Discuss the Strengths and Weaknesses of Functionalist...

Question 1: Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of functionalist explanations as applied to the study of contemporary society. Support your response with details and examples from studies conducted in the Caribbean on stratification. Functionalism is a consensus perspective that sees society as based on shared values into which members are socialized. It sees society as like an organism, each part performing functions to maintain the system as a whole. For example, religion, the education system and the family perform socialization functions. The functionalist theory though developed from the ideas of theorists such as Herbert Spencer and Emile Durkheim, can trace its origins as far back as the founding father of sociology, Auguste†¦show more content†¦One of the weaknesses of this perspective, however, is that some could arguably assert that poverty serves a function in such a society. According to Melvin Tumin, Davis and Moore did not fully appreciate the importance of power in determining the unequal distribution of rewards. He went on to conclude that the differences in prestige and pay between different groups had been as a result of power rather than functional importance. For example in Trinidad a nd Tobago, the difference in salaries and wages between workers in the oil and cocoa industry may be a result of the relative bargaining power of the two groups of workers. Social stratification systems function to provide the elite with the political power necessary to procure the acceptance and dominance of an ideology which rationalizes the status quo. One other strength of functionalism is the belief that society is held together by social consensus, or cohesion, in which members of the society agree upon, and work together to achieve, what is best for society as a whole. Talcott Parsons believe that order, stability and cooperation in society are based on value consensus; that is a general agreement by members of society concerning what is good and worthwhile. He further believes that the stratification system is derived from common values it follows from theShow MoreRelatedOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 PagesLandscape Sam Wineburg, Historical Thinking and Other Unnatural Acts: Charting the Future of Teaching the Past Sharon Hartman Strom, Political Woman: Florence Luscomb and the Legacy of Radical Reform Michael Adas, ed., Agricultural and Pastoral Societies in Ancient and Classical History Jack Metzgar, Striking Steel: Solidarity Remembered Janis Appier, Policing Women: The Sexual Politics of Law Enforcement and the LAPD Allen Hunter, ed., Rethinking the Cold War Eric Foner, ed., The New American

Inclusion Is Thought To Be A Complex Education Essay Free Essays

In general, inclusion of kids with particular educational demands in mainstream schools is an of import issue and all European states now have statute laws promoting inclusive educational scenes. ( Evans A ; Lunt, 2002 ) . Even though inclusion has obtained assorted significances throughout the old ages, since the debut of the term in Warnock Report ( 1978 ) but besides through many Codes of Practice, the significance of effectual inclusion is still unclarified. We will write a custom essay sample on Inclusion Is Thought To Be A Complex Education Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now ( Nind A ; Wearmouth,2006 ) . So, it seems necessary, harmonizing to Unicef ( 2012 ) , to know apart inclusion from two other footings. First, segregation in which students are distributed to particular schools harmonizing to their damage. Second, from integrating in which pupils can be placed in mainstream schools but in separate, particular demands ‘ schoolrooms and be portion of this educational seeting every bit long as they adapt to its environment. Nevertheless, inclusion has a more embracing significance as it proposes the suspension of all boundaries and a common assimilation of societal, cultural, curricular individuality of the kid but besides of the whole system. ( Nowich,2008 ; G, Richards et Armstrong 2011 ) . UNESCO refers this assimilation by stressing the duty of the society to offer instruction to everybody and by specifying that inclusion as a â€Å" procedure of increasing engagement in acquisition, civilizations and communities and cut downing exclusion w ithin and from instruction † ( Unicef 2012,4p ) . This combination of increasing entree and besides of extinguishing exclusions led Booth ( 2003 ) to believe inclusion as an eternal process. However, it is something more than puting all kids, including those with SEN, in the same setting.It is, in contrast to integrating, the version of school to childrens ‘ demands. ( Heat et al. 2004 ) . However, it is non easy to comprehend the term of inclusion in theory but besides in practice.That is why Giddens ( 1994 ) refers to an â€Å" Utopian pragmatism † that many desire but few truly believe it can go on ( Croll A ; Moses, 2000 ) while Slee ( 2004 ) metaphorically says that inclusion has become â€Å" jet lagged † in order to exemplify the assortment of definitions existed for inclusion throughout the years.Indeed, inclusion is hard to be understood and identified because of its diverseness and the deficiency of a planetary significance as in many states it is confused with integrating ( Armstrong,2005 ) . What is of import to comprehend is that we should see inclusion in a wider context in order to accomplish it.This agencies that if the purpose of extinguishing unintegrated instruction is successful, it is merely because society believes in inclusion and topographic points accent on persons ‘ rights and non on their acquisition troubles ( Thomas, 1997 ) . So, it is a affair of handling all kids every bit and non merely in the same manner ( Wedell, 2008 ) . This can be managed through a transmutation in the whole society and its rules and afterwards in every smaller context such as the educational 1†¦ . On the other manus, SEBD is besides considered a obscure term and hard to be understood because of deficiency of lucidity and the diverseness of their features. Consequently, inclusion of kids who are labelled as holding SEBD raises many treatments throughout the old ages. ( Cole A ; Knowles 2011 ) .Nevertheless, it was non until 1981 through the Education Act that emotional and behavioral troubles ( EBD ) as a term was introduced and accepted for the first time.The old Educational Act ( 1944 ) had instigated the term â€Å" maladjusted † by doing a more medical attack of these troubles whereas in the 19th century, these students were confused with delinquents or â€Å" mental defectives † . ( Cole A ; Knowles 30p. ) However, despite the abolition of †maladjusted kids † as a definition, the Education Act continued to advance integrating and non the inclusion of people with particular demands in general†¦ ..Besides, this advancement from covering these pupils as being maladjusted or holding emotional upsets to kids with multiple troubles was besides considerable for switching off from the medical theoretical account and traveling towards the societal 1†¦ †¦ Many research workers argue that there is non a globally accepted definition for kids with emotional and behavioral troubles ( see e.g Benett A ; Aalsvoort, 2005 ) even though many alterations in policy have been made through governmental paperss in order to advance inclusion of these pupils in mainstream schools ( Goodman, 2010 ) . It is used as a â€Å" quasi-official term † that concerns pupils ‘ behavior described as â€Å" riotous † , â€Å" exlcuded † , â€Å" disputing † or â€Å" at hazard † ( Clough, Garner, Pardek, Yuen 2005 p.7 ) . Despite the vagueness and the multiple definitions existed, there have been many governmental alterations that increase the opportunities for pupils with SEN such as those characterised as holding SEBD to be portion of mainstream instruction. ( Goodman A ; Burton 2010 ) . For case, SEN Code of Practice explains SEBD as: â€Å" a acquisition trouble where kids and immature people demonstrate characteristics of emotional and behavioral troubles such as: being withdrawn or isolated, interrupting and disrupted ; being overactive and deficient concentration ; holding immature societal accomplishments ; or showing disputing behavior originating from other complex particular demands † ( DCSF 2008, paragraph 49 ) . Indeed, it is an imprecise term, as Goodman and Burton note, that is connected with many different behaviors, internalizing and projecting but besides with other troubles such as the job in acquisition or the hyperactivity. However, one of the most of import issues that might be raised is how teaching and inclusion can be effectual when the significance of umbrella footings such as SEN or SEBD have so many premises. ( Campbell 2002 ) .Furthermore, contemplations should be made about how to gain the purposes of inclusion and why all these barriers for its accomplishment exist.Is it appropriate to speak about a spread between theory and pattern? Jull ( 2009 ) summarises that inclusion of kids with SEBD faces many jobs in execution because of deficiency of educational and administrative administration but besides because of the behavior itself of pupils as the chief trouble to accomplish inclusion.Indeed, kids with SEBD are at great hazard of being excluded ( DfeS, 2004 ) as their antis ocial behavior is thought to be a great challenge ( White Paper 2010 ; Green Paper, 2007 ) . The troubles briefly outlined above high spot the complexness of inclusion of kids identified as holding SEBD in UK context as there is a scope of issues, challenges and quandary being raised. As a consequence, after analyzing these barriers, I will propose possible ways frontward to get the better of them. Furthermore, I will reason that despite the jobs and contemplations, inclusion can be achieved but in order to be effectual, a whole transmutation must be occurred in society and educational scenes. Therefore, I will do connexions to my ain personal experience in Greece as a six months volunteer instructor of handicraft and linguistic communication to striplings and grownups with high-functioning autism and Down syndrome who besides faced emotional and behavioral diificulties. How to cite Inclusion Is Thought To Be A Complex Education Essay, Essay examples

Financial Plan Sales and Fixed Expenses

Question: Discuss about theFinancial Plan for Sales and Fixed Expenses. Answer: Introduction The financial plan assesses the viability of undertaking a project. It helps in determining if the undertaking of the project would lead to value creation for its investors. All the parameters like sales, variable, fixed expenses and other expenses are estimated keeping in mind the nature of the industry in which the business would be involved and they are included in computing profitability of the project. Here the financial viability of the bakery is being assessed to decide for undertaking the project by the investor. Start- Up Cost It refers to the cost required for the initiation of business (Morah, 2008). The investment that has to be additionally made by the investor for starting the business forms a part of the start-up cost. The commitments that have been undertaken by the investor prior to the initiation of the project would not form a part of the start-up cost. It is the cost that has to be incurred prior to the realization of benefits from the business or project (Schmidt, 2015). Here, the initial investment of $200000 has to be made to purchase the bakery caf business. It would be run on the premises that have been taken on a lease rent of 3000 per month by the owner. Keeping in mind the above situation we can state that the start-up cost for the business is $200000. Since the agreement for the lease has been entered into by the owner prior to the purchase of the bakery and is a fixed financial commitment on the part of the owner it will not be considered as a part of start-up cost. It is assumed that all the important equipment and another asset that are required for operating the bakery business will be available in the amount that is being rendered for the purchase of the bakery business. Sales Forecast It means projecting the sales for the business in the forthcoming period. It is done keeping in mind the demand of the product in which the entity deals and the preference of the product of the entity over the products of its consumers. It is an essential tool for managing the business of any size (Infoentrepreneurs.org, 2016). The effectiveness of the sales forecast would depend on the assumptions and drivers that have been undertaken for assuming the sales. It is essential to study the sales forecast at proper interval and revise it in case of requirement noting the decisions that have led to such revisions. Sales largely depend upon the price at which the product is being offered to the consumers. Therefore, it is important to price the product in such a manner that the entity is able to maximize its profit. In the given case, the bakery business is being acquired by the owner but since it will be conducted on the leased premises of the owner we can assume that it will have to build its own demand and would have to penetrate the market. The sales in the initial months would be lesser as compared to the later months where an increase in the demand for the products can be expected due to the gaining popularity of the business. The sales forecast for the current year has been made hereunder keeping in mind the industry of the business. Month January February March April May June Units 1000 1200 1450 1600 1700 1750 Month July August September October November December Units 1800 2000 2300 2700 3000 3500 Break-Even Analysis Break-even refers to the point at which the total contribution is equal to the fixed expense that has to be incurred. It is the point at which the company neither makes any profit nor suffers any losses by undertaking the business or project. It is the point at which the total sales income is equal to total expenses, both fixed and variable (Tsorakidis et al., 2014). To compute the break-even point of a business it is essential that all the associated costs are included in the computation of break-even. Break-even point is the minimum number of units that are required to be sold by the business to finance its fixed expenses. The break-even analysis for the business has been made hereunder to identify the minimum number of units that are required to be sold. Fixed Expenses Rent Expense- 36000 Interest Expense 6000 Total Fixed Expense 42000 Sale Price per Unit - $5 Variable Cost per Unit - $2 Contribution per unit - $3 Break- Even point = Total Fixed Expense/Contribution per unit = 42000/3 = 14000 units. For the above computation the following have been assumed:- The sale price of each unit would be $5. The variable cost for each unit would be$2. The investment of $100000 would be financed by loan @6% p.a. Therefore, it would generate a yearly interest of $6000 that would be payable by the business. Therefore, the break-even point for the business would be $14000 by keeping in mind all the assumptions. The rent would be included in fixed expense even though the lease agreement has been entered into by the owner prior to purchase of business because it is a fixed commitment on the part of the owner and since the premises will be used for operating the business it is important to include this cost as fixed expense for the computation of break-even point. Conclusion It is feasible to operate a business in case it is financially viable. A business is viable if the revenue that is generated by the business is able to recover its portion of the variable cost and the considerable portion of fixed cost at the initiation of the business. Some businesses might have a longer gestation period and might not be viable initially to the investor. By studying the expected sales forecast and the break-even point it is concluded that the expected sales forecast is higher than the break-even point which will result in profit for the business from the year of initiation. Therefore the business is financially profitable. References Cafferky, M. and Wentworth, J. (2010).Breakeven analysis. Garrison, R. and Noreen, E. (2000).Managerial accounting. Boston: Irwin/McGraw-Hill. Infoentrepreneurs.org. (2016).Forecast and plan your sales. [online] Available at: https://www.infoentrepreneurs.org/en/guides/forecast-and-plan-your-sales/ [Accessed 11 Oct. 2016]. Morah, C. (2008).Business Startup Costs: It's In The Details. [online] Investopedia. Available at: https://www.investopedia.com/articles/pf/09/business-startup-costs.asp [Accessed 11 Oct. 2016]. Readyratios.com. (2012).Break-even Point. [online] Available at: https://www.readyratios.com/reference/analysis/break_even_point.html [Accessed 11 Oct. 2016]. Schmidt, M. (2015).Start Up Costs and Organizational Costs Defined Explained.. [online] Business Case Web Site. Available at: https://www.business-case-analysis.com/start-up-cost.html [Accessed 11 Oct. 2016]. Shillinglaw, G. (1977).Managerial cost accounting. Homewood, Ill.: R.D. Irwin. Tsorakidis, N., Papadoulous, S., Zerres, M. and Zerres, C. (2014).Break Even Point. [online] Break Even Analysis. Available at: https://hvtc.edu.vn/Portals/0/files/635830040786447267break-even-analysis-1.pdf [Accessed 11 Oct. 2016].