The French Verb Souhaiter Que Needs the Subjunctive

The French Verb Souhaiter Que Needs the Subjunctive Whenâ souhaiter (to wish or to seek after) goes before a needy proviso starting with que, the reliant condition utilizes a subjunctive action word. It joins an extensive rundown of other French action words communicating someones will, anâ order, a need, a suggestion or a longing; they all additionally need the subjunctive in the que subordinate statement. 'Souhaiter' and 'Souhaiter Que' At the point when utilized withâ que, souhaiter becomes souhaiter que (to trust that), which presents a needy statement that utilizes the French subjunctive. Souhaiter que is about the feeling of hoping. Thus, it satisfies the subjunctives essential requirementâ ofâ expressing activities or thoughts that are abstract or in any case questionable.   Je souhaite quil vienne.I trust that he comes.    Souhaitons que tout aille bien.We trust that all works out in a good way.   Il estâ â souhaiter que...It is to be trusted that... As with souhaiter que, the French subjunctiveâ is almost consistently found in subordinate provisions presented byâ queâ orâ qui, and the subjects of the needy and primary conditions are normally extraordinary, as in:   Je veux que tu le fasses.I need you to do it.    Il faut que nous partions.It is fundamental that we leave. French Verbs and Expressions Similar to 'Souhaiter Que' Here are different action words and articulations that, as souhaiter que, convey someones will, anâ order, a need, a recommendation, or a craving. They all require the subjunctive in the needy statement thatâ begins with que. There are numerous different sorts of developments that require the French subjunctive too, which are recorded and clarified in the full-onâ subjunctivatorâ (our term). aimer mieux que  to incline toward thatcommander queâ â to request thatdemander queâ â to ask that (somebody do something)dã ©sirer queâ â to want thatdonner lordre queâ â to request thatempã ªcher que*â â to forestall (somebody from doing something)ã ©viter que*â â to avoidexiger queâ â to request thatil est souhaiter queâ â it is to be trusted thatil est essentiel queâ â it is basic thatil est significant queâ â it is significant thatil est naturel queâ â it is regular thatil est nã ©cessaire queâ â it is vital thatil est ordinary queâ â it is typical thatil est temps queâ â it is time thatil est critical queâ â it is pressing thatil faut queâ â it is important that/we mustil vaut mieux queâ â it is better thatinterdire queâ â to restrict thatsopposer queâ â to contradict thatordonner queâ â to request thatpermettre queâ â to grant thatprã ©fã ©rer queâ â to favor thatproposer queâ â to propose thatrecommander queâ â to recomm endsouhaiter queâ â to wish thatsuggã ©rer queâ â to recommend thattenir ce queâ â to demand thatvouloir queâ â to need to *These action words are trailed by the more formalâ ne explã ©tif,â in which just ne is utilized in refutations (without pas), as in:  â ã‰vitez quil ne parte.Prevent him from leaving.

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology

Question: Talk about the Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology. Answer: Presentation: Nosocomial diseases are the contaminations gained by the patients during their stay in the human services office, and are the significant purpose for most of the entanglements that are common in the social insurance office. Community for ailment control and anticipation have evaluated that more than generally 1.7 million frequencies of medical clinic gained contaminations happen that prompts in excess of 99000 passings consistently (Allegranzi et al., 2013). This shocking situation has without a doubt caught the consideration of the human services specialists worldwide and has gotten one of the general medicinal services needs over the most recent couple of years. Aside from the casualty rates, medical clinic gained diseases additionally are found to expand the medicinal services expenses to a broad 2 to 2.5 overlap more and furthermore altogether builds the stay in the emergency clinic of the patients (Al-Tawfiq et al., 2013). A social insurance multifaceted nature so predominant and awful couldn't have been ignored by the wellbeing section of land specialists and governments, and it has not been. Over the most recent 10 years there have been different contamination control procedures that have been presented in the human services industry that have seen better outcomes with satisfactory exertion and devoted consistence. One such methodology that is simple, modest and massively successful in diminishing the occurrence pace of emergency clinic procured contamination is hand cleanliness strategy. Anyway considers propose that there is a huge absence of eagerness and consistence to this approach which delimits the opportunity of the patients achieving quicker and simpler recuperation and builds their opportunity of capitulating to different diseases (Al-Tawfiq et al., 2013). This report will endeavor to talk about the two systems to guarantee consistence of the human services staff to hand cleanliness arrange ments and examine in subtleties all the elements related with the ramifications of these procedures. Importance of hand cleanliness consistence: Studies recommend that in excess of 1000 distinct types of microorganisms occupy the human epidermis, or our skin surface. Our hands are the most ideal reproducing ground or microscopic organisms and are home to 1500 microorganisms for each square centimeter. Aside from that, it ought not be ignored that the microbiota are universal, they are all over the place, and each conceivable surface that our hands contact each and every day are a hotspot for a large number of various organisms, a greater part of them can be irresistible (Costers et al., 2012). As hands are the hotspot for a huge number of irresistible microorganisms, hand cleanliness definitely is the best and best technique to keep contamination under control, this is considerably progressively successful in the social insurance office where both the patients and the human services experts are presented to a bunch of microbiota consistently in the medicinal services office. Subsequently significance of hand cleanliness in so cial insurance experts in the field of medication is foremost (Ellingson et al., 2014). CDC or community for infection control and avoidance has a foreordained arrangement of hand cleanliness approaches set up though wellbeing couldn't care less offices to follow. The approach explanations directs that antimicrobial washes are to be utilized to clean hands that show up obviously messy and grimy, routine hand washing ought to likewise be rehearsed as a day by day sterilization methodology and while experiencing a polluted patient of ward (Fisher et al., 2013). The announcement further determines that in occurrences where the hands are not obviously grimy or ruined liquor rubs can be selected to perform routine sterile cleaning of the hands. This strategy is to be followed when coming into immediate or roundabout contact with patients that represent no danger of pollution. Holding fast to this hand cleanliness arrangement can guarantee diminishing the hazard to disease in the patients fundamentally anyway there is a huge absence of consistence to the hand cleanliness stra tegies (Pan et al., 2013). Considering the Australian social insurance enactment, the hand cleanliness arrangement is viewed as the fifth most fundamental medicinal services routine. As per the rules of National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards, hand cleanliness is suggested multiple times for the social insurance laborers all for the duration of the day (Fuller et al., 2012). On an increasingly elaborative note, the human services laborers should perform hand cleanliness before connecting with a patient, in the wake of connecting with persistent, before an aseptic obligation, in the wake of partner with body liquids and when entering debased region. The clinical hazard evaluation authority of Australia has suggested that every single medicinal services association must practice the rules set out by the National Safety and Quality Health Service so as to limit the hazard to quiet because of emergency clinic procured disease. In addition is has been likewise encouraged to guarantee that the staff is urged and spurred to agree to the hand cleanliness convention, anyway litte endeavors had been seen to accomplish this objective (Hagel et al., 2015). Studies recommend that the greater part of the contamination that are procured by the patients in the human services office is because of the absence of consistence in the staff about hand cleanliness on the loose. Be that as it may, there is no huge activity from the medicinal services specialists to decide the causes behind the rebelliousness and follow up on those reasons (Higgins Hannan, 2013). In an exploratory report it was discovered that there can be more than reasons why medicinal services calling don't go along to the hand cleanliness convention however the most imperative contributing components can be the absence of mindfulness and the absence of training in the human services laborers that lead them to disregard the hand cleanliness convention prompting putting the wellbeing and government assistance of the patients in danger (Huis et al., 2012). Such a circumstance will possibly keep on heightening if there are no procedures set up to guarantee that the medicinal servic es is constrained and persuaded to consent to the approach. Strategise to guarantee consistence in social insurance offices: One of the contributing components behind the need for consistence that takes up most of fault is the absence of instruction and mindfulness in the social insurance about the hand cleanliness and its significance. Exploratory research studies and reviews propose that most of care bolster staff don't comprehend the significance of hand cleanliness n clinical practice and regularly they disregard holding fast to this convention generally because of absence of time, substantial outstanding task at hand, persistent needs, horrible working conditions and absence of earnestness (Ling How, 2012). Consequently it is of much significance to instruct all the care staff the significance of hand cleanliness and how resistance to it can prompt hurtful ramifications for both the patients and the laborers themselves. Studies propose that as a rule the human services staffs doesn't know about the dangers they put themselves on with dismissing appropriate hand cleanliness and it tends not out of the ordinary that the staff is appropriately instructed about the repercussions of not holding fast to a standard hand cleanliness program they will be increasingly spurred to go along (Momen et al., 2012). These instruction and preparing projects can be set up like clockwork or so to guarantee that all the staff get the chance to benefit this projects. Moreover these instructive projects ought to be liberated from cost for the human services proficient to join in and ought to incorporate extra focuses in the acknowledgment and examination program set up in the social insurance office in the medicinal services program to guarantee that the staffs is attracted to go to this workshops. Finally the preparation and worker administrations of the medicinal services office ought to guarantee that the recently enrolled staff are made mindful of the instructive and preparing projects to go to them (Morgan et al., 2012). Utilization of enlivened and intuitive designs in the instructive introduction of the hand cleanliness consistence program will likewise interest the workers to join in and comprehend the strategy, its significance and the repercussions of not sticking to it. It has likewise been seen that most cases the staffs overlook in their substantial and thorough outstanding task at hand to hold fast to the hand cleanliness strategies, the banners will assist the staff with being reminded on different occasions (Pincock et al., 2012). On a comparable note, another contributing element that has been distinguished that drive the staff to not cling to the hand cleanliness rules is the troublesome access of the sanitation specialists and the bothering it causes in the hands of the human services laborers. Numerous wellbeing section of land studies have depicted that a greater part of the social insurance laborers that reject the use of hand sanitation methods, decline it due to the absence of accessibility and troublesome access of the sanitation items and the disturbance it causes in their grasp (Pan et al., 2013). The antimicrobial hand washes are commonly made of unforgiving synthetic concoctions that peel the skin off of dampness and cause aggravation response in the skin for the touchy cleaned populace of the social insurance laborers. If there should arise an occurrence of alcoholic rubs also, the high centralization of liquor present tears the regular dampness of the hands on monotonous utilization and cause dr ying and flakiness in skin. Subsequently, a large portion of the medicinal services laborers abstain from interacting with the hand washes in the event that they can help. The absence of exacting guidelines and danger to punishments adds fuel to their insubordination further (Pincock et al, 2012). So as to battle this issue the emergency clinic authority needs to embrace the activities to guarantee that the hand sanitation items are put at effectively open zones all through the human services office and they re renewed normally to guarantee that the unavailability of the items don't cause the medicinal services staff to not go along to the hand cleanliness arrangements (Scheithauer et al., 2012). In addition the social insurance office needs to put resources into the hand cleanliness technique, with the goal that they can buy mellow antimicrobial hand washing specialists

Making the Switch Chapter 2

Making the Switch Chapter 2 In the first installment of Making the Switch, Melissa 11 asked: Oh, and in later chapters, please include the being alone without family/friends aspect and making new friends =) Moving away to college for me was something that I looked forward to and feared at the same time. There was one other person from my high school coming to MIT the same year. I didnt really know any current students, and I surely was not going to be driving distance from home. I remember packing up my room and leaving a few posters on the wall. I was going to college. I would be away from home for at least 3 months until Thanksgiving. The longest I had ever been away from home prior to then would be my three week stints at CTY. What am I to do? I was going to MIT. At that point, my mind was made up, so there wasnt really anything else I could do. August 22, 2003: Bryan boards flight 382 from Houston to Boston. So I get to my temporary dorm in Baker House, and I walk into my quad. And now for an excerpt from my personal blog from the day I came to college: so i enter baker house, pick up my key, and head up to my room where the fun really starts. i open the door to the quad only to see that none of my roommates are there yet the bottom bunks have all already been claimed. so of course, i take a top bunk, and immediately try to piece together my roommates characters by what they have out: cocoa pebbles, spongebob, anime movies, a fan, an animal pillow [my eyes continue to wander] when i pan across a box labeled Lifestyles: XTra Pleasure Oh my goodness. I only hope that Im not in the room when they are put to use and I must commend my roommate for their preparation and protective measures. So I try to take a short nap but all my attempts fail because you know what ITS HOT AND HUMID JUST LIKE HOUSTON. and did i mention my dorm has no air conditioning? what a crime. so i do a little travelling about the campus and do a little eating; not many people are here yet; so i kinda stick to myself calling everyone in my phone book to tell them im here and safe. college firsts: first shower: itll take a lot of getting used to. first night: misery of no air conditioning. i dont really know much about my one of my three roommates except that his name is [name protected], he hails from san antonio, and hes a ddr fan. thats all i know. When it came time to select permanent roommates, I decided that it might be a good idea to live in a quad because Id get to meet three other people and their friends and it would just propagate along. I ended up with one person who I knew from CPW, one person who went to high school with people Id gone to elementary school with, and then one semi-random person. Here we are, Baker 411, in December 2003. (Youll note I had a mustache. What a bad idea.) Living in Baker availed me the opportunity to be in a dorm with a lot of freshmen which was really great. Keeping our doors open the first week, a lot of people would come in and introduce themselves and that way I got to know a lot of people. Taking classes with all freshmen was also a great way to get to know my fellow classmates. However, there are three special groups of friends that I want to highlight. Living in Baker, my first year, I got to know a collection of 8 people, heretofore known as the Godzillas. And yes, Ill explain why they are referred to as the Godzillas. I dont remember who was the first person of the Godzillas that I had met, but somehow a group of 9 individuals seemed to converge on this uncanny and rewarding friendship that has sustained me throughout the past four years. So I think the way we came to be is that one night, a few friends convened in my room for a harmless game of Taboo. A clue card comes up for King Kong but my friend, Elyse, shes got the answer and she knows it. She stands up in an excited burst of energy, and yells, GODZILLA! We look at Elyse as she recognizes at the same time that her answer was wrong. But it was too funny to let the joke die right there. So for a long time, we called her Godzilla. And somehow, the group of friends that included Elyse became known as the Godzillas. We have our own mailing list that gets more traffic than the Autobahn, and I love it. Were a very diverse group in terms of activities, hometowns, and majors. I think everyone at MIT has a group of friends like this, so you will form yours. Another group that is particularly important to me is my fraternity. I came to MIT saying that joining a fraternity was a bogus idea, and that it wasnt for me, and now Im vice president of ZBT. Funny how that works. I ended up joining a fraternity because I realized that Animal House did not do justice to what MIT fraternities are like. I have found my experience to be a very rewarding one where I have people who have gone through MIT before me and can share advice with me. Now that Im a senior, I can do the same for the youngns. Living with a group of individuals from all different walks of life has been an experience that I am very thankful for. Then, there is the group of friends that I will refer to as Team Awesome. This is the catch-all for the really close friends that I have that dont belong to the groups mentioned above (dont think that I forgot you). And while I refer to these friends as belonging to groups, its not that theyre exclusive. The groups blend more often than not. So as far as the question of will I make new awesome friends goes. The answer is yes. ABSOLUTELY.

Benefits Of Spreadsheet And Database - 1449 Words

The report will illustrate the benefits of spreadsheet and database, and also will recommend the suitable option for second-hand car retailer for storing data. Evidence of pros and cons will be listed so it can be helpful to choose the option. Nowadays every organization intend to use spreadsheet or database to store their data. However, when storing data it is essential to know what type of data is being stored, so that a suitable option is selected for the organization. When considering the type of business this organization is running. Second-hand car business is totally different from a newly car business. Many aspects are to be considered when selecting the data. The data to be stored is customer’s information, supplier and product, database can be really useful for this business as it is mainly used for massive data storage. Different data can easily be shown by using â€Å"queries† Whereas; Spreadsheet is used for financial records, information of employee and forecasting. Introduction The diagnostic of this report suggests the manager of second-hand car retailer on which data software to use. The data software that is being accounted in this report are, spreadsheet and database. The report is divided into three sections which are comparison, recommendation and designing of software. Comparison of both software’s then providing a recommendation to the manager with solid proof of the software that should be used and finally a design would be developed to place theShow MoreRelatedAssessment Of Spreadsheet And Database Alternatives1504 Words   |  7 Pagesbusiness data, either in a spreadsheet or in a database. There are a lot of advantages and disadvantages with the two alternatives, and both of the alternatives will be considered. The report will give the manager of this organisation a recommendation for this proposed situation. 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Great Philosophers Like Adam Smith, Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr.

Throughout history and modern day, series of important historical events have been presented with having a starting and ending point, like that of a line segment. However, great philosophers like Adam Smith, Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. and Sarkar have proven revolutions to be a buildup of cyclical events. Political, economic, and social events have a pattern that they follow and move as never ending cycles rather than having specific starting and ending points. Revolutions originate from a convergence of cyclical economic, political, and social, events that work together to create an uprising or disturbance within a mass of people. The roots of these cycles are mother nature, the mentality of the masses, and military strength. Economic cycles during history and modern day drastically affect the land and the citizens in terms of growth, necessary resources, like food for the people, and stability of the rule. Adam Smith, a Scottish social philosopher and political economist, established the economic concept of carrying capacity which is â€Å"the maximum number of individuals of a given species that an area s resources can sustain indefinitely without significantly depleting or degrading those resources.† This was to show how lack of resources from too much population can create economic disasters and instability. Carrying capacity creates an economic cycle of events, the base of the theory being nature. When the population of a land reaches its carrying capacity, it becomesShow MoreRelatedOpportunities23827 Words   |  96 Pagesof D. DE ALEJANDRO 9-801-361 REV: SEPTEMBER 30, 2005 NANCY F. KOEHN Howard Schultz and Starbucks Coffee Company Prologue: International Expansion On August 2, 1996, Starbucks Coffee Company opened its first store outside North America. Like many of its U.S. and Canadian outlets, the new store was located in a busy district of a prominent city—Tokyo. Starbucks managers had devoted much time to selecting the site, designing the store’s layout and fixtures, training its staff, and publicizingRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesLoyalty Is an Outdated Concept 87 Questions for Review 88 Experiential Exercise What Factors Are Most Important to Your Job Satisfaction? 89 Ethical Dilemma Bounty Hunters 89 Case Incident 1 Long Hours, Hundreds of E-Mails, and No Sleep: Does This Sound Like a Satisfying Job? 90 Case Incident 2 Crafting a Better Job 91 4 Emotions and Moods 97 What Are Emotions and Moods? 98 The Basic Emotions 100 †¢ The Basic Moods: Positive and Negative Affect 100 †¢ The Function of Emotions 102 †¢ Sources ofRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 PagesHistory of Southern Life Lisa M. Fine, The Story of Reo Joe: Work, Kin, and Community in Autotown, U.S.A. Van Gosse and Richard Moser, eds., The World the Sixties Made: Politics and Culture in Recent America Joanne Meyerowitz, ed., History and September 11th John McMillian and Paul Buhle, eds., The New Left Revisited David M. Scobey, Empire City: The Making and Meaning of the New York City Landscape Gerda Lerner, Fireweed: A Political Autobiography Allida M. Black, ed., Modern American QueerRead MoreManagement Course: Mba−10 General Management215330 Words   |  862 PagesCapital Feigenbaum−Feigenbaum International Management, Sixth Edition Hodgetts−Luthans−Doh Contemporary Management, Fourth Edition Jones−George Driving Shareholder Value Morin−Jarrell Leadership, Fifth Edition Hughes−Ginnett−Curphy The Art of M A: Merger/Acquisitions/Buyout Guide, Third Edition Reed−Lajoux and others . . . This book was printed on recycled paper. Management http://www.mhhe.com/primis/online/ Copyright  ©2005 by The McGraw−Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

Phineas Gage Free Essays

Phineas Gage Paper The brain plays a significant role in cognitive functioning. The human brain is made up of various structures, and each of these structures is responsible for specific cognitive functions. Scientists and psychologists have conducted many studies and experiments in an effort to pinpoint which brain structures are responsible for certain cognitive functions. We will write a custom essay sample on Phineas Gage or any similar topic only for you Order Now In the past, technology was quite limited which left few options for studying the human brain. The only way to study the brain at this point in time was to perform studies on subjects that were already deceased. While this did help shed some light on cognitive functioning there were still many unanswered questions and misunderstandings about the brain and its functions. One particular case that has been linked to the brains role in cognition is that of Phineas Gage. Gage suffered a traumatic brain injury which altered his original cognitive functioning abilities. The case of Phineas Gage has left a lasting mark on the world of cognitive psychology and has been used as a prime example of how the brain affects cognitive functioning. Cognitive Functioning The cerebral cortex is divided into four lobes as well as into left and right hemispheres. Martinez (2010, pp. 237) states that, â€Å"The cerebral cortex is the anatomical origin of the mind’s higher-order functions—reasoning, intelligence, creativity, and problem-solving—as well as the coordination of sensory input and motor control that helps us relate skillfully to our environments. † By segregating each structure of the cerebral cortex a greater understanding is achieved as to which section is responsible for certain cognitive functions. One important discovery was that the left and right hemisphere of the brain actually process information differently. Phineas Gage’s Life Changing Accident Phineas Gage’s life changing accident took place in the year of 1848. Gage worked on a railroad construction crew. When the accident occurred, Gage was using a tamping iron to fill holes in the ground with gunpowder. Doing so would allow space for the new railroad to be laid. Unfortunately for Phineas Gage, an unexpected explosion occurred which sent the tamping iron straight through his skull. The tamping iron entered through Gage’s left heek bone and exited through the top of his skull. Amazingly enough, Gage was conscious and able to walk just a few minutes after the accident took place. Due to the massive wounds, Phineas Gage was not expected to survive when he arrived to a local physician named John Martin Harlow. Harlow had to remove small bone fragments from the wound and then closed the primary wound o n the top of Gage’s head using adhesive straps and a wet compress. This allowed the wound to drain. Gage was never surgically treated for his wounds. Gage suffered three major injuries as a result of his accident. Despite the extremely traumatic injuries that Gage sustained from his accident, he was able to recover and by 1849 Gage was leading a seemingly normal life. However, shortly after Gage’s recovery those closest to him began noticing dramatic changes in his overall demeanor. His wife and family members noted a significant change in his personality. Harlow also noticed changes within Gage’s personality. Harlow was allowed to examine Gage’s body a few years after his death. By examining Gage’s brain and skull Harlow was able to determine what structures of the brain were harmed by the accident. This allowed Harlow to make connections between Gage’s change in behavior prior to and after the accident. He was able to â€Å"estimate from the skull that damage had occurred mainly to the left anterior part of the frontal lobes, including the orbitofrontal cortex† (Wickens, 2005, p. 160). This type of damage seemed to lead to inappropriate behaviors and a loss of social inhibitions, which were not apparent prior to the accident (Deakin University, 2010). Harlow’s observations allowed him to write several publications which became very significant within the field of psychology. His publications were aimed towards uncovering that damage to certain areas of the brain can result in dysfunctions within the cognitive system. Gage sustained the most damage to the orbitofrontal cortex. This part of the brain is believed to play a role in emotional behavior and decision making processes, which is likely why Gage experienced such a significant change in behavior after the accident. Gage’s accident is significant because it enabled psychologists and scientists â€Å"to associate that the frontal lobes are essential to cognitive and emotional self-regulation† (Martinez, 2010, p. 46). Conclusion Cognitive functioning is attributed primarily to the inner workings of the human brain. The major structures that make up the brain each play an exclusive role in certain cognitive functions. The discoveries made by studying Gage’s brain injuries and the effect that they had on his behavior and personality has made a lasting impression on the field of psych ology. Gage’s accident led to many new theories and studies to uncover how brain injuries and illnesses could affect cognitive functioning. Without a proper understanding of the brain and its crucial role in behavior and mental processes it would be impossible to comprehend the various cognitive functions that exist. References Deakin University. (2010). Phineas Gage’s Story. Psychology: Phineas Gage Information. Retrieved June 18, 2011 from http://www. deakin. edu. au/hmnbs/psychology/gagepage/Pgstory. php Martinez, M. , E. (2010). Learning and cognition: The design of the mind. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc. Wickens, A. , P. (2005). Foundation of biopsychology. (2nd ed. ). New York, NY: Pearson Prentice Hall Inc. How to cite Phineas Gage, Papers

Effectiveness of Matatu Saccos {a Case Study Ofnairobi County) free essay sample

Background of the Study The transportation industry sector is comprised of a wide range of service providers covering all modes of transport; air, road, sea and rail. In Kenya, both private and public providers offer transportation to the public. Due to the diversity of the transport sector in Kenya, the infrastructure group; the department of Price Waterhouse Coopers-Kenya that deals with researches on industries and infrastructures, had classified roads as the prime link between all the economic sectors since they account for 80% of Kenya’s total passenger and freight transportation as well as value of output (PWC Kenya 2009). The word matatu is derived from the local kikuyu vernacular word mang’otore matatu which means â€Å"thirty cents† which was the standard charge for every trip made. Chitere. O and Kibua. N, 2004). Majority of Kenyans do not own private cars, thus they use matatus as their mode of transportation. By 2003, the number of matatus operating in both urban and rural areas was estimated at 40,000 and they provided employment to 160,000 people and paid up to Ksh. 1. 09 billion per annum to the government in taxes (Chitere and Kibua, 2004). The origin of matatus in Kenya can be traced back in the late 1950s. After Kenya’s independence in 1963, Africans migrated to Nairobi to search for employment opportunities. Informal settlements began to expand in areas where there was limited transport. These people were too poor to own private vehicles. Recognizing the opportunity for financial gains while providing the much needed service, mini-bus taxis (which were largely owned by middle-income people) began offering transport services from rural areas and informal urban settlement around the city. Due to high demand, the number of matatus increased but was operating illegally until 1973 when the then president (Mzee Jomo Kenyatta) issued a decree officially recognizing matatus as a mode of public transport. This made them to be the main mode of transportation in Nairobi metropolitan up to today, with an estimated number of 15,000 matatus. (Graeff J, 2009). The benefits that are attached to matatus as a mode of transport by various parties include: Owners get income inform of profits, workers such as drivers, conductors and stage workers also get income in form of salaries, passengers get mobility and safety, other road users such as cyclist, motorists and pedestrians also get safety, and institutions such as local authorities get revenue. Despite all this, there is still a struggle for regulatory and economic sphere of influence in the matatu sector (Khayesi. M, 1999). It has been reported that there is insufficient consistent data about matatus. If any, there is limited access to the database and can only be found through SACCOs (Graeff. J, 2009). Since the official recognition of the matatu as a means of transporation in 1973, the sector grew to the extent that the owners formed a national association to control the operations of the sector and also advocating for their rights and demands. All matatu operators were expected to belong to this association, that is, The Matatu Vehicle Owners Association (MVOA). They had a rule that forced new matatu operators to register with the association in order to be allocated a route of operation. The association attracted the attention of both the Government and political opposition groups who saw the association as an important ally to advance political moves. The association was disbanded by the Government and was accused of having been penetrated by rich individuals who were oppressing the weak members by assigning them to routes that had fewer passengers. The Government then left individual members to operate on any route although it did not end the influence and support that politicians had for the matatu owners and operators (Khayesi. M, 1999). The Government then introduced SACCOs in the matatu sector as one of the reforms strategy that targeted to manage transport systems (Graeff. J, 2009). These SACCOs played an important role in addressing the concerns of the stakeholders and integrating the matatus into a comprehensive system. They are the professional transport firms as they act as the key takeholders. They act as the liaison between the members of the SACCO and the other stakeholders including the Government. They have the ability to unify the industry and strengthen the voice of the stakeholders which is an important incentive. Although SACCOs are important, they compete with each other thus creating a dangerous and stressful environment (Graeff. J, 2009). A Savings And Credit Co-Operative (SACCO) is an association of like-m inded people registered under the ministry of cooperatives. It is owned and operated by its members, according to democratic principles, for the purpose of encouraging savings, providing credit facilities and other related financial services (The SACCO bill, 2005). In Kenya people are eligible to form a SACCO if; they have a similar occupation or profession or are employed by a common employer or within same business district or market area; they have common membership in association or organization including, but not limited to: religious, social, cooperative, labor or educational groups; who reside, worship or work within the same defined community (the SACCO bill, 2005). It extends to any form of industry, not exclusively transport. In the case of matatus, a group will register to become a SACCO identifying itself mainly with the route where it is operating, although many people refer to the SACCOs as route associations (Graeff. J, 2009). 1. 2 Statement of the Problem There have been several benefits that have been accrued to the use of SACCOs as a mode of matatu management in Kenya. They include; creation of employment and additional revenue in form of taxes to the Government (Chitere. O and Kibua. N, 2004), professional management, financial support and reduced conflicts to the owners and employment benefits, credit services and employment contracts (Khayesi. M, 1999). The proponents of managing matatus individually argued that, operating matatus individually earns a lot of profits due to reduced costs such as SACCO contributions, the taxes paid to the Government and the salaries paid to the professionals and employees and poor financial management (The Citizen, 2010). There has been an argument that operating matatus on individual basis makes it easy to reach decisions faster than when in SACCOs. This was based on the argument that in the SACCO; there will be a split of decision among the members on different issues concerning the SACCOs thus delaying the decision making process. The financial management in SACCOs can be poor simply because the leaders who manage the finances have no basic knowledge of financial management with the addition of poor working environment and increased political interference (The Citizen, 2010). While the benefits of matatu SACCOs are undisputed, there have been several concerns about its success in terms of financial benefits, handling matatu industry challenges and improving road safety. Investors and other stakeholders need guidance concerning this. This study was used to guide the entrepreneurs interested in the matatu sector on the mode that would bring full benefit to them which took the form of studying the performance of matatu SACCOs, before and after their formation and that of individual management. 1. 3 Objectives of the Study 1. 3. 1 General Objective To assess the effectiveness of SACCOs in the management of matatus in Nairobi 1. 3. 2 Specific Objectives To find out the difference in the financial revenues and costs before and after the formation of matatu SACCOs. To examine the role of matatu SACCOs in handling the challenges facing the transport industry. To find out the level of road accidents before and after the formation of matatu SACCOs. 1. 4 Research Questions What are the financial benefits that come with SACCOs as a mode of matatu management? How do matatu SACCOs handle the challenges that face the transport industry? Has matatu SACCOs helped in dealing with road safety? 1. 5 Significance of the study Matatu SACCOs operate in environments surrounded by communities who depend on them for jobs, tax revenues and quality services. All stakeholders have interests in the well-being of their SACCO. This SACCOs also operate in environments which are characterized by political interests, markets existence, culture, values, technology, regulations and taxing authorities (Agumba. N, 2008). This study would be of great benefit to the matatu owners as it found out the challenges that matatus and matatu SACCOs face in these environments. This uncertain environment leaves doubt in the stake holders. This study would also benefit the stake holders as it would aid them to make decision in order to improve the services of this industry. There is SACCO leadership for efficiency and probity and that SACCOS are responsible, responsive, accountable, transparent, competitive and sustainable. Through the study, the new entrepreneurs would want to be reassured that; Matatu SACCO enterprises are viable, sustainable and competitive; are held accountable and not left to run amok; are competitively attractive to investments; are responsible corporate citizens and that they comply with legal framework and remain relevant and legitimate in society (Agumba. N, 2008) The majority of matatu owners has reasonable educational and training qualification and occupational experience in fields such as banking, accountancy as well as teaching and is well informed of about the industry. Mostly they have other sources of income and can use credit to improve their vehicles. This shows that the industry still attracts new entrants and entrepreneurs with funds to invest in the industry, they will therefore need some guidance on which form of management they should use for their business. 1. 6 Scope of the Study This study was conducted to find out the financial gains that matatu owners get when they are operating their business through SACCOs. This covers credit facilities to acquisition and maintenance of the mini-buses, repair costs, level of income and generally the issue of security in order to help the owners acquire loans from the financial institution. The study also covers how productive the SACCOs manage the matatus better than if it was to be managed on individual basis and if there are any savings made if the matatus are managed through SACCOs. This study also found out the benefits that SACCOs give to other stakeholders in the matatu industry, the differences that SACCOs have brought to the welfare of the workers in the matatu industry, the levels SACCOs aid in the reduction of road accidents and how far they aid the road traffic department in bringing order to the roads, the safety that the users (customers) feel while using the SACCO owned matatus in comparison to the individually run matatus and the challenges that matatu SACCOs face during their operation. This study also covered the transport industry in Kenya, and because of the diversity in the industry, the research will focus on the road transport in Nairobi. This was through finding out how effective the matatu SACCOs have been in the management of the matatu industry. 1. 7 Limitation of the Study For a general conclusion to be reached, this research needs to be conducted within the whole country, but in this case, the study is limited to Nairobi alone. As an addition, there are other factors that can be used to measure the effectiveness of the matatu industry other than the ones that this research has used. The results of this study did not put in to consideration the other variables that affect the functionality of the matatu SACCOs. Usually, it is always difficult to make people reveal the amount they benefit from a given business or enterprise. CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 2. 1 Introduction The matatu as a means of transport has an array of businesses and individuals who are involved in it. Apart from the regulatory dominance that has been shown, there are economic interests pursued by the owners and operators. The matatu is not just a business for the low-income and the self- employed workers, it is a big time enterprise now involving the affluent in the society (Khayesi. M, 1999). There are cases where one individual owns several matatus. There are also other businesses that are linked to the matatu industry, for example insurance firms, motor vehicle body builders, vehicle assemblers, vehicle importers, garages, petrol stations, driving schools and commercial banks/ money lenders but in this case SACCOs will be our main concern. This means of transport employs drivers, conductors and stage workers. All these people are stakeholders in the matatu industry and therefore they have benefits that they attach to the industry hence a need for effective management of the industry (Khayesi. M, 2002). This chapter explores what other researchers have found on how the stakeholders have gained from managing the matatus on individual basis in comparison with SACCO mode of management. 2. 2 Conceptual Frame Work The management of the matatu industry in Kenya has taken two main forms of management. These are management through SACCOs and managing the matatu business as an individually. This research took the matatu SACCOs as the dependent variable on to which the effectiveness of the industry will be measured through the factors as the independent variables. These are the financial benefits of using SACCOs as a mode of managing the industry. In this case, costs and gains, access to credit and other financial benefits, effectiveness in terms of handling of matatu industry challenges, effectiveness in improving road safety and reducing road accidents. The outcomes of the results can be affected by the involvement of the Government but during this research its effects were kept constant. Figure 1 Conceptual Framework | | |Financial Benefits/Revenues | Independent Variables (Factors) Dependent Variable (Outcomes) | | |Effectiveness Of Matatu SACCOs | | | |Matatu SACCOs | | | Road Accidents | Source: (Researcher, 2012) 2. 3 Theoretical Review According to Aline. J, (2011), the first Kenyan co-operative society, the Lumbwa co-operative society was formed in 1908 by the European farmers with the main objective of purchasing farm inputs at radically reduced prices because of their numbers and on friendly terms to the members who paid in installments or when they harvested and then market collectively market their produce. Lumbwa was replaced in 1930 by the Kenya Farmers Co-Operative to take over the role of farm input supply. After seeing the success of European co-operatives, the smallholder African farmers fought for the formation of their own co-operatives, in which they were allowed to form in the late 1950s and register co-operatives for cash crops like coffee and pyrethrum. Consequently at independence in 1963, there were 1,030 co-operative societies with 655 being active with total membership of 355,000(Aline. J, 2011). Since independence investment in Kenya has empowered and energized by the existence of the co-operative sector where pooling of resources was closely linked to Mzee Kenyatta’s call of Harambee. Presently, matatu SACCOs are dominating the city route in form of route associations (Graeff. J, 2009). In Kenya, SACCOs are co-operatives which are formed by an association of people who come together with a common purpose of pooling together resources for mutual economic and social benefit (Aline. J, 2011). According to Mikwamba. E and Ng’ombe. W (2003), a SACCO is an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic and social needs through a jointly owned and democratically controlled enterprise or business. The objectives of forming SACCOs include; organizing and economic interests of its members; promoting thrift among members opportunity for accumulation of savings, loans at fair and reasonable terms; providing opportunities for members to improve their economic and social conditions; and perform the functions that they were formed to (Aline. J, 2011). According to the SACCO society’s regulatory bill, 2005, a SACCO is registered by writing an application to the registrar of SACCO societies who will register the SACCO if it has complied with the provisions of the Act. This research found out if the objectives of forming SACCOs in the matatu industry are being realized by using them in the managing of the matatus in the Nairobi’s transport sector and their effectiveness. 2. 3. 1 The Management and Operation of SACCOs According to Mikwamba. E and Ng’ombe. W (2003), members are the heart of the SACCO and the reason for the SACCO’s existence. The members are the owners and the only â€Å"users† of the SACCO and no more persons has the monopoly in a SACCO regardless of one’s share and savings. Usually SACCOs are democratically run and controlled organizations. According to the SACCO society’s regulatory bill, 2005, one thing that is clear is that the affairs of a SACCO are managed and administered by a board of directors elected at annual general meeting. It is this board of directors which will hire a manager and support staff to run the day to day operations of the SACCO. In most cases the manager and the staff hired are qualified and competent people with skills and knowledge of SACCOs (Chitere. O and Kibua. N 2004). According to Mikwamba. E and Ng’ombe. W (2003), a SACCO is a financial business and it has to be managed as such. Its major commodity is the money the members bring in as their savings for the safe keeping, convenience and as a form of investment. The savings earn competitive interest rates. Members who have established their credit worthy can borrow from the SACCO. The interest on loans, investments and the other income is used to cover operational costs as well as paying interest on members savings. The next surplus is used to pay dividends to the members and the building of SACCO capital reserves. Specific duties and responsibilities in a SACCO are assigned to different committees to ensure smooth running and coordination of SACCO activities. All the committee members are elected from the general membership. According to Chitere. O and Kibua. N, (2004), owners of the matatu are employees and professionals in different fields like, banking, accountancy and teaching and thus they don’t involve themselves in the hand on management of their matatu businesses. This study found out how effective the employees of the SACCOs will be effective in the running of matatus on behalf of their employers and ensuring that they receive the benefits they are entitled to as provided in their values. 2. 3. 2 Effectiveness of SACCOs SACCOs create the opportunity for people to take responsibility for their own financial organization, these is facilitated through democratic processes. SACCOs pay dividends on shares to their members once the SACCO is established and profitable. Members therefore take pride in owning their own SACCO. SACCOs educate their members on financial matters by teaching prudent handling of money, how to keep track of finances, how to budget and why to keep away from hire purchase and loan sharks, this encourage saving culture for their members. Loans of SACCOs are usually insured thus death of a member the estate will not have to repay the outstanding loans to the SACCO. After deducting all the working expenses from the income, the profit is usually shared among members according to their patronage (South African Reserve bank, 2011). . 3. 3 Effectiveness in Terms of Financial Benefits According to Mudibo. E, (2006), SACCOs have been in existence for a long time starting with the Raffeissen movement in Germany in the middle of the 19th century. The movement has since spread to most countries, both developed and developing world and throughout the decades they have been important for small-scale savers and borrowers. This has been embodied in the co-operative and SACCO principles which was summarized as: user-owned financial services. In this case the savers/ borrowers own and govern their institution which provides them with the financial services that they need. This was the fundamental quality of the SACCO since its set-up provides for demand-led services decided by members in a democratic and participatory manner. It is the clients who are the members, as well as the owners themselves, who decide on which type of financial services to benefit them, how these are to be provided and where the external forces cannot take advantage of members need for the services. Not only did SACCOs provide savings facilities from their formation but they also generally applied a holistic approach to the needs of their members. Loans were provided for productive purposes and variety of needs for example for welfare and consumption purposes (Mudibo. E, 2006). This research reflects these financial benefits to the case of matatus, whereby according to Chitere. O and Kibua. N, (2004), the initial capital to invest in matatus is large and hence difficult to rise together with the insurance costs and taxes. The other benefits will be in terms of operating costs like fuel, costs of repair and maintenance which can be reduced when operating in SACCOs (Chitere. O and Kibua. N, 2004). 2. 3. 4 Challenges of Matatu SACCOs Cartels have positioned themselves in the name of SACCOs to take advantage of new operators seeking to join the industry. The high financial requirements demanded from new by established SACCOs have forced some operators to miss out on this business while some operators use fake stickers of unregistered SACCOs (Mwaniki, W 2011). Some SACCOs have invested in other line of businesses and when a new member comes it becomes a challenge. 2. 3. 5 Effective in Terms of Handling Challenges According to Agumba. N, (2008) SACCOs operate in an environment surrounded by communities who depend on them for jobs and tax revenues and customers for quality products and services. All stakeholders have interests in the well-being of their SACCO. These SACCOs also operate in an environment which is characterized by political interests, markets existence, culture, values, technology, regulations and tax authorities. Despite these challenges, SACCO values under the principle based model voluntary membership, democratic member control, member economic participation, autonomy and independence, education, training and information, cooperation among SACCOs and concern for community are key to enhancing performance in handling challenges within and out of the SACCO (Agumba. N, 2008) According to Chitere. O, (2004), most drivers and conductors do not observe traffic rules and are responsible for many accidents in both rural and urban areas. Other problems include harassment of owners and workers by the police, corruption, government and local authority taxes, lack of control of the industry by the vehicle owners and exploitation by cartels. A larger study was carried out that examined policy, legal and regulatory framework; institutional arrangements; costs and benefits; and the internal capacity of the industry at the local level and their training was weak and conditions of work poor (Chitere. O, 2004). This research found out how effective the matatu SACCOs have been in the handling these challenges. 2. 3. 6 Road Safety in Kenya There has been a rapid increase in the number of matatus on Kenyan roads from the time they began operating till today. Unfortunately, the industry’s vast growth has been accompanied by increasing road traffic accidents that have threatened the safety of Kenyan passengers. The accidents tripled from 3,578 in 1963 to 10,106 in 1989, and 11785 in 1994 (Chitere. O and Kibua. N, 2004). In these accidents, 2,014 persons were killed, 6,650 were seriously injured and 11,094 had minor injuries. The cause of these accidents are majorly reckless driving, driving non-roadworthy vehicles and poor conditions of the road. Research by Odera, Khayesi and Heda (2003) found that 3,000 people are killed annually on Kenyan roads, which translates to 68 deaths per 1,000 registered vehicles. This is the leading trend in whole world (Chitere. O and Kibua. N 2004). Transport Licensing board (TLB) is supposed to license all PSVs, allocate them routes and regulate their operation timetables. It has been unable to allocate routes and monitor or even ensure PSVs have operation timetables which might be as a result of the board not being conversant with the routes (Chitere. O and Kibua. N 2004). Due to this the Government has tried to put in some measures in the form of the famous Michuki rules in order to reduce the rate of accidents on roads. These reforms included; Fitting speed governors to all PSV and commercial vehicles to a speed of 80km/hr. Fitting seat belts to all vehicles (both public and private). Issuing of badges and uniforms to all drivers and conductors. Indication of route details for purpose of easy identification. Re-testing drivers after every two years. Displaying of drivers passport photograph together with the identification details. These rules (Michuki rules) proved difficult to maintain owing to the level of expenses attached to it. This research found out how the SACCOs have helped in the reduction of reckless driving through enforcing the reforms that were put in place by the government and also found out how far the SACCOs have gone to reduce accidents in Nairobi. CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3. 1 Introduction This chapter looks at the methodology used to conduct the study. It highlights and expounds on the research methods employed in conducting the research, methods that were used in collecting data, how the data was analyzed and reported. 3. 2 Research Design Research design is the plan and structure of investigation so conceived so as to obtain answers to research questions. The plan is the overall program of the research and includes an outline of what the investigator did from writing the hypothesis and their operational implications for the final analysis of data. Cooper and Schnielder (2003) summarize the essentials of research design as an activity and time based plan; always based on the research question; guides the selection of sources and types of information; a framework for specifying the relationship among the study variables and outlines the procedures for every research activity. In conducting this research, descriptive research design was used in collecting the data from respondents. The design was preferred because it was concerned with answering questions such as who , how, what, which, when and how much (Cooper and Schnielder, 2001). A descriptive study was carefully designed to ensure complete description of the situation, making sure that there is minimum bias in the collection of data and to reduce errors in interpreting the data collected. 3. 3 Target Population This research considered all matatus operating in Nairobi County. Those operating on the routes that ferry people to the city were the main target population. This gave the researcher easy access to the workers of the matatus as they were at their respective stages (matatu terminus). In the sample frame, more consideration was awarded to the major matatu SACCOs with offices in Nairobi metropolitan operating large occupancy vehicles. This was efficient and effective in terms of cost and accessibility to the researcher. Table 1 Target population | Route |North of Nairobi (a) |East of Nairobi (b) |South of Nairobi (c) |West of Nairobi (d) |Long | |(Population Size) | | | | |Distances (e) | |Capacity | | | | | | |(Population Category) | | | | | |High Occupancy | | | | | | | |30 |30 |30 |30 |30 | |Low Occupancy |40 |40 |40 |40 |40 | Source: (Researcher, 2012) 3. 4 Sample Design Majorly stratified and clustered sampling was used to select a sample that will represent the entire population. Stratified sampling was the best procedure as it gave the chance to group the matatus in accordance with their capacity i. e. , high occupancy and low occupancy. In addition, clustered sampling supplemented stratified sampling. This technique helped in accessing all routes (Nairobi County has several routes) which gave a fair ground for the acquisition of different opinions since different routes have different matatu SACCOs that have varying strategies in attaining their goals. This method was the major source of primary data. Table 2 Target sample size Route |North of Nairobi (a) |East of Nairobi (b) |South of Nairobi (c) |West of Nairobi (d) |Long | | |(50%) |(50%) |(50%) |(50%) |Distances (e) (50%)| |Capacity | | | | | | |High Occupancy | | | | | | | |15 |15 |15 |15 |15 | |Low Occupancy |20 |20 |20 |20 |20 | Source: (Researcher, 2012) 3. 5 Data Collection Instruments In this research, the use of both primary and secondary sources of data was adopted. Personal interviews were done through appointments with the managers or phone call interviews in case an appointment failed, questionnaires which were given in a period of one week and then collected by the researcher and direct observation on physical basis were the source of primary data. The use of relevant literature like; Matatu SACCO’s website, business magazines, daily newspapers and government authorities (traffic department) journals available for the public was an ideal source of secondary data. 3. 6 Data Analysis and Presentation The data collected in this study was both qualitative and quantitative in nature. This was for the analysis of data to show the effectiveness of SACCOs in the management of the Matatu Industry. The analysis applied the use of percentages to show the effectiveness of SACCOs. This analysis made it possible to draw appropriate conclusion about the study and pave way for reporting and documenting the study. In order to infer the data that was collected into a form that is understandable to the users of this study, the researcher used tables for quantitative analysis and cross comparison analysis and pie charts that depict the trends and frequency distribution of the research. CHAPTER FOUR DATA ANALYSIS, PRESENTATION AND INTEREPRETATION 4. 1 Introduction The study aimed to establish the effectiveness of SACCOs in the management of the transport industry in Nairobi County. This chapter discusses data analysis and findings of the research. Descriptive analysis was used and represented by the use of tables and pie charts. Qualitative analysis was used to summarize the respondents’ final comments in the questionnaire so as to get a better insight on their opinions on Matatu SACCOs as a mode of transport industry management. 4. 2 Respondents The sample size comprised of 100 respondents drawn from selected Matatu SACCOs. Out of the 25 SACCOs that were given questionnaires, 5 of them gave their feedback. Table 3 Sample and number respondents MATATU SACCO |Sample size |Returned |unreturned |percentage | |MWI Sacco |20 |18 |2 |90% | |Double M |20 |20 |0 |100% | |Super highway 45 Sacco |20 |15 |5 |75% | |City hopper |20 |16 |4 |80% | |KBS |20 |18 |2 |90% | |TOTAL |100 |87 |13 |87% | The research targeted the owners, managers and employe es (drivers, conductors and stage workers) of the SACCOs to provide information. Table 4 Type of respondents |SACCO |OWNERS |MANAGERS |WORKERS | |MWI SACCO |5 |5 |8 | |DOUBLE M |2 8 |10 | |SUPER HIGHWAY 45 SACCO |4 |3 |8 | |CITY HOPPER |3 |4 |9 | |KBS |0 |6 |12 | |TOTAL |14 |26 |47 | 4. 3 Findings The financial revenue benefit was indicated by 85% of the respondents saying that there are financial revenues gained by the use of SACCOs as a mode of matatu management and 15% supported individual management and that the financial status before SACCOs were formed was the same as that of individual management which was prominent in the past. Figure 2 Pie chart presentation on increase in financial benefits [pic] When it comes to the reduction of the operational costs, 83% of the respondends accept that there is a significant reduction in the operational costs of the matatu sector. This is attributed to the fact that some SACCOs have their own petrol station thus reducing the costs. On the other side, the remaining 17% don’t see any reduction in the operational costs as there are contrubutions made by the SACCO every morning or evening of the day. Figure 3 Pie chart presentation on the reduction of operation costs [pic] In reference to the level of profitability, 25% of the respondents said that the profitability of the SACCOs was high compared to individual management. 58%, of the respondents said that the profitability of SACCOs is medium but etter than individual management, and 17% retained that the profitability of the SACCOs was low compared to individual management since daily contributions are made by the SACCO which reduces daily production. Figure 4 Pie chart presentation on the level of profitability [pic] To the challenges facing the transport (matatu) sector, majority of the respondents at 50% still maintain that SACCOs have done nothing to manage the challenges. They attribute this to the fact that the SACCOs are just a statutory requirement and not a free will initiative while others state that the challenges facing the transport industry is a responsibility of the government for example, bad roads and that the work of the SACCO is to support them financially not in terms of handling challenges. 2% of the respondents said that the management of the challenges by SACCOs is better than individual management. This is mainly due to the fact that finances are also a challenge and that the services offered by the SACCOs are part of the solution to the challenges. 18% of the respondents are satisfied with the way SACCOs are handling the challenges that face the industry. Figure 5 Pie chart presentation on the level of handling challenges by SACCOs [pic] I n response to the level of accidents, 54% of the respondents support that SACCOs have reduced road accidents supported by the fact that they ensure that their drivers maintain road safety while others said that they service their vehicles in order to enhance safety standards. T The remaining 46% of the respondents said that accidents have not reduced because they are not only caused by public service vehicles alone but others like personal cars, long-distance Lorries, motor cycles, and other users. Figure 6 Pie chart presentation on the level of road accidents [pic] In terms of general effectiveness, 85% of the respondents said that the SACCOs have been effective in the management of transport industry and have brought order in the matatu industry. 13% of the respondents said that matatu SACCOs are not effective in the management of the transport industry. Figure 7 Pie chart presentation on Effectiveness of SACCOs [pic] 4. 4 Qualitative analysis From the findings we can see that the introduction of SACCOs as a mode of transport industry management has benefited the owners, workers and other stake holders of the matatu industry with 85% of the respondents supporting that SACCOs have been effective in the management of the transport industry. To the owners, there has been a benefit in terms of accessing credit facilities, sharing of operation costs with other matatu owners and monthly or yearly dividends received from the SACCO with or without operation since 83% of the respondents supported that the SACCOs have reduced operational costs. Drivers also get financial support from the SACCO as a means of self -help. They gain credit facilities from the SACCOs at an affordable rate as compared to the other financing institutions like banks. The Owners and other stakeholders like the Government also benefit financially in terms of taxes and profitability since 85% of the respondents supported that SACCOs have increased financial benefits and the profitability gained through them are as follows: High-25%, Medium-58% and Low-17% The other beneficiaries of the Matatu SACCOs are passengers, who enjoy safety and quality services and other road users benefit from the relatively good order on the roads and discipline in both conduct and service with 54% of the respondents who have supported that SACCOs have reduced road accidents and have increased road safety. Unfortunately, the SACCOs have not been able to curb certain challenges within the transport sector such as corruption, harassment by the police and reckless driving by their drivers with 50% of the respondents saying that they have not done enough to handle these challenges. CHAPTER FIVE DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 5. 1 Introduction. This chapter presents the summary of the research based on the analysis of the responses received from the relevant respondents. It is a summary of the main findings of the research and how they relate to the nature of the study. This chapter also includes suggestions for further action and research. 5. 2 Discussion of the Findings Matatu SACCOs have been effective in the management of the transport industry at 85%. This is attributed to the increase in financial revenue benefits at 85%, reduction in the operation costs at 83%, level of profitability being medium at 58% and reduction of road accident at 54%. Despite being unable to manage the challenges facing the industry, SACCOs are still able to manage the challenges of the industry at 32% better and 18% best, 50% of the respondents indicated that SACCOs are worst managers of the challenges facing the industry. The passengers indicated that the use of matatu SACCOs as a mode of transport industry management has set standards of service in order to satisfy the customers. Other road users indicated their satisfaction towards the improvement in the level of order and road ethics. In comparison to management by Matatu SACCOs, the effectiveness of management on individual basis stood at 15%. This was indicated by the financial revenue benefits at 15%, reduction of costs at 17%and profitability at 42%. Generally, passengers were dissatisfied with the services offered by the matatus and they saw the industry as a house of insanity and disorder. This was attached to reckless driving and high level of accidents as a result of this. 5. 3 Conclusion With use of Matatu SACCOs as a mode of transport industry management, there is a sign of relief to the stakeholders of the matatu industry. SACCOs give the owners professional service in terms of management. Therefore, the profitability of SACCOs is medium and it gives satisfaction to the owners since they benefit financially from the SACCOS. In the long run, there is anticipation by all stake holders that the problems and challenges facing the industry will be handled through the SACCOs and in turn this will improve the Matatu Sector. 5. 4 Recommendations The challenges facing the SACCOs can be helped by the government. This includes improvement of road networks. This will help reduce the cost of maintaining the vehicles. The Government should put the right structures in the right places in order to reduce the procedures regarding the registration and legislations of the SACCOs. The dealers in the petroleum industry, should try to reduce the cost of fuel. This will be of great benefit to the other stakeholders. To reduce the level of road accidents, that should be taken as a responsibility of everyone who makes the use of the road from motorists to pedestrians. The government should enforce the road safety (the famous Michuki rules) to the latter. To the SACCO management, there should be additional training to the staff in areas such as financial management and customer service. The drivers and other workers should be employed on relatively permanent basis for better accountability. 5. 5 Limitations No SACCO accepted to give their financial report. The SACCOs termed the financial reports as private and could not be issued for research. Most of the Matatu SACCOs are new (less than 3 years old) since the government legislated them. Therefore it is difficult to obtain financial information covering the whole period. REFERENCES Agama N, Effectiveness of SACCO governance model (2008) Alien J, The history of the co-operative movement (2011) Chitere O. and Kebab N, Efforts to improve road safety in Kenya; Achievements and limitation of reforms in the mutate industry, (2004) Chitere O, A study of owners, workers and their association and potential for improvement, (2004) Grief J, The organization and future of the mutate industry in Nairobi; Kenya, (2009) Gotha N, Matatu experience in Kenya,(2006) Jack W. and Habyriamen. J, Heckle and chide; results of a randomized road safety in Kenya, (2009) Khayesi. M, The struggle for regulatory and economic sphere of influence in the matatu means of transport in Kenya, (1999) Khayesi. M, Struggle for socio-economic niche and control in the matatu industry in Kenya, (2002) Kenya Gazette supplement (no. 98, Acts no. 14) SACCO Societies (2008) Mudibo. E, Integrating financial services in to poverty reduction strategies, (2006) Mwikamba. E and Ng’ombe. W, Know more about SACCOs,(2003) PWC Kenya, Issues facing the transport industry, (2009) Rothschild J. and White J, The co-operative workplace, Cambridge University press, (1986) Riddley-Duff R. Social enterprises as a socially rational business, (2008) SACCO Societies regulatory bill, (2005) Donald R. Cooper and Pamela S. Schindler, Business Research Methods (2003)

Celebrate Your Cultural Differences in a Personal Statement

It is often difficult for international students to know what to write for their personal statement for US universities. My advice is to write about what you know best: Â  your dreams and goals. Cultural diversity is a major factor in the composition of many university classrooms, so celebrate your differences while you tell the reader in your personal statement why you want to learn about your similarities by studying abroad.There are many ways to approach the personal statement, including the most popular: begin with a detailed description of your background, from childhood to now. Where did you grow up? In a small town on a remote mountainside in China, perhaps? In a large family in a bustling city? Describe the location so the reader will be able to ‘see’ it. Give context to your essay’s introduction to capture the reader’s interest.Write about what you know best – not what you think the reader will want to read. Â  Be yourself – analyti cal, brave, adventurous, compassionate, driven, quiet, tenacious. Describe your family and cultural background, hardships, and education. Offer a specific single story to create an image in the reader’s mind so strong they will not be able to forget it – for all the right reasons. The story should illustrate your motivation to study in the United States.If there are people important to your story, tell the reader about them with such care and detail that the admissions representative will be able to see their eye color and work-roughened hands. What are your dreams that motivate you to travel far away from home to study at a foreign university? Everyone’s story is unique. Â  Share the reasons behind your educational goals with the reader. Do you want to teach children in remote villages? Or do you want to start a company or an NGO to fund improvements to the water supply or infrastructure of the country of your childhood? Do you want to study marketing or accou nting to be able to take over the family business? Â  If you grew up in a village with no doctor, do you hope to study nursing or medicine to return to help others? Or do you want to create films that will tell the story for you in pictures? Your dreams belong to you.Be personal, honest, concise, and clear while writing your personal statement. Â  Your own voice should shine through your words, allowing the reader to understand why you want to study in an unknown environment in a different culture. Â  Write as you would talk to someone in a face-to-face meeting and avoid using too many words discovered through the thesaurus. Communicate your motivation, such as studying with outstanding teachers and using cutting-edge technology, having access to advances in laboratory research, and enjoying the opportunity to learn more about the world so that you can have a greater impact on your corner of it.Near the conclusion of your personal statement, tell the reader what special talents y ou offer the university, such as leadership abilities, strong communication skills, musical talent, or expertise in mathematics or computer science. What will be your special value to the university? Perhaps you will engage in thought-provoking classroom discussions, sharing a perspective on politics or philosophy or science that the other students had not considered. Or you may introduce your friends to the literature and music of your culture. Write about what you will ‘bring to the table’ of the campus community – not just what you will learn from the experience.In your conclusion, tell the reader what you plan to do with the degree that you earn from their institution. Will you stay in the US for further education or to work in your field or will you return home to use the degree there?If you are not sure yet what your long-term plans are, you can offer a few options that you are considering so the reader will know that you are a serious student with dreams a nd goals. Share your enthusiasm for the adventure of being an international student and feel free to dream big.As always, I look forward to your comments and questions.

Economic Analysis Of Hawaii Essays (1356 words) - Hawaii

Economic Analysis Of Hawaii Essays (1356 words) - Hawaii Economic Analysis of Hawaii Hawaii, with an area of 28,313 sq. km (10,932 sq. mi.), is the 43rd largest state in the U.S.; 6.9% of the land is owned by the federal government. It consists mainly of the Hawaiian Islands, eight main islands and 124 islets, reefs, and shoals. The major islands in order of size are Hawaii, Maui, Oahu, Kauai, Molokai, Lanai, Nihau, and Kahoolawe. Population growth has increased by 80,000 persons over the past five years. Demographics show a large number of Hispanic origin: Asian Hispanics are the most populated with white Hispanic and Asian non-Hispanic following. Hawaii's economy has been long dominated by plantation agriculture and military spending. As agriculture has declined in importance, the economy has diversified to encompass a large tourist business and a growing manufacturing industry. Hawaii's economy has changed drastically since statehood. In 1958, defense, sugar, and pineapple were the primary economic activities, accounting for 40% of Gross State Product (GSP). In contrast, visitor-related expenditures stood at just over 4% of Hawaii's GSP prior to statehood. Today the positions are reversed; sugar and pineapple constitute about 1% of GSP, defense accounts for just under 11%, while visitor-related spending comes close to 24% of Hawaii's GSP. The movement toward a service- and trade-based economy becomes even more apparent when considering the distribution of Hawaii's jobs across sectors. The share of the economy's jobs accounted for by manufacturing and agriculture have declined steadily since 1959 and each currently makes up less than 4% of total jobs in the economy. At the same time, the shares of jobs in wholesale and retail trade and in services have risen, standing at about 23% and 28%, respectively. Since 1991, Hawaii's economy has suffered from rising rates of unemployment . This stands in marked contrast to the period 1980 to 1993, when the state enjoyed very low unemployment rates relative to the nation as a whole. But by 1994 the recession had raised Hawaii's unemployment rate to the national average (6.1%) for the first time in 15 years. In 1995, the state's unemployment rate improved slightly in the first eleven months of the year to 5.4 percent, a 0.6 percentage point decline from the first eleven months of 1994. Despite the lower unemployment rate, the total number of wage and salary jobs declined by 0.6 percent during the first eleven months of 1995. This was due in part to a fall in part-time jobs which are often held by persons who also have primary jobs elsewhere in the economy. The number of construction jobs declined by more than 7 percent in the same period. Other industriesnamely, manufacturing, agriculture, transportation, communications/utilities, and finance, insurance, and real estateexperienced declines in the number of jobs as well. Jobs in retail trade and services, however, increased 2.2 percent and 0.5 percent, respectively, reflecting an increase in visitor spending since 1994. Following a dismal first quarter due to the Kobe earthquake, there was steady growth in the tourism sector in 1995 with increases in the number of visitor arrivals and hotel room rates. The number of visitor arrivals to the State increased 3.2 percent during the first eleven months of 1995. The increase in the value of the Japanese yen vis-a-vis the U.S. dollar during this period contributed to a rise in eastbound visitors in the second and third quarter of 1995 by 11.8 percent and 15.4 percent, respectively. However, in the first eleven months of 1995, the number of westbound visitors remained flat. This year is the 11th year in a row that the U.S. has experienced reduced spending on national defense. The continued reduction is due to the decline in superpower tensions and the political disintegration of the Soviet and East European-block during this decade which have prompted the Congress and Administration to initiate significant cuts in the level of defense expenditures in recent years. However, because of the strategic location of Hawaii in the Pacific this changing military posture has not significantly affected Hawaii's $3.7 billion Federal defense sector. The construction industry continued its decline in the first eleven months of 1995. This loss was mainly due to decreasing demand exacerbated by higher interest rates during the first half of 1995, following a 12.4 percent drop in 1994. Another reason is that construction costs rose by 15 percent from 1992 to 1995, which is much higher than the consumer inflation rate of 8 percent during the same period. Agriculture jobs, including self-employed, showed a 6.6 percent decline in the first eleven months of 1995 from the same period in 1994. In the earlier part of

Policy argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Policy argument - Essay Example Accordingly, this paper would be divided into several categories wherein reasons for the cessation of troop deployment to the Iraqi and Afghan warzones would be in the best interest of all the stakeholders, including alternative policies currently undertaken and feasible proposals by respective governments. First and foremost however, a factual backdrop would be necessary regarding troop deployment in Afghanistan and Iraq. In February and March 2009, respectively, the Obama Administration declared its strategy to amplify troop deployment levels in Afghanistan, while providing for the decrease of troop deployment levels in Iraq. In Afghanistan, 30,000 more troops are deploying this year while in Iraq; troops will gradually decline to 35,000 to 50,000 by August 31, 2011 with all troops to be out of Iraq by December 31, 20111 (Belasco, 2009). The possibility of increase in troop deployment in the aforementioned warzones has been met with reluctance, and even expresses political disappro val by several of the stakeholders. Conversely, the counter-proposal of withdrawal is constantly gaining support, from the US and the invaded countries themselves. In the case of the United States of America, public support for the war has constantly waned. Both public opinion and government policy require the means to cease or at least lessen further war expenditure and troop deployment. Recent events relative to the conduct of the war continually depreciate popular support at home for the United States. US military causalities in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn, and Operation Enduring Freedom total to 6049 soldiers killed in action, further fanning public outrage against the conflicts, apart from hundreds of thousands of civilian casualties in Afghanistan and Iraq2 Accordingly, the economy of the US is also one of the major concerns. The  financial cost of the war  for the US has reached almost $845 billion  to the U.S., while the entire cost to the U.S. economy is projected to amount to  $3 trillion, a majority of which to be shouldered by American taxpayers.3 The conflict has also disrupted Iraqi  oil  production, which has spawned energy security concerns such as significant increases in the price of oil, thus disrupting the world economy. 4 The conflicts also have had adverse effects for international political relations. These include the circumstances of the legality and morality of the invasion, including the refusal of the US to comply with UN Security Resolutions and international law. Public opinion of several countries and diplomatic relations with Middle Eastern countries and their allies has also been severely affected. The US has been portrayed as imperialists and hegemons, effecting to massive protests not only in the Middle East, but also in Europe and even the US itself, drawing comparisons of the war to the Vietnam War 5. With regard to Afghanistan, political analysts have asserted that the democratization and develo pment of the country has been obscured by a â€Å"lack of agreement on objectives, a lack of resources, lack of coordination, too much focus on the central government at the expense of local and provincial governments, and too much focus on

A Critical Evaluation of Your Learning and Development Whilst on Work Assignment

A Critical Evaluation of Your Learning and Development Whilst on Work Placement - Assignment Example The main aim of the module is to enable learning from the entire work experience that includes a focus on knowledge from the workplace and generic skills. These comprise of: induction programs, understanding organizational structures, learning through induction, personal development and critical analysis (Peter, 2009). Much of my educational learning is about gaining of subject knowledge and development the critical and analytical skills related to my subject. This is a very important fact; however, what is also vital is that I can apply this academic knowledge and, more exclusively, the kinds of thinking skills I gained through education to a more practical context of work (Sammon, 2008). With ever changing knowledge, I also need to be very practical and adaptable so as to cope with these demands. Therefore, this module is generally aimed to help me: develop my personal and key skills, increase my employability skills, improve on my strengths and weakness, become a reflective practi tioner, be able to utilize effectively transfer of skills, become an autonomous learner and finally to be able to learn by experience. MODULE STRUCTURE 1) Learning through self-awareness 1.1) knowing and understanding my learning style There are numerous means that a person can learn. The more can be able to understand our preferences to learn, including developing and practicing various ways of learning and hence the more we become effective learners in different contexts (Peter, 2009). According to Kolb (1984), as we grow up, we build up tendencies and preferences to learn new things in some specific way, without essentially noticing that it is so. My learning style is basically linked to Kolb’s four stages of learning as shown below: 1having a strong experience doing 4. Testing planning 3. Conceptulizing 2.reflection/ observation review To be a more effective learner I would wish to improve on these selected areas. 1.2 Personal and key skills Many generic skills are for ef fectiveness at work or daily lives, for instance problem solving, good communication, time management, setting goals. It is actually important to continue to develop your skills at greater levels and in new situations (Sammon, 2008). Personal and key skills self evaluation 1 2 3 4 justification Self management a. Time management b. Dealing with criticism c. Professional responsibility d. Meeting of the objectives, standards and priorities e. Clarification of personal values f. Employment potentials Problem solving a. Identification of the problem b. Critical thinking about the problem c. Conceptualization of the issues d. Identification of the options e. Identify possible solutions f. Implementation of the course of action g. Carry out the solution h. Evaluation and adaption of the solutions and outcomes Working with others a. Planning together b. Respecting the values and views of others c. Delegation, d. initiative, e. negotiation, f. lead Communication a. visual/oral competency b . effective listening c. verbal communication Handling of data a. use of media and appropriate technology with IT b. handling of large amount of data c. translation of data into words d. evaluation and adoption of strategies for handling data and information e. use of sources of information KEY: 1) started but needs more practice 2) able to do if there is some assistance 3) proficient without assistance 4) proficient and able to help others 1.3 strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis This entails an honest and critical reflection of my strengths, weaknesses and areas that I need to develop. It also contains the opportunities that are

Length of Pelvetia Canaliculata on Upper Shore Zone

Length of Pelvetia Canaliculata on Upper Shore Zone ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to compare the length of Pelvetia canaliculata on the upper shore zone of both wave-sheltered and wave-exposed shores. The hypothesis was that the Pelvetia fronds growing on the upper shore zone of a wave-sheltered rocky shore will be significantly longer compared with fronds growing on the upper shore zone of a wave-exposed rocky shore. The lengths of 450 fronds in total were sampled using systematic continuous horizontal belt transect sampling method at a wave- exposed and wave-sheltered shores on the Pembrokeshire coast. The results showed that there was a significant difference in the lengths of the seaweed with longer fronds being found in the wave-sheltered rocky shore. This is happening because there is less wave exposure and so fronds are less likely to be broken off at the tips and hence they will be longer. INTRODUCTION Rocky shores are areas of bedrock exposed between the extreme high and extreme low tide levels on the seashore. The ecosystem is complex, as it is an interaction between terrestrial and aquatic systems. Plants and animals are distributed on the shore in horizontal zones that relate to the tolerance of the species to either exposure to air or submergence in water during the tidal cycle. This zonation can be very clear and abrupt. Using this fact, I have clearly identified the area Pelvetia canaliculata is found; the upper shore. [1]  ­I have researched this zone in more depth to be able to understand the conditions, the problems and the different variables that can affect Pelvetia canaliculata and the adaptations it developed to survive and thrive. As the tide level drops on the upper shore, the seaweed will be exposed to air and desiccation (drying out) occurs as a result. Because the tide rises up and down twice a day organisms at the top of the shore get much less water than ones at the bottom. Across a year, the top of the upper zone gets covered by the sea for less than 1% of the year while The bottom of it for about 20% of the year. This is very short time to obtain nutrients from the water for photosynthesis, and can therefore slow growth rate. However, this is not the only problem as the water filters off some of the wavelengths of light and reduce its intensity and so lowering photosynthesis rate. In addition, the water is the main medium where dispersal of spores happens; spending less time in the water means low productivity. [2] Species on the Upper shore get subjected to a wide variation in temperature. Immersion in water buffers against temperature change due to the high specific heat capacity of water. Upper shore species will have to tolerate the greatest variation in temperature whilst it has least effect in the lower shore. High temperatures will increase the risk of desiccation and increases salinity in pools. [3] The other major physical factor that controls what can live on a shore is wave action. Exposed shores have a lot of wave action and sheltered shores have little. Seaweeds find the drier, brighter, wave exposed environment very difficult to cope with. Sheltered shores [4] Exposed shores [4] Usually face away from the open sea and the prevailing wind. This means they generally have smaller waves than exposed shores which face out into the open sea and the prevailing wind. Sheltered shores are usually on north to north easterly facing shores. North facing sheltered shores get less sunlight than exposed ones, and are less susceptible to desiccation and in general are more hospitable places for inter-tidal organisms. Usually face into the open sea and the prevailing wind. This means they generally have bigger waves than sheltered shores. Exposed shores are usually on south to south westerly facing shores. South to south westerly facing exposed shores get more sunlight than sheltered ones, are more susceptible to desiccation and in general are not hospitable places for most inter-tidal organisms. Now that I explained the features of the upper shore zone and the exposed and sheltered shores I will describe the features and the different adaptations that enabled Pelvetia canaliculata to live in such a habitat and constantly changing environment. Taxon English equivalent or translation [3] Phylum Chromophycota /Brown seaweeds e.g. kelps wracks Class Phaeophyceae /Brown seaweeds e.g. kelps wracks Order Fucales/ Fucoids e.g. wracks Family Fucaceae Genus Pelvetia Species canaliculata Pelvetia canaliculata is dark olive green in colour, becoming black and brittle as the fronds dry out. P.canaliculata lives for about 4 years and grows up to 150 mm long [3]. The fronds are curled longitudinally forming channels that are dichotomously branched ending in swollen and granular reproductive bodies. They dont have air bladders or mid-ribs. Pelvetia canaliculata [3]Pelvetia canaliculata grows attached to hard substrata using their holdfast; this has the mechanical features of a root system that would be beneficial for the seaweed, holding them steady no matter how turbulent the water movement. It tolerates ultra sheltered to moderately exposed conditions. The algae P.canaliculata is limited from living higher on the shore by desiccation, but is prevented from colonizing lower levels by competition from other species of algae. Seaweeds also have to cope with grazing pressure from mobile gastropods. [5] Over the period of neap tides, the plants may lose up to 65 per cent of their contained water and become dry and blackened. But when the spring tides extend over them, water is absorbed and the normal olive-green colour and softer texture are regained. It has been estimated that the upper shore plants are exposed for 90% of the year. [6] In water, seaweed obtain the carbon they need for photosynthesis from dissolved co2 or bicarbonate (HCO3-). When exposed to air, photosynthesis can only take place with uptake of CO2 from air. As long as the seaweeds do not dry out, many species photosynthesize in air at rates similar to those measured when they are fully submerged. However, as they begin to dry out, their ability to photosynthesize diminishes. Pelvetia canaliculata is found high on the shores and is prone to drying out for long periods of time. The species can photosynthesise when exposed to air but may suffer nutrient stress as it can only obtain nutrients when submerged. Researche rs found that within less than a day of being back in seawater, as specimen that had been desiccated for 6 days was able to resume full rates of photosynthesis. In fact P.Canaliculata requires periods of exposure to the air. If it is submerged for more than 6 hours out of 12 it actually starts to decay. This is a rare example of a seaweed species in which periods out of water are absolutely essential. [7] An increase in wave exposure and water flow rate may cause Pelvetia canaliculata to be torn off the substratum or the substratum with plants attached may be mobilised. It is unlikely that any Pelvetia canaliculata will live in areas of very high wave exposure. In faster moving water the risk of the fronds tearing will increase because of the increased drag. Hence Pelvetia canaliculata adapts its shape to reduce drag depending on their location. Pelvetia fronds growing on wave-exposed shores are shorter and thinner because the fronds are frequently broken off at the tip. Pelvetia canaliculata has many adaptations that allow it to survive better in the upper shore compared to algae living down. They have; rolled fronds to reduce water loss in evaporation, channels to trap water in the frond, a fatty (oily) layer over the cell that stops water evaporating to slow desiccation, a thick cell wall which shrinks with drying, the ability to survive low nutrient level, a rapid recovery of metabolism when the tide returns during respiration and photosynthesis. It is therefore, a very stress-tolerant alga, well adapted to the niche at the top of the shore. [2] Based on the information I researched in the introduction I will investigate and compare the adaptations of Pelvetia canaliculata on two different sites where the conditions are different. I will compare the lengths of the fronds of Pelvetia canaliculata on a wave-sheltered rocky shore and a wave-exposed rocky shore. EXPERIMENTAL HYPOTHESIS: There will be a statistically significant difference between the length of the Pelvetia canaliculata growing on the upper shore zone of both a wave-exposed and a wave-sheltered rocky shore; and that its fronds are going to be on average longer in the wave-sheltered shore compared with the wave-exposed rocky shore as there is less wave exposure and so fronds are less likely to be broken off at the tips and hence they will be longer. NULL HYPOTHESIS: There will be no statistically significant difference between the length of the Pelvetia canaliculata growing on the upper shore zone of both a wave-sheltered and wave-exposed rocky shores .Any difference however, will be due to chance factors. VARIABLES: The table below lists and briefly explains the variables that could affect the reliability of the investigation and how they will be controlled. Exposure (independent) An exposed shore means larger fetch hence greater wave action which leads to the damage of the Pelvetia canaliculata fronds I will be carrying out the investigation in areas classified by the Ballantines biologically defined exposure scale to be wave-sheltered and wave-exposed. For the wave-sheltered shore I will collect my data at Angle Point site, SM 875 033 which is a wave sheltered rocky shore inside the Milford Haven estuary, Angle Point is 12km north-west of Pembroke. Facing north-east, the shore is sheltered from the prevailing south-westerly winds and has a small fetch. The Ballantines biologically defined exposure scale classifies this site as Grade7- very sheltered. For the wave-exposed shore I will collect my data at West Angle Bay, SM 852 032 which is a wave exposed rocky shore on the Atlantic coast of Pembrokeshire and lies 14km north-west of Pembroke. Facing south the shore has a large fetch (to south America). The Ballantines biologically defined exposure scale classifies this site as Grade3- exposed. Length of Pelvetia canaliculata (dependent) There are some variables that would affect the growth rate of the fronds and therefore its length. Some of these variables include The height on shore, wave action, and the abiotic and biotic factors. All the effects of these variables are explained below. I will be measuring all my samples on both shores in mm using the same 30 cm ruler. The height on shore From my research I know that Pelvetia canaliculata only colonises the upper shore zone. However, the abiotic factors will affect the different zones on the upper shore differently for example the effect of wave action on the lower part of the upper shore zone is different than that on the higher part of the upper shore zone. Also the water coverage in the lower part of the upper shore is 19% more than the higher part. Hence, there will be more nutrition uptake, resulting in different growth rates. I will be measuring both samples on both shores horizontally across the upper shore zone using horizontal continuous belt transect technique. To ensure that Im working on the same height I will be using a cross staff. Wave action The strong force produced by the powerful wave action will decrease the fronds growth rate. The fronds will adapt by becoming shorter so that the drag force is lessened. I cannot control any of the abiotic factors but I will measure them to see if they have any affect on the samples I will be measuring on the two different sites. However, I will take both my samples on the same periods of the day, on the same season and on the same shore area Humidity Wind spray increases the humidity, this will be higher on the wave-exposed because of the greater and higher wave action Light intensity Needed for photosynthesis. Although the Pelvetia canaliculata requires to be immersed in seawater for this to occur, the process still takes place slowly in air. Wind speed Wind increases the rate of transpiration as it moves the layer of water out side the stomata, which contributes towards the desiccation of the fronds. Rock gradient The steeper the rock the harder the wave will hit it causing greater damage for the fronds. Also a flatter shore will expose a greater area of substrate for colonizing and will not drain as fast as a steeper slope. Aspect It is the direction the rock faces. South facing shores will have more illumination and warmth, but dries faster; north facing shores are cooler, darker and less likely to dry out. Thus, on a north facing slope community bands of Pelvetia canaliculata will be wider and higher up the shore. Substrate or rock type The hardness and size of rocks will influence an organisms ability to attach itself. Soft rocks will not be suitable for hold fast to attach on. If stones are too small they will be mobile, moving around in the surf and so prevent any organism from attaching itself to the rock. The type of rocks on both sites should be the same. Apparatus and  Justification 30 cm ruler To measure the length of the frond on the Pelvetia canaliculata. From my research I found that the fronds average height is 15 cm, hence I chose 30 cm ruler. 1/4m quadrat I think that this is a suitable size to measure a sample of small organism, as it will include an appropriate number of Pelvetia bunches. The quadrat will be used to carry out the continuous horizontal belt transect. 0.6m Cross staff To make sure that all the data collected on both sites are gathered at the same height, so ensuring a fair test. Pencil To record the data with. Its useful incase it rains, my data will be safe and the values will not get lost Calculator To keep calculating the running mean Water proofs For safety reasons and for protection from wind chill and spray. The Wellingtons boots to avoid slipping and falling. Gloves To protect hands from the mucus layer on the Pelvetia canaliculata To calculate the height of the data collecting area the time of the low tide and its height is needed: On Monday 25/09/06 the low tide is 1.1m at 14:42; and on Tuesday 26/09/06 the low tide is 1.28m at 15:10. ETHICAL CONSIDERSTION: Consideration has to be given to the organisms living on the shore; so the seaweed will be measured where it lies without cutting or destroying the living specimens. Care will also be taken to move around the shore without stepping on delicate sea life such as snails and crabs. Also if any animals living on the seaweed like snails are removed so that the seaweed could be measured ensure that they are released close to their point of capture and in a manner that will give them a good chance of survival. Finally ensure that you know the local regulations concerning the protection of habitats and endangered species and always obtain the consent of licensing authorities, landowners, etc. PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION: Preliminary work was done as a group to learn about the different shore zones as well as the different species that are found in each zone and the adaptation they developed to survive at extreme conditions like desiccation for instance. Also before carrying out the full investigation a pilot study was conducted on any random 10 Pelvetia bunches to find out the best way to measure their length and to determine which branch of the frond to use when measuring. From the preliminary investigation I found out that I would be measuring the longest branch of the longest frond of each pelvetia bunch. I will also be placing the end of the ruler on the ground where the Pelvetias hold fast is found. Finally, Ill also make sure to keep it vertical all time to ensure a fair test. [Figure 3] First of all, check the time of the day when the low tide occurs and its height above chart datum. The help of a friend who has the same height as you is needed for this part in the method. At the time of the low tide, stand at the lowest part of the lower shore where the tide is at its lowest and place the cross staff on the ground in a way that you are facing one of its sides and the other side is facing the upper shore direction where the Pelvetia canaliculata grow (data collecting area) [figure 1]. Lower your body so that your eyes are level with the opening in the cross staff. On the mirror observe the reflection of the small tube that is filled with coloured liquid which contains a small bubble and two marked lines in the middle of the tube. [Figure 2] Supporting the body of the cross staff with one hand and moving the flexible plastic part up and down, adjust the position of the bubble so it stays still between the two marked lines on the tube. Instruct and direct y our friend to move around until you can see her/his boot through the opening in the cross staff. Ensure that she/he does not walk backwards as the shore is very slippery because of the mucus on the algae and the small pebbles and rocks makes it very easy to fall down. When you are able to see the boot, ask your friend to stop and not move from that point. Now stand up and walk up to your friend with your cross staff. Place the cross staff on their boot position, after she/he move their boot. This is the new spot. Repeat the above procedure until you reach the upper part of the upper shore where Pelvetia canaliculata grows (data collecting area). [Figure 3] Every time you move up with the cross staff to a new spot, you are gaining 0.6 m in height. Keep recording and adding the height gain every time you changed to a new spot. At the end add the total height gain in meters to the height of the low tide; the result will be the height of the data collecting area. When you reach the upper shore where the Pelvetia canaliculata is, place the 1/4m quadrat on the first area where they are seen. To avoid bias start measuring to the nearest mm the length of the longest frond of each bunch found within the whole quadrat starting from the right hand side and then moving across to avoid measuring the same bunch more than once. [Figure 4] The Pelvetia canaliculata fronds grow in bunches where each bunch is attached by one holdfast to a rock. The fronds lay on top of each other in the sea direction. So when you start measuring, position yourself on the opposite direction to the Pelvetias. [Figure 5] After putting your gloves on, start by gently gathering a bunch of Pelvetia canaliculata up right; make sure that all the fronds in this bunch spring from the same hold fast. Also as a control make sure that the bunch is attached to a substrate and not in a rock pool. Keep your face at distance as there will be small flying organisms and always try to minimis e the disturbance to other organisms that live there as much as possible. Now slide the hand that is holding the Pelvetia bunch up, so that all the fronds are laid up against each other. [Figure 6] Now it is easy to determine the longest frond; with the free hand, hold the tip of the longest frond and leave the rest of the fronds to fall down towards you or in the opposite direction of the sea, so that you do not measure this bunch again. Still holding up the longest frond, line up the 30 cm ruler against the frond with the free hand. Make sure that the ruler is parallel to the frond with the 0 mm edge resting flat on the rock to ensure correct and accurate measurement. [Figure 7] The ruler used should be plastic with a smooth base and not metal so it does not cut through the fragile fronds or get rusty, it is also easier to read off measurements as it is see through. Now read the length of the frond and record it to the nearest mm in the prepared recording table. Place the results and the calculator inside a plastic bag incase of a bad weather. Place the frond with the rest of the bunch in your direction Do not include pieces of debris, or any seaweed merely unattached to a rock in the investigation as this will lead to misleading results. Also do not measure dead fronds as they will cause anomalies in your data. These fronds are usually desiccated and very brittle; their colour is black instead of the olive green. Ask a teacher or an expert to confirm. Measure all the Pelvetia canaliculata on the sides of the rocks and all the ones that have their hold fast within the quadrat even if all or some of the fronds are outside, as the quadrat frame is relatively thick so it might cover some of the Pelvetia canaliculata fronds. Rock pools provide artificial environments, and so do not included these areas in the investigation. After you finish measuring all the Pelvetia bunches within the first quadrat, flip it to start on a new one. This is systematic continuous horizontal belt transect sampling. When flipping the quadrat use your hand to secure the right/left hand side of the frame-depending on where more of the Pelvetia is found- and then flip the left hand side of it so it becomes the right hand side now. [Figure 8] Every time you record 5 new measurements, calculate the running mean to see if the sample size is large enough. When you get at least three consecutive running mean values which are the same to 2 decimal places, calculate  ± 2.5% value of the repeated value and then double the sample number. If the running mean continues within the range until the last required sample then stop. However, if it goes outside the confidence limits calculate a new range. Abiotic factors method: Wind speed measured using an anemometer: Hold it facing the wind. Wait for 20 seconds until the reading stabilises. Record the average measurement in m/sec. Humidity measured using a whirling hygrometer: whirl the hygrometer for 20 seconds. Record the temperature of both the wet and dry thermometer. Use the chart to work out the humidity percentage. Temperature measured using a thermometer: record the temperature of the dry thermometer when using the whirling hygrometer. The statistical test I will be using the z-test to test for statistically significant difference between the sample mean and the population mean for both the wave-sheltered and wave-exposed sets of data. The reason this test is used and not the t-test is because my sample exceeded 30 data points. Z= (S1)2 + (S2)2 a) Square both standard deviation Wave-Sheltered Wave-exposed 24.48 ² =599.2704 14.99 ² =224.7001 b) Divide each answer by n=225 599.2704 à · 225 = 2.66342 224.7001 à · 225 =0.998667111 c) add both values obtained from step (b) 2.66342 + 0.998667111 =3.662091111 d) square root result obtained from step (c) à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ 3.662091111 =1.91365909 e) |à Ã‚ ¥1 à Ã‚ ¥2| Mean of site 1 mean of site 2 104.06 35.71 = 68.35 f) divide result obtained from step (e) by result obtained from step (d) 68.35 à · 1.91365909 z= 35.72 z= 35.72 When Degrees of freedom = à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¾: Level of significance P= 0.05, the Critical value =1.960 Z > critical value 35.72>1.960 The reason p=0.05 was used is because it is the standard level of significance used to justify a claim of a statistically significant effect. In the curve of normal distribution of a normal population Alpha level is 95% and this is normal, outside of that is 1-alpha or 5%. This 5% (0.05) means, that normal falls within this range, beyond that, would be too rare to be by chance alone and must be by the effect of something wave action for example. A p value As my results were significant at p Level of significance P= 0.01, the Critical value =2.576 Z > critical value 35.72>2.576 The z value obtained is significantly greater than the critical value at the p Graphs are presented in the next couple of pages. ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSION: The results tables and the graph comparing the mean length of Pelvetia canaliculata between the wave-sheltered and the wave-exposed shores clearly display evidence supporting the hypothesis. Looking at the mean graph I could evidently see that the sheltered shore has a higher mean than the exposed shore; more than 2.9 times higher to be exact. This is because in faster moving, turbulent water and strong wave action like in the wave-exposed shore, the risk of tearing fronds is increased due to the increase in dragging force. Pelvetia canaliculata adapt its shape to reduce drag depending on its location. Fronds found at wave exposed shores are shorter and narrower as they are frequently broken off at the tips. The error bars for both shores are fairly large which indicates that there is quite a lot of variation in the results and so reduces the reliability of the data. Similarly the difference between the standard deviation of both sets of data is rather large, with 24.48mm for the sheltered shore and 14.99mm for the exposed shore. Even though this shows a great range in my data hence more variability and less reliability, still as it applies to both data sets, making comparisons should be safe. The frequency histograms for both shores shows that the data collected at the wave-sheltered site is more varied than the exposed site as it is spread over 13 categories as opposed to only 9 for the exposed shore. The frequency histogram for the sheltered shore shows a bell curve pattern, displaying a normal distribution with the peak at the 80.00-89.99mm category. On the other hand the wave-exposed histogram displays a positive skew as most of the data is lying to the right hand side with the most common length of Pelvetia is within the classes 20.00-29.99mm. The skew could have occurred because I found great difficulty measuring the very small frond of Pelvetia growing on the wave-exposed shore, and so not including them in the results. Also an increase in water flow rate cause plants to be torn off the substratum or the substratum with the plants attached may be mobilised and so washing away the young Pelvetia plants. Pelvetia canaliculata is permanently attached to the substratum so once removed it cannot re-form an attachment. I think that these factors together helped create this gap in the histogram. The peaks of both histograms are very far apart. This shows that there is a significant difference between the lengths of Pelvetia canaliculata on both sites. This has even been proven further by the ÃŽtest, which showed 99% significance. However, there is quite an overlap between the two curves. This overlap is between 40.00-99.99 mm categories. This overlap could be explained by the similarity in the abiotic factors between the two sites. Also the exposed shore received more sunlight than the sheltered one, which was shaded by a cliff; this means that the Pelvetia canaliculata on the exposed shore were able to photosynthesis more. These factors could have enabled some fronds to have a faster growth rate than others and so became longer. Or it could be that on the exposed shore the wave action is greater and so spray will splash higher up the beach than on a sheltered shore with fewer waves and so this will provide more nutrients for the fronds to grow longer during some exposed p eriods. Although a bell curve pattern is recognised on the wave-sheltered site there are three identified anomalies. Firstly, the frequency of the histogram at category 90.00-99.99 mm would be expected to be lower than that of category 100.00-109.99 mm but at the same time higher than the frequency of 80.00-89.99 mm. One explanation for this anomaly could be due to smothering. If smothering took place when the plant was emersed the whole of the plant would be buried under the sediment preventing photosynthesis that is taking place very slowly in the first place. If smothering however happened while the plant was immersed, some of the fronds may escape smothering and be able to continue photosynthesis. This will still lower the growth rate and so fronds length. Another explanation is that within the same quadrat I measured the Pelvetia canaliculata that grew on both sides of the rock. It is expected that the length of the Pelvetia fronds growing on the side of the rock facing the direct waves action to be shorter than the other landward facing side. This is because the initial force exerted by the wave will be absorbed by the Pelvetia fronds growing on the sea-facing side of the rock; this will cause the fronds to be frequently broken off at the tips and so will make them shorter. On the other hand, the sheltered side of the rock is only getting wave force that has been weakened by the seaward facing side of the rock and so the fronds length will not be affected as much. To control this in future I will restrict myself to measuring the length of the Pelvetia fronds on only one side of the rock(sea/landward facing) to get fairer results. Another reason to explain the anomalies displayed on the histogram could be that the swollen reproductive fruiting bodies on some of the Pelvetia canaliculata added a few mm to the length. On the other hand it could be explained by intraspecific competition. The fronds in the 110.00-119.99 mm category could be shading and preventing the sunlight from reaching the fronds in the categories below it as they are longer; this means that less photosynthesis is taking place and hence slow growth rate and shorter fronds, in other words they will be out competed for light. The two measurements recorded at 160.00-169.99 mm could be an exception of over growth or mutation as from research Pelvetia is expected to grow no more than 150mm in length. On the other hand, this anomaly could also indicate that there might have been some errors happening while taking measurements. Even though I couldnt measure the sunlight intensity received by the Pelvetia canaliculata on both shores as the equipment required werent working, I observed that the wave-exposed shore received more sunlight then the sheltered one. This is because the wave-exposed shore has a southern aspect. However this slight difference in the light intensity received by the chlorophyll on the different shores can affect the growth rate; light is also an important factor in allowing good settlement of spores by stimulating the growth of rhizoids which anchor the young plant to the rock. This is reflected on the data collected from the wave-exposed showing the overlap with the wave-sheltered shores data. The humidity measured on both sites is quite similar with the wave-sheltered shore being very slightly more humid. This difference in humidity was only expected on the wave-exposed shore due to the wave action being greater and so spray will splash higher up adding to the air humidity than on the sheltered shore with much fewer, weaker waves. The explanation that I find convincing and convenient for the increased humidity on the wave-shelt