Tuesday, December 24, 2019

For Most Middle Class Americans, The Dream Of A Stable,

For most middle class Americans, the dream of a stable, well-paying job is a fiction of a past long-departed. With the arrival of the modern system of flexible labor, working class America has waved goodbye to the economic prosperity championed by its forefathers—and begrudgingly welcomed an economy marked by stagnant income levels, dismal prospects of upward mobility, and a lowered seat at the workplace bargaining table. But as many prepare to bury the American Dream as a relic of days past, there endures a spirit of hope within some circles about the prospects of a brighter economic future for working class Americans. While the debate persists over the admirable goals of re-arming America’s unions and implementing a universal basic†¦show more content†¦The disintegration of America’s middle class has not gone unchallenged, however. As American workers have seen their once healthy wages and robust benefits slip from their grasp, many have clinged tightl y to the protection of unions. Nodding to the well-documented victories of union members in the mid-1900s, unions in today’s flexible economy have often resorted to the tried-and-true methods of collective bargaining to defend themselves. But while these techniques proved successful in the Fordist economies of the mid-1900s, they have been largely ineffective in their attempts to protect workers in a post-Fordist economy that has made employers less dependent upon their workers. As a result, union participation rates in the United States have dropped from nearly one in three during the 1950s to a modern rate of only one in ten—with the U.S now donning one the lowest unionization rates in the world. Amidst Fordism’s collapse, American workers have found themselves questioning where they can find their footing in today’s economy. Many believe that a resurgence of the American middle class demands a reclamation of the formidable unions of our past. After all, stronger unions have historically led to expanded healthcare, stronger pensions, and increased productivity in the workforce. To achieve this revitalization, scholars have foregrounded an array of methods currently employed in workplaces in both the United States andShow MoreRelatedThe American Dream Through Various Eyes1270 Words   |  6 PagesThe American Dream Through Various Eyes In a country that is based around the idea that you can be anyone and do anything, one would think that most Americans all want the typical â€Å"American Dream.† Many would agree that when we think American Dream, we think fancy yachts, designer clothing, and big buildings, but is that really what the dream is all about? By definition, the American Dream is defined as, â€Å"the idea that every U.S. citizen should have equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperityRead MoreThe American Dream : Dead, Alive, Or On Hold?1104 Words   |  5 PagesOne of his published works, The American Dream: Dead, Alive, or on Hold?, debates his interpretation of the notion of the American Dream and whether the concept is dead, alive, or on hold. The speaker emphasizes his belief that the common phrase is still alive within America and that one must work hard in order to achieve it. When it comes to the topic of the American Dream, King will eagerly agree that the idea is still alive and thriving in the minds of Americans; however, I deem that the idea isRead MoreAnalysis Of The American Dream1063 Words   |  5 PagesWhat is the American Dream? Is it home ownership, gaining fame or wealth, having a great family or is it gaining a peace of mind? Many people have different versions of what the American Dream is, some people believe the dream is lost, and some people are right in the middle and still believe the American Dream is still alive. â€Å"The American Dream† by Brandon King debates about what the true state is left in the American Dream now. Throughout the essay, King asks if the American Dream is dead, aliveRead MoreThe Problem With Income Inequality992 Words   |  4 PagesWe all have different opinions of what the American dream consists of. When the economy was stable, most dreams consisted of having a great career, a big house with all the luxuries imaginable. However, having a stable job, and saving for the future is simply what the American dream has become. Some may argue that the American dream is no longer out there because of the income inequality I assure to all those looking for the dream, inequality has always been there and we should not allow anythingRead MoreDeath Of A Salesman By Arthur Miller918 Words   |  4 PagesThe American Dream has always been this ideal of a person achieving the ultimate success of owning a house and being able to financially provide for their family . The general idea of the American Dream for almost every person is to be economically stable. Many have tried for years to try and make their American Dream a reality but many have failed due to mistaken views on how to achieve such dreams. In the play â€Å"Death of a Salesman† by Arthur Miller the concept of the American Dream is depictedRead MoreClass Reflection Paper1426 Words   |  6 PagesWhen I arrived to Dr. Singleton’s Identity, Cultures, and Democracy class in September, I had no idea what importance the na me of the course held in my life. Now, nearly completed the course, I see the importance of the course’s title and how impactful each word is to me. The two terms that were used most often throughout the semester were â€Å"American Dream† and â€Å"Culture†. After extensive conversations regarding the American Dream and Culture, I have a new perspective for each that will forever serveRead MoreThe American Dream By James Truslow1643 Words   |  7 PagesThe American dream is a term often used as motivation for people who are seeking a better life outside of their torrid country. According to James Truslow, who coined the term American Dream, the definition is, â€Å"a dream of a social order in which each man and woman shall be able to attain to their fullest stature of which they are innately capable.† (68) The American Dream is sought out by many, but they are often denied the privilege of prevailing in a predominantly successful society run by theRea d MoreEssay On The American Dream1097 Words   |  5 PagesMelissa Mendoza Professor Elena Alvarado-Strasser Sociology 100 07/15/2017 The American Dream to Sociologists If you asked the average American, they would agree that â€Å"everyone has equal opportunity if they just work hard enough.† Although we are a nation built on the pursuit of the American dream, sociologists would have to disagree that we all have equal opportunity within society, regardless of our work efforts. We are not all born on the same playing field, some of us have have more inherentRead MoreIs Reaching A Comfortable Retirement?870 Words   |  4 Pages Reaching retirement is one of the most important life events people will experience. How do you see yourself after retiring? Most people want to be able to retire comfortable, but the reality is that is not possible for some members of society. The reality is that for some seniors, living in poverty is potential issue. Reaching a comfortable retirement varies around the world and can be affected by gender, race, and social class. First, retirement varies according to gender. Women earn less thanRead MoreThe American Dream : The Reality Of America860 Words   |  4 PagesAmerica throughout time has been known as a country for opportunity and freedom, where anyone can come and have a fair chance at living their â€Å"American Dream.† The stereotypical American dream is having a two parent family, with stable income, owning a home with a white picket fence with two children. But the reality of America is that this â€Å"dream† is achieved more easily by white men. Even though America is supposedly â€Å"The land of the free† and provides â€Å"Liberty and Justice for all†, these statements

Monday, December 16, 2019

A practical criticism of Chapter 20 of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin Free Essays

Louis de berniires wrote this chapter in the third person narrative, nonetheless, the narrator does not indicate to us who this ‘wild man of the ice’ actually is. We assume that he indeed does know who this man is. The opening of the chapter is quite an idyllic picture created by Pelagia with her mention of seeing, ‘Her first butterfly of the year,’ which gives the reader a sense of bliss as well as Pelagia. We will write a custom essay sample on A practical criticism of Chapter 20 of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin or any similar topic only for you Order Now However, this idyllic picture is shattered in the second chapter as she saw, ‘There was a stranger seated at the kitchen table,’ she described the man as, ‘A most horrible and wild stranger who looked worse than the brigands of childhood tales. ‘ This particular sentence indicates to the reader a sense of foreboding. Although, we later find out that this man is Mandras, now neither Pelagia nor we have any idea. This then proves a scenario than many people dread and some can even relate to, coming home and finding a strange in your home. This is a nightmare situation, and although we do not have a detailed description of Pelagia’s feelings, the reader would have a good idea of how she felt at that moment. In a way, this is clever by de berniires as he is leaving the reader to become Pelagia and feel the feelings she is feeling. Although, this is only one interpretation of this section, it does seem like an intention of de berniires as he does not go into a lot of detail about Pelagia’s feelings now, but in other parts of the book, he does. Following this, de berniires shows us the state that Mandras is in, he uses a lot of very descriptive and quite gruesome images created of Mandras’, ‘Suppurating wounds,’ and the, ‘reek of rotting flesh. ‘ These images help to create an image of how Mandras may have appeared to Pelagia and do help to prove the fact of why he is unrecognisable to Pelagia. De Berniires has given us a lot of information about Mandras at this point and Pelagia sees very uneasy and she can only say that her, ‘Father’s out,’ which indicates her level of diffidence. We can also see form Mandras’ speech that because of his physical pain he is projecting a sense of mental instability. This could be evident from his short sentences and his bad language. He comes a point of almost breaking down where he is accusing his perpetrators as, ‘Bastards, Bastards,’ but Pelagia, although appalled, seems to try and be sensible and not try anything untoward, by just asking him to leave, in not so many words. From this Mandras begins to talk very quickly and he seems very uncomfortable until finally he asks Pelagia to look at his hands. He then, ‘Held them up to her, palm outwards in the gesture that would normally be an insult,’ which showed Pelagia the extent of the injuries he had been subject to, which may have made her feel sorry for him. On the other hand, it may just have made her feel unwell. After this, Mandras again begins with his quick-paced narrative. He begins by talking about the way, ‘The ice screams. It shrieks. ‘ This could be a failure of communication of the part of Mandras and an idea of his mind playing tricks on him. This would highlight what the war had done to Mandras, and shows us the situation he was in. It also specifies the kind of physical torture he must have endured. There is also a point that he may have been subject to extremely cold weather and may have lost his fingers to frostbite. This would explain this section of the chapter quite clearly. The sentences are very abrupt and every sentence is almost self-contained. Due to the fact that the sentences are short and sharp and as the sentences are disjointed we can clearly see the madness of Mandras. Following this section, we can see that Pelagia is beginning to get desperate, this desperation if evident in the tone of voice she uses. She wants him to leave and pleads with him. This may or may not be an indication of sorrow and tearfulness. However, when she pleads for him to leave, it does seem to provoke a reaction in Mandras. This reaction is the first response that she has received from him, this could prove to Pelagia that maybe he is not a, ‘Wild man,’ and that he is probably a man. On the other hand, Pelagia still has no idea who he is and why he is here in her kitchen. As a result, the narrator then has decided upon the introduction of Psipsina. This is very important and is probably the turning point of the chapter. There is a sudden change in atmosphere and this is an indication of reality being restored. This is introduced by firstly, the realisation that, ‘At least Psipsina remembers me. ‘ This is a very revealing sentence as it brings Pelagia’s thought to a different place. It makes her wonder who this man actually is. Pelagia knows how, ‘Psipsina was afraid of strangers,’ and this begged the question form her about, ‘how did this ghastly ruin know her name? ‘ Although these questions seem inconsiderate, she suddenly had a thought of maybe this was her beloved Mandras. This may have seemed like a very good guess, but it also may have been something she was always thinking in the back of her mind. Although she kept calling him, ‘ghastly,’ and, ‘wild,’ she may have been only saying these things to try and block out the truth. This could be described as a manipulation of her mind and could be a disguise for her anger towards Mandras. This anger would be because Mandras went and got badly injured, which is an idea that some people adopt as it could be a reckless thing for them to do. In this case is it could also be that Pelagia was calling him so many different things to block out any possibility of it being Mandras. When Mandras realises that Pelagia has recognised her, he describes how he has, ‘got lice,’ and how he, ‘Shat himself when a bomb fell,’ which specifies how maybe all he wants is to be with her, but he does not want to subject her to all the troubles he has been victim to. This provides an answer as to why he did not to tell her who he was straight away. Subsequent to finding out about Mandras, Pelagia then begins questioning him about why, ‘You never wrote to me,’ which is an accusation that Mandras can only answer truthfully by telling Pelagia that he, ‘Can’t write. ‘ This is a new idea introduced by de berniires and does make Pelagia think of why he had not tried other things like, ‘couldn’t someone else have written for you? ‘ We now see an element of Pelagia as a young immature girl and Mandras as a mature person. Where before Pelagia had realised it was Mandras, these roles were reversed. The maturity of Mandras could be associated with the things he has faced in war, and now that he is able to talk, he beings to apologise and explain. Mandras is further depicted by the narrator as, ‘An infinity of fatigue,’ which is connected with his eyes, but could well be a generalisation for his whole body at this moment. We see his frailty being embellished as, ‘He tried to steady his cup to drink, failed, and put it down on the table. ‘ This reminds us simply that he is severely injured even though he is know talking instead of the painful silence and very disjointed sentences spoken earlier in the chapter. Furthermore, this provokes Pelagia to ask about the letters she had sent to him. Mandras, ‘Fumbled inside his clothing and drew out a huge and bedraggled packet bound together with tripwire. ‘ It showed to Pelagia that he had indeed received the letters, but he then stated that he, ‘Couldn’t read them,’ which would have made Mandras seem very inferior, but he now seems more powerful and this illiteracy does not seem to dumb him down that much. However, Pelagia then tries to take control by not reading the letters to Mandras when he asked her to, ‘Even if it’s too late. This creates a sense of longing and makes us have pity toward him, but rather than Pelagia pitying him, she takes control by saying that she will read them, ‘Later. ‘ This is ironic as later Mandras forces her to read them to him, which gives he may think gives him back his control. However, the fact that Pelagia can read and he cannot still gives her the power o ver him. After all this has gone on Mandras simply fondles Psipsina and thinks that, ‘Only the animals know me. ‘ Yet, it seems that Pelagia does know take pity of him as she sits with him and comforts him at the end of the chapter. The way Mandras, ‘Buried his face in his hands and began to rock like an injured child,’ does point to a very scared and lonely position. People who want to shut themselves out form the world and live in a world of their own adopt this position. Therefore, Pelagia notices this and tries to comfort him, and maybe succeeds in letting Mandras know that she will be there for him. This would have made him feel that he is not alone and even though he is physically repulsive, Pelagia is more interested in his feelings more. How to cite A practical criticism of Chapter 20 of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, Papers

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Chemistry And Atom Essay Example For Students

Chemistry And Atom Essay Throughout the discovery of the atom, many scientists worked to formulate howthe atom works. Which began in the early 1800s with John Dalton, to ourcurrent model of the electron cloud developed by Schrodinger. During this longprocess of the discovery the atom, took many models and scientists. The entiregroup of scientists who assisted in the discovery of the atom used eachothers model to improve each others theories. Firstly, John Dalton showedthat, collectively, the three laws, the law of definite proportion, the law ofconversation of masses, and the law of multiple proportion. These three lawsdemonstrate the existence of the atom. Also, Using these three laws he developeda theory called, Daltons Atomic Theory. This includes five basic principles;1) all matter is made of indivisible and indestructible atoms, 2) atoms of agiven element are identical in their physical and chemical properties, 3) atomsof different elements have different physical and chemical properties, 4) atomsof dif ferent elements combine in simple whole-number ratios to form chemicalcompounds, 5) atoms cannot be subdivided, created or destroyed when they arecombined, separated, or rearranged in chemical reactions. However, afterscientists look more carefully at his points they found some weaknesses. Oneweakness was that the atom was found to be indivisible, and they had smallerparticles. After Dalton came up with the five points, J.J. Thompson came along. He discovered that charged and magnets deflected the straight paths of cathoderays. In addition, he discovered negative and positive charged particles. Hestated that the atom was made of smaller particles called, electrons andprotons. In the discovery of the electron he used the Cathode-ray tube. As heresearched he came up with a model of the atom, he stated that the atom was aplum pudding model. This model featured negatively charged electronsembedded in a ball of positive charge. After, J.J. Thompson came ErnstRutherford, who was a student of Mr. Thompson. He created gold-foilexperiment which untimely-disproved J.J. Thompsons theory. In thisexperiment he directed a beam of alpha particles at a very thin gold foil sheet. This was so the Rutherford could measure the angles of the particles coming offthe gold foil. Sheet. Most of the alpha particles went through the sheet,however some of the particles hit the foil and bounced back. The reason of thiswas that the particles that bounced off the nucleus and the particles that wentstraight through traveled in the empty space. The major was that his experimentwas that the atom would eventually lose its energy and collapse in the nucleus. Around 1913, a Danish physicist named Niels Bohr came up with a new model tofurther our knowledge of the atom. In his model, he purposes that the electronsin the atom can reside only to certain energy levels. He related his model to aladder, a person can stand on the rungs of the ladder, and however it isimpossible for a person to stand between the rungs. The only way for theelectron to jump to the next level is for it to have a Quantum leap. Which isthe leap from one energy level to another, and the lowest energy level is calledthe ground state. Thus, comes to the conclusion that electrons are quantized. Helping Bohrs model become superior, Plank declared that energy comes inpackets or bundles of energy that is discontinued. This went all againstclassical science and he was not favored with the other scientist. Helping proveBohrs model he used the bright-line spectrum, which helped him prove hismodel. There was one flaw in his model, which was that it did not work withmultiple elements. After Bohr and Plank, another educated scientist came alongwho was DeBroglie, he purposed the Wave Particle Duality Theory. This theorystated that matter can act like waves, and waves can act like particles. Toprove his theory he used the mathematical expression of mc=hc. Which meant thatthe m stood for the mass particles and the stood for the wavelength. TakingDeBroglies model to a further extent was Heisanburg; he treated electrons asparticles. He came up with the uncertainly principal. In addition, he statedthat the exact location of the electron couldnt be determined. However, hecould predict a re gion in space where the probability of finding the electron ishigh. This predicted region of high probability was named the electron cloud. .u314345d11e66b831c5483d7d14be7c41 , .u314345d11e66b831c5483d7d14be7c41 .postImageUrl , .u314345d11e66b831c5483d7d14be7c41 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u314345d11e66b831c5483d7d14be7c41 , .u314345d11e66b831c5483d7d14be7c41:hover , .u314345d11e66b831c5483d7d14be7c41:visited , .u314345d11e66b831c5483d7d14be7c41:active { border:0!important; } .u314345d11e66b831c5483d7d14be7c41 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u314345d11e66b831c5483d7d14be7c41 { 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; } .u314345d11e66b831c5483d7d14be7c41:active , .u314345d11e66b831c5483d7d14be7c41:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u314345d11e66b831c5483d7d14be7c41 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u314345d11e66b831c5483d7d14be7c41 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u314345d11e66b831c5483d7d14be7c41 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u314345d11e66b831c5483d7d14be7c41 .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; } .u314345d11e66b831c5483d7d14be7c41:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u314345d11e66b831c5483d7d14be7c41 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u314345d11e66b831c5483d7d14be7c41 .u314345d11e66b831c5483d7d14be7c41-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u314345d11e66b831c5483d7d14be7c41:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Introduction EssayThe electron cloud was like a chaotic motion of electrons. However, Heisanburgdid not treat the electron as a wave. On the other hand, Schrodinger consideredthe electron as a wave. Furthermore, he modified the wave equation, to formclassical physics to fit the concept. In the equation, Schrodinger relates theprobability region directly to the energy region. In the result of this action aplot of equations provides a three dimensional picture of the electron cloud. Schrodingers theory of the atom is our current model of the electron cloud. Throughout, the existence of the atom many scientists came up with differentmodels and ideas. Furthermore, each one of the scientists used one another toprogress the model of the atom. With each one of the scientists contributing tothe model, we were able to create a good model. By using the scientific methodwe gain the information of the atom, and we will continue to learn about it asmore scientists come along.

Saturday, November 30, 2019

Martha Graham’s Influence in Modern Dance free essay sample

Modern dance is an expressive style of dance which originated in the early 1920s. It was created as a revolt against ballet, and it was also greatly influenced by Martha Graham. She was an American dancer who affected the development of Modern Dance by being the first person to develop a technique for the abstract art form. Her recognizable techniques were also incorporated into her influential choreography in which developed her new ways to produce beautiful performances.The Denishawn School of Dancing and Related Arts was the first dance school for Modern Dance, and the school Martha Graham attended. Attending this school was a good start for Graham because it influenced the development of her own technique, which made her the first person to develop a technique for Modern Dance. The technique developed was the ‘contract and release’ technique. The contraction section of this technique is done as the body pulls in at the torso as the legs, arms, and head pull toward the torso. We will write a custom essay sample on Martha Graham’s Influence in Modern Dance or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Then the torso straightens again to represent the release. This dancing method drastically inspired Modern Dance in the years of its development. Martha Graham’s choreography presented abstract movement, and it was usually influenced by societal issues. During the 1920s, America was recovering from the aftermath of World War 1, and the era of parties, carelessness, bootlegging, and The Great Depression was starting to arise. This was also the time Classical Dance began to gain popularity, however, it failed to portray any real meaning behind the movements. This then brought about the idea of Modern Dance. It was also a major influence for Martha Graham’s piece, Lamentation, which movements were choreographed to represent the feeling of grief. Not a woman in grief, rather a depiction of grief itself. Martha Graham used Modern Dance as an inspiration and as a way to portray her views on cultural issues. Martha Graham’s performances were authentic and original in the way she produced them. For example, unlike Classical dance which already has music written before the dance is choreographed, Graham would choreograph a piece and then music would be written to accompany the dancing. This truly highlighted the differences between Classical Dance and Modern Dance. This new concept expressed movements in the rawest, purest form, and it took a great part in influencing Modern Dance. Modern Dance’s development has been hugely influenced by Martha Graham’s introduction of techniques, her new ways of choreographing a dance, and through her ideas for new ways to produce performances. Martha Graham is The Mother of Modern Dance.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Annotated Bib on Plastic Surgey Essays

Annotated Bib on Plastic Surgey Essays Annotated Bib on Plastic Surgey Essay Annotated Bib on Plastic Surgey Essay Colic Miller Is chief executive officer of the International Council on Active Aglow. An award- winning writer, Miller has authored more than 100 articles on aging-related issues. Millers role of leading the International Council on Active Aging gives him the credibility of knowing how fitness affects the body, as well as how aging affects both body and mind. In this article, Miller is qualified enough to make an ethical opinion, however his Image is not so strong that It would give the audience overwhelming encouragement to take his side In the argument. HIS authority as head of one of the arrest fitness and wellness associations for seniors increases his ethos. The knowledge Miller possesses concerning health and aging makes him a credible enough author to bring concern to the idea that the perfect body could be detrimental to our health. Through this credibility, Miller uses ethos to argue that modifying the body could send the wrong message to younger generations who should be focusing on Inner beauty. This source Is relevant to my research since I am focusing on plastic surgery addiction and give a solution to this problem by focusing on the true meaning of beauty. The Economist. Pots of Promise: The Beauty Business. Dynamic Argument, Deed. Robert Lam and Justine Everett. Houghton Muffling Company, 2007 This article was about all the different cosmetic companies and what they are doing to Increase profit and sales, This article shows you how much people will spend on beautifying their selves and how much people are obsessed with cosmetics. It also shows you how much people worry about how they look and how obsessed we have all become about what is on the outside rather then on the inside. Authors Justine Everett and Robert Lam tell the reader that the author of Pots of Promise: The Beauty Business Is anonymous. This description then goes on to explain that the article was pulled from The Economist, which Is a newsweekly that focuses on world events-politics, business and finance, and science- that Influence[s] decision makers such as executives, financiers, managers, and government officials (699). It is this explanation of The Economist, which gives the anonymous author credibility. His or her article was published for an educated crowd that that holds executive jobs, which makes the author reliable. This source gives some statistics that help provide Information for my research. Anonymous. lens Ana Plastic surgery. . WebMD, Inc. 2005-2007 This article is about all the teens who want to have plastic surgery. It talks about the risks involved and lets you know that Just by changing how you look you will not fix all of your problems. It also tells you the most widely occurring teenage procedures and gives a list of questions you need to ask yourself and your doctor before you go through with any procedures. WebMD. Com is a credible website. It offers credible and in-depth medical news, features, reference material, and online community orgasm. People who monitor the website are board-certified physicians, award- winning Journalists, and trained community moderators. It is this information that makes the website credible. This source also helps provide facts and statistics in conducting my research. It also gives opinions from physicians. Morgan, Elizabeth. The Complete Book of Cosmetic Surgery. New York, NY: Warner Books, c 1988. This book is a guide to procedures for head, neck, breasts, body, and legs, written by a board-certified plastic surgeon. It explains the motives of the person considering urged, criteria for selecting a surgeon, and 25 cosmetic procedures. Each report includes data on the operation and anesthesia, recovery, side effects, complications, and an honest appraisal of what the surgery can and cannot do. Jean Elizabeth Morgan, MD. PHD, is a plastic surgeon. Therefore, a credible person writes the book. Although, the book may be too broad for what I am researching but it helps in making some points about how plastic surgery is good sometimes. This book helps provide information when I want to write about the benefits of plastic surgery. Cooper, Andrea. Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Make Me the Prettiest of Them All. Young and Modern. May 1999: 60-64. This article examines the risks and rewards of cosmetic surgery to young women. It gives statistics showing the popularity of cosmetic surgery among young women; Myths about cosmetic surgery; Post-surgery blues. Andrea Cooper is a freelance journalist and essay writer in North Carolina. Andrea is a two-time winner of the Outstanding Article Award from the American Society of Journalists and Authors. She writes to various publications including, Time, Newsweek, The New York Times, Readers Digest, Parade, National Geographic News, Salon, Entrepreneur, and Details. Her reputation among all these publications is an excellent indicator on how she is a credible source. This article will help give insight on what women would like to achieve from plastic surgery. Will they be satisfied? It also shows statistics on various subjects in plastic surgery. FL, Blue. Flesh Wounds: The Culture of Cosmetic Surgery University of California Press; New edition, 10 May 2005. Blue presents a very interesting view on the world of cosmetic surgery and its impact on the individual and society. She looks at societys fascination with body transformation and from where it may have developed. She refers to variety of media works to illustrate her ideas. Blue details the extensive research she carried out for ten KICK Ana ten ascriptions AT near serration In ten operating denatures are thorough. As a former cosmetic surgery patient herself she holds the interesting position as a critical reviewer of the practice as well as a former subject. This book presents interesting ideas that could help me in my research, although it may be broad. However, it will touch on subjects that are related to plastic surgery addiction. Plastic Surgery Research. Info, website , 2008. This website provides information on various plastic surgeries. It also gives statistics regarding plastic surgery and has information about risks and complications on each procedure page. Pictures of before and after for each procedure is also provided. The website is sponsored by a number of board certified cosmetic surgeons that are located in many states in the US. Thus, providing information from medical doc tors is sure to be reliable when conducting a research. This website will be relied on in many numbers in the research paper.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Chemical Engineer Job Profile and Career Information

Chemical Engineer Job Profile and Career Information Chemical engineers apply the principles of chemical engineering to identify and solve technical problems. Chemical engineers work mainly within the chemical and petrochemical industries. What Is a Chemical Engineer? Chemical engineers use math, physics, and economics to solve practical problems. The difference between chemical engineers and other types of engineers is that they apply a knowledge of chemistry in addition to other engineering disciplines. Chemical engineers may be called universal engineers because their scientific and technical mastery is so extensive. What Do Chemical Engineers Do? Some chemical engineers make designs and invent new processes, some construct instruments and facilities, and some plan and operate facilities. Chemical engineers have helped develop atomic science, polymers, paper, dyes, drugs, plastics, fertilizers, foods, textiles, and chemicals. They devise ways to make products from raw materials and ways to convert one material into another useful form. Chemical engineers can make processes more cost effective, more environmentally friendly, or more efficient. A chemical engineer can find a niche in any scientific or engineering field. Chemical Engineer Employment and Salaries As of 2014, the US Department of Labor estimated there were 34,300 chemical engineers in the United States. At the time of the survey, the average hourly wage for a chemical engineer was $46.81 per hour. The median annual salary for a chemical engineer was $97,360 as of 2015.   In 2014, the Institution of Chemical Engineers Salary Survey reported the average salary for a chemical engineer in the UK was  £55,500, with a starting salary for a graduate averaging  £30,000. College graduates with a chemical engineering degree typically gain high salaries for even first employment. Educational Requirements for Chemical Engineers An entry-level chemical engineering job typically requires a college bachelors degree in engineering. Sometimes a bachelors degree in chemistry, math, or another type of engineering will suffice. A masters degree is helpful. Additional Requirements for Engineers In the US, engineers who offer their services directly to the public need to be licensed. Licensing requirements vary, but in general an engineer must have a degree from a program that is accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), four years of relevant work experience, and must pass a state examination. Job Outlook for Chemical Engineers Employment of chemical engineers (as well other types of engineers and chemists) is expected to grow at the rate of 2 percent between 2014 and 2024, slower than the average for all occupations.   Career Advancement in Chemical Engineering Entry level chemical engineers advance as they assume more independence and responsibility. As they gain experience, solve problems, and develop designs they may move into supervisory positions or may become technical specialists. Some engineers start their own companies, some move into sales, and others become team leaders and managers.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Critically evaluate a UK based company of your choice in relation to Essay

Critically evaluate a UK based company of your choice in relation to how successful they are at social marketing - Essay Example price, product, promotion and place. Various strategic models, tools and concepts are made to enhance the effectiveness of overall strategic formulation. This paper will attempt to discuss about social marketing followed by an UK based company and how its social marketing has contributed to the success of the company. The Marks & Spencer is UK based company that has been selected for this report. At first, this essay will present a brief introduction of the Marks & Spencer followed by the discussion on social marketing strategy of the company. The next section will discuss about the competitors’ move in respect of social marketing comparing the Marks & Spencer. Finally, proper recommendations will be provided in order to bring improvement in social marketing strategy for obtaining term sustainable competitive advantage. ‘Social marketing’ is a concept that concentrates on communicational and promotional aspect of marketing. As per the Social Marketing Institute, â€Å"social marketing is the planning and implementation of programs designed to bring about social change using concepts from commercial marketing† (Social Marketing Institute, â€Å"Social Marketing†). According to Kotler Roberto and Lee, â€Å"social marketing is the use of the marketing principles band techniques to influence the target audience to voluntarily accept, reject, modify, or abandon a behavior for the benefit of individual, groups or society as a whole† (Kotler Roberto and Lee, p.5). Social marketing is meant to bring social changes to its targeted groups. Social marketing can be used to achieve profit making or non-profit making organizational goals. The social marketing is basically customer, client or audience centered. Therefore, for successful social marketing, it is very necessary to identify the appropriate and potential group and to develop proper communication for increasing the effectiveness. For planning and

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Fast Food Franchise Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Fast Food Franchise - Coursework Example Both Pizza Hut and Arby’s usually have gift cards offered to loyal customers of the franchise. Arby’s gift is normally a packet of freshly sliced meat (â€Å"Arby’s†). Pizza Hut offers gifts to its customers but unlike Arby’s; it has a variety of gifts that the client chooses. Some of the most common gifts from Pizza Hut to its loyal clients include e-gifts and traditional gifts that normally comprise of pizza, pasta, wings and much more (â€Å"Pizza Hut†). The two companies also have various promotional methods. This is normally in a move to create more awareness of their products to the people in a bid to attract more clients. Apart from television, Arby’s promotional method comprises of use of mascots while Pizza Hut normally relies on offering gifts. The layouts could be an advantage or hindrance to productivity. Gifts cards are the most used forms of luring clients into becoming loyal to the company. This is because once one receives a gift card; he or she becomes a loyal client. Continuous purchasing of food from the company by using the gift card normally results to one getting points, which are usually redeemed for a free meal. Gift cards can also result to a drop in productivity. This is because, once many people have gift cards, the company would start giving out more free food in the form of gifts. Promotional methods used by these companies can be advantageous yet at the same time can be a hindrance to the company’s productivity. The use of television advertisement is a better promotion method. This is because it normally reaches many people at a rather short period. The methods can also be a hindrance to productivity. This is because not many people watch television and this might result to low response from the television promotions hence resulting to decline in a firm’s productivity. The use of mascots as a promotional method is normally beneficial to a company. One reason why mascots enhance productivity in a company is that

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Tortilla Flat Essay Example for Free

Tortilla Flat Essay Tortilla Flat, written by John Steinbeck was set after World War One in a district of Monterey named Tortilla Flat. This story was about not only the less than glamorous lifestyle lived by Danny and his fellow â€Å"paisanos†, but the importance of friendship through bad times over material values. All of the major events carry with them a strong implication of this theme which is often reflected through the characters’ decisions. Along with an incredibly ironic yet powerful friendship based on morals, this story is also is about appreciating the simple things in life. Each problem encountered by this band of friends was meaningful in its own way. As a reader the most significant events and characters were Danny, his death, and Pilon. Danny began this tale from the beginning as more of a pathetic, alcoholic, useless man, but slowly progressed and evolved into a character that represented unity and leadership. He, being the owner of the two houses, was a clearly distinct leader and executive decision maker among these friends. His symbolic role in the aspect of unity is represented through the repercussions of his death. When Danny goes insane and leaves, the men still have hope he will be back and although it does not appear to be a loss without him they are truly nothing without Danny. These men carried with them throughout the whole story the importance of friendship in their conscience but voluntarily left that behind because it was obvious that they needed him. While Danny represented unity and leadership among friendship, Pilon was a symbol of good intentions and friendship as a whole. With every move Pilon made he always questioned it was a selfish choice or how he could help his friends with the money. Although his many deposits often resulted in drinking with his companions, they often started with the idea of paying rent, giving a gift, or making amends. Pilon was truly a good soul that did not have the funds to support his charitable ideas. His most charitable actions involved him recruiting new friends, but were ultimately his acts of kindness attempting to help ones in need. All of these were covered with ironically immoral decisions to do very virtuous deeds making Pilon seem more of a fool then a good man. These two were also portrayed the hardships faced after the world war. Danny and Pilon both embody this theme of friendship so greatly that the wrong they do is almost inferior to their good values in life, which were very influential to all of the characters in this novel. Unity and virtues became so ironically personified by Steinbeck through these characters to capture and portray his themes. This novel was very well written. The imagery and wording Steinbeck uses helped to visualize and connect while coherently getting across his point. Steinbeck’s purpose in writing this novel was to help to not only connect many with the struggles of the lower class, but to personify unity through very likeable characters. The purpose seemed vague until the connection to the characters grew stronger which was the start to understanding the book. His themes came across strongly and were accomplished very well. As for passages in which the theme was most established, many showed them in a more powerful way than others. As some of the last words describing not only the death of Danny, but the demise of the faithful companionship, when the house burns and the friends all go their separate ways can be best summarized as, Thus must it be, O wise friends of Danny. The cord that bound you together is cut. The magnet that drew you has lost its virtue†. Danny was truly the most important of the men although he seemingly did nothing but drink he was what held them together. With the fire beginning to start, it was symbolic of everything. The end, the friendship, Danny’s death, and unity were all so greatly symbolized by the fire. That scene perfectly isolated the themes all at once and ended the novel in a great way. Tortilla Flat would be a good read for kids starting in high school. Because the concept of the story is harder to connect to and there are many implications leading to humor, many younger than fourteen or fifteen might not understand the book. This book contains an extensive amount of imagery making it very easy to visualize and Steinbeck’s elaboration helps to make the story seem real.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Jack London Stories, The Red O :: essays research papers

The Red One Jack London was one of America’s greatest authors. His works were of tales from the unexplored savage lands of the Klondike to the cannibal infested Philippine Island chain of the vast Pacific, and even the far reaches of space and time. Jack London himself was a pioneer of the unexplored savage frontier. London wrote about this unknown frontier with a cunning sense of adventure and enthrallment. “He keeps the reader on tenterenters books by withholding facts in a way that makes him participate in the action'; (Charles Child Walcutt 16). He taunts the reader with unfulfilled information that subliminally encourages the reader to continue reading their selection. “The tortuously baroque style, it’s telling often proves an annoyance';(Gorman Beauchamp 297-303). London’s writing attributes are so deep in description and narration, the reader sometimes perceives the story-taking place with them included in the action. His ability to exclude just the very min iscule amount of information transforms his books into a semi-formal mystery. Mr. London’s tales deal with nature, the men and women who either neglected the fact that they are mere mortals, or they humbled themselves as being only a solitary one being on the earth. His stories satisfied the civilized American readers yearn for knowledge of what awaited them over the horizon, with either promise of prosperity or demise with a manifestation of dismay. Jack’s stories have to do with as much from the unknown as it does in dealing with personal experiences. At the young age of thirty-two, London set sail for Hawaii and then the South Pacific. Where he encountered cannibals and inspiration for the later to be, “The Red One';. Mr. London’s tale consisted of a foolhardy character named Bassett. Bassett is a collector of prized species who explores the cannibal-infested Island of current day Guadalcanal. Initially Bassett, against his instincts, follows a distant sound that emanates deep within the Island. After headhunters kill his assistant, Bassett himself, teetering on the edge of death, stumbles into a mountain field and falls unconscious, with only hopes of dieing. He is saved by a foraging native that brings him to the capital village London’s character Bassett, freely agreed to a death beheading instead of nervous meddling and contemplating the afterlife. “When I die I’ll let you have my head t o cure, if first, you take me to look upon the Red One';(Jack London 977).

Monday, November 11, 2019

The Rebranding of Lenovo After Its Acquisition of Thinkpad

The Rebranding of Lenovo after Its Acquisition of ThinkPad Chinese company Lenovo, founded in Beijing in 1984 and incorporated in Hong Kong in 1988, has gone through rebranding after its 2005 acquisition of the ThinkPad PC business from U. S. firm IBM. [1] Since then, Lenovo has risen to become the top PC maker alongside Hewlett-Packard, and analysts point to its ThinkPad products as a major factor behind its success. Lenovo's acquisition of IBM's personal computer division accelerated access to foreign markets while improving both its branding and technology.Before 2005, Lenovo lacked international recognition, attention to user and user experience outside China. The acquisition of the ThinkPad not only helped Lenovo promote brand image, but also helped it build the awareness in overseas markets. In order to extend the market and compete against its competitors Lenovo has pursued innovative new PC designs such as its popular IdeaPad Yoga products, ThinkPad Helix, and ThinkPad Twist. Lenovo has achieved significant success with this high-value strategy and it now controls more than 40% of the market for Windows computers priced above $900 in the United States. 2] Keeping the original name ThinkPad, Lenovo puts its brand identity in front of it. The brand value of ThinkPad has been successfully kept after being acquired by Lenovo. Shipments of Think-branded computers have doubled since Lenovo's takeover of the brand, with operating margins thought to be above 5%. [2] Lenovo has aggressively expanded the ThinkPad brand away from traditional laptop computers in favor of tablets and hybrid devices such as ThinkPad Helix and the ThinkPad Twist. Lenovo ThinkPadThinkPad line has filled up the blank of high-end products, completing the whole product lines of Lenovo. Now, Lenovo offers a multiplicity of product lines, and successfully seizing both high-end and low-end market. ThinkPad products are aimed at producing enterprise machines and high-end consumer products and positioned to compete with Apple in the high-end market. While, other product lines, such as IdeaPad and Essential, are focusing on mid- and low-range products, competing with HP, Deal as well as other mid-and –low range price PC producers.To improve its brand awareness in the international retail market, Lenovo has invested heavily in media and promotion. Lenovo hoped to establish a worldwide brand image of cool and innovative, rather than a synonym for cheap. Lenovo has purchased the advertising space during Super Bowl and a popular TV show â€Å"Glee†. One ad shows a Lenovo notebook open its parachute after being thrown out of an airplane, which displays the Quick Launch feature of the Lenovo notebook. In the lobby of the Lenovo U. S. building, the tagline â€Å"For those who do† can be easily found everywhere.Lenovo was also cleverly advertised in a Hollywood movie Transformers: Dark of the Moon. In the movie, a computer transforms into a robot friend of th e hero, Shia Labeouf — and the name of the computer company is there for all to see: Lenovo. â€Å"Chinese enterprises are looking for better opportunities to promote brands globally, and Hollywood is a good platform,† said Liu Siru, head of the advertising company Filmworks China Entertainment Marketing, which is operating in the US movie hub[3]. References: [1]: Company history of Lenovo on their official website, http://www. enovo. com/lenovo/us/en/history. html [2]: [From guard shack to global giant; Chinese industry â€Å"From guard shack to global giant; Chinese industry†]. The Economist. January 12, 2013. Retrieved February 5, 2013. [3]: Chen Jia: Remake, Remodel and Rebrand: Chinese firms need to raise their game to gain international recognition, October 2, 2011. [4]: Craig Stephen (August 20, 2012), China’s Lenovo may be one-off success,MarketWatch, August 20, 2012. [5]: â€Å"Face value: Legend in the making†. The Economist, February 6, 2013.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Managerial Functions

The management functions according to Henry Fayol are planning, decision-making, communication, organizing, leadership, motivation, control and coordination. These functions are important for all types of organization whether it is small, medium or largeOr whether they are private or public organizations. The success or failure of any organization is primarily depends on how effective these functions are carried out in an organization. This particularly true in the current dynamic economic, technological. Social and political climate of the 21st century. In addition it is becoming very vital the success or failure depends on how the above managerial functions are carried out in a global economic environment and challenges of environmental issues and climate change.The Distribution center of Walmat serves 120 stores and it is a hub, which ensures the stores have the correct products with appropriate quality and as well it ensures the stocks, arrives at stores in time and there is an a dequate stock to serve the customers in the respective stores where the distribution center is responsible. Say I am working as a Supervisor for a section, which is responsible to the distribution to Super Centers in a given area. I am directly responsible to the Distribution center chief manager.The planning function gives an organization direction and sets the objectives as an organization as a whole and also objectives for the sub-units. It also is a tool to use limited resources to use effectively and efficiently and reduce waste so that the  organization is competitive and meets the goals consistently in the short and in the long term. In this regard as a Supervisor I have to schedule the day to day work load and have a contingency plan if some staff do not come in a day and how I can reschedule the activities so that I can meet the deadlines and ensure the stocks arrives at the Super centerIn time.   In this manner I have to plan activities and implement the plan on a day- to-day basis to meet the objectives of the Distribution center my responsibilities in accordance with procedures and policies of the center and the directions of my manager.  Decision-making refers to the question of what to produce, how to produce, when to produce, how to distribute to plan, organize and control activities. As a Supervisor forSuper centers I have to allocate staff for different activities and I have to make decisions regarding the allocation of staff, As well to schedule tasks I have decide the how I can control the workflow with limited interruptions and improve the time taken for each activity as well to make decisions the timing of processing the orders from the Super Center. As well I have to arrange and use transport to deliver the stocks to the Super center and decide the timing and the type of transport needed. That is I have to make decisions in regards to planning, organizing, control and motivate staff to meet deadlines and ensure a smooth workflow with little interruptions.In any organization the organization uses capital, natural resources and above all human resources or manpower to convert raw materials in to value added products. To  accomplish this the organization must recruit the appropriate people in terms of skill, personality and values compatible with the organization, train them if necessary to upgrade skills, motivate them to use their maximum potential by identifying intrinsic and extrinsic motivational factors.As a supervisor I have to ensure adequate staff to perform the activities monitoring the demand for each activity and inform the chief manager on a regular basis to recruit staff for a particular area of work and inform the manager the training needs of staff if identified any inadequacies of their skills observed and in performance evaluations and recommend staff for promotion to the chief manager of the Distribution center.Managers have to communicate with internal staff above them and below them as well as to external bodies. In my day-to-day work I have to communicate with my staff to motivate and to direct them and allocate the resources they need to perform their tasks as well have to communicate and report the progress of my section to the chief manager in written form in accordance with procedures and policies.I have to deal orally and writing with the suppliers and with the Super Center to plan and control activities to ensure the schedules are revised and activities are reorganized and the work processes and the logistics in the Distribution Center is reengineered to improve efficiency in consultation with my chief Manager within my work responsibilities.Organization means the organizational structure such as Authority and responsibility, line of communication, internal control systems, decision-making mechanisms, and logisticsTechnological and information system infrastructure, management culture and style, types and number of divisions and departments, levels of management , procedures and policies regarding particular activities which are routine by nature as well as General code of conduct and policies relating to human resource management and other important functions.As a Supervisor I must know my Distribution center organizational structure and how it fits with Wal Mart so that I can work and know how my work is related with other divisions within the center and know the computer and other internal control systems to work in accordance with such procedures and to enable to use decision-making mechanism tolls computer and other tolls to plan and organize and control activities within my responsibility and to report in accordance with the chain of command and to go beyond my official authority without prior permission.As well I have to organize activities by allocating tasks to my staff and ensure they work in accordance with procedures and policies applicable to their work and apply my managerial style compatible with my staff profile and compatib le with the managerial style of my Chief Manager and with the Wal marts managerial style acceptable to the management culture.Motivation is an important and complex function of management in all levels including the low level management. Motivation means providing appropriate incentives monetary and non-monetary reward systems to maximize the use of the potential of all staff.Have a performance evaluation system to enhance performance and provide carrier opportunity to staff, which has the initiative, ambition, skill and appropriate values personality, which is compatible with the organizational culture. As a Supervisor as discussed above I have to understand the complexity of motivation and must identify the motivational factors and provide incentives and give meaningful tasks to staff to motivate  them to perform and use their full potential and to retain skilled staff which is a scarce resource and vital for the competitive edge of the organization as a whole.Managers also must show leadership qualities such as knowledge providers, mentors and facilitators for the staff working for them and to harness their skill and upgrade their skill  and shape behavior so that the staff meets the goals of the organization not goals that are not compatible organizational goals as a whole. As mentioned above as a Supervisor I will act as a role model, a mentor a facilitator and a knowledge provider and always tries  to upgrade there energy level in a high level and maintain them so that their effort level  is high and their morale is high.Coordination is necessary to work with other divisions and with external clients to meet the goals set for the Distribution Center with the Overall Objectives of Wal mart. As a Supervisor I have to coordinate with suppliers, with other divisions with the Distribution center to plan and control activities to maximize the efficiency of the distribution center not by unit alone in the expense of the distribution center but also add value to the Wal mart as a whole as I acknowledge different divisions may have different objectives and  Ã‚  they are not always compatible and one has to strike a balance between technical objectives, human objectives, sales objectives and cost objectives to plan and control activities.Control processes are important as it gives feedback on the results of operations to the managers in the form of reports quantitative and qualitative or regular feedback to managers immediately above on a regular basis so that they can adjust the plan or improve the processes and control cost and rectify weaknesses in operational efficiency  and innovate new products on a continuous basis to survive and grow in the short and n the long term.As a Supervisor for Super enter delivery I will give feedback on how to improve efficiency by improving work processes and system and application of technology and better decision making and information system within the organization  as well prepare reports in accordance with procedures to measure the performance of the Divisions to control cost and to improve productivity and innovation within the distribution center.The Chief manager of the Distribution center has to plan for the operation as whole and revise plans based on the feedback from the divisional managers and have to plan for capital expenditure and investment decisions which will improve efficiency within the budget and also plan for man power and budget for expenditures and logistic plans within  the distribution center. In staffing the chief manager has to make decisions of the best method to recruit staff, best reward system, promotional policies and assessment systems  training of staff.In relation to decision making he has to make decisions how to plan effectively using technology and other methods, determine best logistic planning and scheduling the activities, cost control methods, make decisions as how to control quality and quality control processes and syste ms, how to motivate staff, effective methods of coordination of different systems, best feedback mechanism and frequency, appropriate management style.He has to communicate with finance department, Information technology department, suppliers and stores he is responsible and with other distribution center managers on a regular basis as well as with divisional managers and staff. In controlling activities he must establish feedback mechanism and regular reports to identify problem areas and to identify causes and improve efficiency of the processes and systems and to improve the performance to meet the objectives of the Distribution center.In motivating staff he must identify the intrinsic and extrinsic motivational factors and provide incentives and by enhancing the work of staff and supervisors and providing meaningful work. As the external environment is dynamic and in a global economic environment the Walmart must become more adaptable and there fore the work and duties of all ma nagement will become more complex and they must revise their systems and processes on a faster face than ever before and must become a team oriented organization than functional and become more flexible in their work practices in the future.BibliographyCarrol.Archie.B. (1993), Three Types of management Planning: Making Organization Work, Management Quarterly, 34, 1, Retrieved February, 15, 2007, from http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5002194623Divisions (n.d) Retrieved February, 15, 2007, fromhttp://corporate.walmart.com/?id=10Korman.Abraham. K & Kroat.Allen.I. (1999) Evolving practices in Human Resource Management: Responses To a Changing World, London Manel (ed), Retrieved February, 15, 2007 from https://www.questia.com/read/107266673/evolving-practices-in-human-resource-managementSchirmer.F. (2002), Lower-Level and Middle-Level Management as the Recipients and Actors of Human Resource Mnagement & Organization, International Studies of Management, Retrieved 15, 2007 from https:/ /www.questia.com/read/5000141068

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Ancient war ships and Ancient merchant ships essays

Ancient war ships and Ancient merchant ships essays Before there were ships, man had been using boats for many centuries before them. The earliest ships date from about before 3000 B.C. Ancient warships and ancient merchant vessels were made quite differently. Their basic structure, shape and method of propulsion were different. The reason for theyre being that way was that they served different purposes. Warships were clearly constructed mainly for raiding or defending their territory. Merchant ships on the other hand were made for transporting cargo. The ships were made using various shapes and sizes .Yet some materials remained the same, like hulls were always made of linen. With time, the purpose of the ship changed its physical appearance and its method of propulsion. Ancient warships and ancient merchant vessels slowly evolved over time, though in completely different directions. Merchant ships were developed differently than warships because they had to be cost effective and be able to stay at sea for long durations of time. They of course were bigger because more room was needed for storing cargo. The ships transported grain, olive oil, pottery, wine, and luxury items such as silk and spices. These were all important trading goods. The ships usually traveled at a very low speed of two miles per hour. The ships were slow because they had to rely on the wind for movement since they used sails and not oars. Sails have been from around 3000 B.C. Some problems occurred for ancient explorers if they had a ship limited to just sails, like when they were in a situation with no wind or needed rowing power. But it did work out a lot cheaper that way since there was no cost for men to row the oars. Still the plus point was that the ships were able to travel relatively long distances. Warships were generally long and narrow vessels. This shape was more practical for its purpose. These ships mostly did not use sails but used oars instead. Oars became common only after 3...

Monday, November 4, 2019

Venus and Adonis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Venus and Adonis - Essay Example God has chiseled such a rare figure. But he is disinterested in the art of love. He gets immense joy in hunting and riding over the hills after deer and fox. Mesmerised with his beauty, Venus specially descends on Planet Earth from the heavens and falls in love with him desperately. Passion has been compared as an animal instinct. Shakespeare highlights this instinct through the love play of Adonis and Venus. Love and passion of a woman have the capacity to disturb the mental equilibrium of a man and Venus is aware of the strength and the power of seduction of the feminine charms. She challenges him one morning in the fields as he is on his hunting mission. She pleads with him to dismount, tie his horse to a tree and engage in conversation with her. Shakespeare describes how Venus proceeds step by step to kindle the animal passion in Adonis. Initially, she is tactful with her love but later does not hesitate to apply force, reclines by his side and eyes him with caressing glances, engages him in passionate conversation, explains to him in tender words the wonder and glory of love. Adonis does not relent, he is steady and firm, is more anxious to leave her even as she begs him for kind disposition and a kiss, but Adonis is set on his single-pointed determination for hunting. She lists the pleasures that she can offer to him, Adonis finally breaks himself from her arms, and it is at this moment, Shakespeare explains in clear terms the victory of the animal instinct, by the example of the behavior of the horse. As Adonis rushes towards his stallion, it hears a call of a jennet in a field nearby. Shakespeare describes the situation thus: The aroused stallion forgets about the loyalty to its master, breaks the leather thong that holds him and gallops towards the jennet.  

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Response Week 13 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Response Week 13 - Essay Example For example, she has mentioned the training employees on how to avoid and the effects of money laundering, implementation of money laundering laws and the need for Money Service Businesses (MSBs) to know how money laundering schemes work. In addition to what she has mentioned, I believe there are other techniques that organizations or the government can do to prevent these criminal activities. For example, more countries or organizations should meet to coordinate and share their models of legislation, trends and multilateral agreements. Currently only a few countries are active in these discussions. If all countries were to meet for such discussions, it would work because certain financial watchdogs such as the Financial Action Force (FATF) emerged from member countries having such international discussions. According to United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2003), the establishment of FAFT took place in year 1989 and it is an inter-governmental body. Its objective is to promote effective implementation of laws and measures that combat threats related to financial systems of member states (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2003). However, this is a preventive measure that would occur on a large-scale level. On a small-scale level, the due diligence for individuals matters. To remove ambiguity from a lower level, customers should prove their identity when carrying out financial transactions with valid personal identification documents, not only by using payment cards. When it comes to organizations, White (2013) asserts that businesses with legal documents of operations also engage in money laundering. Therefore, the best technique would be to have rules that require businesses to provide information about their intended transactions, nature of transactions and purpose of the business

Thursday, October 31, 2019

HOW THE STRATEGIC EMEGENCE OF WALMART HAS AFFECTED MANAGING THEIR Essay - 1

HOW THE STRATEGIC EMEGENCE OF WALMART HAS AFFECTED MANAGING THEIR TRADE FROM 2011 TILL DATE - Essay Example These included the government operations, competitive position as well other changes from the competitors. Additionally, the reasons that led to its implementation and the different ways with which it was implemented were considered. In this case, the research looked back as to what made it necessary for the Walmart company to come up with the said strategic emergence. They included the challenges and shortcomings that led to the need for change. It also analyzed how the strategic emergence was formulated and implemented and the specific areas that were to be affected by the change. Ultimately, it concentrated on these areas to find out whether the expected change took place or not. This was performed on a step by step basis from the time that the changes were implemented in 2011 and the development that have been observed from that time to the present time. In turn, various solutions were offered in those areas upon which positive outcomes were not realized as a consequence of the e xecution of the strategic emergence (Sieber, 1993, p.14). Some of the factors that determined the choice of research method included reliability and validity. This implied that the results obtained were true, undisputable and could be easily confirmed. As such, the kind of research technique that was used in this research was the qualitative study method because there was a need to provide an insight into the setting of the strategic emergence that was developed at Walmart. This was to help in the generation of ideas and to provide answers for the hypothesis. It was also used in grouping similar results and summing them up to get an overall answer in the form of the quantitative research that was to be used later in the results part of the study. With this, the main reason for using the qualitative design was to reveal the prevalent trends in both thought and opinion with regard to the effect of the

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Edmund Husserl's Cartesian Meditations (topic upon your own decision) Essay

Edmund Husserl's Cartesian Meditations (topic upon your own decision) - Essay Example Edmund Husserl's is one such philosopher who lived in the more modern world. His work was concerned about phenomena and how the human mind interacts with it. In his book titled Cartesian Meditations: An Introduction to Phenomenology, Edmund Husserl (1960) introduces a number of significant philosophical thoughts. One of the most prominent of these is transcendental phenomenology in which the author gives a new way of analysing phenomena. This kind of thinking looks at phenomena from a different point of view. Although Edmund’s views can be seen as having been inspired by Rene Descartes, a French philosopher and mathematician in the 17th century, Edmund’s theories on phenomena seen to be developed in contrast to what Descartes developed. This can be particularly seen in his transcendental phenomenology which tries to see phenomena in a very different way. Unlike Descartes, Edmund and his school of thought argued that phenomenal can be seen in different dimensions (Husser l, 1960). In fact, Edmund argued that it is possible to take a phenomenal and strip it down to its very essence. In other words, transcendental phenomenology as developed by Edmund postulates that with regard to phenomena, there are those elements which are essential for that phenomenon to exist and there are those which are merely conceptual as conceived by human beings. To be able to separate the essential from the conceptual, Edmund used eidetic reduction. Eidetic Reduction Eidetic reduction is a process by which phenomena can be stripped to its basic essential aspects, without changing it. Eidetic reduction is a conceptual tool that can be used to understand Edmund’s transcendental phenomenology as a way to understand phenomena. Eidetic reduction can be traced back to Descartes. Descartes used a block of wax phenomena as a way to explain the layers of phenomena. For example, the wax can be experienced by the five senses in regard to its shape and the space it occupies, th e smell it exudes, the texture, its opaqueness etc. However, by heating up the block of wax, these properties of the wax can be changed without changing it into another object. In other words, once the wax has been heated up, it will lose its texture, its shape, space and its opaqueness will be changed to transparency. Yet, even after all these characteristics have been changed, the wax will continue to be wax. This means that the block of wax is perceived in two particular ways. The first is one the essential properties of the wax and the second one are the perceived or non essential properties of the wax. Edmund argued that the same can be applied with regard to people’s thoughts. In other words, people’s thoughts can be seen to have both the essential aspects of phenomena and other aspects of phenomena which are more conceptual or perceptual. Using eidetic reduction however, Edmund argues that these thoughts can be stripped down to their basic or essential details. The importance of this kind of stripping is that it leads to a more practical reality, as opposed to when phenomena is understood while it is still shrouded in non-essential properties. Edmund was an essentialist in that he believed that phenomena should be understood in its very essence without being affected by the other factors. However, with regard to ph

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Types Of Organisational Change

Types Of Organisational Change My bank is a medium type bank. A new change was introduced during the years 1990 and 2003. The changes introduced to the bank are as followers. The first one was bottom-up-approach and the second was top-down-approach. Senior executives of the bank convinced that it was the right time to bring the change for the benefaction of the bank. Therefore, they introduced quality improvement program, which could reduce cost, by using the existing staff to improve quality and customer service. They brought consultants from abroad. Top level believed that the middle level could enlighten the bottom level employees. However, both the approaches for implementing change failed. Some employees could not accept the new change; the workload was increased and when the new ideas were introduced to the middle management level, there was no response. The senior management had failed its intensions to mobilize middle management commitment and local staff enthusiasm. Force field analysis provides an initial view of change problems that need to be tackled, by identifying forces for and against change based on an understanding of the context of change including the existing culture (Johnson et al. 2008). The distinctive feature of force-field analysis is that it involves organizing the categories in to two board types; those relating to force or pressure for change and those relating to forces or pressures supporting the status quo and resisting change. Lewin (1951) argue that, level of behaviour in any situation as the result of a force field comprising a balance of the forces pushing for change and the forces resisting change. Force Field Diagram Driver Force Restraining Force Quality Improvement Work -Load Cost Reduction Top Level Management External Environment Staffs Technology Training Consultants Recommendation Present Scenario (Hazyes, 2010:129) cccPKNBKMV There are different key drivers can found in the My bank case study. However, technology is the best key driver in the My bank case. All other key drivers related to the technology. Anderson and Tushman (YEAR) point out that technological change is cyclical. Each technology cycle begins with a technological discontinuity. Cost reduction, quality improvement, external environments connected to the technology. If technology will not change other drivers cannot Change in fast way. Different kinds of restrain factors present in the case study. The top-level management like chef executives were the main reason for the failure of the change. Other staffs did not get any support from the top level. After the change, staffs opinion was slightly rejected by the managements. This is the main reason of the failure of the change. According to Nadler (1995), four types of organisational change are there. An Organisations response change is proactive or reactive way. Tuning and adaptation can involve minor or major changes, they are types of change that occur within the same period, and they are bounded by the existing paradigm. Reorientation and re-creation, on the other hand, are types of change that, to use Gersicks analogy, target the playing field and the rules of the game rather than the way a particular game is played. They involve transforming the organisation and bending or breaking the frame to do things differently or to do different things Tuning is change that occurs when there is no immediate requirement to change. Mybank organisational change is related to this part. Mybank became convinced of the benefits of a quality improvement programme for reducing cost. This approach to change tends to be initiated internally in order to make minor adjustments to maintain alignment between the internal elements of the organisation and between the organisations strategy and external environment. Adaptation is an incremental and adaptive response to a pressing external demand for change. Reorientation involves a redefinition of the enterprise. It is initiated in anticipation of future opportunities or problems. Re-creation is a reactive change involves transforming the organisation through the fast and simultaneous change of all its basic elements. Type of Organisational Change Incremental Transformational Proactive Reactive (Nadler et al. 1995:24). Reorientation Tuning Re-creation Adaptation Answer2: Organisational Change involves complex process. Managing this kind of procedure is entirely difficult because they are dynamic. That means complex processes are changing. In these dynamic situations, it is difficult to predict the consequences of its actions. Managing a set of complex activities, each of which is crucial for the overall success of change. These complex tasks needs to be completed effectively in order to change, involves achieve a successful come. Managing change involves four complex tasks. The four tasks are as follows. They are appreciating change, mobilising support, executing change and building change capability. Leadership Appreciating Mobilising Change Support L Building Change Executing change Capability CHANGE MANAGEMENT MODEL Appreciating Change Appreciating Change can give an idea about understanding the forces of stability and change in the organisation. This requires inquiry into routines and mental models that sustain the status quo. An organisation can be changed mainly in two ways. Those are unplanned change and planned change. The Unplanned change, which typically involves changes due to new ideas, conflict between individuals, departments or teams and political and power struggles inside the organisation. Nadler (1987) argues that political behaviour tend to be more intense in times of change because individuals and groups perceive the possibility of upsetting the exiting balance power. Planned change, the change has to be planned. Mybank case study involved the planned change. The appreciation phases aims to make aware of the (a) need for change, (b) consequences of changing and not changing and (c) options that have for undertaking change in the organisation. In the case study, the organisation recognised the neces sary of the appreciating change and understood if this change will happen in the organisation, can achieve cost reduction in house; using exiting staffs to improve the quality and customer service and bank can avoid the inefficient works. The senior executives of Mybank appreciated the change and convinced the benefits of a quality improvement program. Mobilising Support Participation, involvement, and ownership are the crucial for the effective change. The organisational change is both cultural and political involves change in mindsets. This involves influencing, inducing, negotiating, persuading and winning over people to the idea of change. The effective communication strategies are crucial to change management. Getting consent and mobilising support is not an easy process. It requires persistence and patience. Strategic plan have a very important role in mobilising support. Organisational change is a political process. Pettigrew (1972) argue that some may engage in political action for ideological reasons, especially when they are fear that a change may be inconsistent with their values. According to Jick (1993), there are three categories of people who play a role in any change process. They are change strategists, change implements, and change recipients. Change strategists are the people who decide that the organisation needs change and set a direction for the change support. Mybank case managing director and senior executives are the strategists. They are in the top of the position. But strategists cant implements the change. Change implements are the people who are implementing the change by creating new structures, rules, procedures in all process. These people are the middle people of the management team. Mangers, outside consultants and accounting firm are change implementers in the Mybank Cooperation. Change recipients are the third category and people whose jobs change as a result of changes launched in the organisation. These people are usually lower level in an organisation. However, the main success in their hands. These people can make or break the effo rt. These people at the front line directly dealing with clients and customers. The main success depends upon the consent of the people in the organisation. Mybank employees, general staffs, are the change recipients. In 2003, the senior management had failed in its intentions to mobilize middle management commitment and local staffs enthusiasm. The middle management fully activated, but management follow some autocratic style and management fail to adopt the strategy. Executing Change Executing change involves creating and putting in place new structures, processes or procedures. Execution is, perhaps, the most critical aspect of change. Obviously, if an organisation has not managed the previous two tasks well, its change plan or programme will never take off. However, even if an organisation has carefully thought through its change issues and options and has gathered enough support for change, it can still fail at this critical stage. Three critical tasks for change leaders to ensure focus and energy during execution: (a) creating cross-functional linkages in the organisation; (b) aligning policies, procedures and removing structural impediments to performance and change; and (c) creating new routines for continuous improvements and innovations. According to Nilkant (Year), a successful change effort requires: (a) adequate appreciation planning, (b) sufficient support by employees, (c) competent execution by managers, and (d) Change managers with appropriate skill sets and capabilities. Mybank staffs accepted their new changes. However, it was not successful in the bank in both 1990 and 2003. In 2003, they bring a new department and try to join the other department together. The Regional Lending managers activities were not accepted by other departmental mangers. This created a big problem in the organisation. Most of the staffs did not express any interest to new executing change. This is because they were not understood the new system. Who are interested this new changes, did not get any support from their higher level. Building Change Capability A well-known model of change management views organisations as going through long periods of stability punctuated by short bursts of discontinuous change. According to Nilikant (2006), mangers or organisations can build capability in four ways. Those are firstly, individuals and groups build capability. Secondly, individuals and groups build capability when they successfully execute challenging projects. Thirdly, building capability involves paying simultaneous attention to both action and reflection. Fourth, leaders and organisations can help individuals and groups build capability by providing a context that aids action and reflection. Self-efficacy is energy and focus for the capability building. In managing change, self-efficacy is a major determinant for success. Employees with higher levels of self- efficacy can overcome obstacles and challenges that are inevitable part of any change. Efficacy is demonstrated when individuals feel secure in avoiding pseudo solutions. Mybank fai led in their both approach. The main reasons are not cooperation between the staffs and management. Who are motivated in these approaches, did not get support from their top level. Staffs got more workload in their work and staffs were lost the interest to extra works. In this way bank cannot maintain capability. Change Agent A change agent is the individual or group that helps effect strategic change in the organisation. For example, the creator of a strategy may, or may not, be the change agent. He or she may need to rely on others to take lead in effecting changes to strategy (Johnson ET .al 2008). Middle managers and consultants are the change agents in the Mybank case, because they are working together with top level and bottom level people within the organisation. Transition Phases Mod Internalization, Reaction And Learning Denial Shock Depression Consolidation Testing Letting go Acceptance of Reality Time .Answer 3: People going through change experience a variety of emotional and cognitive states. Transitions typically progress through a cycle of reasonably predictable phases .this applies to all kinds of transitions: voluntary and imposed, desirable and undesirable. Often people have little warning of changes and they experience the initial phase of a transition as a shock. Feelings of anxiety and panic can determine their ability to take in the new information, think constructively and plan. Mybank employees faced the same problem when they heard about the new change. Denial phase characterized by a retreat from the reality of change. Depression is the reality of the change becomes apparent and the individual acknowledges things cannot continue. Letting go phase involves accepting reality for what it is. It implies a clear letting go of the past. Testing is more active, creative, experimental involvement in the new situation starts to take place. Consolidation stage progress in progresses in parallel with testing but to begin with there is often more testing and rejecting than testing and consolidating. Internalization, reflection, and learning transition is complete when the changed behaviour is normal and unthinking and is the new natural order of things(Hayes, 2010:216). When a new change program implemented in the Mybank, all the staffs passed in these stages. Some of the staffs were getting struggled and other staffs overcome all the problems. The primary leadership task in change management as creating a positive behavioural context that facilitates inquiry, appreciation, and change. Change management model identifies four core tasks. First, mangers need to be cognitive tuners to appreciate change. Second, mangers need to be people catalysers to mobilise support. Third, managers need to be system architects to execute change. Fourth, managers need to be efficacy builders to build change capability. Leadership Cognitive Tuner The main core task of appreciating change requires a manger to tune into both external business environment and the internal organisational setting. The important thing of the change agent is to understand the external environment and assess the organisational capabilities to address the external changes. The change agent should expose different way. The change agent should seek knowledge in all level and awareness of own metal models and assumptions important. The change agent should recognise the assumptions, if it is necessary or not (Reference). Finally listen other people who are disagreeing with the change agent and do not feel defensive or threatened when others challenge the ideas and thinking. My bank case, cognitive tuning was not effective. The management did not listen to the bottom-level staffs opinions; as a result, employees lost their interest in the new changes. The middle level mangers fail to express their feelings into the top-level management. The way of communic ation was not sufficient between departmental mangers and change agents. People Catalyser Organisational change has an element of loss inherent in the process, and it is a loss that is often deeply felt by employees. The Kubler-Ross grief model addresses the emotional issues associated with change. The four emotional stages experienced throughout the change process may be expressed by employees in behaviours that are obstacles to the process of change. By understanding the emotions employees often encounter during change. It will be better prepared to facilitate the change process (Reference). Kubler- Ross grief stages is applicable in the Mybank case. The staffs were faced the situation in the organisation. But the final stage of the Kubler- Ross was fail in the case, commitment from the employees not good. Between the departments problems created. Kubler -Ross Grief Model Stage 1: Denial People encountering a change initiative might be saying to them, I cant believe this is happening to us. Unresolved fears about the change initiative need to be addressed during this phase. Stage 2: Resistance During this phase, people could attempt to slow down or derail the change initiative, it must be able to spot resistance when it occurs and formulate sound strategies for overcoming it. Stage 3: Exploration If people are not able to stop the changes from occurring, they begin to role of the group are specifically defined in this stage. It is important that unresolved issues that continue to surface be addressed. If trust has been created among the group, then peer influenced can be used to encourage behavioural change. Stage 4: commitment Mutual commitment is established , obstacles have been removed .and the focus is on successful implementation of the changes The change management need to catalyse people by building support, manufacturing consent and facilitating cognitive shifts in organisational members. The change agents need to be communicators, persuaders and negotiators. The change agent prepares himself before engaging the people. For influencing the people the agent can utilise all the media and forums. In decision-making time, change agent role is important. There is no chance to run away from the situations. The change should get trust and respect from others, in this way they can develop the credibility. In the case study, at a particular level, the consultants engaged the people and they fail to utilise the forums and media in the organisation. The middle levels mangers did not get the much trust and respect from the staffs. Systems Architect The change agents need to create the systems, process and routines to execute the change plan or agenda. This involves setting explicit goals, establishing cross-functional teams and monitoring progress (Nilikant). In this stage, the change agent role is very important. In the organisation, he/she should clarify individual roles and contribution. The person who selected is SMART or not. Moreover, other team leaders selection responsibility will come under the change agent. Co-ordination between other staffs will come under the change mangers control. Change mangers need to identify the organisational past practices, procedures, and polices and it should eliminate them properly. Mybank change fails in these areas. The selection of the other team leaders performance was not good. They were not SMART. If they are SMART, the change will be successful. Under the control of the middle managers, conducted meetings but fail to share the new ideas and solve current problems after the change. Efficacy Builder The mangers need to make organisational members have faith in their ability to learn, overcome obstacles and engage in change. Jim Collins argues that the effective leaders do not motivate people. They help people motivate themselves. A significant aspect of building change capability is to build a repository of organisational knowledge that captures insights from peoples tacit experiences. Building change capability is closely related to the core task of appreciating change. Store and share the knowledge is very important for a change manager. Renewal must become as important as cash flow or profit maximisation. Organisational members are aware that change mangers are observing what they say and what they do, and they may be making judgements about them and their future role. Mybank case change management selected some people for the leadership positions. However, that staffs were not successes in a particular level. Some of the departments in Mybank were not given any preference to the change mangers. This is one of the reasons to fail change implication in Mybank and plan of joining of the two departments was not success. This was due to the inefficient leadership and responsibility by the change mangers. The change ag Answe4: Recommendation Conclusion

Friday, October 25, 2019

George Gershwin Essay -- essays research papers

George Gershwin was born Jacob Gershowitz on September 26, 1898 in Brooklyn, New York. George began his professional career in "Tin Pan Alley," a location in New York City where aspiring composers and songwriters would bring their scores to a publisher trying to sell the tunes for cash. Two years after he started work for Jerome Remick, George had his first song published. "When You Want 'Em You Can't Get 'Em" was not an instantly famous, but it did begin to attract the attention of some of the Broadway composers of the day. During this time of professional growth, George kept his job as a rehearsal pianist and studied piano, theory and orchestration with the best of the best. George's first big hit was a song delivered by Al Jolson in the Broadway musical Sinbad. "Swanee" became an instant hit and propelled George's music before the Broadway audience regularly. In 1919, George composed the music for La, La Lucille, his first full musical score. From 1920 to 1924 he supplied producer George White with several songs for use in the immensely popular George White Scandals series. Behind Rhapsody in Blue, George is mainly known for numerous songs, which have become a part of the American songbook. The full scale collaboration of George and Ira Gershw in as composer/lyricist began in 1924 with the musical Lady Be Good!. The musical featured songs such as "Fascinating Rhythm" and "Oh, Lady, be Good" among others. One song, which wa...

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Curriculum as Influenced by Society and Technology Essay

The current trend of technology in the classroom can be traced back to the early1900s when schools and museums, as a complement to verbal instruction, began to use visuals aids including drawings, paintings, and slides. In the 1920s, as film became widely used, The National Academy of Visual Instruction was formed to help distinguish between films that were for entertainment or educational value. As technology progressed and the television was introduced, the educational system began to use instructional television. During the 1970s and 1980s the biggest influence in the classroom, to date, came in the form of computers. As the 1990s progressed, computers and multimedia equipment continued to become more affordable and they began to be used across the world. The trend of technology in the classroom currently consists of multiple categories including Multimedia, Internet and Networking, Computer-assisted instruction (CAI), Computer-managed instruction (CMI), and teacher training. As the current trend of technology in the classroom continues to be centered on the inclusion of computers and other mediums, it only awaits to incorporate the next big step in technology. The Ever-changing Technology Trend The abacus, the slate, the red pad of paper, it is amazing to view the ever-changing technology in education today. As a society, not only has our language and communication developed, but the way that language and communication are expressed has changed drastically. In Mathematics an abacus was used to solve problems, now a student can program a graphing calculator to solve problems for them. Some schools allow children to bring laptops into class with them, in other schools it is mandatory that all students have a laptop to bring to school. From having no computers in the classroom to having dozens of computers in the classroom has been an evolution of the educational system. Technology in the educational system consists of many mediums, and the history to the current educational system is quite fascinating. What remains to be seen is how the ever-changing, ever-evolving technology will impact the schools today, and how technology will affect our schools in the future. The view of a teacher as the possessor and transferor of information is shifting to a new paradigm in which the teacher is now a facilitator or a coach. These new teachers provide appropriate learning environments that engage students in collaborative activities that require communications and access to information that only technology can provide. Technology engages students, and as a result they spend more quality time on basic learning tasks than students who use a more traditional approach. Students who have the opportunity to use technology to acquire and organize information show a higher level of comprehension and a greater likelihood of using what they learn later in their lives (Impact, 2005). The integration of technology into the curriculum has been shown to decrease absenteeism, lower dropout rates, and motivate more students to continue on to college. This current trend of technology in the classroom consists of multiple categories including multimedia, Internet and networking, computer-assisted instruction (CAI), computer-managed instruction (CMI), and teacher training: Multimedia Interactive multimedia combines text, graphics, sound, animation, and video into a single learning environment. The hardware of multimedia can include: Macintosh computers, audio digitizers, CD ROM players, graphic scanners, and videodisc players. Since information is presented in visual and verbal modalities, individual learning styles of students are easily accommodated. It is not only a presentation tool for the teacher, becoming the basis for classroom lectures, discussions, and simulations, but it is also a reporting and reference tool for students in preparing class assignments. Example of use: There is an ongoing multimedia project that is part of the seventh grade science curriculum at the Baker Demonstration School at National-Louis University. Students choose a mammal to study at Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, IL. They then spend several sessions at the zoo observing this mammal’s physical characteristics, behavior, locomotion, and its zoo habitat. These observations become the raw data for constructing a multimedia presentation about their mammal. Internet and Networking There is a clear direction towards using the Internet to open education to students everywhere. The use of the Internet ranges from making course materials available on-line, to using the Internet as the communication tool for the course. With the vast capabilities of the Internet, computers are being networked for communication, research, and remote collaboration. Networks can help to break down communication barriers and connect students and teachers with the outside world. Access to a computer, a modem, and phone lines frees students and teachers from the physical limits and time constraints of the school environment. Networking also allows them to send electronic mail, participate in computer conferencing, and access information from remote sources. Example of use: Students studying the solar system can send questions directly to NASA scientists. Classes from different parts of the world could read the same book and share ideas and conclusions throughout the reading of the book. Another idea is for one class to write cliff hangers and have the other class finish the stories. In some cases, classes have done parallel science experiments or conducted surveys and then compared results with the other class. Computer-assisted instruction (CAI) and Computer-managed instruction (CMI) (CMI) is the use of the computer to maintain records associated with student performance. This usually includes, but is not limited to, the results of particular Computer-Aided Instruction (CAI) packages. As the student completes each lesson, the computer stores the progress, scores, records the results of all tests or quizzes completed, and it provides progress reports to the teacher. These reports, either individual or class-wide, may be used to rapidly identify unsatisfactory progress or weak areas (Harrison 1983). Example of use: An individualized curriculum could be written for each student allowing the teacher to more effectively utilize the limited class time available. These tools can help remediate students lacking in certain skills and allow students access to information presented in multimedia formats. Teacher Training Tremendous increase in technology-related in-service teacher training is taking place. Teachers are learning how to use electronic grade books and other teacher utilities to create puzzles, tests and quizzes, and other materials in order to assist them. Examples of training: After-school workshops conducted by the computer enrichment instructor and/or volunteers is one form of teacher training available, another is one-on-one tutoring carried out by volunteers or a computer enrichment instructor. Technology conferences attended by selected members of the faculty and teacher-to-teacher instruction utilizing those faculties with advanced technology skills also provides valuable teacher training. In addition to the technologies mentioned, the Education Coalition (TEC) considers the merger of computing, television, printing, and telecommunications as the most significant trend in education and technology. â€Å"Bringing them together results in the whole having greater impact than each individual part†¦ † (Lane & Portway, ND). Technology is abundant in the classroom today in many forms such as computers, the internet, DVDs, CD-ROMs, etc. However, technology in the classroom â€Å"can be traced back to the early 1900s, when schools and museums began to include visuals such as drawings, paintings, slides, films, and models as a complement to verbal instruction† (Summary of Major Events in the Field, 2005). In the early1900s, still and video cameras were considered to be the technology of the future, the likes of which had never been seen before. It was hard to imagine, at this time in history, that they would be used on a daily basis in the home, let alone in the schools. Contrary to popular belief, the history of technology within education goes back a lot further than simply the introduction of computers and televisions into the classroom in the 1980s and 1990s. Throughout history, many people have had high hopes of how technology would affect education in the future. Thomas Edison said, â€Å"books will soon be obsolete in the schools. Scholars will soon be instructed through the eye. It is possible to teach every branch of human knowledge with the motion picture. Our school system will be completely changed in ten years†(Major Trends of the Decade, 2005). In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Thomas Edison was working on perfecting his invention, a kinetophone, which synchronized sound on a phonograph cylinder with pictures on a screen (Life of Thomas A. Edison, 2005). Edison dreamed that films would one day revolutionize education. â€Å"In 1911, he released a series of historical films about the American Revolution, becoming one of the first producers of films for classroom use† (Major Trends of the Decade, 2005). While his invention did not exactly revolutionize education, the modern version of inventions like the kinetophone is used on a regular basis in the classroom via television, video, and DVD. In the 1920s, film was seen as a progressive style of teaching, and was used in only a few select classrooms across America. To aid in the process of incorporating film into education, The National Academy of Visual Instruction was formed in order to help distinguish between films that were for entertainment and films that had educational value (Major Trends of the Decade, 2005). During this time, there was also an attempt to use radio broadcasts in the classroom; however, this trend died out within 15 years as there were often technical problems that could make teaching unpredictable. As film began to be used more often in classrooms across the world, the United States government had to prepare teachers for the advancement of technology in order to keep up with other advancing countries throughout the world. This was hard to do as many teachers worried about the fire hazards from film projectors and also feared that technology would one day replace them and they would no longer have jobs (Major Trends of the Decade). Classrooms would continue to experiment with this new technology for years to come, in hopes of keeping up with the changing times. In the 1950s and 1960s, the demand for instructional television reached its height due to a shortage of teachers and overcrowded classrooms. In 1959, the Midwest Program of Airborne Television Instruction (MPATI) was created and 34 courses were televised to 2,000 elementary and secondary schools in six states (Saettler, 1990). Students were able to watch and learn from their classrooms, and many schools that were unable to participate in the program tried to acquire it by borrowing from other schools across the nation. It was a big step forward for the educational system and later in 1990, Christopher Whittle created a more advanced version of this known as Channel One, a show that aired in almost 12,000 public and private middle and high schools nationwide, while reaching 7. 7 million students (Borja, 2005). Studies done on MPATI showed that teachers disliked the program and found it interrupted their classes, so it lost much of its attraction to schools. While teachers did come to understand the importance of bringing the world into their classroom, the same situation evolved later with the classroom interruptions and Channel One in the 1990s and it has steadily declined in its use in classrooms. The decade of 1960 saw the introduction of computers into the educational setting, although it was not in many schools as the costs to supply them was too great for most school systems. The development of computers would continue to grow in the ‘70s and ‘80s, when microcomputers became available; more convenient for schools and somewhat more affordable. These decades saw rapid advancement in the way of computers, television, and video recorders, making it hard for schools to keep up with the latest equipment. As the 1990s progressed, computers and multimedia equipment continued to become more affordable and were widely used in many classrooms spanning the globe. While in the past students were content and well supplied by having a set of crayons, pens, pencils, books, and a chalkboard, technology has quickly advanced over the years to a point in which no classroom or student is complete without sophisticated sets of computers, DVDs, scanners, and the Internet. Technology has had a great impact on education in recent years. The trend to modernize schools and increase the amount of technology in the classroom has become apparent with the passing of new educational legislation and an increase of electronic devices in classrooms. Studies by major universities have also been undertaken to look at the use of computers and other items in learning and the effect that they have on students. The impact of technology on schools has been both positive and negative. While educators embrace the idea and the opportunities that new technology provides students, the trend has caused an increase in costs for an already under-funded system. Keeping up with such advances will be increasingly more expensive as time goes by. This cost is worth paying; however, as the trend in the workplace has also been moving toward technology as well. Studies have been undertaken by universities and researchers to learn the impact and necessity of technology in schools. A research project at the University of Georgia focused not only on the United States, but on many other English speaking countries as well, including Australia, Canada, and Great Britain. This study focused on the incorporation of media and technology in schools and the impact to which it has had on students and learning. The researchers found that these tools â€Å"are effective in schools as phenomena to learn both from and with. † (Reeves, 1998, The Impact of Media and Technology in Schools) The results of this effort point towards the importance of technology in school, and make an argument for its continued and increased use. Legislators, voters, and school officials have also realized the benefits of giving students an education involving technology. In recent years, the number of computers and other devices in schools has increased drastically. According to a study done by the California Department of Education in 2004, there were 1,181,649 computers in classrooms across the state. At that time, this was approximately 1 computer to every 5. 3 students. (California Department of Education, 2004) The number of computers in classrooms is expected to increase yearly, although the data has not yet been released for 2005. As these electronics do not come to schools cheaply, unless through donation, the State of California, as well as other states across the Union, have passed legislation to assist schools in purchasing the items. An example of this is California’s SB 1863, which was a bill signed into law by Governor Davis in 2002. This act grants non-profit organizations, such as public schools and hospitals, the ability to purchase computers and telecommunications systems at a discounted price (Bowen, 2002, SB1863). With legislation such as this in place, it is easier for schools to afford the necessary items they need to keep up with changing technology. As computers and other items are introduced into classrooms across the nation, teachers are being forced to learn how to use the technology and software in order to incorporate it into their lessons. For some, learning to do this can be difficult, while for others it may be simple. The amount of time it takes to learn the information and skills needed cuts into personal lives, taking away from family events and other activities. These hours are often unpaid, and are done from the teacher’s own desire to better instruct students for the future. Educating oneself to use computers and other devices is also expensive. Computers and their components are quite costly. Many teachers have to afford to buy the computers themselves. Teacher salaries are not exceptionally high, and purchasing such items is not always feasible. According to the American Federation of Teachers: The average teacher salary in the 2003-04 school year was $46,597, a 2. 2 percent increase from the year before. This falls short of the rate of inflation for 2004, this was 2. 7 percent. When adjusted for inflation, the 2003-04 salary actually drops 0. 4 percent from 2002-03. (American Federation of Teachers, 2005, Teacher Salaries Lag Behind Inflation) Teachers are also placed in another predicament as workplace trends are requiring computer and technology skills be incorporated into everyday business. A teacher’s job is to prepare their students for the future. In order to accomplish this goal, educators must be able to instruct their pupils in the areas of technology. To do this, teachers must be educated themselves, and in such a fashion that the teachers are forced to purchase nearly unaffordable items out of their own salaries. Including technology into the classrooms is important. Teaching students to use these items is beneficial to them and their futures. However, getting the tools to all students is difficult as funding is limited. Underprivileged schools tend to be less likely to have the computers that they need as funding is simply not available for them. This contributes to the problem of the technological divide, in which students from lower income areas do not have the equipment or skills to keep up with students in better neighborhoods and situations. In 1998, the incorporation of technology in schools cost roughly 16 billion dollars (Reeves, 1998, The Impact of Media and Technology in Schools). This money comes mostly from federal funding, but according to the study at the University of Georgia, it will not be enough to keep up with future needs. Technology in the schools is important. The inclusion of computers and other media in education of students will have a drastic impact on their future. These items are expensive but needed. Legislators are passing actions that will allow for funding to be available to purchase these items and place them into classrooms. In order for teachers to keep up with advancements in education, they have to learn to use the technology themselves. This takes their time away for other activities which they participate in and it can be costly in itself. The monetary cost of the inclusion of this trend in education is the biggest impact to which the system faces. Affording to pay for such material is difficult, as funds are hard to obtain. So, where will classrooms be in 10 years, 20 years? The question becomes where will teachers be? There are many proponents for online and virtual classrooms where a school room is not required, but there are many who object to this because school is not only where a child goes to learn, but it is also where a child goes in order to learn how to function in society. Currently in California, a new program has been implemented into high schools, it is the virtual enterprise, which gives students the opportunity to learn about business. However â€Å"there are no textbooks in the virtual enterprise (VE) programs. The classrooms don’t have the average-looking furniture; the furniture generally consists of cubicles, office desks, computers, fax machines and telephones. The teacher is called the coordinator, and the daily instruction is conducted with direct input from appoint company officers† (Tekaat-Davey, 2006). This form of environment is giving children a look into a more corporate environment, and for those students interested in a corporate world it is a very interesting form of education, and it is giving students a heads-up into how the â€Å"real-world† functions. Often, it takes a lengthy period of time for schools to implement new technologies because of the money constraints, however â€Å"a unique component of VE is the fact that it is very cost effective for the respective sites† (Tekaat-Davey, 2006). Many businesses donate the computers and other supplies that are needed in order to make the virtual enterprise environment work. This is an innovative approach that is giving the teacher a different role, but it may take on force because it is so much more cost effective. It seems that the goal of the future is to show children how to integrate technology into their lives effectively. Another aspect of technology is how small it makes the world, everything is so much closer through computers now, and students are going to be taught how best to interact and learn about different cultures, but schools in the United States are also going to need to compete more thoroughly with technologies in schools worldwide. Currently, 90 percent of schools have Internet connectivity and more than 33 percent of teachers have Internet access in their classrooms (Gahala, 2001). So yes, technology availability is there, but how to use it effectively is going to be the constant battle between teachers and technology experts. This country has developed in technology gradually over the years, even though sometimes it seems like it has been overnight. The growth of technology has been an ever-adapting process, and it is constantly changing. â€Å"Technology is not transformative on its own. Evidence indicates that when used effectively, ‘technology applications can support higher-order thinking by engaging students in authentic, complex tasks within collaborative learning contexts’ (Means, Blando, Olson, Middleton, Morocco, Remz, & Zorfass, 1993)† (Gahala, 2001). But, will technology change the role of a teacher is what concerns many teachers today, and the answer is possibly. â€Å"As students become more self-directed, teachers who are not accustomed to acting as facilitators or coaches may not understand how technology can be used as part of activities that are not teacher-directed. This situation may be an excellent opportunity for the teacher not only to learn from the student but also to model being an information seeker, lifelong learner, and risk taker† (Gahala, 2001). So, even though the process of education may change, the traditional principles still hold, teachers are there to be a guide and a facilitator for education and knowledge. It is a teacher’s responsibility to incorporate current technologies into the history of teaching in order to give students the best possible education they can receive. Technology use impacting student grades All four research questions considered how technology use (low/high) as defined by overall use, teacher use and student use in the classroom effected at-risk students’ classroom grades. Inferential statistics showed no significant affect on at-risk student grades for any of the independent variables—teacher use, student use or overall technology use. For all the independent variables of teacher use, student use and overall technology use, the 1st quarter grades are higher for high technology using teachers. But that trend did not continue into second quarter for any of the independent variables. Since low GPA is a criterion for being identified at-risk at the studied school, it is logical that these students had low grades. However, some of these students had no passing grades, which is equivalent to a GPA of zero. The grade point average mean for the 66 at-risk students is 1. 52 at the end of the school year 2000–2001. Any grade mean above a zero is an improvement for some of the identified at-risk students. A possible explanation for this decline in grades is a greater use of technology in the 1st quarter. The researcher informally observed that students are immersed in technology in many of the classes: Power Point slide shows, travel brochures, postcards and video interviews are being created for presentations. During the 2nd quarter the classrooms slowly returned to a more traditional style. Some teachers, in informal discussions with the researcher, said they are using drill and practice, word processing for writing, and Internet for research projects. Without the use of technology infused in the classroom teachers would never know that with more constructivist methods students could achieve at higher levels. From research on the ACOT classrooms, students use technology as a tool to collect, organize, and analyze data; to enhance presentations; to conduct simulations and to solve complex problems. One of the changes seen over this 10-year study is the change in the lower-achieving students; the ones teachers could not reach with the teacher-centered learning. These students began to respond positively given the alternate ways of expressing their knowledge, which not only raised their self-esteem but their status with the teachers and their peers. The at-risk students are likely to show improvement in academic achievement when technology is used in the classroom appropriately. The conditions needed for appropriate use of technology to improve education are: first, the successful use of technology requires teachers to face their beliefs about learning and the efficacy of different instructional activities. Second, teachers view technology as one possible tool that must be used in the curriculum and instruction framework with meaning. Third, teachers need to become risk takers, experiment with technology, help and share with peers. Fourth, technology can be a catalyst for change, but the process of integrating technology is a long-term challenge for the teachers. In closing on student grades and technology, from the ten-year study conducted by ACOT comes this statement: â€Å"teachers also discovered that students who did not do well in a typical setting frequently excelled when working with technology. Low achievers had a chance to experience success and began concentrating and applying themselves to their projects† (p. 95). This study supports the findings in the present study indicating that the technology should be incorporated into the curriculum in meaningful, student-centered methods. Conclusion The impact of technology in schools is somewhere between it’s the only way to make a positive change in schools to it’s a new fad. They see technology as a strong tool for positive change but it must be presented in the right ways. Steps must be taken for technology to make a difference. Leaders of the schools must include everyone at the beginning of the plan, not after technology arrives. Leadership in the school system must plan for technology. Hire a full time technology director, involve the school in the changes, and provide the services that are needed for technology to succeed in the schools. Teachers must change the way they teach. Classrooms must take on the student-centered learning methods. Teachers need to become facilitators. Students need to be allowed to use technology as a tool, which will enable them to collect, analyze, and create major projects. When schools are prepared for technology, the entire school benefits. The quality of the time for technology to be integrated into the curriculum is the key to student learning, not the quantity of time with technology. Technology is not the entire solution for keeping at-risk students in the classroom, but it is a start in the right direction. References Aitoro, J. R. (2005). No Child Left Behind. VAR Business, 21, 1-2. American Federation of Teachers, (2005) Teacher Salaries Lag Behind Inflation. Retrieved from http://www. aft. org/presscenter/releases/2005/100605. htm on December 15, 2006 Borja, R. R. (2005). Channel one struggling in shifting market, Education Week, 24(43), 3-14. Bowen, D. (2002). SB 1863. 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