China, an Engine of Growth, Faces a Global Slump Essay Example for Free

China, an Engine of Growth, Faces a Global Slump Essay Yardley, J. , Bradsher, K. (2008). China, an Engine of Growth, Faces a Global Slump. New York Times, October 23, p. A6. In the article Yardley and Bradsher discuss China’s’ economic and financial slump caused by the global financial crisis. For three decades China has been one of the most powerful and promising countries in the world. The country has managed to booster its economic development due to flood of low-priced exports. However, global crisis negatively affects the country that faces the possibility of global recession. The question is whether the ruling Communist Party is able to prevent global financial crisis and to support China’s economic miracle. Economists and analysts say that China’s economic development plays crucial role for economies of the United States and European countries as they face serious downturns. Nonetheless, Chinese economic model is to be recalibrated, domestic investments are be stricken with government spending, and policies aimed at increasing consumer demand are to be promoted. China is in need of better health care network, improvements in social safety network, and lower fees for education establishments. Chinese government claims that global crisis insulates country’s financial system and, thus, leaders argue country’s banks would remain domestically concentrated. The overall economic growth has decreased, unemployment rates have increased and many factories have closed export region. China is recommended to use its foreign reserves for purchasing stocks in European as it gives China an excellent opportunity to gain more experience in global business. Some researcher say that America’s decline is inevitable and if China is prepared to manage it, it will be ready to stand as a superpower. In its turns, China isn’t willing to be considered as a replacement of the USA as it is still a developing country with more foreign reserves and more problems than other countries.

Revenue Recognition under US GAAP and IFRS

Revenue Recognition under US GAAP and IFRS International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) and Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) are working together to provide a single revenue recognition model that can be applied to a wide range of industries and transaction types. US GAAP currently has many industry-specific requirements that are not always consistent with each other. Keywords: revenue recognition, IASB, FASB, contracts The topic of the research is Revenue Recognition under US GAAP and IFRS. Revenue is the largest item in financial statements, and issues involving revenue recognition are among the most important and difficult that standard setters and accountants face. Revenue  recognition requirements in U.S. GAAP are different from those in IFRSs and both are considered in need of improvement. U.S. GAAP comprises broad revenue recognition concepts and numerous industry or transaction-specific requirements that can result in different accounting for economically similar transactions. Although, IFRSs contain less guidance on revenue recognition, its two main standards IAS 18 Revenue and IAS 11 Construction Contracts can be difficult to understand and apply beyond simple transactions. Also, they lack guidance on important topics such as revenue recognition for multiple-element arrangements. Reporting inconsistencies in this accounting area arise because there are no comprehensive accounting standards covering revenue recognition. Several authoritative accounting pronouncements have addressed detailed, industry-specific revenue recognition issues which caused practitioners to use standards in situations for which they were not intended. As a result, in 2002, the FASB added revenue recognition to its project agenda. In accounting, revenue recognition refers to the point when one is able to record a sale in the financial statements. Years ago, the sale was made and then an invoice was issued. Now, products are sold with added services, TVs are being sold with long term warranties, mobile phone contracts sold with a free phone, tickets sold for concerts which will not occur for a number of months, and software sold with free upgrades. International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) and Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) (collectively, the board) are working together to provide a single revenue recognition model that can be applied to a wide range of industries and transaction types. U. S. GAAP currently has many industry-specific requirements that are not always consistent with each other. The boards intend to improve current revenue recognition guidance by: Enhancing consistency and comparability. Simplify U. S. GAAP. Currently, there are more than 100 revenue recognition standards in U.S. GAAP. Many of these standards are industry-specific, and some provide conflicting guidance. Providing guidance lacking in IFRS. The two main IFRS revenue recognition standards are vague, inconsistent, and difficult to apply to complex transactions, IASB and FASB published a joint discussion paper, Preliminary Views on Revenue Recognition in Contracts with Customers, in December 2008 that proposed a single revenue recognition model built on the principle that an entity should recognize revenue when it satisfies its performance obligation in a contract by transferring goods and services to a customer. This principle is similar to many existing requirements. A contract is defined as an agreement between two or more parties that creates enforceable obligations, and may consist of either explicit or implicit arrangements. However, IASB and FASB think that clarifying the principle and applying it consistently to all contracts with customers will improve the comparability and understandability of revenue for users of financial statements. The Discussion Paper sought comments on the Boards preliminary views on a single asset and liability based revenue recognition model that they believe will improve financial reporting under U. S. GAA P and IFRS by (Ernest Young, 2009): Providing clearer guidance on when an entity should recognize revenue. Reducing the number of standards which entities have to refer to in determination of revenue. Establishing principles that will result in entities reporting revenue more consistently for similar contracts regardless of the industry in which an entity operates. In September 2002, the IASB and FASB announced plans to achieve convergence in a document referred to as the Norwalk Agreement which called for detailed differences to be removed rapidly and then other differences gradually. In 2007, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) accepted the plan to apply IFRS to the statements filed with the SEC in 2008. According to Mintz (2008), the SEC detailed a road map for the adoption of IFRS that would monitor progress until 2011, when the commission will consider requiring U. S. public companies to file their financial statements using IFRS. The road map includes a potential phased transition over three years, beginning with large accelerated filers in 2014 and then nonaccelerated filers starting in 2016. The research will be done using secondary data collection from Google, Google scholar, ProQuest, discussion papers, and other academia databases. According to Dohrer (2009), U.S. GAAP revenue literature is built on principles that are similar to those in IFRS. However, U.S.GAAP has industry industry-specific revenue recognition literature, such as that for the software industry, which is limited under IFRS. U.S. also includes more detailed implementation guidance. The problem for this research is to find a single asset and liability based revenue recognition model to improve financial reporting within both U. S. GAAP and IFRS. The researcher will seek to answer the following research questions: 1. How does realizability affects the measurements of rights? How is performance obligations identified? When will a customer control the asset? Recognition under U.S. GAAP specifies that revenue should not be recognized until the revenue is either realized or realizable, and earned. Preparers, users, and auditors of financial reports have struggles with issues surrounding the timing of revenue recognition. This has led to fraudulent entries. In 1999, a report by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations (COSO) of the Treadway Commission reported that more than one-half of financial reporting frauds studied from 1987 to 1997 involved overstating revenue. In response to the COSO report, the SEC issued SAB 101, Revenue Recognition in Financial Statements. This bulletin summarized applying revenue recognition principles to specific conditions (Stout and Baxendale, 2006). According to GAAP, revenue is realizable and earned when all of the following criteria are met. Persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists. Delivery has occurred or services have been rendered. The sellers price to the buyer is fixed or determinable. It is reasonably assured that payment will be collected. According to RevenueRecognition.com (2006), regardless of the companys size, ownership structure, or what systems it has in place, having a written revenue policy is essential to accurate revenue reporting. The policy should govern how contracts are written, how orders are booked, define the revenue accounting workflow, as well as how journal entries are made as revenue is managed through the finance department. Revenue recognition in IFRS is contained primarily within two standards: International Accounting Standard (IAS) 18 Revenue, which applies to the sales of goods, rendering of services, and the use of company assets by others yielding interest, royalties and dividends. IAS 11 Construction Contracts, which prescribe the accounting treatment of revenues and cost associated with construction contracts. These standards are that revenue is recognized when it is probable that future economic benefits will flow to the entity and these benefits can be measured reliably. This occurs when the earnings process is substantially complete and is realized or realizable and earned. The Discussion Papers stated that the proposed model should not significantly change the accounting for many arrangements from the current practices under IFRS. Under IFRS, revenue is usually recognized when the risks and rewards associated with the goods or services have been transferred to the customer. Delivery is deemed to have occurred when the customer takes title to a good, indicating that the risks and rewards of ownership have passed to the customer. RevenueRecognition.com surveyed senior financial executives from 515 companies about the Discussion Paper. RevenueRecognition.com worked with staff members from the FASB and IASB revenue recognition project to create an internet survey based on the key questions raised in the proposal. The survey was conducted in April 2009. More than 75% of respondents were senior finance executives including CFOs and Controllers. The key findings were that 54% of the respondents agreed or strongly agreed that a contract-based approach to revenue recognition would clarify the earnings process. And 66% said there would be little or no difference in the timing of their revenue recognition if delivery is defined as the transfer of control over good and services. Also, 70% agreed or strongly agreed that the Boards definition of a performance obligation as an accounting unit would help them identify components more consistently than existing practice. The history of difficult with revenue recognition in the corporate sector is full with instances of fraud. A COSO report, Fraudulent Financial Reporting 1987-1997: An Analysis of U. S. Public Companies reported that half of frauds involved overstated revenue. Online business-to-business transactions have led to questions about the validity of reported revenue. Past revenue recognition has involved fraudulently setting aside inventory not actually sold. Also, practices include written agreement for sales that are not signed by both parties because the seller would recognize revenue with only the verbal acknowledgment which is no longer permits. Auditors focus on revenue recognition overstatement in financial statements. Recommendations for improving revenue recognition are the following: The person recording or auditing revenue should have a strong knowledge of U. S. GAAP for revenue recognition. The audit committee should be aware of issues and make appropriate inquires. All relevant individuals should be knowledge about recent revenue recognition guidelines, including SAB 101 and EITF 99-17 and 99-19. In conclusion, International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) and Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) are working to provide a single revenue recognition model that will be applied to a wide range of industries and transaction types. Revenue recognition requirements in U.S. GAAP are different from those in IFRSs and both are considered in need of improvement. Recognition under U.S. GAAP specifies that revenue should not be recognized until the revenue is either realized or realizable, and earned. Under IFRS, revenue is usually recognized when the risks and rewards associated with the goods or services have been transferred to the customer.

What is the Function of a Social Contract? Essay -- essays research pa

What is the Function of a Social Contract? Philosophers have been concerned with the theories of a social contract for thousands of years. Plato mentions the concept in Crito and in Republic. These theories have stemmed from the concept of justice and for our society to be just. I will look at the works of Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Jean Jacques Rousseau and finally with John Rawls after which a overall view into the function of a social contract can be derived as well as any problems with the theory(s). The basic concept of a social contract is for members of society to enter into a voluntary contract, which allows society to go from a state of nature to a state of civilisation. What is meant by a state of nature is quite similar to how the rest of the animal kingdom works. A person ¡Ã‚ ¦s security depends on his or her own personal power. The fittest survive and the weakest suffer. Every person is concerned with his or her own ends. Plato outlined two types of contract within society. These were the contract of citizenship and the contract of community. The contract of citizenship was tackled in Crito. He regarded it as a contract made by each individual citizen with the state or law. If a man is to remain in a political society he will have to accept its obligations for he has enjoyed it privileges and benefits. The contract of community was covered in Republic Book II. This theory is based on the assumption the man is an egoist. With this assumption of  ¡Ã‚ ¥every man for himself ¡Ã‚ ¦ it is likely that he would either cause harm to others or sustain harm from others and therefore there would be a need to combat this. Thomas Hobbes published his work, the leviathan, which included theories of a social contract. His view is very similar to Plato ¡Ã‚ ¦s in regards to contract of community. He felt that there was a need for members of a society to Curtail the war of all against all and without these theories this war would spiral out of control with everyone competing against scarce resources. He talks about how a person ¡Ã‚ ¦s strength is all that protects them from others. The only way he saw fit to counter this predicament would be for a person to voluntarily agree to a contract where their natural freedom is given up in return for personal security. This freedom would be give up to the supreme authority, the Leviathan, which would serve as a  ¡Ã‚ ¥common pow... ...ction to relatives and close associates. The theory of general will also has problems. What can protect society from unjust rulers who say they are working in the way of general will? General will does not allow for difference in taste. It also identifies moral obligation with general interest. This is a problem because people may have similar morals but have different interest. The rulers can also work with regards to the interest of the state but not with regards to morals. Bibliography Æ’Ã ¦Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Leviathan; Thomas Hobbes edited by Richard Tuck; 1991; Cambridge University Press Æ’Ã ¦Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Rousseau ¡Ã‚ ¦s Political Philosophy; Ramon M Lemos; 1977; University of Georgia Press Æ’Ã ¦Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Second Treatise of Government; John Locke edited by Thomas P Peardon; 1952; Bobbs and Merrill company inc. Æ’Ã ¦Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Problems of Political Philosophy revised edition; DD Raphael; 1976; Macmillan Press ltd. Æ’Ã ¦Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Social Contract and Discourses; Jean Jacques Rousseau translated by GDH Cole; 1973; JM Dent and Sons ltd. Æ’Ã ¦Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Social Contract or Principles of Political Right second edition revised; Jean Jacques Rousseau translated by Henry J Tozer; 1898; Swan Sonnenschein and Co.

Sanity and Insanity in Faulkners The Sound and the Fury :: Faulkner Sound and the Fury Essays

Sanity and Insanity in Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury Quentin Compson, the oldest son of the Compson family in William Faulkner's novel, The Sound and the Fury, personifies all the key elements of insanity. Taking place in the imaginary town of Jefferson, Mississippi, the once high class and wealthy Compson family is beginning their downfall. Employing a stream of consciousness technique narrated from four points of view, Benjy, the "idiot child," Jason the cruel liar, cheat, and misogynist, Quentin the introvert, and the author narrating as a detached observer, Faulkner creates the situation of a completely dysfunctional family. Faulkner shows that failure to cope with the natural changes in the passage of time will drive one out of his mind. Despite what many critics believe, Quentin is indeed insane, as well as every other member of the Compson family, with the exception of Benjy. Quentin is seriously mentally ill and does many stupid things to lead up to "serious harm," his suicide. His inability to live normally in society results in the drowning of himself. Quentin is an anachronism; he is out of his time and place. His passion in upholding the purity of womanhood is ironic in his questionable incest with his sister. Incest, notwithstanding, simply trying to make his father believe that such actions did occur is pure madness. Quentin is disgusted with life and feels that nothing can help anyone. He says, "It's not when you realise [sic] that nothing can help you- religion, pride, anything- It's when you realise [sic] that you don't need any aid" (80). When Quentin uses the word aid, he is referring to the daily things in life that help make life bearable. Things like: friends, family, compliments, and self-esteem. These are all types of aid. To think that no one needs any of these things to deal with the hardships in life is senseless. Certainly one must be lunatic to believe that nothing can help someone, that life is simply a free for all. As a Harvard student, Quentin should at least have some pride in his accomplishments. Certainly it was no accident for Faulkner to choose a suicidal man as the most psychopathic character for his novel.

Law of Diffusion of Gases

Thomas Graham studied the behavior of the diffusion of gases of unequal densities when placed in contact with each other, using air as his control. He wanted to numerically prove how the diffusion of the gas volumes was inversely proportional to the value of the density of the gas, under constant temperature and pressure. The significance of this experiment was that in led to a reevaluation of the concept of the movement of matter, realizing that diffusion dealt with small immeasurable elements of matter, as opposed to large volumes of air, as perceived in the corpuscular theory, shedding light into the study of the behavior and structure of matter. Graham’s initial objective was to establish a numerical value regarding the gas density and its diffusiveness for ten different gases, establishing that the greater the gas’s density the smaller the value and rate of diffusiveness compared to air. He predicted that gases moved by diffusion when placed together in the form of minute volumes, were the heavier gas would tend to accumulate on one side while the lighter gas displaced towards the denser gas until a uniform mixture was achieved. In light of this, he predicted that if controlling temperature and pressure he would achieve the gases to diffuse and establish a numerical value. However no hypothesis was established based on the limited information at their disposal of matter. However seeing how gases diffused proportionately despite the aperture size, Graham perceived that diffusion dealt with minute particles as opposed to large volumes. The gas’s diffusion volume was achieved once the gas inside the stucco container was entirely replaced by external air, being this new volume the equivalent volume of diffusion. Once established the volume, he used his law of diffusion to provide a numerical value and verify the exactness of his formula. This was achieved by observing the change in height of the level of mercury. The use of a stucco plug channel containers was suitable to lessen the effect of gas absorption by the material and avoid the gas’s expansion or contraction when atmospheric conditions varied; in addition to this the fact that temperature and pressure were kept constant meant the movement of the gases was because of simple diffusion and not by an external force. Using air as a unit measure, meant variations in duplicability of results due to the air’s heterogeneous nature making the experiment inconclusive. They used air as their measure unit since they did not have the technology to test the direct interaction of single separate samples of gases, being unable to study properly their behavior. This experiment was accurate when comparing the results with the theoretical values, and consistent to previous experimental observations. The results showed to be always below the theory value explained by means of their materials absorption nature and slight variations in conditions and instrument’s precision. Despite this Graham was able to establish a clear numerical relationship using equivalent diffusion volumes, however with slight exceptions to certain gases that had to be further tested. Graham’s prediction of being density a factor, which determined the diffusiveness of gas, was corroborated at the sight that lighter gases than air such as hydrogen diffused more easily. In addition the accuracy of the results helped to determine the value of the gas’s gravity, which would further provide evidence for the study of matter. In addition the fact that intermixture of gases was achieved under controlled conditions, despite the size of contact surface, provided evidence of minute particle diffusion and led Graham to speculated further on the constituents of matter, not explained through the corpuscular theory, would lead to development of the colloid theory in the future. In conclusion this research paper showed that Graham verified a numerical value for the diffusion of gases with varying densities. However Graham’s observations led him to further speculate on the idea that diffusion was related to immeasurable elements, as opposed to sensible volumes. This paper provides valuable evidence on how the study and discovery of minute particles evolved as the corpuscular theory failed to explain the nature of matter.

Review of Related Literature and Related Studies about Mobile Phone

Foreign According to [ (Miller, 2013) ], a mobile phone is a wireless electronic device used for telephone and multimedia communications. Which means people can bring it and can communicate anywhere at anytime. [ (Singh, 2011) ] said that communication is the process to express his thoughts, ideas, and messages, from one person to other person for the sake of personal interest or business interest. Communication is more effective if you receive the response from other person. You can express his thoughts to another person by verbal communication, non-verbal communication or by mass communication. (McGuigan, 2013) ] Stated that Text messaging is a term for short communications made through cell phones. It uses what is called the Short Message Service, and so is often called SMS for short. It is also sometimes referred to as txting, using the shorthand common in such messages as a way of dealing with short character limits and often bulky interfaces. [ (Ziggs, 2011) ] proposed that age s 13 to 17 ends the highest number of text messaging, sending and receiving an average of 1,742 text messages per month. (Jenna Langer, 2009) ] said that men prefer to use communication to gain social status and use their social networks in a task-oriented manner (2).Face-to-face communication differences between genders and has been shown to cross over into e-mail and computer-mediated communication makes women communicate more thoroughly because of the lack of nonverbal cues. [ (Amanda Lenhart, 2010) ]One major influence has to do with the economics of the cell phone – who pays for the costs associated with the cell phone and its use and what are the limitations on the service plan for the phone?Does the user have unlimited minutes to talk or the ability to share minutes? Does he or she have an unlimited or pay-as-you-go text messaging plan? And regardless of who pays, what type of plan does the teen have? A shared family plan, an individual plan with a contract, or a contr act-less pre-paid phone? Each of these variations can influence how teens and adults use their mobile phones. [ (Amanda Lenhart, 2010) ] About one in five teen cell phone users (18%) are part of a prepaid or pay-as-you-go plan, and just one in ten (10%) have their own individual contract.The type of cell phone plan a teen has is significantly related to household income. Teens from lower income households are more likely to use prepaid plans or to have their own contract, while teen cell phone users in households with incomes of $50,000 or greater are most likely to be part of a family plan. Local [ (Celdran, 2002) ] declared that The characteristics of connectivity, speed, cost effectiveness, mobility and confidentiality of text messaging and its adaptability to Filipino culture has made SMS the most popular form of private communication technology in the country.BibliographyTeens and Mobile Phones. Retrieved March 10, 2013, from Pew Internet: http://pewinternet. org/Reports/2010/T eens-and-Mobile-Phones/Chapter-1/The-economics-of-cell-phones–Plan-Types. aspx Celdran, D. (2002).The Philippines: SMS and Citizenship. Retrieved March 10, 2013, from http://www. dhf. uu. se/pdffiler/02_01/02_1_part9. pdf: http://www. dhf. uu. se/pdffiler/02_01/02_1_part9. pdf Jenna Langer, V. J. (2009).Gender Differences in Text Message Content. Retrieved March 10, 2013, from http://www. jennalanger. com: http://www. jennalanger. com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/LangerJenna-Gender_dif_SMS_Content. df McGuigan, B. (2013, March 08).What is Text Messaging? Retrieved March 10, 2013, from wiseGEEK: http://www. wisegeek. com/what-is-text-messaging. htmMiller, B. (2013, March 05). What Is a Mobile Phone? Retrieved March 8, 2013, from wiseGEEK: http://www. wisegeek. com/what-is-a-mobile-phone. htmSingh, H. (2011, July 05). Communication plays an important role in our daily life. Retrieved March 10, 2013, from India Study Channel: http://www. indiastudychannel. com/resources/142618-Com munication-plays-an-important-role-our. aspx Ziggs, D. (2011, February 09). Average Monthly Calls Vrs

Compare Bronfenbrenner and Erikson Essay

Lifespan Developments Theories offer explanations of how the individual changes and develops throughout their lifetime. While this objective is constant, the focus of these theories vary. Erikson’s Psychosocial Development Theory adopts an intrapersonal focus, outlining nine age related stages of the life cycle while Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Stage Theory focuses on five socio-cultural stages within which the individual interacts, interpersonally, over time. This essay will focus on both these theories, their implications in the world of adult education, particularly from the perspective of experience within two South Kerry Adult Education Centres and finally the areas where these theories may concur and contrast. Erik Erikson was a Neo-Freudian Psychologist who developed a lifespan theory identifying eight stages of psychosocial human development. As Erikson and his wife, Joan, entered their eightieth decade, they discovered a ninth stage. Joan Erikson completed work on this stage from notes made by her husband before he died and from her own observations. In fact, Erik and Joan Erikson were co-collaborators throughout their years together as evidenced in the following statement, ‘To restate the sequence of psychosocial stages throughout life means to take responsibility for the terms Joan Erikson and I have originally attached to them’(Erikson E.H. cited Erikson E.H. & Erikson J. 1997,p.55). Also, while recounting a trip to Los Angeles where Erik Erikson had been invited to present ‘the stages’ to a group of Psychologists and Psychiatrists, Joan Erikson tells of her uneasiness while they discussed the presentation. At this stage, there were seven stages in their model. ‘In a shocking moment of clarity I saw what was wrong’ (Erikson E.H & Erikson J. 1997 p.3). She had spotted that ‘ We’ were missing and subsequently, they added an eighth stage entitled ‘Generativity vs. Stagnation’. This significant contribution was made by Joan Erikson on the trip to the train station ‘where Erik could catch the Los Angeles train, and then for me to hurry back to home and the children’ (Erikson E.H.& Erikson J. 1997, p.2). Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory holds that personality develops through nine stages across the entire lifespan. ‘Personality can be said to develop according to steps predetermined in the human organism’s readiness to be driven forward, to be aware of and to interact with a widening social radius’ (Erikson 1959 cited Tennant M. 1997 p.33). Each of these stages involves challenges and conflicts which, if successfully resolved, allow the  individual to develop a strength, or virtue which they bring with them into the following stage. If unsuccessfully resolved, the individual proceeds into the next stage not only without this strength but with a corresponding negative element which is likely to impede their progressive de velopment. Erikson refers to these strengths as ‘syntonic elements’ and the negative elements as ‘dystonic elements’. For example, at ‘infancy’ the first stage, age 0-1 years, the conflict or challenge experienced by the individual is ’trust vs. mistrust’. The syntonic element that might result is ‘hope’, the dystonic element is ‘withdrawal’. Erikson explains ‘vs.’ as standing for ‘versus’ and ‘yet also, in the light of their complementarity, for something like â€Å"visa versa†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢. (Erikson E.H. & Erikson J. 1997, p.55). Erikson does not hold that that an individual’s resolved state should lay at the end of the continuum. ‘’The child also needs to develop some healthy mistrust, such as learning to discriminate between dangerous and safe situations’ (Bee & Boyd 2003, p.258). It is only in experiencing and understanding these opposites such as trust and mistrust that we can develop the relevant strength. At each of these age related stages, the individual is in communication and conflict with a significant psychosocial relationship. Again, for example, at the first stage, Erikson states that this relationship is with the mother. Others are s een in the following chart: Erikson’s psychosocial crisis stages (syntonic v dystonic) Freudian psycho- sexual stages life stage / relationships / issues basic virtue and second named strength (potential positive outcomes from each crisis) maladaptation / malignancy(potential negative outcome – one or the other – from unhelpful experience during each crisis) 1. Trust v Mistrust Oral infant / mother / feeding and being comforted, teething, sleeping Hope and Drive Sensory Distortion / Withdrawal 2. Autonomy v Shame & Doubt Anal toddler / parents / bodily functions, toilet training, muscular control, walking Willpower and Self-Control Impulsivity / Compulsion 3. Initiative v Guilt Phallic preschool / family / exploration and discovery, adventure and play Purpose and Direction Ruthlessness / Inhibition 4. Industry v Inferiority Latency schoolchild / school, teachers, friends, neighbourhood /achievement and accomplishment Competence and Method Narrow Virtuosity / Inertia 5. Identity v Role Confusion Puberty and Genitality adolescent / peers, groups, influences / resolving identity and direction, becoming a grown-up Fidelity and Devotion Fanaticism / Repudiation 6. Intimacy v Isolation (Genitality) young adult / lovers, friends, work connections / intimate relationships, work and social life Love and Affiliation Promiscuity / Exclusivity 7. Generativity v Stagnation n/a mid-adult / children, community / ‘giving back’, helping, contributing Care and Production Overextension / Rejectivity 8. Integrity v Despair n/a late adult / society, the world, life / meaning and purpose, life achievements Wisdom and Renunciation Presumption / Disdain http://www.businessballs.com/erik_erikson_psychosocial_theory.htm Joan Erikson, reviewing their lifecycle theory (while adding the ninth stage),  notes that the syntonic element is always mentioned first, before the dystonic. Stating that it should be noted that often ‘circumstances may place the dystonic in a more dominant position’ (Erikson E.H. & Erikson J. 1997 p. 106). She continues that old age is ‘such a circumstance’. For this reason, in her account of the ninth stage she places the dystonic first i.e. ‘Despair and Disgust vs. Integrity: Wisdom’ (Erikson E.H. & Erikson J. 1997, p.106) and recounts a revisiting of all the stages, this time with different virtues emerging (see chart below), ideally culminating in a state of ‘gerotranscendence’. Lars Tornstam defines gerotranscendence as a shift in perspective ‘from a materialistic and rational vision to a more cosmic and transcendence one, normally followed by an incre ase in life satisfaction’ (Tornstam cited Erikson E.H. & Erikson J. 1997, p.123). www.intropsych.com Erikson’s theory highlights the need to provide age appropriate activities for the students. Also, within the field of Youthreach and VTOS programmes, particular attention might be given to stimulating identity exploration in adolescents. For example, within the Fetac Personal and Interpersonal Skills Module, helping the student explore their strengths, aptitudes, learning styles, personality types and through communication with outside agencies, encourage career exploration. Early school leavers, as is evident in one South Kerry Youthreach programme, often have experienced social and educational deprivation and as such are vulnerable to unemployment, depression and the growing number of suicides are always a concern. Very often, a single parent is the sole guardian and this parent is female, as are the majority of teachers and social workers. Positive role models, with whom the young person can identify, have been shown to help in promoting health care in young people. Ã¢â‚¬Ë œLocal role models and peers can also play an important role in actively promoting projects, and have the capacity to allay fears or embarrassment that some young men might feel about getting involved’ (Richardson N, Clarke N. & Fowler C. 2013, p.111). Education centres can organise support from such positive role models. Regarding Erikson’s stage of Young Adulthood, Education Centres provide a social setting where people can meet, communicate and escape the isolation that  often results from unemployment. Adult education provides an opportunity for ‘a kind of self- generation concerned with further identity development’. (Erikson 1998 p.67) Apparent to those involved in this field is the manifestation of ‘care’ and respect that the adult has for their new learning, a virtue sadly missing from the reluctant schoolchild of their yesteryears. As retirement age is forced forward and healthcare education promises longer active lives, there is no reason why adult education should not be available to people into their nineties. What better way to synthesise integrity and despair than using ones wisdom, sharing with others while learning new things. ‘Despair expresses the feeling that time is now s hort, too short for the attempt to start another life and try out alternate roads†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢(Erikson 1963 cited Erikson E.H.& Erikson J.M. 1997 p.113) Adult education might just offer an ‘alternate road’. Tutors might also integrate older people in the community to come in to the centres to contribute their knowledge. Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory is the scientific study of the development of the individual person as they experience the bi-directional influences encountered within the various environments throughout their lifespan. ‘Intelligence and emotion’ have been named as mediators for this development and ‘identity and competence’ has been described as the ‘outcomes’. (Garbarino and Abramowitz, 1992 cited Graham A. 2013, p.32). Two types of risks to positive change are identified. These are ‘direct threats and the absence of opportunities’. (Garbarino and Abramowitz, 1992 cited Graham A. 2013, p.32). These risks can be biological or socio-cultural. There is interplay between these two sources and deficits in one source may be compensated by richness in the other. Bronfenbrenner categorised the environment ‘as a nested arrangement of structures, each contained within the next’. (Bronfenbrenner 1977, p.514 ). Adapting terminology from Brim (1975) Bronfenbrenner names these structures as microsystems, mesosystems, exosystems, macrosystems and chronosystems. Bronfenbrenners Ecological Theory of Development (http://highered.mcgrawhill.com/sites/dl/free/0073378585/660384/san78585_c03_0 72_11) A Microsystem is ‘the complex of relations between the developing person and environment in an immediate setting containing that person’ (Bronfenbrenner 1977, p.514). This includes family, friends, neighbours, school and work. The individual’s development is affected by the beliefs, attitudes, temperament and personality of the various people within these settings, but the individual, according to Bronfenbrenner, is not a ‘passive recipient’ but is ‘ someone who helps construct the settings’. (Bronfenbrenner 1977 cited Graham A. 22013, p. 33). The mesosystem ‘comprises the interrelations among major settings containing the developing person at a particular point in his or her life’. (Bronfennbrenner U.1977,p.515). The better interconnected the microsystems, the more consistent the individual’s development is likely to be. The exosystem is an influence system which contain both formal and informal structures ‘which impinge on or encompass the settings in which the developing person in found’ (Sugarman L.1993, p.11). The exosystem is an extension of the mesosystems. This refers to a collection of settings in which the individual does not directly interact but which affect him or her nonetheless. This would include the government, medical system, labour market, mass media and the neighbourhood. Macrosystems, the fourth of Bronfenbrenner’s layers of influence, involves the culture within which the individual lives ‘carried often unwittingly in the minds of the society’s members as ideology made manifest through customs and practice in everyday life’ (Bronfenbrenner U. 1977 p.515). The influence of these customs and beliefs cascade down through all the other systems. The Chronosystem was later added by Bronfenbrenner and is described as a research model that ‘makes possible examining the influence on the person’s development of changes (and continuities) over time in the environments in which the person is living’ (Bronfenbrenner U. 1986a p.724). These changes are sociohistorical and are considered as occurring within the individual and also within the environment. Changes can be ‘normative’ (school, new relationships, getting a job, giving birth) or ‘non-normative’ (divorce, illness, death). In the further education setting, Bronfenbrenner’s theory is useful in  implying the benefits of helping offset risks that may apply to the student, such un-nurturing home environment, poor interpersonal relationships, violence and the absence of opportunities experienced such as lack of education to date, limited skills, poor job opportunities and lack of self- awareness. Creating experiences where the students can develop intellectually and emotionally through the academic programme as well as teamwork, outings, reflective practice and empathy building. Bronfenbrenner stresses the value of the interconnectedness of the microsystems. Within a South Kerry Youthreach programme there is typically very poor connectedness between the education centre, the families and the communities. Open days often have few or no parents attending with perhaps just a few professionals such as guards, social workers and other education officers turning up to appreciate the work on display. Also anecdotal evidence shows very poor awareness of the programme in the community. This centre is working hard at increasing community awareness and mutual rapport by involving students in local charity events, community art exhibitions and development of a work experience programme. Many second chance education students are angry and aware that they have in some way been failed by structures such as government, medical system, labour market, media and the neighbourhood. Awareness of the ‘systems’ can be poor and many adult students lack the confidence and basic literacy skills to investigate and negotiate these systems. ‘The â€Å"dialogue man† is critical and knows that although it is within the power of men to create and transform in a concrete situation of alienation men may be impaired in the use of that power’ (Friere P. 1975 p.63). Modules such as Communications, SPHE, Personal Effectiveness and Personal and Interpersonal Skills should perhaps be regarded as a means of increasing this sense of efficacy and knowledge of the â €˜exosystem’. Also inviting people who hold power within these systems to come in to centres to talk to the students may help break down barriers and increase awareness. Cultural influences affect how we think, feel and act. In one South Kerry Youthreach centre unconscious belief systems are apparent in casual racist comments and career aspirations (childcare and hairdressing for girls, construction and mechanics for boys) or in some cases, no aspirations of employment at all in keeping with family history. A more privileged young person might perceive good group participation as a positive aspiration.  However, in one South Kerry Youthreach programme it is reported that during initial interviews, prospective students, when asked how they might ‘get on’ in a group situation tend to perceive this question as ‘are you a trouble-maker?’ and answer that they intend to ignore everyone in the group and just mind their own business believing this to be the ‘correct’ answer. The work of educators here might entail helping to create positive group experience and also help to open doors that might enrich the individualà ¢â‚¬â„¢s life, create an atmosphere of curiosity and questioning of beliefs, values and culture and introduce positive and varied role models. Overtime, many changes effect the development of the individual. This time factor may be within a lifetime, or spanning decades. Often it is a non-normative change such as marital breakdown, redundancy or recovery from illness that forces a re-evaluation and brings a person back to education. Helping the individual cope with change by creating opportunities for new identities and competencies is the work required here. Erikson and Bronfenbrenner, both psychologists, have examined the development of the individual over their lifespan. Although Erickson organises his theory in terms of age related stages, and Bronfenbrenner in systems, neither theorist attempts to explain change and development in terms of age only. All life stage theorists look at the processes that bring about these changes and as Sugarman points out ‘’What we can say about change is determined by our research design – that is, what we choose to measure, how and why’. (Sugarman L. 1986, p.13). Erikson’s research design studies intrapersonal changes in the individual and explains that these changes occur within particular chronological age groupings, within particular social settings as a result of the resolution of tensions experienced. However, Bronfenbrenner on the other hand takes a wider socio-cultural view and has researched the changes occurring in the individual within the many ‘settin gs’, within the many systems in which the individual interacts. He categorised the environment as as consisting of ‘interrelated and nested structures’ (Jordan A., Carlisle O., & Stack A, 2008, p.82). Unlike Erikson, Bonfenbrenner has been criticised for paying too little attention to biological and cognitive factors although he expanded his theory to a bioecological theory later on. Erikson represents the individual’s  development as ‘ordered’ and linear whereas Bronfenbrenner’s perspective is one of ‘random’ and multidirectional development. It would, however, be unfair to suggest that Erikson did not take account of the various social and cultural influences that Bronfenbrenner focused on, hence his ‘Psychosocial Theory’ . Joan Erikson states that her husband always held that ‘the individual and society are intricately woven’ (Erikson E.H. & Erikson J, 1997, p.114). He attributes psychosocial manifestations to each of his stages and also describes the processes and experiences of the ‘soma’, the ‘psyche’ and the ‘ethos’. (Erikson E.H. & Erikson J, 1997, p.25). However, he has not ‘explicated this aspect of his theory as fully as he did the stages of individual development’. (Sugarman L. 1986 p.84). Erikson defines these social influences quite precisely as the individual’s ‘radius of significant relations’ whereas Bronfenbrenners theory allows for a more individually tailored, contextual approach. Both Erikson and Bronfenbrenner were active into their eightieth decade and remained engaged in critical reflection of their work. Erikson worked on the blueprint for his ninth stage and in 1994, Uri Bronfenbrenner renamed his theory â€Å"bioecological systems theory† to emphasize that a ‘child’s own biology is a primary environment fuelling her developmentâ₠¬â„¢(http://www.cmskids.com/providers/early_steps/training/documents/bronfenbrenners_ecological.pdf.) While Erikson’s writing is artistic and literary, Bronfenbrenner’s is scientific and at times political. Bronfenbrenner advocated experimentation in a ‘real’ setting as opposed to the traditional laboratory approach, although he did not dispense with the latter as being of use and alludes to ‘the as yet unexploited power of the laboratory as an ecological contrast’. (Bronfenbrenner 1977, p.514) At the centre of both these theories is the individual. These are not opposing theories but two perspectives in search of a similar understanding. Bronfenbrenner himself make this clear ‘A variety of approaches are needed if we are to make progress toward the ultimate goal of understanding human development in context’ (Bronfenbrenner 1977 p.529). Bibliography Bee H., & Boyd D. ( 2003). The Developing Child, 10th ed. Boston: Allyn & Bacon. Bronfenbrenner U. (1977). Toward an Experimental Ecology of Human Development [Electronic version]. American Psychologist, 32, 513-531. Bronfenbrenner U. (1986). Ecology of the Family as a Context for Human Development: Research Perspectives {Electronic version]. Developmental Psychology, 22, 723-742. Erikson E.H. (1950). Childhood and Society. Middlesex: Penguin Books Ltd. Erikson E.H., & Erikson J.M. (1997). The Life Cycle Completed, extended version. New York: W.W. Norton and Company, Inc. Friere P. (1975). Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Middlesex: Penguin Books Ltd. Graham A. (2012). Psychology of Adult Learning, WIT, 26th March, 2012, Tralee Jordan A., Carlile O., & Stack A. (2008). Approaches to Learning: a Guide for Teachers. Berkshire: Open University Press. Richardson N., Clarke N., & Fowler C. (2013). A Report on the All-Ireland Young Men and Suicide Project. Ireland: Men’s Health Forum in Ireland. Sugarman L. (1986). Life-Span Development: Concepts, Theories and Interventions. London: Routledge. Tennant M. (1997). Psychology & Adult Learning. London: Routledge. Module: Psychology of Adult Learning Level 6 Title: Compare and contrast Erikson’s eight stages of psychosocial development with Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological model of Development