Questions On Teaching And Learning - 1631 Words

Teaching metacognitively 1. Teaching for metacognition To find out what are my pupils’ metacognitive behaviours when solving problem, I had to introduce them to the concept of metacognition and to model what it means to be metacognitively aware when solving mathematical problems. In order to show how metacognition works in problem solving, I found thinking aloud protocols very useful. Aimed to uncover thought process, they are one of the primary building blocks to students’ success at all levels of learning. According to Rosenshine (1985), teachers who spend more time demonstrating and explaining procedures and skills are more effective than teachers who spend less time doing so. Consistent with Silver, Strong Perini (2007), good†¦show more content†¦This proved to be a win-win course of action since, besides modelling how to be metacognitively aware in problem solving, it gave me the opportunity to identify the difficulties my pupils usually encounter during the process of problem solving. I made clear that understanding the problem is crucial and I put this into practice by following suggestions made by Polya in his book How to solve it. According to Polya, â€Å"it is foolish to answer a question you do not understand† (Polya, 1990:6). But Polya recognises (and so do I) that such foolish and sad things often happen and the teacher should prevent this from happening. He strongly maintains that the student should not only understand the problem, which implies cognitive behaviour, but he should â€Å"desire its solution†, which implies metacognitive behaviour. Polya suggests that the student’s understanding can be checked if the student is asked to repeat the problem in his own words. Understanding the problem involves reading and here it was interesting to see not only how differently my pupils understood the problems, but to identify that some of them showed inaccuracies in reading by misreading words or reading without concentrating strongly on the meaning of the problem. As a primary teacher, I know that comprehension is the process through which understanding is derived via the construction of an internal representation of the text. Comprehending the information in a problem involves making sense of the structure

Something about an Allegory - 1630 Words

The well-known novella Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, written by Robert Louis Stevenson, describes a monster created by science. Dr. Jekyll concocts a potion in attempt to isolate the good and evil sides of human nature. When he drinks the concoction, he is transformed into a human with a beastly nature. He becomes all that we can imagine as evil and physically appears just as misshapen. In the narrative we find the ghastly appearance a symbol for something more. This creature referred to as Mr. Hyde acts in ways that others consider monstrous. Mr. Hyde tramples a little girl and beats an old man to death with a wooden cane. At the end of the story, our main character is hunted down and found on the floor of his lab having†¦show more content†¦This creature is horrible in its thoughts and actions; a connection that is plain from reading. Stevenson hopes that we will not allow ourselves to fall into this base form of living. The appearance and actions of Mr. Hyde could be symbols in Stevensons allegory. The message to be gathered from all this information is that we must closely regulate our thoughts and actions, or risk becoming that which we despise. In Stevensons novella we find direct elements which point towards the consequences of acting out animalistic urges. While a young woman is musing by her window, she recognizes Mr. Hyde and elderly gentleman stopping to talk in the pathway. The gentleman appeared to bow and graciously allow Hyde to pass, while the other pedestrian remained stoically fierce. Then, very suddenly, â€Å"Mr. Hyde broke out of all bounds and clubbed him to the earth. And next moment, with ape-like fury, he was trampling his victim under foot and hailing down a storm of blows, under which the bones were audibly shattered and the body jumped upon the roadway. At the horror of these sights and sounds, the maid fainted† (22). It is fairly simple to see the intense violence of the subject. Hyde comes across a man in his way, and beats him to death. What the story doesnt explain directly is the meaning behind this action. Why would the author put thisShow MoreRelatedThe Allegory Of The Cave1086 Words   |  5 Pagesallegorical significance(s) of the cave in Plato’s Republic. How is the cave an allegory of Plato’s philosophy? How is the allegory of the cave an allegory for enlightenment or philosophical education? How and why are most human beings like prisoners in a cave? Who are the puppeteers? What does the world outside the cave represent? What does the sun represent? Etc. What is Plato’s Theory of the Forms? What is a Form? How does the allegory of the cave express Plato’s Theory of the Forms? How is philosophy theRead MoreEnlightenment Vs. The Comfort Of Fantasy Essay1541 Words   |  7 Pagesexemplify the message that people did not want to be enlightened in the Allegory of the Cave, a section of his book Republic. Through the use of counterpoints, metaphors, symbols, and paradox, Plato was able to accomplish presenting a paradigm where humans find it difficult to accept the reality of enlightenment over the comfort of a simpler fantasy they have always known in the â€Å"Allegory of the Cave.† Throughout Plato s Allegory of the Cave the most effective rhetorical strategy put to use is counterpointsRead MoreAnalysis of the Allegory of the Cave1077 Words   |  5 PagesAnalysis of the Allegory of The Cave Plato’s â€Å"Allegory of the Cave† presents a visualization of people who are slaves that have been chained in front of a fire their whole lives. These people observe the shadows of different things shown on the cave wall that is in front of them. The shadows are the only â€Å"reality† the slaves know. This is because they have never seen anything else to compare them to. Plato argues that there is a critical flaw in how people mistake their limited perceptions asRead MoreIn the country of men1056 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿In the Country of Men as a National Allegory Hisham Matar presents In the Country of Men as a national allegory. This is done through metaphors, personification, and characters’ relationships. His purposes for writing this novel were political. A national allegory is any attribution of human characteristics to other animals, non-living things, material states, objects or abstract concepts, such as organizations or governments1 of a nation or its people.2 Fredric Jameson, with ideas more suitableRead MoreThe Matrix and the Allegory of the Cave Essay948 Words   |  4 PagesTOK Essay The Allegory of the Cave and The Matrix 03 December 2010 Many people think that what we know is not really what is real. This idea is shown through the story of The Allegory of the Cave and the movie, The Matrix. Both the movie and the story are similar (it is said that The Matrix is based on The Allegory) and the main plots of the two can be compared. In The Allegory of the Cave, the people are chained up by their legs and necks in a cave from an early age, facing a wall. FromRead MoreThe Allegory Of The Cave890 Words   |  4 Pages The Allegory of the Cave In Plato’s voyage to determine what a philosopher king is, he presents us with the Allegory of the Cave. He explains how leaders should be educated, versus the society as a whole, and he leaves us with a significant message. Aside from The Allegory of the Cave being a primary puzzle piece of Plato’s ideal city, it can also be interpreted in many different ways. The predominant one being that human beings, especially the young, get easily manipulated by persuasive peopleRead MoreAnalysis Of Platos Allegory Of The Cave864 Words   |  4 Pagesthe surface of Plato’s â€Å"Allegory of the Cave† it is just a simple piece, but the main purpose of the piece is to explain people living in a world of face value and having individuals break free from the main idea to create a new sense of what the world is truly about. In here, Plato uses the writing style of allegory to encompass the use of imagery and symbolism to explain his purpose. He also uses very clever dia logue with constant repetition to represent a bigger idea about the philosophy with chainedRead MoreAllegory and Symbolism in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"Young Goodman Brown†1203 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Young Goodman Brown† is an excellent example of the use of allegories and symbolism as a form of satire on Puritan faith. According to Frank Preston Stearns, author of The Life and Genius of Nathaniel Hawthorne, â€Å"Hawthorne may have intended this story as an exposure of the inconsistency, and consequent hypocrisy, of Puritanism† (Stearns 181). Throughout the story of â€Å"Young Goodman Brown,† Hawthorne tries to infuse as many symbols and allegories as he can to enhance the overall meaning of his story.Read MoreSynthesis of Truman Show and Platos Allegory of the Cave1440 Words   |  6 PagesTruman Show and Platos Allegory of the Cave When The Truman Show was released in 1998, it was just another popular Hollywood flick, but its story is closely related to Platos Allegory of the Cave. The plot line for the movie follows this classic tale in many ways, some more obvious then others. As with most cinematic treachery, the movies similarities are no coincidence. The writers drew from Platos classic because it is such a universal story and is something that everyone can relate toRead More Essay on Symbols, Symbolism, and Allegory in Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown726 Words   |  3 PagesSymbols, Symbolism, and Allegory in Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown Symbolism is a literary technique that is used to clarify the authors intent. Sometimes it is used to great effect, while other times it only seems to muddle the meaning of a passage. In Young Goodman Brown, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses objects and people as symbols to allegorically reveal his message to the reader. Nathaniel Hawthorne uses different people as symbols throughout Young Goodman Brown. The largest symbolic

Festivals in India Free Essays

Art has been around for what seems to be forever, yet no one has truly found an answer to the question, what is art? For some, definitions such as, art is â€Å"which implies knowledge of materials and their skillful handling. †(Ocvirk, 5), may be fulfilling, but in my opinion art has a much deeper meaning to it. If a person understands the work of art then, in a way one understands the artist himself. We will write a custom essay sample on Festivals in India or any similar topic only for you Order Now During the trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Giovanni Paolo Panini’s Interior of Saint Peter’s, caught my eye from the start; therefore I have decided to write my paper on it. Giovanni Paolo Panini was born in 1692, in Piacenza. He first started off his training from a stage designer, after that he moved to Rome where he specialized in decorations and began to study drawing. Panini started to receive recognition after joining the Congregazione dei Virtuosi al Pantheon and the Accademia di San Luca. Soon enough Panini was painting frescoes for essential people, for an example painting for the Pope was one of Panini’s projects. The Interior of Saint Peter’s was only one of many paintings Panini had done. Giovanni Paolo Panini painted the Interior of Saint Peter’s with oil; the picture plane, which is a flat surface where the artist implements his image on, is a plain canvas. The dimensions of the canvas is (74 x 99. 7 cm), Panini used a canvas which had more height than width due to the fact that the Interior of Saint Peter’s contained high domed ceilings, he uses this canvas to his advantage in portraying the domed ceiling along with the arched columns. The smart choice in the dimensions of the canvas comes to no surprise due to the fact that Panini specialized in architectural paintings. He angles the perception of the painting to show the enormous size of the building. It is easy to see the distance between where the viewpoint of the painting is to the far end of the structure. You can also tell that the building was massive by observing the people Panini painted into the picture. If you notice everyone is painted as if they were nothing but ants from this distance in the building. This truly brings out the size of the building and allows the viewer to acknowledge that indeed this is a big structure. From this point of view the painting seems to be in the two dimensional world. The color in the painting allows the viewer to see the vast decorations on the columns, ceiling, and you clearly see the structure in the back of the painting, yet it is not as clear as the closer objects, which shows us this â€Å"realâ€Å"image of the viewpoint. Panini uses colors to distinguish between where one decoration ends and another begins. For example, look at the decorations on the columns, you can clearly see where they begin and end, such detail of the color has been put into this piece of art and that detail allows the viewer to understand the beauty of the scene. You can see on the left side of the painting that the light is shining in from the windows and into the scene; this allows the viewer to understand that if they were there most of the inside would be in shade. There is also a man wearing red in the middle of the scene who seems to be kneeling and praying. The red colored clothes of this man stick out perfectly compared to the surroundings, making it clear that we should not overlook this man; maybe Panini had a meaning to why this man was kneeling and why he wanted the viewer to notice it. Panini also uses volume to show the height and width of the columns. From where the scene is being viewed from the columns are shown from two sides. One side of the column, the side with three figure looking designs on it, seems to be facing towards what might be the entrance and the other side is facing the main hall, where the man in the red is kneeling. This view gives the columns somewhat depth and solidifies them, because you can almost perfectly get the idea of how huge and enormous the columns are. The balance in the painting seems to be perfect when it comes to the equality of weight and accomplishing unity. However, Panini has somewhat given certain things more attention than others in the painting. There is still unity the painting comes together well, yet there are still things like the man in the red kneeling or the woman in the pink in the right hand side. Objects like that seem to have more attention grabbing characteristics than others. Panini has put most of the crowd towards the right next to the columns and left more empty space in the middle which makes certain objects, like the man kneeling, stick out more. As before you can clearly that there is plethora of space in between the people in the hall. It is easy to perceive in how much space there actually is in between everyone due to the fact that proportionally the painting makes sense. The people in the hall are the perfect size, the structure is a perfect size, everything sings in harmony which allows the viewer to perceive space in a rational manner, so the space between two people in the hall would seem more real than if the painting was not proportionally correct. Panini’s style seems to be simple if you look at the manner of what he paints. He was known for specializing in architectural views; Panini painted many pictures of Saint Peter’s. Yet, his style seems to be somewhat more in depth than just architectural views, Panini seems to sneak in a few things that may or may not have meaning to them. For example, at the top right of the painting in between the arch of the first column there seems to be a figure of a person as if he were sneaking around. Also lets not forget the figure kneeling in the middle of the hall, it was not coincidence that this person sticks out more than the rest of the people, there is probably a meaning behind this that only Panini could explain, or maybe he left it to the viewer to come up with a meaning for themselves. Panini shows the detail of the decorations in a realistic manner, in a way that a viewer can see the details yet at the same time if the object or decorations are far from the point of view they blur a little, giving it a more rational tone. This rational tone can be considered atmospheric perspective, which means the painter is trying to show a realistic view by allowing far away objects to blur a little and for closer objects to be strong and contrast. Panini did a great showing atmospheric perspective because if you look at the flags on the ceiling, you can clearly see the closest one to the viewer which is the one on the top right, and the top left one is slanted but still more clear than the one behind it, same goes for the top right one it is much more clear if you compare it to the flag behind it which is farther from the viewer. Panini uses this on the columns and its decorations as well, the farthest column’s decorations are almost impossible to see where as the closest column’s decorations are the clearest. Giovanni Paolo Panini’s, Interior of Saint Peter’s is a great example of perfect artwork. Panini uses the elements of composition and the principles of organization to create beautiful art. Though beauty is subjective, it is hard to say that this painting is nothing less than that. Reference http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_details.aspx?intObjectID=4323032 How to cite Festivals in India, Essay examples

Strategic Management Theory and Application

Question: Discuss about the Strategic Management for Theory and Application. Answer: Introduction: The three major challenges that came into picture post-merger along with the manner in which these were resolved are briefly discussed below (Rainer, Princes Watson, 2013) Flight information system integration Both the airlines were using different flight information system and it was essential that integration process should be carried out in a manner which minimises corruption and loss of any existing data. Out of the different systems prevalent, Unimatic system used by United Airlines was chosen as the more suitable system which could sustain the load of the merged airline. In order to ensure data combination smoothly, contingency plans were put into place and also integration was done at night when the flight traffic was minimal. Passenger information system integration The databases corresponding to the two airlines were different and needed integration. The underlying task was complicated by the fact that it also included the website and the consumer loyalty programs for the airlines which also required integration into a single entity. In this regard, the Continental Airlines prevalent passenger information handling system known as Shares was given preference and integration was done followed by adequate testing. Besides, adequate support and training was provided to the veteran employees of United Airlines who faced difficulty in working with Shares. Speedup-Slowdown algorithm reconciliation The algorithm that were deployed by both airlines in order to make decisions with regards to slowing down or speeding up of the aircraft coupled with changes in route were different. The two different algorithms did not reach to a common conclusion and hence the integration team had to design a new algorithm to be followed by the merged entity which aimed to imbibe the innate strengths of both algorithms while avoiding their limitations. The annual cost savings to arise from the merger between United Airlines and Continental Airlines was expected to be $ 1 billion to $ 1.2 billion annually. Due to the soft savings, it would be possible to this to consumers in the form of lower fares (Mouawad Merced, 2010). As a result, this may be related to the cost leadership generic strategy for the merged entity would be able to provide the services at a lower cost as compared to the competitors and hence would have a competitive advantage. Considering the vast span of destinations covered and the market share, it is apparent that this reduction of fares would be broad based and not limited to a particular segment (Haberberg Rieple, 2008). The company has had several operational and maintenance issues recently. The maintenance issues have caused delays in flights and also cancellations at times. Besides, the airline is also facing issues related to a unhappy workforce coupled with punctuality problems. The result of these problems is that the consumers are not satisfied and the airline has not been able to achieve the estimated cost savings which was proposed at the time of the merger. The issue becomes worse due to lack of appropriate backup systems to promptly deal with the technical glitches and maintenance lapses. However, amidst this sea of concerns, there was positive news recently as the net profit of the reached a record figure of $ 1.1 billion (Carey Nicas, 2015). The must know targets for United Continental in relation to the future efficiency gains are highlighted below (Cederholm, 2014). A savings in fuel consumption to the extent of $ 1 billion to be achieved by the year 2017. This is to be accomplished in the following manner as captured below. Maintenance savings to the tune of $ 100 million to be achieved through the reduction of maintenance CASM and also by the induction of new fleet to replace the old fleet thus requiring less maintenance. Labour productivity needs to be enhanced through appropriate process improvement and innovations using technology thus leading to estimated savings of $ 500 million by 2017. The distribution channels need to be optimised coupled with savings in sourcing cost in order to reap a cumulative cost savings of $ 250 million by 2017. The five forces model for the airline industry is discussed below (HBR, 2008). Rivalry amongst the existing players is intense as the consumers tend to be highly price sensitive and as a result there is constant tussle amongst the players to offer the most lucrative prices which adversely impacts profitability of existing players. Threat of substitutes is high as the consumers could choose amongst alternative modes of communication particularly trains which are increasingly becoming faster. Additionally, water transport may also be preferred particularly for goods and hence if the price is increased, then the consumers may look for cheaper substitutes. Bargaining power of suppliers tends to be high as there are only limited manufacturers of airplanes and their engines. Besides, the supply of gates at the airport is also limited and hence it is difficult for the airlines to drive a hard bargain with the suppliers, which leads to a higher cost structure. Threat of new entrants in the airline industry is high as new players with limited scale of operations can enter by leasing the airplanes and requisite equipment. As a result, new players are entering the airline industry which tends to increase the overall competition and provide the consumer with additional choices. Bargaining power of buyers is also high as there is availability of substitutes in terms of other modes of travel and also they can choose from a number of airlines that are offering the service. It is apparent from the above Porter force analysis that for airline industry, all the five forces are reasonably high and hence the ability of the airlines to increase prices is limited. Further, considering the high price sensitivity and limited differentiation scope, it makes sense to focus on cost leadership as the appropriate generic strategy for competitive advantage. The airline merger discussed here is also driven by the same generic strategy as it is expected to result in synergy and cost savings which would help the airline to lower prices and thus enhance both profitability and market share (Haberberg Rieple, 2008). References Carey, S Nicas, J 2015, United Continental Is Still Shaky Five Years After Merger, Wall Street Journal, 8 July, viewed 17 December 2016 https://www.wsj.com/articles/united-flights-grounded-due-to-computer-issue-1436361911 Cederholm, T 2014, United Continental Holdings: A must-know company overview, Market Realist, 27 June, viewed 17 December 2016 https://marketrealist.com/2014/06/united-continental-holdings-must-know-company-overview/ Haberberg, A Rieple, A 2008, Strategic Management: Theory and Application, 2nd edn., New York: Oxford University Press HBR 2008, The Five Competitive Forces That Shape Strategy, YouTube, 30 June, viewed 17 December 2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYF2_FBCvXw Mouawad, J Merced MJ 2010, United and Continental Said to Agree to Merge, New York Times, 2 May, viewed 17 December 2016 https://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/03/business/03merger.html Rainer, RK, Princes, B Watson, H 2013, Management information systems: Moving business forward, 2nd ed. Australia: John Wiley Sons Ltd, p 70-71.

The Entrepreneur in Economics Essay Example For Students

The Entrepreneur in Economics Essay Current economic research denies the innate characteristics of the entrepreneur. Rather than attributing economic growth and innovation to personality traits, economists would rather advocate a form of economic determinism: if an aggressive personality dominated an industry, economists try to explain the characteristics of the industry that made aggression a successful strategy. Economic models are contrived to remove the personality from the entrepreneur, to make all entrepreneurial decisions predestined, given enough time. However, to deny Bill Gatess or Steve Jobss role in economic history is equivalent to denying Hitlers role in creating a Nazi Germany or Castros role in creating a Communist Cuba. Claiming that history or economics is deterministic is silly. We will write a custom essay on The Entrepreneur in Economics specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Entrepreneurs are people who make decisions; their decisions need not fall out of dry economic models, just as no literary model could predict the words of Shakespeare and no historical model could predict the future. However, we must be systematic in our approach to identifying entrepreneurial characteristics and not fatuously assert that entrepreneurs drive economic change. Instead, we must link specific entrepreneurial tasks to specific entrepreneurial traits with the goal of understanding how these traits crucially affect the evolution of a business from a startup to Fortune 500 company. This paper will explore current economic views of the entrepreneur and assert that there are common entrepreneurial traits that affect both the decision to become an entrepreneur and the level of entrepreneurial success. We must first debunk the idea, advocated by Knight and Mises, of the entrepreneur as risk-bearer (Peter Swoboda, 1984). Aside from making every stock market participant an entrepreneur, this definition simply does not describe actual entrepreneurs and must be discredited. In Amar Bhides 1989 study of Inc. 500 companies, where an Inc. 500 company grows its sales on average by 170 percent per year from 1983 1988, Bhide found that they have a low scale for profitable operation, in most cases less than $10,000. With low fixed costs and a small profitable scale, the risk of failure is minimized and the expected distribution of profits is skewed.Further negating the risk faced by the entrepreneur, the founders were predominantly college-educated middle class men with low opportunity costs (see charts below). By starting a company with a small scale of profitable operation, they faced a heads I win, tails I dont lose much scenario. If they failed, they could place the attempt on their resume. Entrepreneurs are not betting the family fortune or making their years spent earning an MBA worthless; instead, we find that an Inc. 500 founder is just about as likely to have only a high school education as to hold an MBA and as likely to be very poor as very affluent. The entrepreneur need not be less risk averse than the average human being. As Jeff Bezos famously noted, it would have been far riskier for him to not have started Amazon.com than to have started it. If Bezos had spent 12 years at medical school studying neurosurgery or had to give up a $3 million a year position at his fathers company, he would not have faced an incentive structure that would have made founding a company the least risky option.What is noteworthy is just how wrong Knight and Mises are with their conception of entrepreneur as risk-bearer. Not only is the entrepreneur not necessarily a risk-bearer, he is more akin to an arbitrageur with his heads I win, tails I dont lose much incentive structure. Inc. 500 entrepreneurs tend to serve niche markets with high market turbulence, which lead to many arbitrage opportunities in so far as the founder can satisfy the wants of an uncertain market. The arbitrage is not riskless, but it is nearly so. .u34003ba61c66db1431b8d7117a1aa6b3 , .u34003ba61c66db1431b8d7117a1aa6b3 .postImageUrl , .u34003ba61c66db1431b8d7117a1aa6b3 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u34003ba61c66db1431b8d7117a1aa6b3 , .u34003ba61c66db1431b8d7117a1aa6b3:hover , .u34003ba61c66db1431b8d7117a1aa6b3:visited , .u34003ba61c66db1431b8d7117a1aa6b3:active { border:0!important; } .u34003ba61c66db1431b8d7117a1aa6b3 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u34003ba61c66db1431b8d7117a1aa6b3 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u34003ba61c66db1431b8d7117a1aa6b3:active , .u34003ba61c66db1431b8d7117a1aa6b3:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u34003ba61c66db1431b8d7117a1aa6b3 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u34003ba61c66db1431b8d7117a1aa6b3 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u34003ba61c66db1431b8d7117a1aa6b3 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u34003ba61c66db1431b8d7117a1aa6b3 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u34003ba61c66db1431b8d7117a1aa6b3:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u34003ba61c66db1431b8d7117a1aa6b3 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u34003ba61c66db1431b8d7117a1aa6b3 .u34003ba61c66db1431b8d7117a1aa6b3-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u34003ba61c66db1431b8d7117a1aa6b3:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: John Keats And Bob Dylan Essay For the author, himself an entrepreneur with $300K annual revenue and a business that serves a niche market with high uncertainty, the opportunity cost of starting a business while a student at college is trivially low.However, all people with low opportunity costs do not found companies. Many, many people face this same heads I win, tails I dont lose much situation, yet only a handful become entrepreneurs. Bhide believes that ambiguity aversion discourages many would-be entrepreneurs. Most successful entrepreneurs face uncertainty on all .

Introduce, Discuss and Analyze the Anthrax Attacks essays

Introduce, Discuss and Analyze the Anthrax Attacks essays The anthrax attacks of Fall 2001 were especially frightening because as they continued, it became increasingly clear they originated inside the United States, and there seemed little way to stop them. They were extremely frightening not because of a huge death toll, but because they could happen anywhere, at any time, and the implications for further terrorism seemed explicit. It was the first use of biological weapons in our country, and it was a frightening wake up call to national security and American citizens that we really are not that immune to biological weapons What is anthrax' Anthrax is a disease that is spread by a one-celled organism called "Bacillus anthracis." Anthrax does not spread from one person to another, it spreads via the bacterium, and this is a deadly disease that can attack the lungs, intestines, or skin. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) classifies anthrax as a "Category A agent" because these agents are the most dangerous to people, and they can spread. The CDC reports Category A's, "pose the greatest possible threat for a bad effect on public health, may spread across a large area or need public awareness, and need a great deal of planning to protect the public's health" (CDC). Anthrax meets all of these criteria and more, as the anthrax attacks on the United States clearly indicated. The skin form of anthrax is the least deadly, while the inhaled form is the most deadly. Anthrax can be carried in animals, and humans can become infected with anthrax from animals by inhaling the bacterium or by eating meat that is not cooked enough from infected animals (CDC) - however, this is rare. Anthrax used as a weapon in terrorist attacks is much more likely. Because the symptoms of the two most serious forms of anthrax, gastrointestinal and inhaled are so much like cold and flu symptoms, it is often difficult to diagnose, and treatment must be...

Television and its Impact on Teenagers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Television and its Impact on Teenagers - Essay Example Television sells, and it not only sells advertising, it sells ideas. The teenage mind is at a stage where it is open to new ideas, experimentation, and is easily swayed by a sense of status through images. Teenagers, often alienated by their parents and the educational system, seek an identity and want to be a part of a reference or in-group. Teenagers will copy what they view on television and the media industry should be pro-active in monitoring all their programming, measuring its social impact, and assuring that it is fit for all viewers, and especially teenagers. When we consider what a teenager may take from television and incorporate into their own life, sex immediately comes to mind. If the teenager feels disconnected from society, or neglected and unloved, they are in a prime position to seek out inappropriate sex. When television romanticizes sex between 13 year olds, the child will be led to believe that this action will bring them status and love. A study by Brown et al. found that regular viewing of sex on television, "accelerates white adolescents' sexual activity and increases their risk of engaging in early sexual intercourse" (1018). It would be irresponsible to encourage a young teenage girl to have sex in any other setting or format. Yet, it is routinely done on television. The industry must self-regulate the television programming and reduce the exposure that young teens have to sexual content. Drugs are another subject that the media inappropriately presents to teenagers, which encourages them to experiment. Often, television portrays drugs in a positive light and fails to show the tragic consequences that accompany drug use. Teenagers learn which drugs are available, where to get them, and how to use them. Television has essentially become a drug education program. Studies have shown that there has been an increase in movies that portray drug use as a "relatively common and carefree behavior among teen characters in teen-centered films" (Stern 342). Teenagers copy this behavior while assuming they will have the same outcome as the characters in the film. In fact, the media industry could show drug use among teens in a more negative context with a more realistic outcome. This could lessen teenagers' misguided view of the consequences of using drugs. Sex and drugs are activities that an average teenager may engage in with or without the encouragement of television, but violence is something that most teens intrinsically avoid. Yet, television programming has the power to desensitize a teenager's mind to violence and make it more acceptable. As teens view a barrage of violence against women, society, and acquaintances on television, they begin to view this as normal behavior. It is commonly accepted that violence, especially in children's television programming, has escalated in recent years, and the results have been disastrous. A large-scale and long-term study reported by Browne and Hamilton-Giachritsis found a close association between increased viewing of television violence and the "likelihood of subsequent antisocial behaviour, such as threatening aggression, assault or physical fights resulting in injury, and robbery" (703). While we may be able to get a teenager off drugs, or encourage them to curtail their sexual activit y, violent tendencies are deeply ingrained into the

Brown v. Board of Education and how it effects racial issues today in Essay

Brown v. Board of Education and how it effects racial issues today in socicity and politics - Essay Example The private places were defined as the areas such as the private means of transport and lodgings. The approach to the issue that the government adopted was indicative of the unwillingness of to intervene. The government claimed that the act of discriminating the entrance of the people into the areas was wrong. However, the wrongs were committed in a private capacity and there was nothing that the government could do to correct the trend. The famous case between Brown v. Board of education (1954) was the main cause of the changes that are manifested in the American learning arena today. The desegregation of the education system stemmed from the determination made on the case. However, the very act of desegregating the public learning system has led to the development of major issues in the current times that beg the question of how effective the recommendations were. The paper will also address the issue of the possible recurrence of segregation in the education sector and the stands of the major players in the society and the political arenas on the possibility. As the paper postulated earlier, there are chances that the recommendations that arose after the determination of the case between Brown v. Board of Education did not work well. The recommendations sought to eradicate the whole issue of discrimination that was evident in the early 20th century (Case 205). Various research conducted in the area have indicated that the people are leaning more towards the trend that was evident in the 1960. The schools have a majority of the students being the minority races and a few students are well. This means that the entire issue of the desegregation of the public schools did not work or at least the government was not sincere in the claim that it was working on the desegregation of the school. The issue of the segregation seems like it is alive in

The Impact of Culture on Best Practice Production Management Essay

The Impact of Culture on Best Practice Production Management - Essay Example Services industry is the fastest growing segment in the world economy and the biggest challenge is customer satisfaction which depends upon service quality (Bick, Abratt & Moller, 2010). Customer service excellence becomes essential to achieve customer satisfaction which in turn translates into customer loyalty. Organisations are convinced that customer service delivers benefits and hence quality management programmes have been created that relate the service attributes to how customers would evaluate quality (Bolton & Drew, 1991). This implies that people skills are essential for personal and organisational success. Customer service excellence is based on customer insight, segmentation and leadership (CSE, n.d.). Segmentation helps to understand the needs of the customers which differ across cultures. Segmentation is implemented through the process of identifying and differentiating between groups that have similar needs or wants. By focusing on their needs, motivation and choices, the organisation can achieve customer service excellence as they realize that one-size-fit-all approach in not applicable in the service industry. Customer service excellence operates at three distinct levels – as a driver of continuous improvement, as a skills development tool and as an independent validation of achievement. Culture, according to Hofstede, â€Å"is the collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one group or category from another† (Hope & Muhlemann, 2001). It has also been defined as the â€Å"software of the mind...† and culture is the way that a group of people solve problems and reconcile dilemmas (Lorenzoni & Lewis, 2004). Moreover, customers from different backgrounds also have differing levels of literacy which influences the evaluation of performance standards (Pizam & Eliss, 1999).Cultural difference cause differences in expectations, goals, values and proposed course of action. Cultural differences impact the belongingness, love and esteem needs of individuals and these principles reverse the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory. Subtle cultural differences cannot be ignored as the direct impact can be observed in decisions, outcomes and delivery of service (Korac-Kakabadse & Kouzmin, 1999). To achieve service excellence organisations would have to ensure that employees are adequately trained in the different elements of culture that manifest in many ways. Manifestation of cultural differences can be found in language and communication styles, in expression of emotions and body language, in social customs and eating habits. The deepest and the most ingrained manifestation of culture is the cultural assumptions from which stem the norms and values (Lorenzoni & Lewis, 2004). The most visible manifestation of culture is everyday behavioural standards. Hofstede has identified four different dimensions on which culture can be measured. These include the power distance, individualism, unc ertainty avoidance and masculinity. Cultures distinguish people in how they behave, maintain relationships and relate to each other in a variety of ways. It also influences the attitude towards time and the attitude towards the environment. All these factors heighten the importance of ensuring that employees are trained in understanding the nuances of different cultural backgrounds before customer service excellence can be expected. The hospitality industry is diverse in nature and each customer is individual in his/her needs and wants. The same customer may have different needs and demands in different situations (Baum & Nickson, 1998). Cultural differences impact the outcome of business because according to Hofstede different cultures imply different mental programming (Gilbert & Tsao, 2000).

Reflection on Teamwork and Gender

Reflection on Teamwork and Gender Introduction As the only male in a group of four female working on a presentation, the learning experience gained reflectively looking back was invaluable. How I got on in the working process while engaged in the completion of this presentation represented a process of understanding the difference in dynamics of working within a group situation whereby my initial impressions of the progress being made differed from the manner in which each individual approached the situation. The following will offer a reflection on this situation. At first, I felt as if I was the only one actively engaged on the project, gauging that the others were being flippant in their approach. Tavris and Wade (1984, pp. 71-73) offered some insight into this as they advise that men are more aggressive than women. They point to the example that this difference is detectable as early as age three when children start playing with one another (Tavris and Wade, 1984, pp. 71-73). Their analogy stated that little boys from the start show more physical aggression, play aggressive, have fantasy aggression and utilize verbal aggression (Tavris and Wade, 1984, pp. 71-73). This, they point to is the male aspect of winning, which means getting started earlier and taking over (Tavris and Wade, 1984, pp. 71-73). Fay and Tokarczyk (1993, pp. 78-79) developed my understanding further in adding that women approach work in a different manner, as they are more social beings. Dale and Lynne Spender (1986, p. 32) dismiss the mythical talkativeness of women ind icating that in mixed sex conversations that women only talked ten to twenty percent of the time gauging their situation. They added that women, after feeling comfortable in a group setting will then set about the task at hand, however, they have privately thought about the problem and have definitive ideas and approaches to discuss when that time arrives (Spender and Spender, 1986, pp. 34-35). Lunneborg (1990, p. 21) offered the following insight to this start of the project situation that I seemingly was so preoccupied with. She states that women tend to spend time gathering and thinking more about the information aspects in singular fashion, gauging the situation against their own personal skills and formulating approaches as they consider what they either know or have gleaned from other members of the group (Lunneborg, 1990, pp. 23-28). These dynamics helped me to understand that my learning style was simply too male oriented to at first take in the significances of how women approach problems and solutions. I learned that the first thing I should have done was approach the first session as an introduction to my co-workers, asking for inputs on how to set about the presentation as a group process, instead of feeling that I was the only contributor. Novarra (1980, p. 51) advised me that women manage in a less academic fashion. They, women, are â€Å"†¦ accessible, unstuffy, informal, direct in getting to the point, spontaneous, averse to wrangling, sympathetic and not long winded or pompous†. Nickles and Ascroft (1981, pp. 206-207) referred to the foregoing style as ‘beta’. They, women, utilize power for the good of the group as opposed to the individual, and that good management represents sensitivity in the creation of a work environment that fosters growth and learning (Nickles and Ascroft. 1981, pp. 206-207). They offered additional insight in that ‘Beta’ power cares more about the quality of work life and uses flexible schedules, job sharing and the decentralization of authority (Nickles and Ascroft. 1981, pp. 206-207). Leaders are not needed at the top of the hierarchy in making decisions, as it is a shared process. Howe (1975, pp. 127-171) advised me that women are more democratic, egalitarian and cooperative. In working with men, or in this case a male, women tend to slow things down to create a pace that reflects thinking and sharing. She added that women have an alternative view of power that is based upon sisterhood, and that in a group situation the usual first steps in the process entail an informal discussion as the parties get to know one another for later interaction as opposed to the male method of the big dog taking over and letting other things fall into place. As I saw the collective approach take hold later in the process, the understanding I gained after the fact made me better understand the dynamics of working with women and how my initial impressions were male based. The difficulty I felt I had in maintaining group focus was my male approach as opposed to the reflective and group sharing approach women utilize to address working situations, which are similar in context to their approach of problems in any form. Conclusion The apprehension I experienced in working with a group of four females taught me that there are differing ways in which the approach to a working situation can be handled. As the only male member I thrust myself into thinking into feeling that I needed to take charge, even though I held back on that action. Upon reflection, that was a wise choice as the group dynamics later showed me that the work at hand was being handled, but in a different manner than I was accustomed to. The lack of individual conflicts, the overall courteousness of the group, and the process of producing the piece was an enjoyable and productive session. My feelings of getting a late start did not account for the accelerated pace of development as a team whereby ideas, solutions and contributions flowed naturally without power struggles, thus shortening the time frame to get things accomplished. In retrospect the entire experience enabled me to take away from the process a new set of techniques and understandings with respect to group dynamics that was not just applicable to women, but groups of any gender composition. My concerns regarding being the only male in the group were facets of my own imagination as the females did not and were not focused on gender differences, they were focused on meshing the group into a cohesive unit, whereby the synergy would be greater than the parts. Bibliography Fay, E., Tokarczyk, M. (1993) Working Class Women in the Academy. University of Massachusetts Press Howe, F. (1975) Women and the power to change. McGraw Hill Lunneborg, P. (1990) Women Changing Work. Bergin and Garvey Nickles, E., Ashcroft, L. (1981) The coming matriarchy. Seaview Books Novarra, V. (1980) Women’s Work, men’s work. Praeger Spender, D., Spender, L. (1986) Scribbling sisters. Camden Press Tavris, C., Wade, C. (1984) The longest war: Sex Differences in perspective. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich

An Icon to Remember :: Essays Papers

An Icon to Remember During the Late Byzantium Period a new burst of creative energy grasped the Russian artists. More artists emerged as Russians became increasingly interested in art. Earlier in the Byzantium Period â€Å"art that had to do with religious worship, like statues and any religious imagery throughout the empire, was destroyed under Leo III in iconoclasm† (Kleiner and Mamiya 326). This era lasted nearly one hundred years. During this period icon painting became very popular. â€Å"These paintings are small portable paintings depicting Christ, the Virgin, or Saints† (Kleiner and Mamiya 342). One of the most famous and influential icon artists to come about during this time was Audrei Rublev. In ca.1410 he designed his masterpiece, the Old Testament Trinity (Figure 1), one of the most beautiful and popular icon paintings in Russia. Rublev’s Old Testament Trinity was a very spiritual and an important icon painting during the fifteenth century. Audrei Rublev was born in ca.1360 and was known as a Russian painter and monk (â€Å"Rublev† 304). He was so spectacular that his work had a profound influence on the development of Russian art overall. His paintings usually attributed to a more linear quality (â€Å"Rublev† 304-305). â€Å"Rublev worked beside Theophanes the Greek and Prokhor from Gorodets, whom may have been his teachers, in painting the Cathedral of the Annunciation and also with the icon painter Daniil Chorny† (Hamilton 93). Although there is very little background known of his life, his first appearance was in 1405(Hamilton 93). Audrei Rublev passed most of the remainder of his life in the Andronikov Monastery, where he is now buried (â€Å"Rublev† 304). He lived to be seventy and died in ca.1430. Audrei Rublev was one of the greatest icon painters for Russia during the Middle Ages. â€Å"The Old Testament Trinity was dedicated to Saint Sergius Radonezhsky c.1411† (â€Å"Rublev† 305). It was found in 1918 in a storeroom near the Cathedral of the Dormition. Although having severe and irreparable damage enough remains. â€Å"The painting depicts three angels that are in silent communication with each other, seated around an altar table with a chalice that indicates the subject of their contemplation is self-sacrifice† (Art Treasures in Russia 61). The central figure, God the Father, is further back then his companions, God the Son on the left and the Holy Spirit on the right.

Religious and Ethnic Groups Essay

Buddhism is a religious group as depicted from the world’s history that began in the 6th century BCE, in today’s Northern India. Buddhism was founded by a wealthy man of Indian dysentery called Siddhartha Gautama. Siddhartha Gautama’s main concern was to teach people how to realize great spiritual development. These teachings focus on areas like tradition/customs, beliefs, ethics, meditation and philosophy and making people more enlightened; Buddha means ‘to awaken’. To the religious group boast of a huge following of about 300million across the world including 0. 7 percent of U. S. A’s religious composition based on U. S’s Census Bureau Document (Seager, 2012). Buddhism is a religious group that differs broadly from other groups in America. The difference is eminent in the way they carry out various practice. Some examples are worship, beliefs, culture, doctrines, and in other routine practices. Buddhism, unlike other religious groups, believes in the existence of only one Supreme Being ‘God’. In contrast to most groups, Buddhism spirituality is of personal discipline rather than faith in ‘God’. A lot of differences may be present when attempting to draw a comparison between Buddhism and the other religious groups in America. Buddhists Experience in America Buddhism has received its fair deal of mixed reception from other religious avenue. Some people have good perception and understand their teachings seek to uphold good morals and values. Buddhism also seeks a harmonious co-existence with other people in society even if they are not practicing the same religion. Others have perceived them as having a bizarre view deeming its operation as being mysterious. Buddhism is unique in conducting their routine religious practices and beliefs. Some religious groups have upheld Buddhism, not as a religion but merely a philosophy (Seager, 2012). They have even incorporated some practices like meditation as an art of realization physical and emotional well being as yoga in pursuit of reliving off stress. They have also sorted in some Buddhism cultural element and used them to perfect their own religions. Contribution and Discrimination of Buddhism Historically in American culture Buddhism has contributed adversely in development of America’s culture. Many Buddhists doctrine and daily routine practices are borrowed and used to blend America’s culture. Example of such practice teachings of how people perceive life and attitude, changed Buddhism has mentored Great America’s scientists and philosophers (Seager, 2012). They borrow ideas from Buddhism teachings. Some of the ways in which Buddhism is practiced in America include stress reduction treatment. In addition, famous movies and songs based on Buddhism, such as Seven Years in Tibet, Little Buddha, The Matrix, and Star Wars, has helped the advertisement industry. Another instance is the Master Card commercial that shows an image of Woman Meditating. There is an increasing number of Americans who visit the Buddhist temples and also practice meditation in privacy. Buddhist Fellowship organization is a very large group that promotes peace, environmental advocacy, and conducts homeless and prison outreach. Buddhism has experienced discrimination minimally compared to other religious groups. Discrimination happens within its own religion and culture primarily against Buddhist women. All Buddhist women are ordained to follow laws and disciplines such as bhikkhunis. However, Buddhist nuns have come together to fight for their rights. The source of this prejudice was because the Buddhist nuns have increased in number and they want to eliminate them from the religion. Buddhism has helped me learn about meditation which can be used in reducing stress and as a way of relaxing. Asian Ethnic Group The Asian American comprises of a 5% of the American population (Espiritu, 2011). In the recent years, the Asian ethnic group is considered among the fastest growing group in America. The Americans refer to subgroups such as the Chinese, Filipino, Indians, Koreans, Japanese and Vietnamese. Most Asian Americans were born in America while others have been the immigrants who have settled in America. Asian differs from the other ethnic groups because from history Asians have continued to follow their religions, unlike many other groups. The Asian Americans are known for their diligence, strong family values and their respect for education, authority, and discipline unlike any other ethnic group in America. Asian American Contribution and Discrimination The Asian American has contributed greatly in the formation of American society. These contributions include constructions of railway, joining the military and protecting the Americans. Asians have also contributed in creating internet sites such as youtube and yahoo. The Asians have influenced other areas like fashion, religion, science and culture. For instance, the kung fu culture of the Chinese is greatly employed in Hollywood while creating action movies. Acts of discrimination towards Asian Americans in America are similar to other minority group. This racial discrimination bars the Asian American from participating in politics (Espiritu, 2011). The reason Asian Americans are discriminated against is Americans consider them foreigners. In conclusion, Buddhism is an Asian practice which the Asian have practiced almost all their lives, but this practice came to be known only in recent years. Discrimination of Asian Americans means that their religion, cultures, and practices are discriminated against. Buddhism is different from Asian Ethnic group because Buddhism is a practice done by the Asian communities. Discrimination should never be practiced in America because America is a multicultural society and the majority of people in America are citizens by birth. References Espiritu, Y. L. (2011). Asian American pan ethnicity: Bridging institutions and identities. Philadelphia: Temple University Press. Seager, R. H. (2012). Buddhism in America. New York: Columbia University Press.

Rubber Egg and Chicken Bones - Mad Scientist Lab

Rubber Egg and Chicken Bones - Mad Scientist Lab A Mad Scientist can make a toy out of just about anything, including a boiled egg. Soak an egg in a common kitchen ingredient, vinegar, to dissolve its shell and make the egg rubbery enough that you can bounce it on the floor like a ball. Soaking chicken bones in vinegar will soften them so that they will become rubbery and flexible. Rubber Egg Materials hard-boiled eggglass or jar, big enough to hold the eggvinegar Turn the Egg into a Bouncy Ball Place the egg in the glass or jar.Add enough vinegar to completely cover the egg.Watch the egg. What do you see? Little bubbles may come off the egg as the acetic acid in the vinegar attacks the calcium carbonate of the eggshell. Over time the color of the eggs may change as well.After 3 days, remove the egg and gently rinse the shell off of the egg with tap water.How does the boiled egg feel? Try bouncing the egg on a hard surface. How high can you bounce your egg?You can soak raw eggs in vinegar for 3-4 days, with a slightly different result. The eggs shell will become soft and flexible. You can gently squeeze these eggs, but its not a great plan to try to bounce them on the floor. Make Rubbery Chicken Bones If you soak chicken bones in vinegar (the thinner bones work best), the vinegar will react with the calcium in the bones and weaken them so that they will become soft and rubbery, as if they had come from a rubber chicken. It is the calcium in your bones that makes them hard and strong. As you age, you may deplete the calcium faster than you replace it. If too much calcium is lost from your bones, they may become brittle and susceptible to breaking. Exercising and eating a diet that includes calcium-rich foods can help prevent this from happening.

How are the corporations debt securities reported on the financial st

How are the corporations debt securities reported on the financial st How are the corporations debt securities reported on the financial statements? ACC/300 May 5, 2015 How are the corporations debt securities reported on the financial statements? Debt Securities, according to Investopedia (2015), are Any debt instrument that can be bought or sold between two parties and has basic terms defined, such as notional amount (amount borrowed), interest rate and maturity/renewal date. Debt securities for corporations include government or corporate bonds, certificates of deposit, preferred stock, collateralized securities, and zero-coupon securities (Investopedia, 2015). Corporations use debt securities to gain financing for expansion, operations, or for any other activity were the corporation needs access to cash. Starbucks has long-term and current debt listed on its balance sheet, which makes up its debt securities. The listed liabilities for Starbucks are being used for expansion into domestic and foreign markets, as while as acquisitions of other companies. Starbucks current liabilities for debt securities were $794,500,000 and its long-term liabilities for debt securities totaled $2,440,500,000. Investopedia. (2015). Debt Security. Retrieved from investopedia.com/terms/d/debtsecurity.asp

Answer those question and in the end write a discussion paragraph Assignment

Answer those question and in the end write a discussion paragraph - Assignment Example I am emotionally quiet a stable person, yet I need to work more on this side of my makeup. I have the innate strength and stamina to engage persistently till I achieve the desired objective. However, one thing that I realized I am weak at is that I am not able to cope up well with situations involving high uncertainty. Also, I was not aware that though I socially happened to be an unbiased and unprejudiced person, still, I am mostly uncertain as to what others need to expect of or desire from me. I am also not apt at stress management and dealing with stressful situations. I am also not sure as to my capacity to adapt to change, which I need to really sort out urgently. These weaknesses and uncertainties do take a toll of my self confidence. Yet, the saving grace is that I am an inherently objective and introspective person, who can diligently work on my personality to dilute my weaknesses and uncertainties and to tamper my essential

Best Practices on Autism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Best Practices on Autism - Research Paper Example While the paper has focused on the best practices in the field but the limited diagnosis criteria and lack of emphatic treatment has greatly frustrated the parents and the scholars alike and presents a challenge for the medical fraternity as well. In the recent times, there has been extensive and wide ranging concern for issues relating to disability. The prognosis and the use of technology in the field has made tremendous advancement and the amendments in the constitutions, making special provisions to include all round welfare programs for the people with disabilities has facilitated equal participation in the socio-economic development of the country. Though the huge efforts made by the countries to facilitate and promote the participation of the people with disabilities has made significant mark, a lot more needs to be done in the field of developmental disabilities which have multifaceted and multilateral aspects that are not only complex by nature but they also need socio-psychological interventions, stretched over a period of time, involving extensive inter-personal communication. Of the various developmental disabilities, autism is significantly different and encompasses a wide set of communication problem. Autism and autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) can be broadly defined as neuro-developmental disorder that affects social interaction and communication. There is decided lack of responsiveness to others that is accompanied by resistance towards any type of change. The studies have shown that autism is more prominent displayed amongst the children in the age group of 4-12 (Rutter, 1970; Wiug, 1988). The various studies looking for contextual variables have found that the demographic representation of autistic children was higher in the urban areas (DSM II criteria, 1980; DSM III R criteria, 1987). The incidence of autism was higher in the immigrant population from third world countries, especially Caribbean, Asia, south America, South-east Europe

Unplug Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Unplug - Essay Example The documentary highlights the terrors associated with technology. Technology has transformed the way people act and interact in the contemporary society. Electronic devices drive people to distraction. For instance, texting and driving is a multitasking activity that has caused the death of several drivers because of the associated distraction. Technology calls for self-restraint, just like any other beneficial invention in the current century. I was unable to honor the pledge to unplug for 24 hours because I cannot live without my devices. In fact, I spent more time on my devices during that time, than I did previously. It is difficult to avoid technology owing to its varied benefits such as communication with friends, and entertainment purposes. Life would undoubtedly be extremely boring without the current technological trends, which are unquestionably addictive. It is difficult to understand why the directors made a documentary like DSKNECTD, considering I am using a laptop to type my assignment, about the film, while watching it on

Factors Affecting Academic Performance Essay Example for Free

Factors Affecting Academic Performance Essay Like many Americans caught up in the economic downturn, college students are worried about money. Now research indicates that financial worries may affect their academic performance. This years National Survey of Student Engagement, released on Thursday, reveals that more than a third of seniors and more than a quarter of freshmen did not purchase required academic materials because of the cost. Roughly equal shares, around 60 percent, said they worried about having enough money for day-to-day expenses. And 36 percent of freshmen and 32 percent of seniors reported that financial concerns had interfered with their academic performance. Since 2000, Nessie, as the survey is known, has collected wide-ranging data to help colleges develop effective educational practices and promote engagement. Students are asked, for instance, how much time they spend studying, whether they get involved with campus organizations, and how they interact with their professors and peers. This year the researchers, based at Indiana University at Bloomington, also assessed how the economy was affecting students at a subset of the 546 American colleges that participated. The survey examined students employment, finding that among freshmen, nearly 20 percent worked on campuses, and about 30 percent worked elsewhere. For seniors, those proportions were about a quarter on campuses and more than half elsewhere. Students working off campuses logged more hours: More than half of seniors working on campuses worked less than 15 hours a week, but 40 percent of full-time seniors in off-campus jobs worked more than 16 hours a week; 20 percent logged 30 or more hours. Other research has found that working up to 20 hours a week can increase students engagement and improve their academic performance, but that a greater time commitment can be detrimental. In this years survey, more than half of full-time seniors who worked 21 or more hours a week said their work schedule interfered with their studies. Yet 60 percent of those students said they had investigated working even more hours to help cover the cost of college. Related Content Grades and Tests May Miss What Matters Most in Learning Charts: How Financial Worries Are Affecting Students Alexander C. McCormick, director of the survey, says institutions should consider such findings an opportunity to get a better sense of the financial stressors that shape students academic experiences. Most colleges, he points out, know which students have on-campus jobs. But administrators could do more to figure out how much time students spend working off-campus, and whether those commitments threaten their academic success. You can never do enough to understand who your students are, Mr. McCormick says. But collecting data is the easy part. The really hard work is up to the colleges and universities, to figure out what the data mean and what they want to do in response.

The Differences Between Internal And External Sources Of Business Finance Finance Essay

The Differences Between Internal And External Sources Of Business Finance Finance Essay Businesses require financing in order to operate. The source of this finance can be either internal or external and furthermore it can further subdivided into long or short term. Long terms sources are those that provide finance for more than a year while short term provide for less than a year; Internal sources of finance come from within the business and do not require the agreement of anyone beyond directors and managers of the business. (LOE 2010:317). The long term sources of internal finance include retained profits while short term sources include selling of inventories, extending period of credit from suppliers and stricter credit control over funds owed by credit customers (LOE 2010). Sources of finance are considered short term because they can easily be reversed in the short run. External sources of finance on the other hand require(s) the compliance of potential shareholders (LOE 2010:317) and in this case the company owes outside institutions or individuals (Brindley 200 8). According to LOE (2010), long term sources of external sources of finance include ordinary shares, preference shares, long term loans, finance leases, hire purchase agreements etc. While short term sources of external finance include bank overdrafts, debt factoring and invoice discounting. Difficulties SMEs face in raising adequate finance: SMEs face numerous challenges in raising enough finance for their business. According to Propoarco (2009:13) difficulties in gaining access to financing constitute the main stumbling block for SME development in Sub Saharan African. This is caused by a number of factors. First, there are inadequate personal funds and resources to fully fund the business and this requires that they look for external sources of finance where they are likely to encounter further challenges. Lack of collateral Banks require guarantees in the form of assets, forecast of business growth etc in order to approve long and short term loans and ensure that they can get their money back through payments or by selling off the defaulters assets. Unfortunately most SMEs do not have many assets in the business name as they are start ups and this poses challenges. Moreover, because some SMEs are sole proprietorships, it can be difficult to separate the SMEs assets from those of the business owner (oecd.org). Banks are therefore weary of providing funding where there is no clarity especially when it is unclear regarding the health of the business and its assets. There is no guarantee that the SME can sustain loan payments. High Cost of finance, Too high interest rates that are unsustainable. SMEs are considered high risk because they have a high failure rate and therefore more likely to default on loans (ITC 2009). As such, in order to counter their risk of lending to such enterprises, banks charge high interest rates. This in turn makes access to funding expensive for SMEs compared to larger organisations that are not viewed as high risk. SME owners sometimes lack access to information regarding where to access funds and may not be aware of the requirements in order to access these funds ITC 2009). Moreover SME may not have a clear and well constructed business plan that details the business path over the next few years; a key requirement for most financing institutions; or the business plan may be poorly constructed and not have key information (oecd.org). In addition banks may require pertinent information such as credit rating, credit history in order to make well informed decisions. Unfortunately as a start up, an SME might not have this information. Moreover the company may not have kept this information or the companys funds may be intertwined with the owners personal finances, making it difficult to produce this information. Such regulatory constraints make it challenging for SMEs to access financing. The loan application process itself may be too lengthy and complicated such that the SME owner gives up (ITC 2009). SMEs can also be pessimistic about outside investors and would rather keep it in the family. As such they are not open to financing ideas that involve outsiders taking part ownership or control of the companies. This therefore limits their financing options. Possible Advice and Solutions SMEs have several options regarding where and how to access funding. SMEs can access finance through venture capitalists. These are individuals who provide funding to start up companies with exciting ideas that promise high returns and they offer funding to start ups, to businesses that need to achieve a turnaround, that need to expand etc(LOE 2010). However in certain cases venture capitalists may require equity or control in the said business in return. Non- governmental organisations (NGOs) have also devised programmes in order to provide funding for SMEs because of the difficulties of accessing fund in the mainstream. Oikocredit an NGO in Ghana for example offers funding for SMEs (Mensah 2004). USAID Development credit authority also provides funding for SMEs. Governments have also taken interest in this issue and through initiatives such as Small firm loan guarantee scheme in the UK (LOE 2010: 357) and Africa Development Bank, governments help SMEs that lack security to access funds by being the guarantors of a large percentage of the loan. Grants and subsidies are also available for example through the Ministry of SMEs in Zimbabwe. Listings on alternative stock exchanges such as Altx in Johannesburg (RHPS.com) and AIM in the UK allow smaller businesses to list and float shares with less stringent requirements thereby raising equity finance. Wealthy individuals, already successful in business, called business angels (LOE 2010) invest in SMEs through a shareholding to assist start ups or SME expansion plans. This can be in the form of a single individual or a consortium. While they dont get involved in the day to day operations of the business, they do take an active interest. And can be a valuable source of business skills and experience. According to ITC (2009), trade credit (where collateral is not required) and cash advances from customers can be short term source of finance for SMEs.

Small man who led a big nation Essay examples -- essays research paper

The Small Man Who Led a Big Nation   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mahatma Gandhi was a national icon for the people of India between the years 1869 and 1948. He is still remembered all over the world today. To follow the path of Gandhi one must traverse all regions of India, from the houses of the highest officials to the poorest villages where the word poverty does injustice. Gandhi led a fearless resistance against the British government, that oppressed his people, and an endless pilgrimage to lift the spirits of his people(the people of India) to maturity. Gandhi was very unique in his approach as he preached non-violence and led a life similar to that of the most downtrodden people of India.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Gandhi was born into a family of high standing. His family had been advisors of some of the rulers of India.(Spodek 663) Gandhi’s mother, Putlibai, was a traditional Indian woman; she was of high morals and deeply religious. In Gandhi’s later years his mothers impact is apparent as he fasts many times and becomes a vegetarian. She also had a moral influence on her son. One of Gandhi’s early teachers encouraged him to cheat on a spelling test in order to impress a school inspector, but he refused. Despite all his good traits Gandhi was a below average student and did not show much promise in academics.(Wolf 171) Nevertheless he traveled to England to attend law school in 1888 in accordance with the desires of his family. He studied for three years in London where he â€Å"began to come alive, intellectually and spiritually†(Wolf 171).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Upon his return to India, Gandhi was hired by an Indian firm to take a case in South Africa. While there Gandhi witnessed several cases of injustice against himself and the Indian population in South Africa. Gandhi himself was thrown out of a first-class train car because he was not white. The demeaning approach the government of Africa took against the Indian population ignited Gandhi’s fire to fight human injustice. This began Gandhi’s communal living and his methods of resistance.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Gandhi established a new form of nonviolent resistance against government he called satyagraha or â€Å"truth force†. Satyagraha â€Å"manifested in self-sacrificing, non-violent mass demonstrations, demanding that the persecutors recognize the immorality of their own position and ... ...nd traveled with the poor he helped them feel connected with the other leaders of the movement. One of Gandhi’s greatest marches towards independence was the Salt March. The British had a monopoly on salt production and sale. Gandhi marched 241 miles to the beach and gathered his own salt and this led to hundreds of peasants doing the same. That is just another example of Gandhi going to jail for his cause.(Wolf 173)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During his time, Gandhi shined as a spiritual reformer and political activist to try and change the hearts of his opponents. His characteristic non-violent movements have been copied by many great men that have come after him. He held himself no higher than the poorest man of his country and that is why his country loved him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Works Cited Sherman, Dennis. World Civilizations . Massachusetts:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mcgraw-Hill; 1998. Spodek, Howard. The World’s History. New Jersey: Prentice   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hall; 1998. Wolf, Ken. Personalities and Problems. Massachusetts:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  McGraw-Hill; 1999.

O Henry’s Furnished Room Essay

The short story is about a young man searching for his love in a furnished room. He meets the owner of the furnished room that his love has rented recently. In the latter part of the story, the young man commits suicide in the same room where his love committed suicide, too. Moreover, the landlady tells to a friend that she knows the girl that the young man is looking for but she does not tell him because she is greatly taking care of her reputation and her business. She wants no one to know that someone committed suicide on her room because it won’t attract lodgers. INTRODUCTION This paper aims to analyze some stylistic features of O.Henry’s short story â€Å"the Furnished Room†, in order to make further analysis of O.Henry’s particular writing style and its specific effect. The short story was written not just to appraise the young man’s true love to his beloved but to reveal the truth that the capital society makes people cold-hearted. People in that society tends to be indifferent and cruel. They are the ones who LITERALLY mind their own businesses. STYLISTIC ANALYSIS 1. Lexical features and the according effects Adjectives Most of the vocabularies in the story are simple and easy to understand. But it’s obvious that the author also employs many complicated and abstract words, especially the adjectives, in order to create the complex atmosphere in the story. For example, when the author describes the room which the young man rents , large amount of adjectives like â€Å"faint ,sunless, viscid, unholy, rank, foul and tainted, haggard, perfunctory, sophistical, ragged, gilt, gay-papered, desolate, musty, dank, cold†¦Ã¢â‚¬  are used. They can bring visual imaginary and aid the description of the room and the things in it. Actually many of these adjectives are not common words and it’s a little difficult for the reader to understand them. The propose of using these vocabulary may be the author’s intention to let the reader to have a authentic feel of that room and the whole society. Complex word may help produce this kind o f feeling. Noun Phrases One main character of the story is Mrs. Purdy, the landlady. The author tries to describe her in details using some specific noun phrases, such as â€Å"an unwholesome, surfeited worm; her throat seemed lined with fur; furry throat†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Through that way more information of the landlady is added and a vivid figure of a disgusting woman was shown. This ugly appearance of the landlady can really provide a background of her hardheartedness mentioned later. 2. Syntactic features and the according effects This article contains various types of sentences, both simple and complex structure. The author uses not only declarative, but also â€Å"inverted sentences, subjunctive mood, indirect speech†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , aiming to achieve particular effect, such as to emphasize someone or something. Take the specific followings for example: (1) â€Å" Restless, shifting, fugacious as time itself, is a certain vast bulk of the population of the redbrick district of the lower West Side.† The â€Å"first is most important† principle is employed here. At the beginning of the passage, the author uses syntactic inversion to emphasize the unstable atmosphere of the district, aiming to present the background of the whole story at the first sentence. (2) â€Å"†¦ it would be strange if there could not be found a ghost or two in the wake of all these vagrant ghosts.† The subjunctive mood here shows the author’ attitude towards the real world and emphasizes the cruel reality of the society. (3) â€Å"To the door of this, the twelfth house whose bell he had rung, came a housekeeper who made him think of an unwholesome, surfeited worm that had eaten its nut to a hollow shell and now sought to fill the vacancy with edible lodgers. This sentence is rather long and complex, including one inverted sentence and three attributive clauses. The complexity is helpful for the description as it gives and withholds information. The step-by-step revelation can make the sentence coherent and close linked. The reader can be deeply impressed of the situation it describes. (4) â€Å"They comes and goes†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ; â€Å"we has our living to be making†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (the landlady) The short form and grammatical mistake of these sentences prove that the landlady is not actually well-educated and her utterances can reveal her real character to the readers. 3. Phonological features and the according effects In the view of phonology, the story has a specific feature produced by the character of Mrs. McCool, the landlady’s friend. She speaks with non-standard English and sounds strange. (1) â€Å"Now, did ye, Mrs. Purdy, ma’am?† said Mrs. McCool, with intense admiration. â€Å"You do be a wonder forrentin’ rooms of that kind. And did ye tell him, then?† (2) â€Å"Yis, ma’am; ’tis true. ‘Tis just one wake ago this day I helped ye lay out the third floor, back. A pretty slip of a colleen she was to be killin’ herself wid the gas Compared with Mrs. Purdy, Mrs. McCool speaks with non-standard English which is full of grammatical mistakes. The underlined words show some features of â€Å"Black English Vernacular. It implies that maybe she is poor-educated and simple-minded. Her social status can aid with making up the background of the story. 4. Semantic features/figures of speech and the according effects The use of characteristic figures of speech in this article is frequent and effective. Obviously the rhetorical devices here can make the description more realistic and impressing. Take some examples from the story for support. (1) â€Å"their vine is entwined about a picture hat; a rubber plant is their fig tree.† Traditionally â€Å"vine† and â€Å"fig tree† are often planted in house yard and here they stand for stable and happy family life. The author uses metaphor to show peoples’ eager for happy family life, which is not restless any more. (2) â€Å"†¦a housekeeper who made him think of an unwholesome, surfeited worm that had eaten its nut to a hollow shell and now sought to fill the vacancy with edible lodgers.† The author describes the landlady as a â€Å"worm† in order to dram a vivid picture of a greedy woman who always hungers for profit. The employment of animizing produces special effect which may make the reader smile and i mpressed. (3) â€Å"It seemed to have become vegetable; to have degenerated in that rank, sunless air to lush Lichen or spreading moss The carpet in the room are said to become â€Å"vegetable, lichen and moss†, which are disgusting things. What the atmosphere of the room is like can be clearly shown through that metaphor. (4) â€Å"†¦ but it was like a monstrous quicksand, shifting its particles constantly, with no foundation, its upper granules of to-day buried to-morrow in ooze and slime.† The simile here is quite obvious which compare the city as â€Å"quicksand†. It draws a real picture of the cruel city and society which is a heaven and also a hell. The reader may understand why the hero of the story feels desperate and commits suicide hopelessly. CONCLUSION Through the analysis of the stylistic features of O. Henry’s short story â€Å"the Furnished Room†, it can help the reader more understand the writing style of the author. The author uses specific adjectives and phrase to emphasize his description; employs some complex sentences to achieve particular effect; employs some rhetorical devices, such as figures of speech, to make his story more, picturesque; also use the special way of â€Å"surprise ending† to produces the irony and surprising effect at the end of the story.

Workplace Communication Skills for ESL Classes

Workplace Communication Skills for ESL Classes In workplace communications, with friends, strangers, etc. there are unwritten rules that are followed when speaking English. These unwritten rules are often referred to as register use or workplace communication skills when referring to employment. Good workplace communication skills use can help you communicate effectively. Incorrect workplace communication can cause problems at work, cause people to ignore you, or, at best, send the wrong message. Of course, correct workplace communication is very difficult for many learners of English. To begin with, lets look at some example conversations to help understand  the correct type of register use in various situations. Examples of Correct Register Use (Wife to Husband) Hi honey, how was your day?Great. We got a lot done. And yours?Fine, but stressful. Pass me that magazine, please.Here you go. (Friend to Friend) Hi Charlie, can you give me a hand?Sure Peter. Whats up?I cant get this to work.Why dont you try to use a screwdriver? (Subordinate to Superior - for workplace communications) Good Morning, Mr. Jones, may I ask you a question?Certainly, how can I help you? (Superior to Subordinate - for workplace communications) Excuse me Peter, we seem to be having a problem with the Smith account. Wed better get together to discuss the situation.Thats a good idea Ms Amons, would 4 oclock suit you? (Man Speaking to Stranger) Pardon me. Do you think you could give me the time?Certainly, its twelve thirty.Thank you.Not at all. Notice how the language used becomes more formal as the relationship becomes less personal. In the first relationship, a married couple, the wife uses the imperative form which would be inappropriate with a superior in for workplace communications. In the last conversation, the man asks using an indirect question as a means of making his question more polite. Examples of Incorrect Register Use (Wife to Husband) Hello, how are you today?Im fine. Would you mind passing me the bread?Certainly. Would you like some butter with your bread?Yes, please. Thank you very much. (Friend to Friend) Hello Mr. Jones. May I ask you a question?Certainly. How many I help you?Do you think you could help me with this?Id be happy to help you. (Subordinate to Superior - for workplace communications) Good Morning, Frank. I need a raise.Do you really? Well, forget about it! (Superior to Subordinate - for workplace communications) Hey Jack, what are you doing?! Get to work!Hey, Ill take as much time as I need. (Man Speaking to Stranger) You! Tell me where the  supermarket is.There. In these examples, the formal language used for the married couple and friends is much too exaggerated for daily discourse. The examples of for workplace communications, and of the man speaking to a stranger, show that the direct language often used with friends or family is too impolite for these types of for workplace communication. Of course, correct for workplace communication and register use also depends on the situation and the tone of voice you use. However, in order to communicate well in English, it is important to master the basics of correct for workplace communications and register use. Improve and practice your recognition of workplace communications and register use in various situations with the following quiz. Workplace Communication Quiz Test yourself to see how well you understand correct register usage in these following workplace situations. Choose the appropriate relationship for these phrases from the choices listed below. Once you have finished, continue down the page for the answers and comments on the correct choices for each question. ColleaguesStaff to ManagementManagement to StaffInappropriate for the Workplace Im afraid were having some problems with your performance. I would like to see you in my office this afternoon.What did you do last weekend?Hey, get over here now!Excuse me, do you think it would be possible for me to go home early this afternoon? I have a doctors appointment.Well, we went to this wonderful restaurant in Yelm. The food was excellent and the prices were reasonable.Listen, Im going home early, so I cant finish the project until tomorrow.Excuse  me  Bob, would you mind lending me $10 for lunch. Im short today.Give me five bucks for lunch. I forgot to go to the bank.You are an extremely handsome young man, Im sure youll do well at our company.Excuse  me  Ms  Brown, could you help me with this report for a moment? Quiz Answers Im afraid were having some problems with your performance. I would like to see you in my office this afternoon. ANSWER: Management to StaffWhat did you do last weekend? ANSWER: ColleaguesHey, get over here now! ANSWER: Inappropriate for the WorkplaceExcuse me, do you think it would be possible for me to go home early this afternoon? I have a doctors appointment. ANSWER: Staff to ManagementWell, we went to this wonderful restaurant in Yelm. The food was excellent and the prices were reasonable. ANSWER: ColleaguesListen, Im going home early, so I cant finish the project until tomorrow. ANSWER: Inappropriate for the WorkplaceExcuse  me  Bob, would you mind lending me $10 for lunch. Im short today. ANSWER: ColleaguesGive me five bucks for lunch. I forgot to go to the bank. ANSWER: Inappropriate for the WorkplaceYou are an extremely handsome young man, Im sure youll do well at our company. ANSWER: Inappropriate for the WorkplaceExcuse  me  Ms  Brown, could you help me with this report for a moment? ANSWER: Management to Staff Comments on Quiz Answers If you were confused by some of the answers, here are some short comments that should help you understand: Management to Staff  - In this sentence management, although unhappy, is still polite when asking an employee to come in for a critique.Colleagues  - This simple question is informal and conversational and therefore appropriate among colleagues.Inappropriate  - This is the imperative form and  is therefore  inappropriate for the workplace. Remember that the imperative form is often considered rude.Staff to Management  - Notice the polite form used when speaking to a superior at work. The  indirect question form  is used to make the question extremely polite.Colleagues  - This is a statement from a discussion about a non-work related topic among colleagues. The tone is informal and informative.Inappropriate  - Here an employee is announcing his / her plan to management without asking. Not a very good idea in the workplace!Colleagues  - In this statement a colleague politely asks another colleague for a loan.Inappropriate  - When asking for a loan never use the imperative form!Inappropriate  - The person making this statement would be considered guilty of sexual harassment in the United States. Management to Staff  - This is a polite request.