Literature review on ethical issue between employees and their Essay

Literature review on ethical issue between employees and their manegars - Essay Example The daily interaction, collaboration and interpersonal relationships required from managers and employees create tensions and issues that are considered normally pervading the working environment. Apart from operational concerns, managers and employees are faced with contrasting beliefs, values and preferences that occur because of the diversity in personalities, traits, cultural orientations and demographical factors that form each individual in the organization. These beliefs fall under ethical issues in business, defined as â€Å"â€Å"the principles and standards that guide behavior in the world of business† (Ferrell, Fraedrich & Ferrell, 2009, 6). In this regard, the current study aims to proffer a review of related literature on the subject of ethical issues between managers and employees. The theoretical framework and impetus for the review came as a result of an interview with a legal researcher for the Saudi – Central Bank, who identified problems which are et hical in nature and existed in their organization, currently affecting job satisfaction and productivity of employees. Ethical Issues in Business Organizations Ethical behavior have been identified to manifest actions that are â€Å"morally accepted as "good" and "right" as opposed to "bad" or "wrong" in a particular setting† (Sims, 1992, 506). ... According to Martires and Fule (2004), the culture of an organization influences the ethical climate that pervades. Organizational culture is a set of symbols, myths, ceremonies that reflect the underlying values and beliefs of the organization or its work force. This statement is supported by Hunt (1991) and Schneider and Rentsch (1991) who emphasized that there are factors that influence diversity in ethical climates of organizations, to wit: â€Å"personal self-interest, company profit, operating efficiency, individual friendships, team interests, social responsibility, personal morality, rules and standard procedures, and laws and professional codes† (cited in Sims, 1992, 510). As such, more detailed ethical issues facing human resources in organizations, particularly between managers and employees, are revealed by CiteHR (n.d.) to wit: (1) â€Å"discrimination issues include discrimination on the bases of age (ageism), gender, race, religion, disabilities, weight and att ractiveness; (2) issues surrounding the representation of employees and the democratization of the workplace: union busting, strike breaking; (3) issues affecting the privacy of the employee: workplace surveillance, drug testing; (4) issues affecting the privacy of the employer: whistle-blowing; (5) issues relating to the fairness of the employment contract and the balance of power between employer and employee: slavery, indentured servitude, employment law; and (6) occupational safety and health† (CiteHR, n.d., par. 1). In the case of the legal researcher for the Saudi – Central Bank, the ethical issue that existed between managers and employees was manifested in the way the manager discriminated against underperforming employees which further

Conventional insurance and mutual or co-operative insurance Essay

Conventional insurance and mutual or co-operative insurance - Essay Example This paved way for the development of Takaful form of insurance that is Shariah compliant. Mutual risk arrangement Takaful envisages transfer of risk on mutual basis under which arrangement are the participants and operators. It is almost similar to conventional mutual risk sharing such as Mutual Insurance and Indemnity Club (P and I Club). The difference between Takaful and conventional insurances lies in the manner in which risk is managed and Takaful fund is operated. There are differences in relationships between the operator and participants who represent the insurer and insured respectively in the conventional insurance. The management of risk refers to the way risk is assessed (underwriting) and handled. Unlike conventional insurance, uncertainty, speculation (gambling) and interest elements are prohibited in Islamic life and the Takaful insurance is free from these vices known as Gharar (uncertainty), Maisir (gambling) and Riba (interest or usury). (Iqbal, 2005). In order to be free of Gharar, a Takaful contract must be subject to full disclosure from both sides so that there is complete clarity. The full disclosure or clarity should be in respect of the subject matter and terms of contract. If there is any unknown element or unknown exposure, Takaful contract cannot be entered into. But since this ideal situation does not always exist, Takaful contract ensures that there is at least no exchange of Gharar among the parties to the contract (Iqbal, 2005). Prohibition of Maisir (gambling) that is an extreme form of Gharar does not allow risk transfer on speculative basis. Riba, another prohibited element, is avoided by treatment of contribution from the participants as part of risk sharing scheme and not as a premium in conventional insurance. In Takaful, the contribution is envisaged as Mushahamah in the form of donation with a condition of Tabarru (compensation). Further, under Takaful, the funds so collected should be managed and invested following Shar iah principles (Iqbal, 2005). Islam does not prohibit risks as they are a reality. It only prohibits trading on risks. Islam does allow mutual help in any situation including when some misfortune strikes. Both the forms of insurance deal with risks but in a different manner from each other. Under conventional insurance, risks from various insured persons are transferred to the insurer by insured against exchange of premium collected by the insurer. On the other hand, under Takaful risks are shared by the participants (insured) by contribution to fund under a mutual guarantee scheme to be managed by Takaful operator Wakeel (agent). Thus, there is no risk transfer to the operator in Takaful insurance. The conventional insurance actually exchanges uncertainty for certainty. The uncertainty relates to whether or not loss will occur and if at all it occurs, when it will it occur and what will be severity of loss like and how many such losses are likely to occur within a given period. The conventional insurance envisages payment of fixed premium by the insured to insurance company who in turn will pay the loss if it ever occurs within ambit of policy terms. This exchange of uncertain loss is Gharar in Islam and hence not allowed. Therefore, the Takaful avoids risk transfer by the participants (insured) to the operator. This facilitates sharing of risks by among the participants under what can be called a mutual

Roles of a Manager within Functional Areas of Business Essay Example for Free

Roles of a Manager within Functional Areas of Business Essay Business and Government are just the same except in all the important aspects.(Joseph L. Bower, 1970, p.70). This quote makes sense, because both require a management level that must be versatile and play distinct roles in different business situations or organizations. These functions are important to any business and its success. Managers Role in a Business Businesss all have different functions, goals, and ratios to gauge, to be successful. A managers job has different levels, and some are from a great extent to a lower degree. But they all must have key attributes to be successful for their subordinates and peers. They must have authority so that those they look over respect them and follow through with a task they delegate. A manager also has to be efficient, with excellent problem-solving skills. Regardless of what business you are in, you will want efficiency, but you will always run into a problem, which will need to be resolved immediately. These problems can be internal with staff, or on a larger scale impacting the business for a sooner than later failure. You will want a manager who can fix the issues, find the issues and coordinate all of this by utilizing the business metric they are using. This metric of activity should be the guidelines in which the company wishes to follow and is a foundation that should make a business successful. Marketing Marketing is another functional area that businesses thrive on. Some in my opinion view this as just a tool that is used to bring in business on a particular product. But in reality utilizes trends, ideas, generations, and considers a lot more from the inside of the company, and allow the outside  world to notice it. The purpose of marketing is not to just find and increase new areas of business. They want to bring the business to the front door, but not let out the back. This is so there can be new business obtained, but it is also retained for an extended term relationship. The marketing manager must oversee all of their team and their ideas and move forward with what they think will help the business. Human Resources Human Resources is an area of business where the manager acts as a service provider, policy police, strategic partner, change agent, and welfare officer. (Welch and Welch 2012). These managers are the enforcers of the law at these businesses, as well as the legislation of the geographic territory they reside in. They need to ensure that they hire the right person for the right job and fire those who may be crippling the business and individuals. They must consistently enforce the rules for the employees at hand and ensure they keep accurate records for the company. Finance and Accounting Finance and accounting are what is looked at as the meat of the business and is necessary for a company to be successful. This can also tell a business where its weaknesss lie. A managers role in this position is to maintain positive numbers. But if this is done correctly it also has different areas of finance. What I mean by this is, there may be a business that thrives on more than one product. If one product is not selling, the correct action could be to remove that product, market it better, or improve the product. This will also let the business know if they can expand if they need more employees and dictate the future of the enterprise. Operations Operations are the creation, moving, or services that need to be put in place so they can reach the hands of the customers. This is one of the biggest factors that can make or break a business. There is a lot of unpredictability in operations, and there must always be a backup plan in place. If there is a breakdown in delivery of a product to a customer, to the business, or not pushing a product on the floor fast enough; this can  end a relationship with a client that depends on, operations to move smoothly. If management has a plan in place, there should be no repercussions from the unexpected. Or they should be able to find a resolution to the operations issue immediately. Operation is a factor that everyone relies on, and I feel that many consumers dont realize how much they rely on it until there is this breakdown in operations. Leadership and Strategic Planning Leadership and strategic planning is an aspect that always needs to be put into place from the very beginning by the management. These plans will help oversee all aspects of a business from the environment to the lower level of subordinates. It will point everyone in the right direction to achieve the goals of the company and even the goals of those in the company. If a particular plan is set forth by the leaders, it should be known to those involved so they could follow these guidelines to meet or exceed the goals. The leadership will ensure that these plans are followed to ensure the success of everyone. Conclusion Everything that is discussed in this essay was a brief description of necessary areas in business, and how management needs to be involved in these fields. All of them are needed for the success of enterprises, and the managers who overlook these different functions need to ensure their duties are carried out properly so the company will succeed. With these areas working appropriately with good leaders, there is a greater chance of success. These guidelines and structures are the foundations on which to build a business. Each aspect plays its role that must be led by people with these foundations as their law book to abide by. These leaders should also be able to pass this knowledge down to their successors so the business can thrive long after they are gone. References Welch and Welch (2012) Joseph L. Bower, Managing the resource allocation Process: A Study of Corporate Planning and Investment, Division of Research, Graduate School of Business Administration, Boston, Harvard University Press, 1970, p.70. Anne J. Broderick (1998) Role Theory, Role Management and Service Performance Kane- Urrabazo C. (2006) Managements role in shaping organizational culture

Analysis of G-Protein Coupled Receptor 12

Analysis of G-Protein Coupled Receptor 12 ABSTRACT: G-Protein Coupled Receptor 12 (GPR12) belongs to the orphan GPCR family which is the same of the GPR3 and GPR6. Homology model for the protein GPR12 was generated from the SWISS-MODEL website which showed an all alpha motif with seven transmembrane ÃŽÂ ± -helix interconnected by loops. GPR12 acts through the cyclic Adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) pathway and promotes neurite outgrowth in primary neurons which can be used to slow down the progression of neurodegenerative diseases. The gene of GPR12 is located in the chromosome 13q12.13 for human, 12p11 for rat and 5; 5 G3 for a mouse with the size of 5.6 kbp, 3.4 kbp, and 4.3 kbp. Four current ongoing clinical trials studies on GPR12 was found on clinicaltrials.gov. G-Protein Coupled Receptor 12 (GPR12) belongs to the orphan GPCR family which is the same of the GPR3 and GPR6 (Ignatov et al., 2003a; Ignatov et al., 2003b). GPR 12 family members are constitutively activated and initiate the cAMP signaling cascades (Ignatov et al., 2003a). It is reported that GPR12 promote neurite extension in primary neurons (Ignatov et al., 2003a). The sequence identity of GPR12 is similar to GPCR S1P5 by 34%, GPR3 by 57% and GPR6 by 58% (Ignatov et al., 2003a; Ignatov et al., 2003b). Hence, it is hypothesized that the orphan receptors might share common ligands and also have similar physiological functions (Uhlenbrock et al., 2002; Tanaka et al., 2007). GPR12 has a high binding affinity towards Sphingosylphosphorylcholine (SPC) (Uhlenbrock et al., 2002). GPR 12 also binds with Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P)   with low affinity (Uhlenbrock et al., 2002). GPR12 family members are constantly activated and cAMP downstream signaling cascades initiated (Uhlenbro ck et al., 2002; Ignatov et al., 2003a). This persistent activation promotes neurite extension in primary neurons (Tanaka et al., 2007). GPR12 belongs to the orphan GPCR family which is the same of the GPR3 and GPR6 (Ignatov et al., 2003a; Ignatov et al., 2003b). According to Horn et al., GPR12 belongs to the  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   GPCRs, Class A Rhodopsin-like subfamily with all other Orphan GPCR receptors (Horn et al., 2003). 2.1. Structure: A search was conducted for GPR12 in the RCSB protein data bank to identify the protein structure of G-Protein Coupled Receptor 12. There were no matches found in the search which is shown in figure 1.   Hence, a Homology model for the protein was generated from the SWISS-MODEL website, 27.41% sequence identity was indicated for Cannabinoid receptor 1 (Flavodoxin). Flavodoxin, Cannabinoid receptor one was chosen as the template, and a 3D structural model was generated for GPR12 from the template which is shown in the figures 2a and 2b. The GMQE (Global Model Quality Estimation) and Q-Mean value for the generated protein 0.56 and -4.28. The generated protein showed an all alpha motif with seven transmembrane ÃŽÂ ± -helix interconnected by loops forming four extracellular topological domains and four cytoplasmic topological domains. The alignment of protein sequence between Human GPR12 and GPR12 of other species like mouse and rat showed very less variation which indicates the protein is conserved between these species(UniProtKB; UniProtKB; UniProtKB). The protein alignment is shown in figure 3. 2.2. Pathway: According to Horn et al., GPR12 belongs to the  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   GPCRs, Class A Rhodopsin-like subfamily with all other Orphan GPCR receptors (Horn et al., 2003). GPR12 acts through the cyclic Adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) pathway (Tanaka et al., 2007). Since, GPR12 is an orphan receptor where its natural ligand is unknown (Ignatov et al., 2003a). When the ligand such as S1P or SPC binds to the GPR12, the G-Protein gets activated due to the binding of GTP (Ignatov et al., 2003a). Thus, G-Protein activates Adenylate cyclase which converts the Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) into cAMP, and the cAMP activates Protein Kinase A (Ignatov et al., 2003a). The Activated Protein Kinase A activates the cellular reaction such as neurite extension in primary neurons (Ignatov et al., 2003a). [Refer figure 4] 2.3. Gene and Evolutionary aspects of GPR12: The alignment of protein sequence between Human GPR12 and GPR12 of other species like mouse and rat showed very less variation which indicates the protein is conserved between these species (UniProtKB; UniProtKB; UniProtKB). The protein alignment is shown in figure 3. The gene location of GPR12 in the chromosomes locus is nearly the same for human and rat, but it is different in mouse (NCBI-Gene; NCBI-Gene; NCBI-Gene). The gene of GPR12 is located in the chromosome 13q12.13 for human, 12p11 for rat and 5; 5 G3 for mouse (NCBI-Gene; NCBI-Gene; NCBI-Gene). The GPR12 gene contains two exons in humans, three exons in rat and three exons in Mouse separating the intron sequence and the evolutionary association of the gene sequence of GPR12 between the species and between GPCR family is shown in figure 5a and 5b (NCBI-Gene; NCBI-Gene; NCBI-Gene). The GPR12 gene size for a human is 5.6 kbp, for rat it is 3.4 kbp, and for the mouse, it is 4.3 kbp (NCBI-Gene; NCBI-Gene; NCBI-Gene; Stevens et a l., 2013). GPR12 mutant mice showed an effect in their emotionality was affected due to the mutation in GPR12 which was no significant change   (Frank et al., 2012). GPR12 overexpressed in neurons upregulate cAMP levels and promotes neurite outgrowth in primary neurons which can be used to slow down the progression of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimers disease, Parkinsons   disease, Huntingtons disease, etc. (Tanaka et al., 2007). GPR12 is also involved in the regulation of cell survival and cell proliferation which may vary during the diseased condition which causes astrocytes to proliferate at a faster rate and results in inflammation (Lu et al., 2012). A search was done for G-Protein coupled receptor 12 on clinicaltrails.gov website which showed four current ongoing clinical trials studies on GPR12. The studies were different from each other such as Platelet reactivity (ClinicalTrials.gov), Stoke (ClinicalTrials.gov), Metastatic Lung Adenocarcinomas (ClinicalTrials.gov) and Migraine (ClinicalTrials.gov). GPR12 belongs to the  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   GPCRs, Class A Rhodopsin-like subfamily with all other Orphan GPCR receptors. The gene coding for GPR12 is conserved between Humans, Rats, and Mouse which indicates the existence of similar roles and function in these three animals. GPR12 is still in the stages of primary research where its structure, signaling pathways, function, and roles are still waiting to be found. GPR12 has recently assumed to be associated with Neural disorders and diseases. Clinical trials have been successfully conducted for GPR12 for many diseases one of which is depression. References: ClinicalTrials.gov Is There a Transient Rebound Effect of Platelet Reactivity Following Cessation of Dual Antiplatelet Therapy With Ticagrelor a Single Center Prospective Observational Trial. Journal, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02808039?term=G-Protein%2BCoupled%2BReceptor%2B12recr=Openrank=1, January 25, 2017. ClinicalTrials.gov Platelet Reactivity in Acute Non-disabling Cerebrovascular Events (PRINCE). Journal, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02506140?term=G-Protein+Coupled+Receptor+12recr=Openrank=2, January 25, 2017. ClinicalTrials.gov Retrospective Analysis of the Expression of the Neurotensin Receptor by Metastatic Lung Adenocarcinomas (NTS). Journal, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02891733?term=G-Protein%2BCoupled%2BReceptor%2B12recr=Openrank=4, January 25, 2017. ClinicalTrials.gov Ticagrelor Therapy for RefrACTORy Migraine Study (TRACTOR). Journal, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02518464?term=G-Protein%2BCoupled%2BReceptor%2B12recr=Openrank=3, January 25, 2017. Frank, E., Wu, Y., Piyaratna, N., Body, W.J., Snikeris, P., South, T., Gerdin, A.K., Bjursell, M., Bohlooly, Y.M., Storlien, L. Huang, X.F. (2012) Metabolic parameters and emotionality are little affected in G-protein coupled receptor 12 (Gpr12) mutant mice. PLoS One, 7, e42395. Horn, F., Bettler, E., Oliveira, L., Campagne, F., Cohen, F.E. Vriend, G. (2003) GPCRDB information system for G protein-coupled receptors. Nucleic acids research, 31, 294-297. Ignatov, A., Lintzel, J., Hermans-Borgmeyer, I., Kreienkamp, H.-J., Joost, P., Thomsen, S., Methner, A. Schaller, H.C. (2003a) Role of the G-protein-coupled receptor GPR12 as high-affinity receptor for sphingosylphosphorylcholine and its expression and function in brain development. Journal of Neuroscience, 23, 907-914. Ignatov, A., Lintzel, J., Kreienkamp, H.-J. Chica Schaller, H. (2003b) Sphingosine-1-phosphate is a high-affinity ligand for the G protein-coupled receptor GPR6 from mouse and induces intracellular Ca2+ release by activating the sphingosine-kinase pathway. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 311, 329-336. Lu, X., Zhang, N., Meng, B., Dong, S. Hu, Y. (2012) Involvement of GPR12 in the regulation of cell proliferation and survival. Mol Cell Biochem, 366, 101-110. NCBI-Gene Gpr12 G-protein coupled receptor 12 [Mus musculus (house mouse)] Gene NCBI. Journal, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/14738, January/25/2017. NCBI-Gene GPR12 G protein-coupled receptor 12 [Homo sapiens (human)] Gene NCBI. Journal, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/2835, January/25/2017. NCBI-Gene Gpr12 G protein-coupled receptor 12 [Rattus norvegicus (Norway rat)] Gene NCBI. Journal, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/80840, January/25/2017. Stevens, R.C., Cherezov, V., Katritch, V., Abagyan, R., Kuhn, P., Rosen, H. Wuthrich, K. (2013) The GPCR Network: a large-scale collaboration to determine human GPCR structure and function. Nat Rev Drug Discov, 12, 25-34. Tanaka, S., Ishii, K., Kasai, K., Yoon, S.O. Saeki, Y. (2007) Neural expression of G protein-coupled receptors GPR3, GPR6, and GPR12 up-regulates cyclic AMP levels and promotes neurite outgrowth. J Biol Chem, 282, 10506-10515. Uhlenbrock, K., Gassenhuber, H. Kostenis, E. (2002) Sphingosine 1-phosphate is a ligand of the human gpr3, gpr6 and gpr12 family of constitutively active G protein-coupled receptors. Cellular signalling, 14, 941-953. UniProtKB GPR12 G-protein coupled receptor 12 Homo sapiens (Human) GPR12 gene protein. Journal, http://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/P47775, January 25, 2017. UniProtKB Gpr12 G-protein coupled receptor 12 Mus musculus (Mouse) Gpr12 gene protein. Journal, http://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/P35412, January 25, 2017. UniProtKB Gpr12 G-protein coupled receptor 12 Rattus norvegicus (Rat) Gpr12 gene protein. Journal, http://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/P30951, January 25, 2017. Figure 1: No structure was found for the protein GPR12 in RCSB Protein data bank. Figure 2a: Side view of the GPR12 structure which was generated by SWISS-MODEL. The protein is showing an all alpha motif with seven transmembrane ÃŽÂ ± -helix interconnected by loops forming four extracellular topological domains and four cytoplasmic topological domains. Figure 2b: Top view of the GPR12 structure which was generated by SWISS-MODEL. The protein is showing an all alpha motif with seven transmembrane ÃŽÂ ± -helix interconnected by loops forming four extracellular topological domains and four cytoplasmic topological domains. Figure 3: GPR12 protein alignment for the species Human, mouse and rat generated from ClustalW. * (asterisk) indicates positions which have a single, fully conserved residue, : (colon) indicates conservation between groups of strongly similar residue properties, . (period) indicates conservation between groups of weakly similar residue properties. Figure 4: GPR12 proteins complete intracellular signaling pathway Figure 5a: Phylogenetic/evolutionary tree of GPCR family members (Stevens et al., 2013) Figure 5b: Phylogenetic/evolutionary tree of GPR12 showing evolutionary difference between human, rat, and mouse   Ã‚   G-Protein Coupled Receptor (GPR12) Protein Agonist Antagonist Sphingosine-1-phosphate Suramin Sphingosyl-phosphocholine Table 1: GPR12 agonist and antagonist with structure and name

The Benefits of Play Time for Children Essay -- Cognitive, Social, Psy

The best way for parents to teach their child is to play with them. Because indoor and outdoor play is a child's opportunity to explore his new world, it is very important for his growth. In order to help their children develop cognitive, social, and psychological skills, parents should actively participate in their child's playtime. The first step for parents to take is to give the child enough room to play. Enough play space will give way to paths, ramps, bridges, hills, etc (Strickland par. 3). Because the child will have extra room to move, his body will engage in actions, which is important for him to learn how his mind cooperates with his body. Provide tools like plastic shovels, sand buckets, or blocks of wood to encourage him to build anything he wants. Such things as sand, water, blocks, and boxes for construction are moveable. Since they are moveable, they are also changeable; he can calculate in his head what needs to go where (Strickland par. 1). The balancing, lifting, and carrying will help develop his cognitive skills because he will be using his mind to complete his project just the way he imagines it (Strickland par. 2). The movements and strategies that are accompanied by outdoor projects will enhance his motor coordination, and hone his timing skills (Muller par. 38). Dr. Katheleen Al fano, director research at Fisher Price, states that â€Å"a great deal of research has been conducted recently into the link between play and movement, and intellectual development† (Muller par. 37). Of course, the parents' role in this activity is to monitor their child's play, but to not hover or intervene. The parents may feel urged to correct the child's method of construction, but it is vital for the child to ... ...k. There is no time commitment, and the child savors the play-time just the same (Bush par. 4). There are many things to do outside to help define the child's character: read outside (Bush par. 8), gaze at the sky (Bush par. 9), listen to animal sounds (Bush par. 10), look at the many bugs, and much more. When a child sees an eccentric insect, his reaction will portray his character and personality. It also helps him explore his feelings (Bush par. 7). Allowing aggressive play and scheduling time to see the world together are ways that parents can actively participate in their child's play-time. The famous author Dr. Seuss thinks that â€Å"adults are obsolete children.† Still, parents must put adulthood aside sometimes and actively participate in their child's play-time in order to help the child develop cognitive, social, and psychological skills.

Essay --

For this assignment, I chose â€Å"The Origin of Modern Humans† by Roger Lewin as my book to read for my book report. Roger Lewin is a British award-winning science author and writer of 20 books. He was employed at New Scientist in London for about nine years. He went to Washington, D.C. to write books and other pieces for science for ten years as news editor. The book by him that I chose, in 201 pages, this book explained answers to questions like where and when modern humans first appeared, what features distinguish modern humans, who our immediate ancestors were, and many more. For example, the subtopics are; the African origin, the multiregional origin, the archeology of modern humans, language and modern human origins, symbolism and images, mitochondrial divergence, human variation, and an overview of homosapieans and the modern debate. In this book there are two main views in paleoanthropology, the study of humankind, about the origin of modern humans: the African origin and the multiregional origin. The recent African origin of modern humans is the popular theory. The theory is called the â€Å"Out-of-Africa model†, and is also known more professionally as the recent single-origin hypothesis. The book speaks about how the hypothesis that humans have a single origin was published in Charles Darwin's book. The idea was mostly hypothetical until the 1980s, when it was confirmed by a study of DNA, combined with evidence based on physical studies of old specimens. According to genetic and fossil evidence, the original homosapiens evolved to modern humans only in Africa, around 200,000 to 100,000 years ago, with people from one area leaving Africa about 60,000 years ago and over a period of time taking over earlier human populations lik... ...was cute and very interesting how successful she was at speaking the English language and I also thought it was cute and heart-warming at the same time. It was fascinating how a chimpanzee could know more words than some toddlers. The thing I liked least about this book was the lengthiness and wordiness of it. It was very round-about in getting to the point or conclusion of the topic. It had a lot of extra information that I felt wasn’t necessary or just didn’t really have a place in the chapter. I also found some subtopics much less interesting than others. I personally would not recommend this book. I did like some parts but I disliked it more than I liked it and unless someone is very passionate about this subject I wouldn’t tell them to read it because they would probably find it boring or it would be hard for them to understand certain parts like it was for me.

Assess the socio-economic impacts of tourism in East Africa

Kenya attracts about 780,000 tourists per annum because of its prolific wildlife, white sandy beaches and hot climate. Tourism in Kenya is worth an estimated $500 million a year, Kenya's principal tourist resources are the wildlife rich savannah grasslands and its beautiful beaches and coral reefs. Tourism really started to grow in the 1980s with the development of mass transit such as the Boeing 707. Tourists also flock to sample a culture which is perceived as completely different from Western culture, however the socio-economic gains of tourism are not without their cost. By the late 1980s tourism was Kenya's main earner, worth 43% of its income in 1990. There are two sides to the coin regarding tourism, its detractors describe it as a form of economic colonialism, while its promoters claim that it raises the standard of living for people and puts money back into the communities. In Kenya its main primary resources are its huge number of national parks (there are more than 50) which are intended both to promote tourism and to manage and maintain the existing environment. The parks help to protect the animals and fragile ecosystems from being totally over run by tourists and poachers, today no one is allowed to kill any of the animals in the park, however the welfare of the animals is still be affected indirectly by tourism. The creation of the parks caused the native people, such as the Maasai, to be forced from the parks as no one was allowed to live in them. Tourists stay either in tents in the park or in hotels or villages on the outskirts of the park. Minibus safari trips take tourists round the park and let them view the animals. The creation of these parks has had a large impact on the people living in them, both socially and economically. The Maasai and other such tribes now have to live on the outskirts of the parks away from their traditional grazing lands and find it harder to live a nomadic lifestyle. The Kenyan government has a policy stating that one quarter of the income from tourism sites should go back into the local communities. This policy is not being enforced sufficiently though and the actual amount that the indigenous tribes receive is estimated to be as low as 2%. The Maasai find themselves having to sell trinkets and knick-knacks to tourists in order to generate an income. An estimated 70% of the people employed in the safari parks are not Maasai. Increased tourism to traditional Maasai villages has led to traditional dances and rituals being turned into cabaret for tourists eager to sample another culture. This can have the effect of making the Maasai feel like they are people living in a museum that is designed to entertain western tourists, however the upside is that traditional dances and rites that may have been lost through time have been preserved instead. Tourism in rural Kenya has had many positive effects. Some of the Maasai can now afford to send their children to boarding schools in the cities to improve their education and future, using money they have generated from tourists, both in the formal and informal sectors. There have also been improvements in the infrastructure of the villages the Maasai now live in, with the government using some of the revenue of tourism to build wells, improve housing and establish small local schools. The benefits of tourism however are mainly in the cities as this is where the government will spend most of its GDP, choosing to further develop the core areas rather than the periphery, in which the Maasai lands lie. A large percentage of the income generated by tourism will also be taken out of the country as international companies make most of the money on tours, e. . tour operators, travel agents, air companies etc. This means that often the people at the bottom of society do not see any benefits for a long time, it is only relatively recently in Kenya that the government has started to put money back into the very communities that generated it in the first place. Tourism needs to be carefully managed by governments otherwise they risk destroying their valuable resources that cannot be replaced. Tourism in Kenya is also popular in the beach resorts of Mombassa and other smaller towns or cities along the Indian Ocean coast. Large numbers of western tourists have resulted in a huge growth in the numbers of hotels and resorts, benefiting the local economy more immediately and obviously than in rural areas. The local people find work in the new industries associated with tourism and the wealth of an area will increase. These jobs though are often only seasonal and often badly paid and exploitative. Local traditional shops may close or be affected by some tourists demands for western foods and goods, such as traditional restaurants starting to serve pizza instead of local food. Many tourists do not want to see or experience the real Kenya, but instead merely want a hot climate, nice beach and things to be like they are at home. This is a mental attitude that is causing severe negative social affects on Kenya, both in rural park areas, and the more urbanised coastal resorts. By shifting the Maasai out of the National Parks, the Kenyan government has displaced a whole people from its natural home. They have no access to their traditional grounds where they could work as pastoral farmers in complete self sufficiency. The Maasai argue that they parks are only rich in wildlife and resources due to their careful maintenance of them, and the large numbers of tourists will destroy them, despite the best efforts of the government. By designating some areas as parks the government has increased the intensity of tourists in these areas, thus helping in some places to drive the animals away, ruining the resources which they depend upon. There is also an increasing amount of rural-urban migration as the young economically active members of the communities move to the cities in search of work and jobs, seeing there is no future staying in the villages. It can be argued that they will suffer from cultural dilution as their traditional way of life becomes infused with the western way of life. The locals will wear traditional outfits and garments in front of the tourists as they know it is what they want to see and will make them more likely to purchase trinkets and jewellery etc, though when they are at home they will often wear western style clothes. The situation is similar in the coastal resorts, where traditional cultures are being swamped by the western life style, imported by huge numbers of tourists. A large amount of the local population are Muslim, and to them women walking round through the beaches and towns in western swimwear is offensive as it clashes with their beliefs and culture. The real problems arise though when the local girls start to copy the tourists, which threatens to destroy local traditions. There has also been an increase in crime, drug usage and prostitution, both male and female, though males are often more obvious due to the male dominated society that exists. This is yet another example of tourist and government helping to destroy the areas natural resources. Fear of crime and a sleazy image will help to dissuade tourists from visiting Kenya and as such a large amount of economy is dependent upon tourism, will cause widespread economic problems, and probably social ones as well as unemployment rises. The large number of tourists at coastal resorts is also causing permanent damage to the coral reefs that surround the shores, with large numbers of tourists walking upon, and destroying the coral. At one place there may be up to 20 boats a day, all dropping their anchors on the choral and all the tourists showing scant regard for the delicate ecosystems below their feet. If this carries on then eventually there will be no coral left. Tourism is a double edged sword to developing countries, it can provide enormous economic benefits to the government, however these are rarely distributed to the people at the bottom which the tourist industry is usually based on exploiting in some shape or form, eg the Maasai in Kenya. Careful management is needed of natural resources and more care must be taken to preserve local traditions and cultures, without reducing them to the status of purely tourist exhibits. It is easy to say the â€Å"traditional† societies are being destroyed, however the local people may often prefer to have the material gains associated with the western lifestyle.