Including all Learners in the Classroom Enviroment

The issue of the inclusion of kids with particular educational demands ( SEN ) into mainstream schools, enterprises and authorities policies has become non merely a modern-day political inquiry about the best manner to run the instruction system ( MacBeath, 2006 ) , but is for some, besides a argument on societal justness ( Conner and Ferri, 2007 ) . Rachael Hurst, undertaking manager of Disability Awareness in Action, feels that existent equality in the instruction system will merely be achieved when every kid with a disablement or particular educational demand has the right to all mainstream schooling ( Inham, 2000 ) . Similarly, Oliver ( 1996 ) argues that in being denied entree to the same course of study and enterprises as everyone else, the educational chances of kids with SEN will stay limited. The definition of SEN is slightly defined In the Particular Educational Needs Code of Practice ( DfES, 2001a ) . It states on the one manus, that ‘there are no difficult and fast classs of particular educational demand ‘ , that ‘every kid is alone ‘ and that ‘there is a broad spectrum of particular educational demands that are often inter-related ‘ ( DfES, 2001a, Section 52 ) . Farrel ( 2003 ) high spots these as of import points when seeking to supply for any kid with an extra demand, or so any kid in your attention. On the other manus, it besides states that ‘there are specific demands that normally relate to peculiar types of damage ‘ , and that ‘individual students may hold demands which span two or more countries ‘ , however, the ‘needs and demands can usefully be organised into countries ‘ ( DfES, 2001a, Section 53 ) . These include communicating, knowledge, behavior, and sensory. It should be noted, nevert heless, that it is frequently the instance that all kids, irrespective of the SEN statement, could endure in one or more of these countries, and it is good pattern to cognize how to cover with these countries for the benefit of all kids. ( King-sears, 2008 ) . Contemporary authorities policy has tried to take answerability and show earnestness to this topic through statute law ( Warnock, 1978, Act on Children with Special Educational Needs, 1981, 2001. Education Reform Act, 1988 and the Education Bill, 1992 ) . The SEN codification of pattern, amongst other enterprises, was introduced to seek and guarantee that any kid, irrespective of demand, could hold their instruction provided for in a mainstream school ( DfES, 2001a ) , and should hold the intervention of any student in regard to entree and accomplishment ( DfEE, 1999, DfES, 2001a, B, 2003, 2004, 2006, DoH, 2001 ) . Possible future authorities policy besides shows a demand to go on bring forthing effectual programs to let all kids, irrespective of demand, to go to mainstream schools and achieve to the best of their abilities, with a â€Å" reappraisal of SEN proviso † perchance required ( Alexander, 2009, DCSF, 2009 ) . Both Mitchell ( 2005 ) and MacBeath ( 2006 ) are critical of whether it is really of all time possible to be to the full inclusive, and suggest that there are some barriers, to make with society and medical issues, that merely can non be removed. Burr ( 2003 ) suggests that these sole barriers are founded in the societal phenomena of our civilization, and it is this that develops into societal contexts, curtailing entree to minorities. This is otherwise known as social-constructionism. Burr goes on to propose that, in the instance of extra and complex demands, we have a societal context into which we place kids ‘s conditions and behavior, and it is this that decides what a kid is or is non capable of, in â€Å" our † mainstream society, this is otherwise known as internal kernels ( Fromm, 2001 ) . It is, hence of import to dispute this behavior as it is merely of all time a direct response to the state of affairs in which we find ourselves. We need to take kids ‘s behavior on a individual footing, and non let ourselves to take down their behavior to a word that will depict them, whatever their behavior ( Abrams et al, 2005, Young, 2008, Bearne, 1996 ) . Hardey ( 1998 ) and Makin ( 1995 ) extend this point by inquiring: who decides what an extra or complex demand is? The thought of whether a kid is functional or non is context-dependent. Practitioners can frequently fall victim to learning kids with â€Å" authoritative teaching method † for a â€Å" common † category. However, any kid who is unable to larn â€Å" usually † in those conditions is seen as handicapped, in good pattern or through societal context, this may ne'er be the instance. It is, so, argued that disablement is a map of the environment in which kids are constrained to larn, otherwise known as â€Å" the societal theoretical account of disablement † . It is up to the instructor to interrupt down the barriers that constrain kids ‘s engagement, if we can non ever interrupt them for the act of larning itself ( Ainscow, 1999, Rose et Al, 1993, Sebba et Al, 1994 ) . It is non merely sociological factors which need to be addressed, there are besides the psychological theories of labelling, life opportunities ( Meighau & A ; Harber, 2007 Norwich & A ; Kelly, 2004 ) and the lowering of educational outlooks ( Hayes, 2004 ) . â€Å" Students tend to execute every bit good, or every bit severely as their instructors or society expects them to. † ( Meighau & A ; Harber, 2007 p.367 ) This can be communicated to them often in unwilled or unconscious ways, otherwise known as â€Å" self fulfilling prognostication † which will damage a kid ‘s self-concept. This calls for instructors to be cognizant when utilizing SEN statement labels, or so, any aberrant behavior by a kid, as a opinion to their acquisition or environmental demands. Practitioners can utilize their opinions and scrutinies of a individual being labelled as a usher, but should ever acquire to cognize their scholars and pull their ain decisions about their demands ( Bearne, 1996, Meighau & A ; Harber, 2007, Cheminais, 2007 ) . Hayes ( 2004 ) , Ainscow ( 1999 ) and Cheminais ( 2007 ) all topographic point importance on non utilizing the extra or complex demands of kids as an alibi to take down educational outlooks. Hayes suggests that self-pride is to be found through educational accomplishment, it is of import to detect that they mean a kid ‘s ain â€Å" personal accomplishment † and, possibly, will non ever be National Curriculum attainments. The suggestion is the thought of â€Å" value added † being introduced ( Hayes, 2004, Alexander, 2009 ) . Hayes suggests this is merely possible through seeking to restrict barriers to larning ( as medically accomplishable ) , by interrupting down every bit many possible barriers to engagement, otherwise known as holding equal worth for scholars ( Rogers, 1983 ) . There besides needs to be a â€Å" positive and unconditioned respect † for all scholars ( Hayes, 2004, p134, Griddens, 1998 ) . Ecclestone ( 2003 ) and Bearne ( 1996 ) suggest that instructors need to hold the outlook to do it unacceptable to utilize barriers to engagement as an alibi for a kid to be unable to take part in an activity, change it so that they can make it ( Nind et Al, 2005 ) ! The direction of these barriers to engagement can be aided by three theoretical patterns. One, being the basic construct of cognizing your scholars ‘ ( Norwich & A ; Kelly, 2004, Nind et Al, 2005 ) distinction of the course of study to accommodate everyone ( King-sears, 2008, Bearne, 1999, McNamara & A ; Moreton, 1997 ) and, two, effectual summative and formative appraisal, informing future pattern. King-sears ( 2008 ) really states that â€Å" a assortment of adaptable teaching methods are effectual for pupils with and without disablements † ( 2008, p55 ) . Research has shown that the general instruction course of study, with aid from distinction, can guarantee that all scholars be educated successfully ( Cole, 2005 ) . Rose and Meyer ( 2000a, B ) propose the enterprise of â€Å" cosmopolitan design acquisition † . These are techniques based on three classs, foremost, how the acquisition is represented to the kids ( for illustration ocular or haptic methods ) , secondly, the surrender to the fact that kids engage in larning activities in varied ways, and thirdly, the simple fact that kids may wish to show their acquisition in different ways ( spoken, drawn or written ) . If this ideal can be used in concurrence with Nind et Al ‘s ( 2005 ) strategy of planning, learning and measuring extra educational demands, with related teaching methods to cover the declared demands, so this will, non merely interrupt down the barriers to engagement for kids of SEN, but will besides help all scholars ( Solity and Bull, 1987 ) . These two patterns will assist in the preparation of future learning through both types of appraisal. Norwich & A ; Kelly ( 2004 ) give testimony to the instance of self-assessment non being entirely for mainstream students, all kids have critical sentiments on how they see their acquisition taking topographic point, and this information should ever inform your hereafter pattern and teaching method ( Bearne. 1999 ) . The SEN codification of pattern ( 2001a ) suggests the usage of Individual Education Plans ( IEPs ) when covering with extra and complex demands. These are be aftering paperss, which besides inform learning and lend to monitoring, entering and describing a student ‘s advancement and attainment. They, like the other patterns suggested earlier, recommend the puting out of attacks such as distinction of instruction, and reacting to the larning demands of students with SEN. The DfES ( 2001b ) continues this and suggests that IEPs are a tool for planning, learning and reexamining intercessions for students with extra or complex demands. This can sometimes be through the usage of other educational professionals, when the barriers to larning are excessively great. The program should put out the content, methods and frequence of cognition, and the apprehension and accomplishments to be taught through carefully selected activities. However, as stated throughout this assignment and advoc ated by readings ( Bearne, 1999, Ainscow, 1999 ) IEPs every bit good as statements are utile to any practician as a usher and construction, it should ne'er be that these are extra or different to proviso provided by a thoughtful instructor presenting a differentiated course of study to all their scholars ( Nind et Al, 2005 ) . It comes down to the point of single scholars, whether it be a statemented kid or a highly-gifted one, they are helpful in the sense that they can demo medically when a kid may be unable to take part in some acquisition through the assistance of partnership and SENCOs ( Farrel, 2003 ) . While it is of import to hold a full apprehension of the deductions of pattern in general footings, it is of class vital to hold practical schemes that can be implemented in the schoolroom context. Throughout this faculty, through arrangement and private reading, I have come to hold on many practical schemes including instructional ( King-sears, 2008 ) , patterning and motivating ( Cass et al, 2003 ) , co-operative acquisition, staging, ( Westwood, 1997 ) peer-mediated tutoring ( Greenwood et al, 2001 ) , collaborative strategic reading ( Kings-sear, 2008 ) , content country acquisition ( Vaughn et al 2001 ) , larning Centres ( King-sear 2008 ) , a caring teaching method ( Corbett, 1992 ) , preciseness instruction ( Kessissoglou et al 1995 ) , circle clip ( Curry 1997 ) , behaviour contracts ( Westwood, 1997 ) , cross-curricular or connective teaching method ( Ainscow, 1999 ) , partnership instruction ( MacBeath, 2006 ) , single LO ‘s, stars and a wish, success standards, WILF/ WOLF, self appraisal ( Ofsted, 2002, Westwood, 1997 ) , centripetal narratives ( Peirce, 2010 ) , person-centred planning ( Kincaid, 2006 ) , cue cards, in writing facilitation, speaking mats ( Taylor, 2007 ) , and larning outside the schoolroom ( Dowling, 2005, DfES, 2006 ) . Some personal illustrations of schemes successfully brought into pattern in my experience include the usage of distinction of scholars through group LO ‘s and WOLF/WILF ‘s ( Appendix 1 ) . On 2nd twelvemonth arrangement I had a motor impaired kid who struggled to take part with his equals in written undertakings. To battle this I altered my pattern, and changed the tools the kid was utilizing, by increasing the paper size and giving him a pencil clasp to guarantee there was no barrier to engagement. I besides went to a school to bring forth a literacy twenty-four hours on behalf of the university, and was put in charge of a group with an autistic kid. I spoke with her SENCO and we worked together to enable her to take part in the activities. We adjusted the teaching method to be more directly-instructive, guaranting her name was specifically used in any direction, and ensured she was confident in her play function, explicating the manner the twenty-four hours was planned out to her, and it was agreed that the twenty-four hours was a immense success for her, the SENCO, her equals and myself. Merely as of import, though, is cognizing when there is such a barrier to larning that you, as a mainstream practician, are unable to cover with a kid ‘s demand in a mainstream scene. This was the instance with a kid who was EAL but besides suffered from a cleft lip and roof of the mouth and found, at that clip, verbal communicating excessively hard, and would hold some critical lessons to help her development through another professional, viz. a address healer, that was better for that kid at that clip. In decision to this faculty I have learnt that while statute law can be critically reflected upon to such an extent that it is seen as nil more than dashing rhetoric ( MacBeath, 2006 ) , it is finally up to the attention, expertness and the thrust of instructors to seek and accomplish these demands as best they can. Pull offing diverse and complex demands is something that can be done in mainstream schools if you allocate yourself clip and energy to desiring to make it, and besides by acquiring to cognize all your students ‘ demands. It is necessary that practicians understand that barriers to larning can non ever be broken due to medical grounds, this is critical, merely as it is critical that practicians know they do hold the power to interrupt down the barriers to participation through good working, brooding pattern, good partnerships and, eventually, cognizing their scholars! This concluding point can non be stressed plenty.

Lack of effective communication

When a mountaineer goes up for the mountain’s peak, when a pilot soar high in the sky with his plane and when a treasure hunter goes for the hidden treasure with his map, there are two things they all need to have- a compass and a watch. They are but small, simple gadgets yet their importance cannot be denied. Like a compass, communication gives direction to the players in the organization. As a watch, communication defines the perfect timing of every course of action. Having the best players in a team, the best facilities and enough resources cannot give an organization the assurance of its success. This is simply because, as Keith Denton said, 1â€Å"More often, what is required is the simplest need of all-communication.† What brings all the elements of an organization or a team together is communication. Consider a basketball team who is behind by two points in the last few seconds of the game. If the team has a time-out to utilize, shall the coach call for a time-out or just leave the chance to the players? If not, who will be responsible? It could not be just anyone. Effective communication plays an urgent and essential role in this situation. First, in identifying what the problem is. Communicating factual and accurate information on the nature of the problem is the first step in solving a problem. In the business set-up, the earlier the problem is identified, the more time is provided to the team or the organization to solve it. Consider a manufacturing company which is experiencing a significant decline in its production rate for the past three months. Shift production supervisor A accounts the problem to the old machines they are using. Supervisor B blames it to the shift on the standards of the Quality Control department. Supervisor C thinks the problem is due to the newly imported raw materials from a new supplier. Suppose the production head asked only supervisor A and then agreed to address the problem immediately to the management. So the management decided to buy new production machines in order to cope up with its production. Supervisors B and C did not coordinate their evaluations on the problem because they were not asked. After few months, production increased only by few percentage. Re-evaluation revealed that the problem is due to the newly imported raw materials and not on the old machines. This is just one of the many tragic results of lack of effective communication. If only the production head was able to ask the other supervisors, or the supervisors coordinated their evaluations to the production head, even if they were not asked, then their evaluations could have been considered in the management’s decision in solving the problem. The cost of the new production machines could have been saved and the raw materials supplier could have been immediately reprimanded and replaced. Sad to say, time and effort lost in this situation can no more be saved; they are permanently lost. Communication is a basic requirement in all aspects of the organization. 2â€Å"The absence of good planning and sound communications also causes projects to fail.† (G. Silver) In fact, communication is a vital tool in the planning stage of a project. In identifying the what, where, when, why, who and how of a plan, information has to flow through communication lines in order to be utilized by planners and decision makers. In delegation, controlling and directing functions of the management, communication is a basic tool. This is the reason why leaders have to be good communicators. In problem solving and decision making, one has to learn how to make him understood by others and learn also to understand others. This can only be made possible by developing effective communication skills and process. 3 A case study done at General Electric Company and Cypress Semiconductor Corp. revealed that 88% of its engineers believed that â€Å"lack of communication and cooperation leads to reduced productivity.† Further evaluation of this result will give us the fact that this is because planners and decision makers rely on available, coordinated information in formulating their business activities. If all needed information are properly communicated to the concerned individuals, then problem solving and decision making will most probably have favorable results. Considering the vitality of effective communication in an organization which is working as a team, it is but fair to conclude that communication can make or break an organization. REFERENCES Denton, D. Keith. Business Horizons. September-October 1993. Retrieved from http://www.howtobooks.co.uk/business/networking. retrieved on September 07, 2006 Silver, Gerald and Myrra. Systems Analysis and Design. Chapter 06. page 22. Addison-Wesley Publishing Co. Mass. USA. 1992 P and Q Survey 1990. Effective Business Communications. Retrieved from http://www.howtobooks.co.uk/business/networking Retrieved on September 07, 2006

Evaluation of incredible India in UK market Essay

Like any other trade sector, evaluation of a brand in a specific market depends heavily on the data collected in some specific segments, and in here they are: A. Quality of infrastructure, i. e. , issues involved amenities like transport, water, rail and road links, boarding and lodging, etc. B. Travel behavior, i. e. , estimate about the appetites of the travellers. C. Effectiveness of communication: This area is self-explicit. D. Quality of product, i. e., quality and quantity of tourist sites, where quality should be interpreted as the magnitude of significance of a site in terms heritage, beauty, adventure, unique natural phenomenon, therapeutic or spiritual angles. Detailed and authenticated data on the state of these segments would be instrumental in determining the exact standing of this campaign in a specific market. For that matter this study uses the information furnished in the Report on Evaluation Study in Selected Overseas Markets (2007) created by The Gallup Organization for Market Research Division, Ministry of Tourism, and Government of India. A. Infrastructure: While the Gallup Study observes the overall growth in the infrastructure Industry is encouraging for tourism in the future, it furnishes terribly disappointing information in the next page, where it compares the state of India’s aviation industry to that of China and informs that India has 15 million seats (as on September 2006) as against 140 million seats in China (p. 13). However, the report churns out good news after a few pages by mentioning about the awards won by Incredible India campaign and the survey results that consider India amongst the top five favourite destinations (p. 17). B. Travel Behaviour: Only 32% people of United Kingdom are aware of Indian Tourism Offices, though India and UK has a direct relationship for around 300 years. The Gallup Report (p. 45) observes that the past travel record of UK citizens(46%) were only next to Australia (51%), while the current survey shows that American tourists (799, 062) have pushed the British tourists (796,191) behind them (Incredible, 2008). Gallup Report observes that in terms of future behaviour, UK shows only 5% growth rate (p. 50). Now tallying this observation with the state of communication with UK would provide the clue why the future of growth of Indian tourism in UK looks so dismal. C. Effectiveness of communication: The chart below highlights the state of communication between India and other major countries/continents in terms of travel arrangements. Booking for Travel Arrangement (% Yes) CANADA USA UK EUROPE MIDDLE EAST S. KOREA JAPAN AUS RECENT TRAVELLERS Through Phone 54 46 16 9 7 8 23 17 10 Through Internet 44 69 46 46 7 24 60 39 22. Through Travel Agents 89 63 56 60 45 76 83 74 68 In Person 76 44 18 34 72 15 33 43 15 Others 12 10 11 6 – 11 – 5 2 Gallup Report: P. 55 The above table shows that communication with UK is below expectation, if one considers the legacy of 300-year close communication between India and UK. D. Quality of product: From the perspective of the history of Indo-British relationship of over 300 years, elements like cultural heritage (colonial times) or deserves a place in the choice of the British travellers, but the survey (below) does not even include that. (%) CANADA USA UK EUROPE MIDDLE EAST S. KOREA JAPAN AUS RECENT TRAVELLERS Adventure Sports 14 18 5 18 17 13 15 12 2 Eco-tourism 54 56 35 44 65 27 25 34 16 Shopping 51 46 44 33 87 15 27 54 38 Sight-seeing 98 99 79 88 89 79 94 93 87 Pilgrimages 27 20 8 21 2 35 10 23 7 Visiting friends / relatives 35 25 23 12 8 – 6 19 17 Medical treatment 9 13 13 10 38 8 6 4 1 Cultural Events 61 75 31 67 22 52 46 67 – Others 34 52 14 44 4 – 8 17 2 Business purposes – 4 3 11 – – – – 26 Adapted from Gallup Study: P.57. Here also it is seen that UK is lagging behind USA and Japan, in spite of their close contact with India for more than three centuries. Another notable factor is that there is not much response in the medical tourism sector, though thee is a recent surge in Medical Tourism in India due to reasons like state-of-the-art medical facilities at far cheaper rates and high medical insurance cost in UK. A brief analysis of the online campaign of Incredible India would corroborate that too. III. 1. Analysis of online campaign: 1. Statement of Purpose (â€Å"About Us† page): While it boasts about its network of 20 offices within India and 13 offices abroad, it fails to mention about its central policy. 2. Topics covered: It contains three major topic domains distributed under heads like Trip Planner, Experience India and Holiday Ideas, where the first one deals with trip arrangements, second attempts to brief India thematically and the third one provides ideas about tourist activities. None of them contains any clue to the prospective medical tourists. Omission of this important issue looks is even more surprising, as the Tourism Department of India itself has launched a medical tourism campaign separately, where it clearly expresses its views like medical tourism or health tourism in India is fast gaining grounds and tries to gain competitive advantage by citing examples of quality infrastructure and cheap costs as against skyrocketing healthcare costs in the country like UK. It even goes on describing at length about the availability of various types of medical treatments and other facilities (Why India, 2007). 3. Apart from that, this campaign hasn’t properly tapped the potential of ancient Indian techniques of well being and healing, like Yoga, Vaastu Shastra, or other spiritual practices, which are now integral part of the global New Age movement along with their Buddhist or Mongoloid counterparts like Feng-Shui, Tai-chi, etc. These facts are already known in the medical fraternity of UK, as it is evident from the various other news like UK doctor setting shop in Goa for medical tourists due to the rising flow of medical tourists in India (UK Indian, 2007), or the news that health tourism in India have flourished to a huge extent, as the Indian hospitals currently estimated to deal with 150,000 foreigners each year (India’s rise, 2007). Yet, Incredible India, the flagship project of positioning Brand India continues to neglect this huge and constantly increasing segment of tourism. In other words, it can be said that the impact of campaign like Incredible India on UK doesn’t prove to be effective as it was expected to be. The above data facilitates the introduction of SWOT analysis on Incredible India Campaign from the perspective of UK market.

History 1A Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

History 1A - Essay Example The narrator argues that slavery especially in Africa had denied him the chance to live peacefully and in harmony with her family members. As Europe grew, the relationship between Africa and Europe came into focus. The description of African religious theories was essential in the evaluation of histography of European academic orientations. The triple religious African heritage, which includes indigenous religion, Islam and Christianity, were the pivot that formed the three main themes of discourse. The accounts describing religion in African or the superficial terms lead to an influence in the perception of philosophers who were enlightened about Africa. In turn, perception about Africa was influenced by progress and reason. The European occupation was often legitimized because of the argument that Christian civilization was introduced, officials in the colonial government realized that changes in African societies may lead to stability loss. The states that he witnessed the sale of slaves to Dutch people while in West Indies. At that time, he was not bought but instead, transported and sold to North America where he was assigned to work in the Virginia plantations doing house chores and light field works. He did not stay for long in time Virginia when a British royal navy lieutenant bought him as a present to his friends in England (Equiano 94) The spread of Islam was neither simultaneous nor uniform, but followed an adaptive and gradual path. However, aesthetic and political influences on the African community are difficult to access. Islamic resistance to representation of animals and people, its interaction with the Africans visual arts was one of the forms of Islam that were accommodated by the local residents. Islam also helped in the reinforcement of the fondness of Africans to geometric design. It was also evident in textile decorations and objects that were crafted. Weaving by the locals was also

Critical Approaches to the Online Learning Assignment

Critical Approaches to the Online Learning - Assignment Example Professor Michael Porter, supported the idea of creating the online courses with the condition that it should be run in a manner that doesn’t ruin the class-room concept of study. Professor Porter puts it simple and clear: â€Å"A company must stay the course, even in times of upheaval, while constantly improving and extending its distinctive positioning† (Useem). The theory of Porter holds that the programs that exists need not be disrupted in any form on the other hand the online learning should be introduced as an additional program (Useem). This theory holds that an introduction of the new program should be a way of reinforcing the strategy that is already in place.Leading University departments like the Harvard Business School have opted on the Porter’s theory in the expense of Christensen’s. Instead of disrupting the traditional Masters in Business Administration and the programs that relate to executive education; online education is introduced as a n option in the business education sector (Porter).Professor Clayton Christensen believed that for universities to be more competitive and lead in the market, they are to disrupt the ‘old model’ of teaching and embrace the online method (Porter). This is seen as a method that will embrace technological changes and the same time increase the number increases the number of students that are reached per lecture. Professor Christensen believes that through the disruptive approach the process will be less costly and simple.

Isolation and How It Kills within Ethan Frome Research Paper

Isolation and How It Kills within Ethan Frome - Research Paper Example Throughout the novel, isolation defines the plot and the characters' destinies. This essay analyzes the theme of isolation in Ethan Frome. Wharton uses setting, characterization, and symbolism to show how isolation emasculated Ethan Frome and affected his relationship with Mattie and Zeena. The setting of the book is Starkfield, a fictional New England village, which shows how physical isolation has resulted to the emasculation of Ethan Frome. Starkfield is an isolated and cold place, which also affects its small-town culture. It is very far from other cities and it often has harsh cold weather. The weather has become a cold blanket that rules over people's emotions and thoughts. The community is also poor, being constantly cold and poor of resources, which is why Harmon says that it is better if people left the village: â€Å"Most of the smart ones get away† (Wharton Chapter 1). The weather and geographical location leave people feeling terribly lonely and hopeless. The sadne ss and hopelessness in Starkfield have been embodied through several images in the novel. For instance: â€Å"Beyond the orchard lay a field or two...huddled against the white immensities of land and sky, one of those lonely New England farm-houses that make the landscape lonelier (Wharton â€Å"Ethan†). ... In addition, the farm houses can stand for the townspeople. They also feel isolated from each other. Gossip is commonplace, but they rarely show acts of empathy and love toward each other. For example, even they feel sorry for Frome after the â€Å"smash-up,† they do not offer him any real empathy. Frome must have felt lonelier after the smash-up, because people â€Å"guessed† what he and Mattie wanted to truly do. Moreover, the coldness of their environment spills over people's hopes and freezes their ability to dream and pursue their dreams. Ethan once wanted to be an engineer, but because of lack of social and financial support, he did not become one anymore. He also has to take care of his mother. Then, he dreams of being with Mattie, but due to his poverty and the problem of being â€Å"judged† by his society, he does not leave Zeena. Ethan wants an easier way out instead of facing poverty and ridicule, but this dream is snatched from him too. The setting al so evokes a fairy tale escape and simplification of characters and their isolation. Ammons argues that Ethan Frome can be viewed as a fairy tale, because the novel contains the archetypes of â€Å"the witch, the silvery maiden, the honest woodcutter† (Ammons 48). She compares Ethan Frome to Snow White, where Zeena is the witch, Mattie is the silvery maiden, and Ethan is the honest woodcutter. Zeena is the witch, because she is the selfish villain who wants to be Ethan's queen, even when Ethan no longer loves her. Zeena will do everything she can to keep Ethan from leaving her and Starkfield. One of her ways is being constantly sick. If she is sick, Ethan will remember what she did for his mother. She uses Ethan's indebtedness to her to force him into living with her, if not loving her. Another

Ban on Tobacco and Governments Attempts to Regulate It Essay

Ban on Tobacco and Governments Attempts to Regulate It - Essay Example The white paper in 1998 promised new action to tackle tobacco to reduce 1, 06,000 deaths in UK due to smoking. The regulation targets the nine million adults in UK, who still smoke in 2002. Now it has been decreased, but still there is reasonable number of smokers in UK, which needs regulation. According to Statutory instrument 2006 No. 3368 UK regulations ensure smoke free premises and enforcement. According to the act, the smoking is banned in enclosed premises as the smoking in them may result in polluted environment. The responsibility of enforcement of the act lies with port health authority and unitary authority. As the authorities are entitled with the responsibility of ensuring smoke free enclosures or premises, they have to be prepared with the legal aspects that help in enforcement. The important aspect in regulating the smoking is to stop the production. As it does not happen with the above regulation, the government is trying to minimise the consumption and is trying to make the closed premises smoke and pollution free, so that the passive smokers as well as smokers can avoid some serious diseases. In addition to the above context, Government tried to regulate the tobacco by labelling of packaging, regulating the content in tobacco products, restricting the sal e of tobacco to young people of a certain age limit. However, the last aspect in the just mentioned topics cannot be implemented properly as the administration cannot contain the sale of tobacco products to children or young people of certain age. In case of second aspect mentioned above, the restrictions of sale of tobacco resulted in counterfeit sales of cigarettes and other tobacco products and it resulted in loss to exchequer despite sales going on. The labelling of packaging is not much effective as most of the smokers do not buy packets of cigarettes. Though it is effective in some classes of people, the labelling did not decrease smoking in lower economic class people who buy cigarettes not as a pack but single cigarettes. In addition to that the legislation made in 2002 regarding manufacture, presentation and sale of tobacco products resulted in hard hitting health warnings. The act prohibited the advertisements of cigarette and tobacco product manufacturing companies, which indicate that they are less injurious to health. The Government started to give picture warnings, which are understandable with least reading and concentration. The picture warnings started from 2008 on cigarette denoting that the people will die a slow death by smoking cigarettes, which indicates premature death. However, the premature death cannot restrain young or energetic smokers who do not care much about health and death as they are strong enough. However, the above signals can restrain middle aged and old aged smokers who face health problems due to smoking. Hence, the graphic picture warnings on cigarette packs regarding rotting teeth and lungs, throat cancer can create thinking in smokers about their health from 1st Octo ber. Out of millions of smokers, just 90,000 smokers called NHS smoking helpline to know about the health problems and ways and means to quit smoking. The statutory instruments did not turn out to be a full success as only small amount of the

Sustainability in operations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Sustainability in operations - Essay Example Delhaize Group is a retail food stores that has operating since 1867. The Group was founded in Belgium and since inception, the company has been operating quiet well by enhancing its visibility in the market. The company with its effective sustainability has been catering services to a large number of clients in the prime locations of the world (1Delhaize Group SA, 2014). In this regard, the paper elaborates on the different approaches of the sustainability operations that are prevalent in the global world. A detailed review of the sustainability operation practiced by the Delhaize Group has been conducted. Bartlett (2012) defines sustainability, as â€Å"sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs† (pp. 2). This suggest that the present day society is majorly concerned about renewable resources and protecting the same. The development of the different means that would help in protecting the non-renewable resources form depletion is a major need for the present day (Bartlett, 2012). In this respect, Kuhlman and Farrington (2010) noted on the â€Å"optimal theory of exploitation of non-renewable resources† exclaiming that even after the depletion of the different non-renewable resources, the organisations are hardly inclined towards protecting the same. Maintaining sustainability is a further challenge as humans and nature has an opposite mode of operation. The nature follows a strict rule of adaptation as well as harmony whereas humans are majorly focused on conqu ering the nature and its resources. Contextually, Ciegis, Ramanauskiene and Martinkus (2009) stated that owing to the diversified nature of the different program and mode of operations of the different communities, it is difficult to develop a unanimous

Argument about animal rights and welfare Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Argument about animal rights and welfare - Essay Example He argued in 1785 that humans have responsibilities only toward other humans, and that "unkindness to animals is opposing to mans obligation to himself (Thomas A. Mappes, 2002 ). We have the ethical obligation to take care of the rights of animal and need to work as much as we can, for their welfare. We need to ask ourselves about what kind of legacy we would leave for our children. What impact would it have on our future generations? Animals have an equal right to live on this earth with us. When we do give our efforts for the promotion of animal rights and welfare, we are doing our part in their protection and preservation(Richard H. Corrigan & Mary E. Farrell (eds.)). Jeremy Bentham, even though deeply opposed to the idea of natural rights, argued, following Rousseau, that it was the aptitude to suffer, not the skill to reason, that should be the standard of how we treat other beings. If sagacity were the criterion, many humans, including babies and disabled inhabitants, would also have to be treated as though they were things. We must be ready to be the saviors of animals, inform and educate people about the rights and the welfare of animals. The best way to start this is by giving lectures in educational institutions, on the neighborhood level, on the city level, and on the larger level, by both going to places personally, and also by using all the methods of media and communications technology that we have developed so far. We need to train people and impart knowledge of animal rights and welfare, to pass on this knowledge about animal rights and welfare, so that people know the facts, and are able to separate facts from fiction (Orlans, 1998 ). Following the perception of Peter Singer who argues, are predicated on the aptitude to suffer, and nothing more, and once it is recognized that a being has interests, those interests must be given equal contemplation. The degree to which animals can suffer is consequently a key

Why Do Many People Choose to Illegally Download Music Essay Example for Free

Why Do Many People Choose to Illegally Download Music Essay Maybe it is all to do with the possibility at each one of us has purchased and album or a c.d. in the past with high expectations of it being all great, only to be completely let down and left un-impressed with your latest  £15 Investment which you and i both believe that is worth much less . Maybe then â€Å"steeling† that artists next album by downloading it for free from many different sources scattered across the internet is your way of letting them know of your frustration. If you dont like it , you have no loss i guess ! Should we be paying for music, still? The more I think about it, the more I question it all. But there is one thing I don’t question, as it is fact: when I get music and don’t pay for it, nobody but myself benefits. I am the only one coming out ahead. Ive paid nothing for what i have got. I’ve acquired something for nothing. Did I just steal? Is it stealing if I can justify to myself that it isn’t? Is stealing even wrong anymore? In this moderen day and age looking through the iPods of others i am fully aware that i am definatly not the only one that is not paying for the music that i have on my computer, does this mean that we are all criminals? But first, I’ll explain to you that I didn’t always purchase music. I’m sure you all remember The Pirate Bay. There were many other bit torrent sites avaiable at the time , however this is the one that has been brought to the publics attention over the past few years due to its founders being sent to court and charged millions in costs and left them facing a jail sentence. This site, as you all know, allowed people to download music for free. Well, as a teenager with little spare cash to actually buy albums, I just went ahead and downloaded and basically â€Å"stole† hundreds of songs for free. Aside from the personal benefits of purchasing music, I do it to support the artists that make it for me to enjoy. I’d like to think that if I poured my heart and soul into something, they’d return the favor by spending some money on it. It’s a sign of respect and gratitude. If I enjoy an artist’s music, why wouldn’t I purchase an album to support them so they can continue to make more music? Having said all this, I mentioned that I still download free music on occasion, and this is not something I’m ashamed of. The offering of â€Å"free music downloads† is a relatively new marketing technique first popularly attempted by Radio-head back in 2007 when they self-released their album In Rainbows online for a â€Å"pay what you want† price. Since then,  many musicians have adopted this marketing technique under the premise that if you allow people to pay a price of their choosing—even if it is zero dollars—more people will pay something for your album than if you have a higher, set price. There are many other examples and variations of this â€Å"free music† regime, including iTunes’ free Single of the Week, along with Starbucks offering a free iTunes download each week, as well. Several online artist friendly sites such as amazon.com have emerged, giving artists control over how much they wish to charge their listeners for their music, or if they want to charge them anything at all. This is all well and good, but it still begs the question of why we should pay for music, especially since some artists are willing to literally give it away? I read recently stated that musicians should no longer feel entitled to be compensated for their music. The argument to support this claim explained that nowadays, one can simply record a whole album on one’s computer avoiding the high costs of producers, recording studios, and mixing and mastering engineers. I think my point is clear: if we don’t invest in the arts by way of purchasing music, we will eventually extinguish the option of even listening to it. There’s only so long that musicians will be able to make quality music for the masses without being compensated or receiving funding for it. Thanks to the Apple’s revolutionary iTunes store, as well as sites like Amazon.com, this is no longer valid. All these sites allow you to purchase an artist’s single for between  £0.89  £1.00 per song. You no longer need to pay for a whole album to get those one, two, three songs you want and the ones that you like. This new format of purchasing music has also inspired bands to write and record better albums, as they can no longer rely on one radio single to sell their whole album when people can sample the thing on the internet and realize the rest of it isn’t any good. It’s a win for the artists and maybe even more-so for the fans. With all of the options these days for sampling and purchasing music that are both artist- and listener-friendly, it still surprises me how many people still aren’t willing to pay for music. I know that we all struggle with finances as students, and can understand that money is in short supply for many of us, so paying for something you can get for free doesn’t make a ton of sense; I just hope that if you are saving your money right now by not  paying for music, you’ll remember this and not hesitate to throw a abit of money in the way of the artist that have spent their own time, money and energy creating music for all of us to enjoy.

Spoken language versus written language

Spoken language versus written language Spoken vs. written language Not so long time ago, the written language played much bigger role in second language learners life than the spoken language. According to Brown (2000) Today the importance of teaching the spoken language is universally acknowledged (p. 1). For example, many scientists state that people should learn speaking and listening, as well as writting and reading; furthermore, learners should spend more energy on listening. Thus generally one can claim it is more difficult to learn how to understand the spoken language than the written. First of all, during listening, learners cannot focus on one section as they would do in a reading task. Listeners do not have opportunity to read back, if they misunderstand an expression or forget the beginning of the text. Furthermore, according to Ridgway (2000) they do not have the possibility for looking a word up in the dictionary, or guessing the meaning of a word from its context (p. 3.), like they do it in a reading exercise. Secondly, during listening learners depend on the style of the text and on the listening environment more than in the case of reading. As Field (2000) points out, a listener, who has difficulties in identifying words in connected speech(p. 2.), can also have problems with different dialects, and the style and the speed of the text he or she listens to, because native speakers speak only clearly enough to make themselves understood in a particular context (Brown, 1990, p. 2.). Furthermore, listeners can be confused by the noisy, annoying environment, for example, during a conversation on the street or a crowded restaurant, while these conditions do not appear in a written text. Thirdly, during a listening exercise, the motivation of learners is always lower, because these kinds of tasks scare listeners, adding, that in reading they are braver, because of the advantages which are mentioned at the second paragraph. So to become a good listener, the most important aim is to find the faith in ones ability to apply a listening readiness (Field, 2000, p. 1.), because after this momentous step, a text will not cause so much fear. Furthermore, listeners should be able to determine the complexity of the given tasks, because then they can choose the appropriate level for themselves, so they will probably not fail and their self-confidence will improve. However, according to Ridgway (2000), grading texts is problematic (p. 3.), so it can be another serious controversy. Finally, practising listening is more difficult than reading. For instance, it is not easy to learn listening skills, because as Brown (1990) says, the students are not receiving any help in learning (p. 3.) ,but they have to realise alone how to set up the process of listening and improve their facilities. Moreover, learners abilities to listening are not similar to everyone, so the ways of practice should be different from each other. For example, even in a class, which is few in number, the teacher should prove at least four different ways of learning listening, but unfortunatelly it is not possible. It follows that learners have to find the best way independently. In conclusion, learning and listening to the spoken language is more difficult, than learning the written language, because listeners cannot focus on one section; they are dependent on the style of the speech and the listening environment; they are threatened, if they get a task at higher level; and they need different ways to practise and more help from teachers. References: Brown, G. (1990). Listening to spoken English. London, England: Longman. Field, J. (2000). Not waving but drowning: a reply to Tony Ridgway. ELT Journal Volume 54/2 Ridgway, T. (2000). Listening strategies- I beg your pardon? ELT Journal Volume 54/2

The Behavioral And Technical Approach Information Technology Essay

The Behavioral And Technical Approach Information Technology Essay Several viewpoints on information systems illustrate that the study of information systems is a field with multiple disciplines and therefore, no single theory or perspective governs. Generally speaking, the field can be separated into behavioral and technical approaches. The behavioral approach can be broken down even further into sub-categories to include economics, psychology, and sociology. The technical approach can also be broken down into sub-categories to include management science, computer science, and operations research. A very important element of the information systems field is involved with behavioral issues that surface in the development and preservation of information systems. Problems like strategic business design, implementation and utilization, and management cannot be fully explored with the models using a technical approach. Behavioral disciplines such as economics, psychology, and sociology can also contribute vital concepts and processes. For example, economists study information systems mainly interested in what impact systems have on cost structures within the business and within its particular market. On the other hand, Psychologists are interested in how human decision makers comprehend and use information. Finally, sociologists study information systems looking for how groups and organizations form the development of systems and also how these different systems affect individuals, groups, and organizations (Information Management, 2010).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The behavioral approach does not completely ignore technology. In fact, information systems technology is frequently the reason for a specific behavioral problem or issue. But usually the heart of this approach is not normally geared toward technical solutions. Instead it centers on modification in attitudes, management and organizational policy, and behavior. Technical Approach The technical approach to information systems puts emphasis on mathematically based models to study information systems, in addition to the physical knowledge and abilities of these systems. The disciplines that play a role in the technical approach are computer science, management science, and operations research. Computer science has to do with creating theories of computability, means of computation, and approaches to effective access and storage of data. Management science highlights the growth of models for decision-making and management procedures. Lastly, operations research deals with mathematical methods for optimizing business issues such as inventory control, transportation, and transaction costs (Information Management, 2010). Key Management Challenges Building, operating, and maintaining information systems in todays fast-paced business world can be very challenging. These key management challenges are based on a multitude of problems such as information system investments, strategic business decisions, globalization, information technology infrastructure, and ethics and security. Information System Investment Challenge If managed intelligently, investments in information systems can improve employees lives and a businesss overall performance. For instance, over the past twenty years the Internet has developed form a technical innovation to a personal and business necessity. Some businesss have recognized considerable improvements in processing information by changing from mainframe computing to personal computers connected by local area networks (LAN). The ability of software applications to identify and correlate pertinent data in a data warehouse allows businesses to uncover unidentified financial or physical resource relationships and therefore make available suitable assistance where there had been none. However, along with the ability to enhance lives and organizations, some information system investments can become risky, costly, wasteful mistakes. To overcome these challenges, senior management personnel need to be able to successfully evaluate these investments to ensure the correct return on investment (ROI) (Laudon Laudon, 2006). Strategic Business Challenge You can pick up any management book and you can read about the significance of developing a strategic plan, and ideas about how to both develop and implement your plan. On the other hand, you will also find articles that you imply that strategic planning does not work because it is impossible to develop a long term plan in this ever changing business environment. In my opinion, the truth lies somewhere in between. Strategic planning can definitely help you get prepared on what you need to accomplish over the next years, what things you will need to accomplish those goals, and exactly how to go about accomplishing your goals. The trouble is that the benefits of strategic planning can be easily lost. These plans fail primarily because of what happens after the process of strategic planning. In general, a great effort goes into creating and developing a strategic plan, which is then quickly put away and forgotten, even by the people that created it. The goal of strategic planning lies not only in the development of the plan, but also in its implementation. Implementing the strategic plan will only work if you are clear about what this plan can bring to you and the organization. The strategic plan needs to have value, not only to the organization, but also to the employees. The bottom line is that the plan needs to be used by everybody. A strategic plan needs to be used as a decision-making tool from the top of the organization all the way to the bottom. Chief Executive Officers ought to be able to use it to make decisions on the direction of their business, mergers, or staffing. Managers should also be able to use it to make decisions for the priorities of their departments goals and objectives, and to align the work of their department with the overall goals of organization. Lastly, every employee must be able to use the plan to recognize his or her own goals, and where they fit in big scheme of things. When implemented correctly, a strategic plan helps to add meaning and focus to not only every individual, but the organization as a whole (Information Systems, 2010). Globalization Challenge The globalization of information technology warrants special attention by business executives, government officials and scholastic researchers for a multitude of reasons. First, is that information technology and systems are high-technology industries of considerable size and with significant potential for stimulating economic growth and jobs. The immediate growth in global trade and the surfacing of an international economy require information systems that can sustain both the production and selling of goods and services in many different countries. Second, access to the most up-to-date computer and telecommunications technology is central to competitive success in nearly all industries. Government policies which deliberately or inadvertently retard technological progress in the production and use of computers, information systems and telecommunications have important economic effects. Third, given language barriers, cultural, and political differences among dissimilar countries, th is focus often resulted in confusion and the breakdown of central management controls (Laudon Laudon, 2006). To overcome these challenges, it is imperative for organization to develop global hardware, software, and information systems standards. Additionally, organizations must be able to create global accounting and reporting methods and design worldwide business processes. Information Technology Infrastructure Challenge This particular challenge for businesses deals with how organizations can develop information technology infrastructures that can sustain their goals when business situations are changing at a rapid pace. Aging infrastructure is obviously a huge issue in many industries that only gets bigger as time goes on. Some equipment may have had external upgrades or facelifts, but in most cases, it is over 70 years old. Many organizations are left with expensive and unmanageable IT platforms that cannot readily adapt to innovation and change. Additionally, a competitive business environment and the pressures of the global financial situation weigh increasingly on companies minds (Information Systems, 2010). To battle this challenge, some organizations may be required to redesign its organization and develop a new information technology infrastructure to survive in this competitive business world. Ethics and Security Challenge Organizations must always be cognizant that their information systems are used in both an ethically and socially responsible manner. Although information systems have provided many benefits, they have also created new ethical and security issues that must be addressed. Every improvement in information technology can be tied in with at least one ethical dilemma. From Facebook to ordering merchandise online, computer users are ignorant of the delicate balance between ethical behavior and profits. Businesses, software and hardware developers, and individuals must think about what is ethically correct when using information technology on a daily basis. The primary issues essential to the world of information technology are the individuals expectation of privacy and the providers ethical duty to use its applications responsibly (Information Systems, 2010). The challenges organizations will face will be how to apply high-quality assurance standards to their information systems, as well as to their products and services. Additionally, they will have to develop information systems that are not only secure but that are still easy to use by most individuals. Digital Firms A digital firm can be described as, One in which nearly all of the organizations significant business relationships with customers, suppliers, and employees are digitally enabled and mediate (Laudon Laudon, 2006, p. 11-12). The firms primary business processes are performed through digital networks encompassing the whole organization or connecting several different organizations. A core or primary business process can be defined as the minimum single tasks to be completed to provide a certain level of reliability in output, without any thought to hardware, software, or performance. When a core process is put into practice, anything can be added to make the process more efficient, but nothing can be removed. On the other hand, a business process can be defined as, The set of logically related tasks and behaviors that organizations develop over time to produce specific business results and the unique manner in which these activities are organized and coordinated (Laudon Laudon, 2006, p. 12). Digital firms are extremely powerful because they can sense and react to their ever changing surroundings much faster those traditions organizations. Because of their quick reaction and the fact that they are more adaptable than the traditional firm, digital firms are much more able to endure in unstable times. Because these new firms are completely digital, there exist much more opportunities for them in the global business word. The Internet is quickly becoming the information system infrastructure of preference for electronic commerce. It offers organizations an easy way to connect with other business and individual at an unbelievably low cost. Additionally, it offers a complete and uncomplicated set of technologies and technology standards that can be implemented by any organization. Organizations can use Internet technology to drastically cut their transaction costs, time searching for buyers and sellers, and gathering information on products or services. This information is at the fingertips of anyone with a computer and access to the Internet. One example of a powerful digital firm has to be EBay. Following 2001, there were a high number of dotcom businesses that failed, but there were a few that held their ground, like eBay. The success of eBay is based on its capacity to transform many splintered, predominantly local markets into global ones at a comparatively low cost to its users (Simonsohn, 2010). People have always had a basic need and an appeal in buying and selling used objects and collectibles items. Prior to eBay, people would have tried to sell their unwanted items through family garage sales, classified ads, and flea markets. Nevertheless, the amount of people accessible to sell these items to was limited due to the fact that face-to-face transactions were almost always required. Another great example of a powerful digital firm would be Google. Google isnt just legendary for producing and providing useful services, but it has also acquired a few innovative businesses and integrated them. These include YouTube, Blogger, Picasa and Jaiku. Google used its digital background to take advantage of opportunities in the global business world, making them one of the most powerful businesses to date (Google, 2010). Types of Information Systems For most organizations, there are many different requirements for data or information. Senior managers continually need up-to-date information to help aide in their business decisions. Mid-level managers may need a bit more detailed information to assist them in monitoring and managing a multitude of different business dealings. Lastly, supervisors and employees with operational roles need information in order for them to perform their everyday jobs. Consequently, organizations tend to have a number of information systems operating at the same time. The three I will be discussing are the management information system (MIS), decision-support systems (DSS), and the transaction processing system (TPS). Management Information System A management information system (MIS) management information system (MIS)System used to extract data from a database and compile reports that help managers make routine decisions. obtains data from a database to compose reports, such as detail reports, summary reports, exception reports, and financial statements to assist managers in making better decisions. The different types of reports depend on the specific information a particular manager may require. A MIS is largely involved with internal sources of information. MIS generally receive data from the transaction processing systems (TPS) and reduce it into a sequence of management reports. MIS reports generally are used by mid-level managers and operational supervisors (Laudon Laudon, 2006). Decision-Support Systems A decision support system (DSS)decision support system (DSS)Interactive system that extracts, integrates, and displays data from multiple sources to help managers make nonroutine decisions. is an interactive system that gathers, displays, and combines information from various sources to help managers make non-routine decisions. DSS are explicitly designed to help management make decisions in circumstances where there is doubt about the potential results of those decisions. DSS are made up of tools and procedures to help gather pertinent information and analyze decisions and alternatives. DSS often requires the use of complex spreadsheets and databases to produce what-if models (Laudon Laudon, 2006). Transaction Processing Systems The majority of organizations day-to-day activities are documented and processed by its transaction processing system (TPS)transaction processing system (TPS)Information system used to record and process an organizations daily activities or transactions., which collect input data and changes them into output information meant for a variety of users. Input data are called transactions which are transactionsFinancial and nonfinancial events that affect a businessevents that affect a business. Transaction Processing Systems (TPS) are intended to process everyday transactions accurately and efficiently. A business may have several transaction processing systems to include; billing systems, payroll and tax payments systems, production and purchasing systems, or stock control systems to handle all movements into and out of the organization (Laudon Laudon, 2006). Challenges Posed by Information Systems Although the many different types of information systems are available to an organization and can be extremely beneficial to its growth, there are some management challenges. Some of these challenges include the tension related to designing and building the information systems, the need for training for both management and employees, and the need to establish which information systems is the most critical, therefore which system receives the majority of the funding. For an organization to overcome these challenges they need establish exactly what is needed in terms of information systems. Next, they need to schedule and provide proper training to all company personnel, so they are familiar with the systems. Finally, they need to develop a method of accounting for the cost of the systems and their priority. Key Enterprise Applications Most organizations compete in an rapidly changing, aggressive, global environment. Operating in a global environment forces an organization to concentrate on the most cost-effective implementation of its processes, customer service, and speed at which their products or services are brought to market. To achieve these lofty goals, it is essential that the organization freely exchange useful information across different functions, levels, and business departments. By incorporating all its processes, the organization can more effectively exchange information between departments, customers, and suppliers. The four key enterprise applications are enterprise systems, supply chain management systems, customer relationship management systems, and knowledge management systems. Enterprise Systems Enterprise systems incorporate the vital business processes of an organization into a separate software system. Data from a variety of functional areas are centrally housed and maintained where they can be retrieved and utilized by other functional processes. This alters an organizations work flow. Now information can effortlessly run throughout the organization, increasing synchronization, efficiency, and decision making. Enterprise systems are extremely tricky to employ successfully and once employed, are especially hard to change. Enterprise systems, also known as enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems solve problems by providing a single information system for organization-wide coordination and integration of key business processes (Laudon Laudon, 2006, p. 56). Supply Chain Management Systems Supply chain management (SCM) can be described as an overseeing of resources, information, and finances as they move form supplier to manufacturer to wholesaler to retailer and finally to the consumer. Supply chain management requires managing and integrating the information, goods, and services flow together within and amongst organizations. Supply Chain Management Systems (SCMS) are used to help an organization manage its relationship with suppliers to optimize the planning, sourcing, manufacturing, and delivery of goods and services. SCMS supply information to aide suppliers, purchasing organizations, wholesale distributors, and logistic companies coordinate, schedule, and control business processes for their products and services (Su Yang, 2010). Customer Relationship Management Systems Many businesses make more profit from ongoing relationships with their customers than from the original sale. Customer relationship management (CRM) is a term applied to processes implemented by an organization to handle its contact with its customers. Customer relationship management systems (CRMS) concentrates on the coordination all of the business processes encompassing the organizations with its customers in sales, marketing, customer satisfaction, revenue optimizing services, and customer retention (Laudon Laudon, 2006). In todays highly-competitive business surroundings, the success of an organization relies greatly upon maintaining and exceeding customer expectations for both service and value. Knowledge Management Systems Knowledge management is the specific management of essential knowledge and information acquired by individuals so that it can be is effectively shared and made use of by other personnel in the organization. Through the successful sharing of corporate intellectual assets, Organizational Knowledge must be efficiently changed into business intellect. Personal knowledge concerning a business process must be converted into corporate knowledge ensuring it applied throughout consistently, ensuring maximum benefit to the organization. The main function of a Knowledge Management System (KMS) must be to make information obtainable to all authorized users (Laudon Laudon, 2006). However, implementing a straightforward information management system, file indexing and retrieval system is only the start. Securing corporate knowledge requires more than software and technology, it requires solid document management software and cultural alteration of how information is produced, handled, stored, and distributed.

Free College Admissions Essays: Most Influential Event in My Life :: College Admissions Essays

College Admissions: Most Influential Event in My Life    26th of January. Republic Day of India.    Bhuj, home to my aunt and the place where I have been spending my holidays for the past 10 years or so. It was 8:55 in the morning. Everyone was ready for breakfast except me. I was always late on the dining table and often made mom angry. But that day mom didn’t get angry. Wondering why ? Bhuj and neighboring places had just witnessed a powerful earthquake that rocked the whole of gujarat. The word earthquake always evoked something-but that something was never akin to terror. On the other hand, it was something right out of a Bollywood potboiler. But......but not this time. I thought the earth had cracked open and was about to swallow me. It was the most horrifying experience of my life. All of us immediately rushed out of the house. I saw all my neighbours running away. We were not just nervous, we were frightened. I saw some three, four persons dead on the way. We could not see a thing because the air was full of dust. Houses were collapsing, and at one time it was so dark, so dark.........My father described it correctly. He said it was like a huge plane landing right on your head. First time in my life I was dragged face to face with reality, ironically the only reality of life that is death ! Isn't it incredible how with a tiny nudge, nature can annihilate a whole town ! A prospering state like Gujrat was ruthlessly kicked and trampled upon by the same affectionate mother nature that only showered bounty so far. Aren't we humans really powerful enough to have complete control on the place we live? Perhaps the answer is NO. When Nature goes beserk we just make way. Mysterious are the ways how nature can Toy with us. Soon enough rumours started to spread about the aftermath of the earthquake. More scary than the tremors were the rumours about them. They told us, the sun will rise tomorrow and the beams will be so strong that everything will burn down. And the tales keep spinning. The suspense, on the quake keeps building like a poltergeist in horror movies...and the people keep waiting when it will finally come and finish everything and they could start re-buil ding again.

Nazism :: essays research papers

Nazism was the ideology held by the National Socialist German Workers Party (Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, commonly called NSDAP or the Nazi Party), which was led by its "FÃ ¼hrer", Adolf Hitler. The word Nazism is most often used in connection with the dictatorship of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945 (the "Third Reich"), and it is derived from the term National Socialism (German: Nationalsozialismus, often abbreviated NS). Adherents of Nazism held that the Aryan race were superior to other races, and they promoted Germanic racial supremacy and a strong, centrally governed state. Nazism has been outlawed in modern Germany, yet small remnants and revivalists, known as "Neo-Nazis", continue to operate in Germany and abroad. Originally, Nazi was invented by analogy to Sozi (a common and slightly pejorative abbreviation for socialists in Germany). The original Nazis from the era of the Third Reich probably never referred to themselves as "Nazis" and generally always as "National Socialists", since Nazi was most commonly used as a pejorative term. Currently some Neo-Nazis also use it to describe themselves. There is a very close relationship between Nazism and Fascism. Since the term Nazism is normally used to refer to the ideology and policies of Nazi Germany alone, while Fascism is used in a broader sense, to refer to a wider political movement that exists or existed in many countries, Nazism is often classified as a particular version of Fascism. According to Mein Kampf (My Struggle), Hitler developed his political theories after carefully observing the policies of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He was born as a citizen of the Empire, and believed that ethnic and linguistic diversity had weakened it. Further, he saw democracy as a destabilizing force, because it placed power in the hands of ethnic minorities, who he claimed "weakened and destabilize" the Empire, by dividing it against itself. The Nazi rationale was heavily invested in the militarist belief that great nations grow from military power, which in turn grows "naturally" from "rational, civilized cultures." Hitler's calls appealed to disgruntled German Nationalists, eager to save face for the failure of World War I, and to salvage the militaristic nationalist mindset of that previous era. After Austria's and Germany's defeat of World War I, many Germans still had heartfelt ties to the goal of creating a greater Germany, and thought that the use of military force to achieve it was necessary. Many placed the blame for Germany's misfortunes on those, such as Jews and communists, whom they perceived, in one way or another, to have sabotaged the goal of national victory, by obtaining a stranglehold on the national economy, and using the nation's own resources to control and corrupt it.

Ethical Egosim and Sentiment: Examing Decision-Making in the Grey Area Essay

If there were one particular ethical theory that would universally fit all situations, ethics would be an open/shut case. However, that simply isn’t how ethical theories work. While, some may have significantly more merit than others on a scale of universal application, there are some situations where relativism comes into play when deciphering which theory best suits a given situation. The relativism referred to here is of a personal nature. A person is the sum of their experiences and actions. Additionally, even if a person has a straight-pointing moral compass, these past life experiences, combined with their current situation, can weigh heavily in deciding the morality of a decision when approaching issues that lay in a gray area. Take, for example, the story of an uneducated person from an underprivileged background, who’s only foreseeable chance at bettering their life is exceling in a specific sport they have a natural talent for. They have dedicate themselves to this sport and have trained tirelessly. Though they have the ability to place at a high rank, they have never been able to win a race that enabled them to make a name for them self and launch their career. They keep coming close to winning, but ultimately, always end up falling short by an inch. Suppose this person was going to be competing in a major event, which if won, would yield a large cash prize, and would launch them into the spotlight via an endorsement deal with a major sportswear company. Now, imagine that a sports trainer approaches the athlete with a tempting proposition. The trainer informs the athlete that he has a new performance supplement that will dramatically improve the athlete’s performance. The trainer tells the athlete that the supplement has been tested on animals and has, thus far, been proven safe. The trainer informs the athlete that the substance is not on the list of banned performance enhancing substances that competitions test for before an athlete partakes in an event. The trainer then tells the athlete, that all he wants is $5,000 of the winnings. If the athlete wins, he’ll owe the trainer $5,000; if he loses, he’ll owe nothing. While both James Rachael’s ‘Theory of Egoism and Moral Skepticism’, and David Hume’s ‘Theory of Moral Sentiment’ are applicable to this scenario, Hume’s theory is, decisively, the most ethical theory of choice in application to this particular situation. There are a couple of issues that come into play when making moral judgments about this situation. First, the athlete knows that performance enhancing substances are banned in competitions. The fact that this particular substance is not yet banned, is not proof of it’s acceptability for use. Instead, it merely shows that the substance is so new, it has yet to be recognized and put on the list of banned substances. Given time, it will assuredly be on that list. Thus, the athlete knows that taking the substance to give him an advantage in winning would be looked down upon, and is questionable, in principal. Second is the issue of personal circumstance. This particular athlete’s ability to thrive is contingent on his success at making a name for himself in his sport. If he fails to do so, he will never foreseeably get a leg up and achieve financial stability. The future of his life, as far as all foreseeable circumstances are concerned, depend on him winning this cash prize and endorsement contract. To him, these two things may make the difference between him having a financial springboard with which to better his situation, versus being stuck in a multi-generational financial cycle of poverty. The application of James Rachel’s’ Theory of Egoism and Moral Skepticism to the aforementioned scenario, specifically focuses on the ‘ethical egoist’ portion of Rachel’s argument. The ethical egoist argues that people ought to act merely out of self-interest; that while humans have the ‘capacity’ to make decisions altruistically, there is no reason that we ‘should’ do so. This reasoning simplifies the decision-making for the athlete. Clearly, winning is in his best interest. Thus, taking the substance is the best decision. However, in order for this theory to succeed, the person must conceal their actions while encouraging others to act differently. Essentially, he must be a disingenuous, hypocritical, and manipulative liar. If the world were full of people like this, we would back-stab each other into extinction. This is where the theory of the ethical egoism falls apart in regard to being a universal theory. If everyone acted solely with self-interest, society wouldn’t be sustainable. There has to be some sort of rule in place in regard to looking out for each-other’s best interests in order for society to function properly. David Hume’s Theory of â€Å"Moral Sentiment† achieves the balance of being able to make ethical judgments that are as altruistic as possible, while still looking at each decision on a case by case basis before deeming it ethical or unethical. Hume poses the question of why one action can be right in some circumstances, yet wrong in others; while the act itself is the same in both cases. It comes down to sentiment, or one’s personal feelings about the circumstances surrounding an act. Once again, take into consideration, the originally stated scenario concerning the athlete. Under Hume’s theory, the ethical decision would be whatever the person felt was right, if, but only if, those circumstances made it morally acceptable. Take for instance, this same story, but with an athlete who is from a well-to-do family. If he doesn’t become an athlete, he still has the viable option of attending college and pursuing another stable career that will provide him with a good life. The athlete from the well-to-do family has options, and his future stability is not hinged on being a successful athlete. Thus, if he chose to take the supplement in this scenario, it would be an unethical decision. However, when the scenario is applied to the impoverished athlete whose future stability is hinged on his success as an athlete, the decision to take the supplement is no longer unethical. It is, after all, technically legal to take for competitions. Thus, he’s not technically doing anything â€Å"wrong†. Neither the well-to-do athlete, nor the impoverished athlete would, technically, be doing anything â€Å"wrong† by taking the substance. This is where the grey area comes into play. We have an action, that if committed by a financially well-to-do athlete would be considered selfish and unsportsman-like. Yet, if the same act were committed by an impoverished athlete, few people could hold back empathy and not be able to cut him slack for his choice. This same act is now one that’s deemed acceptable, based merely on a distinct set of circumstances. It doesn’t mean that this an ultimate right, in the discussion of â€Å"rights† and â€Å"wrongs†; simply, that when discussing gray area issues, the moral of sentiment applies heavily in deciphering the â€Å"right† or â€Å"wrongful† nature of an action. In conclusion, we can see that while James Rachel’s theory of â€Å"ethical egoism† makes deciphering a verdict on â€Å"right† and â€Å"wrong† simple, the act of making choices based solely on self-interest is not sustainable for society. All in all, deciphering the morality of a choice comes down to the particular circumstances that elicit an emotional response. When looking at issues critically, there is no fact-based evidence that clearly defines right from wrong in the action. However, because of our sentimental side, we are able to justify certain actions that would otherwise be considered wrong. Thus, David Hume’s â€Å"Theory of Moral Sentiment† has far better results when applied to this particular case

Possible risks Essay

Determination of pregnancy is not certain until the second trimester, at around twenty weeks, when the fetal heart beat can be heard via a fetoscope. Albeit there are presumptive and probable signs associated with pregnancy, like the early morning sickness or the growing size of the abdominal area, these could also be caused by a different pathology. Hence, it can be inevitable for a woman who is not aware of her pregnant state to be exposed to radiation, most especially if she is not aware of her current menstruation cycle. Radiation exposure usually occurs whenever a person is exposed to cosmic rays, external radiation from radioactive ores, internal exposure through radiation therapy given for treatment in cancer patients, and most commonly through diagnostic x-rays. More often than not, pregnant women who are not aware of their pregnant state could have gotten their diagnostic x-rays taken, which is equivalent to receiving 70 millirem. Also, she could have been exposed to other radiation sources, like watching the television and living next door to a power plant. But exposure to radiation can have an acceptable limit of 350 millirems for the pregnant woman. For the pregnant woman, the most critical period wherein the fetus will suffer the most health consequences is when the she is exposed to radiation around two weeks to fifteen weeks gestational age. At two weeks gestational age, if the mother is exposed to a radiation that measures greater than 5 rad or 5000 millirem, a miscarriage can take place or even death inside the womb. If the fetus is exposed to radiation at the gestational age of eight to fifteen weeks, the fetus is to suffer a severe brain damage from the exposure. This can result in lowered intelligent quotients or IQs, mental retardation, stunted growth and other birth defects. Mental retardation is defined as a general developmental disorder characterized by a lower than average intelligence marker and the child is to suffer from limited daily living skills due to limited learning capabilities. Stunted growth in a child will be evidenced by a sluggish growth and development progress, as evidenced by a lower than normal height, weight and even cognitive skills. After this critical period, the two to fifteen weeks of gestational age, the fetus will unlikely suffer from radiation exposure, unless the exposure is extremely large. Only having been exposed to at least five thousand x-rays at one time can give harm to a 16 week old fetus. At 26 weeks gestational age, the fetus cannot be harmed by radiation exposure, and if ever exposed to radiation, the fetus will unlikely suffer serious health consequences. This can be compared to a newborn being exposed to radiation; the chances of having defects are greatly decreased if not invisible already. However, some of the effects of being exposed to radiation cannot readily be seen or manifest in the early life. Studies also show that fetuses are extremely sensitive to the cancer causing effects of radiation exposure; hence this can increase their risks in acquiring cancer later in life. Radiation exposure can be limited, if not avoided. The pregnant woman needs to be aware of her physiological state. She would have to consult all of her diagnostic exams and her workplace to her physician, so that radiation exposure can be prevented early on the pregnancy.

Broad Environment Essay

Knowing the Unknown about the Broad Environment University of Tampa MGT 431 Practical Strategic Assessment Dr. George Bud Wynn June 09, 2009 Abstract In â€Å"Foundations in Strategic Management†, pages 21 to 27, author Harrison discusses the influence that the external environment has on a particular company’s operations and how its managers can adapt to environmental uncertainties to sustain their competitive advantages. Harrison also points out why it is important for firm to analyze and evaluate its broad environment. He also mentions how managers can analyze and evaluate external forces and devise strategies to complement the rapid-changing environment in order for their company to be competitive throughout and take advantage of its strengths and minimize its threats. He further divides the broad environment into four sub-headings (socio-cultural, economical, technological and political/legal) and states why each is important and the effect each have on a company’s operations. The purpose of the paper focuses more on informing the reader of the importance of evaluating a particular company’s broad environment. The paper also includes a review of and my opinion on what I think firms and their managers should be aware of when it comes to their company’s broad environment. The Importance of the Broad Environment to Managers Before the 1990’s, if a business had a competitive advantage and opened its doors to the general public, it was almost guaranteed success. However, such cases no longer exist. In modern times, companies with competitive advantages such as sufficient resources, skilled workers, superior technologies and the like can still go under due to the ever-changing environment. Nowadays, successful businesses are shifting focus from just having a competitive advantage in one or two areas, to maximizing on the relevant information that its managers have about its operation environment; including the broad and task environment. In order to operate a successful business, it is important for managers to have a comprehensive understanding of its broad environment in which it plans to operate. The broad environment includes socio-cultural, economical, technological, and political/legal forces which have an effect on how the company plans to gain a profitable market share. Such comprehensive understanding allows managers to save valuable time and money; subsequently making their business profitable. Due to the uncertainties of the rapidly changing economy, it is almost required by top performing firms to research the broad environment; even if its plan to merge or joint venture with another firm elsewhere. In addition, such research is also highly recommended for companies that plan to do business globally; if the company wishes to create a buffer from potential losses. Also, companies that analyze the broad environment effectively are able to maximize its advantages and opportunities while limiting weaknesses and threats. In conclusion, successful firms must recognize the importance of the broad environment in order to take advantage of its strengths and opportunities while minimizing its weaknesses and threats. Well-defined researches coupled with a complete understanding of a company’s broad environment are always important because, when done properly, it can enable companies to seize potential market areas and dominate a particular geographical location. Maintaining a complete understanding of the broad environment is vital to a company’s success. Understanding the broad environment is important for many reasons. Socio-cultural forces occur randomly and without warning. Many firms experience difficulties with these forces many times during operations. Examples of socio-cultural forces range from the influence of terrorism on the economy to the legality of abortion. Proper socio-cultural assessment enables firms to minimize its threats from potential restrictive legislation. Firms which are aware of pending restrictive law changes can avoid huge fines and penalties. In addition, managers should spend ample time researching law changes in order to save their company from falling intothese traps. Managers who are aware of demographic and economic changes in society can take advantage of opportunities that their competition fails to recognize. For example, a careful study of a firm’s social environment can gather information on what products/services or lifestyles people from a particular neighborhood purchase or prefer. In conclusion, a thorough understanding of socio-cultural forces can enable managers to gain from their knowledge about its societal operations and make it work to the best interest of their business. This will enable them to take advantage of strengths while also minimizing their threats. Economic forces play a critical part in the understanding of a firm’s broad environment. Factors such as interest rates, economic growth and inflation are important variables which managers must be aware of in order to process their broad environment effectively. Without such knowledge, it would be almost impossible to run an effective and efficient business and establish a competitive advantage. Furthermore, information gained from economic forces enables managers to allocate resources while allowing time to seek other investment opportunities. For example, multinational firms can benefit from favorable exchange rates. In order words, an understanding of fluctuations in exchange rates can lead such firms to purchase raw materials in countries where their own currency is superior to that of the foreign country. On the other hand, without knowledge of inflation, companies can suffer huge losses when investing in these countries. As a result, managers must be aware of such economical changes beforehand in order to make educated decisions that can assist their company’s growth and production. Another broad environment which managers should be aware of is technology. Nowadays, technology is changing the ways individuals and firms do business. New innovations such as the internet, handheld computers, and direct satellite systems are making it much easier for firms to purchase, deliver, and sell its products/services. Firms must be aware of and adapt to new technological changes in order to stay ahead of its competition in the fight for market shares and profits. If not, these companies are bound to fail or file for bankruptcy. Most firms are pumping millions of dollars into research and development in order to find new ways of improving its product’s life cycle which will in turn, generate more revenue and satisfy customer. One of the world leaders in electronic supply, the Sony Corporation of America, has developed new ideas to save its customer time and money. As a result, Sony is one of the main leaders in its industry and continues to see profits soar in 2008. According to one official, one of its newest inventions, â€Å"Eye on Education†, â€Å"[e]ducation educators receive competitive pricing, exclusive service and support capabilities, financing options, and trade-in opportunities for Sony professional display products. † Technology awareness and continuous improvement in its research and department hasled the company to success over the years. In modern times, in order for any one company to be effective, managers must be aware of the technological forces that can assist their companies to save money, andtime; subsequently improving the business purpose and values. Finally, close attention must be geared towards political/legal forces which can change the company’s focus or purpose in one way or another. Government regulations can alter the ways in which companies wish to perform its business in terms of locally or globally. Therefore, managers must pay attention to different types of changes that their companies might undertake if there is a desire to join multiple or particular industries. Government normally provides advantages to some businesses in the form of tax incentives which promote ethical behavior and remind firms of its responsibilities. Managers who are vigilant can take advantage of these incentives. Overall, a comprehensive understanding of a company’s broad environment such as socio-cultural, economical, technological, and political/legal forces are an essential assessment that needs to be considered before a merger, joint venture, acquisition, or even to successfully run a business. On the other hand, trained personnel must carry out such researches in order to avoid huge losses and business failure. Also, integrated understanding coupled with awareness can provide managers with information on what types of products/services to offer, sell, customers, delivery, and the like to enable their business to accomplish its goals. Assessments are highly recommended for starting up and strugglingcompanies and businesses which wish to operate globally. If somehow a particular set of managers can make a reasonable assessment of its company’s broad environment, they are almost guaranteed to run an effective and efficient company.

Assessment And Differentiation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Assessment And Differentiation - Essay Example By differentiating assessment, educators open up opportunities for students to show their developing skills and knowledge in ways in which they might be more "assured" or which might challenge them further. This is true for both lower-level and higher-level learners. Educators are capable of planning the most appropriate activities, as well as assessments, in order to meet student needs (Colorado, 2007). Through centering on adapting assessments to match students’ strengths and needs, teachers can open doors for students to be victorious. Such a change is essential for students who might otherwise not be capable of demonstrating mastery with traditional or normal assessments. Such exceptional students might be English language learners (ELLs). This paper will come up with a lesson plan for English language learners and how they can be effectively assessed by their educators. Teacher Preparation English language learners (ELLs), in content-area courses, have a double challenge meaning that they are expected to learn content and language at the same time (Colorado, 2007). ELLs struggle in content-area lessons such as literature, math, social studies and science because they have not gained the language, literacy skills, or background knowledge essential to master new content knowledge. One way to dealing with this challenge is by effective lesson planning. Relying on their different levels of English proficiency and literacy, ELLs will gain from the skills, which a well-designed lesson can tackle. Effective lessons comprise of building background knowledge, guided practice, explicit instruction and modeling, peer practice and assessment of content learned (Colorado, 2007). Student-teacher interactions along with peer interactions are significant for learning. Owing to the diversity in the background and experience that ELLs bring to the classroom, it is necessary to prepare lessons that deal with a broad range of needs. This wide sweep will also benefit al l students in a classroom whether English language learners or not (Hall, 2008). Lesson Components Building Background Knowledge Successful lesson planning requires a couple of steps from initial preparation to the ultimate review of material (Tonya, 2005). Once teachers get started, they should modify their survey to ensure their lesson or standard objectives are eliminating unimportant information, which does not meet its objectives. ELL teachers should also choose key vocabularies to pre-teach their ELLs and develop assessments to examine the content they taught. As teachers prepare their lessons, they should determine what background knowledge students require so as to master the material (Tonya, 2005). Educators might find that their English language learners’ background knowledge differs substantially from one student to another. It is also essential not to consider that ELLs' background knowledge is same as that of other learners, who were raised in this nation. With a n aim of building background knowledge to ELLs, educators could try creating interests in the subjects they teach through pictures. They could utter the name of the object as many times as possible, in order for ELLs to grasp the name. Educators should also build text-specific knowledge through offering students or ELLs with information from the text beforehand, mainly when the text is conceptually tough to understand. For