Change is a consistent issue for the modern organisation. Discuss the Essay

Change is a consistent issue for the modern organisation. Discuss the various ways in which the employee may offer effective resistance to this change - Essay Example Because both of these forces, inertia and change forces, are necessary and inevitable, both forces are intrinsic to change management equations and need to be managed well. The paper examines the roles that collective resistance, the resistance of key employees in influential positions, and disparate resistance, apathy and cynicism among employees play in successful efforts to thwart and resist organizational change. The paper examines the literature and finds that those factors or forces do make up the very ways that employees are able to resist external pressures to change with much success (Hodgkinson 1999; Singh and Dixit 2011; Visser 2011; Brown and Cregan 2008; Godin 2001; Hannan and Freeman 1984; March 1981; Judge 2001; Taylor 2013; March 1981). The paper aims to discuss the ways that employees may effectively resist change in modern organizations, as detailed in the academic literature. The paper looks at the academic literature to gain a broad perspective of the nature of change in general, and of the way change is inherent in the very nature of organizations of all kinds and of the environments in which those organizations operate. In essence because change is an inherent aspect of life, it is true too that change is an inherent aspect of organizations and the environments that organizations move in. The same holds for the various stakeholders of those organizations, with employees being one of the most vital stakeholder groups in organizations. The paper also looks at the psychology of organizational change and of inertia on the part of organizations and its employees, and why that inertia leads to employees resisting change. Along the way the paper traces the roots of that inertia to natural processes that enshrine est ablished ways of doing, via processes, groups, and practices that become embedded in the standard way of doing things in organizations, because those

French and Indian War Brief Essay Example for Free

French and Indian War Brief Essay Major Players in the French and Indian War The French and Indian War was primarily England and the American colonies against the French and various Native American tribes in America. As France expanded its colonies along the Ohio River, and Britain ventured further into the mountains and discovered them, it was inevitable that there would be competition, tension and eventually war between the two colonies. This war has come to be known as the French and Indian war, but it has various other names such as ‘The Seven Year War’ or ‘The War of British Conquest’. The war escalated into a world war in 1760 when France and Britain declared war on each other. It was sparked in America, not Europe, but Great Britain spent a lot of money in helping to fight the war and support to their colonies in America and the colonies participated fully in the war. Main reasons for the French and Indian War Britain and France had long been in a competition for territory in North America. The rich land west and north-west of the Appalachians was in top demand, for it was filled with waterways, fisheries, abundant game and beaver runs. Tensions grew until France and Britain finally declared war on each other for the region in 1756. In the first year, the British were defeated numerous times by the French and their allies, the Native Americans. This is when British Prime Minister William Pitt lent a hand to help out with the war, and funded an expanded war effort which involved shipping 10,000 soldiers overseas. He could see that there was potential of imperial expansion if France were defeated and borrowed substantial amounts of money to contribute. From then on, France’s attempts started to fail. By 1760 they were expelled from Canada, and their all allies in Europe were defeated or made separate peace with Prussia. The War comes to an end The French and Indian War was a great British victory. It ended with the signing of the Treaty of Paris and also the Treaty of Hubertsburg in February 1763. In the Treaty of Paris, France lost east-Canada and gave Louisiana to Spain. Britain received Spanish Florida, Upper Canada and other French holdings overseas. The British were very pleased with the treaty, as they no longer had to worry about French attacks as much as they previously did. Also, the extra land meant more room for discovery and settlement, although there were still natives all through the land. Contribution the beginning of the American Revolution Fifteen years after the war, the bitterness the French felt after the loss of their colonial empire influenced their input in the American Revolution.

picturing society :: essays research papers

In the article, Family Photograph Appreciation, Richard Chalfen discusses a teenage view of the relation between family snapshots and home videos. He first explains the value of personal photos using an example of natural or humanly coerced disasters and the mourning of visual traces of the past, or in other words, photographs. Family photographs are a very important aspect of peoples lives and without them we may never remember our past. By looking at snapshots, slides, home movies, etc, we stimulate our memory of important dates and events. He asks many questions about memory and video verses photography which will be discussed with teens he has interviewed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Chalfen has structured an exploratory project that asked a small sample of thirty teenagers, living in the Cambridge/Boston areas of Massachusetts to evaluate the relative merits of using still photography and/or videography as a preferred medium of family photography. (Richard Chalfen) He conducted the interviews with two teens at a time while having a meal in a small restaurant. He was interested in their opinions on comparing photography and videography, which came out to be very interesting.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The teens explained to him about the effects of video tapes and how they were a way of â€Å"being there† all over again. Some of them felt it was more realistic than flipping through a picture album. Here we will introduce a few more of the theories made by teens during their interviews. Videotapes seem to supply the viewer with more information and makes it easy to remember. You get sound and movement to enhance the overall effect which brings you to see the whole experience. In many interviews the teens did not feel that videos were the best way to go. By looking at photographs it set off a whole lot of memories, not just what happened play by play like a home video. By looking at photographs you can use your imagination and over the years the stories from one picture will grow and change. You don’t have to think when you watch videos but by looking at photographs you search your memory for the details. One girl explained that she can look at photos over and over but watching a video will get boring after a few times. Perhaps we can conclude from this that there is a higher liking of still photographs over videography by most teens. They seem to be willing to put some work into collecting this important information.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To explain the difference, Chalfen discusses some examples, such as the two acting as memory aids in their own significant way.

How are The Characters Presented at the start of A View From The Bridge Essay

The play opens with the introduction of Alfieri. He is shown to have the role of a chorus: a bridging character between the audience and the characters. The chorus tends to exist almost outside the play, as they know the outcome of the play, and is rarely part of the main action; their purpose in a play is to address the audience and help them to interpret action and they are a common feature in tragedy. The significance of Alfieri is that he alludes to the title and is the one giving us the â€Å"View From the Bridge†. Alfieri is described as being a â€Å"portly lawyer in his fifties†. Since he is a lawyer it is safe to assume that he is somewhat wealthy, as shown by the fact that he is portly, however it also hints towards the outcome of the play. As stated by Alfieri â€Å"to see a lawyer †¦ is unlucky. We’re only thought of in connection with disasters† foreshadowing the future events of the play. This idea is furthered when Alfieri says that he was â€Å"powerless to stop it (Eddie’s tale)†. The word powerless implies that the events Alfieri is describing are fated to happen and are inevitable, another trope of tragedy. Additionally Alfieri states that many people were â€Å"justly shot by unjust men† referring to the traditional Italian justice system which focussed heavily on honour and revenge. Unlike a conventional justice system this was ‘enforced’ by the community and the phrase Alfieri says is a comment on how people were being rightfully punished by others just as bad as them. As Eddie enters the house he is greeted by Catherine and they begin to start a conversation about her new clothes. As the conversation progresses Eddie begins to show his dislike for Catherine’s new appearance by telling her she’s â€Å"walking wavy† and mentioning her high heels. The fact that Catherine is described as â€Å"walking wavy† shows that she is maturing as a woman, also shown by her possession of high heels, and Eddies discomfort at this can be chalked up to parental concern. However it could also be said that Eddie is uncomfortable with the idea of Catherine growing up, as shown by the fact that he makes her gradually younger in his head starting at â€Å"Catherine† and ending at â€Å"baby†, and that he is jealous towards the other men and that he is unsure how he feels about her. The parental concern idea is added onto later on when Eddie says that he is â€Å"responsible for you (Catherine)† showing that he feels as though he is obligated to protect her and keep her from harm. Additionally when Catherine tells Eddie of her new job he tells her that it â€Å"ain’t what I wanted†. While this can once again be chalked up to Eddie’s parental concern for Catherine and his desire for her to finish school it seems as if the underlying message is that Eddie wants to control Catherine into doing things that he deems as acceptable rather than giving her the freedom to choose her own life. Eddie’s wish for Catherine to not pursue the job offer she had been given might be explained by the fact that he sees her as the â€Å"Madonna type†. At the time the play was set to be the Madonna type was to be morally and sexually pure, in reference to the Virgin Mary. The fact that Eddie says that she is â€Å"the Madonna type† shows that he is idealising her to an extreme and is also idolising her; he sees her at an impossibly high standard which she has no hope of actually being. Now it could be seen once again as a sort of parental pride for their child to be the Madonna type or it could be interpreted at Eddie seeing her as pure for him, further hinting to the romantic undertones in their relationship. From the moment Beatrice enters the stage it is clear what her role is and where her importance lies. She is seen entering â€Å"wiping her hands with a towel†, it is clear from this point on that Beatrice will have a very domestic role and that within the story she plays the part of a housewife. Additionally what is also made clear is that the relationship between Beatrice and Eddie is not quite perfect. When the news is broken to her that her cousins have arrived in the country Beatrice, quite understandable, is moved to tears. Eddie responds to this by asking her â€Å"what you cryin’ about?† a very unsympathetic response. The question that Eddie poses might imply that on some level he is unable to understand Beatrice’s feelings and that there might be some dysfunction in their relationship. This is demonstrated when she asks Eddie if he’s â€Å"gonna keep her (Catherine) in the house all her life†. This remark from Beatrice shows that she sees the unfair way that Eddie is keeping Catherine in the house and brings to light Eddie’s controlling manner but it could also imply that Beatrice is feeling jealousy towards Catherine, as she is getting all the attention from Eddie, and wants her out of the house. When Catherine returns later on she brings Eddie his cigar and proceeds to light it for him. In the period this play was set, to lighting a man’s cigar was seen as a romantic gesture done between two lovers. This gesture could be interpreted in a sexual manner is the cigar is seen as representing a phallic object. This whole scene serves to hammer in the fact that there is more to Eddie and Catherine’s relationship than there appears to be on the surface. Just after Catherine leaves Eddie asks Beatrice why she’s mad at him, she proceeds to say, â€Å"who’s mad? †¦ I’m not mad †¦ you’re the one is mad.† clearly implying that she is in fact mad. This shows the dysfunction in their relationship caused by Catherine, who is oblivious to the whole thing. The fight was caused by the fact that Catherine went to retrieve Eddie’s cigars which is traditionally a wife’s role. Beatrice’s anger to this shows the jealousy she feels and her frustration due to the fact that Eddie and Catherine do not even realise what is going on. However Catherine might have some clue as to how she’s making Beatrice feel when she is described as speaking â€Å"almost guiltily† after light the cigar. While her guilt might be due to the fact that she hadn’t helped Beatrice clean up the dishes, guilt would be a rather strong emotion to feel for such a small act. What is more likely is that Catherine has realised that she had come in the way of an act that Beatrice should’ve done and is trying to atone for that by helping to clean the dishes.

Prime Ministers of India Essay

The Prime Minister of India, as addressed to in the Constitution of India, is the chief of government, chief advisor to the President of India, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament. The prime minister leads the executive branch of the Government of India. The prime minister is the senior member of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. The prime minister selects and can dismiss other members of the cabinet; allocates posts to members within the Government; is the presiding member and chairman of the cabinet and is responsible for bringing proposal of legislation. The resignation or death of the prime minister dissolves the cabinet. The prime minister is appointed by the president to assist the latter in the administration of the affairs of the executive. Current Prime Minister – The incumbent prime minister is Manmohan Singh, in office since 22 May 2004. Role and power of the prime minister The prime minister leads the functioning and exercise of authority of the Government of India. He is invited by the President of India in the Parliament of India as leader of the majority party to form a government at the federal level (known as Central or Union Government in India) and exercise its powers. In practice the prime minister nominates the members of their Council of Ministers[3][4][5] to the president. The prime minister represents the country in various delegations, high level meetings and international organisations that require the attendance of the highest government office[9] and also addresses to the nation on various issues of national or other importance. Selection process Eligibility A prime minister must: * be a citizen of India. * be a member of the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha. * be above 25 years of age if he is a member of Lok Sabha or above 30 years of age if he is a member of the Rajya Sabha. * not hold any office of profit under the Government of India or the Government of any State or under any local or other authority Oath The Prime Minister is required to make and subscribe in the presence of President of India before entering office, the oath of office and secrecy. Prime Ministers of India 1. Jawaharlal Nehru (15th August 1947 – 27 May 1964) 2. Gulzarilal Nanda ( 27 May 1964 – 9 June 1964) 3. Lal Bahadur Shastri (9 June 1964 – 11 January 1966) 4. Indira Gandhi (24 January 1966 – 24 March 1977, 14 June 1980 – 31 October 1984) 5. Morarji Desai (24March 1977 – 28 July 1979) 6. CHaran Singh (28 July 1979 – 14 January 1980) 7. Rajiv Gandhi ( 31 October 1984 – 2 December 1989) 8. Vishwanath Pratap Singh ( 2 Decemeber 1989 – 10 November 1990) 9. Chandra Shekhar (10 November 1990 – 21 June 1991) 10. P.V. Narsimha Rao ( 21 June 1991 – 16 May 1996) 11. H.D.Deve. Gowda (1 june 1996 – 21 April 1997) 12. I.K. Gujral (21 April 1997 – 19 March 1998) 13. Atal Bihari Vajpayee ( 19 March 1998 – 22 May 2004) 14. Manmohan Singh ( 22 May 2004 – till now)

One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez Marquez’s work titled â€Å"One Hundred Years of Solitude† gives an account of Buendà ­as family, who found the isolated town of Macondo (McMurray 113). For days, the township did not get in touch with the outside world, apart from gypsies who passed by, at times, selling goodies like telescopes and ice.Advertising We will write a custom book review sample on One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The founder of the family unit, Josà © Arcadio Buendà ­a, was curious and inquisitive. He was, also, a head, who was extremely introverted, as he separated himself, from other people, in his obsessive inquiry into mystifying affairs (Mrquez 5). Buendà ­a’s character traits get passed on to his offspring throughout the novel. Aureliano, his younger child, inherit his extreme, mysterious focus. Josà © Arcadio, his oldest child, inherit his physical might and impetuousn ess. Ahead of establishing contacts with neighboring towns, Macondo loses its innocent state. Civil warfare begins, bringing bloodshed and fatality to calm Macondo, which, formerly, had experienced neither of them, and Aureliano becomes the head of the broadminded rebels, attaining distinction as Colonel Aureliano Buendà ­a. Also, Macondo changes to a township permanently linked to the outside humanity through the disgrace of Colonel Buendà ­a, during and after the warfare (Wood 7). At one point, Arcadio rules authoritatively and finally becomes shot by gun men. Later on, a mayor gets chosen, and his supremacy remains calm until another civil rebellion gets him killed. The civil warfare ends with the signing of a peaceful accord, subsequent to the demise of Arcadio. Marquez’s work, in the novel, is realistic in spite of its magical and fantasy aspects. The novel covers the happenings of a whole century. Hence, much of her work revolves around the actual events, such as, wor k, births, deaths and marriages of the Buendà ­a lineage. Marquez does not shy away from the portrayal of sex and brutality, although she is a woman. She portrays a number of the Buendà ­a men as sexually promiscuous, through explaining how they frequent brothels (Mrquez 198). Other men get portrayed as brutal and introverted. Such men apt to stay indoors, as they make minute golden fish (Mrquez 199). Besides, Marquez portrays the sexual promiscuity of ladies through Meme, who once takes home seventy-two of her friends from boarding school, and Fernanda Del Carpio, who get dressed in a unique nightdress with a hole at the crotch, when she consummates her matrimony with her spouse (Wood 34).Advertising Looking for book review on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Marquez, also, tackles social and political matters with confidence. She explains the exceptional realism of a Latin America that became trapped between industrialism and modernity, and, also, devastated by civil war and imperialism. In this setting, what might or else appear unbelievable begins to appear real both to the author and to the reader. Marquez explains how her homeland saw a mass execution much like the mass murder of the employees in Macondo. The mass murder of the employees occurred after capitalism penetrated Macondo. The Americans established a banana plantation, in Macondo, and constructed fenced settlements, inside the plantation. Americans possessed the land of the community and further, exploited workers, who provided labor in the plantation (Mrquez 79). As a result, the banana plantation workers decided to put their tools down (Mrquez 82). Many of them were mass executed by the army, which sided with the Americans, who owned the plantation. This incidence demonstrates that Mrquez does fear to expose the mistreatment of the Macondo people by the Americans. Besides, Mrquez portrays the image of a f amily through Ursula Iguarn. Ursula Iguarn works loyally to keep the family unit as one regardless of its differences. However, the the Buendà ­a family, as well as, the entire town of Macondo becomes influenced by modernity, which disregards some moral aspects, such as marriage. Also, Garcà ­a Mrquez’s reconstructs and confines horror and beauty of the country, using her encounters in Latin America, into the novel (McMurray 115). Hence, the novel blends indigenous Latin American fairy tale and real happening to create a novel with a sense of real life. Also, the novel is receptive to the fascination that religion and myths inculcate into the globe. Thus, Mrquez’s work is realistic because it stresses on unity between fantasies and the truth. For instance, she argues that magic is real and powerful, which is a common belief among most people. Hence, she tells people what rhymes with their existing knowledge. Thus, the general tendency of the narrative is factual, wit h events represented candidly, as if they occurred. The novel One Hundred Years of Solitude include both modernity and tradition. Modern expertise and culture, together with the capitalism linked with them, often weaken Macondo â€Å"the entry of the train reduces the town to mayhem† (McMurray 115). Thus, modernity drivers are shocking, to the Buendà ­a relatives and the entire Macondo society (Wood 78).Advertising We will write a custom book review sample on One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Tradition, in Garcà ­a Mrquez’s work, becomes seen as a source of wisdom and comfort, and, also, a basis of the narrative’s formal inspiration. Marquez work has an immense impact to the native Latin American folkloric and legendary civilization. However, the partition amid modernity and tradition is not fairly easy. For example, the ethical policies assumed by the narr ative’s most esteemed characters are not traditional standards but are rather quite progressive. For example, Aureliano Segundo receives an incentive for having an affair with Petra Cotes, outside matrimony (Wood 78). Conservative Catholicism becomes regarded as oppressive, as the narrative’s own account of modern moral codes reigns. Lastly, certain elements of the novel’s plot become related to the Bible. The novel begins with two characters in an unsophisticated region of the globe, a globe so novel that several items do not have names for identification. These Characters can be compared to Eve and Adam, in the Bible, since they represent descendants who fill the earth and introduce pain and death, in the world (Mrquez 37). When the monstrous mass murder occurs, in which three thousand people lose their lives, the region experiences rain for almost half a decade. This demonstrates purification of the world using water, similar to the event of Noah, in the Bibl e, when God sent water to cleanse the earth. Also, the novel ends with massive destruction of the world. The community becomes introverted and secluded, again (Mrquez 412). The small number of existing Buendà ­a kin members turns in upon themselves incestuously, separated from the outside humanity and destined to an introverted ending. In addition to the aforementioned elements of the plot, stylistic traits of the work make the book act in a manner that can be compared to the Bible (McMurray 114). Buendà ­a, in the last part of the novel, interprets a set of prehistoric prophecies and discovers that all the happenings became prophesied. The prophecy said that life of the community and its residents became predetermined. Similarly, Melquà ­ades predicts the whole course of happenings, although the difference between Melquà ­ades’ prophesies and the real text, â€Å"One Hundred Years of Solitude† is unclear (McMurray 114). From this perspective, the narrative resembl es the Bible, which is a book of prophesies. However, prophesies of the novel do not essentially work for the inhabitants of Macondo as the Bible does for persons who read it. This is because the novel seems to be indistinguishable with Melquà ­ades’ prophesies, which became written in Sanskrit language. Hence, persons who live in Macondo cannot use Melquà ­ades’ prophesies to forecast events in the future, as Mrquez’s work is accessible only to Aureliano, who decodes the work. Hence, when weighed against Biblical prophesies, prophesies in the novel are unattainable to persons who require them most.Advertising Looking for book review on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In conclusion, Marquez’s work, in the novel, is realistic in spite of its magical and fantasy aspects. The general tendency of the narrative is factual, with events represented candidly, as if they occurred. Besides, the novel embraces both modernity and tradition. Tradition, in Garcà ­a Mrquez’s work, is a source of wisdom and comfort, as well as, a source of motivation for the work. Lastly, several elements in the novel can be related to the Bible. For instance, the two characters at the start of the novel, similar to Eve and Adam, represent descendants who fill the earth and introduce pain and death, in the world. Also, the novel contains some prophecies, thus, resembling the Bible, which is a book of prophesies. Mrquez’s novel, to suffice it all, can be argued from different perspectives. Mrquez, Garcà ­a. One Hundred Years of Solitude, London: HarperCollins, 1967.Print. McMurray, George. Critical Essays on Gabriel Garcà ­a Mrquez, Boston: Hall Company, 1987.Print. Wood, Michael. Gabriel Garcà ­a Mrquez: One Hundred Years of Solitude, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990.Print.

Sony Case Study Essays

Sony Case Study Essays Sony Case Study Essay Sony Case Study Essay International Business Strategy Case Study: Sony: managing the international Ramp;D network 1. How did Sony internationalize its Ramp;D activities? Sony started to internationalize its activities in the 1950’s. For this, it used an incremental and cautious way. They followed the Morita’s strategy which is: first to learn about the market, to learn how to sell to it and to build up its corporate confidence before to commit itself. He also says that when you have confidence, you should commit yourself wholeheartedly. So Sony started by exporting products through foreign agencies or its own sales offices when entering foreign markets. The manufacturing plants close to markets where sales took off were also set up. Sony also internationalized its Ramp;D activities, starting with marketing activities in the US and other centres across Europe. Sony established incrementally overseas technology centres when the overseas sales and manufacturing subsidiaries were successful. Until the early 1980’s, these Ramp;D centres were set up by Japanese business labs or by foreign subsidiaries without the direct involvement of corporate headquarters. Sony established its first overseas Ramp;D centre in San Jose in California in 1977. The second was built in Basingstoke in UK in 1978. What were the initial motivations for Sony to establish technology centres abroad? The main reason why Sony’s foreign subsidiaries established Ramp;D activities was to solve problems faced by local sales and manufacturing activities, especially requirements. Indeed they had problems to modify products for local markets and to provide technological support to overseas plants. With technology centres established directly in the countries concerned, it was easier to analyze the local needs and to act directly. Sony also believed that foreign subsidiaries should ultimately conduct their own manufacturing, marketing, service financing and Ramp;D activities. How would Kuemmerle categorize the Ramp;D centres at Sony? Ramp;D centers at Sony can be categorized as home-base-augmenting because advanced knowledge from local Ramp;D centers is used to improve other Ramp;D bases. Indeed, the goal is to benefit from host country input markets as new suppliers of valuable resources or so called new FSAs. In the mean time, Sony has understood the need for more adaptation in order to meet host market demand requirements. . How have the motivations for internationalizing Ramp;D changed over time? At first Sony was very cautious in internationalizing its activities. It was very gradual. Foreign Ramp;D activities were set up only where Sony was successful. Sony believed that its foreign subsidiaries should run their Ramp;D activities themselves. The early motivations to proceed that way were to solve problem s faced by local sales and manufacturing activities, especially requirements to modify products for local markets and to provide technological support to overseas plants. So the first motivation was actually product adaptation. Managers on the field were more likely to choose the right Ramp;D projects to engage in. the underlying motivation was also to develop products locally in order to meet the needs and requirements of the local markets. Sony also aimed to realize global synergy in Ramp;D by transferring local specialties to other regions. But later Sony felt the need to use advanced knowledge embedded in various foreign locations. Indeed, some technologies were far more advanced in some countries than in others. There was then a clear need to establish Ramp;D bases in advanced technology locations so as to access the relevant knowledge. The second motivation could be called access to advanced knowledge. Then internal coordination between Ramp;D labs had to be increased to improve efficiency and to create synergies (efficiency and synergies). Coordination had become an important motivation for internationalizing Ramp;D while autonomy was kept by local Ramp;D centers in order to adapt to local requirements. 3. Why did Sony feel the need to internationalize its Ramp;D activities in the late 1980s and early 1990s? First Sony overseas production accounted for 30% of Sony’s total production and foreign sales represented 70% of Sony’s sales. So there was clearly a need to increase the fraction of Sony’s international Ramp;D which represented a too small fraction of Sony’s total Ramp;D. There was also the need to keep on developing products locally in order to meet local needs and requirements. Sony also felt that some parts of the countries could use more advanced technologies than others. There was then a need to allow Ramp;D centers from countries that were less technologically advanced to enjoy the advanced knowledge gained in other countries in order to remain at the cutting edge of technology. 4. How did Sony manage its overseas Ramp;D activities? How did the managerial approach evolve over time? As we’ve already said before, Ramp;D centers were set up by Japanese divisions or by foreign subsidiaries and managers of these centers were given substantial autonomy. Actually the overseas labs had the freedom to decide which Ramp;D projects to do. Then, as they gradually internationalized, Sony thought they had to increase internal coordination between the different Ramp;D labs in order to improve efficiency and create synergies. That’s why they introduced in the early 90’s a regional management system, hoping to improve internal coordination. In fact, they gave specific role to the US, Japan and European based offices. The CTO based in Japan became responsible for worldwide Ramp;D strategy, while CTOs in the US and in Europe were responsible for regional Ramp;D strategies and the coordination of activities. In addition, they organized coordination meetings twice a year for the 3 CTOs to discuss internal collaboration and resource allocation. However, overseas labs retained the power to plan and execute their own projects. 5. What have been the problems with Sony’s way of managing Ramp;D activities? There are 2 mains problems with Sony’s way of managing Ramp;D activities. First, the lack of coordination among divisional managers due to a silo structure. This insufficiency of coordination led to bad allocation of resources in Ramp;D for improving existing products. Moreover, different divisions and products groups under the decentralized structure have been allowed to pursue independent agendas. So, different labs worked on the same project. It is fair to say that Sony wasted resources and duplicated efforts for nothing. Secondly, even if we don’t care about the first problem, Sony’s Ramp;D efforts have simply been less effective than those of rivals because of a major problem in the realm of strategic guidance and incentives. 6. Besides in-house restructuring to strengthen its technological capabilities, what did Sony do to rejuvenate its business? Sony started to form strategic alliance to increase its technological strengths. For instance, Sony, IBM and Toshiba developed together Cell, a semiconductor described as a supercomputer-on-a-chip. Joint ventures were also formed by Sony such as Sony BMG in the music business and Sony Ericsson in mobile phones business. Sony has also worked on the structure of Ramp;D’s activities. They tried to create a sense of urgency and to stop with complacency. In 2005, they launched a plan to reduce management layers, improve coordination of Ramp;D and refocus Ramp;D on growth areas. This plan was called â€Å"Project Nippon†. Sony is also trying to create an â€Å"over-arching structure† for research and development and software spending for all products. 7. Can you provide an update on the internationalization of Sony’s Ramp;D activities, using materials available on the Web?

The Greek Words Used to Name Dinosaurs

The Greek Words Used to Name Dinosaurs If it sometimes seems as if the names of dinosaurs and prehistoric animals come from another language, well, theres a simple explanation: the names of dinosaurs and prehistoric animals really do come from another language. Traditionally, paleontologists the world over use Greek to christen new species and genera - not only of dinosaurs, but also of birds, mammals, and even microbes. Partly this is a matter of convention, but partly its rooted in common sense: classical Greek and Latin have been the shared languages of scholars and scientists for hundreds of years. (Lately, though, there has been a trend for using non-Greek roots to name dinosaurs and prehistoric animals; hence sibilant beasts like Suuwassea and Thililua.) But enough about all that: what good does this information do you if you have to decode a mouthful of a name like Micropachycephalosaurus? The following is a list of the most common Greek words used in dinosaur names, along with their English equivalents. If you want to have some fun, try assembling your own fictional dinosaur from the ingredients below (heres a nonsense example to get you started: Tristyracocephalogallus, or the extremely rare three-headed spiky chicken.) Numbers Mono OneDi TwoTri ThreeTetra FourPenta Five Body Parts Brachio ArmCephalo HeadCerato HornCheirus HandColepio KnuckleDactyl FingerDerma SkinDon, dont ToothGnathus JawLopho CrestNychus ClawOphthalmo EyeOps FacePhysis FacePtero WingPteryx FeatherRhampho BeakRhino NoseRhyncho SnoutTholus DomeTrachelo Neck Animal Types Anato DuckAvis BirdCetio WhaleCyno DogDraco DragonGallus ChickenHippus HorseIchthyo FishMus MouseOrnitho, Ornis BirdSaurus LizardStruthio OstrichSuchus CrocodileTaurus Bull Size and Shape Baro HeavyBrachy ShortMacro BigMegalo HugeMicro SmallMorpho ShapedNano TinyNodo KnobbedPlaco, Platy FlatSphaero RoundTitano GiantPachy ThickSteno NarrowStyraco Spiked Behavior Archo RulingCarno Meat-eatingDeino, Dino TerribleDromeus RunnerGracili GracefulLestes RobberMimus MimicRaptor Hunter, ThiefRex KingTyranno TyrantVeloci Fast Times, Places, and Assorted Features Antarcto AntarcticArchaeo AncientAustro SouthernChasmo CleftCoelo HollowCrypto HiddenEo DawnEu Original, FirstHetero DifferentHydro WaterLago LakeMio MioceneNycto NightOvi EggPara Near, AlmostPelta ShieldPlio PliocenePro, Proto BeforeSarco FleshStego RoofThalasso Ocean

Leadership and service improvement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 2

Leadership and service improvement - Essay Example It barely comes as a shock that the working conditions in most nursing systems are wanting. My work area is no different. I work as a National Health Service nurse in a Short Stay Ward. We keep patients at the ward for a maximum of seventy two hours before we discharge them or transfer them elsewhere if need be. Of late we have adopted a QCC drive to carry out the function of patient observations for the first twenty four hours of their admission at intervals of four hours each. Thereafter the nurses are required to apply their professional intellect and decide how often the patients need observation. My unit of fellow nurses and I decided that eight-hour-intervals would be quite appropriate for patient observations for the next forty eight hours of their admission. All our patient observations go into the database to enable the Trust note when we complete them on time and when we fail to as well. Failure of which, a fine is charged on all the nurses by the QCC. The system perceives itself to be foolproof and top-notch, needless to mention. The reality is quite the contrar y. Despite our commitment to the working of this system, it has proven to be problematic. Here is why. After a much-needed debate for a reasonable amount of time, my unit and I decided that our first patient observations during the initial twenty four hours which are to be done at eight-hour intervals would be at 6:00 hours and 14:00 hours respectively. As for the latter patient observations at four-hour intervals, we agreed upon 6:00 hours, 10:00 hours, 14:00 hours, 18:00 hours, 22:00 hours and 2:00 hours in that order. The rest of the hours are appropriate but for 6:00 hours, which is undoubtedly a challenge. First off, the patients do need their rest. Waking them up at 6:00 hours in the morning for their routine observations certainly does not help this aspect of their recovery. It is deemed problematic and causes a disturbance to the patients a lot more than it helps. As if

Place, Promotion and Price Strategies ZTE Computer Tablet Market Entry Research Paper

Place, Promotion and Price Strategies ZTE Computer Tablet Market Entry in the US - Research Paper Example â€Å"According to leaked screenshots leaked by an Amazon source of its internal inventory management system Alaska, and published by Cult of Android, the Kindle Fire is on its way to outselling even the Apple iPad† (Barbara, 2011). Kindle Fire’s Tablet recent robust performance in the market is a positive development in marketing computer tablet in the US because it demonstrates that Apple’s Ipad is not invincible to the competition as initially perceived. This is an encouraging development for ZTE because it manifests that given with a right product and strategy mix, it is possible that ZTE can outsold Apple’s Ipad. This development tells that ZTE’s aggressive marketing objective in 2015 is realistic and doable. ZTE is not new in the U.S. market. It currently sells smartphones, feature phones, modems and devices within the U. S. market and has worked with U.S. carriers like AT&T Inc., Verizon Wireless, Sprint Nextel Corp. and T-Mobile USA (Khariff, 2011). In terms of brand recall, ZTE is no longer a stranger to American consumers. Such that when it introduces its tablet computers in the American market, it already has brand awareness where it can capitalize to gain more market share. ZTE Corporation is the second largest manufacturer of mobile phone gear in China. Being such, it has the advantage of scale to be able to sell its products at a lower cost. In contrast, Apple Inc is only the fourth selling computer brand in its own domestic market (America) dominating only the computer tablet market segment. This leading position is even currently threatened by Amazon’s Kindle Fire Tablet’s recent robust sales performance. ZTE also had a successful launch of its tablet outside the U.S., offering global tablet markets Google Android based tablets, like the one used in the Kindle Fire and Samsung Galaxy Tablet (Khariff, 2011). Considering these factors in competition, the possibility that ZTE’s inexpensive product offerings will establish them as the tablet PC market share leader by 2015 as predicted by TechGadgetWeb.com (2011). ZTE however has to employ the right marketing mix to successfully penetrate the US market and become a market share leader by 2015. To be able to employ the right marketing mix, it is necessary to elaborate the aspects of marketing mix which are; Table I Place Distribution and retail channels, online presence, geographic considerations, public appearances and performances (also an aspect of promotion), and delivery Promotion Marketing materials, initial offerings, social media /internet, press and PR, advertising, relationship marketing and public appearances and performances Price Market penetration goals, competition, customer buying power, regional and segment differences, current economic conditions (Source: www.businessmate.org) Place For ZTE to successfully enter the US market, ZTE has to capitalize on its existing marketing channels. Currently, it has a partnership with five majore carriers in the US that includes Verizon, the dominant US mobile phone carrier. Capitalizing on the existing network of this mobile phone carriers provides ZTE an easy penetration in US the market. The major carriers in the US has an established marketing network that makes it ideal for a new entrant like ZTE as a place of distribution for its products. ZTE’s exposure to Verizon and other mobile phone carr

Autobiography discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Autobiography discussion - Essay Example Clustering is a process that involves brainstorming over what one intends to write about (Cline et al, Page 10-58). People can carry out clustering on their own or with groups of friends so long as the inspiration connecting various idies is achieved to enable the writer proceed. Clustering enables the writer to jot down short phrases that guide him in the actual writing process. Listing, on the hand, requiers the writer to numerically put down their ideas on paper in terms of priority or chronology. It is usually the first step writers take whenever they want to write an autobiography. Listing helps in connecting ideas and experiences that a writer might have gone through. Freewriting puts the brain in action to undertake the actual writing of the biography (Cline et al, Page 23-74).Writers can undertake freewriting on their own or as a group with the free written paragraphs being read out. This enables the ears to pick out certain patterns that are vital in the actual writing of the autobiography. It also brings out various ideas that a writer might have not thought of at the initial stages. In conclusion, therefore, out of the three strategies employed in writing listing is the most benefitial to a writer as it helps in linking the ideas with the experinces. It also helps in determining the actual flow of ideas in a chronoligical manner thus making the work of a writer more organzied and smoothly flowing in the

BTN3-3 homework Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

BTN3-3 homework - Coursework Example As years progress, the value of the equipment will decline till the accumulated depreciation is equivalent to the cost of purchase if the asset does not have a salvage value. This being the accredited way of recording depreciation expenses and accumulated depreciation, I hereby support the method used by Boland. Smith’s method has its strength, but the weaknesses are severe. It can be noted from the statement that the depreciation was the first one because the accumulated depreciation was equals to depreciation expense. For the first year, the method proposed by Smith is logical since it is easy to credit the amount directly in the balance sheet with regards to the asset depreciating. The weakness arises when the equipment has depreciated for several years, it will be difficult to have a plot on the accumulated depreciation, and thus, the value of the equipment will be overvalued or undervalued. The situation Boland is facing an ethical one, because the method Smith is suggesting and what she is used to are both applicable to the situation. As an accountant, there are guidelines such as General Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) that spells out how such transactions should be recorded. Therefore, if Boland violates those principles, the financial reporting of the firm’s status will not be accurate. It is unethical to violate those

Current issue in financial reporting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Current issue in financial reporting - Essay Example There are different types of financial statements that are critical in governance and businesses, the most important goal is to manage, control and account for any amount of money that accrue from the business (Alexander & Britton 2014). Financial statements refer to chronological and formal records of business or operational activities of a person, business entity or government departments (Ernst & Young 2014). There are three core financial reports that form an integral part in the financial reporting. Firstly, balance sheet, this settlement gives an organization report on its assets, liabilities and ownership equity at any given time. The goal of this record is to ensure that the management follows systematically the companys state of affairs in managing capital, assets and addressing its liabilities2. It is an integral tool that allows detecting any abnormality in balancing assets and liability and allows for prudent decision-making (Alexander & Britton 2014). It simply shows the financial position of a business in modern accounting practice. Secondly, is the income statement, the purpose of this financial report is to give a comprehensive statement on the revenue collection and expenses? As the number one consideration in financial reporting, it should be prepared within the stipulated time, comprehensive, relevant and reliable. The income statement has an immense importance to stakeholders, managers and government for various purposes. It allows for actual valuation of the businesses (Ishmael 2012). Thirdly, the statement of cash flow is an important accounting, reporting that characterizes the current financial accounting system. It allows managers to know how cash flows within and outside organization (Dunn & Stewart 2014). The two critical uses of this report are accountability of cash within and outside organization3. Secondly, it allows tracing which department consumes more operating costs and more importantly, informs on

Domestic Or Foreign Firms In China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Domestic Or Foreign Firms In China - Essay Example Remuneration packages and salary increases Wang, Chen, Hyde and Hsieh (2010) recruited a sample of 260 different employees working within multi-national corporations in Shanghai in the semiconductor industry to determine the potential relationship between intention to leave and pay systems at the firms. The questionnaire instruments utilised for the study provided results that pay satisfaction was the most significant method for satisfying employees and reducing turnover intentions (Wang et al. 2010). Offering wages that were higher than the competitive environment within other firms substantially increased Chinese employees’ organisational commitment. Cotton and Tuttle (1986) support these findings, indicating that HR strategies involving the development of remuneration and bonus packages greatly improved organisational commitment and, hence, reduced employee intention to leave the organisation. Even though not all companies have the financial resources available to offer hig h quality remuneration packages, there are opportunities for even smaller Chinese firms to use some sort of monetary incentives in a culture that legitimately values the importance of pay. The study conducted by Cotton and Tuttle (1986) illustrates that pay values are significantly important for Chinese staff members, a phenomenon which has endured into contemporary Chinese businesses. Another study conducted by Ming, Zivlak and Ljubicic (2011) engaged a sampling of Chinese employees in the fashion retail sector. Research findings indicated that 78 percent of respondents cited pay dissatisfaction as the primary motivator for wanting to leave the organisation. Turnover rates at the four different organisations were between 26.69 percent and 36.45 percent (Ming et al. 2011),... This paper stresses that the majority of contemporary HR strategies being utilised in Chinese firms are largely successful. Establishment of participative leadership practices gives employees a greater sense of ownership and value within the organisation, causing them to remain committed and dedicated to the organisation. Coupled with the establishment of autonomous working environments provides the same motivation and dedication which has the opportunity to reduce turnover ratios. This report makes a conclusion that the most fundamental finding of the research is the shifting dynamics of manager-employee relationships that confounds the traditional model of management in which there is ample power distance. Giving employees more communications, information and opportunities to share their opinion and innovative solutions better satisfies Chinese employees, whether a product of adopting Western models of business management or whether as a product of an evolving and liberalising culture. The engagement quality between managers and employees cannot be under-emphasised and more HR leaders should be training managers and developing communications systems that provide for a more decentralised environment. The only potential hindrance to active HR policy in China, as illustrated by the research, is the extent to which autonomous working systems have been established and implemented. Stress and anxiety as two potential outcomes of working independently of management control should be major concerns for HR managers in China attempting to reduce turnover through policies allowing for self-sufficiency and self-evaluation.

Current issue in financial reporting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Current issue in financial reporting - Essay Example There are different types of financial statements that are critical in governance and businesses, the most important goal is to manage, control and account for any amount of money that accrue from the business (Alexander & Britton 2014). Financial statements refer to chronological and formal records of business or operational activities of a person, business entity or government departments (Ernst & Young 2014). There are three core financial reports that form an integral part in the financial reporting. Firstly, balance sheet, this settlement gives an organization report on its assets, liabilities and ownership equity at any given time. The goal of this record is to ensure that the management follows systematically the companys state of affairs in managing capital, assets and addressing its liabilities2. It is an integral tool that allows detecting any abnormality in balancing assets and liability and allows for prudent decision-making (Alexander & Britton 2014). It simply shows the financial position of a business in modern accounting practice. Secondly, is the income statement, the purpose of this financial report is to give a comprehensive statement on the revenue collection and expenses? As the number one consideration in financial reporting, it should be prepared within the stipulated time, comprehensive, relevant and reliable. The income statement has an immense importance to stakeholders, managers and government for various purposes. It allows for actual valuation of the businesses (Ishmael 2012). Thirdly, the statement of cash flow is an important accounting, reporting that characterizes the current financial accounting system. It allows managers to know how cash flows within and outside organization (Dunn & Stewart 2014). The two critical uses of this report are accountability of cash within and outside organization3. Secondly, it allows tracing which department consumes more operating costs and more importantly, informs on

Privatization in Canadian Health Care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Privatization in Canadian Health Care - Essay Example For the purposes of this essay, laws and policies applicable to Canadian health care will not be evaluated in detail. However, the Chaouilli case in Quebec will be acknowledged, so as to direct the focus of the essay toward to possibility of the developmental path for a privatized health care system in Canada. Issues concerning the wait line which may have been expressed on other occasions will be considered as well. Their role in the advancement of the privatization of health care in Canada will be further evaluated. The Canadian health care system, recently more unstable than in previous years, is witnessing a rise in the private sector. The proposed paper will consider the advantages and disadvantages to the implementation of private health care in Canada. Concrete comparisons between the advantages and the disadvantages between the Canadian publicly provided health care system and the United States' health care as a private sector institution would allow for more in-depth analysis of both qualities and drawbacks. Privatized health care in Canada could prove to be more efficient in providing health services; it could also prove to be a catalyst in taking out the middle class, while widening the gap between rich and poor. 2.0 The Development of the Canadian Health Care System The current Canadian health care system was developed as a response to the social conditions of the early 1950's in Canada and was established at provincial levels. At this time, only 53% of the population was privately insured. Further, health care costs amounted to "the primary cause of bankruptcy," in the country.(Dean, 2007) As a reaction to these social circumstances, the provincial government began to participate more actively. Canadian heath care, Medicare, was built by the provincial governments with the support of federal legislatures. First, Saskatchewan implemented a public health insurance plan for hospital stays in 1947; the federal government acknowledged this action by providing reimbursements to the then-growing number of provinces who covered hospital costs. (Dean, 2007) At this time, the federal government provided funding for a third of health care spending.(Dean, 2007) Further, the federal government introduced the Canada Health Act, which addressed the goals of t he health care policy as comprehensiveness, universality, accessibility, portability, and public administration. (Klatt, 2000) However, a shift in the perceptions regarding the health care system is slowly developing. It could be argued that the medical services which were provided by the health care system then, differ from those in demand now. It must be regarded that health care which was established in the mid-twentieth century was primary concerned with "acute care." (Robertson, 2002) Today, Canada is dominantly composed of an aging population, which means chronic illnesses are the focus with such demographics. (Robertson, 2002) Consistent with the demographics is the aging population of doctors which are exiting the field due to retirement. This only narrows down an already small availability of doctors

Great Gatsby and the American Dream Essay Example for Free

Great Gatsby and the American Dream Essay Dream is a wildly creative and imaginative futuristic story of ones, or another’s life dream. It is the American Dream is one that encompasses the most imaginative story which is what the person desires to have or accomplish in his lifetime. Although all people of all ages have American Dreams, the notion of such a dream is truly impossible because of its wildly imporportionate measures of desire. In the Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the mysterious Jay Gatsby, had a similar fantasy dream. But, in theory, Jay Gatsby is just as far as any other person in their progress towards their true American Dream. Jay Gatsby, whose dream included of being with the girl of his dream, and being filthy rich. Having that sort of dream was not only impossible but by pursuing his dream, it directly led to his downfall and soon his assassination. The American Dream is a widely known and used notion of a person’s â€Å"dream life†, many try to follow or achieve their goals until they realize it is just plainly impossible. Others realize from the very start that their most wild and extravagant American dreams are just what they are†¦ dreams. But then, people like Jay Gatsby do not give up and fight until the end, this came to be the case literally in the â€Å"Great Gatsby† when Gatsby pursues his dream until the time of his death. The entire notion of the American Dream had captured Gatsby, and his dream soon began to dictate his life, and actions. Throughout the novel, Jay is following this one dream that he truly believes can be his one day. This dream was to become very rich and have Daisy Buchanan as his lover. In fact, he does quite well in progressing in the dream until the point where he combines reality and his fantasy and completely forgets about reality. This notion of the American dream was very much hyped up in the time after World War 1, in the 1920’s called the Jazz Age, and this is just the same time frame that this novel is put in. Since there was many wrong doings and many people trying to accomplish these impossible dreams, the time period gave quite a influence on Gatsby and his actions toward his dreams. The corruption is explained by Diane Telgen even further; â€Å"Fitzgeralds book mirrors the headiness, ambition, despair, and disillusionment of America in the 1920s: its ideals lost behind the trappings of class and material success (Telgen, 2). Although something may be impossible, Gatsby knows he will not stop until he achieves it, but due to this mindset he also begins living in a fantasy where he sees his dream take over his life and reality and influence his actions. Throughout the novel, Fitzgerald both openly and subliminally incorporated symbols to represent Gatsby’s dream and his progress to attain the unattainable. As the reader reads the book he is foreshadowed by these symbols of how the dream for Gatsby is literally out of his reach, and thus will never be able to grab it. Throughout the novel, there are many times where Gatsby is looking out and sees a green light. Since the dream has taken control, he warps a simple light into something magnificently grander in his mind. In the text of the novel Fitzgerald writes, a single green light, minute and faraway, that might have been the end of a dock. †(ch. 1) As seen in this quote, Gatsby has been overwhelmed by his dream and all he sees is his dream. He has even confused the differences between logic and fantasy. because as seen here he, throughout the book, continuously is gazing at this minute green light thinking of it to be his dream and the closeness between him and Daisy. But he of course fails to realize the reality of the scene that it might just simply be the end of a dock, nothing more, nothing less. Not only was Gatsby blinded by such disillusionment between reality and fake, but he strived to achieve his goal by doing whatever he thought was needed for the accomplishment of such a dream. Jay Gatsby was so emotionally and physically attached to his American Dream that he would do absolutely anything to attain such a dream. Jay is willing to not only lie, but to do crime and other horrendous things just for his money and love. While in the Car going to New York City, Jay tells Nick Carraway his life dream, what is not told is that this life dream is late to be recognized as false and a cover up lie for Gatsby to seem better off and richer that what he really is. One of these lies is captured by Richard Lehan; â€Å"These absurd adventures he went on like living like a rajah in the capitols of Europe and collecting rubies and jewels made some question his honesty. † (get real quote not paraphrased one). Also not only did he make up a new life, in order to mpress a simple girl and earn money he was willing to even do crime which is just absurd in today’s society’s eyes. In the time of the 1920’s there were many immoral practices and many immoral practitioners like Gatsby committing crimes and making up his life as he went. In the novel he really is just not willing to give up on his greedy dream. Even to the point of death he kept on thinking to himself that there might still be a chance for him to have Daisy for himself, as his lover one day. The Great Gatsby written by F. Scott Fitzgerald included a twisted plot where the main character Jay Gatsby takes off on an impulse to love Daisy Buchanan and want her and his money. OF course his American Dream was just out of reach and due to such standards for Gatsby it truly led to quarrels between the characters which ended up with Gatsby’s death. Jay Gatsby, whose dream included of being with the girl of his dream, and being filthy rich. Having that sort of dream was not only impossible but by pursuing his dream, it directly led to his downfall and soon his assassination. He was so attached to such a dream he saw simple, everyday objects as signs to him that he is getting closer to Daisy, he also was willing to stoop as low as for a wealthy man to commit crime to earn more money just to impress Daisy Buchanan. He also did not stop there, he made up his own fake life where it lightened up his past for Daisy’s amusement and sticked to that notion until his assassination. Through this novel, it is yet again showed how the notion of the American Dream is just what it is; a notion or a dream, nothing more, nothing less, and nothing attainable.

Mankind Is The Earths Biggest Threat Environmental Sciences Essay

Mankind Is The Earths Biggest Threat Environmental Sciences Essay Climate change brought about by global warming is one of the biggest threats to mankinds survival. Due to human activity the temperature of the earths surface has increased by about 1.4 °F during the last 90-100 years. Scientists have identified that greenhouse gases are the main reason we are experiencing global warming. The last government was attempting to combat climate change by setting annual targets for the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions until 2050 by placing duties on the Prime Minister regarding the reporting on and achievement of those targets; to specify procedures to be followed if the targets are not met; to specify certain functions of and provide certain powers to Members of Parliament with regard to ensuring carbon dioxide emissions are reduced and to set sectored reduction targets and targets for energy efficiency. This seems very easy in principal but in reality the government has failed since the Kyoto Protocol. One key area where they are failing is in th e housing sector as the aims are primarily focused on new homes rather than the existing housing stock. By the year 2050 there will be 21 million homes in need of an upgrade to reduce the carbon emissions being released into the atmosphere. In this dissertation we will examine the reasons for global warming and climate change, what government initiatives have been introduced and what solutions can, have and will be implemented to reduce carbon emissions with an emphasis on renewable technologies. Declaration I declare that the work contained in this dissertation is my own original work and that no part has been plagiarised from any source whatsoever. Where work, ideas or concepts have been taken or adapted from authors, these will be properly cited and referenced. This dissertation is approximately 10000 words in length. Signedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Print Nameà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Dateà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Contents The following proposes how my dissertation will be structured. These titles are in conjunction with my aims and objectives and are self explanatory. Introduction Aim Objectives Research Methodology Literature Review Global Warming and Climate Change Energy Use Background to climate change mitigation The Kyoto Protocol European union context United Kingdom Context EU Directive Alternative and Renewable Energy Ground Source Heat Pumps Biomass Energy Solar Energy Types of Systems 5.1(a) Solar Hot Water Systems 5.1(b) Photovoltaics 6. Micro Combined Heat Power 7. Wind Energy Technology Introduction The government and industry must reduce their carbon emissions from the United Kingdoms domestic sector in order to meet their climate change targets. 30% of all the United Kingdoms energy comes from the domestic sector and in turn accounts 45% of all emissions. (2008 Energy Technologies Institute LLP-Part of the low carbon innovation group). By the year 2050 there will be approximately 32 million dwellings of which 21 million will require refurbishment as they will be the existing housing stock. The government have set a target of an 80% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050 and in order to achieve this goal they will have to install insulation, educate householders on ways to use energy more efficiently, use more low energy products and supply energy from renewable sources. Aim The main aim of this study is to examine ways to reduce carbon emissions from the United Kingdoms existing housing stock. Objectives The main objectives of this study to examine: A brief history of global warming and climate change What government legislation is in place to reduce carbon emissions The current energy efficiency of the United Kingdoms existing housing stock What contribution renewable energy can make towards reducing carbon emissions Research methodology The objectives outlined previously will give the reader a better understanding of the subject areas. The research carried out will be a 50 50 split between qualitative and quantitative research. Qualitative research is subjective in nature. It is research that cannot be measured because it is not based on facts. It is based on people beliefs, their feelings and their own personal opinions and experiences. (Naoum 2007 second edition) Quantitative research is objective in nature. It is research that is based on factual information that can be proven. It could be results from tests, surveys etc that can be analysed. (Naoum 2007 second edition) Primary literature is research that includes academic journal, published original work and technical papers. AND secondary literature sources are sources such as text books and newspaper articles ((Naoum 2007 second edition) Dissertation Structure The research into my aim and objective will provide a greater depth of understanding of each subject area. The study will give a background into the need for an energy efficient housing stock including looking at reasons for global warming and climate change. It will also discuss government initiatives and energy use in the domestic sector as well as the reasons why it is difficult to achieve the aims. The existing housing stock will be researched to ascertain their energy efficiency before and after refurbishment. Some of the primary literature I plan to use include; Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change The EUs Contribution to Shaping A Future Global Climate Change Regime The Sixth Environment Action Programme of the European Community 2002-2012 Our Energy Future Creating a Low Carbon Economy Action in the UK The UK Climate Change Programme European Buildings Directive Met office action on co2 Planning for micro renewables Renewable energy technologies, Scottish Executive, Development Department HM Government- Renewable Energy Strategy Some of the Secondary Sources I plan to use include; Environmental science in buildings 6th Edition (Randall McMullan) CIBSE Energy and carbon emissions regulations A guide to implementation The scope for reducing carbon emissions from housing (J.Henderson L. Shorrock) Literature Review Global warming and Climate Change People are the main cause of climate change. 40% of all co2 emissions come from greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane through energy use in the home, driving and air travel. Global climate change occurs naturally through oceans, changes in the earths orbit and the suns energy but there is evidence that the greenhouse effect is made worse by mans actions. What changes have been observed? global temperature increase: +0.75 °C over the past century with 2000-2010 the warmest decade on record rainfall patterns: wet regions of the world are getting wetter, and dry regions getting drier humidity: increases over the last  two to three  decades make extreme rainfall and flooding more likely warming oceans: temperature increases in the last 50 years in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans are not linked natural variations salinity: increased evaporation is making the Atlantic saltier in sub-tropical latitudes sea-ice: summer Arctic sea-ice is declining by 600,000 km ² per decade (the area of Madagascar), a long-term trend only explicable by human influences How the evidence stacks up Scientists have used sophisticated methods to identify these long-term changes, and to then consider: are these changes due to natural variability? (changes in energy from the sun, volcanic eruptions, or natural cycles such as El Nià ±o) if not, is there evidence that human activity could be to blame? Peter Stott, Head of Climate Monitoring and Attribution at the Met Office, said: The science reveals a consistent picture of global change that clearly bears the fingerprint of man-made greenhouse gas emissions. This shows the evidence of climate change has gone beyond temperature increases   it is now visible across our climate system and all regions of the planet. The average person thinks that the weather and climate change are the same but this is not the case. Weather is rain, hail, sleet, snow and wind with varying temperatures that change daily, where as climate change is a study of the weather and it changes over time. The greenhouse consequence is the natural process of the earths atmosphere allowing in some of the energy we receive from the sun (ultraviolet and visible light) and stopping it being transmitted back out into space (infrared radiation the greenhouse effect is the natural process. This makes the Earth warm enough for people to live. Although there have been quite stable levels of greenhouse gases for many years, industrial and domestic energy use has upset the balance with the evidence of climate change now being seen right across the planet with temperature increases and melting ice caps causing havoc with our eco-system. Energy Use Humans use energy such as coal, gas and oil everyday and everytime they do so carbon monoxide and other gases are absorbed by the atmosphere. The natural cycle was for the carbon dioxide to be reabsorbed by the plants and trees. However, we are burning so much fuel, and with humans cutting down our rainforests. the trees and plants can no longer cope. As the increased carbon dioxide levels rise they are being trapped within our atmosphere causing the temperature to rise. This is global warming. As the global temperature is rising daily we are seeing more floods and extreme weather such as tornados and hurricanes. To try to combat this we have to reduce the amount of fossil fuels we are using. (The Carbon

My Dance with the Devil :: Personal Narrative Writing

There was a hawk in the night. This is unusually rare for an apprehensive town like Albany. Something began that night in Albany that would leave an everlasting experience in my mind. It all started somewhere around the beginning of the winter season. In fact, it was on a Saturday night during choir rehearsal. The choir was going over the final song when Derrick stopped by the church. He asked me to ride with him and a friend down to New Orleans. Well, this was an opportunity that I could not miss out on; after all, I was an inquisitive teenager, daring to experience life at all cost. At any rate, rehearsal had come to an end. So Derrick and I got into the car and headed out to Hammond to pick up his friend, Sharon, and then headed on down to New Orleans. With each mile of the way, I could only think about what I had gotten myself into by taking this trip without letting my parents know where I was going. The journey from a small quiet town like Albany to a major city like New Orlean s had become a sudden switch to a risky atmosphere. It was mandatory that Mom or Dad always knew where I was whenever night appeared; this was a rule I lived by growing up in their home. On the contrary, here I was with Derrick and a total stranger as we headed down to a city that was known for violence, New Orleans. However, as if that was not enough, Derrick and his friend Sharon brought along some marijuana cigarettes that he had already rolled to smoke along the way. Since I did not smoke marijuana, Derrick brought a fifth of vodka and a bottle of orange juice along just for me. This mixture would get my head all messed up, like theirs, leaving me floating in a cloud without a worry in the world. He wanted me to enjoy the same sensations as he and Sharon. As we cruised on down to New Orleans, Derrick and Sharon smoked the reefer as I drank the vodka mixed with orange juice. We wanted to be on cloud nine so that by the time we reached the big city of New Orleans, our heads would be ready for adventure, and we could do anything, or so we thought. We reached our destination at last.

A Pair of Tickets †Short Analysis Essay

Who am I? Have you ever sat and thought about the contributing elements that make you the person you are? In â€Å"A Pair of Tickets,† in hopes of finding her true self, June May struggles to identify who she is. Amy Tan is an author who uses the element of character development to bring out the theme of self-awareness and identity in this story, mainly focusing on the main character having the dual identity of being Chinese American. While June May discovers her ancestral home, she also finds a part of herself. June May’s mother was an immigrant from China. At the beginning of the story, June tells of how her mother tries to convey their family’s history and legacy to her. June, who is fully americanized and almost completely ignorant of their heritage, tells of how at the age of fifteen she believes she is no more Chinese than her Caucasian friends even though her mother was persistent in convincing her that being Chinese could not be helped. Her pass port reveals her American name which is June May but she chooses to introduce herself as Jing-Mei, which is her Chinese name. This incident is the start of her accepting her Chinese heritage. She has many misconceptions throughout the story; most about what is to be Chinese and the culture of China and the people that reside there. One example being she did not think that â€Å"communist China† would have such luxurious hotels, which is an example of American stereotyping. She compares her height to those of the people she is surrounded by when she gets off the train to head to customs, saying that she was much taller. She was expecting a traditional Chinese meal but her family opted for the hamburgers, fries, and apple pie instead. She was shocked when her younger cousin Lili posed as if she was a supermodel while taking a picture. June started to take in how American culture had shaped her way of thinking and that she was wrong in believing her family would be more different from her. Often looking on the experiences of your families past is sometimes needed to discover who we are as a person. Going to China helps June understand how she is Chinese. As she learns more about her family and her mother’s life and the sacrifices she had to make, June’s mindset changes more. She compares being Chinese to transforming into a werewolf as though it was something she would have to become. By the end of the story, she realizes that the part of her that is Chinese is her family, and it is in her blood. Becoming Chinese was not realistic and her mother was right. She was already Chinese, and it could not be helped. June May’s journey was never about becoming Chinese, or understanding the culture, it was about understanding who she is and knowing that there are parts of herself that she had no control of their existence. Finding her ethnic and cultural roots while in China allowed June May Woo to discover Jing-Mei Woo.

Examine the view that ‘successful families need two loving heterosexual parents’

his statement represents the view that the typical family is a nuclear family; that is: 2 generations of parents & children living together in 1 household, & legally married, and that the nuclear family is the ideal. Murdock claimed that the nuclear family is universal and for any society to exist four basic functions [functional requisites] must be fulfilled. These are > Reproduction – to produce the next generation. > Sexual – to control sexual behaviour, to prevent conflict between adult males over women. > Socialisation – to prepare children for their wider social roles. > Economic – to survive economically the male acts as breadwinner & the female as carer. Functionalists would say these are essential for social life, since without the sexual and reproductive functions, there would be no members of society, without the economic function, life would cease, and without education [socialisation] there would be no culture. Human society without culture could not function. Not all families fit Murdock's definition of family. There are examples of ‘social arrangements' or ‘families' that contradict Murdock's definition. One example being the ‘new world black family'. Generally these families are Matrifocal and mother-centred and consist of a woman and her dependant children and do not include an adult male. The mother is the main carer and breadwinner and rely's on help from female kin relatives. Another example is ‘The Nayer' of south India. After marriage the husband did not live with his wife nor was he under any obligation to have any further contact with her. The males in the household would be either uncles or brothers but not the biological father. These male kin would serve the economical & socialisation roles within the family. Gay, lesbian & lone parent families also contradict Murdock's definition. The lone parent family has only one gender role to follow, – the carer, breadwinner role, is undertaken by one adult, as well as the economic factor again undertaken by one adult. The lone parent can still maintain a sexual relationship outside of the family unit; therefore the sexual factor is still maintained. Reproduction can start without sexual contact, as the lone parent tends to rear the children in the early years, and then educational establishment assists. Even with only one gender role to be followed, socialisation prepares children for their wider social and gender roles. It would be fair to say that Murdock did not take into account the various diversities within the family, such as structural & cultural diversities. The family is socially constructed and varies from one culture to another. To say that ‘successful families need two loving heterosexual parents' is a very narrow functionalist view of the family. People are now choosing to have different types of family life, and it is more socially acceptable. Many families are no longer conventional but society still exists.

Full Day Kindergarten Essay

Full day kindergarten should be mandatory and of no extra cost for all of the elementary schools. This will boost the children’s academic achievement. The children that are exposed to full day kindergarten will learn more in literacy and mathematics than those in half-day kindergarten. The students that are in a full day program get to spend more time on their math, writing, and reading activities. The full day students also get the advantage of being able to participate in gym, art, and music classes. The half-day students do not get to experience gym, art, or music class. I have seen results first hand because I chose to put my son in a full day kindergarten versus the half-day. I chose to bring my son to a school that is located in Fridley so that he could receive the benefits of the full day kindergarten. The half-day program that Blaine offers has a very undesirable schedule for parents who work. The half-day schedule for Blaine elementary school is full days Mondays, Wednesdays, and every other Friday. I think that the earlier the educational intervention begins the higher the impact and the more likely the effects will be retained. Other than the health of a child, I think that nothing should be more important than their education. Giving children the opportunity to be in a full day kindergarten program gives them opportunities that the half-day students do not receive. One of the opportunities is being able to spend more time on reading, writing, and math. The teachers also have more time to sit one on one with each student one or in small groups and work on these skills. They also have a different theme for each month that they focus on. Some examples of the themes are the solar system, U. S. residents, maps, and the celebrations around the world. Children also absorb things more easily when they are younger. Being a mother of a full day kindergarten student, I see the results of the extra reading, writing, and math that the teacher does with him. My son is one of the youngest in his class and he is reading at a first grade level. As for his writing, he attempt to write big words using phonics. For example, I came home one day a few months ago and he had written on his dry erase board â€Å"I see a red ladebug†. He also brought home a worksheet that he had written about his favorite fruits. On this worksheet, he had written â€Å"watrmlon†. As far as his math goes, he is always measuring things in the house with a kid’s yard ruler. The themes that they work on each month give the students the ability to know what is going on in the world around them. My son came home from school one day and told me that there was a planet that was not considered a planet anymore. I did not know this and I was in complete awe. According to Debra Ackerman, â€Å"Children in full day kindergarten programs score higher on their achievement test than those in half-day programs. Full-day kindergarten advocates suggest that a longer school day provides educational support that ensures a productive beginning school experience and increases the chances of future school success. In both full-day and half-day programs, kindergartners spend most of their class time working on reading, language arts, and math activities, but the total number of minutes teachers devote to specific subjects differs. For example, 80 percent of full day but only about 50 percent of half-day programs devote more than 30 minutes each day to mathematics instruction. Sixty-eight percent of full day but only 37 percent of half-day classrooms dedicate at least 60 minutes to reading instruction each day. Perhaps most striking, 79 percent of full-day teachers read aloud to their students every day, compared to 62 percent of half-day teachers. Reading aloud is a critical activity in helping to develop children’s reading skills. Additional research shows children’s literacy learning is enhanced in full-day programs, as the full-day schedule provides a more intensive, ongoing, enriched language and literacy experience for the young child. (Ackerman) Children in full day kindergarten programs score higher on their achievement test than those in half-day programs. I asked my son’s kindergarten teacher, Ms. Janssen, what the average for reading was for her class. Ms. Janssen stated that the majority of her students are already in the first grade reading level as of the end of the second trimester. As said by the Indiana Association of Public School Super Intendants, â€Å"Full day kindergarten programs are associated with greater reading achievement gains during the kindergarten year than half day programs†. Plucker, 6) The students are graded on their writing and math abilities as well. According to the Kalamazoo Public Schools reports, â€Å"The group of kindergartners advanced in 2010 to first grade at Kalamazoo Public School, where 60 percent tested at or above the 50th percentile in reading on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills last April. That’s a 7-point increase compared to Kalamazoo Public School first-graders tested in April 2009, Rice said. On the Iowa Test Basic Skills math test, 52 percent of first-graders tested a t or above the 50th percentile last spring, a 12-point jump over spring 2009. The Iowa Test of Basic Skills are administered in schools nationwide and is a norm-referenced test, which means scores are based on how students perform compared to other test-takers. The Kalamazoo Public School results show that 60 percent of Kalamazoo students are in the top half of first-graders nationwide in reading and 52 percent are in the top half in math. † (Mack) Children who are in full day kindergarten have better social and behavioral effects than those who are in half-day kindergarten. When children are in school for the full day they have more time to get to know the other students. They get more time to interact together socially and they are learning while they are interacting. The students also get to go to specialists and they go with their classmates. Some of the specialists that Hayes Elementary offers are music, art, Spanish, and gym. Going to the specialist is something that the full day kindergarteners get to do and the half-day kindergarteners do not get to do. These students also get to spend more time with the teacher. This means that they will be less hesitant to approach their teacher. According to Clark, â€Å"Some researchers have examined social and behavioral effects. According to researchers, a clear relationship emerged between the kindergarten schedule and children’s behavior. Teachers rated children in all-day kindergarten programs higher on 9 of the 14 dimensions; there were no significant differences on the other 5 dimensions. Other researchers who have studied social and behavioral outcomes found that children in all-day kindergarten programs were engaged in more child-to-child interactions and they made significantly greater progress in learning social skills†. Clark) In the kindergarten classrooms of Hayes Elementary, the students get into groups called centers. During this center time, the teacher takes a group of five students to a table to do independent reading and the rest of the students go to a center. The centers are groups of three or four students and the students get to interact socially while doing something educational. Some examples of the centers are writing center, listening center, leapster center, and art center. The writing center is where the students can write freely. The listening center is where the students put on headphones, listen to directions, and write down what they hear. The leapster center is where the students get to play a handheld learning game that integrates math, reading, and spelling in the games. Finally, the art center is where the students get to draw and color what they want. When the time is up the students clean up as groups. A full day of learning offers many social and emotional benefits to kindergarteners. As stated by NEA, â€Å"They have more time to focus and reflect on activities, and they have more time to transition between activities. When children are taught by qualified teachers, using age-appropriate curricula in small classes they can take full advantage of the additional learning time—social, emotional, and intellectual— that a full day allows. Further, research finds that children adjust well to the full-day format. † (NEA) The full day kindergarten teachers plan and use the extra time in class well. The time in class is spent differently in both the full day kindergarten and the half-day kindergarten. According to the research that the Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents, â€Å"The research provides evidence that time in full day kindergarten programs is different both quantitatively and qualitatively from how time is used in half day programs† (Plucker, ii). Full day kindergarten offers benefits to teachers. Teachers prefer the full day program to the half-day program. If there is a child that is struggling with something, the teacher has the ability to find time to help that student. There is also more time to finish activities. According to Ms. Janssen, â€Å"With the full day program I am able to get through four reading groups versus two reading groups in one day. With the full day program we are able to go more in depth on our unit that we focus on in class. † (Janssen) According to the NEA, â€Å"Switching to full-day kindergarten gave teachers more time to plan the curriculum, incorporate a greater number of thematic units into the school year, and offer more in-depth coverage of each unit. (NEA) In the half-day programs there is less time for multiple activities. According to Dr. Martinez, â€Å"Many kindergarten teachers favor full day kindergarten because they find it difficult to balance cognitive activities and affective social activities in the short kindergarten day. † (Martinez, 2) Teachers also prefer full day kindergarten because there is more instructional time than that of a half-day kindergarten program. As stated by the Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents, â€Å" Across all of the schools in the Indiana sample, the proportion of instructional time is similar across program types, resulting in much greater instructional time in full day programs, representing approximately 40-50% more instruction in full day programs than half-day programs†. (Plucker, ii) Teachers also have the benefit of getting to know the students and their parents better. According to Dr. Martinez, â€Å"Teachers state that they have a chance to know children and parents better, to do more individualization of instruction, and to expand the curriculum horizontally. (Dr. Martinez) There are so many benefits for the children. A very important benefit is that the full day kindergarteners have the opportunity to an easier transition into the first grade because they are already used to the full day schedule. The time that the students get to spend with the teacher is a great benefit as well. The extra time that is spent with the teacher is as much beneficial for the teacher as it is for the students. According to the research from Dr. Martinez, â€Å"Teachers thought children developed closer relationships and were more relaxed in the full-day program and felt more a part of the school. Teachers indicated they were able to give more individual attention to students and that children had more time to develop both academic and socialization skills. Teachers noted they could work more on the continuing development of each child and felt children showed more advancement. Teachers indicated they felt closer to the children and that they got to know both child and family better. Some indicated in the full day they felt more flexible, were more relaxed and spontaneous, and felt better prepared to meet with parents. † (Dr. Martinez, 6) The time that the students get to spend on activities is another great benefit. According to NEA, â€Å"in a study evaluating teachers’ views on full-day kindergarten, teachers reported a number of benefits for themselves as well as children and parents. Participating in full day eased the transition to first grade, helping children adapt to the demand of a six-hour day. Having more time available in the school day offered more flexibility and more time to do activities during free choice times. Having more time actually made the kindergarten program less stressful and frustrating for children because they had time to fully develop an interest in activities. Participating in he full-day schedule allows more appropriate academic challenges for children at all developmental levels. Children with developmental delays or those at risk for school problems benefited from having more time to complete projects and more time for needed socialization with peers and teachers. † (NEA) Full day kindergarten offers more benefits to the students that are at risk and children that come from educational and economical disadvantaged homes. If the full day kindergarten programs cost money, as most do, they cost around 3000 dollars per child for the year. The 3000 dollars is charged to the parents of the child. The children that come from the educationally and economically disadvantaged homes would not be able to attend because of the cost. These children are the ones that benefit from the program the most. According to the Indiana Superintendents, â€Å"Students at or below the poverty level enrolled in full day kindergarten scored statistically significantly higher in math and reading than their half day counterparts. Poor children enrolled in full day kindergarten programs tested statistically significantly above half day pupils on reading, spatial, and verbal skills, naming colors and letters, and identifying numerals. (Plucker, 6) Parents prefer full day kindergarten as well. I as a mother prefer the full day kindergarten program to the half-day program. One of the advantages is that I do not have to figure out childcare and who would bring my son to the childcare. Trying to figure out childcare and school between my job schedule would be undesirable. As said by Dr. Martinez, â€Å"Full-day kindergarten saves parents day-care problems, while providing children a comprehensive, developmentally-appropriate program. Parents said that children often feel more stress when they have to go from a school situation to a day-care environment, where different rules and philosophies apply. Therefore, parents favor a full-day program, which reduces the number of transitions kindergartners experience in a typical day. † (Dr. Martinez) Full day kindergarten also takes a huge cost out of many parents’ monthly budget including mine. Even though some people would be against this and say, â€Å"Why would I have to pay for your childcare? † I would say that many parents including myself pay taxes too. Their parents wanted them to have the best education that they could have gotten. Most importantly, I know that my son and many other children are getting the best out of their day while they are in school. They are having fun while they are learning. My son enjoys being in school. If he had a choice, he would go on Saturdays and Sundays. Children attending full day kindergarten spend the day learning instead of watching television or playing video games. Full-day kindergarten provides parents with better support for their children. According to NEA, â€Å"For parents who work outside the home, full-day kindergarten means that children do not have to be shuffled between home, school, and childcare. For all parents, there is more continuity and less disruption in the child’s day and more time for focused and independent learning. One study of parent attitudes found that after the second year of a full-day kindergarten program, 100 percent of full-day parents, and 72 percent of half-day parents noted that, if given the opportunity again, they would have chosen full-day kindergarten for their child†. (NEA) In conclusion, having full day kindergarten should be mandatory. There are many benefits of the full day kindergarten program. The benefits are not limited to the students. Teachers and parents also get great benefits out of the full day program. According to MaryBeth, â€Å"Research has shown that it is important to begin learning early in life. School systems that have implemented the academically based full day kindergarten are finding it to be successful. If I had to choose again if a child of mine was going to go to full day or half-day kindergarten, I would not even have to think twice. A child’s education should be one of the most important things to think about. These children will be the future and they need a great education to get there.

Differences between the qualitative and the quantitative data 2111 Essay

Differences between the qualitative and the quantitative data 2111 - Essay Example Qualitative data on the other hand, is the information that relates to qualities that is information that cannot be measured (Taylor, 2005). In this essay, the differences between qualitative and quantitative data will be examined, as well as, their pros and cons. Data that is gathered using quantitative methods yields more accurate and objective information because the information is collected using standardized methods. This data can be replicated and analysed using sophisticated statistical techniques (Creswell, 2014). Data gathered using qualitative methods, on the other hand, does not require the use of statistical methods to analyse the data because it is more suitable for formative evaluations. Summative evaluations requires the use of quantitative measures in order to judge the ultimate value of the project. Qualitative data deals with descriptions where the data that is collected can be observed, but not measured. While quantitative data deals with numbers where the data can be measured (Goertz & Mahoney, 2012). This means that analysing qualitative data is easier because the data is expressed in words and does not require any statistical formula to ensure that the data collected is accurate like in quantitative data. Therefore, it is easier to collected data using qualitative research for people doing social sciences as they analyse the perceptions and views of the people unlike in quantitative data where there is statistical formulas that requires the researcher to have a clear understanding of what they are doing. Data quality and complexity affects the time needed for data collection and analysis (Hartas, 2010). Although technological innovations have played, a major role in shortening the time required to process quantitative data. The time needed to gather quantitative data is considerable in order to pre-test and create questions, as well as,