Religious Artifact Analysis Essay

The artifact that we intend to examine is the hit song â€Å"King Without a Crown† by the reggae music artist, Matisyahu. This music artist interests us because he is a popular performer who we have listened to voluntarily, with the particular song â€Å"King Without a Crown† ranking in the top 40 songs in America at one point in his career. Additionally, choosing a Matisyahu song is of interest to us as students at the University of Maryland because of Matisyahu’s live performance at UMD last year. Music is a particular form of rhetoric for artists to communicate ideas and inspire their listeners to adopt or understand belief systems. In the case of Matisyahu, the artist sings about his relationship to God and his religion, Judaism while making various references to religious and cultural aspects of his religion. As an Orthodox Jew, Matisyahu provides his audience with music specifically tied to religious belief. However, Matisyahu’s music may be universally enjoyed by people of any religion, as demonstrated by his various appearances on MTV during the time that his single, â€Å"King Without a Crown†, was popularly played on the radio and bought on iTunes. Matisyahu is known for being a Jewish figure in the music industry who is able to incorporate his religious passion to musical talent in a quite unique manner, through the production of reggae songs. Although music is a central part of the Jewish religion, especially in the practice of Orthodox Judaism, reggae music sung in English is an unconventional means of musical expression compared to other types of Jewish music, which include klezmer or traditional singing of psalms in Hebrew. At first glance, we noticed the symbols that Matisyahu uses in his song to represent different experiences in life. For example, Matisyahu incorporates a juxtaposition of darkness and light to demonstrate emotions and situations that are both positive (light) and negative (dark). Additionally, the artist uses much religious jargon, referring to God by the different names that Jewish people use to address a higher being. There is also an element of religion and/or God as a type of source that may protect and help people if they reach out and ask for such assistance, which is a fundamental Jewish belief. Matisyahu alludes to ideas of prayer, belief, and the Messiah, bringing important Jewish concepts to his song in an inspirational way of expressing his love for God. In studying this artifact, we will look at the lyrics of the song, â€Å"King Without a Crown† primarily to analyze the language that Matisyahu uses to communicate his  ideas. Additionally, we will draw upon the images used in this particular song’s music video to complement the lyrics that we study. In order to have a complete understanding of our text, we will research the biography of Matisyahu, including a focus on recent events, such as the scandal that occurred within the religious Jewish community when he shaved off his beard in the fall. Finally, to understand all of the Jewish references that Matisyahu makes in his song, we will research specific Jewish concepts, beliefs, and approaches to religious topics, such as the waiting for the Messiah to come from a Jewish lens. Studying a Matisyahu song is worthwhile because this particular artist is one of the most visible and popular Jewish representatives and role models in the secular world of music production. It is important to note that Jewish people do not exclusively enjoy Matisyahu music. Rather, his songs have been popular throughout America, especially among reggae fans. Especially as Jews are a minority religion in nearly all countries in the world, Matisyahu is a positive representation of Judaism and the Jewish people to the world, working to deconstruct religious stereotypes and serve as an example for devout people of all religions to embrace both their passions and their religious beliefs. Descriptive Analysis Purpose- It’s about the power of trusting G-d in everyday life. also from a Jewish standpoint, it refers to the wait for a Messiah that will come; communicating his dedication to g-d. He is trying to convince his audience to follow that lifestyle Audience- His fans; mostly Jewish listeners now that he is not as famous anymore Controversial- Religious, some people do not share the same beliefs, minority religion, he is Orthodox and was affiliated with Chabbad at the time. He speaks about G-d and there are people who do not believe in G-d. Rhetor’s (Matisyahu) Purpose: â€Å"King Without a Crown† Following listening to Matisyahu’s â€Å"King Without a Crown† and reading its lyrics it seems as though he is referring to someone, use as a model representative of people in general that his targeted audience can relate to, who is lost spiritually and more specifically neglecting/ignoring the Torah. His identity with Chasidism is evident from even first glance at his  everyday attire consisting of a dark hat, matching long dark suit and coupled with the Chasidism orthodox braided hair hanging down from either temple and long beard. When analyzing Matisyahu’s lyrics and his passionate performance of â€Å"King Without a Crown,† it is feasible to argue his ultimate purpose from a rhetorical standpoint is to advocate a more Chasidic expression of faith and encouraging more attention and adherence toward prayer and the Torah. By calling his targeted audience (his fans) to reflect upon their daily lifestyle in contrast with the teachings of the Torah, he brings our attention toward our personal daily conduct and instills his audience members with feelings of personal accountability for each of our actions and the lives we choose to live. Ultimately the song, â€Å"King Without a Crown† is aimed at the nature of altering people’s perception of living a faith-bound righteous life in the eyes of G_d and calls for change in social action, more specifically, our everyday lifestyles and behaviors so that it emulates the Torah’s teachings. s exemplified by his lyrics such as: You’re all that I have and you’re all that I need Each and every day I pray to get to know your peace Wanna be close to you, yes I’m so hungry You’re like water for my soul when it gets thirsty If you’re drowning in the waters and you can’t stay afloat Ask Hasheem for mercy {and} he’ll throw you a rope Encouragement to trust and turn to G_d, not only when we desire something or are in need, but ydaily and it should be reflected by our actions. asking for G_d to help you do so. Apparently Matisyahu was a heavy drug user earlier in his life, and the video and song are obviously an autobiographical depiction of someone who overcame their demons. I have heard a lot of Christians say they like his music. I agree that his music is good†¦ but if someone is looking to Matisyahu as a prophet proclaiming God’s Word, I’m afraid he is very far from it. The title of the song is â€Å"King Without a Crown.† Such a title may sound familiar to Christians. Jesus is often described in such a way. However, this is not at all what Matisyahu is referring to in his song. He continues: If you’re drowning in the waters and you can’t stay afloat Ask Hasheem for mercy {and} he’ll throw you a rope (You’re) lookin’ for help from God; you say he couldn’t be found Searching up to the sky and looking beneath the ground Like a King without his Crown You keep fallin’ down You really want to live but can’t get rid of your frown You(‘re) try(in’) to reach unto the heights and wound bound down on the ground Matisyahu’s King without his Crown is not Christ, it is himself. The chorus of the song reveals more: What’s this feeling? My love will rip a hole in the ceiling (I give/Givin’} myself to you {now} from the essence of my being and I sing to my God, songs of love and healing †¦..I want Moshiach now so it’s time we start revealing Here he depicts the afflicting emotional torment of a spiritually lost and broken soul , and finally comes to recognition that he is powerless without G_d. He’s at the lowest breaking point in his life and surrenders his will to seeking out Moshiach for hope of healing. Matisyahu uses this experience to exemplify the saving strength and power of loving G_d, reinforcing once again, the significance of faith in our lives. Slavery is also a major theme of Matisyahu’s music, and is emphasized in the live version of â€Å"King Without a Crown.† Matisyahu sings of the slavery in which human beings sometimes bring upon themselves through materialism and hubris: â€Å"You’re a slave to yourself and you don’t even know/You want to live the fast life but your brain moves slow/If you’re trying to stay high then you’re bound to stay low/You want G-d but you can’t deflate your ego/If you’re already there then there’s nowhere to go/If you’re cup’s already full then it’s bound to overflow.† â€Å"King Without a Crown† is †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Its widespread popularity is illustrated by the fact â€Å"song has been the band’s biggest commercial success, breaking into the Modern Rock Top 10 and peaking at #7 (citation needed).† When critically analyzing the rhetor’s (Matisyahu’s) purpose and underling significance of his song â€Å"King Without a Crown,† from a theoretical/conceptual perspective; 3 primary inferences can be made. 1.) Observe/abide by the Torah 2.) G_d is all you need 3.) Only lust for salvation; avoid materialism Conclusion Statement: Consider the rhetor’s purpose: 1.) What is the nature – call to action, altering perception, maintain social action? 2.) What was the cost the audience was faced with in terms of the rhetor’s appeals? Reevaluate their faith and lifestyles from a critical standpoint and evaluate the impact faith has to the contribution of our beliefs and actions and recognize what changes must be made for us to fulfill a life in accordance with the teachings of the Torah and walk a path that will lead to heaven and fill the with void/ provide direction in our livees felt by each of us exemplified by â€Å"a King Without a Crown† or in other words without a spiritual beacon to guide/ inspire leadership. The cost at critically in-depth analysis of our life is the resulting uneasines/weariness/ relucantce/ dislike/ unfavorable/ flaws/causes uncomfotableness associated with identifying and accepting our flaws.

Appendix A: Barclay’s employees Essay

Barclay’s Bank Organizational Strategy and Employee Morale September 15, 2007? Contents Barclays Bank 3 Roadmap-Thesis 5 Interview Results 5 Academic Research Recommendations for Improvement 7 Conclusion 10 References 12 Appendix A: Barclay’s Employees 14 Appendix B Employee Interviews 15 Appendix C: Framework For Improvement 19 ? Barclays Bank Barclays is the third largest bank in the United Kingdom. The bank can trace its roots back to 1690 in London. The name â€Å"Barclay† first arose in 1736. Today the bank is a global financial service provider operating in the UK, Europe, United States, and Africa. The bank’s headquarters are at One Churchill Place in Canary Wharf, in London’s Docklands, having moved there in May 2005 from Lombard Street in the City of London. Barclay’s US headquarters are in Wilmington, Delaware where it acquired the former Juniper Bank (Answers Barclays Bank 2006). Barclays is a UK-based financial services group, with a very large international presence in Europe, the USA, Africa and Asia. It is engaged primarily in banking, investment banking and investment management. In terms of market capitalisation, Barclays is one of the largest financial services companies in the world (Barclays Newsroom 2006). Barclays has been involved in banking for over 300 years and operates in over 60 countries with more than 113,000 permanent employees (including 33,500 at Absa). For the year ended 31st December 2005, the group achieved a pre-tax profit of ? 5,280 million, up fifteen per cent on 2004. In 2005 Barclays paid approximately ? 3 billion in taxes (Barclays Newsroom 2006). Customers are served through a variety of channels comprising: the branch network, cash machines, telephone banking, online banking and relationship managers. It is managed through two business areas, UK Retail Banking and UK Business Banking. In UK Retail Banking there are 14 million retail customers, including current accounts, savings, mortgages, and general insurance (Barclays Newsroom 2006). Local Business provides banking services to 592,000 customers; UK Premier provides banking, investment products and advice to 286,000 affluent customers (Barclays Newsroom 2006). UK Business Banking provides relationship banking to larger and medium-sized businesses. 183, 000 customers are served by a network of relationship and industry sector specialist managers (Barclays Newsroom 2006). Barclay’s strategic objective is to â€Å"To deliver top quartile total shareholder return relative to our peers, consistently over time† (Barclays p 2 2004). The company focuses directly on increasing shareholder value rather than employee retention and morale. Barclay’s does not have a directly available mission and values statement that is visible to the external environment. The internal environment at Barclay’s is one of traditional top-down management. The corporate culture at Barclay’s maintains a hierarchy of experience and education, where the management team places a large amount of focus on meeting the shareholder strategy. According to Barclay’s â€Å"In recent months, we have taken a number of steps to enhance further our corporate governance practices. We have expanded the remit of the Remuneration Committee to cover strategic human resource issues† (Barclay’s 2004 p 3). These strategic changes included: â€Å"continued and upgraded our investment in established; programs for the community, equality and diversity, and the environment; built on our reputation as a pioneer and leader in the field of financial inclusion; excellent terms and conditions for colleagues impacted by offshore outsourcing; developed a clear statement on human rights, and continued our participation in the Business Leaders Initiative on Human Rights; and made good progress in adapting our branches and offices to be fully accessible to customers with disabilities (Barclays p 12 2004). Barclay’s did not, however, remunerate a corporate strategy or mission to address its near 20% turnover rate which has been continuous and barely changing for the past three years, an indication that Barclay’s focus is on stakeholder value and not developing or addressing employee morale. However, Barclays does have a large focus on community service, receiving the â€Å"2004 National Business Award for Corporate Social Responsibility† (Barclays p 12 2004). (Barclays p 47 2005) ? Appendix B Employee Interviews Employee 1 What is your job and role at Barclay’s? I am a telephone operator and sales advisor, working both the phone lines and desk. Sales advisors are front-line employees performing work at the transaction level. We are dedicated to customer satisfaction and providing great service. We want to provide great service but recognize the challenges in improving the work processes. What are your beliefs about Barclay’s strategic objective? Our philosophy is client centred. I believe the clients have ultimate knowledge of themselves and that the banker’s job is to draw out this information and insight, help clients organize it, and stimulate clients to use their funds better. What are these challenges in improving the work process? Office politics at all levels, particularly where reports of motivation and such are concerned, there is sometimes when they call out the good, and embarrassingly the bad also. Sometimes leadership is motivational but not always. So, if you have a good idea and you don’t hobnob with the management, you are not going to be listened to. The same is true if you are having a problem, or a customer is being overly abrasive towards you. It can be a little insane. Can you explain the leadership strategy in motivation? They focus on certain people and not the whole department or team. Favoritism is the â€Å"coin of the realm† in my department. The â€Å"code of silence† dictates that discipline must be administered when broken and rewarded with favor when adhered to, in contrast to a system where one is encouraged to excel. My department operates more on the prison model of behavior control. What are your beliefs about Barclay’s strategic objective? Our philosophy is client centred. I believe the clients have ultimate knowledge of themselves and that the banker’s job is to draw out this information and insight, help clients organize it, and stimulate clients to use their funds better. What do Barclay’s mission and value statements mean to you? Value of an open, thoughtful and complementary approach to quality informed customers and developing customer loyalty. a planned and systematic approach to quality including ensuring that the results of monitoring and evaluation are fed back in order to effect improvement. How does Barclay’s leadership ensure proper monitoring and evaluation? Use of internal performance/service benchmarks is not enough although several recognized performance indicators are used by managers, but customer satisfaction information should be requested for each purchasing transaction. There is a lack of cooperative work processes and supporting information systems which negatively impact customer service. What kind of customer service do you try to perform? I believe in being responsive to what the customer wants as opposed to what she ought to have. With service, you also always tell the truth as you see it. I put a lot of emphasis on contracting-what can I do for her that will be of value to her in that time frame. Does leadership help you want to provide good customer service? Leadership has not helped me want to provide customer service. Not everyone is a decent human being. Not all are treated with respect. Someone seriously rude in the office and nothing is done as it is not viewed as wrong. Employee 2: What is your job and role at Barclay’s? I provide telephone customer service. What are your beliefs about Barclay’s strategic objective? There is an emphasis on customer service as a driver of business performance. What does customer service entail? I have to have an in-depth understanding of various components including stock option and restricted share award processes; eligibility requirements; and knowledge of plan design, alternative practices and business needs/issues and I use this to help the customer build their best banking services. I have to be able to track and monitor customer accounts and customer service. Does Barclays give you frequent training and all the materials you need to do your job? No. I wish I had access to more ongoing training program for customer service as what I do is quite complex and precision is very important so the customer’s bank accounts are all correct. Some managers are really willing to help you out. Others talk to you like you are an idiot for asking for help. It is a half and half shot at getting training or help with something, unless it comes from corporate management. How does corporate management get information or motivation to you? I don’t think corporate has motivated anyone. They send training videos or PowerPoint presentations explaining the importance of customer service, but what I really want is more technical training so I can give better customer service. I’m already polite and courteous. How do your direct leaders motivate you to give good customer service? Management appears to want to make this an issue and an expectation that everyone should jump on board. If someone becomes ostracized or somehow made less because they don’t buy into the hubbub, it seems we’ve just created a worse problem. It’s almost a Catch-22, I’m not engaged all the way because they don’t give me what I really need and I get treated like I’m a moron, but they expect me to always smile and be happy, even when the manager is quite literally rolling her eyes at me. It’s a terrible, rude atmosphere at least half of the time. What about the other half of the time? How do you feel about ‘engaging’ with your job? I am not sure how to respond. I talk to customers and do what they ask as quickly as possible and sometimes I make recommendations for better banking, but I don’t know how this engages the customer one way or the other. ? Appendix C: Framework For Improvement.

Intel in China Essay

Mr. Tang and Mr. Li are the participants of an interesting incident in the Beijing’s division of Intel China that can be analyzed with the help of some important Chinese concepts like face, hierarchy and preservation of social harmony. Mr. Tang is the new manager of the marketing programs of Intel China in Beijing, and has a background of Western education and years of working experience in the United States. Mr. Li is a young but skilful account manager, enthusiastic and assertive, who has been carrying on the project of creating a manual of tips for software vendors for two months and plans to carry it on till its completion. After taking over Beijing’s Intel division Mr. Tang decides to study the work of each employee and to make changes where necessary. One of his adjustments involves Mr. Li’s project. Since Mr. Tang considers this task extremely time-consuming and unsuited for an inexperienced employee, he decides to discontinue his project and assign him to a more appropriated one. He asks Qing Chen (Mr. Li’s supervisor) to inform him of his resolution, but Mr. Li opposes firmly to this change, asserting that his superior is not being respectful. Analyzing the situation we can see that there are several Chinese communication patterns which play an important role and influence these people behaviour. Mr. Tang uses an intermediary (Miss Chen) to communicate the problem to his employee, and this is a common strategy in China. He avoids direct confrontation with Mr. Li, and this is an act that aims to safe face for both of them. However with his response, Mr. Li is causing Mr. Tang to lose face, he is endangering his authority and his ability to control and guide his employees. It’s clear that Mr. Tang is acting in the best interest of his company, and his power shouldn’t be questioned. In fact, in Chinese business context is very unusual to see an employee reacting like Mr. Li, questioning a boss’ decision and showing dissent. But, even so, Mr. Tang shouldn’t fire him, given Mr. Li’s important role in the company and the number of guanxi he has established with other firms’ managers. Regarding Miss Chen, her lack of authority and of immediate response to Mr. Li’s critics is probably caused by her inexperience in managerial positions. In their next meeting Mr. Tang should try to make him understand the reason of his decision, without forgetting to start by praising his work and his efforts. Chinese people are very concerned about reputation and the need to be respected by others, so to avoid both Mr. Tang and Mr. Li to feel embarrassed and lose face, the best solution is for Mr. Li to accept Mr. Tang’s decision. This act, that implies giving face, will be very appreciated by Mr. Tang, who in the future will not forget to reward his employee. In China preserving the social harmony plays an important role when doing business, and Mr. Li should try to shape his working attitude according to this concept, that is also part of the Intel philosophy. In conclusion, I find myself completely in accordance with Mr. Tang managerial style, he acted like a pure Chinese, not as an expatriate. Actually, given Mr. Li’s excessive response, it looks like he is the one who has been influenced by Western ideas.

James Baldwin Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

James Baldwin - Research Paper Example His narratives and productions novelize essential subjective queries and quandaries amidst multifaceted societal and psychosomatic burdens discomforting the reasonable incorporation of not only blacks however also of male homosexuals, portraying as well some adopted disablements to such personages' expedition for recognition and rightly approval, specifically in his second novel, Giovanni's Room (1956), printed well in advance the equivalence of homosexuals stood extensively promoted in America. Baldwin's superlatively recognized novel is his first, Go Tell It on the Mountain. In 1953, Baldwin's principal novel, Go Tell It on the Mountain, a semi-autobiographical bildungsroman, was printed. Baldwin's principal assortment of dissertations, Notes of a Native Son give the impression two years later. Baldwin persisted to investigate with fictional procedures during the course of his career, disseminating poems and theatres as well as the literary and fiction essays for which he was known . Baldwin's subsequent novel, Giovanni's Room, stimulated a polemic disagreement when it was first issued in 1956 outstanding to its unambiguous homoerotic material. Baldwin remained once more repelling brands with the publication of this book: regardless of the interpretation of society's potentials that he would print workings allocating with the African American knowledge, Giovanni's Room is entirely about white characters. Baldwin's succeeding two narratives, Another Country and Tell Me How Long the Train's Been Gone, are extensive, investigational works distributed with black and white characters and with heterosexual, homosexual, and bisexual typescripts. These novels brawl to enclose the commotion of the 1960s: they stand inundated with a sagacity of ferocious turbulence and atrocity. Baldwin's prolonged paper down at the Cross (habitually called The Fire Next Time subsequently the name of the book in which it was printed) correspondingly presented the bubbling disgruntlement of the 1960s in an innovative method. The thesis was at first printed in two large productions of The New Yorker and affluence Baldwin on the cover of Time magazine in 1963 whereas Baldwin was remaining in the South, speaking nearby for the disconcerted Civil Rights crusade. The dissertation communicated about the uncomfortable rapport amongst Christianity and the mushrooming Black Muslim program. Baldwin's next book-length essay, No Name in the Street, also debated his individual understanding in the setting of the late 1960s, precisely the killings of three of his own friends: Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Baldwin's literatures of the 1970s and 1980s obligated to remained principally unnoticed by faultfinders, however even these transcripts are beginning to receive attention., Eldridge Cleaver's malicious homophobic outbreak proceeding Baldwin in Soul on Ice, and Baldwin's reoccurrence to southern France subsidized to the intelligence that he was not in sou pcon with his audience. Continually accurate to his personal persuasions somewhat than to the sensitivities of others, Baldwin sustained to inscribe what he sought to write.

Challenges and Impacts of Tobacco Use on Employers Research Paper

Challenges and Impacts of Tobacco Use on Employers - Research Paper Example It is believed that smoking in organizations is generally a very bad thing to do, the reason being that a lot of passive inhaling is done on the part of the people who are actually not anywhere close to the usage of tobacco. This creates upheaval amongst such people and they start detesting the very fact that they are being let down by the smoker community that exists within an organization. One should believe that smoking within organizational realms creates rifts. It makes the employees disillusioned with the fact that they are being treated in a very sordid manner. The smokers must not be allowed to let it be, as they need to be taken to consider what they are doing for the sake of the organization in essence and the negativity that they are inflicting upon other employees (Timmins 1989). The reason for understanding this phenomenon is that smoking in offices is generally not a very viable exercise and could succumb into different kinds of fights, rage attacks and so on. The peopl e who usually smoke at such dispositions are either unaware of the harmful effects that they are causing to the office environment or are very prone to what usually happens once they smoke in an organization. ... The arguments which are raised by different quarters include the fact that smoking is a very private affair and one must not comment on something to this effect at all. This is a pretty debatable point since smoking in organizations means negativities attached for one and all. And there are no areas of respite. The arguments thus generally center on the premise of harmful instigation which could be caused for the worsening sake of the employees at large (Devries 2009). In essence, smoking in business realms is fatal for the lives of one and all. It is an element of disaster as far as cordiality and oneness amongst people is concerned. It makes them feel awkward and helpless, all at the same time. Thus smoking in organizations paints a very gloomy picture of how things actually shape up in the long run. It is essentially intolerable to have an employee in one’s close proximity who is a die-hard chain smoker and who would be unwilling to give up on this bad habit. This employee would be criticized for his acts and at times, taunts would also make the rounds of his personality. On the flip side of the discussion, majority of the employees believe that the smokers within the office place are not at all less productive than any other employees who do not indulge in tobacco usage. This is because the employees who smoke usually sleep less and can be awake for longer periods of time. However they would smoke time and again when they are within the reins of an organization. Their direction seems straying, but they would not be misdirected by any stretch of the imagination. Some research studies have shown that smokers give in more

Consider the functions of directors,company secretaries, auditors and Essay - 1

Consider the functions of directors,company secretaries, auditors and shareholders. In what ways do they contribute to the operation of both private and public limited companies - Essay Example Therefore the given essay analyses the role of all these four groups of actors (directors, company secretaries, auditors and shareholders) in order to demonstrate the importance of each of them in operation of both private and public companies. Firstly, directors are the key actors for the company’s performance on market. In general, they are important because they create the policy of the company (Osemeke, 2014). In the circumstances of either private or public limited company, this role changes only slightly. In fact, private company may have sole director, while public limited company needs two or more directors (Rosenfalck, 2013). In addition, Directors Board becomes the only significant representative, if there is no existing controlling stakeholder in the company (Davies, 2010). Frequently, this situation appears in private companies (Rosenfalck, 2013). Furthermore, the directors of the company are trained to act their instructions or directions. For example, when there is a serious loss in capital of public company, directors have to gather an extraordinary general meeting not later than 56 days from the day of half or less capital reduction (Rosenfalck, 2013). According to Osemeke, (2014), failures and bankr uptcies of the company are mostly to result an ineffective directors board. In this context, ineffective work of the board has been shown in a recent failures of big companies like Enron and HIH (Convill and Bagaric, 2004). Moreover, Davies (2010) said that directors should care and promote the company’s success and do independent actions. In fact, directors of public companies must be sure that they hire competent company secretary (Rosenfalck, 2013). Among the main flaws of directors that have a direct effect on the company’s performance, according to Osemeke (2014) â€Å"lack of training and induction

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

Urban Education Policy - Essay Example It further recommended for equal funding between wealthiest and poor district schools so as to improve quality of education in the state irrespective of social and economic status. The court ordered provision of adequate education to children from these areas through implementation of certain reforms and standard education with parity support. Question 1: How would Anyon, Ravitch, and Tyack and Cuban analyze the limits and possibilities of Abbott at reducing the achievement gaps? Basically, Abbott aimed at reducing achievement gap that exists between children from wealthier districts and those from poorer or less privileged districts. Main argument of Abbott is provision of equal funding for the schools irrespective of economic or social status of the respective schools’ location. Abbott advocates for equal education provision. However, analysts such as Anyon, Ravitech, Cuban and Tyack found out certain limitations that might not effectively allow for effective implementation of the Abbott recommendations and narrowing of the achievement gap between less privileged or poor students and the wealthy or fortunate students in New Jersey State (Abbott and Burke, 1990, p 37). ... This can be achieved, but cannot adequately assist in closing the achievement gap to a greater extent. According to Anyon (2005, p 73), provision of equal funding and learning materials might not adequately close the existing achievement gap in the state. Furthermore, the author argues that this should be coupled with family support. According to Tyack and Cuban (1995, p 67), family support has a great impact in increasing chances of students achieving success in their education. Furthermore, Cuban and Tyack argue that the basic cause of achievement gap in education is the prevailing poverty levels in the urban areas. Therefore, educational policies ought to address the prevailing poverty levels in the urban areas to effectively close the achievement gap. This is because poverty greatly contributes to underdevelopment of students and minimizes their chances of achieving success in education. In urban setting, there are low-resourced and high-resourced learning institutions. This has led to differentials in cost of learning depending on the available resources in respective schools or learning institutions (Tyack and Cuban, 1995, p 92). Less privileged students may easily afford low-resourced institutions leading to the achievement gap. Furthermore, family income also assists in shaping behavior of individual student and attitude towards life and achievement. Privileged students’ perceptions are most likely to be positive leading to positive behavior in school too. This increases their achievement chances as opposed to those from less privileged families who have negative attitude leading to less chances of succeeding in studies. The author also argues that changes ought to be made in several areas for the

JITT Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

JITT - Assignment Example It is wrong to hoard food while others are starving. And for the benefit of the whole society, the person should release the food. The utilitarianism shows that the society should pursue maximum happiness. A journalist should aim to minimize the harm caused to the people. The case of Thompson should not be reported since apart from ruining the chances of him winning, there is no other good that will accrue to the society. The SPJ principle of minimizing harm should be applied (â€Å"SPJ Code of Ethics | Society of Professional Journalists | Improving and Protecting Journalism since 1909† 1). Some decisions depend on whether we can apply the choice made universally. If a cancer patient is allowed to take away her life due to pain, what will happen if we apply this principle to all such cases? The Kant, categorical imperative principle shows that the decision will not be desirable. It will be vital for the doctor to reduce the pain but not necessarily help the patient to hasten death. In the Kohlberg’s model of moral development, I am on the stage four. I view law as an important invention and will in most cases abide by the rules and regulation. I will not be comfortable breaking the accepted social order or going against the established legitimate authority. I believe this is right since anytime, I a break a rule it disrupts the balance in the society, and there is high likelihood someone else will suffer because of my actions. Thus maintaining law and order helps the society that I live in to have harmony and

Practice in creating, justifying, and explaining a decision-making Essay

Practice in creating, justifying, and explaining a decision-making proposal. All elements involved in the creation of this proposal, from problem definition through action plan - Essay Example It is believed that external head shall also provide required motivation and energy to the staff members. The company is a small branch of a banking concern located in a sound locality with a good track record. The branch was fully functional and operated under central supervision located within the city limits. The problem associated with this branch was high level of employee attrition. It was observed that employees left within 6 months of joining at different posts. The problem was critical for the post of operations manager of the bank. The bank branch had department strength of 6 operation managers, where the highest official had at most 12 months of experience with the branch. The event was triggered by retirement of the key operations head of the bank who had been in the position for over 25 years; and by a simultaneous change of department structure within the branch, which required a larger operations team. It was found that the employees were regular at their work for initial few weeks and their work quality was high during this time. After about four weeks on an average, the employee absenteeism started to reflect and their work quality also suffered. The relationship between different members of the department and ultimate head of the department was generally cordial. It was also seen that operations staff shared happy times with other staff of the bank as well as the branch manager. The underlying rationale behind this attrition is improper induction training provided to the incumbent and the lack of proper guidance at work. This resulted in poor work quality and less rewards (Tillman & Cassone, 2012). This had also entailed lack of job satisfaction, leading to attrition from work. The problem is more acute because most of the staff has been trained by less experienced members and the department majorly lacks in terms of knowledge pertaining to functioning of the banking process. The objective of this paper is

Evolution of the Radio from 1920’s to 1940s Essay Example for Free

Evolution of the Radio from 1920’s to 1940s Essay As one of the most important means of communication, radio has undergone significant changes to better suit the needs of people from the basic up to the most sophisticated technology. It was during the 1920s when radio broadcasting has reached full scale. This development generated significant changes in the way people live their daily lives. The crystal radio of this period functioned without batteries but can only be heard with the aid of earphones. It then developed into radios electrically powered which come with loudspeakers resembling a trumpet. Detroit based WWJ radio station as well as Pittsburg’s KDKA became the pioneers of commercial broadcasts. The first regular broadcast license was issued by the federal government to Springfield’s WBZ radio station on the 15th day of September 1921. Other radio stations began to emerge around the country. It was on October 1922 when network broadcasting signaled its debut. In 1926, the NBC established the Radio Corporation of America, becoming the premier national network (Godfrey and Leigh 28). The generation of FM broadcast was discovered by Edwin H. Armstrong in 1933 (Godfrey and Leigh 30). Radio then became a versatile medium of communication. Military personnel, police, as well as airplane pilots made use of the tool for fast exchange of communication. In 1947, the transistor was developed at the Bell Telephone Laboratories. The year 1925 to the beginning of the 1950’s was considered to be the Golden Age of Broadcasting (Godfrey and Leigh 31). It was around this time when radio became a constant fixture in the American household. Work Cited Page Godfrey, Donald G. , and Frederic A. Leigh. Historical Dictionary of American Radio. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Publishing Group, 1998.

The odyssey

The odyssey Which film does a more effective job in adapting Homers The Odyssey: Ridley Scotts Gladiator or Barry Levinsons The Natural. I believe that both films do an effective job of adapting Homers epic poem. However, in my opinion, The Natural does a better job of this. The Natural achieves a more effective level than Scotts film in adapting The Odyssey because Levinsons cinematic adventure has more similarities in the characters, plot structure, and resolution. The characters in Levinsons motion picture are very similar to the characters in The Odyssey. Roy Hobbes, the main character of the movie, compares very well with Odysseus, the main character in Homers epic poem. Odysseus is a great Trojan War hero and Roy Hobbes is a great baseball player, which is similar to being a war hero because Hobbes is a hero to his baseball team in their war for the pennant. Both characters leave their home to achieve glory: Odysseus in the Trojan War and Hobbes in baseball. Odysseus leaves Ithaca, which is a small island, and Hobbes leaves his small farm. Both places are small and not vey well known. Odysseus and Hobbes both leave a woman at home with a child to take care of. However, Odysseus never met his child and Hobbes was unaware that he left his hometown girlfriend when she was pregnant with his son. Another similarity is that both of these protagonists are flawed. Odysseus dishonored the god, arguably because he has too much pride, which is hubris . Moreover, Hobbes also had too much pride. Having too much pride causes each character to go off course, literally and figuratively. Odysseus is blown of course traveling from one crazy island to the next. Whereas, Roy Hobbes gets shot, which causes him to quit baseball for a long time and travel from one job to the next. The two heroes even have similar enemies, for example Hobbes has Gus Sands who nearly kills him, and Odysseus has the Cyclops who nearly kills him; also both enemies only have one eye. Another similarity is the weapon of choice for both individuals; Odysseus has his bow, which is used to defeat the suitors after his wife, and Hobbes has Wonderboy, which is his baseball bat used to defeat opposing baseball teams. In Gladiator there is not one specific weapon that Maximus uses. Lastly, eventually both heroes return home and are humbled. Odysseus returns home to Ithaca, but as a beggar. And Hobbes returns to the farm to take care of his united family. The plot structure of the movie is also very similar to Homers epic poem. Each story begins in a small place that is not very well known. The Natural begins on a farm and The Odyssey begins on a small island called Ithaca. Another similarity is that both of the main characters leave their home to become well known. However, even though they were both great, both protagonists have too much pride, which ends up causing both of them to go off course of their goal. However, Maximus in Gladiator did not have too much pride, but he was still sent off course. Odysseuss goal was to return home, but because he did not honor the gods, the gods would not allow him to achieve his goal very easily. Hobbess goal was to set baseball records, but because of his pride he was literally shot down on his way to the top. Then both characters must put forth much more time and effort than originally planned to achieve their goal. Eventually Hobbes changes his goal to being with his family when he realizes that he left his hometown girlfriend home pregnant with his son; just like Odysseus left his new born son with his wife when he left home. In the end, both heroes wind up home and happy. The resolutions of both protagonists are also very similar. Both eventually learn their lesson. Odysseus realizes that it is wrong to think that he is greater than or equal to the gods and not all the glory should go to him. Hobbes realizes that baseball is not just about break individual records, but the game is about the glory of the team. These are similar because the baseball team is equivalent to the team of Odysseus and the gods in the Trojan War. So the victory is not solely for the glory of the individual. In conclusion, The Natural does a more effective job of adapting to The Odyssey then Gladiator does. The Natural is an effective adaptation of The Odyssey because of its similarities in characters, plot structure, and resolution. There are many striking connections between Roy Hobbes and Odysseus. Also, the plot structure and resolution of The Natural is almost identical to that of Homers epic poem The Odyssey.

Hip-Hop as a Cultural Movement Essay -- Hip-Hop Culture

Hip-Hop is a cultural movement that emerged from the dilapidated South Bronx, New York in the early 1970’s. The area’s mostly African American and Puerto Rican residents originated this uniquely American musical genre and culture that over the past four decades has developed into a global sensation impacting the formation of youth culture around the world. The South Bronx was a whirlpool of political, social, and economic upheaval in the years leading up to the inception of Hip-Hop. The early part of the 1970’s found many African American and Hispanic communities desperately seeking relief from the poverty, drug, and crime epidemics engulfing the gang dominated neighborhoods. Hip-Hop proved to be successful as both a creative outlet for expressing the struggles of life amidst the prevailing crime and violence as well as an enjoyable and cheap form of recreation. The longevity of Hip-Hop as a cultural movement can most directly be attributed to its humble roots. For multiple generations of young people, Hip-Hop has directly reflected the political, economic, and social realities of their lives. Widely regarded as the â€Å"father† of the Hip-Hop, Afrika Bambaataa named the cultural movement and defined its four fundamental elements, which consisted of disc jockeying, break dancing, graffiti art, and rapping. Dating back to its establishment Hip-Hop has always been a cultural movement. Defined by far more then just a style of music, Hip-Hop influences fashion, vernacular, philosophy, and the aesthetic sensibility of a large portion of the youth population (Homolka 2010). Despite having absolutely nothing to do with the four elements of Hip-Hop as defined by Afrika Bambaataa, the most influential person in the creati... ...olka, Petr Bc., and Jeffrey Alan Vanderziel. â€Å"Black or White: Commercial Rap Music and Authenticity.† Masaryk University Faculty of Arts, Department of English and American Studies. (2010): 7-21. Web. Jonnes, Jill. â€Å"South Bronx rising: the rise, fall, and resurrection of an American city.† New York: Fordham University Press. (1986). LaBoskey, Sara. â€Å"Getting off: Portrayals of Masculinity in Hip Hop Dance in Film.† Dance Research Journal. 33.2 (2001). 112-120. Price, Emmett III. â€Å"Hip Hop Culture†. Santa Barbara. (2006). Rhodes, Henry A. â€Å"The Evolution of Rap Music in the United States.† Yale New Haven Teachers Institute. (2003) Samuels, David. â€Å"The Rap on Rap: the Black Music that Isn’t Either.† The New Republic. (November 11, 1991). Simpson, Janice C., â€Å"Time.† â€Å"Yo! Rap Gets on the Map; Led by groups like Public Enemy.† (February 5, 1990).

Gorilla Extinct Reaserch Paper -- essays research papers

The first recorded gorilla sighting (by western civilization) was in the 5th century B.C. by a Roman Explorer. Now every day nearly hundreds of gorillas disappear because of an unnatural death. This death is nothing mysterious, but is caused by poachers that trap these gorillas and kill them simply for their hands and sometimes even their heads. Besides that even construction and agriculture take the homes away from gorillas that were especially set aside. For these reasons’ gorillas are disappearing rapidly and must be taken care of. The western lowland gorilla is listed as an endangered species. Others are Eastern lowland, and Mountain Gorilla. A population of endangered gorillas living in a national park in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has dropped fifty percent because of rebels, says the Bronx Zoo-based Wildlife Conservation Society. Around the border of Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, Kahuzi-Biega National park is now a battleground, with different rebel groups fighting in the area. Now many rebels and refugees living in the park’s borders, bamboo is harvested and used for building materials, and hunt large amounts of wildlife for food and commercial trade. Even the number of illegal snares has grown. It seems that for one reason or another people do not want to stop hunting for Apes or Gorillas. Man is gorillas only enemy. Because of the action of male gorillas protecting their groups with such determination from hunters, humans developed a folktale about the ferocity of gorillas. Gorillas’ defense of standing and chest-beating make them a perfect target. Like all tightly knit social groups, gorillas will defend their young. They defend them with their lives. Fights between gorillas rarely ever happen and are resolved through threatening gestures. If there is an intruder, the young and the female go to the safer ground. If the intruder runs away it will be caught and killed, but if it just stands there, it will not be harmed. Gorillas are generally quiet. They are not actually capable of making the same sounds as human beings. They make about 15-25 different special noises. Hooting can carry a mile through the forest and is usually exchanged between rival silverbacks. A hooting sound is used for an alarm o... ... Koko understands approximately 2,000 words of spoken English. Koko initiates the majority of conversations with her human companions and typically constructs statements averaging three to six words. Koko has a tested IQ of between 70 and 95 on a human scale, where 100 is considered "normal." Michael, the male silverback gorilla who grew up with Koko, had a working vocabulary of more than 600 signs. The way you can help keep gorillas from becoming extinct is that you can deny any gorilla parts that are being sold to you and report them to the authorities, donate money to the Gorilla Foundation at www.koko.org or to the zoo nearest you. The extinctions of these animals are in great danger. Just by simply destroying the forest, we are also destroying the habitats of smart gorillas. Because of human caused disorders and disasters, gorillas will not live for ever. Common Name Gorilla Scientific Name Gorilla Gorilla Order Primata Family Pongidae Genus Gorilla Class Mammalia Gorilla Extinct Reaserch Paper -- essays research papers The first recorded gorilla sighting (by western civilization) was in the 5th century B.C. by a Roman Explorer. Now every day nearly hundreds of gorillas disappear because of an unnatural death. This death is nothing mysterious, but is caused by poachers that trap these gorillas and kill them simply for their hands and sometimes even their heads. Besides that even construction and agriculture take the homes away from gorillas that were especially set aside. For these reasons’ gorillas are disappearing rapidly and must be taken care of. The western lowland gorilla is listed as an endangered species. Others are Eastern lowland, and Mountain Gorilla. A population of endangered gorillas living in a national park in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has dropped fifty percent because of rebels, says the Bronx Zoo-based Wildlife Conservation Society. Around the border of Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, Kahuzi-Biega National park is now a battleground, with different rebel groups fighting in the area. Now many rebels and refugees living in the park’s borders, bamboo is harvested and used for building materials, and hunt large amounts of wildlife for food and commercial trade. Even the number of illegal snares has grown. It seems that for one reason or another people do not want to stop hunting for Apes or Gorillas. Man is gorillas only enemy. Because of the action of male gorillas protecting their groups with such determination from hunters, humans developed a folktale about the ferocity of gorillas. Gorillas’ defense of standing and chest-beating make them a perfect target. Like all tightly knit social groups, gorillas will defend their young. They defend them with their lives. Fights between gorillas rarely ever happen and are resolved through threatening gestures. If there is an intruder, the young and the female go to the safer ground. If the intruder runs away it will be caught and killed, but if it just stands there, it will not be harmed. Gorillas are generally quiet. They are not actually capable of making the same sounds as human beings. They make about 15-25 different special noises. Hooting can carry a mile through the forest and is usually exchanged between rival silverbacks. A hooting sound is used for an alarm o... ... Koko understands approximately 2,000 words of spoken English. Koko initiates the majority of conversations with her human companions and typically constructs statements averaging three to six words. Koko has a tested IQ of between 70 and 95 on a human scale, where 100 is considered "normal." Michael, the male silverback gorilla who grew up with Koko, had a working vocabulary of more than 600 signs. The way you can help keep gorillas from becoming extinct is that you can deny any gorilla parts that are being sold to you and report them to the authorities, donate money to the Gorilla Foundation at www.koko.org or to the zoo nearest you. The extinctions of these animals are in great danger. Just by simply destroying the forest, we are also destroying the habitats of smart gorillas. Because of human caused disorders and disasters, gorillas will not live for ever. Common Name Gorilla Scientific Name Gorilla Gorilla Order Primata Family Pongidae Genus Gorilla Class Mammalia

How To Make A Webpage :: essays research papers

How To Make A Webpage   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For my science project I chose to create a web (internet) page, dealing with science. This project consists of using a computer and a html editor to create a page that can be found on the internet. The next paragraph will explain how to make an internet page.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The steps to making a web page to post on the internet, is very easy. Most web pages are made in a code called html, which is what I am using to make my science web page. Html is an acronym for: Hyper Text Markup Language. The html codes are very easy to use, and remember. If you want to spice up your web page, you may want to use another code called, Java. The word Java is not an acronym, it comes from its maker, ‘Sun Technologies', which is a tremendously huge company that deals with web page making and the internet. Java enables you to have those neat scrolling words at the bottom of your web browser, and the other neat moving things that you may find in web pages around the net. Another code to spice up your web page would be cgi. Cgi stands for: Common Gateway Interface, it is used to submit information on the internet. You can get a book at your local library that contains how to use html, java, and cgi. You now need to select one of the many programs that allow you to make a web page, using html, java, and cgi. Once you find this program, you may now start to enter your html, java, and cgi coordinates. After long hours of work you may now test your web page, depending on the program you are using, there is usually a button that you may press that enables you to look at the web page you have made. After revising and checking your web page, it is time to place it on the internet. To do this, you may have to contact your internet provider, and ask them if they allow their customers to place internet documents on their world wide web server. Once you have it on the net, tell all your friends about it so you can get traffic on your page, and maybe one day, you will win an award for it, and all that work

Hilti cut or Fasten? Essay

This case review was executed about a case study that was discussed in class on the operations of Hilti and its surroundings – Hilti is a global corporation based in Lichtenstein that is a market leader in drills, saws and fastening products. The analysis looks at the development of Hilti ever since it was founded, and the different strategies which have been implemented to get them to where they are now. For a company that has been very successful which is now going through a period of recession, with sales decreasing which has been caused by a global financial crisis – a question for the CEO whether to hold fast and risk an investment loss, or cut costs to reduce the impact of a drop in profits. This report will provide an idea of Hilti’s current strategies and will look at the key strategic issues both internally and externally, and in conclusion will provide recommendations for what the CEO at Hilti should do moving forward. Hilti’s Business Strategy – Current The Current Business Strategy for Hilti has been quite successful since Michael Hilti took over from his father. Michael introduced the Champion 3C’s (Customer, Competence and Concentration) strategy in order to measure performance both internally and externally and saw the importance for a focus on the customers (external) and the product ranging (internal). â€Å"Hilti has set itself the goal of being a great company. The priorities set to achieve it are growth, differentiation, productivity and employee development† (Hilti Annual Report 2008) After conducting a Porters Generic Value Chain Analysis (Appendix C) it can be seen that the HR strategy in place at Hilti is very strong and must be working well. This finding can lead to assume that this strategy allows the company successfully look after their customers needs, being able to attract the right employees into the firm who bring along a positive attitude, good values and knowledgeable expertise. Eventually this will allow them â€Å"†¦to convert distinctive competence into competitive advantage† (Andrews, 1987). Hilti is known for utilising the most innovative technology and makes this a key focus during its R&D phase on emerging particular products. This helps Hilti to meet the company’s value proposition when the 2 pillars of ‘Customers’ and ‘Competence are also met (See Appendix 2). Looking at the analysis from Appendix 2 – It is highlighted that there are a number of resources that the company can influence to strive a competitive advantage. The value is added to the firm by aligning its strong value proposition with its strategy Strategic Issues (Internal/External Analysis) Unfortunately Hilti is currently challenged with a few strategic issues as the company is confronted with the current economic downslide. To identify the strategic issues both internal and external analysis was conducted by using the Business system tool (De Wit & Meyer 2010) which breaks down the resources and capabilities, activity system and their product offering (Appendix 1); Barneys VRIE model was used to assess the value, rareness, imitability and exploitation of key resources/capabilities (Barney 1995), Porters Five Forces model (Porter, 1985) was used to view the competitive environment and lastly a value chain analysis was conducted by means of Porters Generic Value Chain Analysis (Porter, 1985). Looking at the VRIE model (Value, Rareness, Inimitability & Exploitable) shown in Appendix 2 – although there are many resources and capabilities that Hilti does capture well for a competitive advantage, however when a closer look is taken you are able to see that there are many resources and capabilities which can be easily copied by a similar firm within the industry which leads to suggest that Hilti may possibly be able to be more competitive in its strategy. The findings from the VRIE are reinforced from Porters Supply Chain Analysis and the Business System Tool Model; as Hilti has built long-lasting customer relationships from being within the industry over a long period of time. From Porters Five Forces analysis in Appendix 3, it is evident that Hiltis’ surrounding environment is ever-evolving and fast moving and to stay and remain competitive in this field Hilti must keep up and with its research and product development to keep improving with innovation and technology. By staying ahead, continuously evaluating and improving Hitli can outperform competitors within the industry. Hilti is confronted with the following issues: Without a stable economy the value created may not be as effective within the industry – See Appendix 1) because if consumers don’t have the financial capacity to spend, then value to the consumer may change. Hilti must keep up or ahead with the innovation and technology that competitors are using within the industry – by looking at a sales approach from a social media sense, moving into E-business and shop-in-shop) as the current direct sales method is becoming out-dated. Hilti must look at aligning its Internal and external strategies as the economic crisis caused a decline in sales because customers were not confident to spend during this period (external), for this reason Hilti must work on improving its internal strategies such as HR, R&D, Sales etc Strategic Options and Recommendations The misfit gap between Hilti’s internal and external strategies increases over time and this gap needs to be reduced. For this to occur, Hilti must go through a process of strategic renewal. The below chart illustrates how strategic drift increases over a period of time, and only when strategic renewal strategies are implemented can this gap be decreased. Strategic Renewal Process De Wit & Meyer, 2010 Due to the changing nature and constant fluctuations within the strategic drift, regular strategies must be implemented to minimise the size of this gap. The Strategic integration Model (Fuchs et al, 2000) states the desire to make sure that all strategies complement each other. Many internal and external factors affect the strategic drift, such as competitors. These factors require Hilti to utilise and capitalise on techniques which are evolutionary, else the decline or delayed absence will be detrimental. After reviewing the above analysis the following recommendations are made; New innovative networks with the introduction of E-Business sector to make sure the sales strategy is getting out to as many potential customers as possible Authorise management to be able to make small changes immediately (revolutionary) – this will in order to keep costs down and increase profits Keep evolutionary changes to a low when it comes to the activity system to maintain the key attributes Keep employee levels at where they are now – disrupting this will affect the morale. The idea is to maintain a positive work culture and relaxed environment. The HR strategy should change to make sure no additional people are hired, instead the attention should be on growing and improving the current employees – this is to set the company up, so when the market recovers the company is in a better position. If these above recommendations are applied – Hilti can increase its competitive advantage and in turn alleviate the effects of the current Global Financial Crises. This will set Hilti up so eventually when the market does recover, the company will be stable and ready. Appendix 1: Business System Model Appendix 2: VRIE – Value, Rareness, Imitability & Exploitable Appendix 3: Porters 5 Forces Analysis Source: Porters 5 Forces: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMC_08.html Appendix 4: Value Chain Analysis The Generic Value Chain (Porter, 1985), (De Wit & Meyer, 2010) Primary Activities Support Activities Hilti Annual Report 2008, De Wit & Meyer 2010. Reference List Andrews, K, 1987, The Concept of Corporate Strategy, McGraw Hill, Chapter 2. Barney, JB, (1995), Looking inside for competitive advantage, Academy of Management Executive, 9 (4), 49-61. De Wit, B. & Meyer, R.J.H. (2004), Strategy – Process, Content and Context: An International Perspective, 3rd edition, London: Thomson De Wit, B. & Meyer, R.J.H. (2010), Strategy – Process, Content and Context: An International Perspective, 4th edition, London: Thomson Fuchs, P., Mifflin, K., Miller, D. & Whitney, J. (2000). Strategic integration: competing in the age of capabilities. California Management Review, 42 (3), pp.118-147 Hilti Annual Report 2008 – Viewed online 30th July 2013 http://www.hilti.com/fstore/holcom/LinkFiles/Unternehmensbericht_2008_en.pdf Porter, ME (1985), Competitive advantage: creating and sustaining superior performance, Free Press, New York Porter Five Forces model – Viewed online 31st July 2013 http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMC_08.html

The phenomenon of bipolar affective disorder

The phenomenon of bipolar affective disorder has been a mystery since the 16th Century. History has shown that this affliction can appear in almost anyone. Even the Great painter Vincent Van Gogh is believed to have had bipolar disorder. It is clear that in our society many people live with bipolar disorder; however, despite the abundance of people suffering from it, we are still waiting for definite explanations for the causes and cure. The one fact of which we are painfully aware is that bipolar disorder severely undermines its† victims ability to obtain and maintain social and occupational success. Because bipolar disorder has such debilitating symptoms, it is imperative that we remain vigilant in the quest for explanations of its causes and treatment. Affective disorders are characterized by a smorgasbord of symptoms that can be broken into manic and depressive episodes. The depressive episodes are characterized by intense feelings of sadness and despair that can become feelings of hopelessness and helplessness. Some of the symptoms of a depressive episode include anaerobia, disturbances in sleep and appetite, psychomotor retardation, loss of energy, feelings of worthlessness, guilt, ifficulty thinking, indecision, and recurrent thoughts of death and suicide (Hollandsworth, Jr. 1990 ). The manic episodes are characterized by elevated or irritable mood, increased energy, decreased need for sleep, poor judgment and insight, and often reckless or irresponsible behavior (Hollandsworth, Jr. 1990). Bipolar affective disorder affects approximately one percent of the population (approximately three million people) in the United States. It is presented by both males and females. Bipolar disorder involves episodes of mania and depression. These episodes may alternate with profound epressions characterized by a pervasive sadness, almost inability to move, hopelessness, and disturbances in appetite, sleep, in concentrations and driving. Bipolar disorder is diagnosed if an episode of mania occurs whether depression has been diagnosed or not (Leiby,1988). Most commonly, individuals with manic episodes experience a period of depression. Symptoms include elated, expansive, or irritable mood, hyperactivity, pressure of speech, flight of ideas, inflated self-esteem, decreased need for sleep, distractibility, and excessive involvement in reckless activities (Hollandsworth, Jr. 1990). Rarest symptoms were periods of loss of all interest and retardation or agitation (Gurman, 1991). As the National Depressive and Manic Depressive Association (MDMDA) have demonstrated, bipolar disorder can create substantial developmental delays, marital and family disruptions, occupational setbacks, and financial disasters. This devastating disease causes disruptions of families, loss of jobs and millions of dollars in cost to society. Many times bipolar patients report that the depressions are longer and increase in frequency as the individual ages. Many times bipolar states and psychotic states are isdiagnosed as schizophrenia. Speech patterns help distinguish between the two disorders (Turner,1989). The onset of Bipolar disorder usually occurs between the ages of 20 and 30 years of age, with a second peak in the mid-forties for women. A typical bipolar patient may experience eight to ten episodes in their lifetime. However, those who have rapid cycling may experience more episodes of mania and depression that succeed each other without a period of remission (DSM III-R). The three stages of mania begin with hypo mania, in which patients report that they are energetic, extroverted and ssertive (Hirschfeld, 1995). The hypomania state has led observers to feel that bipolar patients are â€Å"addicted† to their mania. Hypo mania progresses into mania and the transition is marked by loss of judgment (Hirschfeld, 1995). Often, euphoric grandiose characteristics are displayed, and paranoid or irritable characteristics begin to manifest. The third stage of mania is evident when the patient experiences delusions with often- paranoid themes. Speech is generally rapid and hyperactive behavior manifests sometimes associated with violence (Hirschfeld, 1995). When both manic and depressive ymptoms occur at the same time it is called a mixed episode. Those afflicted are a special risk because there is a combination of hopelessness, agitation, and anxiety that makes them feel like they â€Å"could jump out of their skin†(Hirschfeld, 1995). Up to 50% of all patients with mania have a variety of depressed moods. Patients report feeling dysphonic, depressed, and unhappy; yet, they exhibit the energy associated with mania. Rapid cycling mania is another presentation of bipolar disorder. Mania may be present with four or more distinct episodes within a 12-month period. There is now evidence to uggest that sometimes rapid cycling may be a transient manifestation of the bipolar disorder. This form of the disease exhibits more episodes of mania and depression than bipolar. Lithium has been the primary treatment of bipolar disorder since its introduction in the 1960's. It is main function is to stabilize the cycling characteristic of bipolar disorder. In four controlled studies by F. K. Goodwin and K. R. Jamison, the overall response rate for bipolar subjects treated with Lithium was 78% (Turner,1998). Lithium is also the primary drug used for long- term maintenance of bipolar disorder. In a majority of bipolar patients, it lessens the duration, frequency, and severity of the episodes of both mania and depression. Unfortunately, as many as 40% of bipolar patients are either unresponsive to lithium or cannot tolerate the side effects. Some of the side effects include thirst, weight gain, nausea, diarrhea, and edema. Patients who are unresponsive to lithium treatment are often those who experience dysphonic mania, mixed states, or rapid cycling bipolar disorder. One of the problems associated with lithium is the fact the long-term lithium treatment has been associated with decreased hyroid functioning in patients with bipolar disorder. Preliminary evidence also suggest that hypothyroidism may actually lead to rapid-cycling (Gurman,1991). Pregnant women experience another problem associated with the use of lithium. Its use during pregnancy has been associated with birth defects, particularly Ebstein's anomaly. Based on current data, the risk of a child with Ebstein's anomaly being born to a mother who took lithium during her first trimester of pregnancy is approximately 1 in 8,000, or 2. 5 times that of the general population (Leiby,1988). There are other effective treatments for bipolar disorder that are used in cases where the patients cannot tolerate lithium, or have been unresponsive to it in the past. The American Psychiatric Association's guidelines suggest the next line of treatment to be Anticonvulsant drugs such as valproate and carbamazepine. These drugs are useful as antimanic agents, especially in those patients with mixed states. Both of these medications can be used in combination with lithium or in combination with each other. Valproate is especially helpful for patients who are ithium noncompliant, experience rapid-cycling, or have comorbid alcohol or drug abuse. Neuroleptics such as haloperidol or chlorpromazine have also been used to help stabilize manic patients who are highly agitated or psychotic. Use of these drugs is often necessary because the response to them are rapid, but there are risks involved in their use. Because of the often severe side effects, Benzodiazepines are often used in their place. Benzodiazepines can achieve the same results as Neuroleptics for most patients in terms of rapid control of agitation and excitement, without the severe side effects. Antidepressants such as the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI†s) fluovamine and amitriptyline has also been used by some doctors as treatment for bipolar disorder. A double-blind study by M. Gasperini, F. Gatti, L. Bellini, R. Anniverno, and E. Smeraldi showed that fluvoxamine and amitriptyline are highly effective treatments for bipolar patients experiencing depressive episodes (Leiby,1988). This study is controversial however, because conflicting research shows that SSRI†s and other antidepressants can actually precipitate manic episodes. Most doctors can see the usefulness of ntidepressants when used in conjunction with mood stabilizing medications such as lithium. In addition to the mentioned medical treatments of bipolar disorder, there are several other options available to bipolar patients, most of which are used in conjunction with medicine. One such treatment is light therapy. One study compared the response to light therapy of bipolar patients with that of unipolar patients. Patients were free of psychotropic and hypnotic medications for at least one month before treatment. Bipolar patients in this study showed an average of 90. 3% improvement in their depressive ymptoms, with no incidence of mania or hypomania. They all continued to use light therapy, and all showed a sustained positive response at a three month follow-up (Turner,1998). Another study involved a four week treatment of bright morning light treatment for patients with seasonal affective disorder and bipolar patients. This study found a statistically significant decrement in depressive symptoms, with the maximum antidepressant effect of light not being reached until week four (Hollandsworth, Jr. 1990). Hypomanic symptoms were experienced by 36% of bipolar patients in this study. Predominant hypo manic symptoms included racing thoughts, deceased sleep and irritability. Surprisingly, one-third of controls also developed symptoms such as those mentioned above. Regardless of the explanation of the emergence of hypo manic symptoms in undiagnosed controls, it is evident from this study that light treatment may be associated with the observed symptoms. Based on the results, careful professional monitoring during light treatment is necessary, even for those without a history of major mood disorders. Another popular treatment for bipolar disorder is electro-convulsive hock therapy. ECT is the preferred treatment for severely manic pregnant patients and patients who are homicidal, psychotic, catatonic, medically compromised, or severely suicidal. In one study, researchers found marked improvement in 78% of patients treated with ECT, compared to 62% of patients treated only with lithium and 37% of patients who received neither, ECT or lithium (Gurman,1991). A final type of therapy is outpatient group psychotherapy. According to Dr. John Graves, spokesperson for the National Depressive and Manic Depressive Association has called attention to the value f support groups, and challenged mental health professionals to take a more serious look at group therapy for the bipolar population. Research shows that group participation may help increase lithium compliance, decrease denial regarding the illness, and increase awareness of both external and internal stress factors leading to manic and depressive episodes. Group therapy for patients with bipolar disorders responds to the need for support and reinforcement of medication management, and the need for education and support for the interpersonal difficulties that arise during the course of the disorder.

Is there enough evidence to prove why Celts settled down in Hambledon hill? Essay

Today, Hambledon Hill is one of Dorset’s most impressive and distinctive landmarks. Now, it is home to a few grazing cows, but in the past it has been the home of many people. Some of the most well-known inhabitants of the hill in the past were the Celts of Dorset’s Durotrige tribe, during the Iron Age. There are many reasons why these people choose to settle on Hambledon, and this essay aims to examine why Hambledon was chosen. Before deciding why the Celts chose Hambledon as the location for a settlement, we need to look at who they are, and therefore what they would need from a settlement. As the Celts did not often record things in writing, the evidence that modern historians have is derived from two sources. The first of these are writings by their invaders, the Romans, and the second is archaeological evidence. The people that this essay is studying lived on the hill from circa 750BC to the Roman occupation of 43AD. They were the first farmers, growing their own crops, and rearing their own animals, so therefore flat and fertile land would be an essential requirement of a fort. Archaeological artefacts such as ploughs and other farming machinery found across Europe show that the Celts were farmers, and gives a helpful insight into the crops grown, and methods of farming. The Celts kept many animals such as cattle and sheep for produce such as wool, leather, milk and meat, and horses were certainly kept for transport and working in agriculture. The Celts also grew forms of barley, wheat and rye. Another essential aspect of the fort would be defence. An invading Roman Soldier described the Celts in Dorset as ‘a sturdy people, fierce and warlike’. If they were ‘warlike’ they were likely to start wars and a fort that was easy to defend would be an distinct advantage over the enemies. Archaeological evidence shows that the Celts had basic forms of money, which they used to trade with other tribes, so being geographically close other tribes was an advantage for a settlement. So, having examined what the Celts would require from a settlement, the task is to investigate the properties of Hambledon Hill and it’s ability to provide the required site for a settlement. Initially, the most obvious aspect of Hambledon Hill is evident in its name; ‘Hill’. This would have been an important reason why the Celts chose to inhabit the vicinity, due to the obvious defensive advantages of high ground. Defence was definitely an important advantage, as during the Neolithic period, the Roman Armies were rampaging across Europe and Northern Africa, so the Celts needed to be able to defend themselves. In addition to this threat, the Durotriges may have required defence from other parts of the Celtic society, such as the Belgae from the east, and Dumnonii from the west. The Celts significantly added to the defences, building huge ramparts and ditches Another important aspect in discovering why the Durotriges settled on Hambledon Hill is found in the ground. The hill and surrounding countryside are covered in green grass, showing an abundance of fertile and well irrigated soil, and the land around the fort is also very flat. This meant that the Celts would be able to provide for most their dietary needs near the fort; there was no need to transport food over large distances, and it was not essential to trade for food with other tribes, so a blockage of food supply roots was unlikely to be instantly devastating to the population of the fort. Another advantage is that the soil was relatively easy to dig. As the above image shows, the Celts constructed ramparts around the summit of the fort, to aid the defence. If the hill was made of another material, it would probably not have been possible to dig the comprehensive rampart system. In the present age, the fort is a surrounded by a small amount of woodland. When the Celts settled, the hill was surrounded by woodland, and this would have been another important factor in choosing the site for a settlement. The woodland meant many things to the people; it gave them wood for building their homes and fuelling fires, it would have given then somewhere to hunt, and there also may have been a spiritual aspect. Much archaeological evidence shows that the Celts believed that some types of trees were special or sacred in some way, especially the oak. Many of the Celtic religious festivals involved the worship of trees, and the word ‘druid’ is believed to have originated from the Celtic from ‘knowledge of the oak’. Although the Neolithic inhabitants of Hambledon Hill are probably the most well known, the hill had been a home to many peoples for generations before. Archaeological evidence shows that people chose to live on the hill during the Palaeolithic and Neolithic eras, probably due to many of same factors that drew in the Iron Age people. The fortifications highlighted in red on the diagram show the Northern section of the fort, which was inhabited by the Neolithic people. The earlier inhabitancy of the hill may have been an influence on the decision to settle there for many reasons. The first of these is that the Neolithics had already had a settlement on the hill, so the basic infrastructure previously existed – pathways, houses and ramparts were all in existence, so less work was required on Hambledon than if a new site had been chosen. There may have been another element in the decision to settle; the people may have wanted to live where their ancestors did, possibly to live near the remains of their ancestors and probably to share the same holy site. Allowing previously religious sites to fall into disuse and disrepair would probably have been regarded as a form of sacrilege, so the Iron Age Celts may have thought that living near the sites would please their ancestors. A further reason that the Celts would have chosen to settle on Hambledon Hill is it’s close proximity to other forts, such as Hod Hill, and the other settlements shown on the map above. This would be important for defensive and economic reasons. People could be moved from one fort to aid the defence of the other, and if one fort was captured, survivors could escape to the undefeated one. Economically, having so many forts in close proximity to each other meant that trading between them could happen easily. Being close to other forts also helped to prevent inbreeding with the inhabitants of a single fort, resulting in an overall healthier and more resistant population. Another advantage with the geographical location is the proximity to the coast. Although the Hill could not be described as ‘coastal’ it is within travelling distance of the coast, so goods could be brought in from overseas. To conclude, as with any decision to settle, the choice of Hambledon Hill was affected by many things. The strong defensive position was essential, and the presence of woodland, water and flat, fertile land was also vital. The previous inhabitancy of the site would have been an indication that it was an advantageous place to reside in, and the proximity to other forts was also very important. Sources School provided source http://www.Roman-Britain.org The Celts by Robin Place Peoples of the past series: Macdonald Invaded Islands by RJ Unstead

Reading and Students with Mental Retardation

Reading proficiency is considered a top priority in education, and a skill with myriad implications for learning and achievement in other areas. Yet in the past, literacy rarely has been emphasized for students with mental retardation. With interventions that recognize the importance of literacy for all students, students with mental retardation can build reading skills that can lead to new interests, increased competencies, and greater independence. Understanding the characteristics of students with mental retardation is an important step toward the development of effective instruction and appropriate assessment. This paper is intended to begin a discussion of the issues surrounding reading and students with mental retardation; it is not intended to be a comprehensive research review. The paper provides: (1) an overview of the characteristics of students with mental retardation, (2) a description of common approaches to reading instruction, and (3) assessment approaches and issues that surround the assessment of reading for students with mental retardation. The paper is one of several brief papers developed to contribute to the process of conducting research and developing accessible reading assessments for students with disabilities. Creating accessible reading assessments based on accepted definitions of reading and proficiencies of reading requires knowledge of the issues specific to each disability and how they affect reading and the assessment of reading. The information in these papers was obtained through a broad review of literature and Web sites of national agencies and organizations, along with input and feedback from professionals in the disability areas. Each paper is intended as a first step to facilitate discussions that include individuals who do not know the disability, in this case mental retardation, and those who may know the disability but have not considered the interaction of the disability with reading or the assessment of reading through statewide testing. Students with Mental Retardation More than 600,000 students 6-21 years of age in the United States received special education services for mental retardation during the 2000-2001 school year, comprising about 11% of all students with disabilities in U. S. schools (U. S. Department of Education, 2002). The causes of mental retardation in children vary widely, including fetal alcohol syndrome, genetic disorders like Down syndrome and fragile X syndrome, environmental factors like lead poisoning, or diseases such as meningitis. The American Association on Mental Retardation (2002) defines mental retardation as a â€Å"disability characterized by significant limitations bo th in intellectual functioning and in adaptive behavior as expressed in conceptual, social, and practical adaptive skills. For many years students with mental retardation were identified solely using intelligence testing. IQ levels among students labeled as mentally retarded can vary from 20-25 (profound mental retardation) to 50-75 (mild mental retardation); according to the DSM-IV-TR (American Psychiatric Association, 2000), 85 percent of individuals with mental retardation have mild mental retardation. It has been estimated that 28,056 K-12 English language learners (ELLs) received special education services for mental retardation in 2001-2002. Thus, approximately 7. % of school-age ELLs with disabilities were identified with mental retardation (Zehler, Fleischman, Hopstock, Pendzick, & Stephenson, 2003). The challenge of learning English and having a disability adds another level of complexity to learning to read and demonstrate reading achievement (Mueller & Markowitz, 2004). Similar to other special education categories, but perhaps more unexpectedly, the criteria for students to be eligible for th e mental retardation label varies from state to state (Beirne-Smith, Ittenbach, & Patton, 1998). The Twenty-Fourth Annual Report to Congress on the Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) reported that poor students were 1. 5 times more likely to be referred to special education; it noted significantly lower cognitive development and lower achievement among this population than among non-poor students. The report speculated on causes from lead poisoning to parent education level, but some advocates have argued that poor students, and particularly poor minority students, have been over-identified in the mild mental retardation category and misplaced in special education classrooms (Losen, 2002). The term â€Å"mental retardation† is widely used and coded into federal law, but the term remains the subject of considerable controversy. Some advocacy groups and professional associations argue that the negative stigma of the term mental retardation could be avoided by using less loaded language. The ARC of the United States, one of the country's largest advocacy organizations for people with mental retardation, eschews the term mental retardation in its mission statement (The ARC, 2004) in favor of â€Å"cognitive, intellectual, and developmental disabilities. In 2004, Special Olympics updated its terminology from â€Å"mental retardation† to â€Å"intellectual disabilities† (see the Language Guide under â€Å"About Us,† then â€Å"Information about Intellectual Disabilities† at www. specialolympics. org). In this paper we use the term â€Å"mental retardation† as a legal term defined by IDEA, while cognizant of this significant shift in terminology. Characteristics of students with mental retardation vary widely. Students with mental retardation may have difficulty with expressive language, poor short-term memory, low level meta-cognition skills, and poor use of logic and organization. Some students who are labeled as mentally retarded also have motor difficulties that can affect their handwriting or their ability to hold reading material steadily (Rizopoulos & Wolpert, 2004). Students with mental retardation, like all students, demonstrate wide variation in strengths, weaknesses, interests, and motivation, all of which should be reflected in each student's Individualized Education Program (IEP). Traditionally, special educators have de-emphasized literacy, particularly for students with moderate to severe mental retardation, in favor of functional, social, or motor skills (Kliewer & Biklen, 2001). Many people with mental retardation read below their projected capabilities, and both general and special education teacher education textbooks are marked by a scarcity of information on academic characteristics, assessment procedures, and instruction in literacy for students with mental retardation. Only recently have educators begun to recognize the value of reading and writing skills for all students, including those with severe mental retardation (Katims, 2000). Since school systems have begun to include students with moderate to severe mental retardation in assessments (IDEA, 1997, 2004) and accountability (NCLB, 2001), and thus also included in more academic instruction, these students have been achieving at much higher and more complex levels than researchers, practitioners, and even advocates expected (see Moore-Lamminen & Olsen, 2005). This powerful evidence has forced educational professionals to revisit long-held assumptions about the benefits of academic instruction for all children, and is generating provocative reading research on new, rigorous approaches to reading instruction for students with mental retardation (e. g. , Reading, Writing, Math, and Science for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities, Diane Browder, PI). Instruction for Students with Mental Retardation The focus in education for students with mental retardation has shifted from an emphasis on providing services related to placement, such as disability specific classrooms or special schools, to providing individualized supports to help every student access the general curriculum in an inclusive classroom setting. American Association on Mental Retardation (AAMR), a lead advocate of the â€Å"supports model,† emphasized in its 2002 definition of mental retardation that the effects of mental retardation can be ameliorated with personalized supports. This shift in thinking correlates with an increased emphasis on inclusionary and mainstream education for students with mental retardation, giving these students access to a challenging and interesting general curriculum and an integrated social environment. IDEA 1997 emphasized that students with disabilities must have access to the same challenging content taught to all students; this was reiterated and strengthened in IDEA 2004. Many special education researchers and advocates argue that holding students with disabilities, including mental retardation, to the same high expectations as all students will improve learning and educational outcomes for these students (McGrew & Evans, 2004). Approaches to teaching reading to students with mental retardation fall broadly into two categories. One broad category is the traditional or direct instruction approach, which teaches reading as distinct subsets of skills such as phonics and sight word recognition (Rizopoulos & Wolpert, 2004). The traditional approach is based on a behaviorist model, emphasizing drill and practice of a linear set of literacy skills. The second approach is a progressive, holistic approach that teaches comprehension and critical thinking along with phonological awareness, decoding, vocabulary, and reading for enjoyment (Katims, 2000). Each of these approaches has had support with some students with mental retardation and for various purposes (Browder & Xin, 1998; Cunningham, 1999; Driscoll & Kemp, 1996; Hendricks, Katims, & Carr, 1999; Joseph & McCachran, 2003; Katims, 2000; Moni & Jobling, 2000). Assistive technology and technology increasingly have become important supports for reading-related instruction and reading for students with mental retardation. For example, Erickson and Koppenhaver (1995) found that computer and light technology can give students with severe mental retardation the supports they need to build communication skills. Continued interest in the literacy outcomes of students with mental retardation and supporting research has blossomed in the past few years, and is most likely to be a productive area for the reading futures of students with mental retardation (Beukelman & Mirenda, 2005; Erickson, Clendon, Abraham, Roy, & Van de Karr, 2005; Sturm, Erickson, & Yoder, 2003). In their review of literacy approaches for adolescents with developmental delays, Rizopoulos and Wolpert (2004) suggested that both traditional and progressive approaches to literacy instruction can be appropriate for certain students. Recent research by Diane Browder looks closely at the assumption that students with the most severe mental retardation benefit only from functional approaches to literacy. Browder and Algozzine argue more research is needed to understand how students with severe mental retardation might benefit from explicit instruction in decoding and comprehension skills (Browder & Algozzine, draft). Assessment of Students with Mental Retardation Most students with mental retardation participate in the same large-scale reading assessments as all students. While not all students with mental retardation will require supports or accommodations on large-scale assessments, these students have access to the same accommodations that other students with disabilities receive. Whether a student will require extra time on tests, large print, read-aloud directions, alternative setting accommodations, or other supports to demonstrate maximum proficiency depends on the individual strengths and weaknesses of each student. The most common accommodations used for students with mental retardation include breaking tasks into smaller steps, providing read aloud directions or questions, and visual cues (such as arrows, stickers, or stop signs, highlighting of key words or verbs, or supplementing text with pictures). Other accommodations range from encouraging students to stay on task and oral directions accompanied by written directions, to noise buffers and adaptive furniture (Clapper, Morse, Lazarus, Thompson, & Thurlow, 2005). Some students with the most significant cognitive disabilities who are unable to participate in large-scale assessments even with accommodations are eligible to take alternate assessments. All alternate assessments are aligned to grade-level academic content standards, but they can be based on either grade level achievement standards or alternate achievement standards. The students who may participate in alternate assessments on grade level achievement standards may need accommodations not available on general assessments or need different formats or contexts to demonstrate grade-level proficiency (National Center on Educational Outcomes Web site, 2005). Students with the most significant cognitive disabilities can demonstrate proficiency on an alternate achievement standard. Alternate assessments should promote access to the general curriculum and reflect professional judgment of the highest achievement standard possible for each individual student. Summary The intent of this brief paper is to highlight issues surrounding reading and students with mental retardation. While not a comprehensive review, it is intended to give enough of a sense of the characteristics of the students, general instructional approaches used with them, and assessment approaches and issues to generate discussion about the possible ways in which more accessible assessments can be designed for those students who are proficient readers given their diagnosis of mental retardation. This paper is part of the background for research on accessible reading assessments conducted by the Partnership for Accessible Reading Assessments, and for discussions among collaborators on the National Accessible Reading Assessment Projects (NARAP).

Warner Bros Values in the Production Setting Term Paper

Warner Bros Values in the Production Setting - Term Paper Example Warner Bros had been engaged in production and focused on a mentioned theme that upheld the production motive. The trend had to be set in Hollywood to predict the efforts applied by variable production companies. Crime and survival measures had been the strategies applied in Warner Bros and the developed gangster film proved the specialized theme applied. The production focused on self-styled, which are referred to as blue-collar champions who had the message to pass during the period marred with depression in society. The upright means to acquire wealth had failed and left the solution to be in crime, which had been the norm during the period (Jowett, 1988). The movie had been the reflection of the actual events depicted within the society that had made the headlines in the newspapers. Tom had grown to find crime as the best solution when he joined the gangsters at a young age. The thieves had taught him the value presented in the easier articulation of wealth that had been used to progress in the unjust society. He grows up to pick the vice as the chief leader in the gang to acquire his riches through unlawful methods that had been the setback to progress. The movie had been set in a growing city where criminal activities thrived in the darkness as the sole platform for presenting criminal behavior (Leff & Jerrold, 1988). Hollywood had delivered the need to present specialization in movie production to regulate the costs used in completing the production of a movie. Warner Bros values in the production setting revealed the struggle of the majority in articulating survival measures within society. The movie industry has been advanced to predict the social events that reflect the behavior of the individuals within the society. The norm presented has led to the estab lishment of guidelines to be met to complete the existence on a stable platform. Movie production has reflected the behavior of humanity and set the lifestyle that has been recorded to promise the majority of the benefits towards sustenance of the available entities.