Chirchill Response Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Chirchill Response Paper - Essay Example The reader debates the categorical use of such superlatives. Johnson is sometimes too kind to his subject: Churchill’s being a â€Å"Conservative, Liberal, Coalition, Constitutionalist, Unionist, and National Conservative† (15), is definitely the sign of a political opportunist and the author’s terming this â€Å"Churchill’s courage in crossing the floor† (15), is a little mild! Churchill’s foresight is remarkable. His â€Å"prophetic words --- spoken more than a dozen years before the catastrophe† (Johnson, 14) of World War I, show him to be a man of awesome intellect. Another instance of Churchill’s remarkable judgment is the case of communist Russia, when he attempts to reverse Lenin’s Bolshevik coup in 1917, and nip communism in the bud. Again, his failed attempts to convince FDR to decisively combat communism in the final stages of World War II, show that he is the only senior statesman of that time to fully appreciate the dangers of communism. Johnson provokes the reader to wonder whether the Cold War, and the atrocities of the Gulag, could have been avoided if Churchill had his way. Churchill is one of the first to realize the threat posed by Hitler. Churchill’s early investment in Middle East oil, through BP, is another case which demonstrates his prescience. Churchill is so completely identified with Britain in the period of war that it is a revelation to know that he was also an excellent peace time administrator. His welfare measures as President of the Board of Trade, and his prison reforms as Home Secretary, add to his stature. He is obviously an administrator par excellence. Britain definitely would not have had the navy and air force she did, if not for Churchill. Johnson’s inclusion of many of Churchill’s witticisms adds to the appeal of the book and ensures that the heavy parts are enlivened and the reader is never bored. Some gems: â€Å"I trod on the Prince of Wales’s toe,† he recorded complacently, â€Å"and

Fruits And Vegetables Industry Of India

Fruits And Vegetables Industry Of India INTRODUCTION India is the second largest producer of fruits and vegetables in the world after China. Since the 1980s the international trade in fruits and vegetables has expanded rapidly. The number of commodities as well as the number of varieties produced and traded has drastically increased during the past 25 years. There is an overall increase in the demand of fruits and vegetables for consumption both in fresh and the processed form. Also there is a wide diversification in production pattern globally. Income in this sector is increasing which is driving the supply. In spite of being one of the largest producers of fruits and vegetables in the world, the export competitiveness among the Indian producers remains low. But with new marketing initiatives, the post-harvest losses and wastage due to poor infrastructure facilities such as storage and transportation are reduced to a considerable extent, yet a lot needs to be done in this sector. Supply constraints, yield gaps and huge logistic costs affect our competitive and comparative advantage in world trade market. Rs 50,000 crore worth of produce gets wasted every year in the absence of a proper value chain for food processing. The government is working on 30 cold chain routes countrywide to enable integration of the sector from farm-gate to the retail outlet. Apart from these many private sector companies have taken initiative to bridge this gap, many among them are Safal, Pepsi, Bharti, Reliance, Bayer and etc. PROJECT TILL NOW DRAWING OF SUPPLY CHAIN OF INDUSTRY STUDYING VARIOUS INTERMEDIARIES IN CHAIN ISSUES AND CHALLENGES FACED BY INDUSTRY PENDING CONTENTS FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES CHARACTERISTICS FRUITS AND VEGETABLE SUPPLY CHAIN IN INDIA INTERMEDIARIES IN THE MARKET OTHER PLAYERS ISSUES AND CONSTRAINTS IN FRUITS AND VEGETABLE MARKETS COLD CHAIN FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES CHARACTERISTICS Perishability of products: Involvement of many bio-physic-chemical processes make its highly vulnerable to damages at short intervals and thus contributes to products limited shelf life. Seasonability of production: The inconsistent supply due to the close involvement of many biotic and a biotic factors of production break the cycle of the produce availability in the market throughout the year. Bulkiness of products: The bulkiness of the fresh produce adds to the transportation, handling and packaging charges. Along with makes its prone to pre and post harvest damages in the supply chain accounting up to the extent of 20-40 percent. Quality variation of products: No adherence to GAP practices leads to variation in quality Irregular supply of products: Seasonability and non planned insufficient production creates gluts and shortages in the market. Small Holdings size scattered production processing: As majority of the Indian farmers falls in marginal and small category. FRUITS AND VEGETABLE SUPPLY CHAIN IN INDIA INTERMEDIARIES IN THE MARKET Producers: Most farmers or producers, perform one or more marketing functions. They sell the surplus either in the village or in the market. Some farmers, especially the large ones, assemble the produce of small farmers, transport it to the nearby market, sell it here and make a profit. Middlemen: Middlemen are those individuals or business concerns which specialize in performing the various marketing functions and rendering such services as are involved in the marketing of goods. Village commission agent Market commission agent Wholesalers Village commission agent These are agent which directly purchase from farmers, these agents are appointed by marketing commission agent to purchase on their behalf. Marketing commission agent These agent are appointed by government to do purchasing, this is because to ensure that fair price in market prevails Wholesalers: In india government have prohibited wholesalers to directly purchase goods from farmer. They can purchase good from market commission agent. Whole selling is the one that covers activities of all individuals or businessmen, which sell to or negotiate sales with customers, who buy for resale or industrial use. His position is that of an intermediary between manufacturer and retailer. Wholesalers are classified as: Local wholesalers, who deliver their purchases to local retailer. Provincial wholesalers some time called as distributor selling to the retailers of a particular district or a state. National wholesalers located at a strategic place and distribute goods all over the country. Sub Wholesaler, are smaller wholesaler who purchase from bigger and larger wholesaler, generally concentrated in smaller markets. Retailers: He is the last link in chain of middleman, who sells directly to consumer. He takes title to goods, sells and sets up business usually amidst the consumers groups. He buys his requirement usually from the wholesalers. Retailers in producing areas may have direct contact with producers and buys goods from them for resale. Main function: Selling the product of members. They also undertake outright purchases. Provide storage facilities for storage and grading Save cultivators from exploitation by traders and help farmers in getting fair price for their produce. Performing functions of processing of raw produce. OTHER PLAYERS Pucca Arhatia: He is the real purchaser in the wholesale market. He his buying for his own behalf, or acting for some business, like firms in consuming markets. Big industries play them as their agent and order him to purchase certain quantity within a given range of price. When pucca arhatia trades on his own, he dispose of his produce brought by him through dealers in different parts of country. Katcha Arhatia: He also advances money to the cultivators and village banias on the condition that the produce will be disposed off through him alone and hence charges a very nominal rate of interest on the money advanced. Katcha arhatia charges commission for services rendered by him. Important link between the village cultivator or traders on the one hand. Village Merchants: He is an important agency in the collection of produce and more so when the mandi is situated at a considerable distance from the village. He advances from his shop either on credit or for exchange of food grain or so price given for cultivators produce. The quantities of agriculture Production collected is either disposed off in the mandi or retained for resale in the village in the processed forms, such as rice, flour, oil etc. Itinerant Traders: They are small merchants, who move from village to village and buy the produce from cultivators house. They give a lower price than selling in the nearby market and in setting transportation take into consideration, the factors such as cost of transportation, market charges and profit margin ISSUES AND CONSTRAINTS IN FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES MARKET: Lack of basic infrastructure for example cool chains, logistics and supply chain management. The infrastructural problems, pertaining to the cold storage facilities are dual as some places dont have the cold storage while some places have the problem of underutilization of the existing cold storages. The utilization is even lower than 30 per cent of the total capacity in many cases. Development of competitive international transportation, linked to domestic air transport or road and rail transport would help in reduction of post harvest losses. Presponderance of Intermediaries in the channel results in unfair and exploitative practices in marketing of fresh produce is very common. Lack of proper grading and quality control system. Scattered productions and sometimes in isolated places where even the transportation facilities and other infrastructure is not sufficient for the perishables. Lack of unity and organization skill among the farming community, which proves a major impediment in the formation of cluster groups and co-operatives. Inefficient Imperfect markets: Due to prevalence of many intermediaries and malpractices followed by them in the price fixation and auction of the perishables in between the marketing channel results in upraise of consumers price in the producers share. Concept of consumer packaging practically unknown in domestic markets : Improper pre and post harvest handling without any sound packaging leads to heavy loss ranging from 20-40 percent of the produce at the time when its reaches the final consumer. Lack of forward backward linkages: Absolute lack of the much needed quality inputs and extension backup at proper time and after harvest processes. Ignorance to new methods of cultivation and dependence on traders for extension knowledge. Perishability and Storability: Having limited shelf life due to its typical bio-physic-chemicals constitutions, fresh fruits and vegetables penetration is restricted to the certain niche markets and stakeholders. Besides the presence of insufficient numbers of storages and cool chain facilities adding to the woes. Low exports : Emergence of many competitive markets with comparative advantages in awake of the globalization and the imposition of different Tariff and Non-tariff barriers to save the domestic industry by the protection list nations using sanitary and phytosanitary measures (SPS) as their benchmark resulting in the limited exports of the perishable commodities. The window of international demand for the horticultural products is very small. Thus a planned strategy is to be made to target the markets during that period. Freight charges: High air freights are also hindrance for cost effective exports. For the exports large fluctuations in the production of fruits and vegetables causes problem in being a regular trade partners. Long marketing channel: Prevalence of many of the intermediaries in between the supply chain robbing the lions share of the producers by deeply penetrating the consumers pocket Non-functional AEZ: Even after 10 years of starting of the Agri-Export-Zones in deferent specific production pockets of different produces, full implementation is at its nascent stage due to many socio-political reasons. Thus the final benefit doesnt reaching to the destined. Poor Post harvest care handling of the produce: Improper pre and post harvest care and handling leads to heavy loss ranging from 20-40 percent of the produce. Absolute lack in co-ordination b/w production targets of concerned department action plan of the marketing directorate Prevalence of primitive methods of selling and price fixation like, secret sale, private negotiation, under cover etc. Meager involvement of Government other co-op. marketing agencies alike to the private agencies COLD CHAIN What is cold chain? Cold chain may be defined as a logistic system that provides a series of facilities for maintaining ideal storage conditions for perishables from the point of production to the point of consumption in the food chain. This is generally absent, but critical segment in Indian logistics infrastructure. Why are we suddenly talking about Cold Chain? We have realized that there is great amount of wastage happening post Harvest. This wastage is being estimated at 25% of total produce or approx Rs. 50000 Cr US $ 10 Billion. Indian Agriculture sector accounts for 26% of countrys GDP, produces 64% employment and 18% of countrys export. India is 2nd largest producer of Fruits Vegetable in the world. India is the 2nd largest vegetable Exporter. Indias share is only 1% of World trade. Why there are Losses in Post Harvest of Horticulture produce? Shortages of Cold Storage facilities and Refrigerated transport lead to inefficiency in handling perishables which manifest it into wastages. Some estimates say that the post harvest losses of fruits and vegetables alone in India is more than the total production of fresh fruits and vegetables in Great Britain.

Negotiating a Starting Salary Essay -- Business and Management Studies

Negotiating a Starting Salary With internet access available to nearly everyone, job seekers are armed with more information than ever before. Information can be obtained for job openings, job descriptions, and even salaries. Sometimes when filling out an application, a box will ask for a salary desired. Some advertisements ask to send your resume with salary requirements. These are sometimes tough questions to answer. How much does that job normally pay? Is the job applicant worth the top pay? This paper will explore the various factors involved when attempting to negotiate a starting salary. Topics such as helpful internet sources will be introduced, along with salary ranges, and helpful interview techniques will be discussed to better position one self to obtain the salary desired. Some basic concepts should be understood before attempting to negotiate a starting salary. First of all realize that a job in New York City will most likely pay more than the same job in rural Ohio. Geographic locations and cost-of-living play a major role when determining salaries. For example, comparisons were made for an entry level job as a bank teller in Elyria, Ohio and New York, New York. The results were interesting. The median expected salary for a typical Teller in Elyria, Ohio is $20,913; with the 25th percentile being $19,642 and the 75th percentile at $22,645. The median expected salary for the same job in New York City is $24,274; with the 25th percentile being $22,799 and the 75th percentile at $26,284 (www.Hotjobs.com). Supply and demand also play a part. If job candidates are plentiful then negotiating power is limited. However, some fields are in high demand and college graduates in those fields will find they have their choice of employers. For instance, according to The American Almanac Of Jobs And Salaries, the occupations with the largest job decline are sewing machine operators. This data covers the time period from 1996 to 2006 and they are in decline by 26 percent (xxviii). Conversely, according to Enhanced Occupational Outlook Handbook, the fastest growing jobs are computer related. From 1998-2008 computer engineers, computer support specialists, computer systems analysts, and database administrators are expected to grow by 108, 102, 94, and 77 percent respectively (18). A third concept to remember is that ev... ... appeal to their power and position in the company. Say something like, â€Å"If you have the power†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . Most managers will enjoy the positive comment and if they can get it done for you they will (www.collegegrad.com). These negotiating techniques highlight just some of ways a job applicant can better position themselves for a better starting salary. Salary wizards on the internet will give you a pay range. Various articles at career related web sites can give you some valuable insights. And of course your local library will always have books on hand to guide you through your job and salary search as you prepare yourself for the challenges of the working world of the 21st century. Works Cited Farr, Micheal J. and LaVern L. Ludden, Ed.D. Enhanced Occupational Outlook Handbook 2000-2001 ed. Caroline Levchuck. â€Å"How to Determine Your Salary Range†. 10-30-2004. Lussier, Don Job Search Secrets. Lincolnwood: NTC/Contemporary,1998 Wright, John W. The American Almanac of Jobs And Salaries 2000-2001 ed. â€Å"The Unacceptable Offer Negotiation Technique†. 10-31-2004. . â€Å" 10 Tricks for Negotiating a Higher Starting Salary†. June 20,2004. Employment Digest. 10-24-2004.

Pros and Cons On School Uniform

A crucial form of self expressions would be t o abolish school uniform. Ralph Wald Emerson stated the quote â€Å"None of us will ever accomplish anything excellent or commanding except when he listens to this whisper which is heard by him alone. † Selfishness is crucial because each student has their own clothing identification. It is to be announced that school uniform may del ay the transition into adulthood. â€Å"Life is full of transactions, and one of the more re marketable one occurs when we get ready to leave high school and go out in the world as young adults,† was spoken by the U. S.Department of Education. Adults should have their own choice of clothing. Wearing the school attire may have a detrimental effect on students Selfridges. There is a saying by Any Miracle which indicates â€Å"the only one can make Gonzalez 2 yourself happy. † When students wear the same gear, instead of having the pop opportunity to select clothes that suit the body type, c an suffer embarrassment at school. Having the freedom of expression helps not only in the age growth but also while in s school. Focusing so much on uniform takes away the attention from finding genuine lotions to problems in education.The push of uniform is driven by comer Call interest rather than educational ones. â€Å"Education must enable one to sift and weigh, t o discern the true from the false, the real from the unreal, and the facts from the fiction . The function of education, therefore is to teach on to think intensively and to thin k critically and essentially,† declared Martin Luther King Jar. In America we spend an aver GE of about one billion dollars on school uniform in just one year. It is proven that s dents that wear uniform tend to oppose of uniform.A 201 2 previewed study by researchers at the university of Nevada at Reno found that ninety percent of seventh and eighth grade public school students did not like wearing uniform. The MO re people that oppos e have less education because they focus more on taking uniform away than widening their education. On the website proton. Org expresses that â€Å"most PU bill schools with uniform policies are in poor neighborhoods, emphasizes the class deductions that uniforms were supposed eliminate. The use of school attire e emphasizes the socio economic divisions they are supposed to eliminate.Not all schools are the same but the ones that have uniform tend to lack focus on education. There's many reasons why uniforms should be eliminated but little have they truly put full s peculation the recognition their value. Gonzalez 3 Aside from convenience, there are other reasons to favor school uniform. Am Eng all those reasons one would be reducing peer pressure and bullying. On the website Stealth. Org says, â€Å"some kids give into peer pressure because they want to be liked, to fit in, or because they worry that other kids might make fun of them if they don't go long with the group. When all students are dressed similarly, the competition amongst students over the choice of clothes and the teasing of those who are dressed in less fashionable or less expensive outfits can be eliminated. An argument f or having school uniform is that they will bring conformity among students. In a person al Interview with Israel Pinion he revealed, â€Å"a school uniform is only comfortable during GA mess period. † Having student comfort themselves may result in increasing their owe n safety, comfort should be important in order to maximize learning outcomes.Although ugh many loud be against uniform not all have looked to see that it improves attendant CE and discipline. A 2010 study by researchers at the University of Houston found that t the average absence rate for girls in middle and high school decreased by seven percent. For most middle and high school is hard to get discipline and attendance info arced but uniform mightiest be the solution. School uniform may be a probable source o uneasiness for students considering that they need to make maximum use of their time in school.Just like there are cons on school uniform there are pros and one would be the at uniform may withdraw crime and boost student safety. Knowing uniform elm innate crimes, make students feel more confident. Eric Reverberant mentioned iconic dance and implied, â€Å"having confidence is on the most essential pieces of advice you'll race vive in life Gonzalez 4 that makes no sense if you've never done it. † When students feel confident, it helps them show up to school, it also helps their education performance exceed. Ha Vying uniforms, in school, may prevent the display of ongoing colors.According to a Center For Parent Information and Resources report in 201 3, almost 50% of students n high school say there are gang members at their schools. The elimination of gang c lord keep students focused on education and not as much on their clothes. Wear Eng uniform can enhance school pride, unity, and community spirit. In 2007 a study was m dad a University in the United Kingdom found that uniforms â€Å"often directly contribute et to a feeling of school pride. † (School Uniform) Being involved with school and the c immunity helps build networks and just might help later on in life.

Musical Theatre Essay

What is Musical theatre and what makes it different than any other theatre with music forms, especially Opera? Musical Theatre   The art of music, dance and drama have been linked together since the dawn of time and are still really connected with one another that it is inadvisable to try to tell the difference between them too definitely. Figure 1 – Musical Theatre Performance4 It is rare a production has no music in it whatsoever. Most plays either call for music or may be enhanced by the addition of music. The characters would play or sing, accompanying themselves or accompanied by others. The music in theatre plays in the distance or from on stage electronic source. Usually, live ensemble or live band plays music on stage or at the wing of the pit. The word ‘musical’ started life as an adjective rather than a noun, and there are some people who think it should stayed that way. Musical theatre is a form of theatre that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The story and emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an integrated whole. Musical theatre in Europe dates back to the theatre of ancient Greece where music and dance was included in stage comedies and tragedies during the 5th century BCE. Itâ⠂¬â„¢s a development of musical comedy or opà ©rette. Theatre with song and dance became more popular in the 1600 -1700’s. Soon musical became very popular in France, Britain, and Germany. The music in musical theatre helps to support as a storytelling device. The songs that they use in the play would help to describe their situation or plot or simply describe their feelings.   Although musical theatre overlaps with other theatrical forms, it may be distinguished by the equal importance given to the music as compared with the dialogue, movement and other elements of the works. There are only slight differences between all of them, which make it very hard for the people that don’t know anything to distinguish them. Musicals are performed all around the world. They all have similar idea of the performance, just different styles. The countries that perform musical theatre a lot other than America are Netherlands, Italy, Sweden, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Russia, Turkey and China. Figure 2 – Broadway, New York 6 Figure 2 – Broadway, New York 6 They may be presented in large venues, such as big budget West End and Broadway theatre productions in London and New York, or in smaller fringe theatre, Off-Broadway or regional theatre productions, on tour, or by amateur groups in schools, theatres and other performance spaces. The staging for musical theater is not so different from the usual theatre staging. They just have to keep the stage pictures fluid and interesting, and give a central focus to the main character. One difficulty in musical theatre staging is the direct consequence of the use of amplification. The voice are miked and transmitted through speakers in a mix with the orchestral sound, so the audience won’t hear them acoustically. The costumes that they wear depend on the story that they’re telling. The thing about musical theatre is that it’s really free. As long as there are a lot of music and dancing and everything, it is considered a musical theatre. Doesn’t really matter how the stage looks like, or how do the actors dress up like, there are no boundaries. It goes according the type or story. Types Of Theatre With Music There are 7 types of theatres that are very similar or are considered as musical theatre; opera, operetta, comic opera, musical revue, musical comedy, musical play, and concept musical. Figure 3 – Opera Opera is the oldest form of musical theatre. It is â€Å"Total Music†, they do not speak at all, even in conversations. The show is all about the music as in, the music is the main focus and everything else in the production is secondary. Operetta’s music is lighter than operatic music. The singer or actor speaks lines rather than sings them. The plots are flimsy and serve only to connect one song to another. All the plot, character, and acting are incidental to the music. The music must be well written and actors have to be accomplished singers. Comic opera is the offshoot of an Operetta. It is usually humorous or satirical. It is also considered an opera with a happy ending and in which some of the text is spoken. Musical Revue is a type of multi act theatrical enter ­tain ­ment that uses any combination of music, dance and sketches. It is a loosely connected series of production numbers. Figure 4 – Guys and Dolls, an example of musical comedy 7 Musical comedy is a combination between the elements of musical revue and the elements of Operetta. The music is always the most important element. The plots are usually fairly weak. All the characters are more believable. Dialogue they use is clever because it’s also comedic and it has to be creative. The emphasis of Musical Play is on the character. There are real people in real life-like situations. Acting and choreography as well as music are integral to the production as a whole. It usually contains good story, clever dialogue, interesting characters, well-designed choreography, bouncy tunes, and also meaningful ballads. Concept musical is a musical where the show’s metaphor or statement is more important than the actual narrative. It was built around a single theatrical idea. The plot is secondary to situation. Usually, they are a series of independent scene loosely tied together. A director of a concept musical is more concerned about how the show is handled than what it has to say. Telling Opera and Musical Theatre Apart From the slight differences between all of these types of theatres mentioned, most people would still be confused with the difference of musical theatre and opera. Both forms can be comic or serious, long or short, ‘sung through’ or partly spoken. Both may or may not contain dance, choral singing, or other musical-related things like rhymes. Operas tending to be written in classical ‘long form’, with strong sense of overall thematic unity, and musical theatre tends to be written as a succession of ‘short form’ songs. Opera singers mostly use a highly developed head voice when they sing, while musical performers tends to sing more on the chest, but then again, not exclusively so. Musical theatre performers are usually required to sing eight shows a week, and they could not possibly sustain that number of performances without some electronic help, especially when they are competing with electronic instruments on stage. Opera singers rarely sing their roles more than twice or three times a week, almost always without amplification, but even this is starting to change because many opera houses sneaking in subtle forms of ‘voice enhancement’. Conclusion These inconsistent and often insignificant differences between the two forms are more associated with the way the works are perceived by their audiences than with any fundamental artistic quality they might have. Those differences have more to do with the manner in which the two forms are written and brought to the stage than anything fundamental to do with their form or content.

History of the SAT Its Many Failures and Controversies

History of the SAT Its Many Failures and Controversies SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The SAT tends to be seen as an immutable barrier that all students must overcome before getting into college. But standardized testing is a business, and the College Board has its own motivations behind maintaining the status of the SAT as the definitive test for college readiness. In this article I'll take a look at SAT history, its successes and failures, its motivations, and how it might evolve in the future. A Brief History of the SAT Believe it or not, the original SAT was adapted from an intelligence test used to screen recruits for the US Army during the First World War.This original test was called the â€Å"Army Alpha†, and it was thefirst mass-administered IQ test.A psychologist and Princeton professor named Carl Brigham who helped develop the Army Alpha adapted it for use in college admissions after the war as the SAT. The first SAT was administered to a few thousand college applicants in 1926.It was 90 minutes long, and it consisted of 315 questions testing vocabulary and basic math. But the SAT only really blew up when Harvard (of course) showed interest in using it as a means to assess scholarship applicants. In 1933, Harvard President James Conant started a scholarship for academically gifted young men who didn’t come from the hoity toity Eastern boarding schools that usually funneled people into Harvard. Conant needed to find a standardized test that he could use to reliably evaluate candidates, so the assistant dean at Harvard, Henry Chauncey, was tasked with figuring out what to use. Chauncey met Carl Brigham and recommended that Harvard use the SAT. Conant liked the SAT as a screening tool because he thought it measured pure intelligence regardless of high school education. Thus began the era of widespread SAT Testing.In 1938, Chauncey convinced the schools of the College Board (an organization founded in 1900 by the presidents of the top 12 American universities to administer admissions tests) to use the SAT as a test for scholarship applicants, but not regular applicants yet. By 1942, the SAT had become the standard test for all applicants.The SAT was administered to over 300,000 people across the country in 1944.The test remained pretty much unchanged until 2005 when the College Board added the writing section (raising the highest possible score from 1600 to 2400) and renamed the verbal reasoning section "critical reading". Successes and Failures in SAT History The SAT has been a contentious topic for years now. Is it really a fair way of judging college applicants? Standardized tests like the SAT cast light on systemic problems in our society that have lead to cycles of poverty and sub-par education. Many people would argue that the SAT contributes to these cycles, and this is true in certain respects. The SAT helps to perpetuate the myth of the American meritocracy, meaning the smartest, most well-qualified people will always rise to the top regardless of their original starting point (clearly false). It's used as an admission ticket to the upper class, and with enough tutoring that ticket can pretty much be purchased outright. On the flipside, the SAT has also given gifted people from less privileged backgrounds the opportunity to attain higher education at previously closed-off elite institutions. Failures of the SAT Despite Conant’s original belief that the SAT could objectively measure intelligence, this has proven to be far from the case.Many poor and minority students are put at a disadvantage by the test. It has been shown that there is a 400 point gap between the average scores of the poorest students (family income under $20,000) and the wealthiest students (family income over $200,000). If you don’t go to a good high school and don’t have the tools in terms of vocabulary, reasoning skills, or math background, it’s going to be really, really hard to get a great score no matter how â€Å"smart† you are. Whereas kids who go to private (or pseudo-private) high schools where everyone gets individual attention and every home comes with a built-in parental helipad are going to have a huge advantage. Beyond these large systemic problems, the College Board has also faced a string of scandals recently, ranging from widespread cheating in Asiato misprints on the June 6th, 2015 test that led to cancellation of the affected sections. In contrast, the ACT has had a relatively quiet history with infrequent scandals. Successes of the SAT If you go to a bad high school but you manage to do exceptionally well on the SAT, your scores can give you access to great opportunities that might otherwise have been out of reach. Without the SAT, it would also be much more difficult for colleges to make admissions decisions, which is why it is still seen as a necessary step in the college application process. The 2016 redesign seems to be a genuine effort at making the test fairer for everyone. Whether it will accomplish this goal is dubious. It's important to remember that the SAT is something that sits on top of a lot of other problems in the American educational system, and to a large extent it is at the mercy of those problems. â€Å"Non-Profit†, Eh? Incentives That Drive the SAT What is the goal of the all-knowing, all-seeing entity that is the College Board? What drives the continued existence of the SAT as a primary tool in college admissions? Officially, the College Board is a non-profit, but the facts call this into question.Its president was compensated almost $900,000 per year as of 2010 - that’s more than the president of Harvard.The College Board generated $759 million in revenue in 2012.It also sells test prep materials, thereby creating a cycle of even more revenue for itself. A summary of the College Board's income and expenses for 2012 from ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer The College Board wants to get as many people to take the SAT and other tests (AP) that it oversees as possible.This is part of the rationale behind the SAT redesign - the ACT recently overtook the SAT as the most popular standardized testing choice. Colleges have also started to eliminate the SAT as a requirement after studies indicating that it doesn’t act as a great predictor of future success or college graduation rates (high school grades are a much better indicator) and is a barrier to intelligent students who are less privileged.The impetus behind the new SAT is to preserve the test’s image as the definitive indicator of college readiness, and thus preserve the College Board’s market share and profits. SAT results can only be destroyed in the fires of Mount Doom (Mount Doom Community College - you haven't heard of it? It has a great welding program.) The Future of the SAT As you may know, the redesigned SAT will be available to test-takers starting in 2016.It remains to be seen whether the changes will make any significant difference in the clear disadvantages the current SAT presents to lower income and minority students.This articleoutlines what you should expect to see on the new SAT. One major overall difference will be more focus on logical reasoning skills in context rather than in isolation. This means less questions that essentially just ask for the definition of a word or whether a single sentence is grammatically correct and more questions that rely on the larger narratives of surrounding passages.This could help intelligent students who don’t have the best educational background still do well on the test. There will also be fewerâ€Å"tricky† questions and more consistent test content. Overall there is a move toward more straightforwardness. Educational ideology seems to be headed in the direction of greater sensitivity to the disadvantages that people face and stronger efforts at combating those disadvantages. Even with all its flaws, it’s likely that some form of the SAT will be around for a while because it’s such a convenient way to evaluate college applicants. Hopefully standardized tests will continue to evolve along with our educational system so they can get closer to providing the opportunities they purport to offer for the people who need them most. What's Next? If you're still curious about the new SAT, read about how to study for it and whether you should take it. Alternatively, if you would like to read about embarrassing things the College Board has done, learn about this mistake they made and what you should do if you encounter unacceptable testing conditionsduring your exam. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes your prep program to your strengths and weaknesses. We also feature thousands of practice questions, 10 official SAT practice tests, and personal feedback on your essays from an expert instructor. 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J.B Priestleys An Inspector calls Act One

J.B Priestleys An Inspector calls Act One Free Online Research Papers â€Å"An Inspector Calls† is a play set in 1912. J.B Priestley wrote it in 1945. The writer’s reputation is significant because he was a social commentator and the play has a social message. The main themes of the play are capitalism is bad, and that everyone in society has a duty to each other. The play is also concerned with guilt and responsibility. The writer sets the scene very clearly, making sure he gets the message across that they are a well off family. The atmosphere at the start of the play is happy and cheerful as they are all celebrating Gerald and Sheila’s engagement, we can tell they were happy because the stage directions tell us Gerald and Mrs. B were â€Å"smiling† at times and Sheila was being â€Å"half serious half playful. The stage directions at the start of the play also tell us that Mr. Birling is a â€Å"heavy looking, rather portentous man in his middle fifties with fairly easy manners but rather provincial in his speech†, this suggests that his character is very self involved. During one of Mr. Birling’s speeches about Gerald and Sheila’s engagement he says to Gerald â€Å"Your father and I have been friendly rivals in business for some time now – though Crofts Limited are both older and bigger than Birling and Company – and now you’ve brought us together, and perhaps we may look forward to the time when Crofts and Birlings are no longer competing but are working together – for lower costs and higher prices†. This tells us that his character may be at sometimes more interested in business than his family. The speeches that Mr. Birling makes are most of the time long, boring and show that he is egotistical. His speeches reveal a great deal about the social context. They include allot of dramatic irony for example when Mr. Birling says â€Å"Why. A friend of mine went over this new liner last week – the Titanic – she sails next week – forty six thousand eight hundred tons – forty six thousand eight hundred tons – New York in five days – and every luxury – and unsinkable†. This is dramatic irony because the audience know that titanic sunk on its first sail this creates tension and makes Mr. Birling look foolish. I think Mr. Birling is very much in control at the start of the play because to his family he is a â€Å"practical hard headed businessman† as he always reminds them. The language in the stage directions on page 10 shows the mood has changed because Gerald and Mr. Birling create tension by talking about why a police inspector might be there, which makes Eric start to worry. Mr. Birling says, â€Å"I’m still on the Bench. It may be something about a warrant.† And then Gerald says â€Å"(lightly) Sure to be. Unless Eric’s been up to something. (Nodding confidentially to Birling.) And that would be awkward, wouldn’t it† Then Eric says, â€Å"(who is uneasy, sharply) Here, what do you mean?† Gerald replies, â€Å"(lightly) Only something we were talking about when you were talking about when you were out. A joke really.† Then in response Eric says, â€Å"(still uneasy) Well, I don’t think it’s very funny†. It shows the mood has changed because the stage directions tell us that Eric also becomes â€Å"uneasy†. We can also tell that the party has been interrupted because the ch aracters stop the cheerful and playful conversation and become more serious as Br. Birling and Gerald begin to talk about why the Inspector may have called. This conversation between Mr. Birling, Gerald and Eric creates tension because Mr. Birling and Gerald are talking to each other about Eric, which makes Eric very anxious because he overhears. The dialogue on page 10 reveals that Mr. Birling’s character is not very close to his son. When the Inspector enters Mr. Birling says, â€Å"Have a glass of port – or a little whisky?† this is to break the ice, as Mr. Birling has never met the Inspector before. Mr. Birling also asks, â€Å"You’re new are you?† Mr. Birling says and then leads on to say â€Å"I was an alderman for years – and Lord Mayor two years ago – and I’m still on the Bench – so I know the Brumley police officers pretty well – and I thought I’d never seen you before† he said this to let the Inspector know that Mr. Birling had some authority to try and scare the Inspector. The Inspector uses dramatic language to shock the Birling family of the girl’s death, He says, â€Å"she was in great agony†. The stage directions tell us that Mr. Birling is impatient; this suggests that he could be worried or possibly guilty about something. Mr. Birling responds to the questions quite impatiently because he is scared of what the inspector might find out. Mr. Birling is against collective responsibility because he feels that he is above the problems of people of a lower social class. He says â€Å"put it like that, there’s something in what you say. Still, I can’t accept any responsibility. Mr Birling starts to show his annoyance when the Inspector starts questioning him He says, â€Å"I’ve half a mind to report you†, this also shows ho easily agitated he is. When the Inspector arrives Mr. Birling becomes defensive as the Inspector tricks him into revealing information. He also gets very agitated when the Inspector twists his words. His attitude reflects the key themes of the play, which are responsibility and guilt. Priestly achieved a simple yet interesting display of Mr. Birling’s character by showing how mixed up his priorities are and by showing his attitude to other characters. It also showed clearly everything that he represents which is carelessness and slyness. Research Papers on J.B Priestley's "An Inspector calls" Act OneTrailblazing by Eric AndersonHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionWhere Wild and West MeetBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm XNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoThe Hockey GameAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementRelationship between Media Coverage and Social and

Astronomers Count Galaxies in the Cosmos

Astronomers Count Galaxies in the Cosmos How many galaxies are there in the cosmos? Thousands? Millions? More? Those are questions that astronomers revisit every few years. Periodically they count galaxies using sophisticated telescopes and techniques. Each time they do a new galactic census, they find more of these stellar cities than they did before. So, how many are there? It turns out that, thanks to some work done using Hubble Space Telescope, there are billions and billions of them. There could be up to 2 trillion...and counting. In fact, the universe is more vast than astronomers thought, too. The idea of billions and billions of galaxies may make the universe sound much bigger and more populated than ever. But, the more interesting news here is that there are fewer galaxies today than there were in the early universe. Which seems rather odd. What happened to the rest? The answer lies in the term merger. Over time, galaxies formed and merged with each other to form larger ones. So, the many galaxies we see today are what we have left after billions of years of evolution. The History of Galaxy Counts Back at the turn of the 19th century into the 20th, astronomers thought there was only one galaxy - our Milky Way - and that it was the entirety of the universe. They saw other odd, nebulous things in the sky that they called spiral nebulae, but it never occurred to them that these might be very distant galaxies. That all changed in the 1920s, when astronomer Edwin Hubble, using work done on calculating distances to stars using variable stars by astronomer Henrietta Leavitt, found a star that lay in a distant spiral nebula. It was farther away than any star in our own galaxy. That observation told him that the spiral nebula, which we know today as the Andromeda Galaxy, was not part of our own Milky Way. It was another galaxy. With that momentous observation, the number of known galaxies doubled to two. Astronomers were off to the races finding more and more galaxies.   Today, astronomers see galaxies as far as their telescopes  can see. Every part of the distant universe seems to be chock full of galaxies. They show up in all shapes, from irregular globs of light to spirals and ellipticals. As they study galaxies, astronomers have traced the ways they have formed and evolved. Theyve seen how galaxies merge, and what happens when they do. And, they know that our own Milky Way and Andromeda will merge in the distant future.  Each time they learn something new, whether its about our galaxy or some distant one, it adds to their understanding of how these large-scale structures behave. Galaxy Census Since Hubbles time, astronomers have found many other galaxies as their telescopes got better and better. Periodically they would take a census of galaxies. The latest census work, done by Hubble Space Telescope and other observatories, continues to identify more galaxies at greater distances. As find more of these stellar cities, astronomers get a better idea of how they form, merge, and evolve. However, even as they find evidence of more galaxies, it turns out that astronomers can only see about 10 percent of the galaxies they know are out there. Whats going on with that? Many more galaxies that cant be seen or detected with present-day telescopes and techniques. An astonishing 90 percent of the galaxy census falls into this unseen category. Eventually, they will be seen, with telescopes such as the James Webb Space Telescope, which will be able to detect their light (which turns out to be ultra-faint and much of it in the infrared portion of the spectrum). Fewer Galaxies Means Less to Light up Space So, while the universe has at least 2 trillion galaxies, the fact that it used to have MORE galaxies in the early days may also explain one of the most intriguing questions asked by astronomers: if theres so much light in the universe, why is the sky dark at night? This is known as Olbers Paradox (named for the German astronomer Heinrich Olbers, who first posed the question). The answer may well be because of those missing galaxies. Starlight from the most distant and oldest galaxies may well be invisible to our eyes for a variety of reasons, including the reddening of light due to the expansion of space, the universe’s dynamic nature, and the absorption of light by intergalactic dust and gas. If you combine these factors with other processes that reduce our ability to see visible and ultraviolet (and infrared) light from the most distant galaxies, these could all provide the answer to why we see a dark sky at night. The study of galaxies continues, and in the next few decades, its likely that astronomers will revise their census of these behemoths yet again.

Controversy within Human Resources Research Paper

Controversy within Human Resources - Research Paper Example This essay paper seeks to explore controversial behavior of one human resource manager of a U.S company that sought anonymity to avoid court cases on the ground of defamation (Bach p120). However, not all people disagree with the way he discharges since some professionals believe that he is impartial in his work. Hiring of staff It is the mandate of any human resource department to get new employees for a company. Hiring is due to needs that have risen in operations or gaps that need to be filled either due to resignations, quitting from job, dismissal, promotion and staff getting new jobs in other companies among other reasons. Firing comes in when management cracks the whip on certain undisciplined personnel or unproductive staff. However, this is not implemented with immediate effect but is preceded by series of warnings that are on record. It is done when a company can’t tolerate a certain employee anymore, and the only option remaining to explore is firing. In the company under scrutiny here, the human resource manager is charged with putting job adverts across, conduct interviews and confirms hiring of any new staff after the process is duly followed (Price p29). Though every job advert put across says that this company is an equal employer and discourages canvassing, this seems to be done differently. An important point to put across here is that the manager in question is a black American and is known to act in favor of management to avoid being reprimanded. Hiring policies in this company have been drafted to favor the company whereby he prefers to hire female employees even though a certain job is more inclined to the masculine gender as opposed to the feminine gender. Not all female applicants go through the full process of hiring since some canvass on the way by the manner of sexual favors to this human resource manager. This is, however, not for applicants who are American citizens since American citizens usually get first priority in any jo b advert regardless of qualifications. No enough reasons can explain why this is done this way yet management does not raise an alarm over his conduct causing employees to conclude that management as well has racial discrimination. Firing of staff Firing, on the other hand, is done in an awkward manner since no due process is put in place to show an employee why he got fired. The policies that this human resource manager found in place were said to be aged and thus the need for change. The change that followed was not practical since many clauses, which sought to strike a balance between Americans and non-Americans were phased out. This was done to make it difficult for non-Americans to get hired in this company and this has happened at the reign of this human resource manager. Several staffs who are not U.S citizens have been fired under undue grounds cited by human resource manager. Staffs are also required to carry with them their national identity cards to show their nationality and make it easier for human resource to do his duty ‘well’. This has led to total controversy and staff unrest and some American staff have even gone ahead and expressed dissatisfaction on the conduct of this human resource manager. Some of the Americans who have complained against his conduct are furnished with strict warnings though they have continued to show solidarity with

Two Strategy Questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Two Strategy Questions - Assignment Example In the measurement stage, the products output were measured according to the set out expected performance. Analyze phase considered the merits and demerits of the products. Orkut was a social media platform which did well in some countries, but not as compared to Facebook. Google translate enabled users to search for information in different languages, though the languages were insufficient. Google earth pictures were vague and one could not see the directions in case of difficulty. Gmail application was a computer web based operation and due to technology changes, users suggested a mobile version. Lastly, Picasa enabled users to store and edit their photos online. The improve stage saw major shake ups in Google internal operations. The social network Orkut was scrapped due to low numbers. Google translate was added forty more different translation languages. Sky, ocean, Google map and navigation were also included on Google earth to improve the quality and features from the satellite. Mobile Gmail was introduced for all wap enabled phones. For mass Google presence on the internet and entertainment industry, it purchased the reowned video streaming company, you tube. Google controls its operations through the use of feedback from its users to avoid their dissatisfaction. Feedback is collected by Google employees who work in teams for efficiency. The changes in internal operations are effective as Google has managed to stay at the top after continuous improvements. Changes from way back have yielded extreme profits over the years in Google, and therefore, improvements in internal operations are vital. Corporate culture is the accepted norms, values and systems that define an organization and undertaken to meet its objectives. Corporate culture helps strategy execution in a number of ways. First, it fosters innovation. If an

Mohrs Circle and Strain Gauge Rosette Lab Report

Mohrs Circle and Strain Gauge Rosette - Lab Report Example An aluminium alloy beam, clamped at one end within a rig containing a cam whose full-range rotation leads to a repeatable tip deflection of = 0.5" = 12.7 mm, as shown in Figure1. The beam has dimensions as follows: breadth b = 25.4 mm, depth d = 6.35 mm and length (to the cam) L = 254 mm. Three strain gauges are mounted on the upper surface at 94 mm from the clamped end; these gauges are mounted at 15, 45, and 75 with respect to the longitudinal, x-axis, of the beam, as shown in Figure 2. Each of these gauges can be selected using a switchboard, to be one arm of a Wheatstone bridge arrangement [1 research and give reference ], with a dummy strain gauge providing temperature compensation. The Wheatstone bridge is a divided bridge circuit used to measure electrical resistance; these minute changes in resistance correspond to strain in a strain gage in what is known as a bonded resistance strain gage [2] From a), determine the principal strains I and II, as well as the direction of maximum shear strain. Also, determine the value of Poisson's ratio, , for the material. In this experiment I should theoretically be equal and in the direction of x. Inevitably there will be experimental errors so your result may be different. In the discussion section (6.), discuss possible reasons why the maximum strain obtained may not be predicted to occur in the x-direction,

Research and journalism Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Research and journalism - Article Example Research on the other hand is a more long term longitudinal study based on foresight regarding future trends or events over a period of time. This is one of the most basic differences that makes journalism and research take on divergent roles. The collection of data is crucial to both journalism and research. According to Sedlmeier et al (1989), research is not a copy of record, as opposed to journalism. Here, it may be seen that journalism acts as a record of facts on which public opinion is molded and set forth. Yet, research is based on longitudinal studies that depend on the careful selection of subjects as well as focus groups upon whom analysis is conducted for a logical conclusion. To begin with, one has to understand research design in context of philosophy as a style of writing or expressing ideas. This has a nexus with positivism as well as interpretivism in understanding how knowledge is gathered and used. Johnson et al's text (2000) starts with a study of innate notions. This portion of the book is a study of the elements that lead to speculation and a subsequent formation of perspective. This points to positivism. Throughout this part, the authors have managed to hook the reader on to the idea that speculation is an element that must be used in very discreet doses as more of it can damage the practical side of things in one's mind. (Johnson et al, 2000) As a philosophical notion, this is an ideal that is true to writing. In writing, it is imperative to stick to a certain balance between factual information and a small amount of speculation. This holds on to people's imagination and memories. Therefore, in this part of the book, the authors have merely de scribed a style of writing that has to do with organising ideas and information or interpretivism. This sets the stage for understanding and differentiating between epistemology and ontology. Further into the book, one will find ideals that are connected with principles in the mind. The mind is an organ that churns out thoughts and expressions of the same. These expressions are a part of the basic mental setup of the person concerned. This quality, in turn, springs from an ability to form a successful marriage between imagination and the overall truth surrounding a person. Therefore, these principles work towards defining a certain kind of writing and research design that can be applied by any person for means of appropriate self expression. (Johnson et al, 2000) The second part of the book is about Ideas, which relates to journalism rather than research. Journalism is a field where ideation is an important phase before one begins to actually put the ideas down on pen and paper. Where does this ideation happen' It happens during one's life experiences. These life experiences revolve around the garnering of values and ideals in life. One's writing often depicts the state of one's belief system. Thus, in describing ideas, Locke has managed to show what a person's preliminary research in writing is based on. This preliminary research comes from what is within oneself. (Locke, 2007) Therefore, as far as data collection is concerned, positivism is the approach used by research, while interpretivism is the appr

Are Sweatshops Good or Bad Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Are Sweatshops Good or Bad - Essay Example According to the US Department of Labor, 50% of the of the garment factories operating in the USA have been found to be violating 2 or more labor laws, thus falling in the category of sweat shops (Powell and Skarbek, 3). However, the fact that they are important source of livelihoods for the majority poor within different economies of the world is also indisputable (Pollin, et al, 9). Therefore, while assessing the question of whether sweat shops are good or bad, it is important to consider that either way; the entities must find a way to survive through different economies. At this point, it is necessary to ponder on this question; would the existence of sweatshops result in more harm than the harm that would result from the closure of all sweatshops globally? In this respect, this discussion holds the argument that sweatshops are good. This is because: The fact that something is always better than nothing still holds for the majority poor. Sweat shops have created numerous job opportunities for the unskilled and the semi-skilled workforce both in the USA and throughout the world. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 1997 census statistics, over 2 million people in 150 countries globally work in garment sweatshops that produce apparel for USA alone (National Labor Committee, 2).

Health traditions model by Leininge, Rachel Spector Research Paper

Health traditions model by Leininge, Rachel Spector - Research Paper Example This research will begin with the statement that Health Traditional Model (HTM) came to the existence in 1994 when health tradition immigrants were flooding Ellis Island. This model talks about the transcultural concept that takes place in nursing care and it is applicable to all the programs in nursing education that are licensed by nursing programs. Health tradition model incorporates a theory by Ester and Zitzow on how individual’s way of life reflects the traditional culture that he/she comes from. In this model, heritage consistency refers to the level in which one’s lifestyle reflects the tribal culture that he/she comes from. The model focuses on different traditional cultures for different ethnic sets, for example, the Africans, Europeans, and Hispanics. In the model, Spector uses a holistic health concept to discover methods that people apply for them to restore and care for their health. The model gives a relationship between physical, spiritual and mental hea lth with caring and restoring health. This model states that for one to be able to retain physical health, he/she is supposed to use the traditional clothing and food that the culture recommends. In order to safeguard mental health of an individual, one needs to get emotional and communal care from the community at large and family members. In health tradition model, Spector provides a tool to assess heritage for one to know the level that people stand by their traditions and the way they observe their cultures.... In order to safeguard mental health of an individual, one needs to get emotional and communal care from the community at large and family members (Sagar, 2011) In health tradition model, Spector provides a tool to assess heritage for one to know the level that people stand by their traditions and the way they observe their cultures. She concludes that, traditional people are more close to their traditional cultures compared to acculturated people who distance their traditional practices. Spector argues cultural competence by emphasizing its relationship with culture together with poverty, demographics and immigration. She insists that for one to be a qualified culture care, he/she should acquire attitude and skills for excellent deliverance of the services (Sagar, 2011) In the model, Spector arranges cultural diversity involved in health together with illness in four portions. These portions comprise cultural competency establishment; health, sickness and culture; beliefs that a give n community practices and issues affecting their health; and applying cultural knowledge in general health care. Spector compares tradition to a burden that everyone carries throughout her/his whole life and hands it over to the following generation. Every burden has beliefs, which are tangible or not, together with differing values depending on the background of his/her beliefs. According to this model, culture shows various things that a given group of people shares. For example, it may show that they share geographic origin, religious conviction, dialectal, race and food of preference (Sagar, 2011). Why I choose Health traditional model I choose the health traditional Model because as a nursing student, I think the model will

Are Sweatshops Good or Bad Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Are Sweatshops Good or Bad - Essay Example According to the US Department of Labor, 50% of the of the garment factories operating in the USA have been found to be violating 2 or more labor laws, thus falling in the category of sweat shops (Powell and Skarbek, 3). However, the fact that they are important source of livelihoods for the majority poor within different economies of the world is also indisputable (Pollin, et al, 9). Therefore, while assessing the question of whether sweat shops are good or bad, it is important to consider that either way; the entities must find a way to survive through different economies. At this point, it is necessary to ponder on this question; would the existence of sweatshops result in more harm than the harm that would result from the closure of all sweatshops globally? In this respect, this discussion holds the argument that sweatshops are good. This is because: The fact that something is always better than nothing still holds for the majority poor. Sweat shops have created numerous job opportunities for the unskilled and the semi-skilled workforce both in the USA and throughout the world. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 1997 census statistics, over 2 million people in 150 countries globally work in garment sweatshops that produce apparel for USA alone (National Labor Committee, 2).

'Stalin blundered into the Cold War.' Discuss Essay

'Stalin blundered into the Cold War.' Discuss - Essay Example Indeed, there are facets of the Cold War debate over which many of the contemporary scholars are in agreement, particularly with reference to Stalin’s paranoid personality. The focus of this study, however, is a matter of contention amongst eminent Cold War historians. Whether Stalin blundered into the Cold War out of a confusion and misjudgment of his adversaries’ intentions that derived from his suspicious personality, or whether the reality of an aggressive US foreign policy nurtured Stalin’s existing paranoia, thus forcing him into an unavoidable conflict will be one of the central themes of discussion. Taking into account and critiquing the work of prominent Cold War historians, this essay will serve to evaluate the origins of the Cold War with particular reference to Stalin. The study aims to demonstrate that Stalin greatly overestimated the US desire for war, and blundered into the Cold War as a result of his paranoia and obsession with personal and domest ic security. Looking at the Cold War through the lens of Gaddis, Matsny, Zubok and Pleshakov, a conclusion can be drawn towards how the Cold War originated from miscalculation and lack of judgment on part of Stalin. John Lewis Gaddis is one of the most influential post revisionist historians of the Cold War. In his book titled We Now Know, he clearly does not see Stalin as blundering into the Cold War. In fact, he is seen as a conscious initiator of the events that led to it, while the US is represented as merely reacting to the threatening desire Stalin held for world domination. Influenced by â€Å"Marxist Internationalism† and â€Å"Czarist Imperialism†1, Stalin had a personality that was conducive to paranoia and insecurity. It is this fusion of ideologies, coupled with an insecure personality that led to the Cold War. Gaddis therefore, sees Stalin’s ideology as a key figure in the Cold War. In its essence, Gaddis sees the Cold War as an ideological war betw een America and the Soviet Union, where American pluralist democracy and capitalism is argued as inherently superior to Soviet communism, and is the cure to the threat of a communist world. American historian Vojtech Matsny offers a distinct insight into the Cold War, and addresses one of the integral issues that Gaddis conveniently overlooks. In The Cold War and Soviet Insecurity, Matsny revolves around the figure and personality of Stalin, and his preoccupation with maintaining his autocratic rule. Stalin’s imperialistic approach towards rule deflects through his paranoia and insecurity that eventually led him into the Cold War. Aware of the lack of popular support his regime had, Stalin intelligently chose to cash in on the 2fundamental Bolshevik belief that â€Å"the outside world remained implacably hostile†. Carefully carving out a sense of â€Å"us† and â€Å"them† through help of the revolutionary communist ideology, Stalin’s prime objectiv e was to preserving his regime and maintaining power within the Soviet Union rather than world domination. As Matsny argues, Stalin did not deliberately wish for a Cold War, but considering his Soviet ideology and insecure imperialism, could not avoid it. For Matsny therefore, â€Å"

Special Educational Needs Sen Education Essay

Special Educational Needs Sen Education Essay The term inclusion is difficult to define, with many professionals having their own theories on what inclusion is .One of the most controversial but perhaps true definitions of inclusion comes from the Salamanca Statement whereby educational accomplishment is perceived as being secondary to the development of the self through personal choice(Hodkinson and Vickerman, 2009).This statement and definition relates directly to the rights-based model and discourse(Dyson,2000) this reinforces the rights of a child and their entitlement to an education . To implement this type of inclusion both schools and society needs to recognise and disable the obstacles that constrain a childs choices and their capability to reach their full potential (Hodkinson and Vickerman, 2009). The term SEN was devised in the 1970s by the Warnock Report (DES, 1978, cited in Hodkinson and Vickerman, 2009). Lady Warnock states in her report that authorities should consider the idea of including all children into mainstream schooling if that is where they will learn successfully (Kent, 2005). The 1981 Education Act came after the Warnock report .This new piece of legislation affected the entire education system, and was seen to have a positive influence on the education of children with SEN (Potts, 1995). The Act prohibited any child from being deprived of an education, and effectively reinforced inclusion whenever it was possible (Kent, 2005). The Education Act describes a child with SEN as someone who has a learning barrier which appeals for special educational conditions to be made for them. This includes any child below the age of 19 who is a recorded pupil at an educational institute (DfEE, 1996 and SENDA, 2001, cited in Hodkinson and Vickerman, 2009). Frederickson and Cline (2007) suggest that many people misperceive special educational needs with special needs. They propose a child has a special need if they originate from a community whose conditions or upbringing is dissimilar from the majority of the school populace. Thus meaning that a special need does not necessarily manifest itself as SEN (Frederickson and Cline, 2002, cited in Hodkinson and Vickerman, 2009). The Education act calls for an official assessment of all alleged SEN children, a provision upheld by later legislations. A statement of Special Educational needs is formed and complied by educational authorities, who are accountable for outlining the extent of the childs needs and recommending educational strategies and resources to suit the child. The SEN statements are used to situate children into mainstream schools if; the childs requirements can be met, they do not restrict or hinder other childrens learning and is an efficient use of the authorities resources (Kentworthy and Whittaker, 2000). In 2003, within the UK there was anticipated to be over 1.7 million children with possible SEN and of these children around 250,000 of them had a formal statement (Russell, 2003). It could be argued that the statement process and the use of the term SEN is negatively associated to the medical model opinion of disability (Hodkinson and Vickerman, 2009). Frederickson and Cline (2007) maintain that the process of assessing a child with SEN is completed by scrutinising the individual child. It is expected that the foundation of the problem is within the child and that they must be afflicted with a disability or a learning impairment. The assessment process is thought to be comparable to a medical diagnosis by establishing what classification of disability the child suffers from. It has been advocated that this method of labelling, is disrespectful and distressing to the specific child and also has an impact on the way in which their learning is sustained (CSIE, 2005, cited in Hodkinson and Vickerman, 2009). Segregation, due to the labelling process is a normal experience for a child with SEN .Children may be excluded from mainstream schools and placed in a special school or within a mainstream classroom children may miss out on lessons to be educated by the special needs expert or more commonly the designated teaching assistant. The medical model has perhaps lowered anticipations of a child with SEN. Some consider handicapped children as abnormal, because they are constrained to what they can accomplish. Frederickson and Cline (2007) state that being handicap was defined by society in terms of defect, physical and emotional deficiencies were believed to inflict limitations on cognitive advancement. As a consequence obstructions to achievement and social development were forced upon children with SEN (Frederickson and Cline, 2007, cited in Hodkinson and Vickerman, 2009). Law (1993) suggests some parents of children with SEN would prefer a diagnosis, as they feel it helps them comprehend and prepare for the problems their child may be confronted with. Parents also feel that a statement can help to gain access to expert help and advice and secure a place in a special school. Hanson et al (2001) argues that the majority of parents welcome inclusive locations for their children with SEN, although parents did have apprehensions about the teachers level of training and experience. Corbett (2001) claims teachers are enthusiastic to support inclusion when dealing with children who have a mild disability. There is nevertheless the proposal that teachers do not have the similar inclusive idea in relation to those children who show severe behavioural problems (Wedell, 2005).Inclusion for certain children is being deferred because the educational system is not fit to include them because of the obstructions of lack of knowledge, lack of will, lack of vision, lack of resources and lack of morality (Clough and Garner 2003; 87 cited in Hodkinson and Vickerman, 2009).Study in this topic establishes that for these children, teachers consider that exclusion is essential due to their experience within the classroom (Corbett,2001). The previous Government, encouraged teachers to improve personalised learning for all students (Milliband, 2004, cited in Wedell, 2005).This was intended to inspire a more receptive approach to teaching. While the majority of teachers no doubt aspire to do this, the difficulties within whole-class teaching stipulate how difficult this is to accomplish. Additionally, such targets require understanding and time to apply. David Hargreaves (2004) states traditional teachers are not educated adequately enough to deal with the varieties of responsibilities now outlined for them (Wedell, 2005). The quality of teaching for pupils with different needs has been an concern that has prevented the effective application of SEN and inclusion strategies .The Programme of Action(DfEE,1998)specified the need for teachers to undertake detailed training in special educational needs and the previous Government also agreed that effective practice is being obstructed by the same issue(DfES,2004).There seems to be a common opinion amongst educational professionals that the training they receive to prepare themselves for the teaching and accommodating of children with SEN is woefully inadequate'(Corbett,2001;22). To aid teachers, the process of grouping pupils is still commonly used in the classroom. This technique was introduced so that teachers could prioritise and plan differentiated lessons. The tensions this inflicts on children and the complications it creates for teachers have been extensively acknowledged. David Hargreaves stated; Pedagogy in schools is about mastering the art of controlling the behaviour of some thirty young persons of the same age, who are reluctantly enclosed in a room of modest size and who can be easily managed as thirty kittens can be herded. (Hargreaves, 2001:2 cited in Wedell, 2005) Hartley also mentions; If the government retains a bias towards whole- class, traditional pedagogy, then the costs may be reduced, teachers may be tamed, high-stakes scores will rise, and procedures may be standardised. But the economic benefits are likely to be few in the long term. (Hartley, 2003:91 cited in Wedell, 2005) These interpretations specify how features of the structure of schooling present difficulties for children with SEN in general. The government has introduced a mass deployment of teaching assistant(TAs)to aid teachers in these dilemmas , but class grouping still exists within a classroom .The provision of learning support assistants(LSAs)for pupils with special educational needs is perhaps a method of softening the blow for teachers who are in mainstream classes. It is recognised that the velcro-ing of LSAs to pupils occasionally becomes a system of within-class segregation (Wedell, 2005). The Pragmatic discourse states that for schools to achieve a more inclusive ethos, support will be needed to develop polices and practice(Dyson,2000) that not only allows all children to be supported but also convey the needs of the teachers as well (Hanko, 2003 cited in Hodkinson and Vickerman, 2009).Frederickson and Cilne (2002) declare that for schools to develop inclusion they must scrutinise how they might encourage involvement of the diversity of pupils that they assist within the community (Hodkinson and Vickerman, 2009). The Political discourse discusses the struggle (Vlachou, 1997, cited in Dyson, 2000) between views of teachers, parents and MPs. These conflicting opinions cause national education policies and legislations to frequently aggravate each other in their execution. The Audit Commission (2002) noticed that the application of the Statement process proceeded to pull finance away from local education authorities(LEAs).Funding for pupils with a statements ran at ten times the funding available for children with mild to moderate SEN without a statement. The 2004,OFSTED report on progress in inclusion found that for some schools inflexible timetabling ,staffing and non-existence initiative were handicaps to successful progress. Whereas The Audit Commissions (2002)refer to the predicaments faced by schools ,as they are put under pressure to achieve better academic results and to become inclusive(Wedell, 2005). In England, educational requirements for children with SEN are administrated by the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice (DFES, 2001a, cited in Hodkinson and Vickerman, 2009).Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales have similar Codes. The Code was launched in schools in 2002.The Code of Practice details the standards for the management of SEN provision (Soan, 2005, cited in Hodkinson and Vickerman, 2009). The Codes key objectives are that a child with SEN: should have their needs met, their needs will ordinarily be met in mainstream schools, the views of the child should be considered and children with SEN should be offered a diverse and significant education. The principles within the Code work alongside the statement of inclusion that exists within the National Curriculum (Soan, 2005, cited in Hodkinson and Vickerman, 2009).The National Curriculums principles of inclusion maintain that teachers will: set appropriate learning tasks for all children, respond to childrens varied learning requirements and overcome possible barriers to learning. It is evident that these two statements, conflict with each other ,due to the fact that they link to different models. Within the Code the childs difficulties are perceived to be the focus which associates the Code to the medical model, .(Soan,2005, ,cited in Hodkinson and Vickerman, 2009).Whereas the statement of inclusion expresses links to the social model as it looks at improving factors such as the learning environment (Alcott,2002). If the hurdles of implementing inclusion are to be weakened it would seem obvious that †¦.. individual pupils†¦. must be at the core of all we do'(Coles and Hancock,2001, cited in Hodkinson and Vickerman, 2009:88). A common issue with implementing inclusion is that perhaps to much time is spent over concerns about inputs and settings when perhaps more time should be spent on developing experiences and outcomes for the pupils.

Essay on Behavior in All Quiet on the Western Front and Lord of the Fli

Comparison of Human Behavior in All Quiet on the Western Front and Lord of the Flies  Ã‚         An author's view of human behavior is often reflected in their works. The novels All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque and Lord of the Flies by William Golding are both examples of works that demonstrate their author's view of man, as well his opinion of war. Golding's Lord of the Flies is highly demonstrative of Golding's opinion that society is a thin and fragile veil that when removed shows man for what he truly is, a savage animal. Perhaps the best demonstration of this given by Golding is Jack's progression to the killing of the sow. Upon first landing on the island Jack, Ralph, and Simon go to survey their new home. Along the way the boys have their first encounter with the island's pigs. They see a piglet caught in some of the plants. Quickly Jack draws his knife so as to kill the piglet. Instead of completing the act, however, Jack hesitates. Golding states that, "The pause was only long enough for them to realize the enormity of what the downward stroke would be." Golding is suggesting that the societal taboos placed on killing are still ingrained within Jack. The next significant encounter in Jack's progression is his first killing of a pig. There is a description of a great celebration. The boys chant "Kill the pig. Cut her thr oat. Spill her blood." It is clear from Golding's description of the revelry that followed the killing that the act of the hunt provided the boys with more than food. The action of killing another living thing gives them pleasure. The last stage in Jack's metamorphosis is demonstrated by the murder of the sow. Golding describes the killing almost as a rape. He says, "Jack was on... ...ough the actions of his characters, attempts to illustrate that under chaotic circumstances, when removed normal society, man reverts to what his nature deems him to be, a destructive creature. Remarque's characters, on the other hand, manage to show compassion and humane treatment of others despite being thrust into a situation more terrible than that of Golding's characters. Where Golding feels war is a result of humankind's vile nature, Remarque sees it as an evil brought about by only a select few.    Works Cited Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. New York: Berkley, 1954. Babb, Howard S. The Novels of William Golding. N.p.: Ohio State UP, 1970. Beetz, Kirk H., ed. Beacham's Encyclopedia of Popular Fiction. Vol. 5. Osprey: n.p., 1996. 5 vols. Epstein, E. L. Afterword. Lord of the Flies. By William Golding. New York: Berkley, 1954.   

Catcher in the Rye - Holden Caulfield as a Modern Day Odysseus Essay

Catcher in the Rye - Holden Caulfield as a Modern Day Odysseus Years ago, a man named Homer wrote The Odyssey. It told about King Odysseus of Ithaca's mystical and perilous adventure home after the Trojan War. An odyssey can simply be defined as an adventure. Holden Caulfield, the main character in Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye, had an odyssey of his own. On his adventure in New York City, Holden encountered many tests and learning experiences. To begin with, was the encounter with Maurice and Sunny. On his return to the hotel from Ernie's, Holden met Maurice, the elevator operator. He asked Holden if he was, "Innarested in a little tail t'night?" (Salinger 152). Holden had been lonely all night, so he quickly and without thinking answered yes. He went back to his room to get ready. Here is Holden's first test. He is sixteen and he is about to lose his virginity to a prostitute. He greeted her at the door, and she questioned his age. They had a small conversation, and all of a sudden she just took off her dress. He told her...

Arithmetic Mean and Control Groups Essay

1. What demographic variables were measured at least at the interval level of measurements? Marital status should be the interval level of measurement. The distance between being single and married is significant when it comes to fatigue and shared duties if the married couples are living together. 2. What statistics were used to describe the length of labor in this study? Were these appropriate? Both the experimental and control groups used means and standard deviations to describe the length of labor. Yes these statistics are appropriate. 3. What other statistic could have been used to describe the length of labor? Provide a rationale for your answer. Mode could also have been used in this study and it would have provided an insight to the most common length of labor. Median would be more informative as it would provide the middle point for labor length. 4. Were the distributions of scores similar for the experimental and control groups for the length of labor? Provide a rationale for your answer. I do not believe so. The standard deviation for the experimental group was only slightly higher at 7. 78hrs than that of the control group’s 7. 2hrs, however the mean of the experimental group of 14. 63hrs is much higher than the control group’s 12. 70hrs. Having an average labor time of almost 2 hours more is significant. Having a similar SD suggests very similar outliers in each group with no radical deviation. 5. Were the experimental and control groups similar in their type of feeding? Provide a rationale for your answer. Yes. Bottle-feeding was the mode for the experimental (53. 1%) and the control (50%) groups since it was the most frequent type of feeding used by both groups 6. What was the marital status mode for the subjects in the experimental and control groups? Provide both the frequency and percentage for the marital status mode for both groups. â€Å"Married† is the highest mode for both groups in the study In the experimental group, the frequency 25 and 78. 1% In the control group, the frequency 31 and 86. 1% 7. Could a median be determined for the education data? If so, what would the median be for education for the experimental and the control groups? Provide a rationale for answer Yes. Education variables have a median equal to 11 for the experimental group and the median equal to 13 for Control group. The control group has more high school education than the experimental group 8. Can the findings from this study be generalized to Black women? Provide a rationale for your answer. The sample results are not reflective of black women due to predominantly White, 92% and 96. 55% in both the experimental and control groups. 9. If there were 32 subjects in the experimental group and 36 subjects in the control group, why is the income data only reported for 30 subjects in the experimental group and 34 subjects in the control group? Because the data is lacking accuracy due to missing variables. 10. Was the sample for this study adequately described? Provide a rationale for your answer. The sample of the study was not adequately described because the experimental group numbers do not add up to 32 and the control group do not have a total of 36 subjects. Also the percentages also do not add up to 100% due to missing data.

Basic Economics Definitions Essay

Colander (2010) stated, â€Å"Economics is the study of how human beings coordinate their wants and desires, given the decision-making mechanisms, social customs, and political realities of the society† (p. 4). The main word defining â€Å"economics† would be coordination, and in economics, refers to three central problems that face any economy and how they are solved. These central problems are 1. What and how much to produce. 2. How to produce it. 3. For whom to produce it (Colander, 2010). Individuals frequently assume that economics only concern is with business, money, and supply, and demand. However, economics began as a branch of philosophy, and Alfred Marshall, the 19th century economist describes economics as the study of individuals in the business of everyday life. * Scarcity Colander (2010) stated â€Å"scarcity has two elements: our wants and our means of fulfilling those wants. These can be interrelated since wants are changeable and partially determined by society† (p. 5). Scarcity is a basic problem of economics it has apparent limitless individual wants and needs when the world in fact has limited resources. We as a society have scarce creative resources to fulfill everyone’s wants and needs. * TANSTAAFL Colander (2010) states TANSTAAFL â€Å"economic knowledge in one sentence â€Å"There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch† (p. 7). This acronym is trying to illustrate the cost of spending and decision making, and expresses that there is always a cost whether hidden or indirect even if it may seem like it is free. * Opportunity Cost Colander (2010) states â€Å"Opportunity cost is the benefit that you might have gained from choosing the next-best alternative. To obtain the benefit of something, you must give up something else. TANSTAAFL theory embodies the opportunity cost concept because it tells us that there is a cost to everything; that cost is the next-best forgone alternative† (p. 9). In economics, the term â€Å"opportunity cost† refers to money or benefits lost or given up pursuing a particular path specific path of action instead of an alternative or something else. Almost every decision made in business has an opportunity cost attached to it. For example should a business continue using a particular piece of equipment, or should the business purchase new equipment with additional features, and pay a higher rate. * Production Possibilities Curve Colander (2010) states the definition as â€Å"The production possibility curve is a curve that measures the maximum combination of outputs that can be obtained with a given number of inputs† (p. 29). The â€Å"Production Possibility Curve† is a graph representing the difference in rate when two products are produced with only a specific quantity of resources. For example, Suzie will bake brownies and cookies, but she has only one oven. An area in the oven used for baking brownies is not necessarily used for the cookies; therefore, for each brownie baked there are fewer baked cookies. * Comparative Advantage Colander (2010) states the definition as â€Å"some resources have a comparative advantage over other resources— the ability to be better suited to the production of one good than to the production of another good† (p. 28-29). Comparative advantage is the capability to manufacture services or merchandise at an opportunity cost lower than other individuals or businesses giving the individuals or businesses the capability of selling their services or merchandise at lower pricing than their competitors price. * Business Cycle Colander (2010) states the definition, as â€Å"a business cycle is the upward or downward movement of economic activity that occurs around the growth trend† (p. 158). Business cycles refer to economic fluctuations in trade, production, and economic activity in over several months or years. Economic fluctuations take place throughout long-term growth trends, involving shifts over time showing fast economic growth, and periods of decline. * CPI Colander (2010) states the definition, as â€Å"the consumer price index (CPI) is an index of inflation measuring prices of a fixed basket of consumer goods, weighted according to each component’s share of an average consumer’s expenditures† (p. 171). The CPI or consumer price index is a measurement showing household purchases indicating the change in the price levels of services and consumer goods. The CPI calculates the price changes for each predetermined item in the â€Å"basket of goods† and averages them, and weighted by their importance with the price changes related to the cost of living. * Labor Force To define labor force or workforce, and this is the calculation of every adult whether employed or unemployed. Estimated by The Bureau of Labor Statistics labor is categorized by employed, unemployed or not in the labor force for individuals age 16 and over. Individuals not categorized into the labor force are students, retired, or institutionalized individuals. The labor force changes over periods because of social and demographic changes. * Transfer Payments Colander (2010) states the definition, as â€Å"payments to individuals that do not involve production by those individuals. Transfer payments include Social Security payments, and unemployment insurance† (p. 184). Transfer payments are monies from the government given to individuals such payments include unemployment, social security, disability, and other welfare payments. References * Business cycle. (2013). In Merriam-Webster. Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/business cycle Comparative advantage. (2013). In Merriam-Webster. Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/comparative advantage Colander, D. C. (2010). Macroeconomics (8th ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. (pg. 4, 5, 7, 9, 28-29, 158, 171, 184). Economics. (2013). In Merriam-Webster. Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/economics Opportunity cost. (2013). In Merriam-Webster. Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opportunity cost Scarcity. (2013). In Merriam-Webster. Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scarcity

Human Resources Function In Pizza Express Essay

Introduction Pizza Express is a public limited company (PLC), which was established in 1965. It has 350 restaurants in the UK and between twenty to thirty international franchises in countries like France, Egypt, Spain and opening soon in the Philippines and it has also expanded by 40% in recent years. It’s a restaurant in different countries, which provides food, and drink services to the customers. The company has different range of employees, 39 in total including cleaners, chefs, waiters and waitresses, supervisors and managers. Role of human resources The organisation has two human resources namely the main HR known as the headquarters and the local HR’s. The local HR recruits the workers by advertising in the media after which they train the selected ones to very high standards so that they deliver high quality services to the customers. This creates a good repetition for the company so they receive more customers therefore increasing profits too. Training the workers on how to use the equipment also helps the company in a way that they will have fewer or no claims for damages in case of accidents. The local HR’s also carry out transfers with other restaurants of the organisation, which helps them maintain the good workers. This can also be a way of practising flexible working conditions for their staff. In case of any member of staff acting against the organisations rules, the local HR’s have to discipline him/her so that they can change and if they fail they lose the job. This helps the company dismiss bad members of staff who can cause trouble or even pass on their bad behaviours to new recruits. Lastly, the local HR’s act as the voice for the workers i.e. they raise any problems that the workforce might be experiencing so that they can be solved. This creates a good relationship between the workers and the management, which is a very important thing if they are to work as a team to deliver good services to the customers. The main HR i.e. the headquarters carries out the more complex tasks of the organisation. It reviews the labour turnover and predicts what staff the company will have to recruit and during what time they will have to. It sets the pay rates and increases in the organisation which is a very crucial thing when carrying out the company’s budget because they don’t want to pay out much or less but just the right amount to their staff. It also recruits it’s own staff and management and train them. It has to be very careful when doing this because it has to makes to sure it gets the right people who will be able to manage the local HR’s or else there will be poor management which can lead to serious problems in organisations. Lastly, it makes the rules and procedures that have to be followed in the organisation. This is very important because it lets the workers know what they can do and can not when on the company’s premises and also for any organisation to run properly and smoothly, there must be rules and regulations in place to be followed. E2 Staff labour turnover The staff /labour turnover for the Kingston branch was not known because they had just opened but for the old branch, they had 50 people leaving with an approximation of 25 staff which means the turnover was 200%. This is mainly because the workers tend to transfer with their managers when they change branches, which happened last year. From the research that I carried out, these were my findings KINGSTON LABOUR MARKET (2001-02) Aged 16 and over Economically active In employment All 124000 85000 81000 Male 63000 48000 46000 Female 61000 37000 34000 WORKING AGE (16-59/64) 2001-2002 IN KINGSTON Working age (16-59/64) Economically active In employment All 102000 83000 80000 Male 55000 48000 46000 Female 48000 36000 33000 AGE BREAKDOWN (full and part-time employment) 2001-02 All Full-time Part-time 16-19 * * * 20-24 11000 8000 * 25-49 53000 45000 8000 50+ 14000 10000 4000 Source: www.statistics.gov.uk KEY * Sample size too small for reliable estimate Pay and hours worked The chefs in the new Kingston branch get a maximum of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½8.50 an hour if they are of grade four and those on lower grades 1-4 get a maximum of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½6. The waiters get à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½4.20 an hour with tips as well and cleaners get à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½5-6 an hour. They all get double pay on bank holidays and they work a maximum of 48 hrs apart from part time workers who usually have 3-4 shifts a week with no set minimum hours of working. Productivity The businesses productivity depends on how many customers they get i.e. if they produce more if there are many customers to be served and they produce little if there are hardly any customers to be served. Generally, they measure productivity by the average times for making items. The more items they make, the more profits they get and the fewer items they make, the less profits they get. Fulltime/part time working For the particular branch in Rotunda, there are three fulltime workers and twenty part time workers. Changes in working practices The company also tries to please its workers by changing their working practices. This is carried out by exchanging staff with other restaurants since it’s a big company. This helps them get experience in working in different areas and conditions, encouraging more advanced training so that they get promoted which again makes workers feel that their effort is being appreciated by the management and lastly giving them flexible working hours so that they don’t feel that they are being over worked or exploited. Company use of the information The company might have used this information when planning its human resources in a way that when you look at the labour market, there are more people economically active and in this particular area there is relatively low unemployment. This means that they will find it difficult to recruit new staff and it can be very costly in a sense that to attract possible workers, they will have to advertise themselves more, they may have to pay more wages or invest more in training. They may also have to design development programmes so that potential employees see there are promotion prospects in the organisation therefore making them feel wanting to join the company. By also looking at their labour turnover which is very high, they might want to try and find out why many people are leaving. This can help them find the reasons why the workers are leaving and find solutions to them which means they will keep their staff longer. Still looking at their own labour turnover, they can also find out the skill that people who are leaving had and recruit people with the same ones which decreases the budget of training. Since their work force is in the mid 20’s and mostly part time, they can decide to recruit more people between the age of 25-49 because those between 20-24 working part time are very small size of the population. When planning its productivity, the company can decide to recruit more people and give them intensive training to become professionals which also increases efficiency. C1 Analysis of external labour market To interpret my labour market further, I compared it with that of Richmond, London, & UK with also last year’s trends and these were the results. The working-age employment rate in London, Kingston, Richmond & UK (March 2000-2001 and Feb 2001-2002) Area Percentage of population 2000-2001 2001-2002 Richmond 84.5% 80.8% London 70.2% 70.4% Kingston 76.4% 78% UK 74.1% 74.4% From the results above, we see that Richmond had the highest working age employment rate which was 80.8% followed by Kingston which was 78% then UK with 74.4% and lastly London which was 70.4%. Looking at the trends, we see that Richmond’s working age employment has gone down by 3.7%, London’s has only gone up by 0.2%, Kingston’s has gone up by 1.6% and lastly UK as a whole has just gone up by 0.3%. With this information, Pizza Express can decide to recruit workers from London since it has the least working age employment so they will find it easier to recruit people but then it will have to increase spending on transport if the workers are not willing to spend their own money and if they are willing to, Pizza Express will have to pay them high wages so that they can afford the costs. Advertising costs will also go up because they will have to advertise in the media other than on their windows because they are trying to recruit people in a totally different area. Graph showing working age employment rate in London, Kingston, Richmond and UK (2001-02) Economic activity rate by sex (working age 16-59/64) in Kingston & Richmond (March 2000-2001 & February2001- 2002) Area % No. of males % No. of females 2000-2001 2001-2002 2000-2001 2001-2002 Richmond 93.7 89.0 80.5 76.5 Kingston 87.6 87.4 70.1 75.0 From the information above we see that there were a higher number of males in economical activity in Richmond than Kingston with a difference of 1.6%. With the females, the number was still higher in Richmond than Kingston with a difference of 1.5%. Comparing the percentages with last years, Kingston had a very little difference in 2000-2001 than in 2001-2002 of males in economical activity which was only 0.2%. For the females in Kingston, the percentage number went up from 70.1% in 2000-2001 to 75.0% in 2001-2002, a difference of 4.9%. The higher the economic activity rate, the better so when you look at the figures, Richmond’s economic activity rate is high but it keeps going down within the two years so it can be risky wasting their money to advertise in the area while in Kingston, though the figures are low, they keep going up within the two years so it can be safer to carry out their advertising campaigns in the area if they are sure they will keep going up. Economic activity rate of males in Richmond and Kingston (2001-02) Internal staffing information For the Kingston branch, the company had 20 staff and three of them working part time. Most of them are mainly in their mid 20’s though they have no age restrictions at upper end of age band. Most of them are students or local people of the area they are situated in. Since the company has just opened, it has recruited all its work force but in the future as the business expands, they may need more staff. Interpretation of labour market information When we look at the labour market information, we see that Richmond is doing better than Kingston economically. There are more people working in Richmond which means that there are more jobs than in Kingston. This might affect the company in a way that they will find it more favourable to recruit people from Kingston than in Richmond because the labour force will be relatively cheaper. They will also find it hard to recruit people from Richmond because most of them have got jobs and if any, they might want high wages because there is less competition. With the fact that they are also located in Kingston, they may want to recruit the workers from there because costs such as transport and advertising will be low. E3 Recruitment and selection The main documents used when recruiting staff are the staff application form which is used to get details of applicants like their address, date of birth e.t.c. Gathering this information is very crucial because the company can always keep in touch with the applicants, know of any disabilities they have if any and also get information about their qualifications. The second document is the job advert. This is a promotional document of the company attracting the applicants to apply. It talks about the skills needed so the applicants can only apply if they got them therefore saving the company time in sorting out the people with the right skills. It’s made up very carefully with pictures making it very appealing. Basically it’s a form of advertising job vacancies in the company in an easy and attractive way. Lastly, the job description is also handed out to the applicants. This describes what they are expected to do if successful in getting the job. It shows what the job is about in more detail. First, it talks about the aim of the job then the workers responsibilities, what authority is to be held and lastly the standards of performance expected. Effectiveness of documents 1. Job description The job description is effective in a way that it’s lay out is simple and easy to understand. On top is the pizza express logo and pictures to attract the reader. It clearly shows that the descriptions are for waiters/waitresses so they there is no chance of a worker in a different field mistaking it to be meant for them. It clearly outlines the aim of the job in relation to maintaining the company’s standards. Second, it talks about the responsibilities that the worker has when doing the job. Too much text is used here but there seems to be only one strange word, â€Å"Adherence†. This means that language used is quite easy to understand for the reader. Next, it also talks about the responsibilities the applicant will have to carry out if successful and less text is used here so there is less difficulty in understanding the point they are trying to bring across. Lastly, it shows the standards of performance. All the major headings are written out in bold letters and also underlined to make them stand out. 2. Application form The application form is also a very detailed document. It has got a heading on top in bold letters to show what it is, with a pizza express logo which is also a way of promoting the company and showing its loyalty. It’s designed in a simple way asking for relevant information from the applicants. It has got boxes in which they can fill in the information they are being asked. The company tries to avoid collecting irrelevant information by giving them choices in some of the questions where they can only answer yes or no e.g. have you worked for Pizza Express before: Yes ? No ?. It also helps the applicants understand the questions easily. Some questions require a lot of detail and the form provides enough space for the answers like in one question which asks if the applicant is disabled and if their answer is yes, it provides more space to give the details of their disability fully. Lastly, it is typed out on white paper with blue colourings around it to make it more attractive . Generally, no complex language has been used. Everything is simple and straight forward. 3. Job advert Like all the other documents, the job advert is also laid out in a simple way and easy to understand. It is explaining how it is like to work in pizza express by posing questions then giving all the possible answers which are of course attracting the reader to apply. It also talks about the roles and explaining some of the complex words like â€Å"remuneration†. The salaries of the assistant manager and restaurant manager are also shown. This is also done to attract people so that they apply. It has got pictures about a man who has been successful. This shows the chances of success that the applicants are likely to have if they apply. Lastly, it has got detailed information about how you can get in touch with them like telephone numbers and e-mail addresses. Stages in filling a vacancy FLOW CHART There are various stages involved in filling a vacancy. First, the job vacancy is identified and then a job description is written up. This is the document describing what the job is about and what it requires the person to do. A person specification is also written out describing what the qualities and qualifications the applicant should have then an appropriate advertising medium is chosen e.g. newspaper e.t.c. The type of medium chosen depends on the size of the company, what type of job is being advertised or even the current financial status of the company. Next, you send out application forms to the people who have replied to the adverts so that they can fill them in after which they send them back and you short list them to get the right ones. There are crucial things that should be considered when carrying out the short listing process like not discriminating people on grounds of their sex, race or ethnicity. After short listing them out, you arrange interviews for the selected ones where you set the date and time to meet. This can give the interviewer time to make up the questions to be asked and the common ones are normally about the candidates work experience history, why they have applied for the job, what makes them think they will be good at, how they will travel everyday if successful e.t.c. This is a good process because you get to see and speak to the candidates and evaluate how they express themselves, test their communication skills, check how they get on with other people and also check their behaviour i.e. if they are polite e.t.c. you might want to carry out other assessments like work sampling or testing then job offer references are made up. Copies of acceptance and turn downs are sent out to the applicants and the successful ones are given a contract and after their induction they start their job with some training. This is the form of help given to them to get used to the work place and equipment they have to use, know better how the job is carried out in the company and also get used to the old staff. This helps them develop more understanding of the company’s cultures working practices which leads them to becoming professional staff and if very hard working, they can end up getting promotions. Conclusion Based on my findings, I conclude that pizza express is doing well with the fact its expanding in other countries which means that it has a big market, a very crucial part in business developments.