Biology Revision

Majeed Thaika Year 10-11   Contents 1 Cells   pg-05 -Animal and plant cells (pg-05) -Specialised cells (pg-06) -diffusion (pg-07) -osmosis (pg-08) 2 Plants . pg-09 -photosynthesis (pg-09) -Factors affecting photosynthesis (pg-10) -Plants and minerals (pg-11) 3 Food Chains and Cycles pg-12 -Food chain (pg-12) -Energy transfer (pg-13) -Pyramids of biomass (pg-15) -efficiency of food production (pg-15) -calculating energy efficiency (pg-16) Shorter food chains (pg-16) carbon cycle (pg-17) 4Enzymes and Digestion   pg-18 -What are enzymes? (Pg-18) -Temperature and enzymes (Pg-18) -Ph and enzymes (Pg-19) -enzymes and respiration (Pg-20) -digestive system (Pg-20) -Enzymes and digestion (Pg-21) -Other substances in digestion (Pg-22) -Enzymes in industry (Pg-23) 5Homeostasis   pg-24 -Removing waste products (Pg-24) -Controlling blood glucose (Pg-25) -Diabetes (Pg-25) -Temperature regulation (Pg-26) – Temperature regulation – Higher (Pg-26) 6Hormones   pg-27 -Hormones a nd glands (pg-28) hormones in the menstrual cycle (pg-29) -Controlling fertility (pg-31) 7The Nervous System   pg-31 -receptors and effectors (pg-31) -Neurones (pg-33) -Reflex action (pg-34) 8Defending against infection   pg-35 -pathogens-bacteria (pg-35) -pathogens-virus (pg-36) -white blood cells (pg-36) -more about white blood cells (pg-37) -vaccination (pg-38) -antibiotics (pg-38) 9Diet and Exercise   pg-40 -nutrients (pg-40) -metabolic rate(pg-41) -the right amount of food (pg-41) -cholesterol(pg-42) -salt (pg-43) 10Adaptation   pg-43 -Adaptation-cold climates (pg-43) -Adaptation-hot climates (pg-44) 11Characteristics and Classification   pg-45 -genetic engineering (pg-45) -selective breeding (pg-45) -changing the characteristics of a species (pg-46) -classification (pg-47) -difficulties with classification (pg-48) 12The Heart   pg-49 -the circulatory system (pg-49) -arteries and veins (pg-50) -the heart (pg-50) -causes of heart disease (pg-51) 13Extra   pg-51 -se x hormones (pg-51) competition (pg-52) -The nitrogen cycle -the water cycle Cells All animals and plants are made of cells. Animal cells and plant cells have features in common, such as a nucleus, cytoplasm, cell membrane, mitochondria and ribosomes. Plant cells also have a cell wall, and often have chloroplasts and a permanent vacuole. Note that cells may be specialized to carry out a particular function. Dissolved substances pass into and out of cells by diffusion. Water passes into and out of cells by osmosis. Animal and plant cells Function of cells which animal and plant cells have in common:- Part| Function| ucleus| contains genetic material, which controls the activities of the cell| cytoplasm| most chemical processes take place here, controlled by enzymes| cell membrane| controls the movement of substances into and out of the cell| mitochondria| most energy is released by respiration here| ribosomes| protein synthesis happens here| Extra parts of plant cells:- Part| Function | cell wall| strengthens the cell| chloroplasts| contain chlorophyll, which absorbs light energy for photosynthesis| permanent vacuole| filled with cell sap to help keep the cell  turgid|Diagram: Generalized animal and plant cell Specialised cells Cells may be specialized for a particular function. Their structure will allow them to carry this function out. Here are some examples: Examples of the functions of cells:- Cell| Function| Adaption| Leaf cell| Absorbs light energy for photosynthesis| Packed with chloroplasts. Regular shaped, closely packed cells form a continuous layer for efficient absorption of sunlight. | Root hair cell| Absorbs water and mineral ions from the soil| Long ‘finger-like' process with very thin wall, which gives a large surface area. |Sperm cell| Fertilizes an egg cell – female gamete| The head contains genetic information and an enzyme to help penetrate the egg cell membrane. The middle section is packed with mitochondria for energy. The tai l moves the sperm to the egg. | Red blood cells| Contain haemoglobin to carry oxygen to the cells. | Thin outer membrane to let oxygen diffuse through easily. Shape increases the surface area to allow more oxygen to be absorbed efficiently. No nucleus, so the whole cell is full of haemoglobin. | Diffusion Dissolved substances have to pass through the cell membrane to get into or out of a cell.Diffusion is one of the processes that allow this to happen. Diffusion  occurs when particles spread. They move from a region where they are in high concentration to a region where they are in low concentration. Diffusion happens when the particles are free to move. This is true in gases and for particles dissolved in solutions. Particles diffuse down a concentration gradient, from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration. This is how the smell of cooking travels around the house from the kitchen, for example. Examples of diffusion Location| Particles move| From| To|Gut| digested food products| gut cavity| blood in capillary of villus| Lungs| oxygen| alveolar air space| blood circulating around the lungs| Two examples of diffusion down concentration gradients:- Remember, particles continue to move from a high to a low concentration while there is a  concentration gradient. In the lungs, the blood will continue to take in oxygen from the alveolar air spaces provided the concent-ration of oxygen there is greater than in the blood. Oxygen diffuses across the alveolar walls into the blood, and the circulation takes the oxygen-rich blood away. OsmosisWater can move across cell membranes because of osmosis. For osmosis to happen you need: * two solutions with different concentrations * a partially permeable membrane to separate them Partially permeable membranes let some substances pass through them, but not others. The animation shows an example of osmosis. Osmosis is the movement of water from a less concentrated solution to a more concentrated soluti on through a partially perm-eable membrane. The picture above shows how osmosis works. Eventually the level on the more concentrated side of the membrane rises, while the one on the less concentrated side falls.When the concentration is the same on both sides of the membrane, the movement of water molecules will be the same in both directions. At this point, the net exchange of water is zero and there is no further change in the liquid levels. Osmosis is important to plants. They gain water by osmosis through their roots. Water moves into plant cells by osmosis, making them  turgid  or stiff so they that able to hold the plant upright. Plants Green plants absorb light energy using chlorophyll in their leaves. They use it to react carbon dioxide with water to make a sugar called glucose.The glucose is used in respiration, or converted into starch and stored. Oxygen is produced as a by-product. This process is called photosynthesis. Temperature, carbon dioxide concentration and li ght intensity are factors that can limit the rate of photosynthesis. Plants also need mineral ions, including nitrate and magnesium, for healthy growth. They suffer from poor growth in conditions where mineral ions are deficient. Photosynthesis Photosynthesis  is the chemical change which happens in the leaves of green plants. It is the first step towards making food – not just for plants but ultimately every animal on the planet.During this reaction,  carbon dioxide  and water are converted into glucose and oxygen. The reaction requires  light energy, which is absorbed by a green substance called chlorophyll. Cross-section through a leaf cell Photosynthesis takes place in leaf cells. These contain chloroplasts, which are tiny objects containing chlorophyll. The equation for photosynthesis is:- Plants absorb water through their roots, and carbon dioxide through their leaves. Some glucose is used for respiration, while some is converted into insoluble starch  for sto rage. The stored starch can later be turned back into glucose and used in respiration.Oxygen is released as a by-product of photosynthesis. Factors limiting photosynthesis Three factors can limit the speed of photosynthesis – light intensity, carbon dioxide concentration and temperature. Light intensity -Without enough light, a plant cannot photosynthesise very quickly, even if there is plenty of water and carbon dioxide. -Increasing the light intensity will boost the speed of photosynthesis. Carbon dioxide concentration Sometimes photosynthesis is limited by the concentration of carbon dioxide in the air. Even if there is plenty of light, a plant cannot photosynthesise if there is insuff-icient carbon dioxide.Temperature -If it gets too cold, the rate of photosynthesis will decrease. Plants cannot photosynthesise if it gets too hot. -If you plot the rate of photosynthesis against the levels of these three limiting factors, you get graphs like the ones above. -In practice, an y one of these factors could limit the rate of photosynthesis. Maximizing growth Farmers can use their knowledge of these limiting factors to increase crop growth in greenhouses. They may use artificial light so that photosynthesis can continue beyond daylight hours, or in a higher-than-normal light intensity.The use of paraffin lamps inside a greenhouse increases the rate of photosynthesis because the burning paraffin produces carbon dioxide and heat too. Plants and minerals Plants need to take in a number of elements to stay alive. The most important are: * carbon * hydrogen * oxygen Plants get hydrogen and oxygen from water in the soil, and carbon and oxygen from carbon dioxide and oxygen in the atmosphere. Water and carbon dioxide are used to synthesise food during photosynthesis. Oxygen is used to release energy from food during respiration. In addition to these three elements, plants need a number of minerals for healthy growth.These are absorbed through the roots as mineral i ons dissolved in the soil water. Two important mineral ions needed by plants are: * Nitrate  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ for making amino acids, which are needed to make proteins * Magnesium  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ for making chlorophyll If a plant does not get enough minerals, its growth will be poor. It will suffer from deficiency symptoms: * deficient in nitrate – it will suffer from stunted growth * deficient in magnesium – it's leaves will turn yellow The tomato plant on the left is healthy; the one on the right is growing in conditions where mineral ions are deficient Food Chains and CyclesFood chains show the feeding relationships between living things. Pyramids of biomass reveal the mass of living material at each stage in a chain. The amount of material and energy decreases from one stage to the next. Food production is more efficient if the food chain is short, or if energy losses from animals are reduced. The carbon cycle shows how carbon moves from the atmosphere, through various anima ls and plants, then back to the atmosphere again. Food chains A  food chain  shows what eats what in a particular habitat. For example, grass seed is eaten by a vole, which is eaten by a barn owl.The arrows between each item in the chain always point in the direction of energy flow – in other words, from the food to the feeder. The Sun is the ultimate source of energy for most communities of living things. Green plants absorb some of the Sun’s light energy to make their own food by photosynthesis. The other organisms in a food chain are consumers, because they all get their energy and biomass by consuming – eating – other organisms. It helps if you can recall the meaning of some common words used with food chains. Common words used with food chains and their meaning Word| Meaning|Producers| Green plants – they make food by photosynthesis. | Primary consumers| Usually eat plant material – they are herbivores. For example rabbits, caterpil lars, cows and sheep. | Secondary consumers| Usually eat animal material – they are carnivores. For example cats, dogs and lions. | Predators| Kill for food. They are either secondary or tertiary consumers| Prey| The animals that predators feed on. | Scavengers| Feed on dead animals. For example, crows, vultures and hyenas are scavengers. | Decomposers| Feed on dead and decaying organisms, and on the undigested parts of plant and animal matter in faeces. Energy transfer Energy is transferred along food chains from one stage to the next. But not all of the energy available to organisms at one stage can be absorbed by organisms at the next one. The amount of available energy decreases from one stage to the next. Some of the available energy goes into growth and the production of offspring. This energy becomes available to the next stage, but most of the available energy is used up in other ways: * energy released by respiration is used for movement and other life processes, and is eventually lost as heat to the surroundings energy is lost in waste materials, such as faeces All of the energy used in these ways returns to the environment, and is not available to the next stage. The animation shows how the level of available energy goes down as it is transferred through a temperate forest food chain. Most food chains are pretty short. There are rarely more than four stages, because a lot of energy is lost at each stage. Pyramids of biomass Biomass  means the mass of living material at a stage in a food chain. The biomass goes down as you go from one stage to the next, just like the amount of energy.A  pyramid of biomass  is a chart, drawn to scale, showing the biomass at each stage in a food chain. The bars become narrower as you reach the top. This pyramid of biomass is for the food chain: Oak tree > caterpillar > blue tit > sparrowhawk Note that you do not need to draw the organisms. But you must draw your pyramid of biomass to scale. Each bar should be labelled with the name of the organism. Efficiency of food production The efficiency of food production can be improved by reducing the amount of energy lost to the surroundings. This can be done by: * preventing animals moving around too much keeping their surroundings warm Mammals and birds maintain a constant body temperature using energy released by respiration. As a result, their energy losses are high. Keeping pigs and chickens in warm sheds with little space to move around allows more efficient food production. But this raises moral concerns about the lives of such animals. In reality, a balance must be reached between the needs of farmers and consumers and the welfare of the animals. Calculating energy efficiency This bullock has eaten 100 kJ of stored energy in the form of grass, and excreted 63 kJ in the form of faeces, urine and gas.The energy stored in its body tissues is 4 kJ. So how much has been used up in respiration? The energy released by respiration = 100 â₠¬â€œ 63 – 4 = 33 kJ Only 4 kJ of the original energy available to the bullock is available to the next stage, which might be humans. The efficiency of this energy transfer is: Efficiency = 4/100 x 100 = 4% Shorter food chains Food production is more efficient if the food chain is short, because a higher percentage of energy is available to us. The carbon cycle All cells – whether animal, plant or bacteria – contain  carbon, because they all contain proteins, fats and carbohydrates.Plant cell walls, for example, are made of cellulose – a carbohydrate. Carbon is passed from the atmosphere, as carbon dioxide, to living things, passed from one organism to the next in complex molecules, and returned to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide again. This is known as the carbon cycle. Removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere Green plants remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by  photosynthesis. The carbon becomes part of complex molecules such as proteins, f ats and carbohydrates in the plants. Returning carbon dioxide to the atmosphere Organisms return carbon dioxide to the atmosphere by  respiration.It is not just animals that respire. Plants and microorganisms do, too. Passing carbon from one organism to the next When an animal eats a plant, carbon from the plant becomes part of the fats and proteins in the animal. Microorganisms and some animals feed on waste material from animals, and the remains of dead animals and plants. The carbon then becomes part of these microorganisms and detritus feeders. Materials from living things decay because they are digested by microorganisms. This process happens faster in warm, moist conditions with plenty of oxygen. Decay can be very slow in cold, dry conditions, and when here is a shortage of oxygen. Enzymes and digestion Enzymes are biological catalysts. There are optimum temperatures and  pH values at which their activity is greatest. Enzymes are also proteins, and usually denatured above about 45? C. Enzymes are important in respiration. Aerobic respiration releases energy from glucose. What are enzymes? Enzymes are biological catalysts – catalysts are substances that increase the rate of chemical reactions without being used up. Enzymes are also  proteins  that are folded into complex shapes that allow smaller molecules to fit into them.The place where these  substrate  molecules fit is called the  active site. The pictures show how this works. In this example, two small molecules join together to make a larger one. If the shape of the enzyme changes, it’s active site may no longer work. We say the enzyme has been  denatured. They can be denatured by high temperatures or extremes of  pH. Note that it is wrong to say the enzyme has been killed. Although enzymes are made by living things, they are proteins, and not alive. Temperature and enzymes As the temperature increases, so does the rate of reaction. But very high temperatures denature enzymes.The graph shows the typical change in an enzyme's activity with increasing temperature. The enzyme activity gradually increases with temperature until around 37? C, or body temperature. Then, as the temperature continues to rise, the rate of reaction falls rapidly, as heat energy denatures the enzyme. Temper-ature and enzyme activity PH and enzymes Changes in pH alter an enzyme’s shape. Different enzymes work best at different pH values. The optimum pH for an enzyme depends on where it normally works. For example, intestinal enzymes have an optimum pH of about 7. 5. Enzymes in the stomach have an optimum pH of about 2. H and enzyme activity Enzymes and respiration Enzymes in cells catalyse photosynthesis, protein synthesis – joining amino acids together, and aerobic respiration. Aerobic respiration Respiration is not the same thing as breathing. That is more properly called ventilation. Instead, respiration is a chemical process in which energy is released fro m food substances, such as glucose – a sugar. Aerobic  respiration needs oxygen to work. Most of the chemical reactions involved in the process happen in tiny objects inside the cell cytoplasm, called mitochondria. This is the equation for aerobic respiration:Glucose + oxygen >  carbon dioxide + water (+ energy) The energy released by respiration is used to make large molecules from smaller ones. In plants, for example, sugars, nitrates and other nutrients are converted into amino acids. Amino acids can then join together to make proteins. The energy is also used: * to allow muscles to contract in animals * to maintain a constant body temperature in birds and mammals Enzymes are important in digestion. Digestion is the breakdown of carbohydrates, proteins and fats into small soluble substances that can be absorbed into the blood.Lipases and proteases are used in biological detergents, and enzymes are used in the manufacture of food and drink. The digestive system Digestio n is the breakdown of large molecules into smaller, soluble molecules that can be absorbed into the body. Digestion happens inside the gut, and relies on enzymes. This diagram will show you of the main parts of the gut: Enzymes and digestion The enzymes involved in respiration, photosynthesis and protein synthesis work inside cells. Other enzymes are produced by specialised cells and released from them; the digestive enzymes are like this. They pass out into he gut, where they catalyse the breakdown of food molecules. Different enzymes Different enzymes catalyse different digestion reactions. Enzymes and their reactions catalysed enzyme| reaction catalysed| amylase| starch > sugars| protease| proteins > amino acids| lipase| lipids   >   fatty acids + glycerol| Amylase is an example of a carbohydrase. Lipids are fats and oils. Different parts of the gut Different parts of the gut produce different enzymes. Where enzymes are produced enzyme| where produced| amylase| salivary gland s, pancreas, small intestine| protease| stomach, pancreas, small intestine| ipase| pancreas, small intestine| Summary Overall, this means that: * Amylase catalyses the breakdown of starch into sugars in the mouth and small intestine. * Proteases catalyse the breakdown of proteins into amino acids in the stomach and small intestine. * Lipases catalyse the breakdown of fats and oils into fatty acids and glycerol in the small intestine. Other substances in digestion You should recall that different enzymes work best at different pH values. The digestive enzymes are a good example of this. Enzymes in the stomach The stomach produces  hydrochloric acid.This helps to begin digestion, and it kills many harmful microorganisms that might have been swallowed along with the food. The enzymes in the stomach work best in  acidic  conditions – in other words, at a low pH. Enzymes in the small intestine After the stomach, food travels to the small intestine. The enzymes in the small i ntestine work best in  alka-line  conditions, but the food is acidic after being in the stomach. A substance called  bile  neutralises the acid to provide the alkaline conditions needed in the small intestine. Bile and enzyme production in the liver and pancreas Enzymes in industry Enzyme namesThe names of the different types of enzymes usually end in the letters  -ASE. Three of the most common enzymes with their chemical actions are: * lipase  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ breaks down fats * protease  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ breaks down proteins * carbohydrase  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ breaks down carbohydrates Enzyme uses Enzymes allow certain industrial processes to be carried out at normal temperatures and pressures, thereby reducing the amount of energy and expensive equipment needed. Enzymes are also used in the home, for example, in ‘biological' detergents. The table shows some common enzyme uses you should be familiar with. Uses of enzymes Enzyme| Use| rotease| used to pre-digest proteins during the manu facture of baby foods| lipase| used – together with protease – in biological detergents to break down – digest – the substances in stains into smaller, water soluble substances| carbohydrase| used to convert starch syrup, which is relatively cheap, into sugar syrup, which is more valuable – for example, as an ingredient in sports drinks| isomerase| used to convert glucose syrup into fructose syrup – fructose is sweeter than glucose, so it can be used in smaller amounts in slimming foods| Homeostasis The conditions inside the body must be controlled within narrow limits.This is called homeostasis. These conditions include water content, ion content, body temperature and blood glucose concentration. The thermoregulatory centre is the part of the brain that monitors and controls body temperature. The pancreas meanwhile monitors and controls blood glucose concentration. It produces a hormone called insulin that reduces blood glucose levels. Diab etes is a disease which can be caused by insufficient insulin. Removing waste products Waste products must be removed from the body. If they are not, they will increase in concentration and may interfere with chemical reactions or damage cells.Waste products that must be removed include carbon dioxide and urea. Waste product| Why is it produced? | How is it removed? | carbon dioxide| it is a product of aerobic respiration| through the lungs when we breathe out| urea| it is produced in the liver when excess amino acids are broken down| the kidneys remove it from the blood and make urine, which is stored in the bladder temporarily| Production and removal of waste products Water enters the body through food and drink. It is also a product of aerobic respiration in cells. If the amount of water in the body is wrong, cells can be damaged because too much water enters or leaves them.The pictures show how the amount of water lost as urine is controlled: Controlling blood glucose The pancre as and insulin The  pancreas  monitors and controls the concentration of  glucose  in the blood. It produces a hormone called  insulin. Insulin causes glucose to move from the blood into cells. It lowers the blood glucose concentration if it has become too high. This can happen after eating a meal that is rich in carbohydrates (for example, sweets, potatoes, bread, rice or pasta). The pictures show how this works. Diabetes Diabetes is a disease where the concentration of  glucose  in the blood is not controlled properly by the body.In  type 1 diabetes, the  pancreas  does not produce eno-ugh  insulin. This can lead to high levels of glucose in the blood, which can be fatal. Types of Diabetes There are two types of treatment for diabetes: * Careful monitoring of food intake, with particular care taken over carbohydrates – which are digested into glucose. * Injecting insulin into the blood before meals. The extra insulin causes glucose to be taken up by th e liver and other tissues. Cells get the glucose they need for respiration, and the blood glucose concentration stays normal. Temperature regulation Human  enzymes  work best at 37?C, so the body’s temperature is controlled. A part of the brain called the  thermoregulatory centre  monitors and controls body temperature. It gathers information as nerve impulses from  temperature receptors  in: * the brain – these are sensitive to the temperature of the blood flowing there * the skin – these are sensitive to skin temperature Sweating Sweating is one way to help cool the body. We sweat more in hot conditions, so more water is lost from the body. This water must be replaced through food or drink to maintain the balance of water in the body. Ions such as sodium ions and chloride ions are also lost when we sweat.They must be replaced through food and drink. If the body’s ion content is wrong, cells can be damaged. Temperature regulation – hig her If you become too hot or too cold, there are several ways in which your temperature can be controlled. They involve sweating, shivering, skin capillaries and hairs. Too hot When we get too hot: * Sweat glands in the skin release more sweat. This evaporates, removing heat energy from the skin. * Blood vessels leading to the skin capillaries become wider – they  dilate  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ allowing more blood to flow through the skin, and more heat to be lost. Too cold When we get too cold: * Muscles contract rapidly – we shiver.These contractions need energy from respiration, and some of this is released as heat. * Blood vessels leading to the skin capillaries become narrower – they  constrict- letting less blood flow through the skin and conserving heat in the body. The hairs on the skin also help to control body temperature. They lie flat when we are warm, and rise when we are cold. The hairs trap a layer of air above the skin, which helps to insulate the skin a gainst heat loss. Controlling temperature Too cold| Too hot| | | A  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Hair muscles pull hairs on end. B  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Erect hairs trap air. C  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Blood flow in capillaries decreases. | D  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Hair muscles relax.Hairs lie flat so heat can escape. E  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Sweat secreted by sweat glands. Cools skin by evaporation. F  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Blood flow in capillaries increases. | Remember: Capillaries do not move up and down inside the skin. Temperature is regulated by controlling the amount of blood which flows through the capillaries. Hormones Hormones are chemical substances that help to regulate processes in the body. Hormones are secreted by glands and travel to their target organs in the bloodstream. Several hormones are involved in the female menstrual cycle. Hormones can be used to control human fertility and have advantages and disadvantages. Hormones and glandsHormones are  chemicals secreted by glands  in the body. Different hormones affect different target organs. The bloodstream transports hormones from the glands to the target organs. Hormones regulate the functions of many cells and organs The target organ and effects of glands and hormones Gland| Hormone| Target organs| Effect| adrenal gland| adrenalin| vital organs, e. g. liver and heart| Prepares body for action – ‘fight or flight'. | ovary| oestrogen| ovaries, uterus, pituitary gland| Controls puberty and the menstrual cycle in females; stimulates production of LH and suppresses the production of FSH in the pituitary gland. ovary| progesterone| uterus| Maintains the lining of the womb – suppresses FSH production in the pituitary gland. | pancreas| insulin| liver| Controls blood sugar levels. | pituitary gland| anti-diuretic hormone (ADH)| kidney| Controls blood water level by triggering uptake of water in kidneys. | pituitary gland| follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)| ovaries| Triggers egg ripening and oestrogen production in ovaries. | pituitary gland| lut einising hormone (LH)| ovaries| Triggers egg release and progesterone production in ovaries. | testes| testosterone| male reproductive organs| Controls puberty in males. |Hormones in the menstrual cycle The menstrual cycle in women is a recurring process in which the lining of the uterus – womb – is prepared for pregnancy, and if pregnancy does not happen, the lining is shed at menstruation. Several  hormones  control this cycle, which includes controlling the release of an egg each month from an ovary, and changing the thickness of the uterus lining. These hormones are secreted by the ovaries and pituitary gland. FSH The hormone FSH is secreted by the pituitary gland. FSH makes two things happen: 1. it causes an egg to mature in an ovary 2. it stimulates the ovaries to release the hormone oestrogen OestrogenThe hormone oestrogen is secreted by the ovaries. Oestrogen makes two things happen: 1. it stops FSH being produced – so that only one egg matures in a cycle 2. it stimulates the pituitary gland to release the hormone LH LH The hormone LH causes the mature egg to be released from the ovary. This image shows how the level of oestrogen changes during the menstrual cycle. Progesterone is another hormone secreted by ovaries: it maintains the lining of the uterus and stays high during pregnancy. Hormone levels during the menstrual cycle Controlling fertility Human fertility is controlled by  hormones.This means that knowledge of hormones can be used to decide to increase, or reduce, the chances of fertilisation and pregnancy. Oral contraceptives Contraceptive pills The oral contraceptive, ‘the pill', greatly reduces the chances of mature eggs being produced. The pill contains oestrogen, or oestrogen and progesterone. These hormones inhibit the production of FSH, which in turn stops eggs maturing in the ovaries. Fertility treatment Some women have difficulty becoming pregnant because they don't produce enough FSH to allow their e ggs to mature. ‘Fertility drugs' contain FSH, which stimulates eggs to mature in the ovary. The nervous systemThe nervous system allows the body to respond to changes in the environment. This is a process usually coordinated by the brain. Reflex actions are extra-rapid responses to  stimuli, and this process also involves the nervous system, but bypasses the brain. Receptors and effectors Receptors Receptors are groups of specialised cells. They can detect changes in the environment, which are called  stimuli, and turn them into electrical impulses. Receptors are often located in the  sense organs, such as the ear, eye and skin. Each organ has receptors sensitive to particular kinds of stimulus. Receptors sense organs| receptors sensitive to|Skin| touch, pressure, pain and temperature| Tongue| chemicals in food| Nose| chemicals in the air| Eyes| light| Ears| sound and position of the head| The central nervous system – CNS – in humans consists of the brain a nd spinal cord. When a receptor is stimulated, it sends a signal along the nerve cells – neurones – to the brain. The brain, then co-ordinates the response. Effectors An effector is any part of the body that produces the response. Here are some examples of effectors: * a muscle contracting to move the arm * a muscle squeezing saliva from the salivary gland * a gland releasing a  hormone  into the blood NeuronesNeurones are nerve cells. They carry information as tiny electrical signals. There are  three different types of neurones, each with a slightly different function. 1. Sensory neurons  carry signals from  receptors  to the spinal cord and brain. 2. Relay neurons  carry messages from one part of the  CNS  to another. 3. Motor neurons  carry signals from the  CNS  to effectors. The diagram below shows a typical neuron – in this case, a motor neuron. It has tiny branches at each end and a long fibre carries the signals. A motor neuron S ynapses Where two neurones meet, there is a tiny gap called a synapse. Signals cross this gap using chemicals.One neurone releases the chemical into the gap. The chemical diffuses across the gap and makes the next neurone transmit an electrical signal. Reflex actions When a receptor is stimulated, it  sends a signal to the central nervous system, where the brain co-ordinates the response. But sometimes  a very quick response is needed, one that does not need the involvement of the brain. This is a reflex action. Reflex actions are rapid and happen without us thinking. For example, you would pull your hand away from a hot flame without thinking about it. The animation below allows you to step through each stage of the reflex arc.This is what happens: 1. receptor detects a stimulus – change in the environment 2. sensory neurone sends signal to relay neurone 3. motor neurone sends signal to effector 4. effector produces a response The way the iris in our eye adjusts the size of the pupil in response to bright or dim light is also a reflex action. In  bright  light: * Radial muscles of the iris relax. * Circular muscles of the iris contract. * Less light enters the eye through the contracted pupil. In  dim  light: * Radial muscles of the iris contract. * Circular muscles of the iris relax. * More light enters the eye through the dilated pupil.Defending against infection Pathogens are microorganisms – such as bacteria and viruses – that cause disease. Bacteria release toxins, and viruses damage our cells. White blood cells can ingest and destroy pathogens. They can produce antibodies to destroy pathogens, and antitoxins to neutralize toxins. In vaccination pathogens are introduced into the body in a weakened form. The process causes the body to produce enough white blood cells to protect itself against the pathogens, while not getting diseased. Antibiotics are effective against bacteria, but not against viruses. Some strains of bact eria are resistant to antibiotics.Pathogens – bacteria Pathogens are  microorganisms  that cause infectious disease. Bacteria and viruses are the main pathogens. Bacteria Bacteria are  microscopic organ-isms. They come in many shapes and sizes, but even the largest are only 10 micrometres long – 10 millionths of a metre. Bacteria are  living cells  and, in favourable conditions, can multiply rapidly. Once inside the body, they release poisons or toxins that make us feel ill. Diseases caused by bacteria include:- -food poisoning -cholera -typhoid -whooping cough -gonorrhoea – a sexually transmitted disease Pathogens – viruses Viruses are many times smaller than  bacteria.They are among the smallest organisms known and consist of a fragment of genetic material inside a protective protein coat. Viruses can only reproduce  inside host cells, and they damage the cell when they do this. A virus can get inside a cell and, once there, take over and make hundreds of thousands of copies of itself. Eventually the virus copies fill the whole host cell and burst it open. The viruses are then passed out in the bloodstream, the airways, or by other routes. Diseases caused by viruses include: * influenza – flu * colds * measles * mumps * rubella * chicken pox * AIDS White blood cellsThe body has different ways of protecting itself against  pathogens. The first defence is passive immunity. This is aimed at stopping the pathogen getting into the body in the first place. The body’s passive immunity system includes the skin,  mucus  and  cilia  in the respiratory system, acid in the stomach, and enzymes  in tears. If a pathogen still manages to get into the body, the second defence takes over. This is called  active immunity, and the white blood cells have key functions in this. Functions of the white blood cells White blood cells can: * ingest pathogens and destroy them * produce antibodies to destroy pathogen s produce antitoxins that neutralise the toxins released by pathogens In a written examination, it is easy to get carried away and waffle on about things such as invaders and battles, but stick to the point. Note that: * the pathogens are not the disease – they cause the disease * white blood cells do not eat the pathogens – they ingest them * antibodies and antitoxins are not living things – they are specialised proteins More about white blood cells There are several different types of white blood cells, each with different functions, but they can be put into two main groups: * phagocytes or macrophages lymphocytes Phagocytes Phagocytes can easily pass through blood vessel walls into the surrounding tissue and move towards  pathogens  or   toxins. They then either: * ingest and absorb the pathogens or toxins * release an enzyme to destroy them Having absorbed a pathogen, the phagocytes may also send out chemical messages that help nearby lymphocytes to id entify the type of antibody needed to neutralise them. Lymphocytes Pathogens contain certain chemicals that are foreign to the body and are called antigens. Each lymphocyte carries a specific type of antibody – a protein that has a chemical ‘fit' to a certain antigen.When a lymphocyte with the appropriate antibody meets the antigen, the lymphocyte reproduces quickly, and makes many copies of the antibody that neutralises the pathogen. Antibodies neutralise pathogens in a number of ways: * they bind to pathogens and damage or destroy them * they coat pathogens, clumping them together so that they are easily ingested by phagocytes * they bind to the pathogens and release chemical signals to attract more phagocytes Lymphocytes may also release antitoxins that stick to the appropriate toxin and stop it damaging the body. Vaccination People can be immunised against a pathogen through vaccination.Different vaccines are needed for diffe-rent  pathogens. Vaccination involves putting a small amount of an inactive form of a pathogen, or dead pathogen, into the body. Vaccines can contain: * live pathogens treated to make them harmless * harmless fragments of the pathogen * toxins  produced by pathogens * dead pathogens These all act as antigens. When injected into the body, they stimulate white blood cells to produce antibodies against the pathogen. Because the vaccine contains only a weakened or harmless version of a pathogen, the vaccinated person is not in danger of developing disease – although some people may uffer a mild reaction. If the person does get infected by the pathogen later, the required lymphocytes are able to reproduce rapidly and destroy it. Vaccines and boosters Vaccines in early childhood can give protection against many serious diseases. Sometimes more than one vaccine is given at a time, like the MMR triple vaccine against mumps, measles and rubella. Sometimes vaccine boosters are needed, because the immune response ‘m emory' weakens over time. Anti-tetanus injections may need to be repeated every ten years. Antibiotics Antibiotics are substances that kill  bacteria  or stop their growth.They do not work against  viruses: it is difficult to develop drugs that kill viruses without also damaging the body’s tissues. How some common antibiotics work antibiotic| how it works| penicillin| breaks down cell walls| erythromycin| stops protein synthesis| neomycin| stops protein synthesis| vancomycin| stops protein synthesis| ciprofloxacin| stops DNA replication| Penicillin The first antibiotic – penicillin – was discovered in 1928 by Alexander Fleming. He noticed that some bacteria he had left in a petri dish had been killed by naturally occurring penicillium mould.Since the discovery of penicillin, many other antibiotics have been discovered or developed. Most antibiotics used in medicine have been altered chemically to make them more effective and safer for humans. Resistance Ba cterial strains can develop resistance to antibiotics. This happens because of natural selection. In a large population of  bacteria, there may be some cells that are not affected by the antibiotic. These cells survive and reproduce, producing even more bacteria that are not affected by the antibiotic. MRSA is methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus.It is very dangerous because it is resistant to most antibiotics. It is important to avoid over-use of antibiotics, so we can slow down, or stop, the development of other strains of resistant bacteria. Cleanliness One simple way to reduce the risk of infection is to maintain personal hygiene and to keep hospitals clean. Diet and Exercise Regular exercise and a balanced diet are needed to keep the body healthy. Too little food leads to a person being underweight and prone to illness, while too much food and not enough exercise leads to a person being overweight and prone to other illnesses.Excess cholesterol increases the risk of he art disease, and excess salt causes high blood pressure and increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. Nutrients A mixture of different types of food in the correct amounts is needed to maintain health. The main food groups are: The main food groups food group| found in| required by our bodies for| | potatoes, pasta, bread, bananas, sugar and rice| A source of  energy  for other life processes. Sometimes referred to as  fibre, which is actually just one – very common – type of carbohydrate. | | cheese, butter, margarine and oils| Fats are needed to make cell membranes and to  insulate  our bodies.They also contain important fat-soluble  vitamins. | | meat, fish, eggs and cheese| Growth and repair. | | whole meal bread, fruit, vegetables and pulses| The fibre or roughage in our diet is not digested, but is important because it allows the muscles in our intestines to move food through our system by  peristalsis. | Metabolic rate A healthy diet contains all the different nutrients in the correct amounts, and provides the right amount of energy for each individual. An unbalanced diet can lead to a person becoming malnourished. They may be too thin or too fat as a result, and they may suffer from deficiency diseases.Chemical reactions Respiration is the chemical reaction that allows cells to release energy from food. The metabolic rate is the speed at which such chemical reactions take place in the body. It varies because of several factors, including: * age * gender – male or female * the proportion of muscle to fat in the body * the amount of exercise and other physical activity * genetic traits The metabolic rate increases as we exercise and stays high for a while afterwards. The right amount of food Not enough food If you don't eat enough food, you will become too thin and may suffer from health problems.These include: * irregular periods in women * reduced resistance to infection * deficiency diseases Deficiency diseases include  rickets  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ which affects proper growth of the skeleton and is caused by insufficient vitamin D – and  kwashiorkor  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ which causes a swollen abdomen and is a result of insufficient protein. Problems such as these are more likely to affect people in the developing world, where it can be more difficult to get enough food. Too much food In warm weather, or when you don't do much exercise, you do not need to eat as much food as when it is cold or when you have exerted yourself physically.If you eat too much food without taking enough exercise, you will become overweight. Very fat people are described as  obese. Overweight people may suffer from health problems, including: * diabetes  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ an illness in which the body is unable to control the amount of sugar in the blood * arthritis  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ an illness in which the joints become worn, inflamed and painful * high blood pressure * heart disease The heart The heart is an organ that needs its own supply of blood to keep it working. If the blood supply is reduced, the heart muscle will not work properly and will become weaker.A heart attack happens when part of the heart does not get any blood because of a blocked artery. Cholesterol Cholesterol is a substance found in the blood. It is made in the liver and is needed for healthy cell membranes. However, too much cholesterol in the blood increases the risk of heart disease, and of diseased arteries. Good and bad cholesterol The bloodstream transports cholesterol around the body attached to  proteins. The combination of cholesterol and protein is called  lipoprotein, and there are two types. 1. Low-density lipoproteins  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ LDLs – carry cholesterol from the liver to the cells. 2.High-density lipoproteins  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ HDLs – carry excess cholesterol back to the liver. LDLs are often called ‘bad' cholesterol because they lead to fat building up on artery walls, which causes heart disease. HDLs ar e often called ‘good’ cholesterol because they help to stop fat building up in the arteries. Improving the balance A high proportion of HDLs to LDLs is good for a healthy heart. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated oils – as found in vegetable oils – help to reduce cholesterol levels in the blood, and also increase the proportion of HDLs compared with LDLs. Check your understanding of such oils by looking at  Vegetable oils.There are also drugs that can improve high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels. Salt Table salt is sodium chloride. Too much salt in the diet can lead to  high blood pressure, which in turn leads to an increased risk of heart disease and strokes. Salt is  found naturally in many kinds of food, but more is added by food manufacturers – and many people add even more when they are eating. Processed foods often have a high proportion of salt and fat. Salt added to food during processing accounts for about two-thirds of th e average salt intake. Adaptation Adaptations – cold climatesEvery organism has certain features or characteristics that allow it to live successfully in its  habitat. These features are called adaptations, and we say that the organism is adapted to its habitat. Organisms living in different habitats need different adaptations. The polar bear Polar bears are well adapted for survival in the Arctic. They have: * a white appearance, as camouflage from prey on the snow and ice * thick layers of fat and fur, for insulation against the cold * a small surface area to volume ratio, to minimise heat loss * a greasy coat, which sheds water after swimmingThe snowshoe hare The snowshoe hare has white fur in the winter and reddish-brown fur in the summer. This means that it is camouflaged from its  predators  for most of the year. Arctic plants The Arctic is cold and windy with very little rainfall. Plants in the Arctic often grow very close to the ground and have small leaves. Thi s helps to conserve water and to avoid damage by the wind. Adaptations – hot climates The camel Camels live in deserts that are hot and dry during the day, but cold at night. They are well adapted for survival in the desert.Camels have: * Large, flat feet  to spread their weight on the sand. * Thick fur  on the top of the body for shade, and thin fur elsewhere to allow easy heat loss. * A large surface area to volume ratio  to maximise heat loss. * The  ability to go for a long time without water  (they don't store water in their humps, but they lose very little through urination and sweating). * The ability to  tolerate body temperaturesup to 42 °C. * Slit-like nostrils and two rows of eyelashesto help keep the sand out. Desert plants Cacti are well adapted for survival in the desert. They have: * Stems that can store water. Widespread root systems that can collect water from a large area. In addition,  cacti have spines instead of leaves. These minimise the surface area and so reduce water loss by  transpiration. The spines also protect the cacti from animals that might eat them. Other adaptations Animals and plants may have specific features that adapt them to their environment. These include barbs and spines, poisons and warning colours that deter predators and herbivores. Some harmless species may even resemble a poisonous or dangerous species to increase their chances of survival. Characteristics and classificationGenetic information from one species can be transferred to another species using genetic engineering. Selective breeding, also called artificial selection, involves people taking charge of selection to produce new varieties of various species. A variety is a type of a particular species that is different in some clear way from other varieties of that species. The characteristics of a species can be used to classify the species. This is sometimes difficult to do. Genetic engineering Genetic engineering is also called gen etic modification (or  GM). It is not the same as cloning.Although cloning techniques are used in genetic engineering, the two things should not be confused. The table shows some of the differences. Cloning| Genetic engineering| Produces exact copies. | Produces a unique set of genes. | Genes copied within the same species. | Genes can be swapped across species. | Selective breeding Natural selection Species gradually evolve by a process of natural selection. The individuals in any population with the inherited features best suited to the environment in which they live are most likely to survive and reproduce. When they do, they pass on the genetic information for these features to their offspring.Over time, a species can change its appearance and may even become a new species, unable to reproduce successfully with individuals of the original species. Artificial selection Selective breeding, also called artificial selection, involves people taking charge of selection to produce ne w ‘varieties' of various species. A variety is a type of a particular species that is different in some clear way from other varieties of that species. For example, pedigree dogs come in lots of different varieties (or breeds) – they may be different colours and sizes, but they are all still dogs.Suppose you wanted a variety of cow that produced a lot of milk. This is what you could do: * choose or select the cows in your herd that produce the most milk * only let these cows reproduce * select the offspring that produce the most milk * only let these offspring reproduce * keep repeating the process of selection and breeding until you achieve your goal The key here is to identify the feature you want, and only breed from the individuals that have that feature. Here are some examples of what selective breeding can produce: * hens that lay big eggs of a particular colour cattle that produce lots of meat * tomato plants that produce lots of tomatoes * crops that are resista nt to certain plant diseases Changing the characteristics of a species The characteristics of a species can be changed by: * natural selection * selective breeding * genetic engineering. The table shows some differences between these. | Natural selection| Selective breeding| Genetic engineering| Number of generations needed for change| very many| many| one| Human intervention| not needed| needed| needed| Desired outcome known? | no| yes| yes| New species formed? | yes| no| no|Notes| This is the mechanism of change in Darwin's theory of evolution| This is how new varieties or breeds are usually produced| Genetic information can come from the same species or from a different one| In selective breeding and genetic engineering, there is a goal or desired outcome. For example, we may wish to produce a variety of cow capable of producing a lot of milk, or a bacterium capable of producing insulin. There is no goal in natural selection: although we find that particular species are well adap ted to their environments, natural selection does not ‘know' what the species should be like.Individuals that are better suited to their environment are more likely to survive to reproduce, and so pass on their characteristics to the next generation, than those that are poorly suited. Classification You will remember from your Key Stage 3 studies that species with similar characteristics are put into groups, and that this is called classification. Remind yourself of the basics of classification by looking  here. Kingdoms The first rank in this system is called a kingdom. There are five kingdoms, based upon what an organism's cells are like: 1. nimals (all multicellular animals) 2. plants (all green plants) 3. fungi (moulds, mushrooms, yeast) 4. prokaryotes (bacteria, blue-green algae) 5. protoctists (Amoeba, Paramecium) Further divisions There are several further ranks before we reach a particular species. In order, these are: * kingdom * phylum * class * order * family * ge nus * species For example,  lions  have the following classification: * kingdom – animal * phylum – vertebrate * class – mammal * order – carniverous * family – cat * genus – big cat * species – lion Difficulties with classificationIt can be  easy  to classify a species. For example, we are  Homo sapiens. Classification of species rank| classification| notes| kingdom| animals|   | phylum| chordates| animals with backbones| class| mammals| animals that are warm-blooded, have lungs and body hair, produce milk and give birth to live young| order| primates| ape-like animals| family| hominids| human-like animals| genus| homo| humans| species| sapiens| modern humans| It can also be  difficult  to classify a certain organism. For example, the single-celled organism called Euglena has some confusing characteristics.It has: * chloroplasts, like a plant * no cell wall, like an animal * a flagellum to swim with, like some bacteri a A fifth kingdom, called the protoctists, was made for organisms like Euglena. The Heart The heart requires its own constant blood supply in order to keep beating and this is delivered through the coronary arteries. Genetic and lifestyle factors can lead to the coronary arteries becoming blocked, and an increased risk of heart disease. The circulatory system Blood carries oxygen and nutrients to the body’s  cells, and waste products away from them.The circulatory system consists of: * the heart, which is the muscular pump that keeps the blood moving * the arteries, which carry blood away from the heart * the veins, which return blood to the heart * the capillaries, which are tiny blood vessels that are close to the body’s cells The diagram outlines the circu-latory system. To make things clear, oxygenated blood is shown in red, and deoxygenated blood in blue. Arteries and veins The arteries carry blood from the heart, while veins return blood to it. With both, their structure is related to their function. ArteriesBlood in the arteries is under high pressure generated by the heart. The arteries have: * thick outer walls * thick layers of muscle and elastic fibres Veins The blood in veins is under lower pressure than the blood in arteries. The veins have: * thin walls * thin layers of muscle and elastic fibres Unlike arteries, veins have one-way valves in them to keep the blood moving in the correct direction. The heart The heart is a muscular organ. It keeps beating at about 70 times per minute. You can see how it pumps the blood to the lungs and the rest of the body by studying this animation.The muscle cells in the heart need a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients, and for their waste products to be removed. So the heart requires its own blood supply in order to keep beating. Blood vessels called the  coronary arteries  supply blood to the heart muscles. If they become blocked, a  heart attack  can happen. Heart attacks A heart att ack can happen because: 1. Fatty deposits build up in the coronary arteries. 2. A blood clot can form on a fatty deposit. 3. The blood clot can block a coronary artery. 4. Some heart muscle cells do not get the oxygen and nutrients they need. 5. These cells start to die.Causes of heart disease Heart disease is not usually caused by micro-organisms. It is caused by: * genetic factors, which show as a family history of heart disease * lifestyle factors Heart disease is more common in the UK than in non-industrialised countries, and many other indust-rialised nations. This is due to lifestyle factors  including: * smoking * lack of regular exercise * stress leading to a fast heart rate * drinking a lot of alcohol * poor diet A lack of exercise and a diet that is high in salt and saturated fat cause people to: * become overweight * have high blood pressure have high levels of cholesterol in their blood These factors contribute to an increased risk of heart disease. Extra Sex hormones Changes occur at puberty because of sex hormones produced by the testes in boys, and the ovaries in girls. Some changes happen to everyone, both boys and girls, while others happen in one sex only. Here are some changes that happen to both boys and girls: * pubic hair grows * underarm hair grows Here are some changes that happen to boys only: * voice breaks – gets deeper * hair grows on face and body * body becomes more muscular * testes and penis get bigger testes start to produce sperm cells Here are some changes that happen to girls only: * hips get wider * breasts develop * ovaries start to release egg cells – periods start Fertility in humans can be controlled by the artificial use of sex hormones, including contraceptive pills and fertility drugs. Competition Different species compete to survive and breed. The size of a predator population depends on the size of the prey population, and the reverse is true as well. Mutualism benefits both species involved in the relationship, but parasitism only benefits the parasite, not the host.Habitats have limited amounts of the resources needed by living organisms. Organisms must  compete  with others in order to get enough of these resources to survive. If they are unsuccessful and cannot move to another habitat, they will die. Animals Some of the resources that animals compete for: * food * water * space Animals may also compete for mates so that they can reproduce. Plants Remember that plants make their own food using  photo-synthesis, so they do not compete for food. Here are some of the things that plants do compete for: * light * water space * mineral salts Human beings Human beings are very successful organisms. We compete with animals for food resources, and we compete with both animals and plants for space and water. The nitrogen cycle Seventy-nine per cent of the air around us is nitrogen. Living things need nitrogen to make proteins, but they cannot get it directly from the air becaus e nitrogen gas is too  unreactive  to be used to make new compounds within an organism. Plants can take up and use nitrogen when it is in a more  reactive  form – for example, in  nitrates  or  ammonium salts.Changing nitrogen into a more reactive substance is called  nitrogen fixation. Nitrogen fixation Nitrogen fixation happens in three different ways: The energy in a lightning bolt can split nitrogen molecules in the air, allowing each nitrogen atom to  react  with oxygen to form  nitrogen oxides. The rain washes these oxides to the ground, where they form  nitrates. * The Haber Process  is used by industry to produce ammonia from nitrogen. Ammonia is then used to make the fertiliser that farmers spread on the soil to feed their crops. Nitrogen-fixing bacteria found in both the soil and root nodules of leguminous plants fix nitrogen into a form that can be used by plants. When plants are eaten by animals, the nitrogen compounds are passed on. Nitr ogen compounds are returned to the soil by excretion and egestion from animals, or when plants and animals die and decay. The nitrogen compounds returned in this way are  changed back  to nitrogen gas by denitrifying bacteria which live in the soil. This  completes the cycle, so that the percentage of nitrogen in the air remains constant. The nitrogen cycle

Financial Management – Meaning, Objectives and Functions

Meaning of Financial Management Financial Management means planning, organizing, directing and controlling the financial activities such as procurement and utilization of funds of the enterprise. It means applying general management principles to financial resources of the enterprise. Scope/Elements Investment decisions includes investment in fixed assets (called as capital budgeting). Investment in current assets are also a part of investment decisions called as working capital decisions.Financial decisions – They relate to the raising of finance from various resources which will depend upon decision on type of source, period of financing, cost of financing and the returns thereby. Dividend decision – The finance manager has to take decision with regards to the net profit distribution. Net profits are generally divided into two: Dividend for shareholders- Dividend and the rate of it has to be decided. Retained profits- Amount of retained profits has to be finalized whi ch will depend upon expansion and diversification plans of the enterprise.Objectives of Financial Management The financial management is generally concerned with procurement, allocation and control of financial resources of a concern. The objectives can be- To ensure regular and adequate supply of funds to the concern. To ensure adequate returns to the shareholders which will depend upon the earning capacity, market price of the share, expectations of the shareholders. To ensure optimum funds utilization. Once the funds are procured, they should be utilized in maximum possible way at least cost. To ensure safety on investment, i. , funds should be invested in safe ventures so that adequate rate of return can be achieved. To plan a sound capital structure-There should be sound and fair composition of capital so that a balance is maintained between debt and equity capital. Functions of Financial Management Estimation of capital requirements: A finance manager has to make estimation wi th regards to capital requirements of the company. This will depend upon expected costs and profits and future programmes and policies of a concern. Estimations have to be made in an adequate manner which increases earning capacity of enterprise.Determination of capital composition: Once the estimation have been made, the capital structure have to be decided. This involves short- term and long- term debt equity analysis. This will depend upon the proportion of equity capital a company is possessing and additional funds which have to be raised from outside parties. Choice of sources of funds: For additional funds to be procured, a company has many choices like- Issue of shares and debentures Loans to be taken from banks and financial institutions Public deposits to be drawn like in form of bonds.Choice of factor will depend on relative merits and demerits of each source and period of financing. Investment of funds: The finance manager has to decide to allocate funds into profitable v entures so that there is safety on investment and regular returns is possible. Disposal of surplus: The net profits decision have to be made by the finance manager. This can be done in two ways: Dividend declaration – It includes identifying the rate of dividends and other benefits like bonus. Retained profits – The volume has to be decided which will depend upon expansional, innovational, diversification plans of the company.Management of cash: Finance manager has to make decisions with regards to cash management. Cash is required for many purposes like payment of wages and salaries, payment of electricity and water bills, payment to creditors, meeting current liabilities, maintainance of enough stock, purchase of raw materials, etc. Financial controls: The finance manager has not only to plan, procure and utilize the funds but he also has to exercise control over finances. This can be done through many techniques like ratio analysis, financial forecasting, cost and p rofit control, etc

Comparison of Conrad’s and Achebe’s Presentation of Africans

Conrad’s Heart of Darkness and Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, both take place in the heart of Africa and center around the idea of colonialism held by the European powers in 19th century. The differences between the two novels are ironically as apparent as â€Å"black† and â€Å"white†. As we begin to think about why Conrad and Achebe have used so different tones on such a similar subject, we feel like we are solving a mystery plot. While reading Heart of Darkness we feel as if we are led through a never ending, dark, damp, gloomy and stinky corridor and the novel ends in an atmosphere which is darker, gloomier and filled with hostile people or maybe creatures. After reading Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, immediately our minds revert to a nearby region in Africa, to Umuofia, and we begin to think whether Nigeria is on the same continent as Congo, and if these dark creatures staring at the boat from the riverbank, are really related to Obierika, or even to the never smiling Okonkwo, who are in our minds sharing palm-wine and breaking kola seeds. Conrad’s and Achebe’s different approach to the themes of â€Å"voice of Africans†, â€Å"presentation of colonizers† and the â€Å"effects of colonialism† distinguish the two works from each other. The voice and presence of Africans differ clearly in two works because Conrad is looking through the perspective of the colonizer and Achebe, from that of the colonized. As stated in the introduction, Conrad has been dreaming of seeing the â€Å"dark continent† since childhood and has managed to go to Congo with the ambition to explore it. Marlow, just like Conrad, has always had the interest in maps and he decides to go to this journey after seeing Congo’s map on a shop window. As Marlow says when he is telling his story, â€Å"It had ceased to be a blank space of delightful mystery- a white patch for a boy to dream gloriously over. It had become a place of darkness,† (p 22) we can realize that the mysterious land he was expecting to see didn’t end up being enjoyable and frightened him. We know that when Conrad first travelled to Congo, he was actually shocked with what he saw; but although he was surprised and horrified, he thought all the savage acts of white men as a part of reality and a necessity to keep this colony functioning. The way he refers to natives as â€Å"black things†, â€Å"criminals† or â€Å"unhappy savages† with no indication of pain in his feelings shows that, as a â€Å"civilized† European who is a stranger to this new land, he convinces himself very easily to the idea that the Africans should be treated as â€Å"savages†. When he sees a young African reclining against a tree with sunken eyes, waiting for his death, it is not his condition that strikes him the most but he is more interested in where he might have found the white thread tied around his neck. Also when he admits to himself that the accountant had â€Å"verily accomplished something difficult† (p 37) by teaching a native woman to do the station tasks, we once again understand that he doesn’t see them as of his equal and in some sense regard them as primitive beings with no intellect. Even if Conrad, as a writer who has become a citizen of Great Britain, one of the leader countries of colonialism, regards all the atrocities in Congo as dark memories, he does not help the African voice to be heard and does not provide any chance for an African to express himself properly, except a native’s words, â€Å"Mistah Kurtz, he dead! † (p 112) On the other hand, Achebe is no stranger to this land. He is in fact one of the dark mysterious figures, watching Marlow's boat, sailing up the river. Naturally he has a very different story to tell. In Heart of Darkness, we are given a surreal view about the Africans. On the contrary, Achebe's success, is presenting them as human beings, with names, no different in characters and in feelings than other people living in any part of the world. Although their customs might sometimes seem inexplicable to us, such as the oracle ordering Ikemefuna to be killed for no reason and villagers following his order, they still carry the same feelings any person would. After Ikemefuna’s death, Okonkwo who has loved him like his own child, cannot taste anything for two days because of his sorrow. Similarly, after Okonkwo is exiled from the clan, Okonkwo’s friends destroy Okonkwo’s barn and hut as part of a tradition with no hatred in their hearts. But later on Obierika, Okonkwo’s best friend who was among those people, questions his friend’s punishment. Even though the Africans presented in Things Fall Apart identify themselves with their culture and have to follow the rules set by their ancestors, they always show the reactions expected from any person. These people share the same concerns, affections and flaws as every â€Å"human being† whereas Conrad, chooses to present them as primitive creatures or rather dark threats. As the boat sails on the river in Heart of Darkness, we are reminded of Jules Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth where in similar dark surroundings, the scientists encounter extinct creatures whereas in Things Fall Apart, we get a chance to observe the richness of the Ibo culture and look at Africans from an objective point of view. The comparison of how the colonizers are presented in two novels portrays clearly the recurring opposition between â€Å"civilization and wilderness†. This time, Conrad, openly displays the sinister intentions of the colonizers, their greed more openly than Achebe. When the reader is told about how experienced agent Kurtz is in collecting ivory, how cruelly the Africans are used as labor force and are forced to work until they become exhausted, wear out and starve to death, it is seen that the so-called â€Å"civilizing† mission of the colonizers is actually destroying the Africans. We understand clearly that the colonizers are after wealth, which in fact does not belong to them. Moreover, in both works, there is the irony about the colonizers, who are supposed to be representing â€Å"civilization† but instead acting way more primitively than the colonized Africans who are considered as â€Å"savages†. In Heart of Darkness, Mr. Kurtz who is admired and even worshipped by the Europeans, is collecting the heads of the natives and performing very brutal actions to acquire his ivory. Company Doctor’s comment stating that any change the men undergo in Congo is internal (p 27), is a foreshadowing to the transition Kurtz goes through in the jungle. â€Å"Wilderness† has changed him; he is no longer a member of a civilized society having lived together with the natives in wilderness. Also, when the Manager claims that Kurtz’s â€Å"methods are unsound† (p 101), we start questioning the accuracy of the Manager’s own methods. The company responsible for extracting ivory is operating under a hierarchy, with many business principles so since Kurtz is a part of this chain, it can be argued that the methods of the colonizers are also as â€Å"unsound† as Kurtz’s. When Marlow agrees with the Manager and says that he sees no method at all in Kurtz’s actions, we can understand how Kurtz, as a colonizer has separated himself from civilized methods. Therefore, there is the contrast in between his reputation as a remarkable agent among colonizers, and his denial to play the game by the rules of a civilized society. On the other hand, the colonizers in Achebe's Things Fall Apart, are given a more humane approach. They, like the natives are described as ordinary people whom you can meet on the street, in your everyday life. Their most apparent feature are their arrogance and in fact their lack of knowledge and understanding. Achebe also emphasizes the irony about Africans turning out to be more civilized than the colonizers in many ways. When there is a confrontation between missionaries and Africans caused by Mr.  Smith, the new intolerant leader of the church, Ajofia’s words, â€Å"We cannot leave the matter in his hands because he does not understand our customs, just as we do not understand his. We say he is foolish because he does not know our ways, and perhaps he says we are foolish because we do not know his,† (p191) show that in fact the villagers are wiser, more mature and more â€Å"civilized† in way of thinking than the colonizers. Africans can accept to be wrong in certain points, whereas the colonizers disregard anything outside their own agenda. Even if Heart of Darkness gives us a better opinion about the cruel and uncivilized characters of the colonizers, Achebe also portrays the destruction of African villages so dramatically that in general, we can say that both works demonstrate the corrupted souls of the colonizers effectively. The destructive effects of colonialism are presented both by Achebe and Conrad, but Conrad does not bring up the criticism of colonizing a country, whereas Achebe underlines its tragic results clearly. At the time Heart of Darkness was published, there were many people in the world who thought that there was nothing wrong with colonialism and in fact it was the right move to take for a powerful country. It was believed by many that the natives were nothing but savages. Therefore, what Conrad says about colonialism, is well ahead of his time, but still the argument of whether he had to go along with the idea of seeing natives as â€Å"dark savages† , is of course questionable. From the beginning of the novel, Conrad shows the suffering caused by colonization through Marlow’s observations. We see natives each having an iron collar on their neck, all connected together by chains, empty paths that were used to belong to villages in which the population had cleared out. All these unpleasant images show the devastating results of colonialism but since Marlow, who experiences these brutalities with his own eyes, does not reach to the conclusion that all these are a result of human greed, it is not possible to say that Conrad’s Heart of Darkness is a direct critique of colonialism. However Achebe, having lived in a colonized country, knows what it feels like to have lived under the command of others. He intentionally emphasizes the presence of a government, besides the church and shows that the white man, does not only want to convert the natives to Christianity or take away their ivory and gold but also wants to rule them. Achebe does not hesitate to show how Okonkwo’s own people, although they might not be from his own clan, have joined the colonizers and are serving them as their messengers. When the messengers tell the villagers that they should pay a fine of two hundred and fifty cowries to release the several arrested men from the clan including Okonkwo, they plan to keep the fifty cowries for themselves and give the rest to the district commissioner who had initially decided on the fine as two hundred cowries. As it is seen, colonialism has not only caused the suffering of many Africans but also it created such a corruption that the people of the same land ended up betraying and fighting against each other. Even if both writers have based their story on the terrible outcomes of colonization, Achebe, as a representative of the African voice emphasizes the moral tragedy that leads to the formation of a chain of never-ending treasons between Africans. Colonization may work for the benefits of the colonizers, but for those who are being colonized, it gives only suffering, death, loss of identities, in short destruction and humiliation. The general attitude displayed by the colonizers, in justifying their actions, is their claims of bringing civilization to savages, faith and order to cannibals, technology or health care to the poor or ignorant. The fact that Heart of Darkness, begins on the river Thames, right in the heart of London, the river described as calm and beautiful, and moves into Congo river, its waters rough, full of dangers, dark, threatening, offering nothing but unexpected and unknown menaces, shows us the exact mentality of the colonizers, as they view Europe and Africa. It is a clear account of how they believe that, their civilization is superior, giving them the right to expand their interests to wherever they see fit. A boat trip on the Congo River, according to them, is a measuring device which will reveal how primitive the Africans are. The further you travel, the degree of primitivism rises. Just as Thames River is the antithesis of Congo River or Africa, with Conrad, Achebe's characters show that the Africans are not subhuman or part of a different species, but are members of the human race with their flaws and virtues. Achebe's last words in Things Fall Apart are â€Å"The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger†, the name of the commissioner’s book, is the very cliche colonial powers live by. It is in fact the most tragic ending to these sad stories of shattered lives, erased cultures and a whole continent torn apart, by colonialism.

Understanding Organisations and the Role of Hr

1. Introduction The briefing note is aimed to support a new manager to gain some understanding of the organisation in preparation for their start. Enterprise is a private sector organisation that has a current turnover of ? 1. 1bn. Enterprise currently employ’s circa 17,000 people including direct and DSP staff. 1. 1 Enterprise is the UK’s largest dedicated maintenance and front-line service provider to the public sector and utility industry. 2. Company Analysis 2. 1 Enterprise offers a wide range of services to its customers.The business is split into two divisions, one of which is the Government division. The Government division offers nationwide coverage in the following work streams: Grounds Maintenance, street cleansing, refuse collection, social housing, asbestos surveys & removal, building repairs & maintenance and local roads. The Government division is involved in a joint venture with Amymouchel. The second major division is the Utilities division. The Utilitie s division is broken down further into sub divisions which are, defence, MOD, gas, water and power.The main role of the Utilities division as a whole is to perform maintenance tasks including fixing water leaks, repairing gas leaks, installing Utility supplies, designing and installing power substations and repairing broken connections. The Utilities -division is also involved in joint ventures with Carillion and MoDern Housing solutions. Enterprise also has a Central Support division that contains dedicated departments who provide support services to the group. The departments within the central support include Finance, I. T, Payroll, Central HR, Health & Safety, Commercial, Procurement and Marketing. See Appendices 1. ) 2. 2 Due to the fact that Enterprise provides such a diversity of services the customers are both from the Public and Private sector. Enterprise has long term partnerships with Local and Central Government. An example of this would be a 28 year ‘waste partner ship’ with Solihull Borough Council. Other Local Government organisations that Enterprise perceives as customers currently include London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, Liverpool City Council, Wolverhampton City Council, Manchester City Council, Gloucestershire City Council and Peterborough City Council.Central Government customers include MOD Defence Estates, Highways Agency and Transport for London. Enterprise works closely with Utilities companies to provide people’s homes and business with reliable gas, power, and water and communication links daily and has major contracts and partnerships with the following customers: United Utilities, Severn Trent Water, Scottish Power e-on Energy and National Grid. As the majority of Enterprise operations are carried out within the community they have a high emphasise on Corporate Responsibility in order to engage the wider community. . 3 Enterprise has a unique approach in terms of its purpose and goals. The main purpose of t he organisation is captured within the mission statement which is; ‘’To be at the heart of our customers and communities; delivering plans to improve service and maintain essential infrastructure for present and future generations in an environment that allows our people to contribute and realise their full potential’’. Enterprise as a Private organisation has a purpose of providing a financial return to its Stakeholders as well as surviving and developing if possible.Enterprise has a set of driving principles that define the goals that work towards delivering the Enterprise vision which is; ‘’In our chosen markets of utilities and the public sector, to be the leading integrated service provider focused on front line delivery. ’’ The 5 driving principles are as follows: Health & Safety: As Enterprise work at the centre of people’s lives and neighbourhood’s Health & Safety of both employees and members of the public is paramount. This means that the policies are rigorous, thorough and proven.Community Cohesion and Well Being: Responsibility in the community that Enterprise works in, the companies it works with and the employees. Sustainable communities that balance the social, economic and environmental components of their local area. This will benefit the residents, businesses and future generations. Partnership & People: Enterprise’s preferred method of working with a customer is through a transparent partnership. This facilitates communication and enables better working relationships.The flexible pro active nature of these partnerships allows contracts to evolve and move with the changing nature of the industry and customers need in the opinion of Enterprise. Enterprise follows a ‘respecting people’ agenda which allows employees to influence service delivery. They continually invest in skills and technical knowledge in order to remain an innovative leading service provide r. Performance Improvement & Best Value: The experience and knowledge Enterprise has of its markets, combined with their least cost operating models, enable them to design services that produce improved performance and best value for customers.Technology and Innovation: Enterprise has innovative technology and bespoke software that designed by an in house team. This increases the efficiency of operation and improves communications between sites, offices and customers. IT is at the core of all operations and a least cost, improved performance is essential to ensure a safe workplace. 2. 4 Enterprise believes that external factors do have an impact on the business activities of the organisation. Please see (Appendices 2. ) which is a PESTLE analysis of Enterprise.Listed below are four examples of external factors that Enterprise will be directly affected by, Auto Enrolment This is the Government initiative that Enterprise considers as a political external influence. Auto enrolment is a imed at getting employees enrolled into a pension scheme. Enterprise as a large business has to do this by April 2013. Employees are automatically enrolled into the scheme with the option to ‘opt out’. The minimum contribution of the employees is 1% of their salary with a contribution from the employer. The impact on Enterprise is financial due to the contribution to the pension scheme.The fact that all employees need to be communicated with and engaged with the scheme is a drain on cost and time. Enterprise has had to employee a number of temporary staff who specialise in pensions to guide and work on the impact of the scheme. This again is a financial strain on the organisation. Rising Fuel Costs Enterprise have identified the increasing rise in fuel costs as a potential threat to the business. Enterprise has reacted to this by introducing a ‘Lower initiative. ’ All new starters to the business are given information on ways to save fuel, for example car s haring.As many of the operations within Enterprise involve vehicles and plant reducing fuel consumption is extremely important. Graduates Enterprise has always had a graduate scheme and recruits every year. Due to the both social and political impacts the number of graduates per year is decreasing, increased university cost sand high rates of unemployment are the main contributors for this. This is impacting on the business in terms of reduced Graduate vacancies and fewer specialist candidates. Enterprise view graduates as the future and look to talent manage graduates into certain arrears of the business.They are also seen as ideal candidates whilst ‘succession planning. ’ A positive impact of the above is that apprentice schemes have become a popular alternative within the UK and Enterprise has over 130 active apprentices. This is a 50% increase on 2010 figures. Adverse Weather Over the last few of years the weather has changed significantly which has had an effect on Enterprise. It has impacted the business in both a positive and negative way. For example due to the cold weather in the winter the need for winter grit to be laid on the road has increased, this means business for Enterprise in this area has been amplified.On the opposite side of the coin, during wet summers work on the roads for example laying new cables and surfacing dressing can be a slow process. Enterprise perceives this as an external Environmental factor that is difficult to manage. 2. 5 Enterprise operates a ‘conventional’ hierarchical organisational structure predominantly but has aspects of ‘span of control structure’ also. This is mainly due to the size of the organisation and the variety of services it offers. As Enterprise is split into two major divisions with sub sections within these departments it is difficult to put the overall organisational chart into context.Enterprise does have aspects of a ‘Matrix’ organisation. This is dependent on projects that need to be undertaken or new contracts that are won. Enterprise has to be flexible to endorse this kind of structure and have the resources to cover staff movement. Please see (Appendices 2. ). Enterprise produces quarterly organisational charts to track any movements that take place and analyse where people slot in to the business. Appendices 2, illustrates the structure of the finance department for Enterprise which is a relatively tall conventional structure and is built up via a number of levels.Within the finance department there are several different functions including, financial accountants, purchase to pay, sales ledger, payroll and treasury. This chart highlights the positions of all the employees that make up each function and how they are all interlinked to make the finance department as a whole. It also confirms the spans of control of Managers and supervisors. 2. 6 As described in 2. 5 the Finance department in Enterprise has several differe nt functions. An explanation of how these functions work together ould be as follows; The monthly payroll team pulls together the payroll 3 days before the money is due too reach the employee’s accounts. This has to be signed by the Support Services manager. Once this has been signed payroll process, this is then with the treasury department to allocate the monies into the accounts of the employees in time for pay day 3 days later. After this the accountants are left to analyse the payments for each department of the business and raise any queries they may have. 2. 7 The culture of Enterprise is outlined in the mission statement and within its 5 driving principles (see 2. ). Enterprise also has a strict set of values that it expects all of its employees to follow: * Integrity – Transparency, relationship, fair, equitable and professional * Practicality – Straightforward, productive, innovative and pragmatic * Achievement – Focussed, driven, clear, ambitio n and success * Collaborative – Flexible, positive, incentivised, developing, community and team * Responsiveness – Listen, engage, create and participate The culture of Enterprise does have an affect on operations. Examples below: 1.Due to Enterprises commitment to its vision, principles and values, Enterprise can offer responsive efficient services provided by dedicated individuals 2. Enterprise works within the community promoting local employment and engagement with the use of small and medium enterprises (SME’s) through the Enterprise Foundation which is a vehicle dedicated to delivering community related support and improvement projects. This is a key part of the CR agenda. 2. 8 Enterprise has a dedicated central HR function that supports the organisations strategy in many ways.Please see below three examples of this: Learning & Development Enterprise encourages employees to undertake training courses to improve personal development. HR will research parti cular courses to make sure they are relevant to the employee’s role and report back to the budget holders with the findings. PDR Workshops Enterprises HR team offers managers the opportunity to attend workshops to make sure they carry out PDR’s efficiently (personal development reviews. ) For example it is explained that the PDR’s are linked to talent management which looks at developing Enterprise’s current employees linking back to the business strategy.Induction Corporate inductions are delivered by the HR department to all new starters. This is seen as essential to emphasise to all employee’s the vision, goals and strategy of the business as well as making new employee’s welcome and provides key statutory information. 2. 9 The HR function at Enterprise is always on hand to provide support to line mangers and their staff. Here are three ways in which they achieve this: * Updating policies and procedures in accordance with legislative chan ges and with the business needs.Making sure these are easily accessible for line managers and their employee’s to access. * Through knowledge and experience HR professionals within Enterprise provide managers with support on disciplinary issues. Making sure that the correct process is followed to avoid tribunal cases. * HR systems are an integral part of Enterprise as all office based staff use them. The HR team control these systems and provide data from them to support manager’s needs. 3. Conclusion This briefing document is aimed at familiarising a new manager with the services, structure and systems of Enterprise.It has shown that Enterprise is a large maintenance and front line service provider within the public sector and utilities industry employing circa 17,000 staff in the UK. The structure is a mixture of conventional, hierarchical and matrix. The services include all aspect of utilities including repairs of gas, water, power and electricity and public servic es including building maintenance and refuse collecting. HR supports the business by being a point of contact for managers and employees on any issues they have. This works towards Enterprise achieve it overall strategy and goals.

Annotated Bibliography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Annotated Bibliography - Essay Example Here comes annotated bibliography, which enables you to refer to the key ideas of the author. Therefore, to give a proper consideration to a given article or book and evaluate its contents is one of the first and foremost ways to grasp the main ideas of the author and use them effectively. Sources about annotated bibliography, their importance and the way of a right compilation are key factors determining further research. Annotated Bibliography Introduction It is always hard to read through a book or an article from the journal and grasp the main ideas of it at once. It is even more challenging task to use those ideas appropriately and implement the main ideas of the required sources in a relevant manner. Thus, annotated bibliography is a perfect means to facilitate a process of writing. A spirit of academy is sustained by relevant usage of the most important publications. Consequently, it is possible to claim that academicians put all their efforts to compile effective annotated bi bliographies and summarize the main points of the publications. In order to summarize the main ideas of the author it is very important to understand the essence of a given article or book. Therefore, the author’s style, reliability of the source and its contents are of high importance for the effective annotated bibliography.

Leadersip , effective leaders what makes them effective Research Paper

Leadersip , effective leaders what makes them effective - Research Paper Example The research paper explores the phenomena of leadership, an intriguing subject that has attracted much attention of researchers and scholars of every age. It is undoubted that leadership is one of the most researched upon subject in the history of mankind and literature available on the topic is extensive in nature with variance in each theory and philosophy. For the purpose of simplicity this research would only focus on the attributes or practices that make a leader effective and inspirational. The domain considered for this research is the business arena, excluding political, public or social leadership. The analysis or research methodology for this endeavor is based on explorative approach where management books, articles from reliable sources and peer reviewed journals would be considered. The purpose of this research is to explore and understand the recent trends in leadership and the attributes that make a leader effective, comparing popular literature with real life leaders s erving their organizations. According to Stephen R. Covey (2003), highly effective people have seven habits that make them great leaders. These habits essentially point towards the attributes possessed by great leaders of modern post industrial revolution or knowledge based economy. The first habit, being proactive indicates that effective leaders take initiatives, make decisions and own the consequences of decisions made. The second habit or attribute defined by Covey (2003) is the ability to predict the future, devise a vision and a mission statement by self discovery with alignment to values and principals inherent in the leaders beliefs and faced scenario that bring success to the group. The third attribute of putting first things first, emphasize on the planning skills of leaders, prioritizing the most important issues while keeping check the principals and

The Effect of Globalization on Muslim Youth Essay

The Effect of Globalization on Muslim Youth - Essay Example This way it has only awakened the growth of risk, uncertainty and insecurity particularly for the Muslims of future generations. From physical assaults and racial profiling to an array of new cultural processes, globalization has created a multicultural environment for our Muslim youth which has opened the doors for our Muslim youth to enter 'war on terrorism'. Such an environment has only developed a richer understanding of race and ethnicity in young lives to see how these relations configure around work, leisure and consumption practices. Global processes so far has supported Muslim youth by escorting them to new technologies which has helped them in finding an easier way to be called 'terrorists'. Muslim youth has also suffered through the current age of migration which has spawned a diverse range of global movement and settlement (Nayak: 4). Moreover, such transformations have changed what we use to call once our 'local rituals' into 'global' ones and has taken the form of 'modernization'. Many theorists have declared that globalization is now being challenged on two fronts, first by its own internal weaknesses, contradictions, and inequities, and secondly by the response of the Muslim world. There are reasons to it, since Muslim world possess culturally different world-views which are different from what Muslim youth perceives, therefore the real challenge lies not in diversity but in establishing an open society with a genuine plurality of systems and options, and which offers a diversity with unlimited scope for co-operation in the pursuit of shared values and common interests (Dunning: 189). Young activists or what globalization has highlighted in the context of youth as inadequately formed adults, are the most effected ones as far as the consequences of globalization are concerned. Many scholars have declared globalization as the main subject in focussing largely or explicitly only on adults, and youth are assumed to be less fully formed social actors or subjects less able to exert the agency in the face of globalization that some scholars are, rightly, eager to document. Theorists mention our youth irrespective of any religion to be engaged in an ongoing process of social and cognitive development, therefore they suggest they have higher responsibilities and acquire more rights as they move into adulthood. However, globalization creates an assumption on behalf of our youth that marks traditional work and citizenship; for example, young citizens are not limited to enjoy global processes to the extent that they have rights (Orozco & Hilliard: 206). In many cases it is seen that such rights are limited while socializing into strict rules or norms of political involvement rather than being considered thinking agents who may express important critiques of citizenship and nationhood. An example of 'globalization' misuse before us is that of extremists to which Muslim youth is escorting, in the name of religion, rather in the name of fundamentalism. Liberalism or Extremism Theorist Rawls elaborates that liberalism is a significant aspect in making a visionary world which retains genuine pluralism along with providing a dimension that promotes global political, economic, and cultural humanity with handful opportunities for co-operation, and competition. Unfortunately