Week 5 Discussion Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Week 5 Discussion - Coursework Example Roger Wilson approved the bill from Mr. Griesedeck despite being aware that the funds had been used for political donation. In 2009, Douglas Morgan made request for a $3,000 donation that would be recovered in the same manner as the first one (Lippmann, 2012). Fortunately, the company legal team noticed the bill was strange during a routine review of all legal matters. As a result, Wilson was forced to give Mr. Griesedeck the money back using his personal savings. The type of fraud was done using the expenditure cycle. Legal fees for the company are part of the expenditures that are regularly paid. The use of the expenditure cycle was meant to help hide the fraud due to the routine nature of meeting legal bills. Expenditure cycle is full of loopholes that many people use to misappropriate funds. Lippmann, R. (2012, April 12). Former Mo. Gov. Wilson pleads guilty to misappropriating insurance co. funds. Retrieved from St. LouisPublicRadio:

Enrichment Units Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Enrichment Units - Assignment Example student benefit from all the units, it is fundamental to begin by teaching CCSS: MATH.CONTENT.4.OA.B.4, CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.4.OA.C.5, CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.EE.A.1, and CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.EE.A.2 in that order. CCSS: MATH.CONTENT.4.OA.B.4 is an important enrichment unit to every student. It mainly deals with operations and algebraic thinking and focuses on gain familiarity and multiples. I chose this because it deepens my understanding of factors and multiples of whole numbers. For instance in solving mathematical puzzles. The combination of math learning with movement gives me multiple ways to engage my brain for instance Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences and to cement the learning. CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.4.OA.C.5 5 enables me to generate and analyze patterns. This involves generating a number or shape pattern that follows a given rule. For instance it helped me solve number sequence and series mathematical problems. I also chose CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.EE.A.1 because it helped me to learn how to apply the concepts of integer exponents to give equivalent numerical expressions. This will simplify my work when working out complicated mathematical problems. This rules will also help me know how to handle exponents for instance when multiplying variables with same base, the two exponents are added. CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.EE.A.2 is appropriate when it comes to learning root and cube roots. It also shows students that perfect squares and perfect cubes are integers that result from the squaring or cubing of another integer. It is important for students also to understand that they can find the square root of any positive number and zero. Its also crucial that students know the variation between rational and irrational numbers In conclusion, all the Common Core Standards are important in enrichment units. As seen above, students are advised to learn these units to enable them have a better understanding of the other units ahead. However, this website

Distribution And Abundance Of Marine Invertebrates Biology Essay

Distribution And Abundance Of Marine Invertebrates Biology Essay Many marine invertebrates of diverse and varied phyla, have a common reproductive strategy that involves a multi-phase life cycle that occupies two dramatically different environmental habitats. The separate mobile pelagic larval phase and the predominantly sedentary or sessile bottom dwelling phase is linked by a settlement event. Larval forms are usually very different from adult forms. Reproduction involves the eggs and sperm and/ or larvae being released in generally very large numbers into the water column. Here, most of the pelagic larvae are potentially capable of dispersing long distances from parental populations. They develop and grow for a certain period of time before metamorphosing into adults. During their time in the water column, the larvae feed on phytoplankton and small zooplankton, including other larvae. Their small size and abundance also make them susceptible to predation by other larger marine creatures. Their huge numbers probably increase their chances of sur vival. Overall the probability of successful recruitment is low. It used to be thought that this strategy represented an open system where chance settling out of larvae led to distribution and abundance of benthic phase adults governed mainly by post-recruitment effects (Thorson,1950, Caley,1960) Several recent studies on the dispersing larval phase of marine invertebrate life cycles suggest that patterns of larval supply are not the only factor influencing invertebrate population dynamics. It is now thought that the larvae themselves can influence their probability of success. Larval behaviours are responses to two challenges predator evasion and selection of a suitable settlement site. Supply side ecology ( Lewin. 1986) emphasizes the role of recruitment in limiting adult populations and structuring benthic communities. At the end of the dispersal phase, the abundance of larvae at settlement can be highly variable, both spatially and temporally. Variation in settlement can be caus ed by larval mortality and predation rates, transport mechanisms and larval behaviours. Moreover, coupling of larval supply with adult abundance seems also to effect distribution (Hughes et al 2000) The extent to which local larval recruitment depends on production by local adults is not clear and the extent of relative openness of marine benthic invertebrate populations is uncertain.(Strathmann et al, 2002, Swearer et al 2002) However, there seems to be significant planktonic processes in the pre-settlement stage that that influence population dynamics of settlement, recruitment and subsequent adult populations. Habitat selection by planktonic larvae can overcome patterns predicted by patterns of larval supply (Jenkins, 2005). Factors influencing distribution and abundance of species Biotic and abiotic interactions and dynamics within each phase of the life cycle have the potential to influence the distribution and abundance of the adult populations. Adult populations have specific environmental requirements and occupy habitats with particular constraints. These may be physical characteristics such as tidal gradient, exposure, rugosity, habitat complexity, depth. salinity and temperature gradients.There are also biotic factors. A readily available food supply is fundamental but distribution is also influenced by competition and predation. The need for reproduction and dispersal often favours clustering or at least close proximity of adults to ensure fertilization. Dispersal and recruitment of the larval stage ensures the continuance of the species but the role of the planktonic larval stage in invertebrate population dynamics is not yet fully understood. Differences in recruitment vary both both temporally and spatially but the extent that this effect has on adul t abundance and distribution is still a matter of debate (Jenkins, 2005, Pawlik, 1968, Hughes et al, Grosberg and Levitan. 1992 and others). The influences of post settlement density related processes of predation and competition have to be considered in relation to influences effecting the larval stages of the invertebrate. Reproductive strategies influencing dispersal and recruitment A multi-phase life cycle is a reproductive strategy that can offer several advantages for benthic dwelling invertebrates especially those with sessile adult phases such as barnacles and tunicates or sedentary adult phases, such as mussels and crabs. The evolution of a larval stage allows adults with limited movement to disperse their young into new territories. The ability to disperse is an important adaptations of benthic marine invertebrates. The length of time the larvae spend in the water column can be hours days weeks or months depending on the species. Lecithotropic larvae are provided with a source of nutrition to use during their dispersal, usually in the form of a yolk sac, although some lecithotrophic larva can feed many, such as tunicatesare will not, and have to settle before their food source runs out. As a result, these species have short pelagic larval stages and generally do not disperse long distances.(Pawlik, 1986, Pawlik 1992) Planktotrophic development is the most common type of larval development, especially among benthic invertebrates. Many species have relatively long pelagic larval durations. During this time in the water column larvae feed and grow, and many species move through several stages of development. Barnacles, for example, undergo six moults before becoming a ciprid at which stage the stage they search for an appropriate substrate. to settle on (Molenock and Gomez, 1972). This strategy produces the potential of long distances dispersal and colonization of new territorys it also enables species to move away from any habitat that has become non-viable or overcrowded. Larval dispersal, or advection away from the spawning site may decrease competition between the different life stages as larvae use a different food source from the adults. Moreover, filter-feeding adults such as barnacles, are less likely to imbibe their own offspring and other benthic predators are also avoided. A pelagic larval phase that has a long duration is a strategy that could help some species break there parasite cycles. Settlement and recruitment are the initial processes in determining adult population structures. The term settlement is used to describe the transition from a pelagic to a benthic way of life. This is the process where the larvae descend from the water column and take up a permanent abode on the sea bed. Metamorphic changes allow the larvae to acquire the features suitable for their new benthic life style. The settlement process starts with the onset of behaviour patterns associated with a phase of searching for suitable substratum, In the case of sessile invertebrates, this is succeeded by the initiation of permanent attachment to the substratum. This triggers morphogenic changes which culminate in metamorphosis into the juvenile form. Recruitment is generally a reference to newly settled individuals that have survived to a specified size after their settlement (Keough Downes 1982). Variability in recruitment to adult populations is a significant dynamic in the dispersal and abundance of marine invertebrates. The analysis of mechanisms which control settlement and recruitment and of the conditions under which recruitment variation affects adult distribution and abundance is complex but fundamental to understanding population and community variability. Supply side ecology Supply-side ecology is a term coined by Lewin (1986). This way of looking at population dynamics incorporates the potential role that variable larval input and variable recruitment plays in determining the size of local adult populations, Caley et al. 1996, Hughes 1984, 1990, Hughes et al. 2000, Gaines and Roughgarden 1985, Roughgarden et al. 1985) Larval. supply is influenced both by transport mechanisms and larval behaviours. Variation in settlement potential can impact on the distribution and abundance of adult invertebrate populations. Influence of larval supply (or successful recruitment) on population or community structure and its importance relative to other factors. The abundance of larvae in the water column affects the temporal variability of settlement. Post-settlement mortalities can be potentially replaced by new settlement from a plentiful larva supply where benthic mortality is caused by density independent factors (Karlson and Levitan, 1990). Variability in larval supply can be associated with reproductive cycles of adult individuals (Roughgarden et al 1991). Pelagic larval forms are very susceptible to predation by various other marine animals. Rates of larval mortality can affect larval supply for settlement and recruitment. Mortality levels can be reduced by larval behaviour strategies aimed at predator avoidance . This is particularly significant in estuaries which often serve as nursery areas for fish and as a consequence are generally more abundant in predators (Dibacco et al 2001). Avoidance behaviour takes place on both small and large scales. Some larvae avoid predation at a small scale by sinking down the water column when thr eatened by a predator (Zaret and Suffern, 1976). More commonly a general large scale predator avoidance strategy used by many larvae is that of becoming nocturnally active. This limits fish predation as most fishes need light to find and hunt their prey. During the day the larvae are inactive and in shallow waters they remain hidden. Many invertebrate larvae may avoid predators by leaving the immediate coastal zone and developing in the open sea where their are fewer predators. In the open sea, in common with other planktonic species, invertebrate larvae can significantly reduce their risk of predation through diel vertical migrations (Marta-Almeida M, et al 2006) During the day they sink down to in the water colem were there is less light and fewer predators and come up to shallow waters where they feed at night on food such as micro-algae which are abundant in the photic zone. Variable predation at different depths may affect spatial variation of larvae within the water column. Va rying mortality can be caused by retention in the water column for too long. The highest mortality in marine populations occurs during the larval stages, so mortality plays a significant though largely unquantified role in larval dispersal. Abiotic effects such as wind patterns (Mc Quaid Phillips, 2000) currents and other hydrographic factors (Gaines et al 1985, Pineda, 2007) can directly influence larval distribution and supply. as a means of larval transport Larval behaviours responding to local hydrographic features (Jackson 1986) can indirectly influence supply. Larval behaviours by positioning themselves strategically in the water column can utilise or avoid tidal flows or currents. (Gaines et al. 1985, Forward, R.B. Jr, and R.A. Tankersley 2001) This may be important in returning to find the restrictive habitat requirements needed for adult populations. Larvae are capable of. highly discriminative behaviours ,particularly on small scales where larval behaviour can be an important determinant not just of larval distribution and abundance but their behaviour patterns may also influence the subsequent adult distribution and abundance through local variations in settlement and / or recruitment. Although some larvae can extend their survival for a short time if they do not find a suitable place to settle (Gimenez, 2004), their life span as a larva is finite and survival depends ultimately on successful settlement and recruitment. Delay can influence post metamorphic effects and ultimate success. Larvae that have spent too long in the water column may settle and recruit juveniles that have less chance of survival to adults. In this way the influence of the larval stage has bearing on the subsequent adult population. Successful recruitment involves the selection of and often the attatchment to a suitable substrate and subsequent metamorphoses. There are many dangers at this stage. Larvae of shore dwelling species need to avoid becoming stranded by the tide and becoming desiccated. They must find a settlement site at an appropriate tidal height for the requirements of the adult phase and avoid competition. This is a limiting factor for sessile invertebrates space as the larvae need to find space on the habitat where they can settle as well as avoiding predation from adult filter feeders. Overcoming these problems depends on larval behaviours and responses to chemical cues and physical cues such as geo taxis and/or photo taxis. Different species have different triggers (Morse, 1991, Gebauer et al 2004). The interaction of physical processes and biological reactions to chemical cues. are particularly significant on small spacial scales. These interactions represent active selection of micro-sites an d effect both the settlement processes and the abundance of settlement. Chemical cues can be from conspecific individuals (Crisp and Meadows, 1962, Kingsford et al 2002, Pawlick 1986) microbial films (Rodrigues et al.1992) and prey species. Many herbivorous species are induced to settle by presence of crustose algae on which they feed eg abalone (Morse1990 and limpets (Steneck,1982) Barnacle larvae at settlement are influenced by the speed of water flow, contours of the sub-stratum. and increases in light levels (Crisp, 1976). It is thought that some recruitment may take the form of short and episodic pulses (Levin 2006). Recruitment windows, (Pineda,2007) where settlement events take place simultaneously in large numbers, sometimes over wide areas have been identified for some species such as corals, but mechanisms and interactions at work are not understood fully. In open systems like these, degradation of breeding stocks could result in a reduced recruitment to a wider areas.(Hughes et al 2000). Variation in dispersal and the processes and patterns of demographic connections work together to influence patterns of distribution and abundance. Variation in recruitment can also effect the potential survival of the recruits to form adult populations, as numbers of recruits can potentially effect the extent of subsequent biological inter-actions such as predation.(Fairweather, 1988). In this way post-settlement effects can be influenced both by patterns of settlement and environmental factors. Conclusion Understanding the population dynamics of marine invertebrates requires the consideration of the interplay of all stages of the invertebrate life cycle with its environment not only those affecting the adult forms. Larval abundance, mortality, transport mechanisms and behavior before and during settlement are all significant variables that can effect adult populations. The role that multiphase life cycles and their complex inter-relationship with marine ecosystems play in determining population abundance and distribution is not clear. The larval stage of invertebrates has for many years been a largely unknown quantity, but knowledge about the role of larval behaviors is growing. In order to understand the processes by which larvae are dispersed in the water column and to assess recruitment potential, new chemical methods of identifying larval species with similar morphologies using an environmental sampling processor may make it easier to detect, identify and quantify different larval species in situ in the marine environment (Jones et al 2008) Where different behavioural patterns between species evade or take advantage of the general effects of physical oceanographic conditions such as currents or temperature variations, detection, analyses and quantification may further the understaning of the influence this may have on the complexities of settlement and recruitment and their subsequent effects on population abundances and distribution..

Panthers :: essays research papers

Bobby Seale   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bobby Seale was one of the co-founders of the Black Panther Party. He was born on October 22, 1939 in Dallas Texas. By the time Bobby was ten his family moved to Oakland, California where he would have a rough childhood. Seale’s family was very poor so this only added to his dire childhood. Bobby eventually dropped out of high school and at 18 he was indicted into the Air Force. He was immediately sent to Amarillo, Texas to receive training as an aircraft sheet-metal mechanic. He soon graduated from the Technical School Class of Air Force training with honors. After that, he was moved to Rapid City, South Dakota at Ellsworth Air Force Base. Bobby served here for three and a half years and left with the rank of corporal. After he left the Air Force he enrolled at Merrit College in Oakland where he intended to study engineering. Bobby first became interested in 1962 when he first heard Malcolm-X speak. During his enrollment at the University, he joined the Af ro-American Association (AAA) which was an organization formed by young African-Americans in Oakland to try to confront the problems faced by the black community. This was an organization that tried to confront the problem faced by the black community. Seale got interested very quickly and was inspired by such people as Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. du Bois. Another member of the AAA named Huey Newton had very similar beliefs as Bobby. Soon Bobby became one of the many black activists who broke away from the traditional non-violent protests to â€Å"preach a doctrine of militant black empowerment.† Bobby and Huey became very close friends and in 1966 formed the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense. Bobby Seale is still alive today and is no longer involved in violent protests. He is running his own web site that tells of his adventures and why he did everything he did in his earlier years. Huey Newton   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Huey Percy Newton was the other major co-founder of the Black Panther Party. Huey was born on February 17, 1942, in New Orleans, Louisiana. He was the youngest of Armelia and Walter Newton's seven children. When he was three years old he moved to Oakland, California. Huey and his family fled to the hard core side of Oakland because his father was looking for good work that was out of the Louisiana Bayou.

Internationanl Business Essay

The organization that I have chosen is Sony Corporation. Sony Corporation is one of the most successful multinational Corporations in the world; it is also one of the best-known names in consumer electronics industry. Since it was established shortly after World War 2, Sony has introduced a stream of revolutionary products, including the transistor radio, the Trinitron television, the Betamax VCR, and the Walkman portable cassette player (FundingUniverse, 2000). Over the years Sony has successfully developed into one of the biggest player in the consumer electronics industry, producing a wide range of products including Audio system, Video cameras, Television, gaming system, Semiconductors and also electronic Components. Valued at $17.12 Billion in the market (Forbes, 2011), Sony Corporation is a great example of successful Multinational Corporation that has competitive advantage in the global market place. Daniel Spulber’s Star Analysis is an analytical framework that helps strategy makers in gathering and processing data about global market (D.F.Spulbur, 2007). By identifying the culture, feature and structure of the business environment in different country, Spulber’s Star Analysis can assist the manager in developing a global strategy that provide their organization with the competitive advantage to succeed in the international market. Star Analysis is based around five major components, which is the features of the company’s home country, supplier countries, customers countries, partner countries and competitor countries. In this case, Star analysis will be used to evaluate the competitive strategy of Sony Corporation and how Sony Corporation improved their global competitiveness. Home Country A company’s home country refers to the country where the business has its headquarters (D.F.Spulber, 2007). In this case, the home country for Sony Corporation is Japan. D.F.Spulber (2007) stated the features of home country are often a good guide to the company’s business practices, corporate culture, and core competencies. D.F.Spulber (2007) also stated that a company can benefit from home-country strengths by using the home country as a launching pad for international expansion, and this is the case for Sony Corporation. Benefiting from the culture and features of Japan, Sony Corporation has developed a strong foundation for their international expansion. This can be justified using the Porter’s diamond theory. M. Porter states that basic factors of endowment, such as natural resources, climate, location and demographics, can provide an initial advantage that is subsequently reinforced and extended by investment in advanced factors, examples of advanced factor s are communication infrastructure, sophisticated and skilled labor, research facilities and technological know-how. Conversely, disadvantages in basic factors can create pressure to invest in advanced factors (Charles.W.L.Hills, 2010). That is the case in Japan, where they lack arable land and mineral deposit, and yet through investment from government and organizations has built a substantial endowment of advanced factors. Japan government’s subsidies and investment in education system, has created large pool of engineers, which is vital to Japan’s success in many manufacturing industries (Charles.W.L.Hills, 2010). This environment provides Sony Corporation with sufficient workforce and skilled labor. Japanese’s constant investment on Research & Development has developed the technological know-how of the country. This practice can also be seen in Sony Corporation’s strategy, which spent approximately 6.99% of their revenue, which is $5.5 billion on R&D annually and the percentage of employees engaged in R&D is 32.49% (TechnologyReview, 2012). This gives Sony Corporation the competitive advantage in the global technological market. Another attribute in Porter’s Diamond is demand condition; In this case, the pressure from Japan’s sophisticated and knowledgeable buyers of cameras has helped stimulate the Japanese camera industry, including Sony Corporation, to improve product quality and to introduce innovative models (Charles.W.L.Hills, 2010). This constant demand for innovative and high quality product has forced Sony Corporation to invest in R&D and hence, improved the performance of the company and therefore, gained competitive advantage in the global market. The next attribute is the presence of suppliers or related industries that are internationally competitive. In this case, most of the suppliers of Sony Corporation, for example, Dai Nippon Printing Co, Ltd are one of the top smart card vendors in Asia (Sony.Net, 2011) .Successful electronic IT manufacturers including Hitachi Ltd., Fujitsu Ltd. and NEC Corp has contributed to the semiconductor industry in Japan, which provided the basis for Sony Corporation’s success in cameras and other technically advanced electronic products (DailyYomiuriOnline, 2012) The last attribute of Portal’s Diamond is the strategy, structure and rivalry of firms within a nation (Charles.W.L.Hills, 2010). ). In this case, there are many successful Multinational Corporation in Japan’s technological manufacturing field, such as Toyota, has come out with management philosophies like Total Quality Management, Just-in Time Philosophy and so on ( James et al, 2009). By practicing the same Sony Corporation has benefited from these practices and be more cost effective(Richard A.Gershon, 2007). Major domestic competitors such as Panasonic Corporation also induce Sony Corporation to look for ways to improve efficiency and produce more innovative products. All t hese factors have improved Sony Corporation’s overall global competitiveness. Supplier Country Supplier countries refer to those countries in which the international business transacts with its input suppliers and countries in which the international business manufactures its products (Daniel.F.Spulber, 2007). In this case, Sony Corporation previously had more than 2,500 suppliers around the globe; however after incurring heavy lost in year 2009, Sony Corporation has decided to cut down the number of suppliers (CRN, 2009). To achieve global competitiveness advantage, Sony Corporation’s strategy is to outsource, or externalize part of their value chain activities to different supplier countries, and internalize their core competence, which in this case is their innovative design and technology of their product. Their current major suppliers are companies from China and USA, for example Shenzhen LVSUN Electronics Co., Ltd, which supplied laptop batteries and Nvidia Corporation, which supplied Laptop’s graphic cards (Sony.Net, 2010). China are well-known for their l ow wage labor force so the cost of production for Sony will be much lower compare to their global competitors. USA is a technology-advanced country and by buying new technologies from firms in USA, Sony Corporation’s products are much more advance and better in quality, which in turn increased their global competitiveness. The company is vertically integrated in their supplier’s countries. Sony Corporation established production facilities such as manufacturing plants in Japan, China, USA, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand (Sony Supply Chain Solution. Inc, 2011). Country like USA and Singapore has low trade-barriers and their government policies encouraged Foreign Direct investment, which smoothen Sony’s plan to establish manufacturing plant in their land. Conversely, China and Malaysia has higher trade barriers and strict government policies that might increase the risk of recovering the cost of investment. This strategy has both positive and negative effects on Sony Corporation. By establishing their own manufacturing plants in suppliers countries, Sony are able to protect their proprietary product technology from their competitors, this view is supported by Charles.W.L.Hills (pg 558, 2010). Besides that, majority of Sony’s manufacturing plant are located in technologically advanced countries such as Japan and USA. Therefore with the advanced infrastructure and skilled labor, Sony’s production are more cost-savings and efficient. However, on the other hand, managing and operating plants and firms in different countries has increased Sony’s organization scope, which in turn will increase the organizational complexity and hence raise the firm’s cost structure, this cost is known as cost of hierarchical governance. This view is support by Charles W.L.Hills (pg 559, 2010). In fact, the high cost of governance in different country has been such a burden to Sony that the top management has decided to shutter some of the factories and manufacturing plants, in order to reduce overall cost (CRN, 2009). Furthermore, to overcome this issue, Sony has decided to outsource part of their production to companies in China and USA. Examples are Foxconn Technology Group for the manufacturing of Sony LCD TV and Blackboard Inc for the manufacturing of Sony’s FeliCa Card readers (Sony.Net, 2011). By outsourcing part of the manufacturing,, Sony was able to take advantage of less costly workforce in China and more efficient production facilities in USA. As a result, Sony has been able to avoid bureaucratic inefficiencies and reduce their cost of operation that arise from vertically integrate, and the resulting increased in global competitiveness. This view is supported by Charles.W.L.Hills (pg 559, 2010). Customer Countries In this case, Sony Corporation’s major customers, or target market are the home country itself, Japan, USA and Europe countries. The Japan market is accounted for 24.2% of Sony Corporation’s revenue while USA market is accounted for 23.6%, Europe market for 25.7% and others minor customer countries for 26.5% (Sony.Net,2010). Evaluating the Entry mode of Sony Corporation, the company has initially chosen wholly owned subsidiaries as their strategy to enter the U.S market. More specifically, Sony Corporation practices Greenfield ventures, by establishing manufacturing plants and retails stores in U.S. Sony Corporation first move was the establishment of a small television assembly plant in San Diego, California back in 1972. Sony then expanded and diversified its U.S operation by adding more production facilities in different region of U.S (Sony.com, 2011). In 1960, Sony Corporation of America (SONAM) was established in the United States to manage operation in U.S (Sony.com, 2011).Sony Corporation’s initial entry to U.S. market was facilitated by the unfavorable exchange rate between yen and dollars at that particular period of time, and also the U.S government policies that encouraged foreign investment (SonyNet-history, 2011). Similar scenario happened in Europe, where Sony Corporation initially enter the Europe market by Greenfield ventures, establishing operating firms such as Sony (U.K.) Ltd in United Kingdom, Sony G.m.b.H.in Germany and so on. This strategy proved to be beneficial because this entry mode allowed Sony to protect their technological competence and gives Sony the ability to engage in global strategic coordination. However, the drawback is that this method of entry can be very costly. This view is supported by Charles.W.L.Hills (pg 482, 2010) After establishing firms and production facilities in foreign market, Sony Corporation further strengthen their position by joint ventures with Tektronic Inc from U.S and Ericsson in Sweden, which later on has been wholly acquired by Sony (Sony.com, 2011). Besides that, Sony Corporation has also established strong distribution network, by having retail stores and distributors throughout the U.S and Europe region. Through the establishment of operating firms in foreign market and joint ventures with local companies, Sony Corporation has managed to get closer and understand the demand and preference of consumers in the U.S and Europe market. Consumers in the USA and EU are generally technologically savvy and have always been demanding innovative technological products; The income per capita for US is 47199 US dollars and research shows that the highest technology expenditure for households in US is at around $94 per month ( Huffingpost.com, 2011). They are certainly willing to spend more on technologically products (Accenture, 2010). By understanding these preferences and demand of consumers in USA and Europe, Sony Corporation is able to design and produce innovative products that satisfied consumers, hence achieving the global competitive advantage. Partner Countries According to Daniel.F.Spulber (2007), the features of partner countries are highly useful in determining the potential contribution that the business and its partner will bring to the joint activities. One of Sony Corporation’s most beneficial and strategic alliances is their partnership with Korea’s Samsung. Sony and Samsung shared complementary technology that would benefit each other. Sony was able to utilize Samsung’s knowledge and technology to make LCD, which is critical for the large flat –panel TVs that were in high demand. Samsung’s skills were complementary to Sony’s since they were tuned to computer displays while Sony brought TV display knowledge (Daniel F.Spulber, 2007). According to Charles W.L.Hill (2010), one of the benefits of strategic alliance is the share of cost and risk. This is certainly the case for the Sony-Samsung joint venture. The Sony-Samsung Joint venture set up a manufacturing facility in Tangjung, South Korea ( Daniel F.Spulber, 2007). The joint venture helped Sony and Samsung save significant cost in R&D and manufacturing and helped the companies gain substantial economies of scale in manufacturing (Daniel F.Spulber, 2007). By sharing ideas between both companies, product innovation is enhanced, allowing Sony to boost its global sales of flat-panel TVs (Daniel F.Spulber, 2007). In order to keep up with advances in digital technologies that was driving innovations in the global market, Sony and Samsung agreed to share patents for a variety of technologies-13,000 patents from Sony and 11,000 patents from Samsung (Daniel F.Spulber, 2007). Another successful alliance for Sony Corporation is the research joint venture between IBM and Toshiba. This particular joint venture had developed the Cell chip that powered the Sony PlayStation 3 (SonyNet, 2011). The companies split the high development costs and employed engineers around the world. Besides that, Sony Corporation’s joint venture with Ericsson from Sweden allowed Sony to enter the mobile communication industry in Europe, which later expanded to Asia with the name of Sony Ericsson. Sony’s successful alliance with global companies like Samsung, IBM and Ericsson has allowed Sony to produce and design innovative products with high quality. Besides that, joint venture with Ericsson allowed Sony to understand Europe’s market condition better which smoothen their entry to Europe market and all these have helped Sony to achieve global competitive advantage. Competitor Countries One of Sony Corporation’s major competitors is LG Electronics. LG Electronics is a Korean-based company that sells electronic products such as televisions, mobile phone, Air conditioners, Home appliances and a lot more. The features of LG Electronics’s Home Country, South Korea, has played an important role in the company’s business culture and global strategy. South Korea’s government has set their goal to open new opportunities for the electronics industry and this has given LG Electronics an extra boost for expanding their market internationally (Frost-Sullivan, 2007), which is a treat to Sony Corporation in the global market. However, Korean’s culture of high uncertainty avoidance might be the reason they are less innovative, since LG Electronic employed their staffs from Korea, their products might not be as innovative as Japanese companies like Sony. As for LG Electronics supplier countries, their major suppliers are Hong Kong HuiChun Co.Ltd a nd Veise Electronic Co.Ltd from China mainland. Utilizing the labor of lower wages in China, the cost of production for LG electronics might be lower than other companies in the industry, which is a treat to Sony as well (GlobalSources, 2012). As for LG Electronics partner countries, LG Electronics has established strong alliance with multinational companies like Intel, Microsoft and Mozilla has given them the technological advantage to compete in the global market. These alliances have helped LG Electronics to overcome their lack of technological innovation in their home country. In order to compete with LG Electronics in the global market, Sony Corporation has initially practices the international strategy. According to Charles W.L.Hill, an enterprise pursuing an international strategy is confronted with low cost pressures and low pressures for local responsiveness. These type of enterprise tend to centralize product development at home but tend to establish manufacturing and marketing function in each major country or geographi c region in which they do business (Charles W.L.Hill, 2010). This is initially the case for Sony Corporation, who started their entry to foreign market in such pattern. By centralizing R&D in Japan, Sony entered foreign market by establishing manufacturing plant and operating firms in USA, Europe and other Asia countries. However, as the cost pressure and pressure for local responsiveness increases, Sony Corporation has change to transnational strategy. According to Charles W.L.Hill (2010), a firm that pursue a transnational strategy is trying to simultaneously achieve low costs through location economies, economies of scale, and learning effects; differentiate their product offering across geographic markets to account for local differences; and foster a multidirectional flow of skills between different subsidiaries in the firm’s global network of operations. By partnering with strong suppliers in China and USA, economics of scale can be achieved. Besides that, multidirectional flow of technological skills and knowledge from different subsidiaries, such as Sony Ericsson in Sweden, and the Samsung-Sony joint venture in South Korea and so on is also happening constantly. However, such strategy is so difficult to implement that Sony Corporation has faced some negative impact, having too high cost due to differentiation of product in different market. Conclusion As a conclusion, by applying the Spulber’s Star Analysis, Sony Corporation was able to achieve global competitive advantage in the global market. By using their strong foundation in Japan, where they receive not only support from government but also the culture, knowledge and infrastructure, Sony successfully expanded their business worldwide. Economics of scale has been achieved with the help of strong suppliers from mainland China and USA. Sony was able to enter their customer’s countries easily with joint ventures with local firms and Greenfield ventures. Using the information gathered they managed to understand the demand and consumer preferences of each market. Sony further strengthens their positions in the global market with help from their strong alliances such as IBM, Ericsson, and Samsung and so on. Evaluating the function of Star Analysis, such analysis is fairly useful for international managers to plan their strategy. By studying the features of the home, suppliers, customers, partners and competitors countries, the strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of a organization can be found and this information can be use to help the organization achieve global competitive advantage. For example, the SWOT of Sony has been identified after applying the Star Analysis. Therefore, international managers should practice Star Analysis before implementing their global strategy. Reference Charles W.L.Hill (2010). International Business, Competing in the global marketplace. 8th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill. pg181-183, pg255, pg405-407, pg487-489, pg556-560. Spulber, F.Daniel (2007). Global Competitive Strategy. London: Cambridge University Press. pg 134-150. Michele Masterson. (2009). Sony Says Sayonara to 1250 Suppliers. News, Analysis, and Perspective for Vars and Technology integrators. 13 (2), pg23-24 Bob Ferrari. (2011). Sony’s Supply Chain Remains in Turmoil. Supply Chain Strategy. 12 (5), pg 5-6. Anon.(2011).Partner&Supplier.Available:http://www.sony.net/Products/felica/business/partners/index.html. Last accessed 29th Feb 2012. Anon. (2010). Sony said to be outsourcing production of high-end LCDs, Foxconn and Wistron getting the nod. Available: http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/18/sony-said-to-be-outsourcing-production-of-high-end-lcds-foxconn/. Last accessed 29th Feb 2012 Anon. (2011). Sony Supply Chain Solution. Available: http://www.sonyscs.co.jp/english/index.html. Last accessed 29th Feb 2012 Anon.(2011).SonyCorporateHistory.Available:http://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/CorporateInfo/History/history.html. Last accessed 29th Feb 2012. Anon. (2011). LG Suppliers. Available: http://www.globalsources.com/manufacturers/LG.html. Last accessed 28th Feb 2012. Anon. (2007). Government Policies Set to Position South Korea Among the World’s Top Industrial Nations . Available: http://www.frost.com/prod/servlet/press-release.pag?Src=RSS&docid=103675273#top. Last accessed 28th Feb 2012.

Why is Human Memory Subject to Error?

Human memory is subject to error because human memory Is Imperfect Just Like many things In nature. The way we perceive things are not always accurate. Memory is not like a movie camera it is reconstructive. According to Wade & Travis (2012), â€Å"Because memory is reconstructive, it is subject to confabulation–confusion of an event that happened to someone else with one that happened to you, or a belief that you remember something when it never actually happened† (p. 266). In essence infatuation is hearing a story or an event and believing that story or event is† your† story or event.Memories that have been affected by confabulation can feel real even though the memories are false. Memories can be subjected to error because sometimes our memories piece together many parts and merge them all into one memory which is known as source misinformation. What might influence human memory? Memories can be influenced by many factors to Include but not limited to the power of suggestion, stress/anxiety, brain Injuries, mental Illness, and traumatic events. Those are a few of the influences I believe affect human memory.Human memory can be influenced by people we trust either directly or indirectly telling the subject that something happened when it did not actually happen. When we are affected by high stress or anxiety we may not correctly remember details. When the human brain has an Injury or is affected by mental Illness memories can be Influenced by improper thought processes. Traumatic events can Influence human memory by altering a subject's memory as a form of self-preservation. Through my personal experiences I have seen many of the above listed influence human memory.In light of the points that the Loft's article brings up, what kind of implications do the limitations of human memory have on eye-witness testimony? I believe that some of the Implications of the limitation of human memory have on eye-witness testimony Is the unreliabilit y of human memory and human emotions. According to Abramson, memory experts such as Loft's have been proving that not only Is memory unreliable, it can also be so utterly manipulated as to render it next-to- selves as pivotal evidence in criminal cases†.Memories that have been manipulated can provide incorrect testimony and without any further evidence can wrongfully convict an innocent person. In closing I believe that memories are a snap shot of a moving picture which can be changed or altered as a subject's memory sees fit.

How Computer Encription Works How Computer Key Encryption Works essays

How Computer Encription Works How Computer Key Encryption Works essays Computer encryption is based on the science of cryptography (Tyson, 2000), which has been used since the days of the Roman Empire. Prior to the technological age, the governments used cryptography for military purposes. The existence of coded messages dates back to the Roman Empire. However, most forms of modern cryptography are based on computers, simply because a human-based code is relatively easy for a computer to crack. Encryption is a strategy used to make email messages, data files and electronic-commerce transactions secure (Ouellette, 2003). Encoded blocks of data, called keys, are used to protect the message from outside viewers while it is traveling across the Internet. When it gets to the recipient, that recipient also must use a special key that can unlock the message. Computer key encryption is a technology that has been around for decades but has only recently gained global recognition as an expedient and inexpensive way for businesses to secure their data transmissions. Key encryption, which is also known as cryptography, has gained popularity recently for three reasons: Internet and extranet growth, an accelerating electronic-commerce market and a more mobile and remote workforce. In today's global marketplace, businesses need to use the Internet and email to send vast amounts of information, including purchase orders and client data, to customers, vendors, researchers and more. However, security concerns pose a barrier to their ability to do web-based electronic commerce. Key encryption offers a solution to this problem. Most computer encryption systems fall into one of two categories (Tyson, Symmetric-key encryption Public-key encryption In symmetric-key encryption, each computer has a secret code or key that it uses to encrypt a packet of information before it is sent to another computer via a network. Symmetric-key requires that u...

Great Hammerhead Shark

Great Hammerhead Shark The great hammerhead shark (Sphyrna mokarran) is the largest of the 9 species of hammerhead sharks. These sharks are easily recognized by their unique hammer or shovel-shaped heads. Description The great hammerhead can reach a maximum length of about 20 feet, but their average length is about 12 feet. Their maximum length is about 990 pounds. They have a grayish-brown to light gray back and white underside. Great hammerhead sharks have a notch in the center of their head, which is known as a cephalofoil. The cephalofoil has a gentle curve in juvenile sharks but becomes straight as the shark ages. Great hammerhead sharks have a very tall, curved first dorsal fin and a smaller second dorsal fin. They have 5-gill slits. Classification Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataSubphylum: GnathostomataSuperclass: PiscesClass: ElasmobranchiiSubclass: NeoselachiiInfraclass: SelachiiSuperorder: GaleomorphiOrder: CarcharhiniformesFamily: SphyrnidaeGenus: SphyrnaSpecies: mokarran Habitat and Distribution Great hammerhead sharks live in warm temperate and tropical waters in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. They are also found in the Mediterranean and Black Seas and Arabian Gulf. They undertake seasonal migrations to cooler waters in the summer. Great hammerheads may be found in both nearshore and offshore waters, over continental shelves, near islands, and near coral reefs. Feeding Hammerheads use their cephalofoils for detection of prey using their electro-reception system. This system allows them to detect their prey by electrical fields. Great hammerhead sharks primarily feed at dusk and eat stingrays, invertebrates, and fish, including even other great hammerheads. Their favorite prey is rays, which they pin down using their heads. They then bite at the rays wings to immobilize them and eat the entire ray, including the tail spine. Reproduction Great hammerhead sharks may mate at the surface, which is unusual behavior for a shark. During mating, the male transfers sperm to the female via his claspers. Great hammerhead sharks are viviparous (give birth to live young). The gestation period for a female shark is about 11 months, and 6-42 pups are born live. The pups are about 2 feet long at birth. Shark Attacks Hammerhead sharks are generally not dangerous to humans, but great hammerheads should be avoided due to their size. Hammerhead sharks, in general, are listed by the International Shark Attack File #8 on its list of species responsible for shark attacks from the years 1580 to 2011. During this time, hammerheads were responsible for 17 non-fatal, unprovoked attacks and 20 fatal, provoked attacks. Conservation Great hammerheads are listed as endangered by the IUCN Red List due to their slow reproduction rate, high bycatch mortality and harvest in shark finning operations. The IUCN encourages implementation of shark finning bans to protect this species. References and Further Information ARKive. Great Hammerhead. Accessed June 30, 2012.Bester, Cathleen.Great Hammerhead Shark. Florida Museum of Natural History. Accessed June 30, 2012.Carpenter, K.E. Great Hammerhead: Sphyrna mokarran. Accessed June 30, 2012.Compagno, L., Dando, M. and S. Fowler. 2005. Sharks of the World. Princeton University Press.Denham, J., Stevens, J., Simpfendorfer, C.A., Heupel, M.R., Cliff, G., Morgan, A., Graham, R., Ducrocq, M., Dulvy, N.D, Seisay, M., Asber, M., Valenti, S.V., Litvinov, F., Martins, P., Lemine Ould Sidi, M. Tous, P. and Bucal, D. 2007. Sphyrna mokarran. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.1... Accessed June 30, 2012.Florida Museum of Natural History. 2012. ISAF Statistics on Attacking Species of Shark. Accessed June 30, 2012.Krupa, D. 2002. Why the Hammerhead Sharks Head is In the Shape Its In. American Physiological Society. Accessed June 30, 2012.ScienceDaily. 2010. Hammerhead Shark Study Shows Cascade of Evolution Affected Size, Head Shape. A ccessed June 30, 2012.

Australian and Ireland Health Care System

Health care is one of the basic and central factors of consideration of any state. The 21st century is being affected directly or indirectly by a lot of deadly diseases such as cancer, heart related complications, kidney failure and HIV and AIDS pandemic. It is therefore, the responsibility of government and the United Nations to help in safeguarding the health of the corresponding nations. In this piece of work, the paper will focus on the Australian and Ireland health care system. A comparison of the two healthcare systems will be analyzed critically. Australia is located in Continental Australasia or Oceania while Ireland is in Continental Europe. These two countries fall under top ten in the best health care providers in the world (Hungerford et al, 2014). The paper will majorly dwell on the health policies, current issues, and problems faced in the delivery of services in the two nations. Moreover, comparisons and the contrast as per the health care country will also be explaine d in an explicit way in the paper. The two countries have the guarding regulations in the running of their health care. In both countries, the government majorly controls health care. In Australia, it is supervised by Australian Department for Health and Ageing (DNH) (Australia, 2006).It was formed through the Acts of Parliament in order to aid in giving the government the way things run or suggestions on what ought to be done in order to improve health care system in the country. This body was formed and implemented in the year 1984. After its implementation, the health sector in the country radically improved in both the public and the private sector. On the other hand, the government also facilitates Medicare in Ireland. It is the role of the Health Service Providers (HSP) of this nation to foresee the functionalism of the health sector and inform the government accordingly. It was founded in the year 2005 through the Act of Parliament (Lakeman, 2008) The formation was as a result of problems which had outlawed the government and thus the need for a special body was of great magnificent. In both the countries, Red Cross Society helps in delivery of blood in case an emergency arises (BRAITHWAITE,   HYDE & POPE, 2010). The main reasons behind the two states taking over the responsibility of providing and running of the health care fraternity was to prevent its citizens from over-exploitation from the private health care providers. Apart from that, the government realized that the need for provision of quality health care depends solely on their capability. Moreover, the challenges brought about by the rising cases of chronic diseases such as cancer was looming and thus the need to act swiftly was required. Australia and Ireland also wanted to be like other nations whom the role of running health care fraternity was the responsibility of the government. In both the nations, legal and ethical health care of the ageing population is involuntary. The old people have the right to whether accept to be taken to nursing home to spend the rest days of their lives or to remain at home. One realizes that, in both countries, the old people do not welcome the idea of being raised in nursing home. Most would like to spend their dying age at home since they feel comfortable because it is the place they have always been. According to statistics carried out, most feel that they are isolated by their children and the society when taken to nursing homes. Besides, women were found as the ones who preferred to be in nursing home as compared to their counterparts the male. It is estimated that 5% of the population in ageing stage live in nursing homes prior to their death. The retention and use of human biological contents in both countries is considered. This biological sample such has kidneys of the diseased or heart or even the entire body is allowed by their respective countries to be used as control experiments for testing of drugs among other medical tests. Despite of it being constituted, it is faced with a lot of ethical challenges. It is countenanced by the wider competing public interest as a result of its potential value. Human body parts are very expensive and rarely found and thus the relatives and the public take this as an opportunity to get back into the government financially. Additionally, some people are very religious to an extent that they believe in respect for the death. This makes them not to allow any body part of their deceased to be used in biological process. This has raised a lot of alarm and slowed down the medical research. Both countries have a constituted mental health law. According to this regulation, the persons of unsound mind are subject to detention in safe places in order to avoid causing of problems in the society in the event where the disease takes control of their capability. It is recommended that they are taken good care by the medical expertise during such times. It is also required that the predicament should be quite serious before one is taken to the hospital for the unsound. This is because in the case whereby one is subjected to that treatment and the problem is not that complicated the probability of committing suicide or being depressed is inevitable. It was also documented that before one is confined, the history of persistence in the disorder is provided. People who show that the unsound person had continuously shown the signs and symptoms are put into consideration since the evidence shows that one will be completely sick. In addition to that, the insane person is also given th e voice to talk on whether to be detained or not. It should be a voluntary decision especially for persons of maturity age and those who used to live a normal life in the past. Both nations are strict on how these groups of people are handled by the medical personnel (Mckenna, Keeney & Hasson, 2008). Patients’ autonomy policy is also a regulation governing the medical fraternity in both states. The patients have the ability to state that they want to be treated by whom, and the mode of treatment they should receive. They also have the freedom of engaging with the health care provider in relation to their health problem and on a wider range of issues. The patient also chooses which medication to be given and no medical personnel can force or compel a patient to take medications in which one does not want. The ill person can also dictate on the place one want to be treated from. This can be at home, school or place of work and the doctor has to follow without complaining and failing to do so; medical provider is subject to imprisonment. This is because it is seen as breaking the law (GALLEGO, CASEY, NORMAN & GOODALL, 2010) Permissibility of death is also discussed at length in the health constitution of these countries. A person who does not show any sign of recovering and i s suffering too much can be suppressed to die by the medics. This is only done in the event where the relatives agreed upon it and show it in writing and signing. This clause has received a lot of debate from humanitarian agents since life is very fundamental. According to Jones (2007), one should be allowed to die in peace instead of injecting drugs to discontinue life. Reproductive health and maternal health care also caries lot of weight in the health policy of the two nations. Mothers and girls have the privilege to deliver in hospitals of their choice. The parties involved should be specialized in order to avoid a complication, which comes with delivering. Both countries provide these services free of charge to all in any of its public hospitals. However, in the private sector, they subsidize this service in order to reach all at a cheaper and comfortable way. Another big concern is on the abortion-related matters (Milgrom, Heaton & Timothy Newton, 2013). The doctors have the mandate to perform abortion to the client given the state of the mother and the fetus is in danger. This faces serious ethical and legal concerns from humanitarian organizations. This is because most people believe that doctors have reached an extent of performing such for client of unwanted pregnancies brought about by unscrupulous behavior. Their respective governments are mandated with the task of financing the medical fraternity of Australia and Ireland. In Australia for instance, it is estimated that 1.5% of income levied from both Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and National Domestic Product (NDP) of the country is used in financing the health sector (Mckenna, Keeney & Hasson, 2009). The government of this country also has separate pharmaceuticals, which are state owned. This assists its citizens in purchasing of drugs at a cheaper price. However, in the point of excess the patient pays own medications unless one is privileged to have medical insurance. Similarly, the government of Ireland also provides health care free to its citizens. It is estimated that health care is financed through taxation of 2% of wages received by the working population. This money is used to improve health facilities and for purchasing of drugs used in treating patients in the hospitals. Furthermore, a patient pays for one’s medicatio n on point of excesses unless one has medical insurance. Children and dependent spouses receive medication free of charge in all hospitals. Australian and Irelands are provided medical care universally by their respective governments without discrimination on social class and so on (Embrett, Randall, Longo, Nguyen & Mulvale, 2016) Cost of technology is one of the major current issues affecting the health fraternity in both countries. The innovation of machines such has x-rays, chemotherapy equipment, and kidney dialysis machines have caused more than enough problems in the medical fraternity. These machines are subject to breakage, the manner of using is also very complicated since most doctors, and nurses’ capacity of using is still below the estimated quality. This has made these nations to spend too much in changing and training of medics on how to use the so equipment. Another current issue affecting this nation’s healthcare is equity for health provision countrywide. Despite of these being implemented countrywide, it is noted that only those people of high class such has politicians have the privilege to access quality health care. According to research carried out in one of the hospitals in Ireland, it was realized that there is a special ward, which is used in treating of dignitaries and t hose people who are wealth. Moreover, the way they are handled is special as compared to ordinary citizens. These menaces need an immediate address otherwise; the entire health sector will soon diminish (Kowalchuk, 2011). The pandemic brought about by chronic diseases is also seriously eating on the government. This has majorly being as a result of change in demography. The working population is bound to contract chronic disease and thus the spending on medical care on the government and the dependent population escalates. This leads to much spending on unprofitable ventures and in return the concentration on nation building matters are left in the hand of international donors such world bank (RIPPON, 2000). The degree on persistence on quality and safety concerns in the health sector is looming in both countries. This is as a result of serious reparations a nation is bound to face in case one fails to provide quality health care as required by World Health Organization (WHO) (Metcalf et al, 2016). This has caused immense struggle among them in order to meet these standards. This in the long run paralyses other important sectors of the economy and pulls back the economy of a nation. Besides, the cost of providing health increases day by day (MOHRMAN & SHANI, 2010). This is attributed to continuous change in climatic conditions making most people to be vulnerable to diseases. This causes a massive expenditure by the government and their citizens. The problem emanating from uncertainties on how to balance between public and private health care fraternities is strongly hitting on the government. Most private investors more so the doctors have realized that health fraternity is very profitab le. This has caused majority of them to compete with the government in this field. Some have even left their jobs in public sector to run their own business (MITCHELL, 2009). This has caused a big gap which is needed to be filled as soon as   possible otherwise the tyranny of health care will fail the sooner. Governments from the two countries experiences big problems while trying to bring about balance in these two sectors providing health (VAN, CLARKE, SAVAGE E & HALL, 2008). According to Varley (2016), primary health is defined as health provided at the grass root level. It is provided by different groups both qualified or unqualified health providers. The similarity between the two nations is that both of them have this method of running health care facility in place. It is majorly provided at home or a region where a large population is concentrated. The parties involved are the government, private and non-governmental organizations. Their main agenda is to deal with factors such has drug abuse, asthma, and cancer and sex educations. This is because a person needs holistic health, social welfare, and educational needs (VAN, CLARKE, SAVAGE & HALL, 2008) The difference in primary care between Australia and Ireland in that, Ireland is specific on the geographical location a number to be administered by a certain group of health personnel. It is estimated that they should deal with a population ranging 7000 to 10,000. On the other hand, Australian bases on the communities or social sites without any specific number of persons being targeted. In both the countries, health care is provided equally to all citizens free of charge. Every citizen is subjected to be treated in any public hospital where one specifies without a big deal. In this universal health, the government finances through taxes from the wages and incomes of the working population (Liamputtong, 2011). The patient pays the excess amount required in medical care or the insurance if at all one has subscribed to any. This distinctive feature between these two countries as far as universal health care is concerned is that, in Australia, the government owns pharmaceuticals outlet, which are used by the common citizens to buy drugs (McMurray & Clendon, 2014). This was intended to prevent overexploitation since majority of private organizations sell at a high price, which is not affordable to the common citizen. On the other hand, the Ireland government does not have such projects and thus their citizens solely depends the private sectors. The living standards of majority of citizens of these nations have been constantly doing well and have improved tremendously. This is because when one is healthy, everything sounds good and even morale of working or doing business is negotiable. However, according to international reports health care in Australia is far much better than that of Ireland (Guzys & Petrie, 2013). This is because the dedication extends of Australian medics is of high magnitude as compared to Ireland. Health care is paramount to all citizens. It is the responsibility of the government to ensure that their citizens have quality health care in order to counter on the challenges brought by disease pandemic. Moreover, the nations should work together in helping structure health care across the eight world continents in order to reduce human suffering caused by diseases. Australia. (2006). Aged care in Australia. Canberra, A.C.T.: Dept. of Health and Ageing. Biswas, R., Sturmberg, J., Martin, C. M., Ganesh, A. U. J., Umakanth, S. U. J., & Lee, E. W. H. (January 01, 2011). Persistent Clinical Encounters in User Driven E-Health Care. Braithwaite, J., Hyde, P., & POPE, C. (2010).  Culture and climate in health care organizations. Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan. https://public.eblib.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=578807. Embrett, M. G., Randall, G. E., Longo, C. J., Nguyen, T., & Mulvale, G. (2016). Effectiveness of Health System Services and Programs for Youth to Adult Transitions in Mental Health Care: A Systematic Review of Academic Literature. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research.43, 259-269. Gallego G, Casey R, NORMAN R, & GOODALL S. (2011). Introduction and uptake of new medical technologies in the Australian health care system: a qualitative study.Health   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Policy (Amsterdam, Netherlands).  102, 2-3. Guzys, D., & Petrie, E. (2013). An Introduction to Community and Primary Health Care in Australia. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Hungerford, C., Hodgson, D., Clancy, R., Monisse-Redman, M., Bostwick, R., & Jones, T. (2014). Mental health care: An introduction for health professionals in Australia. Jones, D. A., & Roy, C. (2007). Nursing knowledge development and clinical practice. New York: Springer Pub. Co. Kowalchuk, L. (2011). Multisectoral Movement Alliances and Media Access: Salvadoran Newspaper Coverage of the Health Care Struggle. Latin American Politics and Society. 52, 107-135. Lakeman, R. (2008). Family and carer participation in mental health care: perspectives of consumers and carers in hospital and home care settings. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. 15, 203-211. Liamputtong, P. (November 03, 2011). Folk healing and health care practices in Britain and Ireland: Stethoscopes, wands and crystals. Sociology of Health & Illness, 33, 7, 1114-1115. McMurray, A., & Clendon, J. (2014). Community health and wellness: Primary health care in practice. Mckenna, H., Keeney, S., & Hasson, F. (2009). Health care managers’ perspectives on new nursing and midwifery roles: perceived impact on patient care and cost effectiveness. Journal of Nursing Management. 17, 627-635. Milgrom, ,. P., Heaton, L. J., & Timothy Newton, J. (2013). Different Treatment Approaches in Different Cultures and Health-Care Systems. 183-199. Mitchell, P. (2009). Mental health care roles of non-medical primary health and social care services.  Health & Social Care in the Community.  17, 71-82. Metcalf, D., Parsons, D., & Bowler, P. (March 02, 2016). A next-generation antimicrobial wound dressing: a real-life clinical evaluation in the UK and Ireland. Journal of Wound Care, 25, 3, 132-138. Mohrman, S. A., & Shani, A. B. (2012). Organizing for sustainable health care. Bingley, U.K., Emerald. https://site.ebrary.com/id/10589740. Rippon, T. J. (2000). Aggression and violence in health care professions. Journal of Advanced Nursing.   Ã‚   31, 452-460. SoÃÅ'ˆDerbaÃÅ'ˆCk, M., Coyne, I., & Harder, M. (2011). The importance of including both a   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   child perspective and the child's perspective within health care settings to provide truly   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   child-centred care.  Journal of Child Health Care.  15, 99-106. Van Doorslaer E, Clarke P, Savage E, & Hall J. (2008). Horizontal inequities in   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Australia's mixed public/private health care system.  Health Policy (Amsterdam, Netherlands).  86, 97-108. Varley, E. (June 01, 2016). Abandonments, Solidarities and Logics of Care: Hospitals as Sites of Sectarian Conflict in Gilgit-Baltistan. Culture, Medicine, and Psychiatry : an International Journal of Cross-Cultural Healthresearch, 40, 2, 159-180. Getting academic assistance from

You choose the topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

You choose the topic - Essay Example As the situation worsened, the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) as well as refugees moving to neighbouring countries grew, totaling over nine million, so did the need for humanitarian aid, mostly shelter, food, toiletries and medical supplies. Essentially, this created the need for charity and aid organisations through which the refugees and IDPs could assess basic needs. However, some of the charity groups started collecting funds from donors and either used it for personal benefits or funding terrorist groups. Therefore, it has become necessary to create a genuine and credible organisation in Saudi Arabia that will work alongside other organisations in the region to channel all the funds and aid received to addressing the humanitarian needs of Syrian citizens. Credibility and using funds for what they are intended for will be the most effective way to justify the existence of the charity and gain the confidence and trust of sponsors. Syria has been experiencing violent wars since 2011 that were sparked by protests calling for the release of political prisoners, political reforms and the resignation of President Bashar al-Assad (Hinnebusch 2012, p. 98). Although the protests were peaceful initially, the government reacted brutally to the protestors, further aggravating the situation and violating human rights. The growing number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees necessitated the creation of charities to address humanitarian needs of the citizens. Shelter, food, toiletries, medical supplies and clean water became and remain urgently needed. However, unscrupulous organisations soon started taking advantage of the strong calls by Islam towards charitable giving, known as zakat, and started enriching themselves. It also became known that terrorist groups were collecting money from corrupt charities and their employees, which in turn tarnished the name of charitable organizations (ICRP 2014, p. 905). In this report,

Fire Engineering Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 9250 words

Fire Engineering - Literature review Example The study explores the role of these consultants in ensuring building design, development and sustenance for adherence to fire safety to understand the extent to which fire safety engineering solutions are important in fire engineering today. As buildings codes exist, so do the need for inspection for compliance and for adherence to fire safety which is usually overlooked by concerned administration or engineers in the respective departments. A building is a complex system with fire safety design being a part or inter-related sub-system of this complex system design. Two parameters: fire load density FLD (in MJm–2) and occupant load factor OLF are key in assessment of local fire codes in Hong Kong. A survey of private buildings in Hong Kong in February 1998 revealed that just 11 percent of the buildings were in satisfactory conditions in terms of fire safety. The survey was conducted by Fire Services Department (FSD) for provision and compliance with fire service installations and equipment (FSI) for fire prevention, detection and protection in the buildings. Incidents of fire in domestic and commercial buildings and rail and road tunnels have attracted criticism from the public as well as from other quarters and there have been constant changes in the building ordinance for fire safety to protect life and property. A framework for fire safety exists, based on which it is learnt that various countries including Hong Kong and Australia have developed a regulatory system for fire safety in buildings. The framework provides goals, objectives, performance requirements and means of compliance for building fire safety (Code of Practice for Fire Safety in Buildings, 2011). Factors determining fire safety in buildings, codes of practice for fire safety, design and performance of fire safety framework, compliance issues by segment, health and safety of building occupants and the insights into fire fighting industry in general in Hong Kong will be covered in this chapter. As buildings codes exist, so do the need for inspection for compliance and for adherence to fire safety which is usually overlooked by concerned administration or engineers in the respective departments. The role of these consultants in ensuring building design, development and sustenance for adherence to fire safety will also be explored to understand the extent to which fire safety engineering solutions are important in fire engineering today. Building occupancy Considering that Asian cities are becoming more urban with most of the population residing in high-rise buildings can be useful in studying the fire engineering solutions being employed to protect the life of the occupants and also the property. A study of the differences in structures shows that compartmentalized and non-compartmentalized structures with isomorphic and non-isomorphic floor plans can be assessed for fire safety (Livesay and Donegan, 2003, p 64.1) using different models like flame spread model, hea t transfer model, etc. (Bong, 2000). Hong Kong has a building control mechanism as shown in Figure 1 which includes design for fire safety mechanism as per codes of practice laid by two different legislative bodies, Buildings Ordinance (BO) and the Fire Services Ordinance (FSO), the compliance for which is overlooked by an Authorized Person (AP) acting as the project co-ordinator. The AP ensures that the building design, construction and management are in compliance with the BO in terms of fire engineering approach and performance (Lo et al, 2007, pp 133,134). Figure 1: Building control mechanism in Hong Kong. Source: (Lo et al, 2007, p 134). Building fire safety control mechanism takes into account the route complexity owing to the topological network of rooms and the passages that connect the rooms and floors to the exit space. Information theory and entropy are studied to formulate a mathematical model in Artificial Intelligence (AI) to evaluate the complexity of egress (or means of escape) based on route complexity. Building type comparisons are carried out by considering building plans as networks with the habitable compartments considered as the nodes of the network while the defined links between nodes or the connected passages between rooms and floors are considered as arcs or information steps. Using this information and the behaviour of fire using the different models, the egress

The style of clothing and hairstyles of the 1800 Essay

The style of clothing and hairstyles of the 1800 - Essay Example A large number of Americans imitated the clothing and hair styles from overseas, while underprivileged Americans utilized economical fabrics so as to afford clothing (Dror, 2004). Despite women having long hair, they were likely to wear it up. During this time, France was experiencing economic hardships. Napoleon proposed new culture and fashion style because he realized the probability of revenue in the textile industry. Members of the noble class were not permitted to wear the same clothes twice, thus were compelled to buy additional fabrics. Ladies dresses were characterized by high waists and full skirts. Additional fabrics were used for evening wear. White was the dominant color among the wealthy and style was inspired by Classical Grecian robes. Moreover, for females’ dresses, the waistline moved towards the bustline. Dresses were created using thin fabric, typically, muslin, and skirts were not full. Necklines were square and low, and sleeves were capped and tight (Dror, 2004). Females frequently put on pelisses during winter. The pelisse is a coat with a waist that matches the waistline of the dress. During the early part of this period, males wore derbies and top hats. Breeches were tightly fitted and longer, highlighting male’s calves. Later, males begun wearing trousers and pants were longer. Moreover, coats contained long tails at the back and were short in the front. Males put on double-breast coats with stiff and thick collars. Also, blouses were made of muslin or linen. Females in this period designed their hair in a Y or T shape. The back of the hair was put in a bun or braided and pinned, while the front was trimmed approximately chin size and frequently coiled into soft ringlets (Dror, 2004). Later, females’ hairstyles were ornate and extravagant, for example, Madonna, which contained a central part with numerous coils in layers on the crown and front of the head, and Apollo knot, which was made up of two outsized knots decorated

Assessment of Risk Management Perceptions and Practices of Dissertation

Assessment of Risk Management Perceptions and Practices of Construction Contractors - Dissertation Example 7 Methodology †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 7 Ethical considerations †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 10 Conclusion †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 11 Introduction The construction industry is a source of risks and uncertainties. This is true in any country, especially in Saudi Arabia, which has experienced a construction boom these past three decades because of the vast oil revenues poured into government coffers. Risks account not only in physical terms, but also in abstract terms like financial and economic outcomes. Contractors devise plans to manage risks and to pre-empt problems and risks during and after construction. Managing risks involves taking care of the safety and security of the construction project or the finished building and the workers and em ployees therein. Risk management also involves analysing problems or surprises that will occur during and after project construction. Risks include environmental hazards caused by construction and demolition wastes, the health and safety of the workers, and risks associated with the design of the structure whether it can withstand natural disasters. Other risks include insurance and value for money or the business side of the construction project. Saudi Arabia has a long, hot summer, with a short, cool, winter season with very minimal rain. Some parts of Saudi Arabia have some of the extreme climatic conditions, which are most unfavorable for contractors to work with. This is very detrimental to the operations of any project, and could lead to loss of productivity on the part of the owners and contractors. Risk management should consider this aspect. (Shublaq, 1999, p. 277) Another aspect contractors have to include in risk management is the importation of laborers who are from othe r countries. Laborers have to adjust to the kind of unique culture Saudi Arabia has. Culture shock on the part of the laborers affects the kind of work they produce. Significance of the study This paper provides a brief assessment of how construction contractors in Saudi Arabia employ risk management perceptions and practices. The significance of the study brings to light the common practices of contractors in managing risks, and future problems and possible delays that may occur while construction is ongoing. The research will therefore seek to answer the following questions What risk management techniques are available to construction contractor in Saudi Arabia? What is the level of usage of these risk management techniques by the construction contractors? What is the importance of organizational risk management among construction companies in Saudi Arabia? What are the challenges faced be construction contractors in Saudi Arabia in using risk management techniques? Aim of the res earch The aim of this paper is to determine the extent to which risk management techniques are used construction contractors in Saudi Arabia and also determine the perception of construction professional to various construction risks. Objectives To identify risk management techniques used by contractors in Saudi Arabia To determine the level of usage of identified risk management techniques among Saudi construction companies To determine the importance of organizational risk management among Saudi construction companies To identify challenges faced by Saudi construction companies in using risk management techniques To recommend effective ways to limit the challenges identified in the

Compare and contrast Stopping by woods on a snowny evening & The Road Essay

Compare and contrast Stopping by woods on a snowny evening & The Road Not Taken - Essay Example The woods, although beautiful and serene, represent a dark and lonely place away from society and responsibilities. This isolation is tempting and seems to offer peace and quiet but is something no one would want or advise. For example, even the owner of these woods is away in his village on this â€Å"darkest evening of the year† (8). The village symbolizes society and civilization and is separate from this lonely, isolated spot so that even the owner won’t know that this visitor was here. In â€Å"The Road Not Taken†, the narrator comes across a fork in the road and is presented with two choices. Both are seemingly the same and there is no sure way to choose the right one, â€Å"the passing there/ Had worn them really about the same† (9-10). What matters most is that a choice has to be made. The narrator does, however, spend a lot of time judging his decision (Fagan 295). For example, he looks down one path and analyzes it as best he can, â€Å"long I stood /And looked down one as far as I could/ To where it bent in the undergrowth† (3-5). Also, the narrator realizes that any choice he makes will lead him to other choices and he won’t be able to come back to the first one. In both poems, Frost uses nature imagery to symbolize the journey of life. For example, in â€Å"Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening†, the woods represent a place and choice away from society, free from any obligations. Similarly, in the â€Å"The Road Not Taken†, the two paths in the woods are symbolic of life’s critical choices and decisions that one has to make (Fagan 295). Also, the imagery of grass represents the people that have already traveled down that particular path. Both poems also allude to the fact that both narrators have a long way to go and that their journey does not stop at these woods or cross roads of life. For example, in â€Å"The Road

Risk Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Risk Management - Essay Example Previously, the safety culture at BP had presented a cause for concern with the Texas City Refinery explosion and other events presenting an adverse image. Toney Hayward, the former CEO of BP, had tried to enhance safety at BP when he took office at a time when BP faced three criminal investigations. However, it would appear that the managerial decision-making processes at BP remained flawed as managers continued to take risks in efforts directed towards trying to manage costs and delays while neglecting safety. Although it is likely that a blowout preventer with a flawed design contributed to the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster, the managerial emphasis on costs and delays caused BP subcontractors to become negligent. BP managers refused Halliburton recommendations to use twenty-one centralisers and proceeded to cement the well using only six centralisers. Halliburton used cement that did not pass its own laboratory tests to cement the well and this contributed to the flow of hydrocarb ons into the well. Transocean crew did not take adequate notice of the kick in the well that pointed to a loss of well control and proceeded to release gases from the well on to the rig through the mud gas separator instead of diverting the gas away from the rig. In addition, inadequate maintenance of the blowout preventer was to contribute to events. Because bonuses presented to BP project managers depended on completing projects close to budgeted costs and schedule, the wrong emphasis had persisted. It is likely that independent verification of managerial decision-making emphasising safety from a command that is distinct from the project management command at BP under a Chief Safety Officer reporting directly to the CEO at BP will help present the correct emphasis. BP did have a safety director at the time of the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster, but it will appear that this safety director lacked powers, a separate chain of command and a capacity for working effectively to give effe ct to his mandate. The new CEO at BP has promised to create a safety division at BP with sweeping powers. BP project managers should now receive bonuses that emphasise correctness of their managerial decision-making for a project instead of receiving rewards for trying to complete a job within budget and schedule while taking risks with safety. In addition, it will make sense for BP to try to contribute towards helping to improve the design and reliability of superior technology for offshore operations, including subsea blowout preventers. Contents Introduction 1 What Went Wrong? An Analysis of BP’s Approach to Risk Management that Influenced the BP Deepwater Horizon Disaster 3 A Reasoned Discussion about How BP Should Progress in the Future with Regard to Risk Management 15 Conclusion 19 Bibliography / References 22 List of Figures Figure 1: Typical Subsea Blowout Preventer Stack 7 Figure 2: Deepwater Drilling with Subsea Blowout Preventer 8 (This page intentionally left bla nk) Introduction The word â€Å"risk† refers to the possibility of loss, injury or harm, and it is unfortunately true that it is not possible to assign absolute certainty to the occurrence of any one event because there will always be some level of uncertainty associated with the outcome of events (Bonham, 2008, Pp. 183 –

Compare and contrast Stopping by woods on a snowny evening & The Road Essay

Compare and contrast Stopping by woods on a snowny evening & The Road Not Taken - Essay Example The woods, although beautiful and serene, represent a dark and lonely place away from society and responsibilities. This isolation is tempting and seems to offer peace and quiet but is something no one would want or advise. For example, even the owner of these woods is away in his village on this â€Å"darkest evening of the year† (8). The village symbolizes society and civilization and is separate from this lonely, isolated spot so that even the owner won’t know that this visitor was here. In â€Å"The Road Not Taken†, the narrator comes across a fork in the road and is presented with two choices. Both are seemingly the same and there is no sure way to choose the right one, â€Å"the passing there/ Had worn them really about the same† (9-10). What matters most is that a choice has to be made. The narrator does, however, spend a lot of time judging his decision (Fagan 295). For example, he looks down one path and analyzes it as best he can, â€Å"long I stood /And looked down one as far as I could/ To where it bent in the undergrowth† (3-5). Also, the narrator realizes that any choice he makes will lead him to other choices and he won’t be able to come back to the first one. In both poems, Frost uses nature imagery to symbolize the journey of life. For example, in â€Å"Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening†, the woods represent a place and choice away from society, free from any obligations. Similarly, in the â€Å"The Road Not Taken†, the two paths in the woods are symbolic of life’s critical choices and decisions that one has to make (Fagan 295). Also, the imagery of grass represents the people that have already traveled down that particular path. Both poems also allude to the fact that both narrators have a long way to go and that their journey does not stop at these woods or cross roads of life. For example, in â€Å"The Road

Mktg Plan for Jollibee Essay Example for Free

Mktg Plan for Jollibee Essay Jollibee’s growth is due to its delicious menu line-up – like its superior-tasting Chickenjoy, mouth-watering Yumburger and Champ hamburger, and deliciously satisfying Jollibee Spaghetti -ably complemented with creative marketing programs, and efficient manufacturing and logistics facilities. It is made possible by well-trained teams that work in a culture of integrity and humility, fun and family-like. Every Jollibee outlet welcomes customers with a clean and warm in-store environment and friendly and efficient service. And it is this tried and tested formula of delivering great-tasting food, adherence to world class operating standards and the universal appeal of the family values the brand represents that are driving the expansion of Jollibee both locally and in the overseas market. BUSINESS TREND ANALYSIS Fast food or quick service restaurants have come a long way since 1921 when White Castle, the first fast food hamburger chain, sold burgers at five cents apiece and ended its first day with a US$3. 75 profit. Arguably, AW was the first fast food restaurant having sold the first frosty mug of AW root beer for one nickel in 1919. In the Philippines, Tropical Hut Hamburger is reputedly the first hamburger chain dating back to 1965. The trend of eating out spending and fast food expansion as a vehicle to growth will continue as long as there is fierce competition in the workplace. The drive towards competitiveness with longer working hours and no time for home cooking coupled with the peoples continuing desire for new fast food concepts will allow innovative and progressive food chains to prosper. A downside to this is the changing eating habits, which some researches suggest has led to an unhealthy lifestyle. However, fast foods have been made aware of this situation and are starting to offer healthier options. The fast food industry is not without its challenges, especially in the United States. From rising food costs, economic recession and changing perceptions about health, many fast food franchises have been feeling some heat. But rather than flee from this challenge, the fast food industry has been adopting new practices and offering new products. Modern society is on the go, and there is plenty of demand for a quick bite at all times of the day. Fast food franchising opportunities exist in the â€Å"traditional† spaces like burgers and pizza, but are also sprouting up in healthy and unique ways as well. The fast food industry, also known as Quick Service Restaurants (QSR), has been serving up tasty morsels for as long as people have lived in cities. The modern system of fast food franchising is believed to have started in the mid 1930’s when Howard Johnson franchised his second location to a friend as a means to expand operations during the Great Depression. And oh how it has grown! As cars became commonplace, the drive-thru concept brought explosive growth to the idea of food-on-the go. â€Å"Fast Food† was added to the Merrion-Webster dictionary in 1951 and U. S. fast food companies are now franchised in over 100 countries. In the U. S. alone there are over 200,000 restaurant locations! Revenue has grown from $6 billion in 1970 to $160 billion last year, an 8. 6% annualized rate. Fast food franchises focus on high volume, low cost and high speed product.

Critical Issue Promoting Technology Use In Schools Education Essay

Critical Issue Promoting Technology Use In Schools Education Essay Although there has been a strong push to get educational technology into the hands of teachers and students, many obstacles to implementation still exist. Equipment may not be placed in easily accessible locations. Hardware and software often pose problems for teachers in the classroom, and just-in-time technical support may be unavailable. Teachers may lack the time and the motivation to learn technology skills. Professional development activities may not provide ongoing, hands-on training for teachers or practical strategies for implementing technology into lesson plans. Initial technology funding may not be sustained and thus not capable of providing upgrades, maintenance, and ongoing professional development. Fortunately, these obstacles can be addressed and overcome. This Critical Issue provides practical information for promoting technology use in schools. OVERVIEW: The push to provide technology in schools has been successful in recent years. According to Goldman, Cole, and Syer (2000), most schools have computer labs and many have computers in every classroom. More than 90 percent of all schools are connected to the Internet, and more than 33 percent of teachers have Internet access in their classrooms. Yet teachers readily admit that they are not making as much use of technology as they could. According to an Education Week survey, nearly 30 percent of teachers said their students use computers only one hour per week; nearly 40 percent said their students do not use computers in the classroom at all (Trotter, 2001). Although technology is more prevalent in the schools, several factors affect whether and how it is used. Those factors include placement of computers for equitable access, technical support, effective goals for technology use, new roles for teachers, time for ongoing professional development, appropriate coaching of teac hers at different skill levels, teacher incentives for use, availability of educational software, and sustained funding for technology. Placing Computers for Equitable Access Access to technology is an important issue for teachers and students. Although schools may have computers available, one factor that determines their use is where those computers are located. If computers are connected to the Internet but are not in a convenient location, the availability to students and teachers will be limited. Across the case study sites, there were five different strategies for allocating computers for student use:  · Distribution among the regular classrooms  · Computers in labs  · Mobile computer labs  · Incremental roll-out  · School-within-a-school The standard computer lab is commonly used in schools. If the use of the computer lab is carefully scheduled, it will provide high equipment utilization; on the other hand, keeping the computers in one place may be a barrier to using them on a continual but intermittent basis as a part of the curriculum. Some schools prefer to place computers in the regular classroom. These computers often are distributed through incremental rollout. In incremental rollout, technology is given to a limited number of classrooms at first and then expanded to an additional classroom each year. Sometimes the computers are distributed on a grade-by-grade basis with primary grades first and upper grades later receiving the most up-to-date equipment. This approach requires continual, yearly funding. Some schools have chosen to start with their Internet connection in the school library. This location necessitates that the library-media specialist is aware of educational sites to supplement students classroom activities. The library-media specialist also needs to work with teachers and the technology specialist to determine the best use of the equipment. In situations where software also is a limited commodity, the school library may house and catalog the software, as is done with other educational materials. This situation makes the software available to all teachers and allows teachers flexibility in assigning work to students. Whatever decisions are made on allocation of equipment, it is imperative that all staff members are included in the decision making and that long-term plans are made for acquisition and upgrading of materials. Such collaborative decision making and planning helps ensure staff buy-in, equity of access, and effective use of technology in teaching and learning. Providing Technical Support Without continuous technical support, technology integration in the classroom will never be satisfactorily achieved (Bailey Pownell, 2002). Most teachers have heard horror stories about equipment failure, software complexity, data loss, embarrassments, and frustration. They dont want to be left hanging with 30 students wondering why nothing is working the way it is supposed to be. When teachers are trying to use technology in their classrooms and they encounter difficulties, they need immediate help and support. Providing Time for Ongoing Professional Development Learning the new roles and ways of teaching that go hand-in-hand with technology integration requires that teachers have opportunities to participate in an extended process of professional development. Teachers need time to acquire technology skills and develop new teaching strategies for integrating technology into the classroom. Except for occasional in-service programs, teachers often have no time built into the school day for their own professional development. When professional development activities are conducted after school, teachers may not have the energy necessary for engaging in learning. Burgos (2001) notes, The research on staff development tells us that its least effective when its done at the end of the school day. Some researchers suggest that the ideal time for teachers to participate in professional development activities is during the summer, when students are not a consideration and teachers do not have as many demands on their time. But teachers are more likely to apply new instructional strategies if they receive feedback and support while trying the new strategies in their classrooms. Coaching Teachers at Different Skill Levels A school may be home to educators with a wide variety of skill levels in technology: computer gurus anxious to put the capabilities of the newest hardware and software to use; moderate technocrats, who implement basic computerized tasks; and the technologically limited. The problem faced by administrators and professional development staff of such a school is providing adequate training to bring all teachers to an adequate level of technical expertise so learning goals can be met. After the teachers skill levels are identified, administrators, teachers, and the technology specialist can brainstorm to determine what support and resources teachers need to advance to the next stage. Teachers can develop personal plans for professional development that include goals for using technology. These professional development plans can be competency driven, identifying specific areas where technology can be used effectively; they can specify outcomes to be achieved using technology, such as implementing specific projects with students; and they can list software applications that should be mastered by specific dates. By putting individual goals in writing, these plans formalize teachers commitment to using technology in the classroom, states Tenbusch (2002). Choosing Appropriate Software One barrier to technology integration is the difficulty many teachers face in finding and using appropriate software for instruction (Glenn, 2003). Teachers at novice or apprenticeship stages of technology integration may need guidance in locating multimedia software and Internet sites to support the schools learning goals, either because they are unfamiliar with these media or because they feel overwhelmed by the profusion of software on the market and sites on the Internet. Lack of time and experience to make good decisions about what particular products or sites have the potential of fostering learning goals can make technology integration a frightening prospect. Glenn (2003) succinctly summarizes the challenge: Problems exist with finding and using appropriate software or courseware for instruction. The number of high-quality curriculum materials has increased, and there is a wider variety; however, creating innovative learning opportunities for all students remains a fundamental challenge and elusive for far too many teachers. GOALS:  · The schools technology plan clearly identifies learning goals to be achieved through technology.  · Technology supports the instructional learning goals. It is integrated into instruction in meaningful ways so that it contributes to the attainment of high standards by all students.  · Technology is used for challenging, long-term projects that promote students higher-order thinking skills instead of merely for drill-and-practice programs to improve basic skills.  · All students have opportunities to use a variety of technologies to support their work on authentic tasks.  · All technology is in operable condition and is being used effectively and to the maximum extent possible.  · Just-in-time technology support is available for teachers and students.  · There is a flexibility in managing the technology to ensure that all students and teachers have equity of access.  · Professional development is considered an important part of the technology plan and the technology budget.  · The professional development component of the technology plan ensures that every teacher has allotted time throughout the school year for professional development relating to technology and its integration into the classroom.  · Professional development in technology is directly applicable to the classroom situation.  · A diverse portfolio is in place to ensure that funding is available to support technology and ongoing professional development. Administrators:  · Pursue funding strategies to provide the necessary technology, professional development, technical support, equipment upgrades, and equipment maintenance to achieve educational goals.  · Develop strategies for ensuring equitable use of education technology for all students and teachers.  · Acknowledge the benefits of plugging educators into technology improved student performance, increased student motivation, lower student absenteeism, and higher teacher morale.  · Understand the implications of preparing teachers for the Digital Age.  · Ensure that the school is providing professional development for effective technology use.  · Determine expectations for teachers in regard to their use of technology in their classrooms. Develop strategies for teaching the teachers and eventually winning teachers over.  · Read about technology implementation strategies in Teachers and Technology: Making the Connection.  · Provide all teachers and administrators with an Internet e-mail address. Use e-mail for all school announcements.  · Provide a networked computer on the desk of every teacher and administrator.  · Provide all teachers with on-site training in technology use. Ensure that teachers have adequate time to practice new skills, explore software, and become proficient with the schools technology.  · Involve teachers in identifying and pursuing technology professional development that is appropriate to their needs and skills.  · Encourage teachers to set their own technology integration goals as part of their individual professional development plans.  · Ensure that adequate technical support is available.  · Address any problems that arise with new uses of technology in the classroom quickly and efficiently.  · Use a variety of time and monetary incentives as well as job requirements that encourage teachers to use technology in their classrooms. o Provide release time for teachers to participate in technology professional development activities during the school day. o Pay for additional professional development activities, such as outside conferences and workshops that address specific classroom technology issues. o Pay teachers to act as technology mentors for teachers with novice technology skills. o Provide classroom-embedded mentoring, tutoring, and follow-up activities. o Financially reward teachers for designing good instructional uses of technology. o As an additional incentive, offer technology for classroom or personal use: laptop computers, technology equipment, and software. o Make teachers base pay contingent upon participation of technology professional development. o Include technological competence as one aspect of teacher evaluation. o Tie job security to technology professional development by adding technology competence to teacher evaluation, requiring technology-related professional development for contract renewal, or making technology professional development a requirement for re-certification.  · Periodically visit classrooms to determine teachers technology needs and to observe and encourage their integration strategies.  · Provide opportunities for teachers to observe effective technology use in other classes or schools.  · Recognize teacher successes with technology. Share these stories with the school and the community. Encourage teachers to share their successes with colleagues at conferences.  · Participate in professional development programs, study groups, and other technology activities with teachers and other staff members.