Thursday, November 28, 2019

Saving the Environment Essays - Industrial Ecology, Structure

Saving the Environment Climate disruption is already leaving deep imprints on every sector of the environment and that the consequences of these changes will grow steadily worse in coming decades. United States finds that global warming has touched every corner: Heavier downpours, strengthened heat waves, altered river flows and extended growing seasons. These changes, the report notes, will place increasing stress on water, health, energy and transportation systems and have, in several instances, already crossed tipping points to irreversible change. Climate change, once considered an issue for a distant future, has moved firmly into the present, the scientists declared in a major new report assessing the situation in the United States. Summers are longer and hotter, and extended periods of unusual heat last longer than any living American has ever experienced. Winters are generally shorter and warmer. Rain comes in heavier downpours. People are seeing changes in the length and severity of seasonal allergies, the plant varieties that thrive in their gardens, and the kinds of birds they see in any particular month in their neighborhoods. U.S. scientists said that the climate is changing in the United States and that the warming of the past 50 years was primarily caused by emissions of heat-trapping gases released by humans. Burning coal for electricity, using gasoline to fuel vehicles, clear-cutting forests and engaging in certain agricultural practices that remove carbon-trapping vegetation contribute to the problem, the assessment said Taking steps to conserve and reuse is easier than you might think. You can do your part just by changing your daily habits. To help save the environment, try decreasing energy and water consumption, changing your eating and transportation habits to conserve natural resources, and adapting your home and yard to be more environmentally friendly. Once you've made your own lifestyle more environmentally conscious, you can also engage in activism to help educate others on doing the same. anything you use only a few times and throw away consumes resources only to spend centuries in a landfill. Be sure to consider the future growth of any plantings and plant far enough from your house that the root systems will not disrupt your foundation. Do your part to reduce waste by choosing reusable products instead of disposables. Buying products with minimal packaging including the economy size when that makes sense for you will help to reduce waste. And whenever you can, recycle paper, plastic, newspaper, glass and aluminum cans. If there isn't a recycling program at your workplace, school, or in your community, ask about starting one. By recycling half of your household waste, you can save 2,400 pounds of carbon dioxide annually Walk or ride your bike to work, school and anywhere you can. You can reduce greenhouse gases while burning some calories and improving your health. If you can't walk or bike, use mass transit or carpool. Every car not on the road makes a difference. Finally, let's teach other people to respect nature and the environment, and learn in the process how w e can hold on to the one planet which has a miracle called life.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Conceptual Essays

Conceptual Essays Conceptual Essay Conceptual Essay The Modular Teaching Approach in College Algebra: An Alternative to Improving the Learners Achievement, Persistence, and Confidence in Mathematics Maxima J. Call]ado De La Scale University Philippines Abstract This experimental study used a pretest-posters design to determine the effects of the modular teaching approach on the achievement, persistence, and confidence in mathematics of 24 freshmen (12 high ability and 12 low ability students) from the College of Business and Economics, De La Scale University, Manila, who were enrolled in College Algebra during the first term, scholarly 2004-2005. The topics considered were those identified as difficult by students who have taken College Algebra, and by mathematics teachers who have handled this subject, namely, Systems of Linear Equations and Quadratic Inequalities in One Variable. The t-test applied on the pretest and posters results of the two groups in all variables indicated significant differences at the . 05 level of significance. Keywords: achievement, persistence, and confidence in mathematics, assessment, experimental study. Introduction A considerably low achievement in mathematics and a relatively low self-efficacy mongo students who are impatient in solving mathematical problems pose real great challenge to present day mathematics educators. This challenge may be addressed by introducing new programs of instructions, new instructional materials, and new teaching methods and approaches. In the light of the preceding arguments, this study attempted to use the modular teaching approach in College Algebra and investigate its effects on the students achievement, persistence, and confidence in mathematics. Following are some literature and the findings of studies related to the concern of this paper. On Modular Instruction It is a fact that no two individuals are alike in their physical, mental, and emotional development: one may grow faster, another can easily recognize concepts, and still others tend to be more mature as compared to others of the same age. Traverse, Packard, Sudan, and Reunion (1977) emphasized that a student may be recognized as an individual by giving him tasks specifically geared to his needs and interests, and by providing him with instructional materials that will allow him to progress at an optimal rate on his own pace. An Intensive research on ten campanological tonsures AT learning sun as ten I energy AT Concept Formation (Burger, 1986) and the Theory of Reinforcement (Skinner,1968) brought about the idea of modules which adopts the same format as programmed learning. True enough, the learner has the enthusiasm to pursue his studies if he is given the feedback about his performance and he is able to repeat reading the material for better understanding of the concepts under consideration. Achievement in Mathematics Cognizant of the differences among the students and motivated by a desire to determine the merits of the modular teaching approach, some related studies that ere conducted in the past are as follows: Silva (1992) and Coacher (1994) developed and evaluated modules on selected topics in Algebra; Jimenez (1987) and Aquinas (1988) in Geometry; Lunar (1987) in Industrial Mathematics, Valerian (1988) in Consumer Mathematics; Acadia (1985) and Paragon (1985) in Trigonometry; and Once (1992) in Statistics. All these studies made use of secondary school students as respondents and compared the achievements of the experimental and control groups. Almost always, modular instruction was found to be as effective as, if not ore effective than, the traditional method based on the improved performance of the students in the respective subjects. Comate (1982), Young (1991) and Balloon (1993) asserted that modular materials have established their edge over other kinds of materials in education because these serve as enrichment for fast learners and as review or remedial materials for slow learners in a relatively short span of time. Persistence in Mathematics Persistence in mathematics is about continuing to work on a mathematics problem even when the answer or method of solution is not apparent. This refers to the behavior of pursuing an activity firmly and working through difficult problems alone and not giving up easily on them. Ames (1992) found that elementary school students who attributed success to effort were more likely to exhibit a mastery of orientation, putting their emphasis on learning and understanding through hard work, meeting challenges, and making progress. Solving mathematical problems require time and patience if students are to overcome obstacles and reach a satisfactory conclusion. Davis and Hers (1990) argued that one of the reasons for resistance, resentment, ND rejection on the part of the students is considerable impatience with the material under consideration. Parker and Withering (1999) cited that personality factors such as persistence, self-concept and attitudes towards mathematics play significant influences on mathematical ability. Confidence in Mathematics consonance Is toneless Known as sell-menace or ten degree to wanly an Uninominal trusts his ability to achieve a specific goal. This refers to reliance, self-assurance, firm trust in ones capabilities, assured expectation, and fearlessness in doing a certain activity. Chapman, Brush, and Wilson (1985) found that confidence was a crucial indicator for female participation in secondary and tertiary mathematics. This finds support in the findings of Boles and Contain (1997) and Porter, et. L (1999) who argued that confidence affects a persons success in mathematics and that confidence in mathematics breeds success. In separate reviews conducted by Chunk (1989) and Pajamas (1996), they found that high-efficacy students are more likely to use a broader array of strategies, use them more flexibly, monitor their comprehension better, and process information at a deeper level. Dodd (1992) asserted that lack of confidence in oneself is the greatest obstacle to learni ng because beliefs govern action so that the belief that one cannot do something may render him unable to perform a task of which he is truly capable. Success in mathematics requires a combination of confidence and hard work. In relation to this, Perkins and Floors (2002) asserted that to increase confidence in mathematics, students should be allowed to use methods they understand, even if these are not the ones prescribed in class. Objectives of the study The study investigated the merits of the modular teaching approach as an alternative o improving the learners achievement, persistence, and confidence in mathematics. Specifically, the study sought to: (1) describe how the respondents levels of achievement, persistence and confidence change following modular instruction; (2) determine if the posters nears of the respective ability groups in all variables of the study are significantly different or not. ; and (3) gather the respondents reactions about the use of the modular teaching approach and the modules in College Algebra. It was hypothesized that using the modular teaching approach would improve the earners achievement, persistence, and confidence in mathematics. Methodology This study utilized the quasi-experimental method of research.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

What is academic misconduct Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

What is academic misconduct - Essay Example Students cannot be excused from such clear instincts of cheating, while it is possible that the accusation of academic misconduct may sometimes hurt those students who were not aware in the first place that they committed a mistake. To avoid this, proper measures should be taken to let students know clearly what plagiarism means, and how a lack of understanding about it may lead to academic misconduct. Q: How have you figured out what cheating is here at university? Who has talked to you about cheating to help you understand what is considered cheating? Who have you talked with here at university to help you determine what is considered cheating? What are some things that are considered cheating? A: Before I took a test in the University, I heard that my friend took the same class at summer and he has the midterm paper for that class. So I asked the midterm paper of summer and received. When I took the midterm exam, I found the midterm exam was exactly same from the summer class so I wrote what I had. At that time, I never thought this was cheating because the other class before I took this class, some professor posted the last semester exams and solutions and I had used those things for my exams. But a student conduct told me that was a kind of cheating. First time, I could not agree with him. But I found that I had been mistaken about what cheating was because what I wrote in the last exam was not from my idea and thinking. Even if I did not copy from others in a class, if I used other’s idea or thinking from outside source, that could be cheating. The University expects my answers to be original, based on my exposure to the subject in my classroom and through my ow n reading and observations. If I used ideas and expressions of others without acknowledging it, I was committing plagiarism. Moreover, one has to be very honest in exams. This is what I learned form this incident. A: The

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

The Role of Activating Home-school Partnership in Education of Essay

The Role of Activating Home-school Partnership in Education of Mentally Retarded and Its Effect - Essay Example with their peers in the community setting gives them an opportunity to be free and express themselves hence the ultimate development in their communication. Students experience more communication in the activated partnership through interaction than a specialized classroom. A partnership environment setting gives the students an opportunity and supports them in increasing a variety of skills in social, cultural and academic interaction. Furthermore, the students in partnership collaboration develop physical coordination and skills by observing those in the community, school and family. Inclusion of the students in partnership is a vital approach in ensuring that severely retarded students acquire and develop their communication skills just as their other peers (Allen & McLaughlin, 1995).. Thus fully activated home school partnership is important in ensuring the development of communication skills among the retarded students. Typically developing peers The home - school partnership is essential in the development of the mentally disabled students. Peers, both in school and community play an important role in this inclusion process (Cole & Meyer, (1991. Retarded students are given an opportunity to interact and observe the behavior of the typical peers in society hence furthering their development. Peers have positive effects on the life and development of the disabled students. They play important roles of tutors and guides to the mentally retarded students hence contributing positively towards disabled’s development. The peers in the activation process, are helpful in many ways. They help the other students to manage their communications, facilitate their interaction and participation both in society and class setting as well as pairing of themselves and the... This paper approves that activation of home-school partnership results to changes in the system of education that aims to improve the education. This gives rise to assistive technology that changes the lives of the mentally disabled students as it makes it possible for them to participate in more activities that the previously; you were not able to. Furthermore, the assistive technology recognizes the different unique characteristics of the mentally retarded students thus providing the disparities in the usage for the good of the students. This beneficial and vital technology requires the collaboration of all stakeholders for them to be made available to students. The family should play its part in learning the usage from the schools so as to aid their children while at home to ensure continuity. The collaboration also ensures that the activities done outside the classroom setting but are in line with that class is effectively performed. Aside from the normal teachers, there are many professional facilitators that play supportive roles in the partnership aimed at the successful inclusion of the process. This essay makes a conclusion that home-school partnership plays an important role in the development of student education as well as achievement at all levels of society. There is better communication, improved teacher student relations and deeper understanding of the behaviors and needs of the students that are realized through this partnership. There is need therefore to increase the collaboration of family, community and schools to improve education and living standards of the mentally retarded students.

Monday, November 18, 2019

Student Learning Environment & Scoring Rubric Essay

Student Learning Environment & Scoring Rubric - Essay Example Design of a rubric can be cumbersome but rewarding and useful. Today's Baccalaureate program in nursing seeks to provide leaders in nursing. This is a program that is needed in the 21st century, at a time when the world is expecting a tremendous number of patients as well as many chronic diseases. There are many challenges and at this point, there is a great shortage of nurses, therefore those who lead will need every innovation that they can find. This will include the ability to apply standards and assure core competencies, as well as teaching and mentoring newer nurses. This paper will examine the core competencies for this program and determine and determine how a nurse educator might achieve the learning environment that works (AACN, 1). According to the American Association of Colleges for Nursing, there are nine essentials that should be accomplished by the end of one's nursing program. These include, liberal education for the generalist, basic organizational and systems leadership, scholarship for evidence based practice, information management and application of patient care technology, health care policy, finance, and regulatory environments, interprofessional communication and collaboration for improving patient health outcomes, clinical prevention and population health, professionalism and professional values, and generalist nursing practice. These competencies are stated slightly differently but supported by the NLNAC and nurse educators. This paper will choose to discuss scholarship for evidence based practice, interprofessional communication and collaboration for improving patient health outcomes, and the baccalaureate generalist nursing practice. The AACN has determined that professional nursing should be supported by an evidence based practice. This includes identification of issues that affect practice as well as integration of evidence and evaluation of the outcome of that integration. Baccalaureate education should provide the tools for the graduate nurse to be prepared to use evidence based practice. This include the research process, clinical judgment, and interpersonal prospective (AACN, 1). Effective communication and collaboration among professionals in practice is essential in care today. Patient centered care has been proven by many studies to be effective an quality care (Kautz, Kuiper, Pesut, 2005). Interprofessional communication supports patient centered care, therefore interprofessional education where it involves evidence base or communication becomes an essential part of any Baccalaureate Nurse education. Learning to educate as well as communicate allows the nurse to introduce new practices more easily (IPMG, 6). Baccalaureate generalist nursing practice is essential because the overall program generally learned is completed with practice focused outcomes. This brings together the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that are learned in all of the other essential practices. It allows the nurse to understand individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations in many different settings (AACN, 2009). In providing care, the nurse must be compassionate, well informed in evidence based practice, and well aware of how to conduct nursing research to meet this essential. Clinical reasoning should be evident in this nurse and she should

Friday, November 15, 2019

Narrative Analysis of Depression Case Study

Narrative Analysis of Depression Case Study A Route Through Depression Loredana Lenghel Introduction Illness is a prevalent issue in today’s society. It encompasses a wide array of problems and it refers to â€Å"the subjective response of the patient to being unwell; how he, and those around him, perceive the origin and significance of this event; how it affects his behaviour or relationships with other people; and the steps he takes to remedy this situation† (Helman, 1981, p.1). Illness is distinct from disease which refers to the medical labels put on pathological entities with specific properties and identity (i.e diabetes). Illness includes not only a person’s experience with the ill-health, but also the meaning given to that experience. This essay will attempt to present one such experience with depressive symptoms. Presenting someone’s experience through an illness narrative provides the patient with the opportunity to expose a more nuanced aspect of their illness. Greenhalgh and Hurwitz (1999) stated that â€Å"narrative provides meaning, context, and perspective for the patient’s predicament†. It also provides the opportunity to create an empathic bond between the sharer that the listener (Wear and Varley 2008). This essay will utilise a narrative style framework in an attempt to make sense of someone’s experience. Distinct narrative types will be identified based on how the patient recollects their experience. In a restitution narrative, one can identify as a primary goal the motivation to get better, to overcome the illness, which is seen as a roadblock or a detour in someone’s life journey. In a chaos narrative, a person does not seem to see a â€Å"light at the end of the tunnel†, they see the illness as a permanent, rather than temporary, state (Weingarten, 2001). Stable, progressive and regressive narratives have also been identified. Respectively, they refer to stories in which an individual’s path is constant – the illness does not get better or worse; a story in which a clear path towards improvement can be identified; and one in which the person seems to be on a downwards spiral – getting worse and not seeing any possibilities of improvemen t (Weingarten, 2001). This paper will, therefore, discuss Cicero[1]’s experience with depressive symptoms and analyse it through the lenses of a narrative framework. It will try to portray Cicero’s subjective feelings throughout his journey, the effect of the social environment, and its negative or potentially positive aspects. Life journey Cicero, a nineteen year old boy, engaged in a recollection of his experience with illness. The narrative started with his present, moment in which he seemed quite detached from the past illness – viewing his depression as an â€Å"endemic part† of his life, as something he just had to â€Å"deal with† at the time. His story started by explaining how that episode is now compartmentalised, it is not something that has a serious effect on his current life, as he chose to ignore it, to forget it. These feelings, however, seemed different when Cicero started to reconstruct the memories of the illness’ emergence. Symptoms first began when he was 13 years old. Pinpointing the exact moment of occurrence seemed difficult, as his symptoms accumulated in time, not due to a succinct occurrence. The domestic environment was what led to their appearance, as parental misunderstandings, which ultimately led to their divorce, catalysed the negative experience of Cicero. The parental issues had started five years before the divorce, when Cicero was still in secondary school. During this time, there were no indications of maladjustment or ill-health. Cicero saw himself as a lively boy; other children liked him, he partook in football matches, he was a sociable child. But this ended around the time he began high-school. He was around 10 years old when his domestic environment seemed to worsen as parental misunderstandings were increasing in frequency and intensity. Cicero recalled how his younger self became more reserved as time passed. The initial symptoms of withdrawal were followed by negative results in academics and less social involvement. Cicero was trying to explain these symptoms to himself and first attributed them to the beginning of puberty, and not to what was occurri ng at home. The narrative then fast-forwards to age thirteen, as Cicero put it, it was â€Å"the moment when us, the kids, reached an age when it was possible to divorce – the parents reached an agreement to end it, to exit the marriage†. His parents got a divorce that year, which marked the moment when Cicero’s symptoms got noticeably worse. He recalled how he reached full social isolation, sometimes actively looking for someone to just â€Å"hang out with†. His grades were getting progressively worse. He met no deadlines which resulted in him needing to retake a year of high-school. He then recalled how he got tired of the lonely lunches, of the friendless days and found some comfort in joining a subculture, a group of gothic kids that would gather in a town park. Even though Cicero was not particularly interested in the subculture’s ideas, these people â€Å"would immediately like you even if you only knew one person in the group†¦ and then you’d feel you have all those thirty people around you as friends†. Cicero did not seem to believe that this group accepted him for himself, his views were negative in the sense that he saw himself as just another pawn filling a space in a certain group. Even if his social life seemed to be improving, his school situation enabled his parents’ suggestion to see a psychologist. Cicero gladly accepted the proposition, being motivated by his desire to perform better in school and saw this as an opportunity to regain his academic excellence. At the same time, however, he had no real expectations to get better. Maybe this constitutes the reason why his subsequent experience with the therapeutic setting was â€Å"awful†. Individual sessions consisted primarily of endless psychometric tests, while the group therapy he was undergoing did not really elicit any genuine responses. In group therapy, he never felt as if he answered questions truthfully, resorting to giving â€Å"empty, satisfactory† responses in order to avoid further inquiry. He felt as if the others could not understand him and based these thoughts on the seemingly trivial complaints the other children had. He spent three months in group therapy, and then wa s when his â€Å"memory got hazy†. He felt that â€Å"my mind was going; my mind was fading away†. This seemed to be the lower peak of his experience with the illness, as it seemed like he was losing himself. Cicero compared that period with how he used to be before the illness developed. He recalled he was very organised, he seemed to remember everything and this had then gone away. It was striking how his narration style seemed to mirror the recalled experience. A hint of uncertainty was noticeable in the manner he was reconstructing his memories. He himself then stated that he felt as though he had lived those three months for two years. The tests and group therapy eventually ended. The Psychologist suggested a diagnosis which was not accepted by him or his parents. Initially, the therapist told them Cicero’s symptoms fell in the autistic spectrum – news which had a large impact on both his family and him. No one was willing to accept this diagnosis and were convinced it was wrong. Cicero felt as if his world had shattered, he felt he was not sick, he was â€Å"not lying in bed with cancer†; he was not getting treated for autism. This opinion was shared by his father, who also took a negative stance on the diagnosis. The mother agreed it was questionable, and with more experience in the matter, eventually suggested two possibilities. She proposed that the autistic symptoms could be there and related to depressive symptoms; or that everything could be just a phase which will eventually pass. At this point, Cicero recalled feeling overwhelmed, prepared to accept any explanation. The mother’s stance on the matter, however, prevented that. Cicero stated that what essentially got him through was his mother’s proposition that everything could be â€Å"just a phase†. This led to him regarding the experience as something temporary, as something caused by external circumstances. He believed it would either fade away or he would find a way to conceal it until it would not peak through to the surface. Cicero pinpointed a specific moment which he regarded as highly significant in his improvement. The decision to buy bright coloured polo shirts instead of the old black clothing was the moment when he recalls making a big decision. He figured that â€Å"if he was going to pretend to be normal, he might as well look normal†. This was a big step, as the new clothing got him compliments at school which slowly led to him extending his social boundaries and eventually to his recovery. Narration analysis Distinct types of narratives can be identified when analysing this story. It can be seen how a change in narrative style was indicative of Cicero getting better. At first, the narrative was not clear, as the recollection of certain events led to him remembering earlier ones, indicating the haziness and compactness of the experience. A chaos narrative can be identified in this situation, as his experience was overwhelming him, preventing him to think clearly, making him feel like his mind was fading away. The uncertainty and lack of awareness of the chronological timing of events further indicates a chaotic experience. A change from a chaotic to a restitution narrative establishes the moment when he took the decision to overcome his illness. He began to see the illness as a phase, as something that could be overcome and wanted to be normal again. Moreover, a progressive narrative style could also be identified. After the initial regressive narration, a movement towards an incremental improvement characterised Cicero’s story as his social circle and academic performance started increasing. Cicero’s narrative was also coherent, as his feelings were attuned to the domestic situation. His progressively more negative affect paralleled the deteriorating domestic environment. The parental response was also synchronized with the development of events. They offered support when the situation seemed to worsen, and were alarmed when hearing the suggested diagnosis. A clear narrative closure cannot be identified, as the symptoms seem to have just tapered off. Even Cicero stated â€Å"I don’t know if I’m okay now, maybe I just know how to hide it. I guess I’m over it but I will never know how it actually feels to be normal. What is feeling normal, anyway?†. Support Cicero did not seem to lack social support. Both parents, regardless of their relationship, managed to put aside their misunderstandings and offered combined support to Cicero. Both were involved in the whole process, and both did their best to guide the young boy through that difficult period. Other sources of support were his group of gothic friends, who were always expressing how important therapy was. An older girl, who Cicero liked at the time, seemed to have also provided him with positive feedback on starting therapy and receiving treatment. Reflection Thinking back on his experience, Cicero does not see it in a completely negative light. The worst aspect seemed to be the feeling of having an empty mind. Suddenly not recognising yourself and your thoughts were frightening. Doing well in school was also amongst his priorities, and feeling like he was disappointing himself only worsened his feelings. At the same time, however, he mentioned a positive aspect of his experience. Cicero values the opportunity to learn how it feels to have an empty mind. In his view, it is the only way to appreciate â€Å"how good it feels when you can think again†. Conclusion In conclusion, this essay attempted to portray Cicero’s experience with mental illness. His story was analysed using a narrative style framework in order to gain a deeper understanding of what this life period meant to the boy. It can be seen how such an illness has a significant impact on someone’s daily functioning and well-being. References Greenhalgh, T., Hurwitz, B. (1999). Narrative based medicine: Why study narrative?. BMJ, 318(7175), 48-50. doi:10.1136/bmj.318.7175.48 Helman, C. (1981). Disease versus illness in generl practice. Journal Of The Royal College Of General Practitioners, 31, 548=552. Wear, D., Varley, J. (2008). Rituals of verification: The role of simulation in developing and evaluating empathic communication. Patient Education And Counseling, 71(2), 153-156. doi:10.1016/j.pec.2008.01.005 Weingarten, K. (2001). Making sense of illness narratives: Braiding theory, practice and the embodied life (1st ed.). Dulwich Centre Publications. Retrieved from http://www.dulwichcentre.com.au/illness-narratives.html [1] The name of the patient has been changed in order to maintain confidentiality.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Benefits and Costs of NAFTA Essay -- NAFTA International Economics Ess

Benefits and Costs of NAFTA Works Cited Not Included As long as NAFTA has been in existence, there has been controversy over its benefits and costs. Since NAFTA is viewed as a neoliberal trade and investment agreement, supporters and critics alike are able to expand its validity to a grander scale when dealing with the question of whether free trade itself is beneficial or harmful. During the life of NAFTA, many valid arguments for and against free trade have been brought to the forefront. Many economists argue neoliberal trade is superior due to allocational efficiency benefits. ?By lowering trade barriers, the agreement has expanded trade in all three countries. This has led to increased employment, more choices for consumers at competitive prices, and rising prosperity? (NAFTA at Eight 2). This rising prosperity mentioned is a result of rising efficiency that pro-neoliberal economists believe develops through specialization. If a country is better than another at producing a certain good, then that country is said to have an absolute advantage over the other in that particular industry. When both countries have higher productivity rates in different industries and they concentrate their efforts in those respective industries, then both countries benefit through neoliberal trade as they are not wasting their time and efforts producing goods that the other country can produce faster. As a result of trade through countries with different absolute advantages, total world production and therefore productive efficiency will increase. Even when a country is more efficient in all industries, both countries can still benefit from trade by comparative advantages. ?Some lawyers are better typists than their secretari... ...stitutions are more responsive to the poor, to the environment, to the broader political and social concerns that I have emphasized is to increase openness and transparency? (Stiglitz 227). These international economic institutions should possess substantial transparency considering their policies directly affect the public. Instead, the IMF and similar institutions have no accountability to the public of which it is supposed to serve. Through lack of transparency, countries with major influence in the IMF such as the U.S. can indirectly impose its own investment agenda upon the country in crisis. If actions of the IMF were directed through a democratic process, more logical and productive policies would develop. If the IMF promotes transparency through the policies it imposes on developing countries, it should set an example through its own governance.