Project Manegement, Final Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Project Manegement, Final - Assignment Example Risk Event Graph Risk cost High probability of cost to fix risk Risk occurring Low Beginning Project life cycle End Project is an undertaking that has a start and completion time (Kendrick, 2011). Therefore, generally risk is greater at the initial stage of the project implementation and tends to decline as the time progresses. The risk event graph enables project managers to estimate the chances of occurrence of risk at different times and decide on the resources they require for reducing the chances of risk (Dinsmore and, Cabanis-Brewin, 2011). This is usually essential at the initial stage of project implementation so that managers can mitigate the perceived risks and where possible eliminate it. The risk is usually high at the early phase of project implementation as a few expenses are sustained in mitigating the perceived risk (Wallace and Webber, 2011). However, as time progresses, the owner of the project injects more resources in mitigating consequences of the project hence r eduction in risk. Therefore, as more resources are injected in the project, the anticipated risk declines proportionately. This is because the perceived risk is due to the chances that the result of the project activities may yield undesired results (Dinsmore and, Cabanis-Brewin, 2011). Therefore, as the project is being implemented practically, the events become realistic without the anticipation of risk. This tends to lower the anticipated risk progressively towards the completion of the project (Kendrick, 2011). Risk event graph provides the project managers with a chance to estimate the risk associated with the project at the starting period so that they can take appropriate measure to reduce the anticipated risk before Types of risks Environmental risks: There is a probability of experiencing delays as a result of vagaries of weather hence casing unexpected delays in the completion of the project (Wallace and Webber, 2011). The workers are exposed to numerous dangers associated with injuries hence this may add cost to the general contractor (Dinsmore and, Cabanis-Brewin, 2011). This may result to inability to meet the client need at the agreed value of the houses. Personnel risk: The contractor is dealing with part time bookkeeper hence the bookkeeper may not be available during the project period (Kendrick, 2011). Since the contractor depends on hired subcontractors, there is a risk that during the contract period there may be some shortage of subcontractors hence the work may not b completed within the planned duration Construction risk: The suppliers of materials required for construction activities may fail to deliver the materials and equipment hence causing the contractor to delay in completing the work (Wallace and Webber, 2011). Market risk: The price of the construction materials and equipment may hike hence increasing the expenses of completing the project (Wallace and Webber, 2011). Political risk: The approval of the project may be delayed by the authority hence causing delay in commence and ending period of the project to fail to adhere to the set schedule (Kendrick, 2011). This may result to an imposition of penalty to the contractor as a result of breach of agreement. Design risk: The designers of the project may

Organisational Analysis - The impact of leadership styles on Assignment

Organisational Analysis - The impact of leadership styles on organizational effectiveness - Assignment Example Transactional leadership and transformational leadership are closely related units of leadership; however, they are distinct dimensions. Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric, had traits that made him an effective leader and he combined transformational and transactional leadership styles, which helped him, turn GE into a success story. Leadership is the ability to impact a group towards the attainment of goals (Kiger 2010, 25). General Electric is a corporation, whose main objective is to generate profits, which will be pleasing to the shareholders (Brady 2010, 26). Jack Welch influenced his team to achieve this goal, which was evident in the increased market share, profits and revenues. In 1981, the company had a market value of 13 billion USD when Welch became the CEO. However, this grew to more than 400 billion USD when Welch retired. Welch possessed some traits that ensured his success as a leader. According to the Trait Theory, there are six traits, which are frequently associated with leadership. These traits are: desire to lead; energy and ambition; integrity and honesty; intelligence; self-confidence and job-relevant knowledge. Welch is a competitor; hence, full of ambitions. These ambitions are translated into ideas, and then decisions, which are eventually, implemented that saw the turnaround of GE. Jack Welch believed in energizing his followers in working hard to increase the performance of the company. Being full of energy, he seldom ran out of the excitated energy that was necessary to push his employees to reach their potential. The self-confidence of Welch enabled him to take risks, which even meant the falling of the company. He restructured the hierarchical systems, regrouping the business units and introducing an informal system of carrying out business in the company. Furthermore, Welch had an extraordinary passion, which he used to motivate and empower his employees to attain the goals of the company (Slater 2004, 19). Bass and Riggio (2006, 10) acknowledge that transformational leadership is made up of four fundamental elements, which they called the â€Å"4 I’s.† A transformatio nal leader has the capability to achieve superior performance through: inspirational motivation; idealized influence; individualized consideration and intellectual stimulation (Judge & Piccolo, 2004, 755). In order to effectively turn around General Electric, transformational leadership had to be an important element in Jack Welch’s leadership style. One of the critical decisions that Welch had to make as the Chief Executive Officer was to create and implement a strategy and a vision, which suited all the businesses in the company. The intention of this decision was to unify all the businesses under a similar and distinct banner (Abetti 2006, 78). Jack Welch developed a three circle model, whose function was to ensure that all the businesses within the company fitted in one of the categories. These categories were: the main business, which the Power Generation production was part of, differentiated by restrained investments and returns was carefully selected; the high-tech bu sinesses, which had a high growth, comprising of Medical Systems or Plastics, more often than not had negative cash flows and demanded heavy investments; services, which incorporated General Electric Capital and other businesses, which were typified by high returns for

PROGRAM EVALUATION Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

PROGRAM EVALUATION - Research Paper Example The study found its advantages when highlighting procedures of the evaluation using different data instruments like questionnaires, interviews with the insurance members, other data –statistical where obtained from the survey conducted using open ended questions and other sources like newspapers-company newspapers and journals were used. The assessment study was to be done using comparison of the different variable through analysis. I. Evaluation of the benefits of the Insurance Cards to the local and non-local residents; this would be done through conducting of interviews directly to the general public. The interview questions were designed to obtain data like; the number of participants involved, the demographic data of the participants-age, gender, sex, and religion. II. The customer satisfaction was with the health care provided in statistical data is a very essential factor in this paper. This was analyzed using correlation test. The positivity of the test can be helpful to the government since it can help on the campaign of encouraging establishment of more insurance companies that offer medical covers to the general public. This could be achieved through public awareness and encouragement by media or through rallies. The regression trend was also important to be used in the study to determine or forecast the future of UAE in terms of health up keep. III. The standard or quality of health service; this data was collected using survey method. The survey targeted the customers or the people of UAE. Data from 500 participants mainly the general public were reflected to measure the quality of service offered. After an analysis of the results the importance of quality service will increase the establishment of more health Insurance companies. IV. To determine the benefits of the health insurance to the general public; this would be determined using interviews to both the people of UAE and the members of the Insurance companies. A sample of 300 members o f staff were used to conduct this test this number was a 1/3 of the population of members of the company hence it a valid result. Results and interpretations 1. Evaluation of the benefits of the Insurance Cards to the local and non-local residents Method: the data and information was obtained from the general public using interviews- open ended questions were used. The application for the insurance cards has increased since the introduction of health insurance companies in UAE. The number has been increasing rapidly as seen from the bar charts presented above. The number of participants applying has increased by more than 46% from 2005 to 2006. The rapid in the increase of people engaging in health insurance is an indication that the people of UAE are finding an importance of the programs. As indicated from the interviews conducted many people are holding the positive aspects of the insurance cards. The insurance cards have made even the low income and the destitute in the society t o afford medical care at the least cost. Health insurance was distributed evenly according to the information obtained from the participants. At first, health insurance was offered to the individuals between the age of 35-and above. This age group indicated that dependants to these eldest members of the family setting meant that the young benefited from the insurance program since the offers extended to

Why did a world capitalist civilization emerge when it did Essay

Why did a world capitalist civilization emerge when it did - Essay Example 165) One word often used in connection with world capitalism in the twenty first century is â€Å"globalization† (Amin, 1997) Other ideologies like socialism or feudalism do exist in areas of the contemporary world but they find themselves surrounded by a network of other nations, states and large commercial organizations which largely dictates how resources are transferred from place to place, and ultimately steers the growth, decline or stability of large areas of the planet. There are local differences, of course, since each country develops out of one of a number of previous older and separate civilizations, but there is a sense in which they also join a coherent, single world-wide capitalist civilisation. Wallerstein describes this as capitalist civilisation as â€Å"universalism through particularism and particularism through universalism† (Wallerstein, 1984, p. 167). He sees its main characteristic as a continuous search for more and more profit to drive more and more growth. This paper traces the origins of modern capitalism civilisation back to its origins in the past. The question to be answered is when and where it originally emerged. One needs only to think of the hand-to-mouth existence of small, isolated and largely rural societies in the Middle Ages to realise what a significant change global capitalism has brought to the world: â€Å"Matters would change dramatically, however, with the violent remaking of the globe that commenced c. 1500 as the Spanish, Dutch, English, and French began seeking their fortunes far beyond their own national domains.† (Bryant: 2006, p. 407). The discovery of new lands full of untapped resources set off a chain reaction that led some two hundred and fifty years later to the industrial revolution. It is clear that capitalist civilisation must have begun after medieval times. Looking back through history it is generally agreed that origins of capitalism as a world civilisation are to be sought in W estern Europe in the period around the middle of the eighteenth century that has come to be called â€Å"The Enlightenment†. Other parts of the world, notably the Ottoman Empire, Persia and Japan were taking steps in the same direction, and some historians such as Pomeranz (2000) and Goody (2004) have argued that there were parallel moves in the direction of capitalism going on in non-European regions. The fact remains, however, that the scale and speed of European industrial expansion and commercial activity dwarfs anything that historians have been able to prove elsewhere. Vast quantities of goods were shipped to and from the colonies that Western Powers set up, specifically for the purpose of supplying industrial needs back home. Even more significant than that was the extent of the stimulus that occurred with the Enlightenment’s focus on science and technology: â€Å"And as economic historians have extensively documented, it was not the comparative cheapness of co lonial resources that provided Europeans with their decisive advantage, but the astounding productivity gains that came with mechanization and the factory organization of labour.† (Bryant: 2006, p. 434) An important first step was the invention of labour saving devices which increased food production in the small farms and fields. This in turn released labour to work in newly constructed factories who processed raw materials for local or European markets. By the middle of the eighteenth century the economies of scale that emerged were able to produce surpluses which were then reinvested to drive forward ever greater productivity. This cycle of development contains the germ of a capitalist culture and so we can conclude that the first stirrings of capitalist civilisation emerged in the mid eighteenth century

Platos Republic Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Platos Republic - Article Example The sun symbolizes an intelligent realm, and once its existence is acknowledged, then people can seek the paths to their upper states of mind (Para. 3).   The requirements to pass each stage are preset and definite. I feel that this educates readers to learn and think like the guardians, something that bars them from investigating Plato’s ideas with their personal different theories and experiences. Therefore, Republic education primarily teaches readers to become enlightened philosophers. In my opinion, I feel that Republic education should also allow readers to investigate and comprehend Plato’s system from their personal philosophical thoughts and experiences, and develop new philosophy system to become agents of socio-political change.  Plato’s Republic educates readers to become enlightened philosophers, but not agents of socio-political change. Plato’s ideal city suggests that guardians, who are talented people, should use their skills and knowle dge to enlighten people who are still held in the cave.           

Ethical issues Essay Example for Free

Ethical issues Essay Code of ethics for education defines the professional behavior of educator and serves as a guide to ensure there is ethical conduct. Professional standards commission came up with standards that give guidance as far as conducts that are general accepted in education profession. For this case, there is assurance of protection of safety, health and general welfare of teachers and students to ensure some degree of accountability within the education profession and defines unethical conduct justifying disciplinary action. Educators ought to uphold ethics such as moral sensitivity, moral judgment, moral motivation and moral character among others wile working. Ethical standards are set such as criminal acts, abuse of students, alcohol or drugs, misinterpretation, public fund and property mismanagement and improper remunerative conduct among others (Code of ethics for Educators, 1999) How is it then possible for a teacher, who has been trusted with the welfare of children, dare think, for a moment to have a sexual relationship with a student? Well, here is a case study in Leewicks High School in America. English teacher charged with having affair with student, February 1998 English teacher, Mary (not real name), 35 years old was charged with criminal sexual exploitation and having a sexual and romantic affair with a minor 16 year old boy. She admitted having sex with the boy. Suspicions were raised about the affaire when people saw them together cuddling and holding hands away from the school. Another teacher, Mrs.  Shael (not real name) also found a hand written note with the student’s initials on Mary’s desk. There was also a piece of paper with a list of things she wanted to do which included dinner out and â€Å"great sex! † Police said they seized letters in which Mary wrote. She was upset that the boy wanted to breakup the relationship. The boy told the police that the relationship started when he was 15 years old while baby sitting Mary’s son and taking care of her dogs and cats. They also exchanged gifts and letters, including wedding rings, police said. Mary was arrested at school and initially denied the allegations, saying the boy was fantasizing. Police said that she later confessed. Prosecutors noted that Mary initially made up a cancer story to save her marriage from breaking, and later on continued to use the same lie in order to be absent in her place of work and in an effort to keep the lover boy from terminating the relationship Mary was ordered on bail and could be sentenced to more than eight years. She was suspended with pay. She has separated with the husband; they had a 9 year old son. Mark (not real name), the principal of the school said the whole school felt betrayed. This became the topic of discussion among students and teachers in the school. Some students found it hard to believe the story as they described her as a very nice teacher who is always positive. † She was a very dear teacher to us† student commented. Some felt the act was disguising. The disciplinary action taken might lead Mary to be fired by the education managers. She is likely not to serve the eight years in jail because she can easily be released on bonds. Mary could alternatively have been asked to compensate the teen for sexually using him. The ministry of education could monitor the educator’s conduct and performance after an investigation is held. This action is to ensure that the prosecuted educator is abiding by laws and regulations of the sector. Professional certificate or license could be suspend or revocation. The action is usually taken the way it is outlined in educator’s code of ethics. Another alternative way of dealing with the case is not to allow the educator to be engaged in to play the role of volunteers. Or substitute teachers or any position during the time of her revocation, suspension or denial for the violation of the code of ethics. These solutions though acceptable, may complicate the situation because the students will loose the teacher and the education performance be affected. The sector will also have lost a human resource.

Neuropsychopharmacology Concepts: Overview and Analysis

Neuropsychopharmacology Concepts: Overview and Analysis Cole Garcia Introduction This research paper was written explore and demonstrate my personal interests in my field of study, neuropsychopharmacology. The research papers discussed were selected to provide a diverse range of topics within the field, and to convey findings that I’ve deemed to be particularly unique or useful in real-life application. Neuropsychopharmacology: a Brief, Multidimensional View Although frequently demonstrated to be neurotoxic in humans, amphetamines have been therapeutically prescribed and abused recreationally since their discovery over a century ago. One form of amphetamine, infamous for its high rates of addiction and toxicity in users, is methamphetamine (METH). The researchers of this study posed the question of whether the traditional animal models demonstrating that METH use decreases caudate-putamen dopamine levels (DA) can be applied to human patterns of abuse and resulting neurotoxicity. Substantial research has indicated that tolerance to METH reduces many of the toxic effects associated with binge use of the drug. To demonstrate this, the researchers aimed to find if the neural death in rats associated with an acute METH binge following an escalation-dose (ED) pretreatment would be less severe than the damages stereotypically observed after high dose â€Å"binge† exposure without prior ED treatment. The researchers hypothesized that curr ent research overstates the neurotoxicity associated with METH abuse, since animal model studies fail to account for the ED pattern typically observed before binge-use in most human users of METH. To test their hypothesis, the researchers selected groups of healthy male rats for experimentation. The living conditions of the rats were kept stable and relatively natural. Following a normalization period of at least a week, the rats were administered three separate, increasing doses of d-METH each day for two weeks. The period began with a dosage of 0.1mg/kg and finished with a dosage of 4.0mg/kg, a dose considered extraordinarily high for human users. Following the last day of ED pretreatment, the rats were administered a â€Å"binge† regimen, consistent with those traditionally used in similar studies, of four injections of 6mg/kg at two hour intervals. Throughout the experiment, a variety of data regarding behavioral responses to the drug, physiological responses like hyperthermia, and other immediately observable variables were gathered. Three days after the last METH administration, the rats were killed and their brains were analyzed to measure DA content and the leve ls of DAT transporter binding that is typically reduced as a result of METH binge use. Analysis of the data showed that the acute METH binge administration produced lower than average neurotoxicity in rats that were subject to ED pretreatment. All but one of the post-mortem neural tissue measurements displayed a reduction in damages in the pretreated rats while non-pretreated rats displayed normal levels of neural death following the acute binge. In vitro data showed similar results; rats administered the binge regiment without pretreatment displayed stereotypic movement associated with acute an METH binge. Most significantly, the data showed that the reduction in DA levels typically resulting from METH binge administration was considerably less severe in the rats that underwent ED pretreatment. All p values for this data were less than 0.01 or 0.001. The researchers concluded that a significant portion of the neurotoxic effects of METH binge use observed in rats can be attenuated by a prior escalation dose regimen. Since past studies on METH’s neurotoxicity fail to examine the drug’s neurotoxicity in subjects that followed â€Å"regular† human patterns prior to administration of toxic doses, the researchers argued that future research on stimulant abuse should follow an escalation dose pretreatment in order to produce data that is actually applicable to the majority of human subjects. For psychopharmacology researchers concerned with reducing drug related harm, this is extremely important information and future studies should explore further by finding a rodent ED pretreatment that is most comparable to actual human behavior patterns. The effects of hallucinogenic drugs like psilocybin and LSD have been documented to profoundly alter visual perceptions of the world. For thousands of years, psilocybin and similar substance have been used for spiritual and religious rituals in many different cultures. Until recently, the neurological causes for the visual distortions have been largely unknown. Past research has found that the serotonin receptors, 5-HT2A, 5-HT2B, 5-HT2C, are likely highly involved in visual processing as well as hallucinations associated with Schizophrenia and Parkinson’s disease. Past animal studies indicate that activation of the 5-HT2A receptors increases the excitability of the visual cortex. This research paper, published by the Journal of Neuroscience, investigates the possibility that the activation of 5-HT2A receptors through psilocybin causes modulation of parietal-occipital ÃŽ ± oscillations, resulting this noted increase in excitability of visual processors. The researchers further hypothesized that the hallucinations could be caused by the 5-HT2A receptor modulation of the visual cortex’s visual recognition â€Å"potentials.† Specifically, the researchers questioned whether or not the P1 and N170 (visual recognition and mid-level processing potentials) are modulated by psilocybin’s activations of the 5-HT2A receptors. The researchers attempted to answer these questions by administering across multiple doses a combination of psilocybin, a placebo, and ketanserin (a 5-HT2A antagonist to cancel the effects of psilocybin in certain trials) to seventeen healthy individuals on four different experimental days. After administration of each drug(s), visual stimulus and response tests were carried out with continuous EEG monitoring during each trial. ÃŽ ± waves were measured for a short duration before and after the administration of the visual stimulus, and the resulting strengths were compared. Six hours after the administration of the drugs, the subjects were required to fill out a standardized questionnaire addressing their subjective visual alterations and changes in perception as a result of the drugs administered on that day. A variety of corrections and comparisons were performed on the data to analyze it with respect to the hypotheses, and results were constructed from the implicated correlations. The first finding was that all subjects administered psilocybin subjectively experienced hallucinogenic effects or visual distortions. It was also found that the all subjects administered the placebo or ketanserin reported no hallucinations or visual distortions. P and r values for these data suggested very strong replicability and correlation. From the ÃŽ ± oscillation data, the researchers found that, under normal conditions, the ÃŽ ± oscillations were stronger during the prestimulus phase than the poststimulus phase. From the psilocybin administered subject trials, the researchers found that the ÃŽ ± oscillations were weaker than usual in the prestimulus phase and the subsequent reduction of strength was not observed in the poststimulus phase. In the placebo and ketanserin tests, no attenuation of ÃŽ ± oscillations were observed. Similarly, in trials where ketanserin was administered 1 hour following psilocybin administration, the decrease in ÃŽ ± oscillations was not observed, in dicating that the 5-HT activation following psilocybin administration is likely a cause for the observed ÃŽ ± oscillation modulation. Since ÃŽ ± oscillations have been shown to be involved in the brain’s construction of vision, the researchers concluded that the hallucinogenic effects of psilocybin are, at least partially, caused by modulation of ÃŽ ± oscillations by activation of 5-HT2A. Along with the modulation of ÃŽ ± oscillations through psilocybin’s activation of 5-HT2A, the researchers also monitored modulation of the P1 and N170 potentials. Activation of 5-HT2A was found to decrease the P1 potentials while increasing the N170 potentials during stimulus. Differences between the psilocybin and non-psilocybin trials showed trends and replicability similar to the observed ÃŽ ± oscillation data. Since these potentials have been shown to be important neurological processes associated with the brain’s recognition and construction of visual input, the researchers concluded that modulation of these important visual potentials is likely somewhat responsible for the perceived changes in visual perception. These data are among the first to show a potential neurological mechanism of action for the changes in visual perception caused by psilocybin, and future research could seek to understand how the modulation of these systems directly relates to specific vis ual changes. Alcoholism is an affliction facing millions of people worldwide and its consequences stretch far beyond the individual. Despite the mounting medical and social costs of alcohol addiction, little progress has been made towards developing effective medication as treatment. Ibogaine, a hallucinogen found in a plant native to Africa, has been anecdotally observed to reverse or undue addiction to many drugs of abuse, including alcohol. Due to its safety profile and nature of the drug’s effects, ibogaine has not yet been considered a potential medication. In this study, the researchers posed the question of whether ibogaine reduces behaviors of addiction; and, if so, how and where it produces these effects in the brain. Digging deeper, the researchers aimed to refute or confirm evidence indicating that ibogaine causes neurotoxicity at doses associated with the addiction reducing action of the drug. To answer these questions, the researchers used both behavior studies and in vivo `brain analysis. The behavior studies, testing the anti-addiction potential of ibogaine, were carried out by habituating rats to ethanol (self-administered or systematically) and then recording preferences following treatment with ibogaine. One study allowed the rats continuous access to both water and ethanol for a period of two months before administration of alcohol. In another study, rats were placed in a cage with two levers, one delivering water and the other delivering ethanol. After a period of three days without the water lever being active, ibogaine was administered and the responses were recorded. A variety of similar experiments were carried out, each of them aiming to eliminate one area of uncertainty regarding the nonspecific activities of the drug. To test for the mechanisms involved in ibogaines addiction reversal, the researchers carried out a series of ibogaine microinjections into the brains of ethanol self-administering rats. In order to clarify which area of the brain is mediates ibogaines effects, each injection was localized at a different brain structure associated with addiction and the resulting behaviors were observed. In vivo, the researchers further isolated ibogaines mechanism of action by examining the drug’s effects on cells in the rodent’s midbrain. To test for neurotoxicity, the brains of non-ibogaine treated mice were analyzed against the brains of ibogaine treated mice. After analyzing the data, the researchers found that all trials indicated attenuation of alcoholism in rats treated with ibogaine. With continuous access to alcohol before and after treatment, ibogaine treated subjects showed a reduction in preference for alcohol (when given a choice) as well as a reduction of intake when no choice was offered. Further clarifying the findings, the data showed that rats treated with ibogaine showed very little change in preference for water or sucrose control solutions. P values for these data was less than 0.02 consistently. The findings confirm that ibogaine, when administered to alcohol preferring animals, reduces the animals consumption of alcohol. Among the secondary findings, the researchers also determined the specific area mediating ibogaine’s action to be the ventral tegmental area (VTA). In trials where ibogaine micoinjections were performed in the VTA, rats decreased their consumption of alcohol considerably. In trials where the same microinjections were made in neighboring substantia nigra, no reduction in alcohol was observed. Another important result was the lack of cell death observed in mice treated with the same therapeutic doses administered to the rat subjects. This was found by observing comparing brain sections of mice exposed to known neurotoxins, ibogaine, or nothing. Similarly, no coordination impairment or bodily harm was found to occur after ibogaine administration at therapeutic doses. The researchers also found that the expression of the glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is directly affected by the drug ibogaine. This leads to what is probably the most important discovery of the data: when GDNF neutralizing antibodies are injected into the VTA of ibogaine administered alcoholic rats, the reduction of alcohol intake was negated. These findings confirm previous studies that show GDNF negate some of the effects of psychoactive drugs. The results of the experiment indicate that ibogaine is not only a potential treatment for alcoholism and addiction, but that this effect is likely carried out through increase in GDNF expression after administration of ibogaine. In the research field seeking to find treatment for drug abuse, these results are potentially revolutionary. To develop an effective treatment, future studies could seek to develop a molecule that induces the upregulation of the GDNF pathway. Alternatively, further research could be done on ibogaine in order to develop a treatment that excludes the hallucinogenic effects of the drug. Mertons theory of Anomie: Girl gangs Mertons theory of Anomie: Girl gangs Topic: Read the report A study on girls in gangs by Hong Kong Federation of Youth and evaluate the possible explanations offered by Merton’s strains towards anomie theory. After reading the report A Study on Girls in Gang by Hong Kong Federation of Youth , to a large extent I disagree to Merton’s strain towards anomie theory. Lets begin with the definition of Girls in Gang. Firstly, Girls in Gang means those girls are not contribute in any triad or serious criminal cases like murder, but they mainly committed in physical violence, stealing from shop or strangers, dishonesty to use their phone or bullying some people that they do it for fun. Secondly, they aged from 10 to 17 years old. Thirdly, gang members are or above 3 people.(Chu Yiu Kong, An Analysis of Youth Gangs in Tin Shui Wai in Hong Kong) Moreover, there are 5 types of structure in gangs. They are autonomous which is girl-dominant, auxiliary which is also girl-dominant but also rely on boy gangs, mixed which included girls and boys, independent group which is not control by anyone, satellite group which is girl-dominant, rely on boy gangs but independent. But what we know is, auxiliary and satellite are the main structures which were more common in Hong Kong society, and the decision-making are mainly from the boys. According to the theory of Structural Functionalism, the society is co-related. The social relationship extending over time and form stable patterns of interaction, then these structures in turn constituted social institutions when times gone. Therefore the social problem happens when function of an institution is not being performed properly, results from the malfunctioning. Also, from Mertons theory, deviant behavior and social disorganization were separate and distinct; tended to see each as causing the other. (Merton, 1938) In the case of Girls in Gangs, there is malfunction in the social relationship of their family, which cannot achieve prerequisite of socialization in order to inherit values, social norms, customs or ideologies by the society. That means their relationship cannot engage those girls in such a way that we find appropriate and acceptable. At the same time, their family cannot give out as the role of the family does such as give them love and belonging, financial support. Thus, girls may easily accept the deviant behaviors such as join gang to satisfy their needs. Refer to Mertons theory of strains towards anomie society, separate deviance into cultural structure and social structure. First, anomie means the low level of moral regulation which regard as normlessness, on the one hand, it is about when we are free to act and not constrained by social norms. Second, cultural structures means a hierarchy of shared values that govern our behaviors and provide us with cultural goal like achievement on education or career, material comfort of wealth. On the other hand, social structure means institutional norms which define and regulate the acceptable mode of reaching these goals.'(Merton, 1938) In other words, is to provide legitimate means by which members can pursue their goals. From his theory, there are five types of adaptations to achieve either cultural goals or social means. To a large extent, I agree to the conformity adaptations, but small extent agree to the ritualism adaptations, the innovation adaptation, the rebellion adaptations and th e retreatism adaptation did applicable to the case of girls join gangs in Hong Kong. The reasons are as of the following. The report of A study on Girls in Gangs have shown that the several reasons of the girls join gangs because of emotional attachment and protection. As most of the interviewees responded that they were lack of affiliation, which they do not have a good or even lack of relationship with their family, school or working place. In order to fulfill their mental needs or emotional attachment, they joined gangs to achieve the conformity with other people in order to lower the loneliness. Besides, girls in gangs will be named as ah-so, English means either sister-in-law or girlfriend, or ka -mui, in English means little sister, both names did not have a direct relationship, but somehow they can get protection from the gangs because of what their fake relationship is simply as same as the real family. This structure represents that the girl participating in gangs is trying to achieve their cultural goal and they do have social means which is join gangs . Thus, the girls participate in gangs d oes regard as an conformity adaptations since they have their cultural goals and social means. According to the report, A study on Girls in Gangs, the two interviewees told that they were pleasant and happy because of they can enjoy free entertainment when they join gangs. (18 years old, student) They will go to sing karaoke, dancing or go to mainland sometimes, depend on where the gangs go, and the girls in gangs do not need to pay any money, which for boys to show their gentleness and power. (16 years old, employee). From the research, it presents the girls do have cultural goal which is free entertainment regard as use the social means, but they use the same means which do not have any new goals or new means. In addition, the society was also assume the goal as materialism or material comfort, when they did not achieve their goals in legitimacy means, so they will reject the mean. Therefore, the ritualism adaptation which refers as no goals but with means cannot apply in this case. Nonetheless, the report A study on Girls in Gangs, One of the interviewees said that she joins gang because of her boyfriend is one of the members in gangs.(16, student)Furthermore, from what she has said, girls join gangs may seem to have a new goal which is find a boyfriend and maintain a stable love relationship with their partner, but it is also talk about they need emotional attachment, love and belonging by the mean. Thus, rebellion adaptation which have new goals and new means, and innovation adaptation which have goals and new means are not applicable in girls join gangs in Hong Kong, because they do not have the new goals and new means. The above report datas also presented some of the girls know that when they need to leave the gang. The report shown that girls join gangs which they think they were smart enough to protect themselves, and they know what they are doing, they always did something for aim.(18, employee) This shows that they are not as what retreatlism adaptation means have no goals and no means to do some deviant behavior, and what Merton regards as true deviant. Therefore, retreatlism adaptation cannot apply in this case, as the girls join gangs for goals. In our life, different countries or places may bring a different social structure. Compare to America, Hong Kong is rarely have serious criminal cases, and the girls in gangs which were totally different. Mertons theory can explain why rates of deviant behavior are higher in some sectors of the society than in others. American culture is characterized by great emphasis on the accumulation of wealth as a success symbol without a corresponding emphasis on using legitimate means to match toward their goal.'(Marshall B. Clinard, 1964) Refer to the theory, it told that in America society, if the one who want to achieve goals of being wealthy, they can use any means leaned success, even illegal or criminal should be accepted by the theory. Thus, American are more focus on wealth, and do not care all other things such as relationship, love, caring, academic, and they may not facing the same problems of Hong Kong girls in gangs which was lack of affiliation or facing failure. Then, compare t o the case of Hong Kong girls in gangs, mainly concerned about the emotional attachment and conformity, join gangs seek as an instruments to achieve their conformity, they may have goals but they do not have any new means. So in this way, Mertons theory may not be appropriate to apply on the girls join gangs in Hong Kong society which is more applicable on American society. Last but not least, Hong Kong girls join gangs should be regarding something they want like affiliation to achieve with means, which is Hong Kong girls join gangs were trying to gain conformity by satisfy their emotional attachment, love and belonging. So conformity adaptation of the Mertons theory is the only one can apply and suit on the girls join gangs in Hong Kong. On the other hand, girls in gang of Hong Kong society need to fulfill their need with means, but not with new goals or new means, so other adaptation of the Mertons theory may not be the best to apply in Girls in Gangs of Hong Kong society. Therefore, to a large extent I disagree to Merton’s strain towards anomie theory. Reference Readings Chu, Yiu Kong (2005)An analysis of Youth Gangs in Tin Shui Wai in Hong Kong in Hong Kong Journal of Social Sciences NO.29 Spring/Summer 2005. Clinard, Marshall B.(1995) Robert Merton: Anomie and Social Structure in Earl Eubington and Martin S. Weinberg ed. The study of Social Problems Seven Perspectives, London : Oxford University Press. Haralambos, Michael and Holborn, Martin (2000) Sociology Themes and Perspectives ,London Collins. Mok, James and Chan Shui-ching(2008) A study on Girls in Gangs, Hong Kong : Research Centre, Hong Kong Federation of Youth Group.