Individual Report- To be effective, leadership and management Coursework

Individual Report- To be effective, leadership and management development must be aligned to organisational strategy - Coursework Example dership and Management Development (LMD) must be aligned with organizational strategy, because effective leadership aids in developing an effective culture, so that the employees and leaders are able work in a collaborative manner to accomplish the organization goals. Through effective leadership and management of operations, complexities in an organisation can be mitigated and it is also possible to build a healthy relationship among the management and employees (Burgoyne & et. al., 2004). In this context, the coursework intends to explain about LMD along with the purposes and objectives of LMD. The effectiveness of LMD and its linkage to the performance as well as productivity of an organisation has been discussed. It also intends to explain about the association between talent management and management development cycle along with performance measurement as well as assessment. Explanation has also been made in relation to training and development activities, which are part of LMD. Leadership can be defined as a motivation factor through which leaders are able to motivate the junior employees to perform their tasks effectively to attain the organizational goals. LMD can be defined as one of the major strategies, which is essential for the development of organisational as well as leadership culture along with effective management of operations. Leadership and management are identified to be similar in terms of motivating the junior employees and both required people to work together to accomplish organizational goals (Kotter, 2015). But in certain cases, leadership and management are recognised to be different owing to the fact that leadership have the ability to change the attitude of subordinates and on the other hand, management only can change the behaviour of employees. In this context, LMD is required for the development of an organisation in terms of economic growth and business sustainability in the long run. LMD is a vital concept for enhancing

The influence of identity and values Essay Example for Free

The influence of identity and values Essay An individual’s sense of belonging is determined by their relationships with others and their ability to maintain their own strong values and morals whilst conforming to the requirements of the group. Those who refuse to compromise their values for the broader community may find themselves isolated, which in turn may affect their identity. In Shakespeares tragi-comic play As You Like It, the characters form unusual relationships in an alternative environment enabling their true values and morals to be revealed and furthering the development of their identity. In David Frankels film The Devil Wears Prada we see the refreshing nature of displacement from one’s natural environment and how following this alternate path exposes the challenges to one’s identity. Ultimately, both texts reflect the powerful impact of context on forming value driven relationships, resulting in changes to one’s identity and values. An individuals relationship with others impacts upon their ability to belong, revealing the powerful role of values when appealing to the requirements of the group. Some people choose to define themselves through individuality, while others require the presence of others in order to belong. Shakespeare cleverly contrasts the familial relationships between Oliver and Orlando in comparison with Rosalind and Celia in his play As You Like It. The strong connection between Rosalind and Celia condemns them into banishment where the allusion to an impregnable bond is formed, Dearer than the natural bonds of sisters. Their predicament is then juxtaposed with the disconnection between the brothers of Oliver and Orlando, which was created by the mistreatment and inequality experienced through primogeniture. Through emotive language Orlando enforces how the horses are better bred than him, alluding to animalistic treatment of him by his brother Oliver. It is Rosalind and Celias choice to depend on each other and therefore follow one another into banishment, when Celia claims through hyperbole she cannot live out of her company. However, in comparison Orlando chooses to be true to his values seeking individuality and independence from his negative relationships with Oliver. His destructive relationship with Oliver is due to a power imbalance and pure greed, driving Olivers actions. Orlando exposes Olivers mistreatment through the bold statement I will no longer injure it, foreshadowing future uprisings and further conflict in the play, before peace can be restored. The play reveals how the relationships between people can shape an individuals idea of themselves, affecting their ability to belong, whether belonging is gained through the positive connections or through the withdrawal from negative experiences. While place can nourish an individuals sense of belonging, it is dependent on ones values and relationships to determine which environment one chooses to connect with. Frankel’s film The devil Wears Prada develops two opposing settings, Andy’s personal life based around family and friends, such as homely Nate, in comparison to the elite fashion magazine Runway, whose editor in chief Miranda lives a more sophisticated life. In the scene following Andy’s arrival, her naivety leads her to question â€Å"who is Miranda?† in an innocent and unknowing tone, highlighting her ignorance of the fashion world. Andy’s personal values of justice continue to question the ethics and morals of the company when she smirks at the superficiality and triviality of Miranda and Nigel’s model preparations for the magazine. The Mid-shot with an eye level camera angle juxtaposed with the immediate full length body image to highlight Andy’s lack of appreciation for physical appearance, suggests Andy seeks importance in her personal values and morals rather than from looks. Similarly to Rosalind, Andy relies on her values and morals in an environment where she is isolated and alienated, in order to seek a sense of belonging. Andy’s initially strong relationship with Nate too determines which environment she chooses to connect with. Andy shows how her priorities change when she forms a flirtatious bond with Christian and misses Nate’s birthday. Nigel foreshadows â€Å"when your life goes up in smoke it’s time for a promotion† supporting the shallow ideas promoted by the fashion industry. The cake’s candles are blown out and the smoke rises exposing Andy’s sacrifice of her relationship in order to belong to her chosen environment. Thus, one’s values and relationships can have both a destructive and enriching effect on an individual’s sense of belonging to place – although Andy loses her connection to home and Nate, she gains one with Miranda and the Runway magazine. A connection to place enriches an individual’s sense of self, which can be altered or affected by the harsh realities of their current environment. As You Like It creates two alternative settings with the play, the envious court with the personification of the court to convey its hostility and the Forest of Arden, as a romantic idealized setting. When Rosalind is living in the court, she is deprived of her knowledge and perceived with lesser importance through the alliteration of bountiful blind woman, confirming that the world is unfair. juxtaposed when she is banished to the Forest of Arden, where she has to sacrifice her identity as a woman and disguise herself as Ganymede, she is able to expose her true morals and values. Similarly, the court conveys its hostility when the alliteration and plosive p in painted Pomp emphasizes the harshness of the court, is contrasted with Duke Seniors rhetorical question are not these woods more free from peril than the envious court? Illustrated as a place of nurturing, healing and change, the forest is shown through the courteous tone Oliver uses when he says Good morrow fair ones. Thus, it was truly the forest that encouraged this sense of renewal and enlightened him upon his developed identity. With the accumulation and onomatopoeia cleverly showcases that Duke Senior feels secure in himself and his environment when he states tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones and good in everything. Ultimately, an environment can both enrich and challenge ones sense of belonging, yet overall it will formulate an individuals identity through the changing of morals and values. An act of displacement from the individuals homely environment can expose ones dynamic identity and varied sense of belonging. When protagonist Andy is displaced from her natural, everyday life and directed to work as Miranda Priestley’s assistant, her changing identity greatly impacts on her sense of belonging within the environment. Andy tolerates Miranda’s humiliating treatment in the hope of receiving a job as a reporter or writer somewhere more prestigious. The photo montage of Andy’s new and fashionable clothing suggests she compromises her integrity and values in order to gain experience and a reputation at Runway, evident when Andy forgoes her former values for shallower, superficial ones, related to fashion and sex appeal. Antagonist Miranda represents values of superficiality and ruthlessness when she exclaims â€Å"you have no style or sense of fashion† preclude love and happiness as the key values of human existence. However, Miranda’s influence on Andy can encourage her to choose to align herself with values that do not represent her true identity, such as love, family and personal life. When Andy’s true values are juxtaposed with what Miranda has to offer, which means being lonely and isolated, Andy is forced to re-engage with her original values and rekindle her relationship with Nate, re-establish her familial and personal connections, which ultimately convey her real identity. Ultimately, the film reveals how the consequences of displacement can affect an individual’s connection to their environment, forcing the realisation of an unrealistic identity, encouraged by negative experiences.

Comparing Evil in Emerson, Hawthorne, and Melville Essay -- comparison

     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Lionel Trilling once said, "A proper sense of evil is surely an attribute of a great writer." (98-99) Although he made the remark in a different context, one would naturally associate Hawthorne and Melville with the comment, while Emerson's might be one of the last names to mind. For the modern reader, who is often in the habit of assuming that the most profound and incisive apprehension of reality is a sense of tragedy, Emerson seems to have lost his grip. He has often been charged with a lack of vision of evil and tragedy. Yeats, for example, felt that Whitman and Emerson "have begun to seem superficial, precisely because they lack the Vision of Evil" (qtd. in Matthiessen 181).    There is no doubt that Emerson was a yea-sayer. He did celebrate the daylight and hope in preference to blackness and despair. At the same time, however, he was not unaware of the existence of evil. He personally went through the agony of unusual poverty and a series of deaths of his beloved ones, and his own health was constantly threatened. He knew life was hard and full of tribulations. But Emerson discovered the key to the perplexing reality in absolute faith in human nature and divinity: A human being is capable of banishing whatever evil with the guidance of divinity that sometimes seems to accomplish the just cause at any cost, even by an evil agent. Throughout 'Self-Reliance' echoes his strong conviction in human nature and God:    Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string. Accept the place the divine providence has found for you, the society of your contemporaries, the connection of events...And we are new men, and must accept in the highest mind the same transcendent destiny; and not minors and inv... .... "Self-Reliance." The American Tradition in Literature. Ed. Sculley Bradley et al. Vol. 1, 4th ed. New York: Norton, 1983. 1036-1048. -----. "The American Scholar." The American Tradition in Literature. 1080-1092. -----. "Experience." The American Tradition in Literature. 1126-1135. Hawthorne, Nathaniel. "Young Goodman Brown." The American Tradition in Literature. 672-683. Hoeltje, Hubert H. "Hawthorne, Melville, and Blackness," American Literature, 37 (1965): 279-285. Matthiessen, F.O. American Renaissance. New York: Oxford & University Press, 1941. Melville, Herman. Moby-Dick. New York: Norton, 1967. -----. Billy Budd. The American Tradition in Literature. 997-1054. Sherman, Paul. Emerson's Angle of Vision Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1952. Trilling, Lionel. The Opposing Self. New York: Viking Press, 1955.   

Fractional Growth Factors

Early Field Experience Lesson Plan Fractional Growth Factor CMP Math 8th Grade Ms. Tanisha Wilson Fifer Middle School Tanisha Wilson MTSC 403 Fall 2011 CONTEXTUAL FACTORS Student Characteristics There 28 students and they are in 8th grade CMP math class. There are some students in this are inclusion so there are two teachers in the classroom. There is a regular mathematics education teacher, and there is a special aid teacher. The students in this class have to take two mathematics classes each day, a CMT course and a prep course which will help them score high on their DCAS scores.They are from different nationality backgrounds and they understand English well. There is one student in the class who has a wheel chair and the desk is arranged for him to sit comfortably by the door. Overall the students in this class are well behaved and eager to learn mathematics. Grouping Patterns Student’s seats are arranged in groups of four. Students will work in groups of four and a class as a whole will whole. Prerequisite Knowledge Students should already be able to identify the growth factor in the problem with reasoning, the y- intercept, and what everything number in the equation represent.Students are also expected to know what exponential growth mean and are able to graph and factor with exponential growth with whole numbers. Instructional Materials Smart board, smart responders, paper, pencil LEARNING GOALS Mathematical Learning Goals Students will build on their knowledge of exponential growth. Students will think about exponential growth with the fractional (or decimal) growth factors and know when it is appropriate to round the number to the nearest decimal place and why. Students will know how to find the fractional exponential growth using the formula P= a (b)x. NCTM Content StandardsGrades 6-8 Algebra * Identify functions as linear or nonlinear and contrast their properties from tables, graphs, or equations. * Model and solve contextualized problems usi ng various representations such as graphs, tables and equations. Delaware Standards Math GLE Standard 2 Algebraic Reasoning * Compare the rates of change in tables and graphs and classify them as linear or nonlinear. * Use tables, graphs and symbolic reasoning to identify functions as linear or nonlinear. DIRECT Diversity- there will be different ways to solve the problems so students would be given many ways to practice and choose which method fits best.Interpersonal Communications- students will follow a method that the teacher in the class uses which is called Think, pair, share. Students would think about their answer, pair up with their group members to discuss what each other got, and then share their answer with the whole class. Reflection- students would reflect on what is going on in the class by exit cards at the end of the lesson. Students will also receive extra practice by doing a homework assignment. Effect teaching and assessment Strategies- students would be asked qu estions leading to them figuring out the formula.At the end of the lesson there would be exit cards to assess what the students have learned in today’s lesson. Content and Pedagogical Knowledge- this is like a review lesson. Students already have prerequisite knowledge on the same material. The only difference with this lesson is that the growth factors for the problems we will be working on today are fractional. Technology- students would use smart responders in the beginning of the lesson to determine if their answers were correct or not. We will also be using the smart board to see the problems needed in order to keep the lessons going. Mathematical Proficiency StrandsUnderstanding mathematics- student’s will be asked multiple questions based off of the problems they have done in previous lessons and the lessons we are doing today so I could know if the students are understanding the mathematics we are covering the in class. Applying concepts to solve problems- stud ents would be given two solve problems and asked how they came up with their answer with explanations of how they got the answer. Reasoning logically- students would be given a real life situation as a solve problem and the answer they come up with have to logically fit the situation given in the story.Engaging- students will be engaging with each other to discuss their thoughts of the solve problems by doing the think, pair, share. Assessment Plan In the previous investigation, we studied exponential growth of plants, mold, and a snake population. In the growth factor and the starting value, we could make predictions. The growth factors in these examples were whole numbers. In this investigation, we will study examples of exponential growth with fractional growth factors. Students will have an understanding on how to find the exponential growth of a Rabbit population with fractional growth factors.Examples will be shown that students understand the lesson by using the growth factor table, being able to determine what is the growth factor and when is it appropriate to round it up to if necessary and students will be able to connect the chart and table to a formula for the exponential growth rate. Pre- Assessment Students will be given a chart that looks like the previous charts we have went over. The difference with this chart is that the growth factor is not a whole number. Students will have to find the equation based off of the chart. They would put their answer into the smart responder.Once everyone’s answers are calculated into the smart responder, we will receive a percentage of how many students got the correct answer in the class. We will then discuss why that is the correct answer. Additional Assessment 1 Students would be given a problem on the smart board with a table which will represent the exponential growth of rabbits. Ask students the following questions†¦ 1. What is the growth factor? Explain how you found your answer. 2. Assume th is growth pattern continued. Write an equation for the rabbit population p for any year n after the rabbits are first counted. Explain what the numbers in your equation represent. 3.How many rabbits will there be after 10 years? How many will there be after 25 years? After 50 years? 4. In how many years will the rabbit population exceed one million? Do not give students the answers. Have students come up with the answers on their own, then they could discuss with a classmate, then the whole class would discuss the correct answer and why. While students are working in groups, the teacher would be walking around and looking at student’s notes to see their understanding. If you see that there is more than one approach to the answer, then call on the different students with the different approaches so there could be variety.Post Assessment The class would sum up what we did in today’s lesson by answering the exit cards with a question similar to the one we did in class. St udents must answer the question in details. The teacher will explain to the students that the main point of the lesson today is to recognize that the growth factor may not always be a whole number. By the end of this lesson, students should be able to solve a problem dealing with exponential growth with the growth factor not being a whole number. OPENING 5 Minutes8:00-8:15 Rationale Students will be shown a chart on the smart board and will be asked to find the growth factor and the equation for the table. Since the students are already familiar with exponential growth using whole numbers, I want student’s to see that not all exponential growth would have a whole number as the growth factor. The opening activity is a reflection on the same type of formula they have been working on, the only difference is that the growth factor would not be a whole number.Students would focus on the growth factor and being able to put it into an equation which will support the table. Students will be assessed by using the smart responders. The smart responders will allow the teacher to know the percentage of students who got the correct answer before beginning the lesson. | Materials Smart board, smart responder, pencil, and paper Activity Description When the students first walk into the classroom, they will be asked to grab a smart responder. (The smart responder allows the teacher to see the percentage of how many students got the correct answer).Based off of the results on the smart responder I will have a short discussion of what is the growth factor, the y-intercept, and why important to know those numbers in order to create a formula. The table is as followed†¦ X| 0| 1| 2| 3| Y| 30| 57| 108| 206| Differentiate Instruction One student from each group will get up to get the smart responders for their group and return them when we are done. Students will be able to do this because there is a student in the classroom with a disability; he is in a wheelchair so I do not want him to feel left out in any way.Therefore, each group will have to go through the same procedure. Another differentiate instruction we will do is go over the correct answer into details because there are some students in the class who are inclusion. I do not want to move too fast with the class as a whole so I will continue to review the material and monitor ALL students understanding of the lesson before moving on. What is the growth factor in this table? Possible Student Responses| Possible Teacher Follow-ups| 1. 9| Did everyone get that answer? | No. | What did you get as the growth factor? | At first I got1. then I divided the next two consecutive numbers which is 108/ 57 and I got 1. 894736834, so the growth factor is not the same with each number. | Did anyone else get that? | Yes| Well I’m happy you pointed that out. What is the difference between this table and the previous tables we have been doing these past few weeks? | The growth factor is not the same for every outcome is not the same exact number| What is different about the numbers though? | They are a decimal and not whole numbers. | Ok. Good point. Is 1. 894736 close to 1. 9? | Yes| When you divide 206 and 108, what is your outcome? 1. 907407| Is that close to 1. 9? | Yes| So what could you tell me about this growth factor now? | That the outcomes are very close to each other but they are not the exact same| So imaging if you wanted to round your growth factor to the nearest whole number, put the number 2 into your formula, what are your results? | 30*2= 6060*2= 120120*2= 240| Are your results accurate compared to what we need on our table? | No. | Why is that? | Because when you keep multiplying by 2 instead of 1. 9 the result grows bigger and bigger and it does not match what we need. What do you suggest we do if we wanted to put these numbers into an equation that will have the closest possible outcome? | Round it to 1. 9? | Why 1. 9? | Because what was the first exact ou tcome and when we divined the next consecutive numbers, they are close to 1. 9| Ok great job. So when this happens we will round up to the nearest outcome and in this case it is 1. 9| BODY #1 30 MinutesTime: 8:15- 8:45 Rationale The purpose of this activity is for students’ to have a visual with a story of rabbits reproducing and is able to form an equation with the table given to them.This activity will build on the students’ knowledge of exponential growth and at the same time introducing with fractional growth factors. It is important for students to understand that the growth factor will not always be a whole number and what they should do when they face this problem. This activity develops the learning goal of student’s being able to think about fractional growth factor and why should they round it to the nearest decimal place instead of the whole number. Materials Graphic Calculator, pencil, paper, smart board Activity DescriptionStudents will be sitting i n groups of four. During this activity, student’s will do a think, pair, share for every question asked to them before discussing it with the class as a whole. Think, pair, share is a way for students to actually THINK about their answer and why do they think that will be the correct answer; they should also be taking down notes at this point. PAIR is when they talk amongst their partners and share what they came up with and then compare answers. If anyone answer is different, then they will discuss why are their answers different.SHARE is when the whole class has a discussion about all of the possible answers and come to an agreement and understanding of the correct answer. Students will be assessed while doing think, pair, and share. The teacher would be walking around the class taking notes about the student’s understanding and mentioning anything that stands out or may be confusing about the lesson to the class. This will just be personal notes for the teacher to k now the student understands of the lesson. | The activity will begin with the â€Å"did you know† which will be shown on the smart board.Did you know? In 1859, a small number of rabbits were introduced to Australia by English settlers. The rabbits had no natural predators in Australia, so they reproduced rapidly and became a serious problem, eating grasses intended for sheep and cattle. In the mid-1990s, there were more than 300 million rabbits in Australia. The damage they caused cost Australian agriculture $600 million per year. There have been many attempts to curb Australia’s rabbit population. In 1995, a deadly rabbit disease was deliberately spread, reducing the rabbit population by about half.However, because rabbits are developing immunity to the disease, the effects of this measure may not last. Students will think about the â€Å"did you know† problem and then a table will be shown on the board based off of the problem. If biologists had counted the ra bbits in Australia in the years after they were introduced, they might have collected data like these: Growth of Rabbit Population Time (yr)| Population| 0| 100| 1| 180| 2| 325| 3| 583| 4| 1,050| Students would be asked the following questions followed by a mini class discussion for each question. 1. What is the growth factor?Explain how you found your answer. 2. Assume this growth pattern continued. Write an equation for the rabbit population p for any year n after the rabbits are first counted. Explain what the numbers in your equation represent. 3. How many rabbits will there be after 10 years? How many will there be after 25 years? After 50 years? 4. In how many years will the rabbit population exceed one million? Differentiate Instruction There are some students in this class who are inclusion which mean that they need extra help with understand the concept of the material.There is an inclusion math teacher in the classroom as well but her attention is strictly for those studen ts’. The activity has question and answers so that way everyone in the class could participate in lesson and contribute their understandings. Students will also have to think about the answer on their own at first before working in pairs which will be helpful for the teacher who is walking around to see the students understanding individually. The inclusion student’s will also receive peer help along with teacher sponsoring. What is the growth factor of rabbits reproducing represented by this table?Possible Student Responses| Possible Teacher Follow-ups| 1. 8| Why 1. 8? | Because divided the first two consecutive numbers which is 180/100= 1. 8 so every year the rabbits times itself to 1. 8| So did you get 1. 8 every time you divide the consecutive numbers? | No, when I divided 325 by 180 I got 1. 805555556, when I divided 583 by 325 I got 1. 793846, and when I divided 1,050 by 583, I got 1. 801029. They were all close to 1. 8 so I rounded it up like what we did for the warm up. | Great job, my only question is why did we round it up by 1. 8 and not 2? Because we are dealing with fractional growth factors even though these are decimals. | But what if you didn’t know you was dealing with fractional growth factors and you had to solve this problem, why wouldn’t you round your growth factor up to the nearest whole number? | Because if I rounded my growth factor up to the nearest whole number then the result for the growth amount for populations of rabbits of the next year would not be around the number given. | I don’t really understand what you mean; may you please demonstrate to the class using your calculator? |The student would demonstrate to the class using his/ her calculator Year 1100*2=200not close to 180 Year 2200*2=400not close to 325 Year 3400*2=800not close to 583 Year 4800*2=1600not close to 1050 So why do we round to the nearest appropriate decimal? Possible Student Responses| Possible Teacher Follow-ups| Because if we were to round it to the nearest whole number, then the growth factor will not be close to the next years population rate. | Correct. What is the equation used for this growth factor? | 100(1. 8x)| Why? | Growth factor is 1. 8 and we raise that by time which is x| Ok great job. |CLOSINGTime: 2 minutes Learning Goal(s) Students will build on their knowledge of exponential growth. Students will think about exponential growth with the fractional growth factors and know when it is appropriate to round the number to the nearest decimal place and why. Students will know how to find the fractional exponential growth using the formula P= a (b)x. Review Based off of what we learned today students will be able to draw connections from the previous lessons with exponential growth factors and now know how to find the exponential growth with the growth factor not being a whole number.Students are to state why they are rounding up the number to the nearest decimal (if needed). Students will ha ve to answer the Exit Cards before leaving the class. 1. Why isn’t the growth factor of exponential growth always a whole number? 2. If you were to round up your decimal or fraction to the nearest whole number and put it into the equation P= a(b)x, what will your outcome be and explain why. Students would be assessed on their understanding of today’s lesson and making sure that they meet the learning goals thinking mathematically. | Follow-up ActivitiesStudents will be assigned a homework assignment. 1. In parts of the United States, wolves are being reintroduced to wilderness areas where they had become extinct. Suppose 20 wolves are released in northern Michigan, and the yearly growth factor for this population is expected to be 1. 2. a. Make a table showing the projected number of wolves at the end of each of the first 6 years. b. Write an equation that models the growth of the wolf population. c. How long will it take for the new wolf population to exceed 100? 2. a . The table shows that the elk population in a state forest is growing exponentially.What is the growth factor? Explain. Growth of Elk Population Time (year)| Population| 0| 30| 1| 57| 2| 108| 3| 206| 4| 391| 5| 743| b. Suppose this growth pattern continues. How many elk will there be after 10 years? How many elk will there be after 15 years? c. Write an equation you could use to predict the elk population p for any year n after the elk were first counted. d. In how many years will the population exceed one million? Homework will be checked during the next class meet. ATTACHMENTS â€Å"Growing Growing Growing† book pages 33-36

Intergovernmental Organisations Essay

a) Explain how membership of intergovernmental organisations gives some countries political and economic power. (10) Being a member of intergovernmental organisations does give some countries political and economic power. Like figure 4 shows, the USA is part of many intergovernmental organisations and they have the status of a superpower showing there are clear benefits of being a part of IGOs. However, some may argue that countries such as China and India are rising in both political and economic power yet like figure 4 shows, they are barely part of the leading IGOs. Therefore, membership of intergovernmental organisations does give some countries political and economic benefits but there is evidence to show that not being apart of an IGO still allows for development in a countries wealth and political stance. Economically, being a part of the World Trade Organisation like many leading superpowers are (for example, the UK and the USA) does allow for these leading countries to have influence in trade decisions. This means that they can benefit economic decisions to suit themselves. For example, the USA can exploit LDC’s such as Bangladesh by taking more imports for a less expensive price. Furthermore, being a member of the International Monetary Fund means that countries have the voting power to influence the economic policies of other countries. Thus these countries can create friendly policies towards TNCs that are based in their own country, greatly benefiting their own wealth. Additionally, being apart of the EU and NATO in which many of the countries that are part of many IGOs are part of have trade blocs which can cater for the protection of key markets and still help intraregional trade. Therefore it does seem that economic power of a country does improve with the help of being a part of IGOs such as the World Trade Organisation.

Free ESL Business Letter Writing Lesson Plan

Free ESL Business Letter Writing Lesson Plan Teaching a business English course requires an extremely pragmatic approach to writing tasks. It is necessary to focus on the production of specific documents for specific situations. In order to ensure that the students are attentive while learning language production skills which will be used in the writing of these documents, they should brainstorm on certain company-specific problems that might arise. In this manner, the students are attentive throughout the language productivity process because they will be creating a document that has immediate practical applications. 5-Part Lesson I Listening Comprehension: Shipment Problems from International Business English Listening comprehension (2 times)Comprehension check II Break into 2 groups to brainstorm and write a list of possible problems with your supplier Have each group choose what they feel is an important and or regularly occurring problemAsk groups to write a quick outline of the problem III Have one group generate vocabulary and structures used when complaining, ask the other group to generate vocabulary used when responding to complaints Have two groups write their generated vocabulary on the boardAsk for further vocabulary and/or structures that the opposing group may have missed IV Ask groups to compose a letter of complaint about the problem they have previously outline Have the groups exchange finished letters. Each group should proceed by first reading, then correct and finally, respond to the letter. V Collect student letters and correct reply by pointing out which types of mistakes have been made (i.e. S for syntax, PR for preposition etc.) While correcting the letter have groups mix and discuss their responses to the problemRedistribute corrected letters to original groups and have students try to correct their letters using the cues given by the correction The follow-up would include a written assignment of writing a letter of complaint. Students would then once again exchange letters read, correct and reply to the complaint. In this manner, students would continue working on this specific task over a period of time thus enabling perfection of the task through repetition. Lesson Breakdown The above plan takes the rather common task of the complaint and replies in the business setting as the central focus for ​comprehension and language production skills. By introducing the subject through a listening  exercise, the students are passively encouraged to begin thinking about their own problems at work. Progressing through the spoken production phase, students begin to consider appropriate language for the task at hand. By focusing on specific problems at their own company, the students interest is engaged thereby ensuring a more effective learning environment. Students begin to consider appropriate written production by writing an outline. In the second part of the lesson, students focus more specifically on the appropriate language for the task of complaining and replying to complaints. They reinforce their reading and spoken knowledge of the vocabulary and structures by commenting on the other groups production on the board. The third part of the lesson begins to develop the actually written production of the target area by group work. It continues with reading comprehension by the exchange of letters and further review of the structures by group correction. Finally, written production continues to improve by writing a response to the letter that they have read and corrected. Having first corrected the other groups letter, the group should be more aware of proper production. In the final part of the lesson, written production is further refined by direct teacher involvement, helping the students to understand their mistakes and correct the problem areas themselves. In this way, the students will have completed three different letters focusing on specific work-related target areas that then can then immediately use at the workplace.

Free Essays on Unemployment

UNEMPLOYMENT Why is this problem considered a social problem? Unemployment is considered a social problem because it affects everyone. Our economy is directly affected by the unemployment rate and therefore every single U.S. citizen is directly affected. Unemployment rates play a large role in taxes because of the need to pay into unemployment and welfare. At this time Americas unemployment rates are at an alarmingly high rate. When, how, and where did this problem originate? Has it been around for a while are we just seeing it publicized more? Unemployment has been around since the industrial revolution. It is impossible for all Americans to maintain jobs; there just aren’t enough jobs out there. Before the industrial revolution many people worked on farms and tended to their own crops for means of survival. When machines began taking peoples jobs unemployment began rates began souring. Unemployment has been around for many years; however since we are at an alarming high rate of unemployment we are beginning to see it publicized more. What other social problems are related to this one? List all the social problems related. Unemployment causes poverty, drug abuse, child abuse, influences elections, economy problems, suicide, theft, and all types of criminal activities. When people become unemployed they become poor and must find ways to feed their families. This may influence somebody to rob a bank or steal from one another. Our president is directly blamed for the increase or decrease in employment and therefore the elections may be influenced. Who is hurt by the problem? I feel everyone can be hurt by unemployment; the people who have lost their jobs are hurt. Our economy must now spend more money on welfare. Unemployed family members may be affected by their relatives feeling the need to help support them. Children raised in poor families are less likely to receive a good education and often can’t afford to go to college ... Free Essays on Unemployment Free Essays on Unemployment UNEMPLOYMENT Why is this problem considered a social problem? Unemployment is considered a social problem because it affects everyone. Our economy is directly affected by the unemployment rate and therefore every single U.S. citizen is directly affected. Unemployment rates play a large role in taxes because of the need to pay into unemployment and welfare. At this time Americas unemployment rates are at an alarmingly high rate. When, how, and where did this problem originate? Has it been around for a while are we just seeing it publicized more? Unemployment has been around since the industrial revolution. It is impossible for all Americans to maintain jobs; there just aren’t enough jobs out there. Before the industrial revolution many people worked on farms and tended to their own crops for means of survival. When machines began taking peoples jobs unemployment began rates began souring. Unemployment has been around for many years; however since we are at an alarming high rate of unemployment we are beginning to see it publicized more. What other social problems are related to this one? List all the social problems related. Unemployment causes poverty, drug abuse, child abuse, influences elections, economy problems, suicide, theft, and all types of criminal activities. When people become unemployed they become poor and must find ways to feed their families. This may influence somebody to rob a bank or steal from one another. Our president is directly blamed for the increase or decrease in employment and therefore the elections may be influenced. Who is hurt by the problem? I feel everyone can be hurt by unemployment; the people who have lost their jobs are hurt. Our economy must now spend more money on welfare. Unemployed family members may be affected by their relatives feeling the need to help support them. Children raised in poor families are less likely to receive a good education and often can’t afford to go to college ... Free Essays on Unemployment With many of today’s companies looking for ways to save money and increase profits we are seeing an increase in the number of unemployed. Companies are looking to cut costs and employees are a major expense for a company. Not only does a company have to pay the wages of a worker, but the company must also match the Social Security and Medicare payments. Another expense of employers is medical insurance; even if the companies have its employees contribute to the cost of their benefits, it still does not offset much of what the company still pays. With the increasing costs to a company they are looking at moving jobs to countries where it’s able to pay workers a lower wage. An example of this would be an American company moving it manufacturing facilities to Mexico. Another reason would be the use of labor saving automated equipment. Companies are using more computers and robotics instead of human labor. By automating more of their operations companies are increasing productivity and profits but at the same time they are contributing to the rise in unemployment. The importing of goods into the country also contributes to the increase in unemployment. Goods are bought in a low-wage country for a cheap price and then brought into a high wage country and sold with large mark-ups. Selling prices of products produced in the higher wage country are marked down so they can compete with the imported products. But the imported products can be reduced even further which in the end knocks the home produced product out of the market. This then causes many companies to have to reduce their work force and sometimes even close their doors. Which reduces wages and increases unemployment. The social implications of unemployment to a community vary from individual to individual. People living at or below the poverty level increases. A decreasing in that individuals spending has a snowball effect on the entire community. Ma...

Understanding and Defining White Privilege

Understanding and Defining White Privilege White privilege refers to the collection of benefits that white people receive in a racially structured society in which they are at the top of the racial hierarchy. Made famous by scholar and activist Peggy McIntosh in 1988, the concept includes everything from whiteness being equated with being normal and native to the U.S. to being represented in the media, being trusted, and easily finding makeup products for ones skin tone. While some might view some of these privileges as trivial, its important to recognize that no form of privilege comes without its counterpart: oppression. White Privilege According to Peggy McIntosh In 1988, Peggy McIntosh, a women’s studies scholar with sociological inclinations, penned an essay and cemented a concept that has become a mainstay for the sociology of race and ethnicity. â€Å"White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack,† provided real-world, tangible examples of a concept and social fact that had been acknowledged and discussed by others, but never before in such a compelling way. At the heart of the concept  is the assertion that, in a racist society, white skin confers on those who live in it an extensive array of unearned privileges not available to people of color. White privilege is for the most part invisible to those who have it and unacknowledged by them. McIntoshs list of fifty privileges includes things like regularly being surrounded - in everyday life and in media representations - by people who look like you, and the ability to avoid those who do not; not being  interpersonally or institutionally discriminated against on the basis of race; never feeling afraid to defend oneself or speak out against injustice for fear of racially motivated retaliation; and, being viewed as normal and belonging, among others. The key point made by McIntosh’s list of privileges is that they are not typically available to or experienced by people of color in the U.S. In other words, they experience racial oppression and white people benefit from this. By illuminating the many forms that white privilege takes, McIntosh urges readers to exercise a sociological imagination. She asks us to consider how our individual life experiences are connected to and situated within large-scale patterns and trends in society. In this sense, seeing and understanding white privilege is not about blaming white people for having unearned advantages. Rather, the point of reflecting on one’s white privilege is to recognize that the social relations of race and the racial structure of society have created conditions in which one race has been advantaged over others, and that many aspects of everyday life that white people take for granted are not even available to people of color. Further, McIntosh suggests that white people have a responsibility to be conscious of their privileges and a responsibility to reject and diminish them as much as possible. Understanding Privilege in the Greater Sense Since McIntosh solidified this concept, social scientists and activists have expanded the conversation around privilege to include things like sex, gender, ability, culture, nationality, and class. This expanded understanding of privilege is premised on the concept of intersectionality popularized by black feminist sociologist Patricia Hill Collins. This concept refers to the fact that individuals in society are simultaneously recognized as, classified by, and interacted with on the basis of a variety of social characteristics, including and not limited to race, sex, gender, sexuality, ability, class, and nationality. Thus, our everyday life experiences are shaped by all of these things. In terms of privilege, then, sociologists today consider a variety of social characteristics and classifications when determining the level of privilege one possesses at any given moment. White Privilege Today Yet, in societies fundamentally structured by race, understanding one’s white privilege, regardless of other social characteristics or positions one embodies, is still deeply important. And, given that the meaning of race and the forms that racism takes are ever-evolving in the process of racial formation, it is important to update our sociological understanding of how white privilege has changed over time. While McIntoshs descriptions of white privilege are still perfectly relevant, there are some additional ways in which it manifests today, like: The ability to speak and write from an unchallenged position of authority (see, for instance, commenters online);The ability to hold onto wealth during economic crisis (Black and Latino families lost far more wealth during the home foreclosure crisis than did white families);Protection from experiencing the brunt of negative implications of climate change (economically vulnerable and politically unstable populations, mostly people of color in the global south, are disproportionally affected);Protection from the lowest wages and most dangerous labor conditions cultivated by the globalization of production;Being able to deny that racism exists;Believing in and cultivating sympathy from others for â€Å"reverse racism;Being unconcerned with the racial implications of political candidates one supports;Believing you worked hard for and earned everything you have without receiving any help or advantages;Believing that people of color who have achieved success have been given racially moti vated advantages; The ability to adopt a victim status rather than engaging in critical self-reflection when accused of racism;Believing it is acceptable to be â€Å"ironically† racist;Believing that people need to â€Å"get over it† or â€Å"move on† when they point out racism; and,The belief that cultural products and practices that come from communities of color are yours for the taking. There are many other ways in which white privilege manifests today - take a moment to think about the forms of privilege you can see in your life or in the lives of those around you.

Electoral College Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Electoral College - Essay Example Pelayo was elected by his Visigothic nobles before becoming king of Asturias and Pepin the Sort was also elected by his Frankish nobles so as to become the first Carolingian king (Wedgewood 29-36). In the Holy Roman Empire, the King of the Romans was selected by the college of prince electors from the late Middle Ages until 1792 when the last election took place (Wedgewood 29-36). The Church in the West left electoral power exclusively to the College of Canons of the Cathedral Church. In the case of the Pope, selection is left to the exclusive authority of the College of Cardinals since 1059. Currently, the United States of America is the best illustration of a society that uses the Electoral College System to indirectly elect the president and the vice president (Sabato 20-35). Framers of the Unites States’ Constitution devised the Electoral College as procedure to indirectly elect the president by the people. The Constitutional Convention came up with so various methods of selecting the president which included selection of the president by the Congress; selection of the president by the State Legislature; selection of the president through direct popular vote (Kolodny 45-65). These procedures were rejected for various reasons such as threats of power bargaining and corruption (Longley and Pierce 12-17). Finally, the convention settled for the indirect method of election of the president through the Electoral College and this procedure was stipulated in Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution of the United States (Kolodny 45-65). The article on the Electoral College has undergone several amendments in 1880, 1804 (12th Amendment) and in 1876. The last amendment to the Electoral College was made through the 23rd Amendment which gave the District of Columbia the right to vote for three electors just as the residents of other states

Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 20

Religion - Essay Example His ideas on life were that the soul was bound in the body awaiting its release and the eventual return to its original source in the other world. This transformation can be experienced during the present through personal purification. In many of his teachings, Attar has exemplified the essence of a pure life and the mortality of the human body (Attar, 19). In one of his many poems, Attar writes, â€Å"Life be it long or short is composed of few breaths. Whoever is born must also die. You were nourished for death; and you were brought into the world in order to be taken away from it.† (Attar, 13). nourished for death†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The statement summarizes the whole poetic line. Attar tries to show that mankind is naturally mortal. All that a man goes through prepares him for the life after in the next world. The spiritual growth of a human being is a process of ‘nourishment’. In short, according to Attar, Mankind lives to die. The ultimate result of life is transformation to the afterlife through death (Attar, 23). Learners of Attar’s theories should therefore live their lives nourish themselves spiritually for the next stage of their lives. It makes them realize that they are mortal and they should be prepared for the death and the afterlife (Attar, 24). Still on the topic of religious theories, we should look at The Bhagavad Gita, a Hindu devotional book. The book also offers insight and guidance on death and how mankind should be prepared for it. The book states in part, â€Å"The soul never takes birth and never dies at any time nor does it come into being again when the body is created. The soul is birth less, eternal, imperishable and timeless and is never terminated when the body is terminated† (Zaener, 11). The Bhagavad Gita has the same notion in it with the Attar poetry. It shows that the soul is eternal and imperishable. It is, just like in Attar’s case, housed by the body but when the body is terminated, the

Ethanol is it worth the true Cost Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ethanol is it worth the true Cost - Essay Example Though many have seen ethanol as a potential long-term solution to global energy concerns (Shimada, 2002), there are numerous shortcomings associated with increased dependency on this energy source (Newman 2008). The current ramifications of a shift to bio-fuel production include a rise in the cost of food production as well as an increase in food shortages in certain parts of the world (World Bank 2008). In a study the researchers, Zeller and Grass (2008) discussed the progress towards substituting renewable energy sources for fossil fuels can contribute to the mitigation of climate change in detail. The extent to which agro-fuels, such as bio-diesel and bio-ethanol, can easily replace fossil fuels, which partly depend on the current competition with the traditional food, feed and fibre sectors, can be substantially reduced. Agro-fuels hold a number of opportunities, but also present are the formidable constraints, especially for poorer, food-deficient developing countries. So in order to address the constraints and capitalize on the opportunities that agro-fuels hold for sustainable development, more investments in socio-economic and technological research, especially for agro-fuels produced from cellulosic materials and agricultural by-products and waste, are required. Agriculture and agriculture-related deforestation also contribute to the emissions of GHG on a substantial scale (World Bank, 2008). Two drivers of global change will have a decisive influence on the future of the world's agriculture and forestry, and therefore on food security, poverty reduction, the environment and economic growth in developing countries. The drivers are on-going climate change and our increasingly pressing need to find renewable and sustainable energy sources. The Stern report states that developing countries situated in the tropics and subtropics will be severely affected by climate change (Stern, 2007). One key causal factor of human-induced global warming is the emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases (GHGs) from the use of fossil energy. Seeking to address some of these concerns, this analysis will explore whether or not consumers are willing to accept ethanol as a substitute for fossil fuels if they are aware of the true costs of its production. Research on the consumer knowledge of the effects of ethanol is nascent but scholarly analysis of the phenomenon is growing (Shimada, 2002). The research paper will explore the attitudes of consumers to the emergence of fossil fuels on the market through an analysis of published research on the subject. In response to the recent introduction of hydro fuel cell buses in the Swedish capital of Stockholm, Sweeden, Haraldsson et al. and colleagues (2006) undertook the first ever Swedish analysis of the attitudes of individuals toward the implementation of this important phenomenon. Undertaken in 2004, their study used a qualitative analysis to explored and identify the views of two important hydro-fuel cell bus stakeholders in Sweden, passengers and drivers of the vehicles. Beginning their study with a desire to seek first-hand, descriptive accounts of these primary stakeholders, Haraldsson et al. endeavored to explore people's knowledge of, and attitudes towards, The Clean Urban Transport for Europe (CUTE) project, described as "the largest

Mineral and Water Function Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Mineral and Water Function - Essay Example Water also carries oxygen and important nutrients to cells (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2014). Water is the most important component of the cells in our bodies, and there is no way that it can be replaced totally, or Nature would have offered a better solution of water replacement than sodas and other drinks. However, this is the case with normal people, who want to stay hydrated. In case of athletes, dehydration can best be prevented with a sports drink. This is because after doing exercise or a sport, the blood flow in the athletes’ systems increases, generating heat, which is carried to the skin, where sweat is produced. If plain water is taken in, the absence of sodium will dilute the sodium concentration in the body cells, and the brain will also get the message that the thirst is over. The athlete will stop drinking, but the sodium loss is not compensated. However, sports drinks contain sodium (a mineral) and other electrolytes that the body loses with extreme sweat. Hence, sports drinks are beneficial for athletes, but common people should not ignore the importance of water to stay hydrated. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2014). Functions of water in the body. Nutrition and Healthy Eating. Retrieved April 30, 2014, from

Location or existence of Atlantis Research Paper

Location or existence of Atlantis - Research Paper Example Whatever form these stories may take, they often invite debate, discussion, and controversy as scholars, historians, archaeologists, and academicians try to determine their merits. An example is the Epic of Gilgamesh that tells the story of the Great Flood, which is very eerily similar to the biblical stories of a similar deluge and the survival of a few people such as Noah and his Ark. This epic tells of the existence of a real king named Gilgamesh in the kingdom of Uruk in ancient Sumeria at around 2700 B.C.E. as proven by archaeologists. It so happened physical records of his ancient reign were found in ruins in today's modern Iraq. Another interesting epic is that of Saga of the Volsunga Clan which is partly based from the barbarian invasions during the so-called Great Migration Period (circa 400-800 A.D.) back in Central Europe when the Roman Empire was attacked by Goths, Vandals, Saxons, the Lombards, and Franks who were followed later on by the Vikings, Huns, Slavs, and Norman s. The Volsunga clan story may have been the basis of another more famous epic, which is the Epic of the Nibelungenlied of middle-high German period. This paper talks on a controversy that is not yet resolved satisfactorily, the existence and location of the lost world of Atlantis. Discussion (Section 2) The on-going controversy about Atlantis may never die down or eventually resolved because it is shrouded in mystery and obscurity. The absence of any physical evidence about its actual location or even its previous existence in history cannot be ascertained one hundred percent despite the best efforts of archaeologists and historians alike. However, Atlantis has an enduring attraction to some people who insist it had actually existed in human history while a few others also debunk this theory as far-fetched and a mere product of an active imagination. Whatever is the truth about Atlantis, various theories had been put forward by eminent people to advance their own beliefs about it a nd this paper examines five such theories. In particular, this brief essay discusses the merits of each theory while categorizing the theories into either belonging to the group which proves or disproves the very existence of a real Atlantis in the distant past. Before the probable location of Atlantis can be established, it is necessary to first determine whether Atlantis is real or not, which is decidedly a right way to discuss a topic as controversial as Atlantis. But before discussing its most likely location, it is extremely helpful to put things in context and perspective so a preliminary discussion is a necessity whether Atlantis is real or just a figment of imagination, a work of fiction, anything fantastical that was made up, invented, imagined, or fabricated by a brilliant mind. Atlantis comes from the Greek word meaning â€Å"an island of Atlas† as it was thought to be a gift given by the Greek gods to Poseidon. Atlas is one of titans in the Greek pantheon of mytho logy, the one usually seen carrying the Earth (depicted as a globe on his shoulders). Poseidon is one of the twelve gods on Mount Olympus whose domain was the oceans, and he is alternatively called as â€Å"God of the Sea† among ancient Greeks. The history or a story about Atlantis myth can be traced to Greek philosopher Plato who had used it in his stories. This is because Plato

Restructure Writing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Restructure Writing - Assignment Example †¢Furthermore, governments, foundations, non-profit organizations, and other stakeholders continue to work on how to provide cost-effective community-based services to members of the society including the elderly. †¢Human service agency workers are major participants of university-community collaborations; hence, the purpose of this study was to investigate their views of community-based services to the elderly in northwest Ohio. †¢In particular, the study sought to provide an avenue for them to communicate their understanding of university-community agency collaborations, and identify how their agencies can work collaboratively with a university. Diversity imposes different communication needs and common examples are in communication between people who speak different oral languages and communication a deaf person and one who is not deaf. In such situations, ability to speak the other party’s language bridges communication barrier and this discussion identifies benefits of bilingualism. Bilingualism improves interpersonal communication skills. This is even evident in children and identifies its significance in the globalized environment (Byrd, 2012, P21, 2nd Pa, L1-3). Among the deaf, use of both sign language and mouthing are able to adjust to communication needs around them for effective communication (Parasnis, 1996, P. 32, L.7-8). Bilingualism also facilitates cognitive competence among the deaf and this can be inferred to other competence areas, even among other population segments (Nussbaum, Scott & Simms, 2012, P.15, L.1). Benefits of bilingualism are therefore diverse and it should be encouraged among the deaf and other population

Location or existence of Atlantis Research Paper

Location or existence of Atlantis - Research Paper Example Whatever form these stories may take, they often invite debate, discussion, and controversy as scholars, historians, archaeologists, and academicians try to determine their merits. An example is the Epic of Gilgamesh that tells the story of the Great Flood, which is very eerily similar to the biblical stories of a similar deluge and the survival of a few people such as Noah and his Ark. This epic tells of the existence of a real king named Gilgamesh in the kingdom of Uruk in ancient Sumeria at around 2700 B.C.E. as proven by archaeologists. It so happened physical records of his ancient reign were found in ruins in today's modern Iraq. Another interesting epic is that of Saga of the Volsunga Clan which is partly based from the barbarian invasions during the so-called Great Migration Period (circa 400-800 A.D.) back in Central Europe when the Roman Empire was attacked by Goths, Vandals, Saxons, the Lombards, and Franks who were followed later on by the Vikings, Huns, Slavs, and Norman s. The Volsunga clan story may have been the basis of another more famous epic, which is the Epic of the Nibelungenlied of middle-high German period. This paper talks on a controversy that is not yet resolved satisfactorily, the existence and location of the lost world of Atlantis. Discussion (Section 2) The on-going controversy about Atlantis may never die down or eventually resolved because it is shrouded in mystery and obscurity. The absence of any physical evidence about its actual location or even its previous existence in history cannot be ascertained one hundred percent despite the best efforts of archaeologists and historians alike. However, Atlantis has an enduring attraction to some people who insist it had actually existed in human history while a few others also debunk this theory as far-fetched and a mere product of an active imagination. Whatever is the truth about Atlantis, various theories had been put forward by eminent people to advance their own beliefs about it a nd this paper examines five such theories. In particular, this brief essay discusses the merits of each theory while categorizing the theories into either belonging to the group which proves or disproves the very existence of a real Atlantis in the distant past. Before the probable location of Atlantis can be established, it is necessary to first determine whether Atlantis is real or not, which is decidedly a right way to discuss a topic as controversial as Atlantis. But before discussing its most likely location, it is extremely helpful to put things in context and perspective so a preliminary discussion is a necessity whether Atlantis is real or just a figment of imagination, a work of fiction, anything fantastical that was made up, invented, imagined, or fabricated by a brilliant mind. Atlantis comes from the Greek word meaning â€Å"an island of Atlas† as it was thought to be a gift given by the Greek gods to Poseidon. Atlas is one of titans in the Greek pantheon of mytho logy, the one usually seen carrying the Earth (depicted as a globe on his shoulders). Poseidon is one of the twelve gods on Mount Olympus whose domain was the oceans, and he is alternatively called as â€Å"God of the Sea† among ancient Greeks. The history or a story about Atlantis myth can be traced to Greek philosopher Plato who had used it in his stories. This is because Plato

Why Congress (USA) Should End Big Oil Tax Credits and Give That Money Essay

Why Congress (USA) Should End Big Oil Tax Credits and Give That Money to Green Energy Companies - Essay Example Oil and gas exploration and development (E&D) subsidy has been in existence since the early days of the income tax and is available to integrated and independent oil and gas companies. The Obama administration estimated that it could raise nearly $14 billion by repealing tax credit (Zengerle). In a protest, the American Petroleum Institute would launch new print and radio ads to â€Å"educate the consumers† (Snow). All these developments have spurred a nation-wide verbal war. But reality demands some incentives for the green energy industry in terms of reduced competition. The arguments in favor of â€Å"Green Energy† are clearly apprehensible on the medium to long term basis. The world’s primary demand for energy is expected to increase by one third by the year 2035. As the time goes on, the price mechanism of the energy market will be more focused on the development in the emerging economies. This will put the developed economies in an uncomfortable position as demand cut back on their behalf won’t have much effect on the prices of the energy. Today the US consumes nearly half of the total oil produced, but by 2035, nearly 30% of the consumption will shift to Asia backed by heavy use of automobiles. Also there is a â€Å"Peak oil† situation already in process. By 2020, the oil production from the Middle East and North Africa is expected to decline by 6 million barrel per day. Hence, for a long term policy formulation, preference should be given to the green energy sector. Another long-term concern is global warming. By 2035, the CO2 emission is expected to increase by 20%. ... Moreover, these are environment friendly and good for human health. The combined basket for green energy also contains green technology. The development and operation of green energy power systems are still in their growing phase. The focus of innovation is still centered on energy efficiency. A lot of industry practices have been standardized. So replacing the old inefficient power systems is no more a problem (Pembina Institute). The oil & gas industry has its own arguments as well. One of the most talked about argument is that rising taxes will not make the gasoline cheap; rather, it may push the price higher. Another argument is that, with the repeal, investment for deep water gas and oil production will be discouraged and this will result in more severe shortage of fuel in the long term. The oil & gas industry observers argue that there will be a possible loss of 50,000 jobs in the near future (Snow). The other major argument is that the exploration of oil & gas is a very capita l incentive and risky business. So, the repeal of tax credits will definitely hurt the small producers (Zengerle). There is no doubt that the repeal of tax credits will push the spot price higher, at least for the short term and it will hurt the common American people. Again, without the tax incentives, the exploration sector will not find much investment; hence, companies with heavy reliance on exploration business will definitely get hurt. It takes years of investments to make one single well productive. So, reduction in work force is a possible reality. Also there is no doubt that future-supply will decline substantially as present day exploration activities will decline; and oil still satisfies a major share of total energy needs and will remain in the dominating

MyAlert Essay Example for Free

MyAlert Essay Come 1999, the international mobile data services market was ever so expanding and changing rapidly. Jorge Mata was able to hop on the bandwagon early enough to profit from this business venture as this industry was just at the beginning of a new era that would revolutionize how consumers and businesses communicated with each other. More simply stated, MyAlert was a great business idea, developing a more personalized mobile industry. Mata could not actually believe that such a business model had never been thought of in the past, but did not have to think twice before investing in the MyAlert project, becoming the first company to appear and succeed in the mobile services market in Spain. Flash forwarding to a year after its creation, figures are only representative of the huge success MyAlert was facing in terms of the service and content the company offered its customers. Figures were in the black, and more than 200.000 users were registered to the ‘Alert portal’ without even any substantial advertising expense. Another indicator of a good business idea is whether the creator of the company is able to find any potential investors ready to sponsor his project. In this case, Mata is the first to find enough capital (half a million euros) to launch his project. His ex-CEO at BroadVision also wanted to invest in the project, showing us just how serious and well thought of this business plan actually was. Although the initial funds were clearly insufficient to bring MyAlert at the top of the ladder both domestically and internationally, Mata’s strategy is clear-cut in the sense that the first priority was developing a project with â€Å"a top-tier management and technical team and a sound technological platform to make alerts work at the targeted scale† (p. 2). The company could effectively y use its technological platform to provide a personalized service, that at the time, was crucially needed by customers and companies who wished to stay at the top of the information chain. This was the booming time in terms of new technologies and how they could be adapted to the internet and the mobile phone. MyAlert’s business idea was once again great because it could actually provide this ever so needed information to its end users. By valuing the customer and focusing on what the market needed and will need in the future, MyAlert is a perfect example of how they were able to carry out the latter and grasp a changing environment before it was too late. The main competitive advantages that MyAlert benefit from are seen through their timing and their strong technological platform. In effect, the company benefits from a first mover advantage into the mobile data service industry. With this advantage under their belt, it is essential in for MyAlert to develop an on-going demand for their service. The customer base is large and potentially profitable and the company understood this. As I stated previously, instead of focusing itself on the product/service they deliver to the customer, MyAlert’s strategy is to focus on what the customer really wants from the company. The emotional factors that the customers face are very important because they act as an experience on each individual when they decide to sign up for daily alerts on football, or stock quotes for example. My Alert knows that by focusing on the customer base, by offering them a service that is affordable and useful, positive recommendations will then follow placing them at an advantage vis-à  -vis their competitors. While focusing on the demand aspects are vital, it is also crucial for the company to concentrate on the supply scale for the competitive advantage to be sustainable. Basic services such as alerts on business headlines are interesting but MyAlert’s main wish is to expand their supply with a â€Å"†¦ number of services thanks to agreements with other content and service providers† (p. 2). By growing a significant supply scale, a broader demand from not only individual end-users will arise, but also from sources like corporations and large advertising companies. With all the information above, a value chain of MyAlert’s business model is shown through this diagram: A perfect example of this model at work is when MyAlert enters the European major markets. While replicating the entry strategy that had already worked in Spain, the company broadens its supply scale by offering free advertising services to international companies and then pursuing on to develop tight relationships with these companies so that they can offer them business services. This is a clear example of how the company intentionally expands its supply scale to attain an even larger demand (customer) base. After the dotcom bubble crisis, companies focused on new technologies such as MyAlert, take the hardest hit. Their competitive advantage based on a strong  technology is now under threat and the company has to reevaluate its strategy. I believe the merge with Buongiorno is not only positive for both companies, but a must if MyAlert wishes to stay competitive in the long run. Mauro del Rio basically says it all in his statement as he declares that the â€Å"†¦ two absolute imperatives for ambitious European high tech companies [are]: critical mass and positive PL† (p.4). MyAlert could no longer expand through organic growth and so this merger is a fantastic idea in terms of bringing new qualified staff, technology assets and know-how. On the flip side, the position the two companies now hold as a whole, allows them to penetrate new markets and develop synergies. The two companies complemented each other very well in terms of My Alert bringing a strong technological platform to the table and powerful ASP services versus Buongiorno being more present in terms of marketing and advertising services. The strengths of one, replaced the weaknesses of the other. A good example of how the two companies complemented themselves really well is by analyzing the services they sold through various business models. In terms of business services, Buongiorno would lead the way offering companies other marketing services such as brand building and customer loyalty. The product range allowed a higher diversification and greatly benefited the company. The above would not have been possible to realize if MyAlert wouldn’t have merged with Buongiorno because of a poorer marketing penetration. When it came to consumer services however, MyAlert would lead the way by actively investing and developing new apps carefully adapted to their customer base thanks to t heir strong technology. Consumer services were the new hit at the beginning of the years 2000’s and Buongiorno! MyAlert was able to establish itself as a clear industry leader. At first, intensively focusing on consumer services was not a clear target for the newly merged companies. The SMS market was in full evolution but many competitors were focusing on the benefits of developing WAP. The portal worked similarly to the WWW navigation, except it was adapted to cell phones. The main point here is that MyAlert had the necessary technology to develop this project and become a global leader but the management team made a wise decision when they decided to focus more on what the consumer actually wanted. WAP-enabled phones had huge potential, increasing to 23% in  2000, but the alarming factor was that only 3% of those users were actually using the new mobile portal. In effect, the company realized that they were found in a value added service market and that their business would mainly depend on what share they could capture from mobile operators when end-users download a song or a logo via SMS, and which marketing budget their customers could channel throu gh them. More simply stated, the company shifted its competitive advantage from a strong technological base to a market driven, consumer targeted base. This business model change allowed the company to develop its own kind of virtual network, linking them to diverse mobile operators’ message centers. As Nomura correctly states, the company could now benefit from its new position and operate its new value chain by having higher punctuality and lower messaging costs. This diversified network the company had built with all the operators, and the flexible strategy they had put into place to be able to adapt to a changing environment, gave them a â€Å"competitive advantage and barrier to entry for any competitors trying† (p.15) to penetrate the market. The evolvement of the business model was a crucial point for the company as they correctly analyzed the market and customer appreciation instead of focusing on a strong service (WAP) that they could’ve developed. If they had chosen this route, maybe things would’ve not been as smooth and successful for them. In this case though, the company was showing positive results and was in a continued search for new businesses and markets to enter while diversifying both in terms of their products and services. This model can only be sustainable, because as Darwin says it best â€Å"if a being wants to survive in a shifting environment, it must evolve at least as fast as the medium itself.† BuonGiorno!MyAlert is perfectly equipped to do so.

Alcohol consumption in UK

Alcohol consumption in UK Case Study 5- The case of a young binge drinker Introduction Alcohol consumption in the UK has increased rapidly in recent years, not just among young people but across society. In this report we will focus on: Consumer behaviour theories explaining Melanies binge drinking. Recollect reference groups who influence Melanies attitudes. Discuss Government strategies and campaigns such as the Portman Group. The alcohol industry provides employment to over a million people, so the government is reluctant to ban the product. However, the case study recognises there is a huge implication with high alcohol consumption resulting in dysfunctional behaviour ranging from psychological and social harm to damaged lives and deaths. An increase in alcohol consumption has been driven by vast promotional and marketing campaigns with the UK alcohol industry spending  £800m annually. Studies have shown that half of the University students in the UK regularly binge drink. Consumer Behaviour Theories Alcohol Abuse: A World Wide Perspective: High alcohol consumption is prominent in the UK, Ireland, Denmark, Russia and a few other European countries. Whereas, North African nations have the least consumption. Alcohol consumption has become more acceptable in Western societies, while its outlawed in places like Arabia. Alcohol has different meanings in different societies. E.g. Islam prohibits the consumption of alcohol alternatively, wine is savoured by Christians and no celebration can be complete without popping open a bottle of champagne in the West. Some examples of excessive binge drinking in the UK involve Stacey Rhymes, a 24 year old who died after drinking herself to death on cut price bottles of wine. Philip Laing, a student from Sheffield Hallam University, who is sentenced to community service after urinating on a war memorial, on a Carnage bar crawl. Portman Group and Drinkaware The Portman Group is supported by the UKs leading drink producers and is concerned solely with the social responsibility issues surrounding alcohol. Their role is to encourage and challenge drink producers to promote their products responsibly. Drinkaware was established to improve the public awareness and understanding of responsible drinking and to change the nations drinking behaviour for the better. They do this through innovative campaigns online, in print and communities worldwide. Conclusion Behavioural theories suggest that Melanies consistent binge drinking is due to the positive attitudes that she possesses in addition to seeking the positive effects that it has upon her. Melanies reference groups havent persuaded her to drink responsibly and she still believes her reason about being a student once, justifies everything. We believe that the Portman Group and Drinkaware.co.uk plus the various government strategies are effective in influencing the drinking habits of our own peer group. The advertisements reach consumers on an emotional level allowing them to empathise with the situations that the vast majority of us have been present in. Furthermore, drinks producers have begun to promote their drinks more responsibly. Though we believe these campaigns are effective there are challenges faced by marketers. For example consumers vary in their commitment in attitudes towards alcohol. Those attitudes that have become internalized and part of the persons value system are difficult to change due to the fact that they are important to the individual, for example Melanie has a usual routine of going out with her friends and being an accepted member of the group.

The Style of Beowulf Essay -- Epic Beowulf essays

The Style of Beowulf  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   Ursula Schaefer in â€Å"Rhetoric and Style† gives an overview of the history of criticism of style:    Examination of the poem’s rhetoric and style started out with investigating common Germanic features. On the other end of the scale, attention was given to a possible Latin influence on the poem’s style. Recently, there have been reconsiderations of authochthonous traditions linked mainly with the analysis of larger narrative patterns (105).    Beowulf ‘s stylistic features will be examined in this essay, along with the perspectives of various literary critics.    T. A. Shippey in â€Å"The World of the Poem† expresses himself on the subject of a point of style in the Old English poem Beowulf: â€Å"The poet reserves the right to say what people are thinking; he does not, however, regard this as ultimately important† (39). It is true that the reader is forced to draw conclusions, from the words and actions of the characters, about the thoughts of the characters. This is one of the many preferences of the author which contribute to the style or â€Å"how† writers say what they say (Abrams 303).    Joan Blomfield in â€Å"The Style and Structure of Beowulf† takes note of two important features of the poem’s style – the irony and the tendency to antithesis:    This tendency to antithesis, frequently verging on paradox, and the constant play of irony are but stylistic manifestations of those movements of the poet’s thought which shape the very stuff of the poem (Blomfield 58).    Antithesis abounds: The poem has a reference to the burning of Heorot included in the description of its first glories, and the prediction of family strife with Ingeld while yet all is well in ... ...oks, 1977.    Donaldson, E. Talbot. â€Å"Old English Prosody and Caedmon’s Hymn.† Beowulf: The Donaldson Translation, edited by Joseph F. Tuso. New York, W.W.Norton and Co.: 1975.    Magoun, Frances P. â€Å"Oral-Formulaic Character of Anglo-Saxon Narrative Poetry.†Ã‚   In TheBeowulf Poet, edited by Donald K. Fry. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1968.    Schaefer, Ursula.   â€Å"Rhetoric and Style.† In A Beowulf Handbook, edited by Robert Bjork and John D. Niles. Lincoln, Nebraska: Uiversity of Nebraska Press, 1997.    Shippey, T.A.. â€Å"The World of the Poem.† In Beowulf – Modern Critical Interpretations, edited by Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987.    Tharaud, Barry. â€Å"Anglo-Saxon Language and Traditions in Beowulf.† In Readings on Beowulf, edited by Stephen P. Thompson. San Diego: Greenhaven Press,1998.      

Competencies &amp Essay

1) Legal and regulatory factors: The medical device industry is classified as class 3 , high risk implant so its obvious that a lot of investment goes into testing and experiments with sufficient evidences to prove its safety in-vivo. There are instances when a device fails and a single lawsuit causes the entire company to close down. Thus its advisable to invest time and money , before taking the implant out to the market 2) Investment of Time & Money: As approval process is a long drawn procedure, it is necessary to have well trained quality managers and regulatory system advisors as employees. Sometimes services of external consultants or Regulatory advising companies might be used. 3) In-house surgeons/medical practitioners: As these devices cater to specific ailments and are highly specialized, it is important that we have in-house surgeons to understand the requirements of a product before we begin to design it. Infact the engineers and the surgeons should work hand in hand to come up with a better product. The crucial factors which determines success in biomedical industry. 1) Availability of constant flow of Funds: For a new product to be in market, it might take 3-4 yrs, so during this period there should be a constant supply of funds to pay the employees and keep the company running. 2) Excellent marketing strategies : Its important that these products are marketed through right channels, thus its highly imperative that the products are showcased at various trade shows/conferences 3) Understanding the regulatory process: The main aim would be to bring the product soon to the market, by making a full-proof plan before the submission process for approval, as this phase is the lengthiest of all the processes. D. PEST ANALYSIS: Scope of Growth: The medical device industry out here thrives on reverse engineering concept the result is a number of ME TOO products. Infact companies end up investing on buying patents from European and American companies and do not believe in investing money for research and development of such products. There is huge market to be tapped as there is a lot of demand for these products most of which is imported from the Europe and the U. S. This area being the fastest growing market, the projected growth is expected to touch up to $16 billion in 2015 revenues. Source: Millennium Research Group. Spine Care Segments 2015 There is expected to be an increase in surgical treatment options, like facet replacement and dynamic stabilization procedures, which will likely be more acceptable to patients, perhaps doubling the % of patients accepting surgery from 3. 6% to 7% of a much larger, elderly population. As clinical results improve, this market is expected to continue to grow 20% per year and offer a tremendous opportunity to companies with innovative product lines. In 2015, industry experts project lumbar fusions will not grow, but stay at the same 2006 level of 400,000 procedures; dynamic stabilization devices will grow from 25,000 to 250,000 cases; and artificial lumbar and cervical discs grow from 25,000 to 600,000 cases, as these new procedures begin to replace spinal fusion. PART 2: A: BUSINESS OWNERSHIP: Sole proprietorship is a one-person business is registered with the state like a limited liability company (LLC) or corporation. Legally, a sole proprietorship is inseparable from its owner — the business and the owner are one and the same. This means the owner of the business reports business income and losses on his or her personal tax return and is personally liable for any business-related obligations, such as debts or court judgments. This accounts 74% of all USA businesses and for 6% of all sales in USA. Advantages: (1) decisions are made by only the owner; (2) simple process to start – just get a business license (3) profits belong to the owner; (4) pride of ownership; (5) lower taxes. Disadvantages: (1) unlimited liability (2) limited life of business (3) difficult to raise capital for business; (4) risk of lost is not shared. Partnership: a partnership is simply a business owned by two or more people Just like in a sole proprietorship, the partnership’s owners pay taxes on their shares of the business income on their personal tax returns and they are each personally liable for the entire amount of any business debts and claims. 8% of all USA businesses are partnerships and accounts for 4% of all sales in USA Advantages: (1) easy to start (2) not many regulations; (3) not as difficult to raise capital for business; (4) combination of knowledge and skills. Disadvantages: (1) unlimited liability; (2) profits are shared; (3) limited life of the business; (4) disagreements Incorporation: Though forming a corporation is a bit more complicated and costly, but it is well worth the trouble for some small businesses. The main benefit of an LLC or a corporation is that these structures limit the owners’ personal liability for business debts and court judgments against the business. What sets the corporation apart from all other types of businesses is that a corporation is an independent legal and tax entity, separate from the people who own, control and manage it. Because of this separate status, the owners of a corporation don’t use their personal tax returns to pay tax on corporate profits — the corporation itself pays these taxes. Owners pay personal income tax only on money they draw from the corporation in the form of salaries, bonuses, and the like. Corporations make sense for business owners who either (1) run a risk of being sued by customers or of piling up a lot of business debts, or (2) have substantial personal assets they want to protect from business creditors. 18% of all USA businesses are corporations and accounts for 90% of all sales in USA. Advantages: (1) easy to raise capital (2) limited liability; (3) unlimited life of business; (4) Can hire specialized skills and knowledge; (5) shared risks. Disadvantages: (1) difficult to start; (2) less direct control; (3) double taxation: corporate tax and individual tax (4) limited activity. Franchising: Franchises are in which individual businessmen or people buy a well established business, but a certain percentage goes back to the corporation. Franchises must adhere to the corporate regulations. (McDonalds, Krispy Cream, Starbucks). Acquisition/Mergers: In this two companies merge together(merger) or a big company acquires a small innovative company giving rise to an acquisition. The best option to go with would be setting up a corporation or a LLC rather to start. The limited liability company or â€Å"LLC† is a relatively new form of doing business which is now recognized in most states. The LLC has grown in popularity because it combines the best features of a corporation and a partnership. Like a corporation, the owners (called â€Å"members†) of the LLC are not personally responsible for the debts of the LLC. Like a partnership, there is no dual taxation and the earnings of the business are taxed directly to the members. The LLC is also preferable in many ways to the â€Å"S corporation,† which also avoids personal liability and dual taxation. The LLC is not subject to most of the limitations which are imposed on corporations by applicable law. For example, while an corporation is not allowed to have more than one type or class of stock ownership and is not allowed to have more than 75 shareholders, the LLC is not subject to such limitations. Overall, the LLC simply allows more flexibility in the structure, operation and management of the business than does the S corporation. LLCs are similar to corporations because they also provide limited personal liability for business debts and claims. But when it comes to taxes, LLCs are more like partnerships: the owners of an LLC pay taxes on their shares of the business income on their personal tax returns.

Academic Integrity and Plagiarism

Academic Integrity and Plagiarism Hector J. Roman Walden University Academic Integrity and Plagiarism This paper contains the policies and expectations of the normal behavior as a student at Walden University. These are guidelines to follow not only as an online learner bur as a person. Also, will explain the prohibitions and consequences of committing plagiarism. â€Å"Try not to become a man of success but rather to become a man of value. â€Å"(Albert Einstein). Academic Integrity and Plagiarism Integrity is moral behavior. When we were kids, our fathers started to teach us to talk, walk, express ourselves and how to behave.To be respectful to other people, follow the rules and always trying to do the right thing was and is a top priority. Those words and actions still have a meaning. In an academic environment, those rules apply as well. Doing wrong was and always has been punishable and, for a student pursuing a doctoral degree can be devastating. Nontraditional education like online learning or distance education can put any student in a compromising position and for that, Walden University puts a lot of emphasis on academic integrity.In the Oxford American College Dictionary, a meaning of the word integrity is defined as the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles. To acknowledge this belief is a first step that can lead to success and Walden University Student’s Handbook reassures students its importance. To be respectful and honest are fundamental ideals. Integrity should be important for all students and faculty, as well. Having integrity will help in the development of a character. In an online learning environment, even absorbing those values and ideals, can put a student in a difficult situation unconsciously or by accident.Not knowing cannot prevent you from falling short and this matter can and will lead to plagiarism. Plagiarism is copying or stealing someone else’s work and makes it your own. Walden University ’s Handbook explains it as the use of intellectual material produced by another person without acknowledging its source. Matthews and Mathews (2008) explain plagiarism as the act of taking words or ideas that someone else has written and trying to present them as one’s own. Another term to look out in that same direction is self-plagiarism.Self-plagiarism is rewriting you own work. Self-plagiarism is presented in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association as a practice of presenting one’s own previously published work as though it were new. In other is stealing intellectual property. The best way to avoid plagiarism is to acknowledge the source. When doing online research you can find a great amount of articles, websites, or electronics books about the same topic. The tendency is to think that the instructor or teacher cannot or could not find the source. That is not true.Technological resources like Turnitin or Walden Writing Centerâ€℠¢s Grammarly can give you the tools needed to prevent plagiarism and not fail. These applications are used to search any suspicious expressions. Student’s Handbook recommended to contact a faculty mentor, course instructor, or academic advisor. In other words, academic integrity and plagiarism goes hand in hand. To be aware and apply these aspects is another step that can lead you to a successful academic and working career. Also, will show you as a genuine person creative enough to contribute with quality ideas.Those same ideas will be used as a reference in the future. As a prospective author, you will want to be recognized and your thoughts used as reference, as well. References Matthews, J. , and Matthews, R. (2008). Sccessful Scientific Writing : A Step-by-step Guide for the Biological and Medical Sciences Success eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Oxford American College Dictionary. (2002). Copyright  © 2002 by Oxford University Press, Inc. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost) Wal den University Students’s Handbook retrieved from www. waldenu. edu