Knowledge Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Knowledge Economy - Essay Example A knowledge economy can exhibit itself in the interconnections between science and technology; the emphasis on creativity as critical to economic growth and competitiveness; the increasing focus on education and life-long learning; and the orientation toward investments in intangible goods and services, such as R&D, rather than fixed capital; and the rapid adoption of information and communication technology (ICT) that is providing nations greater independence as well as greater connectiveness (Archibugi & Pietrobelli, 2003). However, some contend that the expansion of knowledge economies within developing nations can also bring with it negative consequences, such as increasing the divide between developed an developing nations, and crowding in their economic development (Casanueva, 2001; Pietrobelli, 2000). This paper aims to present the argument that a knowledge economy within a developing nation can contribute to numerous negative effects on a countries economic and social development. Firstly, the positive arguments that promote the adoption of a knowledge economy by developing nations shall be presented. Secondly, the contrasting negative impact consequences to the adoption of KE shall be provided. Finally, a conclusion shall synthesise the main points of the paper and make recommendations for future research.It is generally conceded that a knowledge economy can positively contribute to the development of a nation's economic and social institutions by way of facilitating more effective goods and services production and delivery, lowering costs to public citizens (Archibugi & Pietrobelli, 2003). As such, developing nations are encouraged to adopt a knowledge economy as an efficient method for improving their competitiveness on the global marketplace, as well as alleviating their wel fare needs. In order to effectively incorporate a knowledge economy it is necessary for developing nations to capitalize on their economic and social strengths, and also to plan appropriately on how to invest in human capital, social institutions, technology and innovative and competitive businesses (Kuznetzov & Sabel, 2003). Countries such as Chile, Ireland, Malaysia and Korea are portrayed as success stories of countries, which have incorporated a knowledge economy into their social and political value systems (Kuzetzov & Sabel, 2003). Increasingly, science-based products and services are being incorporated into world trade, foreign direct investment (FDI) of multinational corporations to facilitate innovation globally, and cooperation across the boarders of scientific and technological research and development (Narula & Sadowski, 2002). Less developed countries are able to benefit from the increasing flow of knowledge if they are able to implement active policies that focus on enhancing learning opportunities and improving access to new knowledge and technology (Archibugi & Pietrobelli, 2003). Additionally, the opportunity to participate in the 'brain circulation' of open migration of people and their knowledge across boarders provides job prospects and educational experiences that prepare the LDC citizen to participate in a global workforce (Kuznetsov & Sabel, 2003).Additionally, a study investigating indicators that represent knowledge within 92 nations, during the period

Employees-Management Coflicts at British Airways Essay

Employees-Management Coflicts at British Airways - Essay Example References 23 1. Executive Summary British Airways is air carrier Hospitality Company which operates in United Kingdom with its head quarter in London. Recently there observed a conflict between employees and the management which was afterwards resolved after significant losses. The purpose of this study is to dig out the root causes for what the problem arouse and the deviation between proposed solution and the most appropriate solution in order to resolve the matter with least damages. The study is purely descriptive and qualitative which uses case study research design to find out the deduction (Cooper 2007). As it has to interact with human behaviors then it is socially collaborative research hence it is specified as deductive research. The real time scenario will be implicated over the literary theories and practices to deduce the most appropriate results (Sekaran 2003). The cabin crew employees had a problem with the management policies related to their rights and incentives is sues (BBC News). They went on a shutdown to get their demands fulfilled. The dispute ran for a longer time period of two years and the main agenda presented by the employees union was pay and benefits. It remained an acrimonious one for the taste of the top management. It caused twenty two days of crew cabin staff strike. Human resource department was not able to handle the situation (BBC UK). The problem was tackled at last; the guilt was on both parties. The demands were unjust and the management was getting failed in digging out some perfect situation handler. 2. Introduction The proposed study anticipates digging out the recent conflict issues which were observed at British Airways among management and the employees (hubpages). The conflicts were sought to be resolved in order to get the operations straight forward as well as on the stream of action. The research methodology which is used to get the insights from the matter is secondary data approach using deductive research des ign. The conclusion is generalized as the matter was not only dependent upon the management. There were many of the contemporary issues which were over sought by the stakeholders. The study is a spot light, basically, and the primary purpose is to find out the relationship between conflict handling capabilities and the employees’ union authority at British Airways. Since British Airways is a well-known traveling company operating in United Kingdom, having the head quarter at London, UK. It is the biggest carrier company in United Company whereas it is placed at 3rd number all over the Europe. The company stands at 1st in airlines ranking all over the world having 51000 employees. The passenger turnover which is recorded on the booking basis is 36 million per annum. It has a lot of strengths over its contemporaries. Threats which were observed over the history of British Airways were short termed and management resolved the issues in a managed and systematic manner. Over the p eriod of Human Resource era, the beginning was a little bit shaky for hospitality industry. Because before the arrival of HR era, customer was considered as a king and there were lesser rights given to the employees. When human resources were realized with their value, conflicts arouse in all over the hospitality industry along with British Airways. In the paper, there is discussed in detail about how the management faced the problems and how was the issue resolved along with better implementation of the case in to the real corporate world with

Effects Of Circumcision

Effects Of Circumcision More often people here about circumcision as a religious rite among Jews and Muslims and less likely this procedure is discussed from a medical point of view. There is no consensus about its feasibility and even doctors can not determine whether this procedure needed or not. According to statistics, about 1/7 of the world male are circumcised and, in most cases it is for religious reasons. In Europe, male circumcision is not very popular, unlike the U.S., where more than 50% of boys are circumcised, mostly for reasons of hygiene (Rosen, 2010). There are vivid reasons for this procedure the same as effects which should be thought out thoroughly. The tradition of circumcision appeared in a primitive society, when the transition of boys into the group of adult men was accompanied by a rite of initiation. During the initiation, young men were not just receiving the traditions and intimate knowledge of the tribe, but also subjected to physical tests, among which the circumcision was perhaps not the most painful. European and American part of the population is very ambivalent about this process. For example, in the early 60s in Western countries there was the so-called the boom of circumcision. Through the process of cutting off the foreskin were going almost all male adult and newborn babies. However, in the 70ies-80ies the boom finished and there was a time to sum up the results (it should be noted that according to statistics, nowadays about 80% of American men are circumcised) (Joseph, 2010). In the modern world circumcision is made in some peoples of Australia, Oceania, and Africa. The most widespread, circumcision is in the religious rites of Judaism and Islam. So in some religions, circumcision is an obligatory ritual; for example Muslims circumcise children when they are 8-13 years old, while Jews do it already on the 8th day after the birth (Anwar, 2010). Circumcision is a minor surgery aimed to remove the foreskin of the penis. The result of the complete removal of the foreskin is an open glans penis; as a result of partial removal of the foreskin, an opening of glans penis is achieved (Castellsague, 2002). The question of circumcision is very discussible and has a lot of proponents and opponents. Doctors have sounded positive and negative effects of circumcision. Discussing the positive effects, the most vivid are: the reduce of probability of occurrence the reproductive system malignant tumors; increased duration of coitus due to the absence of the foreskin, the glans penis becomes less sensitive during the frictions that contributes to delay of ejaculation (though this point may not always be considered as positive); improvement in the appearance of the penis. It is also proved that there is a connection between inflammation in the area of ​​the foreskin and urinary tract infection. Thus, while examining of 100 children with urinary tract infection in age from 5 days to 8 months, it was noticed that 95% of them were boys and all of them were not circumcised (Ginsberg CM, 1982). The survey of U.S. military showed that the incidence of urinary tract infections is 10-20 times higher in men who havent been circumcised (Wiswell TE, 1987). One more positive medical effect of circumcision is that penile cancer is found only in men who previously did not have circumcision. Mortality in cases of penile cancer in the U.S. is 25% (Castellsague, 2002). Circumcision significantly reduces the likelihood of developing penile cancer in men. Also the connection between circumcision and sexually transmitted diseases is also acknowledged (Rosen, 2010). These diseases, which typically include the integrity of the epithelium, or ulcers (genetalny herpes, syphilis, AIDS) are more common in men who were not circumcised (Waldeck, 2003). In addition, Australian researchers have found out that circumcised men are much less likely to get AIDS and other infectious diseases of the reproductive system. Scientists have discovered that immunodeficiency virus penetrates the foreskin much easier than other tissues of the male organism (Ferris, 2010). Also, a group of U.S. researchers, working in India under the leadership of Dr. Stephen Reynolds, made this conclusion, surveying more than 2 thousand men. The report of the Surgeon General is published in the medical journal Lancet (DArcy, 2011). The article says that the risk of getting the deadly virus for circumcised men is six times less than for those who did not pass this procedure. However, scientists announce that from other sexually transmitted infections, circumcision does not protect. The reason may lie in specific cells of the foreskin, which are very susceptible to HIV (DArcy, 2011).   Dr. Reynolds says that circumcision can be a serious tool in the fight against AIDS especially in developing countries, where condoms are not equally shared (DArcy, 2011). Previously, scientists believed that circumcised men were less susceptible to AIDS due to the special patterns of sexual behavior their upbringing did not permit to have casual sexual acts. However, it is clear now that the reason is just physiological and has nothing to do with ethics or religion (Brooks, 2010). The effects of circumcision have not only positive points, but negative also. One of the main effects is a severe pain. Previously, infants were circumcised without anesthesia, which in turn led to a painful shock, but nowadays local anesthesia is used almost always during such procedures. One more strong negative effect is unnecessary intervention in human anatomy. There is nothing superfluous in humans; in fact the foreskin performs the same role for the glans penis as the eyelid to the eye. It protects the glans penis. The opponents of circumcision believe that it is far from inconsistency to ethical standards. Since the infant can not decide himself whether he needs circumcision or not, human rights advocates say that decisions made by parents, are inhuman. Like most surgeries, the procedure of circumcision has a number of postoperative complications, the most common of which are the following: hematoma (bleeding in the tissue, or a bruise) and wound infection. To eliminate these negative effects, in most cases is possible through the most thorough dressing and postoperative area care. There are also possible such negative effects as contagious infection, the formation of excessive scar tissue, mechanical damage to the urethra during surgery, various strains of penis, swelling and inflammation of the urethra. Never the less such problems happen rather rare. A more serious consequence, requiring repeated surgical intervention is painful erections that are also considered as possible medical effects of circumcision. It is important to mention that the presence of the foreskin makes the surface of the glans penis moist corresponding humidity of womans vagina and that physiological. Penis after circumcision does not have such natural advantages, and circumcised men often have to use special lubricants during sex. Medical practice shows that children whose foreskin was cut are affected by infectious disease of the penis during the first years of life five times more often then children who were not circumcised. This is explained by the fact that smegma contains lysozyme, which reduces the risk of urinary tract infection. The infant is not asked whether he wants to have such surgery or not. Adults decide everything for him. However, any surgery is a trauma, the psychological consequences of which can persist for life. Americans, carefully, even reverently care about their mental health, combined into society under the slogan of opponents of circumcision: Circumcision mutilation and violence against childs personality. At the same time, the surgeons quite successfully develop techniques that allow pulling the skin of penis to form a new foreskin. Many people believe that circumcised foreskin impoverishes sexual feelings, and this view has the right for existence. Foreskin moves during the frictions, making the experience richer be the most natural way, without using any appliances from the store of intimate accessories. There is no doubt that circumcision is sometimes a necessary therapeutic measure during frequent inflammatory diseases of the foreskin, phimosis and paraphimosis. However, as a preventive operation, it is hardly justified, although not so long ago people practiced across-tonsillectomy as a preventive measure of angina, and cutting the appendix to avoid possible appendicitis. Heres what a well-known pediatrician, Dr. Hugh Jolly says: There is no doubt that the best thing you can do with the foreskin of your infant son, is to leave it, you just need to give it time to separate itself from the glans, and it will easily pull back. It happens at the age of 4. It is best to try to move the foreskin during bathing. However, if the glans is exposed difficultly, do not hurry, there is no need If you try to pull the foreskin before it happens naturally, you can damage skin and cause bleeding. The scar occurs at the place of injury. In cases where the foreskin is fused with the glans, circumcision can not be longer avoided (Morris, 2010). Until the natural separation of the foreskin, it protects the glans from infection. In infancy the cleansing of the glans penis in boys, as well as the clitoris in girls occurs itself, naturally. The irony is that it is after the cutoff there is an urgent need for careful care of the glans penis. Deepening and skin folds in the bridle and the corolla are ideal for bacterial growth. The glans penis which is not circumcised has a smooth, slippery and wet surface. After the cutoff, it becomes matte and dry. The modern mentality often equates dryness and purity that is why from this point of view the untouched by the circumcision glans seen as dirty. That is a fallacy. Young people in the United States regularly go to the doctor for circumcision. Their decision, they often motivate by partners insistence, which is usually due to three factors: hygiene, aesthetics and traditions. The woman is afraid of dirt that can accumulate under a fold of skin, wrinkling her unpleasant appearance of the foreskin and, finally, she wants her partner looked like the rest men in her family. The essence of the problem is that the excision of the foreskin causes severe pain. In most cases, operations are done without anesthesia, as it is commonly believed that in the first week of childs life it is risky. It looks awful when a small, helpless creature is tied to a special table for cutting. The child lies on it; crucified and abandoned by all He reacts with horror at the bright light of surgical lights, ringing metal tools, masks of doctors, shining knives and the terrible physical pain. None knows how long his continues continue. The psychological effects of such procedure are not studied yet, so none can tell how it affects a child. Journalist Philip Baffle wrote in The New York Times: Newborns experience pain. There is no need to explain it to parents; its not a mystery to many pediatricians. Unfortunately among doctors, who are operating babies without anesthetic or with minimal use, opposite opinion is dominated† (Gilliam, 2010). Philip Baffle states that according to one of scientific researched, 77% of all infants who had surgery because of serious defects of the cardiovascular system in 1954-1983, were given only local anesthesia, and very rare with the interrupted supply of nitrous oxide (Gilliam, 2010). Meanwhile, really effective painkillers, which are suitable for children, have already passed into the category of available. Such a rare use of analgesics while operating newborn proves that medical practice is sometimes based on incomplete knowledge and false beliefs and that criticism contributes the truth. The situation is changing. In most U.S. medical institutions doctors use painkillers during major surgery. However, some anesthesiologists stubbornly adhere to old beliefs and there are still surgical units where little children are operated without anesthesia in the case of simple operations, such as circumcision. Considerations which make the routine practice of circumcision doubtful include pain and risk associated with small surgical interventions. Circumcision is a surgical procedure, and the pain that is brought to the baby is also real. Pain is manifested in grimace, cry, heart palpitations and lack of saturation blood with oxygen (Kaufman, 2001). Studies indicate that circumcision in the neonatal period is a stress, which causes behavioral and psychological pain reactions (Malnory, 2003). American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recognizes that there is a significant painful reaction during neonatal circumcision and recommends the use of analgesics (Gatrad, 2002).   One of researchers believes that the most important argument against circumcision is a permanent violation of anatomy, histology and functions of the penis, which are fraught with potential complications (Atikeler, 2001). The same study reports about complications including bleeding, stenosis, incomplete circumcision, penile edema, damage of the glands, adhesion, hypospadias and damage of urethra (Atikeler, 2001). The overall incidence of complications of circumcision according to the medical literature is 1.6% (El-Bhnasawy, 2002). Adhesion of the penis is the most preventable and non-binding complications of circumcision. Among all the complications, an adhesion is observed in 71% of cases (Kebaabetswe, 2003). After neonatal circumcision, the majority of adhesions resolve sponatanno (Kebaabetswe, 2003). Another risk associated with circumcision, is the lack or excess of skin that can cause problems such as recurrent phimosis (Gatrad, 2002). Phimosis happens in approximately 2.9% of cases (Blalock, 2003). In the UK, the circumcision is not practiced routinely, as the procedure has limited medical benefits. As a result, circumcision is a medical event, which is paid by insurance only in case of medical necessity (Shah, 1999). Summarizing everything that was written above, it is worth repeating that circumcision is a surgically removal of the foreskin. It is dome more due to cultural traditions, than medical prescriptions. Circumcision is a kind of intervention in the very intimate area associated with family and religious traditions. Typically, the feasibility of circumcision causes active debates. Modern parents, before deciding to cut off their son, must carefully think about pros and cons of this procedure and related to this operation danger. Circumcision causes medical and psychological effects on children and they are worth consideration while taking decision.

Media :: essays research papers

The media has a profound influence on the decisions I make. Whether it is what movie I see or what I plan on doing according to the weather, I look to the media and television news, in particular, for the answers. I also listen to the radio for updates on world events. The media help shape our world and the decisions we make by keeping leaders accountable. The media has a role in the decisions I make about politics, opinions on world issues, and how I conduct myself from day to day.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the 2005 Presidential election, both candidates had mass exposure to the media. They used their resources to get their issues and views heard. But, the incumbent, President Bush, had an advantage. He always had the media at his disposal. He already had name and face recognition. They have been with him since he was elected in 2000. For this reason, I think he had adequate coverage and time to get his agenda heard and get voters interested in voting for him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I also depend on the many outlets the media has to keep me informed on world event and other breaking news. From the recent death of the Holy Father- Pope John Paul II, to the day's traffic I need to know what is effecting me so I can make an informed decision on where I stand. They help to keep the pressing issues in perspective from both sides.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I also need the local media to help get me through the day. From traffic to weather, the local media is the closest contact to what is happening all around my. The media is good about coving all the issues from the world to the cities and every where in between. The media helps me make a decision on movies, games, and a multitude of other consumer products.

Grendel, the Outsider

To be an outsider is to be someone who does not belong to the general population of society. Someone who does not follow the same principles, morals, or ideals as the majority. Whether by choice, or by being forced out of the inner circle, anyone could potentially become an â€Å"outsider† to society. Grendel is by far the best example of an outsider in John Garders novel, Grendel. His views on life, relationship with humans, and relationship with his mother easily sets him apart from the rest of the characters in the novel. Throughout the novel, Grendel talks about his own view of life and what it means, and although everyones views of life are different, Grendels was far different from the majority of the world at the time. Grendels own view of life is that there is no real â€Å"purpose† of life, which separated him from everyone else. He never tried to find his purpose in life, so all he ever did was wander the world and observe life, and the way humans and animals interacted with eachother. In a way, Grendel made himself an outsider. He would not allow himself to be associated with humans, so his views are almost polar opposites of theirs, which in turn, made him an â€Å"outsider†. Not only did Gendels views of life make him an outsider, but the relationship he had with humans was a major part of him being separated from the majority of society. The humans thought that Grendel was a monster, so when he would come to the villages, they would all start attacking him, and attempt to drive him out. This would obviously make him an outsider, because none of the humans wanted to be around him, so he was forced to be on his own. However, after a while, Grendel began to hate the humans. He would go into Herot and kill people because he hated them so much. This widened the social gap between the humans and Gredel, making him even more so of an outsider. Grendels relationship with his mother is also a major factor in Grendel separation from society. While Grendel is an intelligent being, who is capable of speech, his mother has never been able to speak. This is a key factor in the development of Grendel. He was never taught the way â€Å"others† would have been taught. Instead of learning speach from his mother, he learned from hearing the humans talk, and slowly began to pick up on the language. He taught himself how to do most of the things that he does now, which makes him â€Å"stand out from the crowd†. Also, it is hard for him an his mother to communicate well with eachother, which could potentially make Grendel even more of an outsider, because of the lack of communication between him and his mother. Grendels views and relationships truly separate him from the rest of mainstream society. His strange and alien morals and ideals make him an outsider among the humans, and the rest of the world that he lives in. He truly is the only one of his kind.

Aig Bailout & Stakeholder Analysis

AIG Bailout & Stakeholder Analysis In September 2008, the American International Group, AIG, the largest insurance company in the United States, suffered from the bad debts incurred insuring mortgage-backed securities. As a result, within a matter of three months, AIG reported a startling quarterly loss of $61. 7 billion, largest in the U. S corporate history. Instead of watching this global insurance giant fall on its keens, the U. S. government has decided to lend a helping hand by bailing out AIG. However, this generosity isn’t without a cost.Seven months and four bailout programs later, the American taxpayers are stuck with a bill for the amount of $182 billion, in return for 79. 9% equity stake of the failing company. Soon after the bailout fund was received, the board of directors at AIG announced that the company will continue to reward its senior management and traders with the contractual $165 million bonus, the same group of people that caused the AIG collapse and gl obal credit crisis in the first place. Personal, I am completely disgusted with this particular decision.How can any of the executives and traders be able to spend a penny from this bonus pool knowing what their action have caused. Just like Cousin Robin, millions had lost their life time savings due to someone else’s greed and irresponsibility. However, at the same time I have no choice but to agree with the government’s decision on bailing out AIG and indirectly looking out for its employees and shareholders. The following is my argument based on the impact from several stakeholders if the government had not done so. Investors:The first immediate impact of the AIG bankruptcy will be its investors. Although AIG is widely regarded as world’s No. 1 insurance corporation, many had not realized that AIG is also the world’s largest credit insurer for many major corporations as well as the largest issuers on credit related derivative products such as Credit De fault Swap or CDS. During the second and third quarter of 2008, the credit rating on many mortgage security firms were downgraded when mortgage default rating reached its all time peak and firms were failing to meet their debt obligations.Consequently, as a credit insurer, AIG were obligated to pay investors the contractual swap payment. However, since firms were defaulting at an astonish rate, it was almost impossible for AIG to come up with any of the payments. Without any payment, most of the investors weren’t able to meet their own legal obligation and this transcended down to a vicious cycle and eventually turned into a global crisis. Now, when AIG received the government bailout package, its immediate action was to pay its clients and alleviated the pressure of any firm that was involved before things got worse.Goldman Sachs for one was the biggest beneficiary from this bailout as the firm was facing many uncertainties of its own. Average Consumers/General Public: The a verage consumers may not realize this, but AIG cannot fail. Not only does it play a major role in the U. S. economy, it plays a crucial role in our daily lives. It impacts anyone who owns a home, car, insurance, or even a student loan. The AIG statistics are overwhelming. The company has 74 million customers around the globe. 0 million of those clients are American based. AIG operates in more than 130 countries. Prior to the current market conditions, the company backed more than $298 billion in assets globally. Just its quarterly loss along had sent the world market into an abyss, the Dow lost 300 points and Asian market toppled to a new low. The answer is fairly simple, the average consumers like myself have so much invested in AIG that we cannot see it fail.The implication on it defaulting will be far worse than losing 75% of our retirement fund. Employees & Shareholders: I will need to bring employees and shareholders into the same category here since most of the AIG employees a re its shareholders. These two groups are probably on the worse end of the deal than anyone else. The bailout package is a very good indication that the government is nationalizing AIG as it holds 80% of its shares, a move that wiped out most of the shareholder’s value.On the other hand, many had yet to realize that before the bailout, AIG was on the blink of â€Å"extinction†, which will result unemployment and an empty retirement portfolio. With the bailout, employees like Robin can safely say â€Å"I am still employed. † And to those who are optimistic can even say, if the bailout does workout in the years to come and AIG is successfully restructured under the economy reforming, their portfolio will be back to its fair market value, maybe even more. It is reasonable to assume that anyone who is on the same boat as Cousin Robin will be disgruntled.On the other hand, when we dissect the situation in further depth, one will realize that the AIG bailout will rest ore economic stability, prevent future collapse of large institutional investors, support the financial community, not to mention restore consumer confidence. Thus, as one of the millions U. S. taxpayers, I will have to disagree with Robin and certainly applaud the government’s decision on handing out the AIG bailout. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. http://www. onlineforextrading. com/blog/aig-bailout-again/ [ 2 ]. http://www. onlineforextrading. com/blog/aig-bailout-again/

Persuing a Career in Civil Engineering Essays

Persuing a Career in Civil Engineering Essays Persuing a Career in Civil Engineering Paper Persuing a Career in Civil Engineering Paper Why do I want to be a civil engineer? Until recently, I did not know the answer to this question myself. I was extremely confused when it came to choosing a career. There were so many fields that interested me that I found it difficult to make up my mind. Then I read about civil engineering, an occupation involving the construction of buildings, roads, and bridges. As I looked further into civil engineering, I began to like many aspects of this career. Civil Engineers play a crucial role in the design, construction, and maintenance of buildings. Before beginning construction civil engineers plan layout and every other aspect of a building. As the article â€Å"Architecture (building)† on Microsoft ® Encarta ® remarks â€Å"Architecture must satisfy its intended uses, must be technically sound, and must convey aesthetic meaning† because â€Å"Architecture is a social art† (page 1 of 19). Structural engineers are principally concerned with the structural form of a building, whereas architects are concerned with the integration of the building functions, form, mechanical system, as well as the building itself. It is through their collaboration that complex building can be designed. Designing the overall frame of a building is the first step in constructing a viable and stable structure. According with the Attila Lawrence’s article on the â€Å"architectureweeek† web page, â€Å" In today’s competitive business environment, corporate cultures tend to focus on improving product quality while minimizing costs and managing risks†, (page 1 of 2). Furthermore, the English poet Sir Henry Wotton said: â€Å" Well building have three conditions: Commoditie, Firmenes, and Delight† (qtd. In Architecture (building) page 1 of 19). Structure and aesthetics of a building are related through efficiency, lightness, elegance, and the principles of minimizing weight and using the least material possible to control cost. Civil engineers and architects together design in detail the various components of a building and the materials to be used. According with the article â€Å"Building Construction† on Microsoft ® Encarta ®, â€Å" The major elements of a building include the following: The foundation, the structure, the exterior walls, the interior partitions, the environmental-control systems, the vertical transportation communications, and the power, water supply system†, (III elements of a building, page 2 of 12). Furthermore, as the article â€Å"Building Construction† on Microsoft ® Encarta ® remarks, â€Å"As a eneral rule, state laws require a registered architect or engineer, or both, to execute the design and to make sure the design complies with public health, zoning, and building-code requirements†, (II construction industry, page 1 of 12). Thus the designs of a building are not only influenced by the principles of physics and economics but also by laws t hat are set down by every culture to make buildings conform to their standards. Another factor that influences the design of a building is technology. The article Architecture (building) Microsoft ® Encarta ® explains: â€Å"Architectural form is inevitably influenced by the technologies applied† (page 1of 19). One such technology is the AutoCAD design software. It is used to design sophisticated construction, mechanical, and electrical, structures. According to professor Curtis Burkett, â€Å"AutoCAD is an excellent software that had changed the way of drawing plans and design structure† (personal interview). Paper designs of buildings are a thing of the past. In the age of computers, civil engineers design and test their structures on computers. Civil engineers use their knowledge to make the calculations required for the design of projects and supervise the drafting. Susan Knack in the article â€Å" who builds big† says that the most fun thing about civil engineer job is â€Å" applying problem-solving skills to resolve real-life problems, visiting job site, seeing my designs transformed from paper to real life, and every once in a while, getting to rappel off a building,† (page 2 of 3). Civil engineers calculate the most efficient way to put together the various components of a building, and establish detailed programs for the coordination of site activities. Eugene L. Bass in the article â€Å"The Law Civil Engineering,† says: â€Å"The law has attempted to be of assistance in providing a definition of supervision of the construction of engineering structures. It means the periodic observation of materials and completed work to determine general compliance with plans, specifications, and design and planning concepts,† (page 1 of 2). During construction the civil engineer is charged with the responsibility of insuring that the facility is constructed according to plans and specifications and that the materials and equipment incorporated in the project are those that were called for in the original design. Construction site are among the most dangerous of all industrial workplaces. In the article â€Å"The law Civil engineering† by Eugene L. Bass, â€Å" Supervisions of the construction of engineering structure does not include responsibility for the superintendence of construction processes, site conditions, operations, equipment, personnel, or the maintenance of a safe place to work or any safety in, or about the site† (page 1 of 2). Civil engineers have the control over the employees and the job site, and are the overall coordinators of the work, but they are not responsible for the safety of the workers at the construction site. Protecting construction workers from injury and disease is among the greatest challenges in occupational safety and health. For the construction workers is important to have contractual protections from responsibility for jobsite safety. Civil engineers continuously check the integrity of the buildings, and carry out any emergency reapers that might be required. According with the article â€Å"Building Construction,† Microsoft ® Encarta ®: the contractor, architect, and engineer are legally responsible for any deficiencies in the construction or design for a period of several years after acceptance,† (II construction industry, pages 2 of 12). A civil engineer skill is the knowledge of methods and techniques as applied in surveying and construction and maintenance of works. Furthermore, civil engineers have to take preventive measures to stop corrosion of building parts. For example, Susan Knack in the article â€Å"Who builds big? † explains things that engineers are use to do for the maintenance of a building. She says: â€Å"I investigate why buildings leak and deteriorate and design new construction and repairs to deal with these problems,† (page 1 of 3). Civil engineers have many ways to examine deteriorate building parts, but the most common is the nondestructive evaluation.. According with the article â€Å" Nondestructive Evaluation for Historic Preservation,† Architectureweek web page, â€Å" An investigation usually begins with a walk-through survey of the entire site and structure† then â€Å"A close inspection can then take place, documenting all or selected areas of the building† finally â€Å" An inspection of building systems may address all or only some elements and features of the building, including site and subsurface conditions,† (page 1 of 7). In conclusion civil engineers conceive, plan, construct, and operate facilities that meet basic human needs. It is an exciting field where I can use my creativity to build beautiful, useful and lasting structures. Moreover, civil engineers play an important role in a culture in the sense that a culture is known by what it creates and leaves behind for future generations. I have determined that civil engineering is the career that I want to pursue. I am counting on my passion for building structures that are unique to succeed in this field.

Guerilla Warfare Essays

Guerilla Warfare Essays Guerilla Warfare Essay Guerilla Warfare Essay Jared NorthridgeEnglish IIMrs. Davidson8 March 2012Guerrilla WarfarePicture yourself as an American soldier walking through a jungle. The only noises you hear are the drops of moisture bouncing off the leaves of the trees and the footsteps of the other soldiers in your platoon. You are in a foreign country you have never heard of, fighting for a cause you don’t fully understand. You are in a small Asian country called Vietnam performing search and destroy missions, searching for your enemies and then eliminating them. You are in a village searching for the Viet Cong. You have all the residents of the village lined up. They’re all in a panic and you have no clue what they’re saying. All of a sudden you’re being shot at from one of the huts. Some of the people you thought were just residents of the small jungle village are now killing off your platoon, your brothers. Through panic of the villagers and sound of bullets flying past your head, you decide it is just best to lie down and wait. The next thing you know the shooting has stopped, and you hear the sound of some people running deep into the forest. You were just the victim of guerrilla warfare.A lot of wars have been lost because of guerrilla warfare. Two examples are the United States Vietnam War and the French’s invasion of Spain. Guerrilla warfare is â€Å"the use of hit-and-run tactics by small, mobile groups of irregular forces operating in territory controlled by a hostile, regular force† (â€Å"Guerilla† p1).The Vietnam War was fought from November 1, 1955, to April 30, 1975. The Vietnam War was fought between North Vietnam, and their communist allies, and South Vietnam, supported by the United States and other non-communist countries (â€Å"Vietnam† p1). The North Vietnamese had a secret weapon called the Viet Cong (p7). The Viet Cong are â€Å"South Vietnamese guerrilla force† (p7). The war was an uphill battle f or the United States and South Vietnamese, because the Viet Cong were using their guerrilla

Biography of Meriwether Lewis, American Explorer

Biography of Meriwether Lewis, American Explorer Meriwether Lewis, born August 18, 1774 in Virginia, is best known as the co-captain of the historic Lewis and Clark Expedition. But in addition to his role as a famed explorer, he was a young plantation owner, a committed military man, a controversial politician, and a confidant of President Jefferson. Lewis died in 1809 of gun shot wounds while en route to Washington, D.C., a trip he undertook with the intentions of clearing his muddled name. Fast Facts: Meriwether Lewis Occupation: Explorer, Governor of Louisiana TerritoryBorn: August 18, 1774,  Albemarle County, VADied: October 11, 1809, near Nashville, TNLegacy: The Lewis and Clark Expedition traversed the country through nearly 8,000 miles, helping consolidate Americas claims to the West. The explorers produced over 140 maps, collected over 200 samples of new plant and animal species, and established peaceful relations with 70 Native American tribes along the way.Famous Quote: As we passed on, it seemed as if those scenes of visionary enchantment would never have an end. Adolescent Planter Meriwether Lewis was born at Locust Hill plantation in Albemarle County, Virginia, on August 18, 1774. He was the eldest of five children born to Lt. William Lewis and Lucy Meriwether Lewis. William Lewis died of pneumonia in 1779 when Meriwether was just five years old. Within six months, Lucy Lewis married Captain John Marks and the new family left Virginia for Georgia. Life on what was then the frontier appealed to young Meriwether, who learned how to hunt and forage on long treks through the wilderness. When he was about 13 years old, he was sent back to Virginia for schooling and to learn the rudiments of running Locust Hill. By 1791, his stepfather had died and Lewis moved his twice-widowed mother and siblings home to Albemarle, where he worked to build a financially stable home for his family and over two dozen slaves. As he grew to maturity, cousin Peachy Gilmer described the young plantation owner as â€Å"formal and almost without flexibility,† determined to the point of obstinacy and filled with â€Å"self-possession and undaunted courage.† Captain Lewis Lewis seemed destined for the life of an obscure Virginia planter when he found a new path. A year after joining the local militia in 1793, he was among the 13,000 militiamen called up by President George Washington to put down the Whiskey Rebellion, an uprising of farmers and distillers in Pennsylvania protesting high taxes. Military life appealed to him, and in 1795 he joined the nascent U.S. Army as an ensign. Soon thereafter, he befriended another Virginia-born officer named William Clark.   In 1801, Captain Lewis was appointed as an aide to incoming President Thomas Jefferson. A fellow Albemarle County planter, Jefferson had known Lewis all his life and admired the younger man’s skills and intellect. Lewis served in this post for the next three years. Jefferson had long dreamt of seeing a major expedition across the American continent, and with the signing of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, he was able to win funding and support for an expedition to explore and map the new territory to find â€Å"the most direct and practicable water communication across this continent, for the purposes of commerce. Meriwether Lewis was a logical choice to lead the expedition. â€Å"It was impossible to find a character who to a complete science in botany, natural history, mineralogy astronomy, joined the firmness of constitution character, prudence, habits adapted to the woods a familiarity with the Indian manners and character, requisite for this undertaking,† Jefferson wrote. â€Å"All the latter qualifications Capt. Lewis has.† Lewis chose William Clark as his co-captain and they recruited the best men they could find for what promised to be an arduous multi-year trek. Lewis and Clark and their 33-man Corps of Discovery left from Camp Dubois in present-day Illinois on May 14, 1804. Map of the Northwestern United States depicts the route taken by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark on their first expedition from the Missouri River (near St. Louis, Missouri) to the mouth of the Columbia River (at the Pacific Ocean in Oregon), and their return trip, 1804-1806. (Photo by Stock Montage/Getty Images) Over the next two years, four months, and 10 days, the Corps of Discovery covered nearly 8,000 miles to the Pacific coast and back, arriving in St. Louis in early September 1806. Altogether, the expedition created over 140 maps, collected over 200 samples of new plant and animal species, and made contact with over 70 Native American tribes. Governor Lewis Back home in Virginia, Lewis and Clark each received about $4,500 in pay (equivalent to about $90,000 today) and 1,500 acres of land in recognition of their accomplishment. In March 1807, Lewis was appointed governor of the Louisiana Territory and Clark was appointed general of the territorial militia and Agent for Indian Affairs. They arrived in St. Louis in early 1808. In St. Louis, Lewis built a house big enough for himself, William Clark, and Clark’s new bride. As governor, he negotiated treaties with local tribes and tried to bring order to the region. However, his work was undermined by political enemies, who spread rumors that he was mismanaging the territory. Lewis also found himself deeply in debt. In carrying out his duties as governor, he accrued nearly $9,000 in debts- equivalent to $180,000 today. His creditors began to call in his debts before Congress approved his reimbursements. In early September 1809, Lewis set out for Washington, in the hopes of clearing his name and winning his money. Accompanied by his servant, John Pernier, Lewis planned to boat down the Mississippi to New Orleans and sail along the coast to Virginia. Stopped by illness at Fort Pickering, near present-day Memphis, Tennessee, he decided to make the rest of the trip overland, following a wilderness path called the Natchez Trace. On October 11, 1809, Lewis died of gunshot wounds at an isolated tavern known as Grinder’s Stand, about 70 miles southwest of Nashville.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Murder or Suicide? Word quickly spread that the 35-year-old Lewis had committed suicide as the result of depression. Back in St. Louis, William Clark wrote to Jefferson: â€Å"I fear the weight of his mind has overcome him.† But there were lingering questions over what had occurred at Grinder’s Stand on the night of October 10 and 11, with rumors that Lewis had, in fact, been murdered. Over 200 years later, researchers are still divided on how Lewis died. For decades, descendants of the explorer have sought to have his remains exhumed for examination  by forensic experts to see if they can determine if his wounds were self-inflicted or not. To date, their requests have been denied. Sources Danisi, Thomas C.  Meriwether Lewis. New York: Prometheus Books, 2009.Guice, John D.W. Jay H. Buckley. By His Own Hand?:  The Mysterious Death of Meriwether Lewis. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2014.Stroud, Patricia Tyson. Bitterroot:  The Life and Death of Meriwether Lewis. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2018.

Small-Business Idea Paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Small-Business Idea Paper - Assignment Example Advantages and Disadvantages of Four Different Forms of Business Organizations There are fundamentally four types of business forms currently practiced by entrepreneurs, such as sole proprietorship, partnership, C-Corporation, and S-Corporation. However, with due consideration to their practical implementation, various advantages and disadvantages can be identified which are elaborated in the further discussion. Sole Proprietorship Majority of the businesses observed in the locality are of this kind. The most significant advantages served by this form of business are the minimum obligation of legal implications. To be elaborated, The profits accrued from the business is entirely receivable to the proprietor Unhindered employment of capital in the business The proprietor possesses exclusive control on the business Tax rebates and exclusion from capital gains are served to the proprietor Apart from these advantages, a sole proprietorship concern also require facing disadvantages as fol lows, In this case, the proprietor is liable for any loss or repayment of debt incurred from the business Transfer of proprietorship is subjected to a wide number of legal obligations (Pride, Hughes, & Kapoor, 2011) Partnership Partnership concerns are quite different from the forms of sole proprietorship. It is in this context that this form possesses significant advantages as well as disadvantages in its ultimate implications. These are as follows, Advantages: Partnership firms have no formal requirements for its creation or running the business The partners engaged in the firm are only liable to pay individual taxes and also enjoys distributed liability of any debt and/or loss incurred by the concern Disadvantages: Termination of partnership is subjected to various legal requirement As the concern is not termed as a legal entity, debts and losses incurred by the firms are to be repaid by the partners (Gitman & McDaniel, 2008) C-Corporation Similar to the aforementioned two busine ss forms, this form also possesses significant advantages along with few disadvantages which are as follows, Advantages: Limited liability of the owners as subjected to their investments to the business Gathering a significant amount of capital is uncomplicated in this form Number of owners or shareholders can be unlimited Disadvantages: Operational structure is quite complex Significant influence of legal barriers can be witnessed Rights and power of control in the firm is determined according to the investment considered by the shareholders (Barringer & Ireland, 2009) S-Corporation It has been widely termed that S-Corporations possess missed advantages and disadvantages of partnership firms and other forms of regular businesses. However, the most apparent advantages and disadvantages of S-Corporation are as follows, Advantages: The owners are required to disburse either corporate tax or individual tax only Constructive rules for employment tax with

The hardness of different materials by Rockwell scale Lab Report

The hardness of different materials by Rockwell scale - Lab Report Example The obtained data is consistent to the hardness tester calibrations. The experiment was done through performing the different tests on metals having the hardness that is known. There was a close similarity between the experimental values and the published values of hardness. From the results, it is evidenced that cast iron was the hardest material followed by 1018 steel, brass and lastly aluminium. Aluminium is considered to be relatively durable, soft, lightweight, malleable and ductile metal having an appearance that ranges from silver towards dull grey. Its appearance is dependent on the roughness surface. Aluminium is nonmagnetic and has a low potential for ignition. An aluminium fresh field acts as a good visible light reflector and a delightful reflector of far and medium infrared radiations. Pure aluminium has the yield strength of 7 to 11 MPa whereas its alloy has a yield strength of about 200MPa-600MPa. Studies conducted on the hardness of aluminium found out that aluminium ’s hardness is one third that of steel. This research argued out that aluminium was less hard than steel. The hardness of cast iron was close to that of 1018 steel.On the other hand, the hardness of brass changes according to its treatment and preparation and treatment. The hardness may reduce whenever the annealation is done at temperatures that are elevated (Zhang 2). The acoustic and malleability characteristics of brass make the metal be extremely useful in musical instruments such as trumpets (Anyalebechi 2).  

Education Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Education - Research Paper Example Although each of the strategy is unique and friendly to the user, a number of difficulties isalso evident while implementing them. Advantages of reading strategies Teachers should design and teach the different strategies to encourage students in the classroom. In most cases, students can become highly frustrated when they fail to understand the content of what they could be reading. This might discourage them but using the correct strategies to counter the problem, the students are able to get back on track before giving up on reading (Buel, 2009). It is critical that teachers be knowledgeable of the students’ progress and the most appropriate tactics to apply in different situations to help students repair their reading comprehension. It is evident that reading strategies, such as DRTA, are quite helpful to struggling readers who make use of prediction for scaffolding. Predicting before reading which makes use of the cover or the title of the book being read, helps students to make verifications after reading subsequent sections. The students focus on the reading since they have a goal identified when they start to read (Buehl, 2009). This helps them to better understand the passage. It has also become clear that reading strategies allow students to use art as one way to improve their comprehension. This is better elaborated by the visual imagery that allows students to visualize a passage as they read. This is an important strategy since teaching students how to develop mental picture while reading also increases recall, predicting of what would come next and making inference. To enhance this, the teacher should draw pictures of what is being read (Buehl, 2009). This helps learners to follow the imagery besides how it represents what is being read. Another benefit of reading strategies on the learning process is that they provide an effective way to activate learners’ prior knowledge of the topic being taught. This helps them to think about som e experiences they can easily relate to when reading (Buehl, 2009). This enables the student to better understand everything they read with ease. It also increases the pace of reading, since they do not have to pause now and then, trying to understand the content. The students are also able to expand their knowledge and interest on a particular issue beyond what is learnt in the classroom since they can always make inferences in what they experience in day-to-day activities from what they read. These encourage them to learn and end up being knowledgeable on the subject. When the learners improve their interest on the subject being learnt, the teachers can easily drive instructions, as they are able to focus on what students are curious about. These benefits are realized where KWL chart is highly used. The students also become independent readers when they learn how to apply these strategies. This way the students are able to understand the written word for their own benefits as well as to the teachers. Teaching a highly attentive class with students who easily understand what they are taught becomes easy for the teacher and saves time taken to cover any particular subject. Disadvantages of the Reading strategies As much as the pre-reading, guided reading, and post reading have resulted to increased levels of comprehension among learners, a number of shortcomings is experienced while implementing them. The ultimate

Hip Hop Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Hip Hop - Essay Example This paper gives a relationship between the aspects of written poetry and the hip-hop music lyrics. Just like normal English poems, the string of words used in the lyrics of a hip-hop genre has a pattern seen in the lines. Mos Def’s lyrics depict the same pattern depicted in poems. He uses rhyming words such as tomorrow, follow, there it is, and where it is, to build a rhyme in his rap. English poems use these feet to build strings in the flow of the poem. Poets bring together repetitions of similar strings of feet in composing the lines of a verse. Hip-hop uses rap and music to bring out the rhyming elements in the verse. Thus, poetry will rely greatly on the reader to discover the rhyme in the verses (Bradley 39). Poetry and hip-hop lyrics use language to present information above the literal meaning of what the writer conveys in the lyrics. In essence, both writings are rich in the use of symbolism. When Mos Def speaks of getting a rash on his lips from speaking the King’s English, he means something very different from what the words represent. The use of symbolism is an ancient art of poetry. Symbolism is the backbone of language and dictates a writer’s command of the language (Bradley 49). Apart from symbolism, alliteration, metaphors, and similes, are other uses of language in poetry. The art of comparison forms part of the major technique that hip-hop artist use in writing their lyrics. In his lyrics, Mos Def compares his success’ brightness to be so bright that everyone watching him will have to use squinted eyes to have a look at it. By this, he shows that no one is capable of reaching the heights that he has attained already. The use of language in poetry helps the reader build vivid descriptions as he reads along. In rap, it helps the listener to understand clearly the message that the rapper brings along (Bradley 55). Metaphors in poetry emphasize on the comparison aspects in a poem making a poem interesting.

Impact of 360 Feedback on Job Performance Essay

Impact of 360 Feedback on Job Performance - Essay Example The paper tells that the 360Â ° feedback approach gathers behavioral observations from many sources within the organization and includes employee self-assessment. The individual completes the same structured evaluation process that superiors, project team members, peers, and, in many cases, external customers use to evaluate performance. Survey questionnaires, augmented by a few open-ended questions, typically are used to gather information. Then, the summary results are compared against organizational strategies, values, and business objectives. The feedback is communicated to the individual with the assistance of the company’s human resources department or an outside consultant. The present research has identified that at present, this technique is used by a growing number of firms including General Electric, AT&T, Mobil Oil, Nabisco, Hewlett-Packard, and Warner-Lambert. Usually, multisource feedback is collected for managers or supervisors, but it could be collected for an y employee, with the raters depending on the employee's role in the organization. Multisource ratings are not always collected from all possible sources. For instance, sometimes only upward ratings are collected (i.e., subordinates are asked to rate their supervisor). Multisource ratings are collected through surveys using the computer, telephone, in-person interviews, or paper-and-pencil questionnaires. The survey may be administered annually or more often.

City Council Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

City Council Paper - Essay Example Motorist ought to be offer with relatively safer, smoother and structurally sound roadway system. This will reduce the traffic congestion on the road. Even though an inconvenience to the daily routines, road construction is fundamental to ensuring that the underlying motorists are offered with safer and functional roads. The pressing issue and reason for the present traffic congestion rests on the underlying want of the citizenry to understand and exercise substitute method of transportation. In progressive towns such as Bloomington, citizens with vision of future possess the capability of raising the consciousness of the status quo (Black, pp34-87). Bloomington residents have interest in the present alternative Transportation by offering bicycling community with a network of user friendly commuter lines and paths. The City Planning Department ought to be swift in offering bicycle commuter lines on under advanced tracts of land, develops an opportunity to enhance alternative transpor tation, recreation and preserving open space corridors. Nevertheless, large scale efforts demand coordination at all the prevailing levels of administrative coupled with comprehensive planning vision. The achievement of the underlying vision does not merely end at the quality of life issues. Comprehensive alternative transportation and recreation plans will promote economic advancement (Black, pp34-87). The city is aware of the inherent value that such strategy might have on the marketing Bloomington, tourism and strengthening economic advancement. The problem of sustainability of the Transportation Alternative such as bicycle paths have rise numerous and diverse interests. Sustainable development will only be achieved when Bloomington implement an effective alternative transportation strategy for its citizens. Nevertheless, the effective process of such projects that can sustain development is still skeptical. The considerable strive

Impact of 360 Feedback on Job Performance Essay

Impact of 360 Feedback on Job Performance - Essay Example The paper tells that the 360Â ° feedback approach gathers behavioral observations from many sources within the organization and includes employee self-assessment. The individual completes the same structured evaluation process that superiors, project team members, peers, and, in many cases, external customers use to evaluate performance. Survey questionnaires, augmented by a few open-ended questions, typically are used to gather information. Then, the summary results are compared against organizational strategies, values, and business objectives. The feedback is communicated to the individual with the assistance of the company’s human resources department or an outside consultant. The present research has identified that at present, this technique is used by a growing number of firms including General Electric, AT&T, Mobil Oil, Nabisco, Hewlett-Packard, and Warner-Lambert. Usually, multisource feedback is collected for managers or supervisors, but it could be collected for an y employee, with the raters depending on the employee's role in the organization. Multisource ratings are not always collected from all possible sources. For instance, sometimes only upward ratings are collected (i.e., subordinates are asked to rate their supervisor). Multisource ratings are collected through surveys using the computer, telephone, in-person interviews, or paper-and-pencil questionnaires. The survey may be administered annually or more often.

Emerging Economy Of Russia Essay Example for Free

Emerging Economy Of Russia Essay Since Russia suffered the economic crisis in 1998, its economy has grown steadily. The growth has been attributed to investments, consumer demand, the prices of oil and cheap ruble. Since the financial crisis, Russia’s financial position has improved, with the poverty level declining and the middle class improving. The country has the third largest oil reserves in the world, thanks to the earnings from the oil exports, which have enabled it to increase the oil reserves. It also enjoys a bilateral market access agreement in partnership with the United States, with its companies involved in acquisitions and mergers at a global level in the oil, metals, telecom and the gas industries. (The economy of Russia, 2008) The aim of this essay is to describe what it has taken Russia for its economy to emerge to what it is today. Its also purposed to find out how its economy has benefited from globalization. The start of Russia’s economic growth Economics is one part of globalization, and it has been argued that it carries with it major changes in all walk of life. Anthony Gibbons said that, â€Å"globalization is an irresistible force, transforming all aspects of contemporary society, politics and the economy. † Howard says that many writers have expressed the hope that it eventually leads to the introduction of world wide western-style, democratic institutions and human rights. Concerning globalization in Russia, he says that it has had long ambient feelings about its place in the world. Russia focuses its attention towards Europe, Asia, and the Islamic world and at the same time is able to concentrate on its economy. It has been called a civilization of its own, as at times, it wants to be a civilization on its own and at others; wanting to be associated with the Western world. However, it’s clear that Russia has always wanted to be accepted in the civilized world. (Wiarda Howard J. , 2008) Howard continues to say that Russia was far behind the race for globalization. He gives these reasons as; first, that Russia did not possess the technical wherewithal to compete with countries like India, much less those in the EU of the United States. The second reason he gives is that since the collapse of communism in December1991, the country has been so destabilized and so chaotic that the idea of its being able to join the process of globalization was wishful thinking. He says that for the past twenty odd years, Moscow has had more important priorities. Its focus was on transition, from the old communist to a new, different, and for many years undefined political and economic system. The centre of a globalized economy took second, if not the fourth or fifth, or even a lower place in its priorities. (Wiarda Howard J. , 2008) Later on, the importance of globalization was realized in Russia. It was important, in that there was the hope of it bringing modern technology to the country. Bringing globalization to Russia was however a hard task, facing one problem after another, such as corruption, which made it expensive and hard to operate there. There was also no system of commercial laws and capitalist style work habits, both of which are necessary if a country expects to create modern, capitalist, multinational organizations and be competitive in a capitalist market. Not only did Russia have a little impact on globalization, but until recently, one could argue that the impact of globalization itself on Russia was minimal. The country was too weak and isolated, and besides that, cultural factors played a role. (Wiarda Howard J. , 2008) The role of the government in Russia’s economic growth When he came to power, Mikhail Gorbachev was convinced that he could revitalize the communist system-that it was not so much as the system, but bureaucratization and Stalinization that had put the country in a period of stagnation. However, Gorbachev’s efforts to invigorate the communist system ended in failure in December 1991, when the soviet’s union flag was lowered over the Kremlin to be replaced by the Russian tricolor. There was a short lived effort to create the â€Å"Commonwealth of Independent States. † (CIS) an organization that Moscow hoped would help keep the USSR together. Later on, it was realized that the CIS existed in name only, as the USSR evolved into fifteen different countries. This forced the Russian federation to go it alone. Vladmir Putin succeeded Gorbachev. He hoped to rebuild the country to the point where the rest of the world would take it seriously. He also wanted the country to have the kind of economic that other countries like India had with the United States. He made it clear that the change would be evolutionary and not revolutionary or cataclysmic as it had been before. He advocated for globalization, but only if it was in accordance to the Russian political culture. He also outlined a number of areas that he believed were important in the management of the countries economy and in the incorporation of globalization such as integrating the Russian economy into world economic structures and engaging in a battle against the economic crimes. Putin’s efforts to influence relations with other countries One of the major goals of Putin was to bring globalization to Russia. He was especially concerned in improving the relations of the country with the U. S. He made it clear that while there might be differences of opinion between the United States and Russia, he was prepared to talk. An example of efforts by the government leaders to improve relations with the U. S was the June, 2001 Foreign minister Igor Ivanov talks with the Bush administration. There were a series of exchanges between Kremlin and Washington, and the two men agreed to meet in Slovenia. The Ljubljana summit had a major, positive impact o the U. S-Russian relations, thanks largely to the personal ‘chemistry’ between the two men. Despite substantive differences, it was clear that the atmosphere between the two countries had improved. The best news however was on the issue of globalization, where President Bush announced that he would support Russia’s application to join the World Trade Organization (WTO), an action that would significantly increase Russia’s interdependence with the rest of the world. Putin put efforts to gain the trust of President Bush, as he would also lay an important role in marching Russia towards globalization. (Wiarda Howard J. , 2008) Trade in Russia After sixty years as an instrument of the state plan, trade in Russia has irrupted as one of the most volatile elements in the present economy and society. Caroline, in her book, â€Å"The unmaking of a soviet life† suggests that the post-soviet Russian economy is dominated by ‘merchant capital’ meaning that the enterprises seek profit from commerce rather than through the transformation of production. In the sphere of production, a lot of the old Soviet structure remains. What more is that the merchant capital does not evolve spontaneously into modern capitalism; rather, like the past alliance of merchant capital with feudal dominant classes, the present cliental links between Russian managers and organs of political power prevent the growth of autonomous bourgeoisie. (Humphrey Caroline, 2002) In Russia, many provinces cannot still balance their budgets. They rely on financial budgets from Moscow, meaning that very generally, money circulates through regional governmental budgets, only to certain parts of the population: key industries (power, transport), state employees (administrators, doctors, teachers), and state dependants (pensioners, invalids, war veterans). Successful traders reap this cash, giving rise to a number of support industries for the rich New Russians, as they are called, such as car-repair firms, security teams, and builders of their new houses. (Humphrey Caroline, 2002) In the historical long duration, Russian state policy towards trade has been characterized by autocratic, centralized control with a few temporary windows of quasi-free trade. Russia’s economic SWOT analysis Opportunities The World Trade Organization is an opportunity for Russia. As a member of the WTO, Russia would be in a better position to diversify and to expand its production and foreign trade. The bulk of international trade is determined by comparative advantage and trade in differentiated products, by economies of scale and by advantages in imperfect competition. Accessions to the membership in the WTO would require comprehensive commitments by the Russian government to reduce its tariffs and to provide greater market access to all of its regions. The implementation of the commitment in the medium term, prescribed by the WTO rules and regulations, would increase long-term economic flexibility within and among the international sectors. In general, the entry of Russia to the WTO would build a body of commercial law in Russia conforming to WTO standards and would foster interdependence between external and internal codes. Strengths Some of its strengths are that it is well endowed with scientists, engineers and mathematicians, as well as with a low cost and a highly motivated young labor force. The availability of such resources has been of importance in the development of Russia’s economy. Another strength of the Russian economy is the diversification of it economy, which has led to the growth of its international trade, and has made it possible to mitigate the impact of external cyclical and oil shocks. (Letiche John M. , 2007) Its massive and exploitable hydrocarbon reserves, precious metal deposits and potentially vibrant industrial base are of great importance in the growth of the Russian economy. Threats On the other hand, one of the threats to the Russian economy is the enlargement of the European Union. Although it seems to be an opportunity to the economy, Russia should not be too sure about it. There is evidence that the EU might be a threat without intending to be one. The problems have become obvious, by looking at the dependency, national identity, regional split and generally cost approaches. The EU has often been looked at by its members as a safe harbor important to reach, and this view proves to be problematic. Greece has been a victim of this, when its economic growth stagnated after joining the EU. Russia should realize that dependency, instead of cooperation is dangerous. Also, the enormous costs of the EU membership for the countries would probably endanger the economic growth of the countries. (Ledderhos Manja, 2007) Weaknesses The economy of Russia has been growing, although the growth rate has been slow. It is said that a growing economy is the best way to show the government’s effectiveness in leading the country. However, there is the danger of an obsession with the economic growth, leading to a neglect of the structural shifts and the quality of growth. An overdependence of Russia to its massive resources like oil and gas could create structural weaknesses within the economy as energy prices fluctuate like it happened in 1998. (Strengths and weaknesses, 2007) Conclusion There is no doubt that the Russian economy has undergone a big change, from the fall of communism in 1991 to the economic crisis in 1998 and the growing economy it is today. However, the government needs to watch the trends of the economic growth. The country has also welcomed globalization, hence the availability a bigger market for it products and more investment opportunities for the foreigners. This means that if the government would expose the economy more to globalization, then there would far greater markets for its oil, gas, metals and other resources. Other countries that have not had the opportunity to invest in the country would also do so. Finally, Russia should put more effort in pushing for their entry to the World Trade Organization as this will be of importance in boosting its trade opportunities with other countries. It would also result to a more or a faster growth of its economy. References 1) Humphrey Caroline, The unmaking of Soviet life: everyday economies after socialism, Cornell University Press, 20022) Ledderhos Manja, SWOT Analysis of Transition Countries in the Baltic Sea Region, GRIN Verlag, 2007, pg 17-18 3) Letiche John M. , Russia moves into the global economy, Routledge, 2007, pg 34 4) Strengths and weaknesses of the Russian economy, 3/1/2007, Russia in global affairs, retrieved on 4/1/2009 from http://eng. globalaffairs. ru/numbers/18/1090. html 5) The economy of Russia (Russia), Spain Exchange, retrieved on 4/1/2008 from http://www. spainexchange. com/guide/RU-economy. htm 6) Wiarda Howard J. , Globalization: universal trends, regional implications, UPNE, 2008

Case study of Elextra-Quik

Case study of Elextra-Quik In Elextra-Quik, the manufacturing manager, Barbara was very happy about her job of problem-solving team leader and her team did a lot of efforts to contribute companys empowerment campaign. But when they were ready to implement the new ideas, they found not only the top manager Martin, but also the middle level managers resisted the ideas. Therefore, this case leads to questions-how a company change to be a learning organisation? What can Barbara do to continue her ideas in the company? In following part, this paper will answer these questions based on three questions. How might top management have done a better job changing Electra-Quik into a learning organisation? What might they do now to get the empowerment process back on the track? According to ECU study book (2011), learning organization is an organization in which everyone is engaged in identifying and solving problems. The characteristics of learning organization are creating shared vision, team-based structure, employee empowerment, share information, participative strategy, adaptive culture and so on. In order to build a learning organization, the whole levels of company staff need to contribute. Firstly, the top management plays the most important role for transfer organization into a learning organization. They need to do a better job on introducing the plans about changes carefully and deliberately. According to Samson Daft (2009) management is the attainment of organizational goals in an effective and efficient manger through planning, organizing, leading and controlling organizational resources. So the top management is the maker of companys strategy. They guide the direction of where should company go. When there is a change within organization, some problems can not be avoided, such as resistances from lower level staff. So top management does a good job on introducing change is necessary. They need to introduce the plan in detail to make staff and middle managers to better understand the plan. They can show the evaluation about the advantages and benefits of the change to employees. With that, the plan can be accepted by everyone in the company. In Electra-Quik, Mart in needs to keep enthusiastic all the time and support Barbaras ideas in order to make Barbaras plan can be accepted in the meeting. Secondly, in the process of building a learning organization, the middle level managers and employees also play an important role. Middle level managers are the links between top management and employees; they monitor the changes, collect the feedback of changes and report the effects of changes to the top. Employees conduct the changes and provide the feedback to tops. Generally speaking, in learning organizations, participative strategy emerges bottom up as well as top down. Top management shape the vision and direction, and middle managers and employees support and believe in. They are committed to the vision and contribute to the development of strategy (Samson Daft, 2009, p.59). In Electra-Quik, middle manager should evaluate Barbaras ideas even Martin is absent for meeting and transfer the ideas to their staffs. In order to get the empowerment process back on track, Martin needs to step first. He needs to understand Barbaras ideas again and do a personal appraisal. Then on the companys meeting, he should support Barbaras ideas and support her ideas when Barbara explaining the changes. Also he needs to consult with managers and empower employees to resolve the problem, as well as providing the training. With Martins efforts, the middle managers may change their ideas to support Barbara and conduct the changes in whole organization. Also, Martin can implement self-directed teams as the solution. Self-directed team refer to a multi-skilled cross-functional group of employees who share responsibilities for producing service of product (Rockfordconsulting, N, D). In Electra-Quik, Martin may set up some self-directed teams to conduct the empowerment process, and then they can share the responsibility to get the process back on track. Question 2: Can you think of ways Barbara Russell could have avoided the problems her team faced in the meeting with department heads? Middle management jobs have undergone dramatic changes over the last two decades (Samson Daft, 2009, p.24). Many organizations were expected to downsize their middle managers and slash management levels to become more efficient and facilitate decision-making process and to better adapt to the changing environment as well. The department heads are not favor of this empowerment campaign since they are used to managing the flow of information up and down the hierarchy. But todays middle managers should be responsible for the horizontal network for now most work is organized around teams. In addition, the trend in recent years has been towards wider span of control as a way to facilitate delegation (Samson Daft, 2009, p.37). Compared with tall structure, the flat structure has a wider span of control and is horizontally dispersed, which means it has less hierarchical levels and therefore the organization is able to better respond and adapt to change. Thats why the company initiates the empowerment campaign to let employees more involved in the decision-making process and assume more responsibility and enhance the collaboration. In such a structure, it is easier to build the self-directed teams since more authority and responsibility can be delegated to lower managers and employees. However, the department heads are likely to feel anxious and even threatened by new empowerment campaign. According to Samson Daft (2009, p.373), the attempt by the top management of the empowerment usually gets the deadlock because middle managers are unable to delegate. The possible reasons can be listed as following: They are accustomed to make familiar decisions; they feel they may lose personal status by delegating tasks; they believe they can do better job themselves and they are resistant to change because the performance of each department ultimately rests with them. For Barbara Russell, she needs to consult with each department head before the meeting so as to avoid the problems. There are a number of ways that Barbara could use to resolve the problems. The leading point is that the team must identify the problems first and give their suggestions. Therefore communication plays a significant part. She should talk with department heads to be aware of what issues they want to address and how they address them. After they get the information, they can provide their support in helping them to resolve the problems. For example, the team can come up with a reward plan to encourage each department to solve their own issues and allocate some funds to assist them. The members in manufacturing team cooperate with each other very well, but the final report they presented failed to meet the expectations of the department heads. However, Barbara Russell could have avoided the problems if the top management considered building a cross-functional team at the very beginning rather than just rely on her own manufacturing team. According to Graff et al (N, D), the diverse teams can be more innovative and can develop more precise strategies and have advantages over functional homogenous teams in introducing organizational changes. According to Parker (2003), the competitive advantages of setting up a cross-functional team can be listed as following ¼Ã… ¡they may accelerate the process of problem solving; solve complex problems; more closely to connect with customers and meet their needs; they can produce more innovative ideas; members are more able to share information and facilitate the cooperation among departments. But on the other hand, we cannot neglect the barriers in building such a team since it will increase conflict and competition within the organization with diverse team members. Therefore, the trust and open communication seems significant in a cross-functional team. Question 3: If you were Barbara Russell, what would you do now? Why? If I am Barbara Russell, I will improve own leading skills and make some changes based on six elements mentioned in Figure 1. Figure 1: The web of interacting elements in a learning organization Leadership Participative Strategy Team-based Structure Open Information Strong, adaptive culture Empowered employees Learning Organization Leadership(p534) In a learning organization, as a leader of team, Barbara should focus on using personal power and empowerment to manage the team, and try to be a democratic leader to influences and motive the employees. She should learn to share and explain the company vision, facilitate teamwork, initiate change and expand the capacity of people to shape the future. As a middle level manager, she should pay more attention to try to make the team member to understand the company objectives and goals, and be a bridge of communication between employee and top management. In a learning organization, Barbara also should be a transformational leader, who can create significant change in both followers and the organization (Samson Craft, cited in bass, 1995; Devanna Tichy, 1986; EastmanPawar, 1997). Leaders in a learning organization have three distinct roles: 1) Create a shared vision 2) Design the structure 3) practice servant leadership (Samson Craft, 2009). Barbara should work to fulfill employees n eeds and goals as well as to achieve the organizations larger mission. Communication In this case, the department heads complained that changes would destroy the carefully crafted job categories, and $500 refunds would create unethical behaviors, and industrial spy because of bad communication between top management and departments. Here, the communication means two-way communication including horizontal and vertical, exchange information between departments or team. Barbara should practice more active listening skills to interpret and feedback the information and give some suggestions or recommendations to help other departments to figure out the problems. Team work Self-directed teams are the fundamental unit in a learning organization (Samson Craft, 2009). Barbara has to her roll from a traditional manager to a coordinator or consultant to control with team members in stead of control over them. Meanwhile, Barbara should understand that the jobs and objectives are based on team-based structure instead of individual input and effort. Barbara should work with other departments and subordinates as a team. Empowerment Traditionally, managers take all responsibility for the whole departments. Now in a learning organization, all employees are authorized to participate the decision making while the leadership is changing to be transformational. Barbara should change her roll to adapt the changing situation and give all team members the power, freedom to make decision and perform effectively. Also Barbara should use more personnel power and empowerment to motivate employees. Participative strategy Learning organizations have permeable boundaries and often are linked with other organizations, give each organization greater access to information about new strategic needs and directions (Samson Craft, cited in McCune, 1997). Basically, participative strategy means organization sets up the link of the whole supplier chain to share the information internally and externally. With the globalization of business, information becomes more and more important. To some extent, successful companies depend on the most updated information like lasted technology. Barbara should share the information timely and participate the whole link to get the most updated information to achieve the company goals. Culture In this case, one of important purposes of hiring new CEO is to rebuild the company culture. Top management realized the previous culture focused on hierarchy and centralization, which did not adapt the change of environment and became an obstacle to develop the company. As a leader of manufacturing, Barbara should learn and help to build the strong, adaptive culture within the manufactory, and influence other departments as well. In conclusion, Barbara should change the leadership style into democratic and transformational leader, and self-improvement of leading skills in order to adapt the learning organization culture. She has to change her roll in new culture as well, and try to be a consultant, servant and helper within the team, and improve the skills of communication to share the information in time internally and externally. Finally, the company can be successful to transfer from the traditional organization to the learning one. Conclusion Overall, learning organization is very important for todays companies. In learning organizations, all the people are committed to a vision, learn and share information. With that, the whole company will be more efficient and effective. In Electra-Quik, the paper also provide solutions for top management and Barbara to solve the problem when they conducting the changes and empowerment process.

J. R. R. Tolkiens The Lord of the Rings - Frodo Baggins as a Christ-Fi

J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings - Frodo Baggins as a Christ-Figure J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings has delighted readers since its publication owing to its author's skillful development of his fantastic realm and its inhabitants adventures therein. In fact, Tolkien is rightly regarded as the father of the modern fantasy genre, and it often seems all fantasy imitates his work in some way. However, as readers return to the work, it often becomes apparent that the work is more than a simple escapist journey into an imaginary world; the work represents the finest traditions in literature and rich grounding in Tolkien's study of language and mythology. Equally surprising, though, Tolkien himself admits that the series is a "fundamentally religious and Catholic work†¦"[1] To the casual reader, Middle-Earth, the setting, seems a world devoid of religious practice, Christian or otherwise. Unsurprisingly, Tolkien added that the religious aspect about which he spoke appeared "unconsciously so at first, but consciously in the revision," and that "the religious element is absorbed into the story and the symbolism."[2] Therefore, an investigation into probable sources of Christian symbolism leads to questions of characterization and its most obvious target: Frodo Baggins, a Christ-figure. The protagonist of the story, Frodo Baggins is a Hobbit, a small humanoid creature, short in stature and big in appetite. As soon as Tolkien introduces him in the first chapter, Frodo's status as a Christ figure emerges: "Anyway: there was this Mr. Frodo left an orphan and stranded," gossip Frodo's new neighbors when his uncle Bilbo adopts the him.[3] immediately, Frodo possesses two important characteristic of any Christ ... ...ery land of Mordor, conquering an evil which seems far greater than himself. In doing so, Frodo makes up for carelessness of the nations of Middle-Earth who in their sloth allowed the evil to rise up, despite forewarning of the danger. In all these things, there exist clear similarities with Christ who undertakes a similar goal, vanquishing the evil of sin from the world with total selflessness, compassion, and determination. In the end, Frodo admits admirably, "I tried to save the Shire, and it has been saved†¦."[6] [1] Tolkien, J.R.R.. "To Robert Murray, S.J." 2 December 1953. The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien. Ed. Humphrey Carpenter and Christopher Tolkien (Houghton Mifflin Company: Boston, 1981) 172. [2] Ibid. [3] Tolkien, J.R.R.. The Lord of the Rings (Houghton Mifflin Company: Boston, 1954) 31. [4] Ibid, 217. [5] Ibid, 309. [6] Ibid, 309.

An Inspiration :: Personal Narrative Writing

An Inspiration â€Å"Just try it. It couldn’t hurt to try,† my high-school advertising teacher constantly reminded me. Mrs. Panarelli wanted me to apply for a scholarship given by the business department in my school. I thought about all the other applicants; I had no chance whatsoever. I decided to express my feelings to her. In doing so I noticed a solemn look come across her face. I asked her what was wrong, and she said, â€Å"I don’t want you to be intimidated by the other students, their averages, or their SAT scores; this is a very good opportunity for you.† Finally, she convinced me to apply for it. I had to write a resumà ¨, an application letter, and schedule an interview. To my surprise, this was a big deal for the business department. When going on the interview, one had to dress as if applying for a job. The amount the scholarship awarded was not very much, just enough to recognize your accomplishments in this field. Like Nicholas Gage, the author of â€Å"The Teacher Who Changed My Life,† his Ms. Hurd was my Mrs. Panarelli, â€Å"the teacher who would become my mentor and my muse† (187). Both teachers find their students’ interests and shape them to achieve the highest standings in their chosen field. With motivation and compassion, both Nicholas and I worked endlessly to prove our potential to Ms. Hurd and Mrs. Panarelli. In a myriad of ways, the teaching methods of both my advertising teacher and Nicholas’ English teacher are similar. Before I set foot into Mrs. Panarelli’s illuminated classroom, I had never been interested in majoring or even succeeding in the field of business. Advertising II, in my school, was an elective which was well known as a â€Å"time sucker,† meaning it was an easy course that would only help your average and fill up your schedule. To be honest, like every other student in the class, I did not take it seriously. However, it became serious when I was made aware of the grades I was getting. Something didn’t seem right. I was not â€Å"slacking off.† I was doing my work well, perhaps not to my potential, but I wasn’t getting the grades I expected. Many times I would look around the room at others and what their work was like, and I couldn’t believe it.

Assessment Of For And As Learning Essay

Assessment of learning refers to strategies designed to confirm what students know, demonstrate whether or not they have met curriculum outcomes or the goals of their individualized programs, or to certify proficiency and make decisions about students’ future programs or placements. It is designed to provide evidence of achievement to parents, other educators, the students themselves, and sometimes to outside groups (e. g. , employers, other educational institutions). Assessment of learning is the assessment that becomes public and results in statements or symbols about how well students are learning. It often contributes to pivotal decisions that will affect students’ futures. It is important, then, that the underlying logic and measurement of assessment of learning be credible and defensible. Teachers’ Roles in Assessment of Learning Because the consequences of assessment of learning are often far-reaching and affect students seriously, teachers have the responsibility of reporting student learning accurately and fairly, based on evidence obtained from a variety of contexts and applications. Effective assessment of learning requires that teachers provide  ?a rationale for undertaking a particular assessment of learning at a particular point in time ?clear descriptions of the intended learning ?processes that make it possible for students to demonstrate their competence and skill ?a range of alternative mechanisms for assessing the same outcomes ?public and defensible reference points for making judgments ? Transparent approaches to interpretation ?descriptions of the assessment process ?strategies for recourse in the event of disagreement about the decisions With the help of their teachers, students can look forward to assessment of learning tasks as  occasions to show their competence, as well as the depth and breadth of their learning. ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING Assessment for learning focuses on engaging students in classroom assessment in support of their own learning and informing teachers about what to do next to help students to progress. Assessment for learning is assessment for improvement not assessment for accountability as can be the case with summative assessments (Stiggins, 2002). The keys to Assessment for Learning (AFL) is to use a variety of assessment tools and methods in order to provide ongoing evidence to students, teachers and parents that demonstrates how  well each student is mastering the identified outcomes. This evidence is used to provide descriptive feedback to the students and to enable the teacher to differentiate the instruction to meet the needs of individual students or groups. ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING VS. ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING Gregory, Cameron, and Davies (1997) outline some distinct differences between Assessment for Learning and Assessment of Learning. Educators are using these terms to help distinguish between the teacher’s role as a learning coach versus the teacher’s role of judging the extent of a student’s achievement in relation to an established standard. This assessment is considered summative and is done at the end. 1. Assessment for learning is the big deal, while assessment of learning is the done deal. 2. Assessment for learning is formative, while assessment of learning is summative. 3. Assessment for learning is supportive, while assessment of learning measures. 4. Assessment for learning uses descriptions, while assessment of learning uses scores. 5. Assessment for learning happens day by day, moment by moment, while assessment of learning happens at the end. The assertion is that neither one is better than the other, but both need to be used within a  students learning so that the student is able to understand not only the work that is being asked of them, but also how their own learning occurs. Assessment for learning is intended to be both diagnostic and formative to help students improve their learning. Four critical questions that the teacher must ask when planning for assessment for learning: WHY AM I ASSESSING? If the intent of assessment is to enhance student learning teachers use assessment for learning to uncover what students believe to be true and to learn more about the connections students are making, their prior knowledge, preconceptions, gaps, and learning styles. This information is used to inform and differntiate instruction to build on what students already know and to challenge students when their are problems inhibiting progression to the next stages of learning. Teachers use this information to provide their students with descriptive feedback that will further their learning and not as a sumamtive assessment or to report a grade. WHAT AM I ASSESSING? Assessment for learning requires ongoing assessment of the outcomes that comprise the intended learning. In most cases these are the curriculum outcomes. Teachers create assessments that will  expose students’ thinking and skills in relation to the intended learning, and the common preconceptions. WHAT ASSESSMENT METHOD SHOULD I USE? When planning assessment for learning, the teacher must think about what assessment is designed to expose, and must decide which assessment approaches are most likely to give detailed information about what each student is thinking and learning. The methods need to incorporate a variety of ways for students to demonstrate their learning. For example, having students complete tasks orally or through visual representation allow those who are struggling  with reading or writing to demonstrate their learning. HOW CAN I USE THE INFORMA%ON? The information collected in assessment for learning is used to report to the student and by offering descriptive, on time feedback and to provide the teacher with information to allow for changes in instruction for individual students or groups of students. ASSESSMENT AS LEARNING Assessment as learning occurs when students are their own assessors. Students monitor their own learning, ask questions and use a range of strategies to decide what they know and can do, and  how to use assessment for new learning. Assessment as learning: ?encourages students to take responsibility for their own learning ?requires students to ask questions about their learning ?involves teachers and students creating learning goals to encourage growth and development ?provides ways for students to use formal and informal feedback and self-assessment to help them understand the next steps in learning ?encourages peer assessment, self-assessment and reflection. ROLES This assessment model supports the view of today’s learners as actively involved in the learning process. Students are educated on the purpose of assignments and the outcomes they are trying to achieve. Hence the teacher and the student both have critical roles in understanding learning outcomes and modifying learning in Assessment as Learning. Teacher Ensuring assessment methods are appropriate and the purpose is clear to students ensures quality and fair assessment practices as per the Principles for Fair Student Assessment in Canada (1993). Beyond choosing the learning outcomes to be covered, the activities to follow and the assessment methods, in Assessment as Learning, the teacher engages the students in this process. In Assessment as Learning, the teacher is a guide, â€Å"Giving them [students] the tools to undertake their own learning wisely and well. † (WNCP, p. 42) Students learn to monitor their own learning and make adaptations as required. In addition to monitoring learning and guiding instruction through assessment for learning, the teacher is assessing the students’ ability to assess themselves as they learn how to assess their own learning. Teachers can follow the following model in order to practice Assessment as Learning in their classroom: (adapted from WNCP, p. 42-43) 1. Discuss the learning outcomes with the students. 2. Create criteria with the students for the various tasks that need to be completed and/or skills that need to be learned or mastered 3. Provide feedback to students as they learn and ask them guiding questions to help them monitor their own learning 4. Help them set goals to extend or support their learning as needed in order to meet or fully meet the expectations 5. Provide reference points and examples for the learning outcomes Teachers are also responsible for ensuring that students have a learning environment in which they feel comfortable and safe to learn as well as have ample time to practise what is being  taught. Student Beyond completing the tasks assigned to them by their teacher, students move from the passive learner to an active owner of their own learning. Initially, with teacher guidance and tools, students learn to monitor if they have understood the learning outcome being explored and the metacognitive process. Once the metacognitive skills have been acquired, students can independently adjust their learning accordingly and demonstrate the â€Å"self-reflection, self- monitoring and self-adjustment. † (WNCP, 2006, p. 85) Extensive and relevant modeling in the questions below can help students reach this point: 1. What is the purpose of learning these concepts and skills? 2. What do I know about this topic? 3. What strategies do I know that will help me learn this? 4. Am I understanding these concepts? 5. What are the criteria for improving my work? 6. Have I accomplished the goals I set for myself? What is self-assessment? According to Boud (1995), all assessment including self-assessment comprises two main elements: making decisions about the standards of performance expected and then making judgments about the quality of the performance in relation to these standards. When self-assessment is introduced, it should ideally involve students in both of these aspects. Andrade and Du (2007) provide a helpful definition of self-assessment that focuses on the formative learning that it can promote: Self-assessment is a process of formative assessment during which students reflect on and evaluate the quality of their work and their learning, judge the degree to which they reflect explicitly stated goals or criteria, identify strengths and weaknesses in their work, and revise accordingly (2007, p. 160). EXAMPLES OF SELF-ASSESSMENT Self-assessment can take many forms, including: ?writing conferences ?discussion (whole-class or small-group) ?reflection logs ?weekly self-evaluations ?self-assessment checklists and inventories ?teacher-student interviews These types of self-assessment share a common theme: they ask students to review their work to determine what they have learned and what areas of confusion still exist. Although each method differs slightly, all should include enough time for students to consider thoughtfully and evaluate their progress. When students understand the criteria for good work before they begin a literacy activity, they are more likely to meet those criteria. The key to this understanding is to make the criteria clear. As students evaluate their work, you may want them to set up their own criteria for good work. Help them with the clarity of their criteria as they assess their own work. Students’ observations and reflections can also provide valuable feedback for refining your instructional plan. As your students answer questions about their learning and the strategies they use, think about their responses to find out what they are really learning and to see if they are learning what you are teaching them. K-W-L (KNOW, WANT TO KNOW, LEARNED) CHART. K-W-L (Ogle, 1986) is an instructional reading strategy that is used to guide students through a text. Students begin by brainstorming everything they Know about a topic. This information is recorded in the K column of a K-W-L chart. Students then generate a list of questions about what they Want to Know about the topic. These questions are listed in the W column of the chart. During or after reading, students answer the questions that are in the W column. This new information that they have Learned is recorded in the L column of the K-W-L chart. Purpose The K-W-L strategy serves several purposes: Elicits students’ prior knowledge of the topic of the text. ?Sets a purpose for reading. ?Helps students to monitor their comprehension. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? Donna Ogle asserts that KWL helps students become better readers of expository text and helps teachers to be more interactive in their teaching (Ogle, 1987). KWL charts help students to be active thinkers while they read (Carr & Ogle, 1987), giving them specific things to look for and having them reflect on what they learned when they are finished reading. In learning, metacognition involves the active monitoring and conscious control and regulation  of cognitive processes. It involves thinking about thinking, self-awareness, and self-regulation (Flavell, 1979). The metacognitive strategy of self-questioning is used to ensure that students comprehend the text. When students set their own purposes for reading, they are more motivated and active as readers. Each student has a schema, or a framework for how they view the world. Accessing a student’s prior knowledge is the first step in integrating new concepts into their existing schema. KWL charts help activate background knowledge and provide an opportunity for students to set their own learning objectives.