shown. Behaviourists conclude that environment is more influential in shaping behaviour. Also, behaviours can be modified using external stimuli (Berk, 1996). Watson's theory of behaviourism brought about interest of many psychologists and birth of related theories like Clark Hull's drive reduction theory and Skinner's operant conditioning theory. Following these also emerged the social learning theories, which had a strong influence in child development research during 1950s. These theorists believed that role modelling and observational learning strongly influence social development and behaviour. One of the most powerful theories was developed by Albert Bandura. He and his colleagues stressed the role of selective imitation which affects their learning. He added the role of children's thought process to the original theory of behaviour which stressed only on stimuli and response (Berk, 1996).. Despite their limitations, the behaviourism and social learning theories had a significant impact on applied work with children. Based on these, techniques have been developed to socialize children into appropriate behaviours and get rid of inappropriate behaviours (Berk, 1996). Psychodynamic Theory In context of psychodynamic theories, famous psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud and his theory of psychoanalysis come to mind. Psychodynamics refers to theories of Freud, his followers' or theories based on his ideas. Anna Freud, Alfred Adler Carl Jung and Erik Erickson are some of the most popular contributors from the field of psychodynamics. The theories are have been derived from sessions with patients, case studies and use of projective techniques to understand the workings of human mind. Psychodynamics strives to make connections between thoughts, motives, subconscious mind and how people perceive the world. The prime focus in psychodynamics is the interrelation between emotional states of id, ego, and superego and their impact on early developments and processes. Psychodynamics also believes that early experiences are conserved in the unconscious mind. Later in life, these conserved experiences, thoughts and emotions either remain buried in the unconscious or find way to the consciou s mind. These buried experiences are at times the cause of mental disturbances. Various psychodynamic

Existential Anxiety And Neurotic Anxiety

Existential Anxiety And Neurotic Anxiety Many theorists distinguish between anxiety and fear. While fear is a response to a specific, objective and defined threat, anxiety is internal and objectless. It is a free-floating feeling of unease and apprehension that something bad is going to happen. It is accompanied with physical sensations such as choking and tightness, warning the person of a potential danger (Cohn, 1997; Spinelli, 2007). However, this distinction does not clarify the concept of anxiety since it takes many forms and receives different emphases by a variety of approaches. A central term in the psychoanalytic theory is neurotic anxiety, while existentialists talk about existential anxiety. I will clarify the difference between the two and its implications for therapy. In doing so, I will consider Freuds outlook on anxiety and its origin, as well that of various existential philosophers and psychotherapists. Anxiety a. Neurotic Anxiety According to Freud Psychoanalysis emphasizes the influence of the unconscious mind on behavior. Freud believed that the human psych is composed of the id, the ego and the superego, which work together to create complex human behaviors. According to this topographical model, the id seeks to fulfill all wants, needs and impulses while the superego plays the critical and moralizing role. The ego is the aspect of personality which deals with reality, having to cope with the conflicting demands of the id and the superego (Hall, 1954). Freud used the term ego strength to refer to the egos ability to function despite these dueling forces. A person with good ego strength is able to effectively manage these pressures. When the ego cannot deal with the demands of our desires, the constraints of reality and our own moral standards, we experience anxiety. Neurotic anxiety is the unconscious worry that we will lose control of the ids urges, resulting in punishment for inappropriate behavior. Moral anxiety involves a fear of violating our own moral principles. Whatever the anxiety, the ego seeks to reduce it. Operating at the unconscious level, it employs defense mechanisms to distort or deny reality. While all defense mechanisms can be adaptive and allow us to function normally, they can also be unhealthy. The defenses keep the threatening contents outside conscious awareness, restricting direct expression of drives. However, they provide indirect expression of these in displaced, sublimated, or symbolic form. Dreams, Freudian slips and even symptoms, are a compromise between a forbidden impulse or thought, and the defense against it. When defense mechanisms are extremely overused or distort reality too much, this will result in symptoms such as OCD or phobias, an active expression of the conflict (Mitchell and black, 1995). Existential Anxiety Existentialists consider anxiety ontologically and not a result of an individual ontic development. It is an inseparable, inevitable aspect of existence, and a potentially positive phenomenon. (Kirby, 2004; Cohn, 1997). According to the existential approach, the individuals anxiety-provoking basic conflict is not with repressed instinctual impulses, but with his confrontation with the givens of existence that cannot be avoided. These pose the human with certain ultimate concerns that are an inescapable part of the human beings existence in the world (May and Yalom, 1995). Several complementary models aim to reflect the structure of existence. One of the most known ones is Yaloms (1981), which identifies four ultimate concerns: death, freedom, isolation, and meaninglessness. The individuals confrontation with each of these provokes anxiety. Freedom refers to the fact that the human being is the author of his own life, and responsible for his own choices and actions. This responsibility and ability to choose freely, evokes feelings of dread and angst, since the outcome of our choices are never certain and always imply the rejection of alternatives (Cohn, 1997). According to Sartre (1956), people are condemned, rather than blessed to be free. Kierkegaard (cited in Cohn, 1997, p.71) describes anxiety as the giddiness of freedom. This dizziness is the price we pay for freedom, while making us aware of our possibilities under the limitations of the world we are thrown into. Anxiety is further intensified since we have no given meaning to guide us in our choices and to base our decisions on. Like a person lost in the jungle, we are forced to cut our own path through life, with no directing signs or maps to point us in the right direction (Cooper, 2003, p.22). Spinelli (2007) accentuates the human need to create a reality with meaning, an interpreted world. If there is no preordained design in life, then we must construct our own meaning in life. We are torn between contradicting forces- between our deep wish for ground and structure on one hand, and our awareness of freedom on the other hand, as well as our need to find meaning in a meaningless universe (May and Yalom, 1995). The most obvious ultimate concern is death (Tillich, 2000). While we wish to continue to live, we are aware of the terrifying truth of inevitable death. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦it is not only freedom and nothingness that brings with it anxiety, but also the fact that our existence runs up against unavoidable boundaries, such as death and chance. Indeed, it is only because of these boundaries that our choices are infused with angst (cooper, 2003, p.23). This idea is well illustrated in the title of Heideggers work Being and Time- Daseins being is in time, it is finite (Steiner, 1987). Deaths inevitability makes life seem meaningless, reminds us of our existential isolation, and defines our choices as excluding one another due to the time limit (Yalom, 2008). Whether it is presented in terms of life versus death, meaning versus meaningless or certainty versus uncertainty, this internal tension expresses itself as anxiety, which is unavoidable and non-pathological, but a basic given of the individuals life. Considered in this way, the dilemma of existential anxiety is not so much that it is, but rather how each of us lives with it (Spinelli, 2007, p.27). How Do We Live with it? Van-Deurzen (2002) suggests that in our attempt to escape existential anxiety, we either withdraw from living, or accept life like there is no choice, living automatically under the self illusion that freedom and responsibility do not exist. This self deception that Sartre (1956) calls bad faith leaves no room for anxiety, but also no room for life itself. Heidegger describes the adoption of conventions as submitting to the they and the absorption in the day-to-day distractions, as fallenness- Dasein falls into the ontic world, into inauthenticity. The fallenness is positive because feeling emptiness and alienation, one becomes aware of the loss of himself, and can aspire to return to his authentic being (Kirby, 2004; Steiner, 1987). Anxiety throws Dasein back to that he is most anxious from- his authentic potentiality to being-in-the-world (Heidegger cited in Spinelli, 2007, p.29). Every attempt to escape or deny anxiety will only result in intensified anxiety, reminding us of our limitations. Life[à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦]will persecute those who attempt to play by their own rules until they too submit and bear their fate with courage rather than trying to escape (Van-Deurzen, 2002, p.39). An encounter with death, for instance, is often a critical turning point in our attitude to life, an awakening experience. Though the physicality of death destroys us, the idea of death can save us. (Yalom, 2008, p.33). Anxiety is indicative of ones awareness level to his freedom. The more one recognizes and acts on his basic freedom, the more angst he will feel, which is a sign of authenticity (Cooper, 2003; Steiner, 1987). When life is not taken for granted, existential anxiety is experienced (Van-Deurzen, 2002, p.35). We need to embrace and explore anxiety as part of our life experience. We are all torn between the polarities of the existential questions. By facing the polarities and finding the balance, we find meaning. Anxiety Comes in Different Disguises The source of neurosis is held by Tillich to be the refusal to accept anxiety. Furthermore, Yalom and May (1995) emphasize failed death transcendence as the source of many pathologies. It is the way of avoiding nonbeing by avoiding being (Tillich, 2000 p.66). In our attempts to escape anxiety, we adopt restrictive patterns of thought and behavior, which are expressed through structures of what can be identified as symptoms or disorders (Spinelli, 2007). The dread is disguised and concealed in various forms, which provide the illusion of safety, but also restrict growth (Van-Deurzen, 2002; Yalom, 2008). Pathologizing certain categories of anxiety is clearly incompatible with the existential-phenomenological approach. It seems more fitting to acknowledge a continuum where on one end are courageous and authentic ways to respond to anxiety, and at the other, avoidant, despairing and inauthentic ways (Kirby, 2004). Case Study Dave came to therapy feeling stuck and unsuccessful in all life areas. He married and quickly divorced and succeeded financially but lost everything. He even became religious and then secular again, after religion turned from love to awe. He followed the rules of Judaism obsessively, and also today, he fears he will be punished for various thoughts and acts. For over a year, he felt compelled to give charity in the first kiosk he saw that day, or else he would die. Freud might see this compulsive behavior as an expression of moral anxiety. There is an intra-psychic struggle between Daves ids drives (that made him sleep around and get involved in delinquency), and his super-ego, according to which he should not be doing and thinking such things, making him feel guilt. In his maladaptive efforts to settle the conflict, he tries to undo his acts and please the super-ego by giving charity that will save him from punishment. Treatment will aim to free the repressed conflict and allow it to enter consciousness and become integrated. Another aim might be strengthening his ego, allowing the development of healthier defense mechanisms in order to rid of anxiety (Hall, 1954). An existential approach will conceive this neurotic behavior as an expression of trying to escape death awareness. Daves fear is not from dueling inner forces, but from non-being. In his attempts to avoid the dreadful recognition that he too will die, he adopted a rigid and restricting behavior that gives him a sense of security from this threat. A behavior that says if I will donate, I will not die; it even says so on the box  [1]  Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ In therapy, Dave should be encouraged to face anxiety and awaken from this illusion. We are all going to die, and acknowledging that enables living. An existential approach does not try to eliminate anxiety, it sees it as an important source of information that motivates and guides us to a full authentic life. According to Van-Deurzen (2002), in the first phase the therapist shows the client the various ways in which he escapes anxiety and chooses not to live. After that, the aim is to help him face anxiety and understand its meaning. The final stage includes exploration of creative ways to rise above the challenges presented by existence, and finding the courage to live with anxiety constructively. Dave and I are at the first stage, investigating ways in which he avoids living. He neglects many aspects of life and escapes thoughts and coping by concentrating on career and money, which give him the illusion of security. He found temporary refuge from anxiety in further frames, such as marrying despite a terrible relationship and becoming religious. Religion gave him meaning and a set of rules to live by, freeing him from the burden of freedom. He followed the Halacha  [2]   strictly, with no room to maneuver. Dave also described always feeling distant from his family. When I asked for a specific memory of feeling that way, we started to touch upon the second stage- the meaning of anxiety. At the age of 7 he witnessed his father get electrocuted and fall off a ladder. This evoked thoughts of life without him, and since then, he kept distant. Dave was exposed to death and the loneliness that accompanies it at a young age, with no one to talk to and process his feelings with. My role as a therapist is to help Dave cope with the complexity of reality and accept the risks and anxieties involved in active living. Dave will hopefully find the courage to give up some sense of security and control for more freedom, and find further compromises between extremes. Hopefully, from the expansion of perspective and learning to deal resolutely with life and death, he will abandon his limiting symptom that resembles the security of prison. Conclusion According to a Freudian perspective, neurotic anxiety is disproportionate to the situation and should be eliminated. It involves repression and distortion of reality that allows temporary security, but eventually tends to paralyze the individual. The source of anxiety is unconscious intra-psychic conflicts and drives, and Freud sees it as a sign of pathology, a psychological mechanism explicable in terms of cause and effect (Kirby, 2004, p.76). It is an abnormal state of mind and a result of a weak ego. Existentialists understand anxiety ontologically, as an unavoidable part of our being-in-the-world. It does not require repression, but rather should be embraced since it teaches us to open up to possibilities and find our own inner-voice. The human-being is not perceived mostly as driven, but as suffering and fearful, anxious in the face of awareness. The anxiety takes place not in ones inner-psychic world, but in his encounter with the external world. Hence, the therapeutic aim is not working on defense mechanisms and inner forces, but expanding the clients perspective and relatedness to the world. It may seem tempting for both therapist and client to concentrate on eliminating the symptom and supposedly getting rid of anxiety. However, Existentialists see this so called neurotic anxiety or pathological symptoms as trying to avoid existential anxiety. Since anxiety is a valuable source of information, we should encourage the client to learn what it can teach him, and not eagerly attempt to get rid of it with medication for example. Out of recognizing and accepting the anxiety, the disturbing symptoms will hopefully stop. Tillich (2000) recognized that we should understand anxiety ontologically before we can help our clients deal with it on an ontic level. The aim is living as much as possible without neurotic anxiety, but with the ability to tolerate existential anxiety.

The Old Man and the Sea - A Fish Story :: Old Man and the Sea Essays

The Old Man and the Sea - A Fish Story    The book, The Old Man and the Sea, is about an old man named Santiago who struggles with a gigantic marlin fish. This is a story of his courage, heroism, and strength. In the book, Ernest Hemingway uses Santiago to explore the theme of man and his relations to animals. In this case it is Santiago's relationship to the different fish he catches, especially the giant Marlin fish. Santiago respected, cared, and thought of the fish as equals. The relationship with the fish is shown through many examples and explanations in the following paragraphs.   Ã‚     Santiago truly cared about the huge Marlin fish he caught and this was a part of his relationship with fish. He would talk to his fish and treat them with his utmost care. This is shown as the Santiago states, â€Å"I wish it was a dream and that I had never hooked him. I'm sorry about it, fish. It makes everything wrong †¦ I shouldn't have gone out so far fish†(Hemingway 110). Santiago is truly sorry that he had to go out so far into the water and catch the giant fish. Because he went out so far, the sharks ate the fish on the way back to the port. He did not want his fish to be ripped and eaten by Santiago's worst enemy,  the sharks. He wished it were only a dream so that the fish would not have to go through the pain. This example shows how mush he cared for the fish and how his relationship with the fish was affected by his feeling of caring.       Santiago also deeply respects fish in general and this aspect of his relationship to the fish is clearly shown throughout the book. There are many instances where Santiago displays his respect for fish and one of them is stated, â€Å"the Old Man hit [the albacore fish] on the head for kindness and kicked him, his body shuddering, under the shade of the stern† (Hemingway 39). This shows Santiago's respect and feelings for the albacore fish. Hitting the fish on the head and kicking the fish is a sign of respect. Another example of Santiago's respect for a fish is when he describes the fish, â€Å"never have I seen a greater, or more beautiful, or a calmer or more noble thing than you, brother† (Hemingway  92).

Effects of Poverty on Children Essay

The nation’s economic crisis has deeply affected the lives of millions of Americans. Skyrocketing foreclosures and job layoffs have pulled the rug out from under many families, particularly those living in low-income communities. Deepening poverty is inextricably linked with rising levels of homelessness and food insecurity/hunger for many Americans and children are particularly affected by these conditions. Find out below a summary of the myriad effects of poverty, homelessness, and hunger on children and youth. Various volunteer opportunities and resources have also been listed that provide information and tools on ways to fight poverty in America. What are the current poverty and unemployment rates for Americans? The ongoing economic crisis has negatively affected the livelihoods of millions of Americans. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2013), the unemployment rate is 7.9 percent as of January 2013. Despite the data showing an increase of only 0.1 percent from December 2012, the unemployment rate is still high by all accounts, having doubled since the beginning of the recession in December 2007. * U.S. Census Bureau data shows that the U.S. poverty rate rose to 15.1 percent (46.2 million) in 2010, an increase from 14.3 percent (approximately 43.6 million) in 2009 and the highest level since 1993. In 2008, 13.2 percent (39.8 million) Americans lived in relative poverty. * In 2000, the poverty rate for individuals was 12.2 percent and for families was 9.3 percent. * In 2010, the poverty threshold, or poverty line, was $22,314 for a family of four. * Over 15 percent of the population fell below this threshold in 2010. * The percentage of people in deep poverty was 13.5 percent of all Blacks and 10.9 percent of all Hispanics, compared to 5.8 percent of Asians and 4.3 percent of Whites. * While non-Hispanic Whites still constitute the largest single group of Americans living in poverty, ethnic minority groups are overrepresented (27.4 percent African American; 28.4 percent American Indian and Alaskan Native; 26.6 percent Hispanic, and 12.1 percent Asian and Pacific Islander compared with 9.9 percent non-Hispanic White). * These disparities are associated with the historical marginalization of ethnic minority groups and entrenched barriers to good education and jobs. Where is child poverty concentrated? * U.S. Census data reveals that from 2009 to 2010, the total number of children under age 18 living in poverty increased to 16.4 million from 15.5 million. Child poverty rose from 20.7 percent in 2009, to 22 percent in 2010, and this is the highest it has ever been since 1993. * Racial and ethnic disparities in poverty rates persist among children. The poverty rate for Black children was 38.2 percent; 32.3 percent for Hispanic children; 17 percent for non-Hispanic White children; and 13 percent for Asian children. * The National Center for Children in Poverty reports that 17.2 million children living in the U.S. have a foreign-born parent, and 4.2 million children of immigrant parents are poor. It is reported that child poverty in immigrant families is more closely related to low-wage work and barriers to valuable work supports. * The Population Reference Bureau (2010) reports that 24 percent of the 75 million children under age 18 in the U.S. live in a single-mother family. The poverty rate for children living in female-householder families (no spouse present) was 42.2 percent in 2010; 7 in 10 children living with a single mother are poor or low-income, compared to less than a third (32 percent) of children living in other types of families. A staggering 50.9 percent of female-headed Hispanic households with children below 18 years of age live in poverty (48.8 percent for Blacks; 31.6 percent Asian, and 32.1 percent non-Hispanic White). * Single-mother headed households are more prevalent among African American and Hispanic families contributing to ethnic disparities in poverty. What are the effects of child poverty? Psychological research has demonstrated that living in poverty has a wide range of negative effects on the physical and mental health and wellbeing of our nation’s children. Poverty impacts children within their various contexts at home, in school, and in their neighborhoods and communities. * Poverty is linked with negative conditions such as substandard housing, homelessness, inadequate nutrition and food insecurity, inadequate child care, lack of access to health care, unsafe neighborhoods, and under resourced schools which adversely impact our nation’s children. * Poorer children and teens are also at greater risk for several negative outcomes such as poor academic achievement, school dropout, abuse and neglect, behavioral and socio-emotional problems, physical health problems, and developmental delays. * These effects are compounded by the barriers children and their families encounter when trying to access physical and mental health care. * Economists estimate that child poverty costs an estimated $500 billion a year to the U.S. economy; reduces productivity and economic output by 1.3 percent of GDP; raises crime and increases health expenditure (Holzer et al., 2008). Poverty and academic achievement * Poverty has a particularly adverse effect on the academic outcomes of children, especially during early childhood. * Chronic stress associated with living in poverty has been shown to adversely affect children’s concentration and memory which may impact their ability to learn. * The National Center for Education Statistics reports that in 2008, the dropout rate of students living in low-income families was about four and one-half times greater than the rate of children from higher-income families (8.7 percent versus 2.0 percent). * The academic achievement gap for poorer youth is particularly pronounced for low-income African American and Hispanic children compared with their more affluent White peers. * Under resourced schools in poorer communities struggle to meet the learning needs of their students and aid them in fulfilling their potential. * Inadequate education contributes to the cycle of poverty by making it more difficult for low-income children to lift themselves and future generations out of poverty. Poverty and psychosocial outcomes * Children living in poverty are at greater risk of behavioral and emotional problems. * Some behavioral problems may include impulsiveness, difficulty getting along with peers, aggression, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and conduct disorder. * Some emotional problems may include feelings of anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. * Poverty and economic hardship is particularly difficult for parents who may experience chronic stress, depression, marital distress and exhibit harsher parenting behaviors. These are all linked to poor social and emotional outcomes for children. * Unsafe neighborhoods may expose low-income children to violence which can cause a number of psychosocial difficulties. Violence exposure can also predict future violent behavior in youth which places them at greater risk of injury and mortality and entry into the juvenile justice system. Poverty and physical health Children and teens living in poorer communities are at increased risk for a wide range of physical health problems: * Low birth weight   * Poor nutrition which is manifested in the following ways: 1. Inadequate food which can lead to food insecurity/hunger 2. Lack of access to healthy foods and areas for play or sports which can lead to childhood overweight or obesity * Chronic conditions such as asthma, anemia, and pneumonia * Risky behaviors such as smoking or engaging in early sexual activity * Exposure to environmental contaminants, e.g., lead paint and toxic waste dumps * Exposure to violence in their communities which can lead to trauma, injury, disability, and mortality What is the prevalence of child hunger in America? * The Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics reports that in 2010, 22 percent of children under the age of 18 lived in food-insecure households and one percent in households with very low food security. Food insecure means that at some point during the year, the household had limited access to an adequate supply of food due to lack of money or other resources. * In 2009 – 2010, 21 states and the District of Columbia had at least one in four households with children (25 percent or more) facing food hardship, according to the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC). The District of Columbia had the highest rates of food hardship for households with children, followed by Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Arkansas, Nevada, Arizona, Louisiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee. FRAC data shows that Metropolitan areas in the South and South West, and California were hard hit by food hardships. Use of food stamps increased to 16% (13.6 million households) in 2010, according to U.S. Census Bureau. States with the largest increase (over 30%) in food stamp use included Nevada, Idaho, Colorado, Wisconsin and Florida. * Approximately 1 in 4 Americans utilize at least one of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) nutrition assistance programs each year (USDA, 2011). * The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) reports that 53% of infants born in the United States receive support from the Women, Infants & Children (WIC) program. * In 2010, more than 31.7 million children each day got their lunch through the National School Lunch Program. Children from families with incomes at or below 130 percent of the poverty level are eligible for free meals. Approximately, 20 million children received free and reduced price lunch, according to the Food Research and Action Center (2010). What are the effects of hunger and under nutrition on child development? Prenatally * Maternal under nutrition during pregnancy increases the risk of negative birth outcomes, including premature birth, low birth weight, smaller head size, and lower brain weight. * Babies born prematurely are vulnerable to health problems and are at increased risk for developing learning problems when they reach school-age. In infancy and early childhood * The first three years of a child’s life are a period of rapid brain development. Too little energy, protein, and nutrients during this sensitive period can lead to lasting deficits in cognitive, social, and emotional development. * Protein-energy malnutrition, iron deficiency anemia, iodine, zinc, and other vitamin deficiencies in early childhood can cause brain impairment. * Failure to thrive, the failure to grow and reach major developmental milestones as the result of under nutrition, affects 5-10% of American children under the age of three. * Hunger reduces a child’s motor skills, activity level, and motivation to explore the environment. Movement and exploration are important to cognitive development, and more active children elicit more stimulation and attention from their caregivers, which promotes social and emotional development. In childhood * Families often work to keep their food-insecurity hidden, and some parents may feel shame or embarrassment that they are not able to feed their children adequately. Children may also feel stigmatized, isolated, ashamed, or embarrassed by their lack of food. * A community sample that classified low-income children ages six to twelve as â€Å"hungry†, â€Å"at-risk for hunger†, or â€Å"not hungry† found that hungry children were significantly more likely to receive special education services, to have repeated a grade in school, and to have received mental health counseling than at-risk-for-hunger or not-hungry children. * In this same study, hungry children exhibited 7 to 12 times as many symptoms of conduct disorder (such as fighting, blaming others for problems, having trouble with a teacher, not listening to rules, stealing) than their at-risk or not-hungry peers. * Among low-income children, those classified as â€Å"hungry† show increased anxious, ir ritable, aggressive, and oppositional behavior in comparison to peers. * Additionally, the multiple stressors associated with poverty result in significantly increased risk for developing psychiatric and functional problems. School-age children who experience severe hunger are at increased risk for the following negative outcomes: * Homelessness * Chronic health conditions * Stressful life conditions * Psychiatric distress * Behavioral problems * Internalizing behavior, including depression, anxiety, withdrawal, and poor self-esteem The effects of under nutrition depend on the length and severity of the period of hunger and may be mediated by other factors. * Improved nutrition, increased environmental stimulation, emotional support, and secure attachment to parents/caregivers can compensate for early under nutrition. * Babies who receive enough nutrition while in the womb appear to show higher cognitive performance in later childhood. * The human brain is flexible and can recover from early deficits, but this also means that brain structures remain vulnerable to further negative experiences throughout childhood. * Breastfeeding, attentive caretaking, and attention to environmental factors, such as sleep cycles and noise, can also promote healthy development. Who are homeless children and youth in America? * In 2009, an estimated 656,129 people experienced homelessness in the United States on a given night, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness. An estimated 2.3 to 3.5 million Americans experience homelessness at least once a year. Homelessness affects people of all ages, geographic areas, occupations, and ethnicities, but occurs disproportionately among people of color. * Access to permanent and adequate shelter is a basic human need; however, the ongoing economic downturn (composed of the foreclosure crisis, spiking unemployment, worsening poverty rates, and inadequate low-cost housing) is likely to increase rates of homelessness. * The National Association for Education of Homeless Children and Youth reports that during the 2009-2010 school year, 939,903 homeless children and youth were enrolled in public schools, a 38% increase from the 2006-2007 school years. The data is an underestimate since it does not reflect pre-school age children, toddlers and infants. * The United States Conference of Mayors (2009) reports that in 2010 more than 1.6 million children (1 in 45 children) in America were homeless and that approximately 650,000 are below age 6. Families with children are a major segment of the homelessness population. Families with children comprise a third of the homeless population and are typically comprised of a single mother in her late twenties with two young children. * Approximately 47 percent of children in homeless families are Black, although Black children make up just 15 percent of the U.S. child population (Child Trends Databank, 2012). On the other hand, although White children make up 66% of the child population, they account for 38% of homeless children. Hispanic children make up 13%, whereas Native American children make up 2% of the homeless children population. * Homeless single mothers often have histories of violent victimization with over one third having post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and over half experiencing major depression while homeless. An estimated 41 percent develop dependency on alcohol and drugs and are often in poor physical health. Maternal depression and parental substance abuse has a series of negative outcomes for children. * Unaccompanied youth (sometimes referred to as runaway youth) may number between 575,000 to 1.6 million annually and typically range from ages 16 to 22. The major causes of homelessness for unaccompanied youth are mental illness, substance abuse, and lack of affordable housing. * Family conflict is the primary cause of their homelessness with 46% having experienced abuse and an estimated 20-40% identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered (LGBT). * Homelessness is traumatic for children because they often experience frequent moves, family split-ups, and living in crowded places before using homeless shelters (National Center on Family Homelessness, 2011). * States in the south and south west where poverty is more prevalent have more homeless children than states in the north and northeast. Homelessness affects children’s health and wellbeing, their brain development, causes stress, and hinders readiness for school. What are the risk factors for homelessness in children and youth? * Extreme poverty is the strongest predictor of homelessness for families. These families are often forced to choose between housing and other necessities for their survival. At least 11% of American children living in poverty are homeless. * Female-headed households (particularly by women with limited education and job skills) are also particularly vulnerable. The current economic climate has made the labor market even less hospitable as many of them do not have more than a high school diploma or GED. * Teen parents are also particularly at risk of homelessness as they often lack the education and income of adults who become parents. * Lack of affordable housing is also a risk factor for homelessness, particularly for families who devote more than 50% of household income to paying rent or those who experience a foreclosure. Foreclosures affect vulnerable tenants as well as homeowners who are delinquent in their mortga ge payments. * Substance abusing or physically violent parents and stepparents are the major drivers of homelessness in runaway youth, particularly for those who identify as GLBT. What are the outcomes of homelessness for children and youth? * Homelessness has particularly adverse effects on children and youth including hunger, poor physical and mental health, and missed educational opportunities. * Homeless children lack stability in their lives with 97% having moved at least once on an annual basis, which leads to disruptions in schooling and negatively impacts academic achievement. * Schooling for homeless children is often interrupted and delayed, with homeless children twice as likely to have a learning disability, repeat a grade, or to be suspended from school. * Homelessness and hunger are closely intertwined. Homeless children are twice as likely to experience hunger as their non-homeless peers. Hunger has negative effects on the physical, social, emotional and cognitive development of children. * A quarter of homeless children have witnessed violence and 22% have been separated from their families. Exposure to violence can cause a number of psychosocial difficulties for children both emotionally (depression, anxiety, withdrawal) and behaviorally (aggression, acting out). * Half of school age homeless children experience problems with depression and anxiety and one in five homeless preschoolers have emotional problems that require professional care. * Homelessness is linked to poor physical health for children including low birth weight, malnutrition, ear infections, exposure to environmental toxins, and chronic illness (e.g. asthma). Homeless children also are less likely to have adequate access to medical and dental care. * Unaccompanied youth are often more likely to grapple with mental health (depression, anxiety, and PTSD) and substance abuse problems. * Many runaway youth engage in sexually risky behaviors (sometimes for their own survival), which places them at risk of HIV, other STDs, and unintended pregnancies. Also, emerging research has shown that GLBT homeless youth are 7 times more likely to be victims of violent crime. What can you do to help children and families struggling with poverty, hunger, and homelessness? * Volunteer your time with charities and organizations that provide assistance to low-income and homeless children and families. * Donate money, food, and clothing to homeless shelters and other charities in your community. * Donate school supplies and books to under-resourced schools in your area. * Make your voice heard! Support public policy initiatives that seek to: i. Improve access to physical, mental, and behavioral health care for low-income ii. Americans by eliminating barriers such as limitations in health care coverage. iii. Create a â€Å"safety net† for children and families that provide real protection against the harmful effects of economic insecurity. iv. Increase the minimum wage, affordable housing and job skills training for low-income and homeless Americans. v. Intervene in early childhood to support the health and educational development of low-income children. vi. Provide support for low-income and food insecure children such as Head Start, the National School Lunch Program, and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) authorization. vii. Increase resources for public education and access to higher education. viii. Support research on poverty and its relationship to health, education, and well-being.

Mini biography of rachel mcadams

Rachel McAdams was raised in St. Thomas, Ontario. Get downing at the age of four, she competed in figure skating. By the age of 13, she was executing in Shakespearian productions in summer theatre cantonment. In high school, McAdams intended to use to college to analyze cultural surveies, because analyzing theatre would be â€Å"a spot of a joke† . At the last minute, a play instructor encouraged her to try out to be a play major. She finally majored in theatre at York University and graduated with awards and a B.F.A. grade. She began her professional on-screen calling with an visual aspect on the Disney series â€Å"The Famous Jett Jackson† ( 1998 ) followed by a pilot for MTV. After a few more movies, she hit it large after her visual aspect in the hits Mean Girls ( 2004 ) and The Notebook ( 2004 ) .IMDb Mini Biography By: jatzaTrivialityAttended Original Kids Theatre Company in London, Ontario. Her male parent, Lance, is a truck driver and her female parent, Sandy, is a nurse. She has a younger sister, Kayleen McAdams, and a younger brother, Daniel. Born in the same infirmary as The Notebook ( 2004 ) co-star Ryan Gosling in St. Joseph ‘s Hospital, London, Ontario. In 1995, she received an moving award for her function in the one-act high school play â€Å"I Live in a Small Town† when it was presented at the esteemed Ontario Showcase at the Sears Drama Festival. Studied theatre at York University in Toronto, where she appeared in legion phase and pupil movie productions. During her senior twelvemonth, she played a kid in â€Å"The Piper† , a workshop led by a originative squad from Toronto ‘s Necessary Angel Theatre Company. Worked at a McDonald ‘s for three summers with her sister, Kayleen McAdams, and her brother, Dan McAdams. Was told to partially pattern the character of Regina George after Alec Baldwin ‘s public presentation in Glengarry Glen Ross ( 1992 ) . Received a record five MTV Movie Award nominations in a individual twelvemonth. Graduated from York University in Toronto with awards & A ; a B.F.A. in theatre Once a vegetarian. She donated many signed head-shots to Rocky Stone to be auctioned off to raise money to purchase more playthings for less fortunate childs as portion of the Toy Mountain Campaign. Is of Irish descent. Attended David Rothenberg ‘s on-camera moving category in Toronto with fellow histrions Scott Speedman, Kenneth Mitchell, Polly Shannon and David Sutcliffe. In December 2005, she was # 1 on MuchMusic ‘s â€Å"Who To Make: 20 Sexiest Girls† list. This list is aired each twelvemonth, and there is besides a separate list for cats. Named # 14 on the Maxim magazine Hot 100 of 2005 list. Met her fellow, Ryan Gosling, on the set of The Notebook ( 2004 ) . Ranked # 17 on Maxim ‘s hot list 2006. Considered for the function of Susan Storm/Invisible Girl in Fantastic Four ( 2005 ) . Named # 51 in FHM magazine ‘s â€Å"100 Sexiest Women in the World 2006† addendum. ( 2006 ) . While a pupil at York University, she lived in the same â€Å"house† as Ron Sparks in Vanier Residence. Had to turn down the female lead in The Last Kiss ( 2006 ) due to scheduling struggles. The function was finally given to Jacinda Barrett. Was considered for the function of Vesper Lynd in Casino Royale ( 2006 ) , before the function was given to Eva Green. She was voted the # 101 on FHS ‘s list of Sexiest Women in the World ( 2005 ) . Is a vegetarian once more. Lifes in the popular Los Angeles vicinity of Silverlake. Other Silverlake locals include Beck, Bo Barrett, Christina Ricci, Jason Lee and Ryan Gosling. Older sister of Kayleen McAdams. Split with Ryan Gosling. [ Mid-2007 ] Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in movie history ( # 68 ) . [ 2007 ] . Has a Canis familiaris named George, which she shared with Ryan Gosling. Has of course blond hair. She does n't have a auto. As portion of her day-to-day part to assist conserve energy, she rides her motorcycle or takes the coach. Co-founder of www.greenissexy.org, a web site which helps raise consciousness about the environment. Was Jon Favreau ‘s first pick to play Pepper Potts in Iron Man ( 2008 ) , but she turned the function down. Likes shopping at Vintage vesture shops. Auditioned for the function of Cady in Mean Girls ( 2004 ) , but the portion went to Lindsay Lohan alternatively. Avoided winging aeroplanes until age 22. Auditioned for the function of Sophie for the musical Mamma Mia! ( 2008 ) but lost out to actress Amanda Seyfried. Seyfried had lost out to McAdams antecedently for the function of Regina when they both co-starred in Mean Girls ( 2004 ) . Reunited with former fiance Ryan Gosling ( August 2008 ) . Has one time once more called it quits with former fiance Ryan Gosling [ November 2008 ] . Her favorite actresses include: Joan Cusack, Juliette Lewis, Kate Winslet and Samantha Morton. She besides considers Elizabeth Taylor and Audrey Hepburn to be her function theoretical accounts. She would love to work with Daniel Day-Lewis, James Franco and Sam Rockwell. She is allergic to Equus caballuss. Learned to drive after a bike accident. Learned to appreciate rugger from Russell Crowe.Personal Quotation marksEqually unusual as film devising is, making love scenes for the first clip with person you ‘ve ne'er even said hullo to does work in footings of holding a fresh quality to a relationship. It takes a batch of clip, committedness and a pick. I ‘ve chosen this way, but it ‘s non to state I ‘m non unfastened to love or whatever comes my manner. You ne'er close doors. The craziest thing I ‘ve of all time done to acquire a cat ‘s attending? I admit I stalked person. I showed up at a eating house where I knew the cat worked, and we were really good friends and had lost touch, and I pretended that I did n't cognize he worked at that place. And so ran into him and, â€Å"Oh my God, you work here? I had no idea.† It ‘s the most manipulative thing I ‘ve done in my full life, but it all worked out really good, so I have no declinations. Yeah. I still live in Canada, so it ‘s non rather the same. And when I ‘m in L.A. , I ‘m in a auto ; you do n't hold the contact with the populace. It ‘s non so bad. It ‘s still reasonably much the same. I still experience reasonably normal-ish. The most romantic thing, a lovely boy bought me a frock one time. He got my measurings, really they were from The Notebook ( 2004 ) and I had them sitting someplace, and he found them and bought me this frock, bespoke, this beautiful small black cocktail frock. And I thought that was really, really posh. I want to seek a batch of things that I have n't tried. You know, I did a thriller ( Red Eye ( 2005 ) ) after this, because it was so different and it was a genre I had n't worked in yet. Then I did a beautiful household ensemble play. And following? I do n't cognize. I might travel off to make a little independent in New York. I ‘m non certain. The quality of stuff is of import but, fundamentally, I ‘m unfastened to anything. I like to remain unfastened to anything. A friend of mine had this great theory about the â€Å"Teletubbies† ( 1997 ) , that it ‘s fixing us for being mindless. And acquiring us ready for life in an belowground universe. When they build the belowground universe because we can no longer take a breath the air that it will look like Teletubbie land. I do n't cognize, I like to travel on truly different types of day of the months. Traveling someplace new or some new portion of the metropolis, something that ‘s non your mean thing. Something where you merely travel have an escapade together. I guess you have to be truly unfastened to your moving spouses and believe in the narrative. I have a certain wonder for life that drives me and impel me frontward. I one time made a ( it was supposed to be a 30-minute ) bean salad that took me like 6 hours. I want to work with great managers and seek non to set excessively much force per unit area on myself and merely read things for the narrative and acknowledge when I ‘m drawn to something for the right grounds and seek to keep some saneness. I ‘ve discovered as I ‘ve grown up that life is far more complicated than you think it is when you ‘re a child. It is n't merely a straight-forward fairy tale. I ‘ve kind of heard that â€Å"it† girl thing, but non truly. Hearing it from a few people does n't solidify it in my head and I would n't cognize how to solidify that rubric. It ‘s so elusive and what does it intend, I do n't cognize? I ‘ll set on a hood stone T-shirt, a '50s manner skirt, and a brace of flip-flops. I like to engage a whole clump of things together. I ‘m a chump for those sweeping love narratives. When I read the book ( The Notebook ( 2004 ) ) , I could n't halt shouting! I merely had such a powerful, instantaneous reaction – it was written so good. I was non popular in high school, I know every actress says that, but truly, I was a large geek. Paramount sent them nine-foot-high ( theater anteroom ) cutouts of me. They say, â€Å"You do n't hold to come place, we ‘ve got you in every room of the house! † Most of the clip, people will merely go through me by, or if they do recognize, they ‘ll state something like, â€Å"My girlfriend said that was you, but I did n't believe her.† I did ( preparation in ) tennis, concert dance, swing dance, piano, art category and etiquette. I besides did Gallic idiom, but so it was blending me up with my Southern idiom, so we stuck to Southern! I wanted to be a secretary, I love paper cartridge holders and stapling machines. If I hurt person, if I were to by chance jab person ‘s oculus out, I would laugh. And so I ‘d state, ‘I ‘m regretful, I truly do experience bad, ‘ but so I ‘m on the floor peal. Yeah. I still live in Canada, so it ‘s non rather the same. And when I ‘m in L.A. , I ‘m in a auto ; you do n't hold the contact with the populace. It ‘s non so bad. It ‘s still reasonably much the same. I still experience reasonably normal-ish. I ‘ve been really lucky so far. I have n't had any bad experiences every bit far as fan brushs. They do n't truly acknowledge me. I think it has to make with my hair. I change it all the clip. I like altering my hair colour and sometimes it ‘s merely non for a function. Normally, I merely do it for me. I guess each relationship is different. That ‘s what I love about relationships. Even when they end, you ‘ve learned so really much, so much to take into your following relationship and to take into your life. It ‘s the greatest thing that comes out of an stoping – so it depends on the individual. – On what she learned about herself when her relationship with Ryan Gosling ended I would love to hold childs someday ; I really ca n't conceive of non holding them. My parents have been married for 36 old ages. They [ Lance, a mover, and Sandy, a nurse ] have a pretty honest, straightforward relationship that I hope to hold myself. – On holding her ain childs someday You ne'er truly cognize the individual you ‘re kiping beside. You have a right to your secrets, but that ‘s really hard when you ‘re supposed to be person ‘s spouse. – On matrimony as a minefield of secrets, as suggested in Married Life What about nakedness in movies? Nudity for fictional characters is as normal and everyday as eating breakfast. What bothers me is our civilization ‘s compulsion with nakedness. It should n't be a large trade, but it is. I think this overemphasis with nakedness makes histrions nervous. There ‘s the concern about seeing one ‘s organic structure dissected, misrepresented, played and replayed on YouTube. – On nakedness in moviesSalaryMorning Glory ( 2010 ) $ 2,000,000The Time Traveler ‘s Wife ( 2009 ) $ 4,000,000Red Eye ( 2005 ) $ 1,000,000

Good Blonde essays

Good Blonde essays Good Blonde by Jack Kerouac shows the restless, idealistic youth fighting against the conformity of a bland society symbolized by the characters quests for an identity in a simple life as seen through their all out rush for freedom. In the 1950s when working a job from nine to five was considered success and the money you made was your level of success, there was a small group in society that went against the crowd. Their idea of success was having contentment with oneself no matter what career path was taken. They were the counter-culture of society known as the beat generation. The mainstream society is represented through the Uncle Nick described in the beginning. The Greek reminded me of my Uncle Nick...and wandered down the gray streets...in a gray suit, with a gray hat, gray face going to his various jobs. (Kerouac 145) Gray is a bland color used to symbolize boredom and in this case modesty and conservation. The Uncle represents all mainstream workers whose goals are determined by societys standards. The story gives a taste of what it is like having a dream to live without taking an active part in the workplace of society. This dream of the narrators is one that many people in the United States fought against and tried to oppress during the 1950s. The narrator in this story represents all the youths who desire freedom, solitude and simplicity for their own sake and not letting society press them into working and living for what so many Americans strived for, the American Dream. The narrator is a free-spirit who loves the outdoors and loves the simple life. He works every now and then, but never seems to hold a steady job. His life is very sporadic doing only what he wants to do. His life-source and refuge is the city of San Francisco where he longed to live, party and listen to jazz music. San Francisco, during the movement of the beat genera...