Computer Graphics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Computer Graphics - Essay Example [Wallace, 2001. pp3-6] The JPEG compression algorithm involves three stages - Colour Space Conversion (Red-Green-Blue triplets mapped to Luminance-Chrominance Blue-Chrominance Red triplets), Segmentation into 8x8 pixel blocks, and Discrete Cosine Transformation (image transformation from spatial domain to frequency domain representation) encoding stage that includes Quantization (sorting the output waveform of DCT), Zigzag Scan (sorting the frequency coefficients from low to high), and Entropy Coding (Huffman Coding and Arithmetic Coding). The encoding and decoding algorithms for JPEG images are shown in figures 1 and 2 respectively. Compression is used to reduce the file sizes such that they can be used on web pages or documentation or any other light weight graphics applications. The 8x8 blocks of source images are first shifted from unsigned integers to signed integers and then are applied to the Forward Discrete Cosine Transformer (FDCT). To decode the compressed image to achieve the 8x8 blocks again, they are applied to the entropy decoder whereby the output is taken out from Inverse Discrete Cosine Transformer (IDCT). The final processing step of DCT encoder is the entropy coding that achieves additional compression by encoding the quantized DCT coefficients based on statistical characteristics. There are two types of Entropy Coding methods - Huffman coding and Arithmetic coding. Huffman coding requires one or more sets of Huffman code tables whereas Arithmetic coding doesn't require any external tables (althoug h statistical conditioning tables as inputs can improve coding efficiency). The quantization stage of JPEG algorithm results in loss of information, thus making JPEG standard a lossy compression technique. [Wallace, 2001. pp3-6] Compression Ratios and JPEG image formats: Compression is specified in terms of bits per pixel including the chrominance and luminance components) called the compression bit rate. Higher the value of bits per pixel, better would be the image quality. The JPEG standard recommends the following mapping of image quality with bit rates in colored images having moderately complex scenes: 0.25 to 0.5 bits per pixel: The output image shall possess moderate to good quality 0.5 to 0.75 bits per pixel: The output image shall possess good to very good quality 0.75 to 1.5 bits per pixel: The output image shall possess excellent quality 1.5 to 2.0 bits per pixel: The output image shall be practically non-distinguishable from the original image The improved version of original JPEG technology is JPEG 2000 that provides better rate

REPLY TWO PIST Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

REPLY TWO PIST - Assignment Example he Ducks.   We were all wearing Duck colors for that game, my friends bought merchandise and wore the items purchased at the football game.   This is low warrant because the picture can convey each of us being really into sports and/or fans of the Oregon Ducks.   One of us is a real Ducks fan and two out of the four of us is really into sports.   Not taking away from the fact we all had an  amazing time and are somewhat  fans of the Ducks.   But, Im sure the three out of the four of us can name more than two players in that football team. One high warrant from a friends profile would be his personal information such as his name, job, school information, where hes from, and his birthday.   He was a tutor and student at EDCC, was from Oak Harbor, and currently lives in Lynnwood.   This is high warrant, because this information has no ambiguity and this type of information would be hard to hide or mask, assuming you knew of him. In my friends profile, the picture is low warrant because it portrays all of us being Ducks fan, and I know my friend would not be able to name 2 players in the Ducks team.   He, as well as I, are not big into sports.   His personal information is high warrant because he is a close friend of mine and witnessed every fact regarding so. (First, I would assert that Nguyen’s identification of the low warrant makes sense. The information that his friend placed on his profile can be manipulated easily and, hence less believable. His identification of this low warrant is almost similar to what I identified. The low warrant that I identified depicts my aunt’s message, which was in short form, and I could not easily understand it at first, hence I could not believe it. Likewise, this kind of information is likely to be manipulated and rendered less believable. I would also concur with Nguyen’s identification of high profile since such information is likely to be accepted, hence they make sense. This high warrant is different with what I

Theory Of Work Adjustment Management Essay

Theory Of Work Adjustment Management Essay This theory implies that people and their environments interact. This interaction happens because both have needs that have to be satisfied and this often through each other. For people to satisfy the needs of their environments, they will need the right behaviors, flexibility, skills, attitudes, experiences, knowledge and other tools. Satisfaction levels may fluctuate and for environments to satisfy people, they need to provide the right rewards, autonomy, job content, ethics, tools, equipment, etc. For both environment and people to satisfy the other, they need to fulfill each others requirements as much as possible though it is said that the perfect match does not exist and that people and environments evolve and change due to evolving skills, knowledge and factors affecting the environment. For the employer to perceive the employee as satisfactory, there needs to be a skill set match with the job and the organization. The more the employees requirements are met, the more the sati sfaction he will perceive and therefore feel competent and committed. Renà © Dawis, George England and Lloyd Lofquist (1964) propose that in their career, individuals seek to satisfy: Achievement To progress and find maturity in their career. Comfort To work in a safe environment. Status To be recognized for work done and effort provided. Altruism To earn and provide for honestly. Safety To find stability and be able to stay that way for as long as possible. Autonomy To be able to be self sufficient when making decisions and taking actions. Hollands Theory of Vocational Personalities in Work Environment John Holland points out that the probability of career choices determining job satisfaction is high. This theory suggests that people find satisfaction in being with others having the same personality type and it applies to people in job environments. People also seek for careers that fit their personality, morale, beliefs, attitude and skills and where they can make the most out of them. Hollands work implies that there are six personality types and same number and type of environments; Realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising and conventional. Each personality type has particular areas of interest, specifications and requirements. Table 2. Interests by personality type Personality Type Interest Realistic Using hands, tools or machinery. Make, fix, assemble, build thing, etc. Investigative Question, research, investigate, observe, experiment, discover and solve problems, etc Artistic Express themselves using communication; art, words, music, video, drama, etc Social Work with people, inform, educate, coach, treat, help, serve, etc Enterprising Business type, leading, supervising, meeting people, talking, leading, etc Conventional Planning, follow procedures, organizing and accuracy, etc. Linking personality type to the similar environment will produce congruence. It is therefore more likely that success will follow people matching their environment type as they will be more satisfied being compatible and in harmony with their work. Incongruence may bring people to look for more appropriate environments to evolve and find stability Graphic of personality types matched to careers Figure 1. Matching persons with compatible career Source: http://www.careerkey.org/asp/your_personality/hollands-theory-of-career-choice.html Self-concept Theory of Career Development Donald Super (1990) found the link between age, career choices, career decisions and productivity. According to this concept, a persons productivity at work changes continuously during his career. These changes may be attributed to experience, changing work environment, changing personal needs (promotion, better job, recognition, retirement, etc). The self-concept theory is an evolution of Eli Ginzbergs work which has time as a core element that affects a persons perception and thereafter decisions. As time goes a persons needs, experience, perception and maturity change so decisions are calibrated and made accordingly. The life stage developmental framework has been put forward having the following stages: Growth (birth -14yrs) Development of self-concept, attitude, needs and general world of work. Exploration (15 24yrs) Trying out through classes, work, hobbies, uncertain choices and skills development. Establishment (24 44yrs) Entry level skill building and stabilization through work experience. Maintenance (or management) (45-64yrs) Constant tuning process to progress in position. Disengagement (65+yrs) Reduce output, prepare for retirement. Gottfredsons Theory of Circumscription and Compromise Both Gottfredsons (1981, 1996, 2002, 2005) and Donald Supers (1990) theories believe in the importance of self-concept. Self-concept is an individuals perception of the environment in relation to his/her personality. Career satisfaction is believed to arise from the alignment of career with self-concept. Career aspirations start in childhood where one tries to understand who does what in terms of social identity. Stereotypes are formed (gender, social status, prestige, intelligence) and maintained in part due to society and family. By removing barriers that they imposed upon themselves or the society imposed to restrict certain types of jobs which narrowed their career interests, people may find that they have more choices and more room to improve. Original choices were probably biased and some careers were possibly ignored due to lack of information or pervious lack of interest translating into missed opportunities. This study suggests that satisfaction may come with experience, giving a broader view of the career world and by changing jobs. Social Cognitive Career Theory We learn in different ways such as through observation, experience, feedback, etc. Reward and punishment are also inhibitors for learning and moulds for behavior. Learning is a continuous process as the world around us keeps changing. It is important to learn as it provides new data or modifies/updates existing ones that help shape our knowledge, values, behavior, preferences and skills that guide us in our actions. The social cognitive career theory (SCCT) is built and expanded on core constructs from a learning theory; the social cognitive theory (SCT) of Albert Bandura. The central idea is that there is interaction between environmental and individual variables as well as self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and selection objective to predict academic and career choice performance. The SCT recognizes the importance of a persons cognitive processes and mechanisms in channeling incentive and actions. Lent et al. (1994, 1996), explain that performance is affected by and results from the input of self-efficiency, past performance and outcome expectations. Banduras triadic reciprocality concept suggests that a person, the behavior, and the environment are all looped together to create learning in the person. Consequently the social cognitive career theorys triadic reciprocality, is a feedback loop between performance, achievements and behavior. The SCCT acknowledges that components of self-efficacy and outcome expectations predict vocational choice and seek to explain three main questions related to future performance; How do interests in academic and vocational areas develop? How are educational and career related choices made? How are educational and career performance outcomes achieved? Three concepts that affect career decision making process have been identified as self-efficacy, outcome expectations and personal goals (represented in the Social cognitive career theory performance model) ; Self-efficacy is belief in ones own judgment and abilities to thrive in particular situations which result in the way people behave and feel. Outcome expectation is what is generally expected from certain scenarios. Three expected outcomes have been identified as social (support/lack thereof), physical (compensation, rewards, status, recognition, etc) and self (satisfaction and self-fulfillment) (Bandura, 1986). Personal goals are used as guides. The goals which one wishes to achieve within educational/career interests are the goals represented in the performance model. Full-size image (7 K) Figure 2: Social cognitive career theory performance model Career choice tools There exist many tools to help future employees make the appropriate career choice and predict career success and satisfaction: Hollands Strong Interest Inventory The MBTI indicator Online career compatibility tests These tools must only be used to get an overview and those concerned not completely rely on the results because one may get another perspective while in the job. There are also other dimensions that may affect ones experience in a job as is discussed in the form of components leading to job satisfaction/dissatisfaction. High performance work systems Image can carry the horns  and  halo effect of a certain organization. No one wants to be associated to a bad image or reputation therefore organizations must perform whether in the private or public sector. High performance management systems are human resource practices planned to make the most effective use of human assets by aligning best practices (recruitment, selection, performance appraisal, training and development, reward, etc) to achieve maximum output (better skills, knowledge, confidence, maturity, satisfaction, etc). HPWS started in the manufacturing sector and are spreading to other sectors to close gaps between human resources, technologies, and the mission and vision of organizations. This system is supposed to make rigorous use of the elements of employment cycle plan from the very beginning by attracting the finest, hiring the best qualified persons fit for the job, providing appropriate training to gain skills required and enhance motivation by rewarding fitti ngly. HPWS are a combination of steady, consecutive and overlapping best practices, investing in human resources for the organizations own benefits. Table 3. Human Resources Practices Definition Practice Self-directed Work Team Self-sufficient, semi-autonomous work groups, self-regulating work teams or simply teams. The work group (in some cases operating without a supervisor) is responsible for a whole product or service and makes decisions about task assignments and work methods. The team may be responsible for services such as maintenance, purchasing, quality control, and hiring. Employee Problem Solving Groups (Including Quality Circles) Structured employee participation groups in which individuals from a particular work area meet regularly to identify and suggest improvements to work-related problems. The goals of these groups are improved quality and productivity; there are no direct rewards for group activity; group problem solving training is provided; and the groups only power is to suggest changes to management. Job Rotation A planned rotation of workers among different jobs. Total Quality Management Programs Programs that focus on providing customers with error-free products or services through a process of continuous improvement. Gain Sharing Gain sharing plans are based on a formula that shares some portion of gains in productivity, quality, cost-effectiveness, or other performance indicators. The gains are shared in the form of bonuses with all employees in an organization (such as a mill). They typically use employee suggestion committees and they differ from profit sharing and ESOPs in the basis of the formula is some set of local performance measures, not company profits. Examples include Scanlon plan, the Impro share Plan, the Rucker Plan, and various custom-designed plans Employment Security Policy Corporate or Mill Policy designed to prevent layoffs of permanent employees. Pay for Skill Program An alternative to traditional job-based pay that sets pay levels based on how many skills employees have or how many jobs they potentially can do, not on the job they are currently holding. Also called pay for skills, pay for knowledge, and competency-based pay. Profit-Sharing/Bonus Program A bonus plan that shares some portion of mill or corporation profits with employees. It does not include dividend sharing. Removal of Shift Supervisors/Delayering Elimination of a level of management (including shift supervisor) Source: http://www.paperage.com/issues/july_aug2007/07_2007work_systems.pd Psychological contract The public sector has many levels of hierarchy and this may be contributing to psychological contracts being unclear or lost. Contrary to legal contracts, psychological contracts are not written down; they are mutual, unspoken agreements or acknowledgement between the employee and the employer/management (Rousseau and Tijoriwala, 1998). Psychological contracts being un-discussed are sometimes hard to understand; Where to draw the line and what are included in the contract may stretch in complexity and be problematic as those concerned may be after their own interests which is described by Rousseau (1995) as the agreement is in the eye of the beholder. Psychological contracts are important to study as they deal with elements such as remuneration, work conditions, rights and have the potential to motivate, balance commitment and the contrary as well (Schein, 1978). Being higher in the hierarchy, employers have the upper hand and they can use this to promote a climate of people-building instead of people-using for the organizations benefit (Guest and Conway, 2002). Chapter 4: Literature review To err is human but to err within the work place, what are/can be the repercussions? Theories of job satisfaction may have inspired HRM which believes in managing work and people towards desired ends (Boxall et al, 2007). Many researchers have over decades carried out studies on job satisfaction and its components and have noticed the importance of job satisfaction on a variety of organizational variables (Chu et al., 2003). Organizations can achieve efficiency through properly managed assets. Along with capital, work methods, capabilities, knowledge, organizational processes, information, firm attributes and knowledge, human resource is an important contributor to the smooth running of an organization (Daft, 1983). Without motivated human resource, organizations will be unproductive even if they have all necessary production materials. This proves how important human resources are. Human resource management has humanized the work place providing workers better treatment and acknowledging that people must be treated decently so that they give their maximum to their organization. The Harvard model of HRM devised by Beer et al sees workers as resources that cannot be managed in the same manner as other resources of the organization. Morale is often defined as being equivalent to job satisfaction (Guion, 1958). Locke (1976) defined job satisfaction as the positive emotional state resulting from appraisal of ones job. Job satisfaction describes the feelings, outlooks or preferences of employees towards their work (Chen, 2011). Job satisfaction is expressed by positive/favorable attitudes consequently dissatisfaction by negative/unfavorable attitudes with which employees view their occupation and both the internal and external environment of the organization can be the cause. Sousa-Poza and Sousa-Poza imply that job satisfaction is determined by the balance between inputs (education, working, time, and effort) and out puts (wages, recognition, importance, fringe benefits, status, task importance and intrinsic aspects of the job). Cognitive Component An individuals perceptions, opinion, beliefs and expectations regarding the organization are the focus of his or her cognitions. Reward. Individuals develop expectations regarding their pay through negotiations, comparison to others, and promises made. Satisfaction is increased when these salary expectations are met. Likewise individuals develop an expected timetable for advancement. The extent to which these timetables are met also influences the individuals cognitive evaluation. Managerial. Satisfaction with ones boss is a function of how he or she meets your mental model (expectations) of how a leader should behave. (See Leadership Behavior) Task. The extent to which ones assigned task and responsibilities meet role expectations is the major determinant of an individuals cognitive assessment of his or her job. Work designs that include variables such as autonomy, responsibility and tak identity tend to lead to high levels of satisfaction with work because they allow for challenge which when met, lead to validation of important skills and competencies. Social Inducement System. How coworkers behave relative to your expectations of them and how they help or hinder your job performance is the basis of the cognitive appraisal of this inducement system. The corrections service has an undeniably important place in the criminal justice system and society (Goodstein MacKenzie, 1989). The MPS has over 900 officers working to provide services under the care of the Prime ministers office and a terrible service would negatively impact the PMO. As hypothesized, by concepts of job satisfaction, unhappy workers would mean less commitment to the job, downplaying the abilities of the decision makers. Ineffective public organizations have very often paid high prices for their negligence in the form of compensation which is an unfortunate loss for the tax payers. It goes without saying that public organizations have to assume the responsibilities vested in them. As far as the wellbeing of prisoners are concerned, there are countless human rights organizations in existence, enough to make the MPS toe the line but is it at the cost of good job content for prisons officers and senior prisons officers? Previous Research; Job satisfaction Economists, psychologists and career counselors all have an increasing interest in job satisfaction which is a vast and engaging subject. Many theories have tried to explain the when, how and why of job satisfaction. There are many factors that can influence job satisfaction and previous research can be used as guidelines but must not be an excuse to stereotype similar organizations, variables and results. Job satisfaction measures a number of factors some of which are subjective and psychological. Others are objective such as work conditions, the management, the organizations rules and regulations and the like. Figure : Determinants of job satisfaction Source: http://www.uri.edu/research/lrc/scholl/webnotes/Satisfaction.htm S.P. Robbins (1997) refers to job satisfaction as the difference between the amount of rewards employees receive and the amount they believe they should receive which can be in monetary or non-monetary terms. The notion of job satisfaction has emerged with contributing factors namely nature of the work, relation with coworkers, promotion opportunities, present pay and supervision (Stephen P Robbins, 1997) and immediate working conditions (John W. Newstrom and Keith Davis, 1996). Porter and Lawler (1972) through their research, identify job satisfaction as one-dimensional where, someone is usually either satisfied or dissatisfied with his/her job. Many other researchers disagree with this ideology, for instance Smith, Kendall and Hulin argue the contrary where job satisfaction is multidimensional as each employee may perceive different levels of satisfaction and dissatisfaction which can arise from each facet of ones job for example the pay, job content, supervisor, work environment, relations with co-workers, training, autonomy, management style, health facilities, relations with supervisor, procedural justice, tangible aids, office tools, participation in decisions, support of management, fringe benefits, promotion, etc. Reward does not need to be in monetary terms as explained by Ackerlof Kranton (2003) where psychic reward can be generated from the employees self-esteem and this confirms the theory that job satisfaction is multi-dimensional. Through their findings, Gagnà © Deci (2005) argue that employees autonomy, backed by managerial support, positively affect both job satisfaction and job performance. Pathik and Pestonjee (1997) found that work environment has influence on job satisfaction of employees and that politics-free work environment is significantly correlated to job satisfaction. Holmes (1997) contributes to the job satisfaction theories; finding that decentralization of authority affects job satisfaction levels. He also found employees  with  stock  ownerships and as such shared incentives including profit sharing, provided job satisfaction. Chapman (1998) states that a worker working as a team, experiences better job satisfaction compared to those working solo. It is apparent that there is a positive link between employees job satisfaction and welfare programs including maternity leave, benefits, transport allowance, bonus, medical allowance, etc (Bonner, 1997). Applebums (1997) study links job con tent in terms of variety, complexity and independence to job satisfaction. Clark (1999) found that current salary does not positively impact job satisfaction but increments over a period of time do. Opportunity for promotion and career advancement provide employees with a positive view of their work and organization (Schneider, Gunnarson, Wheeler, 1992). Clark (1997) and Golden Wiens-Tuers (2006) found that workload had a strong relationship with job satisfaction where excessive work load led to job dissatisfaction. Education level has been found to affect job satisfaction in many different ways depending on the other factors it is measured against such as age, job and pay (Sousa-Poza Sousa-Poza, 2000, Skalli et al. 2007). In Kalleberg and Loscocco (1983) findings, older workers in the USA feel higher satisfaction than younger ones. Shapiro and Sterns (1975) USA study shows a difference in the perception of job satisfaction between professional males and females with male employe es having higher job satisfaction. Organizational commitment results in better performance, less absenteeism and turnover claim Mowday, Porter and Steers (1982). Spector (1985) found motivation and quality performance emanating from satisfied employees resulting in less quits behavior and absenteeism. Theories of job satisfaction 2.2.1 Maslows Hierarchy of needs People behave in certain ways because they are motivated by certain factors (Arnold et al, 1991). People have needs and Maslows hierarchy of needs suggests that people will feel unfulfilled until those needs are met. Unsatisfied needs motivate people and the motivating factor is gone when the needs are mostly satisfied consequently the person automatically moves on to fulfill the next need and so on. Maslows hierarchy of needs developed by Abraham Maslow is a model consisting of five levels of needs to be satisfied, starting from the lower level where the most basic needs are to be met to the upper level where one finds self-actualisation. According to Maslows theory, in the management context, employee motivation can be addressed through an understanding of the physiological needs, safety needs, social needs, esteem needs and self-actualization needs in the employment context by addressing issues such as: minimum wages, number and length lunch breaks, rest time, health and safety, pension schemes, job security, social events, team building, work recognition and appreciation, training and development and promotion schemes.

the emperors new car :: essays research papers

The President's Old Cars Once upon a time in the very country you live in, there was a president who learned a lesson the hard way. See the president loved cars, new cars, fast cars, slow cars, rusted out cars, it didn't matter, if he saw a car he wanted, he bought it. Most other leaders were helping their countries to become stronger, while ours was off buying cars. Then there came that memorable day when our president learned his lesson.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While out shopping for new cars, the president came across one he didn't have. It was a 1986 Ford Escort. It was all rusty, missing hubcaps, and squeaked as he drove it down the road. But while talking to the car salesman, he never worried about what was wrong with it. The salesman (trying to get rid of this piece of junk) told the president that this car was in great shape and there would probably never be another car like this one. He also told the president that if anyone tried to tell him that this car was loud and smoked that they were just jealous and making it up. The president, happy to hear that someone might be jealous of him bought the car right away with his country's money.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On his way home people lined the streets to see his new purchase. Many laughed and pointed as his Escort smoked putted along the street. The president remembering what the car salesman had said thought these people were just jealous and pretending that his car was making all the smoke and noise. So he proudly drove around his 4-speed car through the streets ignoring everyone that laughed at him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Now during the time the president was out buying new cars the American people more money because their jobs weren't paying enough. The president was giving less and less money every time he gave out money, so he would have money to buy a new car. The fact that his people were starting to starve didn't bother him at all.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A couple of weeks later he was out to buy another car. He went back to the salesman that had sold him the Escort earlier. The president told the salesman that people actually laughed at his previous purchase. Then the salesman and president laughed because they were sure that those people were just jealous and making that stuff up about the car.

Misplaced Affections: Discharge for Sexual Harassment Essay

Sexual harassment has become a major concern for every kind of business. In this case the business is a school district. Every employer must take the issue of sexual harassment seriously but in my opinion, this case could have been handled differently. While it is true that in comparison to the EEOC’s definition of sexual harassment, as well as the actions of the parties involved, there does seem to be enough to file a sexual harassment claim. However, the eventual action that was taken not only by the school district but also by Gilbury seems a bit extreme when other options were available. The EEOC defines sexual harassment as â€Å"unwelcome advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature in the working environment†¦ has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with job performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment.†1 In this case it is definitely true that Lewiston was making romantic advances towards Gilbury and that the advances were unwanted. Gilbury made it immediately and abundantly clear that she wanted to keep the relationship on a working and friendship level. Unfortunately Lewiston seemed a little slow to get the message. Whether or not Lewiston made an actual sexual advance is irrelevant. After the first letter on June 7, 2008 Lewiston’s intent was clear, he wanted a romantic relationship with Gilbury. Although Lewiston did not make an openly sexual advance, he did, on June 8, 2008, approach Gilbury in the parking lot and proceeded to touch her. As Justice Antonin Scalia said in the case of Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services, â€Å"What matters is the conduct at issue, not the sex of the people involved and the presence or absence of sexual desire, whether heterosexual or homosexual.†2 Of course this case determined that sexual harassment wasn’t defined by homosexual or heterosexual, but there is an important guideline for all sexual harassment cases. That guideline is that the conduct should be the issue, not necessarily the actual intent. Lewiston may not have intended the pat on Gillbury’s shoulder to be anything but a friendly gesture, but given the nature of what had transpired previously and that Lewiston was meeting  Gilbury in the parking lot, Gilbury was reasonable in being frightened. However, the events of the discipline and dismissal seem a bit extreme. Up until that point Lewiston had been a senior employee with an excellent work record. The major events that took place happened within four days and ended with Gilbury obtaining an injunction and filing a complaint with the EEOC. Gilbury did not address the situation with her supervisor nor did she give the school management an opportunity to deal with Lewiston’s actions. Had she given this avenue a chance, Lewiston might have gotten the message and resumed his normal and professional behavior. It would also have given Lewiston a chance to ask to be reassigned to another school if he felt he could not maintain a level of professionalism. Termination of a long time employee should be a last resort whenever possible. This case is a perfect example of why a business needs to have a comprehensive sexual harassment policy which includes a formal complaint procedure. Given training in sexual harassment policy and complaint procedures Lewiston would have been more aware of inappropriate behavior and Gilbury would have had a formal channel to go through upon feeling threatened. Had that been the case the end result could have ended more positively for all the parties involved. References 1. EEOC Guidelines on Discrimination, Sec. 1605.11(a). 2. Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services, Inc. 72 PED 45, 175; WL 88039 (U.S. 1998)

News article analysis Organizational theory

The article by Dr. Kathy Iversen- a business consultant- provides a lot of insight into practical application of organizational theories in management. The article features Starbucks an American based company coffeehouse company which has over 15,000 chain stores in more than 40 countries. The article focuses on Starbucks rehiring of former CEO after a downward trend due to what he terms as â€Å"†¦myopic focus on operational effectiveness led by new, post-founder management began to negatively impact the customer experience.† (Iversen, 2008,  ¶3). The author compares Starbucks fate with Apple, Swarbs and Dell transformation after the later companies effectively applied tools and systems in the organization that boosted innovation and profitability. The following are three fundamental issues focused in the report in relation to implementation of a good and effective organizational structure that could transform Starbuck’s trend to a profitable path. The organizational structure should apply systems and models that are dynamic thus are able to change with the corporate world for the business to remain profitable. A good organizational model should have effective channel of communication, feedback mechanism and facilitate good response and decision making process. The organizational culture and work environment models should facilitate optimal performance by ensuring that employee capabilities are properly utilized and encourage responsibility and innovation in the workplace. Dynamism in the corporate world. The corporate sector in modern times is subject to perpetual change therefore, organizational models adopted should accommodate this change in their organization by putting in place relevant tools to prepare it for this eventuality. External environment analysis focusing on customer, competitors changing trends and adoption of new marketing strategies are vital to ensure that the company remains relevant thus profitable. The author gives an example of Apple which changed to music enjoyment instead of computing to recapture its market and future profitability (Iversen, 2008). This shows how effective a good which focuses on investing in new fields can help a company reinvent itself into profitability path. Bureaucratic organizational model tend to focus on cost cutting rather than adoption to the innovation, for a company such as Starbucks given its level of maturity, implementing models that focus on new ideas would be the most appropriate in a move to reclaim its lost glory (Daft, 2001 pg. 107) Effective communication in Organizational Models. Effective communication is one of the most important elements in establishing an organizational model. There are two main distinction namely formal communications which is utilized in big established diverse companies and informal communication channels which lead to open interactive dialogue both horizontally and vertically in the organization. The advantages of the later is that it will help facilitate free flow of information thus for analysis of the market, an element which is essential for most businesses. In addition informal means of communication works best in volatile and uncertain environments such as the one which Starbuck’s is facing thus if correctly implemented can lead to quick response and decision making (Daft, 2001, pg.14). Organizational culture. According to Daft (2001, pg 30) scholars have pointed out that corporate culture and sound internal processes are key elements in good organizational models to the extent that they promote effective running of the organization. A fluid and flexible structure will encourage constant experimenting and learning thus ensuring better policies, procedures are adopted to ensure dynamism and innovation in the organization. For instance, given the fact that Starbucks is a service oriented company, employee training and empowerment can lead to certain beneficial attributes such as, smoothing the progress of change since they directly interact with the customer thus can be able to get the information needed by management to effect change and enhanced customer relation and satisfaction thus building of clientele and profitability (Iversen, 2008). Conclusion. Though, the author did not explore on the organizational approach and design, the best design proposed in this paper would be a decentralized approach with emphasis on organic systems of organization as opposed to mechanistic/ bureaucratic approach. Firstly, given that Starbucks is a multi national company with coffee houses all over the world. A centralized system will fundamentally inhibit flexibility and restrict decision making process and timely response to customer needs. On the other hand a decentralized approach will encourage each store to make decision based on customer needs, create diversity and promote dynamism and innovation factors that are vital for profitability. However, this approach might lead to loss of control and direction by top management thus leadership skills are essential to ensure that while chains are flexible, the company’s vision, brand name and direction is uniform to ensure sustainability and balanced growth. Secondly, good organic structures ensure that communication is free-flowing, employees are empowered and well motivated and generally the internal processes lead to optimal production hence growth (Daft, 2001, pg 64). There should be both formal and informal channels of communication that are strong and consistent to ensure that management is in control and allow timely information flow in the organization. REFERENCES: Daft, R. (2001) Essentials of Organization Theory and Design. South-Western. Iversen, K. (January, 15th 2008). Brewing a fresh pot at Starbucks. Forbes Magazine. Retrieved March 11th 2008 from http://www.forbes.com/personalfinance/2008/01/15/starbucks-schultz-apple-pf-ii-in_ki_0115soapbox_inl.html   

Why is society a social construct

Why is society a social construct Introduction Social construct is concerned with the manner in which people learn knowledge and beliefs through socialization. As people interact, they learn conceptions and expectations which are associated with their gender. These concepts and expectations usually extend to all aspects of social life and society. People develop new political attitudes, feelings and perceptions about others as a result of socialization. The following is a culture and socialization essay that explains why society exists as a social construct.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Why is society a social construct specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Why is society a social construct? Society exists as a social construct due to factors like gender, race matters, class and education among others. With regards to gender, every society classifies its members into ‘women’ and ‘men’. These classifications determine the roles played by each gender. The psychological and social characteristics that are associated with being a male or a female play a major role of shaping the people’s expectations. It determines the manner in which people interact with each other. Gender also affects people’s interests and abilities in the society. Gender identity shapes norms and expectations because it determines the behaviors of societal members. For instance, boys are known to use threats and commands in all-male groups as compared to a situation where both men and women exist. Also, men are known to be more rebellious as compared to girls. Women on the other hand, tend to be more submissive than men. The agents of gender socialization include family interactions, schooling and mass media among others (Schaefer Richard, 2008, P. 178). People’s lives are affected by their class in the society whether they are aware or not aware about it. How one is seen by others, whether rich or poor have an effe ct on his or her life. Members of the society with a dominant class usually lead a unique lifestyle that marks their status in the society. Some of the concrete signs of status in society include; titles, clothing and access to special facilities like clubs e.t.c. Members of the society with a special class have the ability to display their cultural lifestyle enabling them to achieve social recognition (Schaefer, Richard, 2008, P. 178). Race, as a social construct, has an effect on people’s daily lives because it determines the way in which people view themselves and others. The dominant group in the society is usually considered as superior, while the minority group is usually considered to be inferior. People usually determine one’s race by the color of his or her skin (Schaefer, Richard, 2008, P. 178).Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More With regards to religion, every religion has moral laws which are aimed at harmonizing the society. Religion contributes to proper functioning of the society by unifying people. It draws a line between one’s inspirations and the society’s demands. Religion thus is a phenomenon that is produced in daily interaction and has an effect on people’s lives (Schaefer, Richard, 2008, P. 178). Society exists as a social construct due to educational status of members. Education usually controls and shapes people’s way of thinking. It enables people to gain knowledge, skills and values (Schaefer, Richard, 2008, P. 178). Conclusion Society is a social construct due to the fact that people’s actions and behaviors are shaped by: gender, religion, race matters, class and educational status. Members of the society cannot do exactly what they like because they have certain roles and expectations. Personality traits are developed during social interaction, meaning one’s int erests and preferences are produced socially. Reference List Schaefer, R. Richard, T. (2008). Sociology Matters, Edition 4. New York: McGraw-Hill.

French Expressions Using Soir and Soirée

French Expressions Using Soir and Soirà ©e The French words un soir and une soirà ©e both mean evening (we explain the difference here) and are also used in many expressions. Many of the expressions including soir  and soirà ©e  are idioms - phrases with meanings that cant be derived from a direct translation of the words they use. With this list of expressions using soir  and  soirà ©e,  you can learn how to say frequently used sayings like an  evening meal, a night owl, formal wear and more. Common French Expressions With Soir prendre matin midi et soirto be taken three times a dayau soir de sa vieto be in the evening of his lifeles cours du soirnight classesà ªtre du soirto be a night owlIl est arrivà © un beau soir.He turned up one evening.le repas du soirevening mealune robe du soirevening gownle soir descend / tombeevening is closing inla veille au soirthe previous eveningVoulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir  ?Do you want to sleep with me tonight? Common French Expressions Using Soire bonne soirà ©ehave a nice eveningune soirà ©eparty, evening performanceune soirà ©e dansantedance​la tenue de soirà ©eformal wear, evening dressla tenue de soirà ©e de rigueurblack tie

C-myc Monocular Antibody (McAb) on Gastric Cancer Cells

C-myc Monocular Antibody (McAb) on Gastric Cancer Cells I ntroduction Gastric cancer (GC) is estimated to be one of the mos t common and frequent malignant tumor of the digestive system. The incidence and mortality of GC have ranked the second among all tumor diseases worldwide [ 1-5 ]. However, it ranks in first place in China[ 6 ]. Complete surgical resection is still the standard for all patients with resectable GC. It remains highly problematic for the regional and less common systemic recurrences[ 7 ]. Recent improvement in surgical technique, adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy has increased the survival rate of patients with early-stage, but the patients who have advanced GC are difficult to cure. With more and more research of molecular biological mechanisms known by us, molecular targeted therapies including cell growth, cell cycle, apoptosis and invasion have become a popular tumor comprehensive therapy[ 8 ]. Some of single-targeted spots are mainly Human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER-1, HER-2), Vascular endothe lial growth factor (VEGF), Human epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI), Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor (CDKI), Human proto-oncogene (c-MET)[ 9 , 10 ]. However, it needs a huge space to develop the targeted anticancer drugs. An elegant way to accumulate therapeutic agents at the tumor site is their specific antibodies[ 11 ]. Oncogenes are well documented to be involved in mediating apoptosis and cell cycle resulting in cancers[ 12 , 13 ], its activation can play an important role in the progress of cancer. C-myc is an important member of the c-myc family and a master regulator of genes involved in diverse cellular processes in GC[ 14 ]. The c-myc is a nuclear transcription factor which centrally regulates cell proliferation, differentiation, cell cycle and apoptosis, once c-myc is activated in vivo or in vitro , it is easy to make the cells far from the normal growth and promote cell malignant transformation to cancer finally[ 15-17 ]. It was reported that the expression of c-myc is an important consideration in the biological characteristic of GC [ 18-20 ]. The previous studies also have proved that c-myc has tight relation with Brest cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer, hematopoietic cancer [ 21-24 ]. Currently few data exist on the occurrence of the c-myc McAb targeting against GC. In this study, we assessed the effects of c-myc McAb on the Balb/e2nu/2nu nude mice model of GC and the human gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells, and tried to investigate the function of c-myc McAb for targeting against GC. Materials and M ethods P reparation of c-myc monocular antibody (McAb) All experiments involving animals were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of Renji Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University of Medicine. Mice were used in this study from Animal Science Laboratory of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and all effects were made to minimize distress.T he c-myc proteins prepar ed in E.coli BL21 were used as immunogens. [U1] Before McAb preparation, the c-myc proteins were mixed with equal volume of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA). Female Balb/c mice aging from 6-8 weeks [U2] were immunized intraperitoneally with 50 ÃŽ ¼g c-myc proteins (1v:1v) in CFA. The immunization was repeated with the same amount of immunogens [U3] in incomplete Freund's adjuvant (IFA) at 14d. A final immunization was performed with 100ÃŽ ¼g mixture of c-myc proteinsand IFA at 28 d. Then, t he blood was drawn from the caudal vein and serum titers were measured by ELISA at 35 d. A booster injection was given intraperitoneally at the antibody titers of 640,000 [U4] tested by ELISA at 35 d. Five days after boost, spleen cells were isolated and mixed [U5] with SP2/0 myeloma cells. When the Hybrid cells grew to 50%, the positive clones were collected by ELISA. The hybridomas processed by Silica gel H was inoculated intraperitoneally into unsexed Balb/c mice. Then, the m ice were scarified and the ascetic fluid was collected. The McAb was purified and the concentration was determined by bicinchoninic acid assay (BCA) Protein Assay Reagent Kit.

Marketing Action Plan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Marketing Action Plan - Research Paper Example For the analysis, a healthy FMCG snacks products has been selected. The company is new in the market and does not have a huge capital to use the promotional mix together. As a new comer in the market the company should focus on its budget. It is important for a new brand to create more and more awareness among the customers by raising the reach of the promotion. But new brand has some budget constraints also. After analysis of all the factors some strategic action plan has been discussed in the report. Discussion Action Plan 1: For availing maximum number of customers it is important for the company to provide television advertisement but as the budget constraint prevails, the company would focus on newspaper advertisement first as newspaper is the second important media through which maximum people can be approached. For the FMCG products it is important to select the newspaper that is mostly popular in urban and rural area both. It should target the mass customers for its products. The elements of the good layout are Border, Heading, price, color, signature, creativity. Using more of whitespace encourages the differentiation of the advertisement from the cloud of all other ads but it is advisable to keep a minimum white space as the company’s budget is low. The company logo should be used in the top of the newspaper add. The ad will be given in 3rd or 4th page of the newspaper and not in the front page as it is costly to give ad in the front page of the newspaper. In the content the price, product details should be given (Rossiter,p. 34). Action Plan 2: The local business should be formed strongly. Developing local business means strengthening the network with the local distribution channels. The FMCG market largely depends on the distributors and word of mouth communication. The company can apply pull strategy which is known as a short term strategy for increasing the sales. In the pull strategy, the company provides more commission than its competito r to keep their products in the distributor’s house. Action 3: Social Media is a very effective tool for any new comer. Uploading an ad in you-tube or face book is a common phenomenon of doing business. It is to be noted that the cost is very minimum in this media but the reach is maximum. The snacks item is the low fat healthy item that can target the health conscious young generation. The young generation throughout the world is the major user of the social media. The 3 minutes ad can be enough to win billions hearts. Action 4: The radio advertisement has a worldwide demand. In developing countries the radio advertisements had high influence in the rural consumer’s mind. The radio advertisement is costly but it is not that costly like television advertisement. Initially, the radio advertisement should have a pulsing schedule. A month later they should focus on non-continuous advertisement schedule. Initially it should come mainly in the evening schedule at least betw een three programs. Later on for the purpose of reduction of cost, the ad should be given in special circumstances like in between any major games or in between special programs. Action 5: The mobile marketing tool is also highly efficient tool for a new comer. The cost is relatively low for mobile marketing. In this case, company should have a tie up with the major telecom service provider. As the company is new comer in the market, it is suggested to have a tie up with

Human security in the UAE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Human security in the UAE - Essay Example The United Arab Emirates, a fast growing region economically, has been designated as a prospective target for extremists and several human security issues. Assessment and situations in the United Arab Emirates have made Western governments come to the conclusion that the region is a probable target for extremists. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office of Britain warns of the hazards of travel to the region based on its location in the Persian Gulf. It is central, the nearing the antagonisms of the Iraq war and regional anti-Western opinions. Apart from Britain, other Western nations have issued the same security warnings (Vallet, 2014). Various factors contribute to the rising human insecurity issue in the United Arab Emirates region. According to a novel report on global threats, growing extremism in the neighborhood, food insecurity, climate change, regional tension, and unemployment rates present security issues in the UAE. Additionally, the developments in the political arena in the UAE region in past years have also led to increased human insecurity. A publication by Control States, a security consultancy firm, has indicated various concerns. It reports that the increasing extremism in Yemen and the increase of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) pose a security threat. Additionally, food insecurity in the Arabian countries, struggle over the nuclear program in Iran, and the pulls in Iraq contribute to the poor human security in the UAE (Vallet, 2014). The upsurge of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) poses a threat of radicalization among visitors coming into the UAE region. Immigrants coming to the UAE from Africa and passing through Yemen have high chances of being radicalized. Yemen stands as an open door to the UAE region and thus very many people travel to the UAE through the region. The security issues posed by the porous border spurred the

Day Care Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Day Care - Research Paper Example A child is far healthier when he is brought up in home rather than day care. Despite so many negatives the best advantage that day care provides a child with is the ability to socialize better and accept diversity. Placing your children in day care gives both the parents a free reign to earn money and hence they can do over times and work longer hours without any hassle. DAY CARE Day care centers are a new breed of facilities that are now available to single parents. They provide child care facility to single parents or parents who work and need someone to care for their child. Since the economic crisis, there has been a dramatic increase in the working parents and thus the requirements for day care centers are on the rise. According to the recent statistics there are around 70 % children who are under the care of Daycares. This has all been due to the increase in the working mothers. Earlier there were many families which had the father and mother both juggling their work hours with the time they spend with the taking care of the child. It was an easy job, but the current economic crisis has made employers more demanding as they are aware that there are many more talented and hardworking candidates who are willing to replace any time. Although many people look for low cost care for their children so as to save unnecessary expenses, but this is declining as such help is not much readily available with the rise of cost of living standards. Also, the need for economical day care centers is high on demand as the number of parents requiring the need for day care is increasing (NICHD, 2005). Earlier the day cares were more of a babysitting service that was available to parents, but since the increase in the working hours of parents which proportionally increases the time the child spends at day care, day cares have become grounds where the early development of child takes place and hence they have gained a lot of importance psychologically in the life of a child. Th e day cares now play a very important and prominent part in the child development. A modern daycare today teaches the child about things and skills that he will require as he grows up. In short, they equip the child to face the world as he steps out to walk to his first school. The main reason because of which the day cares have evolved such is that parents today have started demanding quality care and skill development in their child. The care requirement and need for skill development varies with the age of the child. A child with age two or younger needs special attention with respect to his/her health requirement, the food he will consume and the extent to which he needs exposure to the environment in general. Compared to this an older child needs necessary tools to develop his cognitive, spatial and verbal skills. He will need to learn to communicate with different people and will also learn as to how to socialize (Martin & Fabes & Fabes, 2006). Since the demand for the day car e is so high that there are many day care centers that re running today are unregulated ones and hence they hire anybody and everybody who applies to the vacancies. Many a times it has been observed that the nannies that work in such day cares have a past criminal record and thus it becomes a reason for parents to be very

Communication, Gender, & Sex Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Communication, Gender, & Sex - Article Example This essay "Communication, Gender, & Sex" outlines the issue of the behavioral pattern of the genders that exist in the society. Using the American community as an example, Kivel (1985) labels the stereotype given to males in America as Act-Like-a-Man box. The name given by the writer has two major derivations.. It is for the reason that boys are forced to belong to the order of toughness that the writer hold the opinion the whole system has generated into a stereotype. The name ‘box’ given by the customer has its reasons from the fact that the compulsion given to males to be touch is carried around on a 24 hour basis. This is to say that the practice does not end in a day. Another perception is given by the writer in his text in the context of cultural differences. The writer makes the point that even though boys all around the world are touted to be tough the rate of toughness and compulsion varies with different cultures. The advocacy that the writer assigns to the te xt is that the need for boys to be in control should not be mistaken for the need to be violent. Hur (2011) writes on the topic â€Å"Why I am a Male Feminist. The article is a typical narrative of the real life experience of the writer. As a typical family setting that is made up of its own challenges and strengths, the writer reports of growing up in a home where male dominance over females was shown in a rather bizarre manner. The bizarreness is seen in the sense that the writer reports of his father constantly abusing his mother and showing extreme lordship over her. Indeed if two captains paddle the same ship the ship wil sink and so there is the need for one to be a master whiles the other serves as a follower. This means that the family should certainly have a head. This however should not be mistaken for lordship of the head of the house over the others. Unfortunately, the father of the writer did not view the situation from such perspective and went ahead to abuse the mother. There are issues of socio-cultural concerns raised in the article. The writer holds the perspective that people with Black origin have a special attribute that is leading them in the wrong direction. It was generally due to how the father of the writer treated the mother that made the writer take the stand of becoming a feminist to fight for the right of women. In al two summaries above, there is a peculiar subject of gender stereotype that cuts across. Both articles have instances where males are seen as lords over females. In their attempt to show lordship, they go t he extreme to characterize their attitude with violence, force and compulsion. This is the perspective that is most regrettable. There is a clear misplacement of priority in the sense that men take the wrong approach towards the issue of gender difference. It is in this direction that Gandhi (2001) posits circumstances under which people of certain gender are portrayed as being with traitorous identity. If the scenarios presented by Kivel (1984) and Hurt (2011) are anything to go by, then it could be said without doubt that the answer to Gandhi’s question is that males are those with traitorous identity and the do this though various forms such as imposing their authority on females, abusing females by beating them, harassing females sexually and putting up other

Education Philosophy and Rationale Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Education Philosophy and Rationale - Essay Example Multiple Intelligences as a Personal Education Philosophy On a personal perspective, the theory of Multiple Intelligences (MI) by Howard Gardner is the main basis of teaching philosophy. This is one the basis of the recognition of the capabilities of the students in terms of achieving the basic objectives of the teaching and learning process. The theory of Multiple Intelligences can be considered essential as a guide in enabling the educator to recognize the needs of the students in terms of learning. Metaphysics of MI Multiple Intelligences is one of the educational theories which serve as guiding principles in education. The basic knowledge which became the foundation of the theory originated from the two streams of the research conducted by Howard Gardner in 1970, the Project Zero. He also wrote the â€Å"Frame of Mind† in 1983 based on the said research. Gardner’s view is based on biological perspective mainly the collection of cognitive competences which originally was seven and became nine distinct concepts. His theory mainly explored the manner by which human intelligence works in terms of analyzing and the context by which such frames of mind were exhibited (Dixon & McPhee, n.d.). Epistemology of MI The theory of MI, according Gardner, was based on the consideration of the educational philosophers’ views before him. ... ization, work with brain damaged patients, gifted children and other form or conditions which can cause variation in terms of intelligence on the basis of Gardner’s definition. The second foundation of the theory of MI is the relationship of between the forms of intelligences to the human cultural contexts considered to trigger or to exhibit them (Dixon & McPhee, n.d.). There are different forms of intelligences included in Gardner’s theory namely spatial, linguistic, logical-mathematical, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal and naturalistic forms (Slavin, 2008). Linguistic Intelligence. One of the main forms of intelligence is related to the verbal aspect of development or the linguistic intelligence. Included in the said form are the spoken or written words and other faculties of language. The main contexts of linguistic intelligence are reading, writing, telling stories, vocabulary and memorization of words and dates. Strengths include reading, taking notes, listening to lectures, discussion and debate, and learning new languages (Slavin, 2008). It is one of the basic forms of intelligence based on Gardner which according to him can be observed in the â€Å"work and vision of a poet† (Dixon & McPhee, n.d.). Musical Intelligence. The musical intelligence is also referred to as rhythmic intelligence because it is related to pith rhythm and timbre. Based on data gathered by Gardner, the musical ability is distinct from other forms of intelligence, thus, students can be motivated through music-related activities. Also included in the strengths of musical intelligent learners are drama and role playing (Dixon & McPhee, n.d.). Spatial intelligence. One of the forms of intelligence is spatial intelligence which arms a person to comprehend the world

Organization Analysis, Part 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Organization Analysis, Part 1 - Essay Example High staff turnover costs the company in terms of tangible and intangible resources. On the one hand, the company loses on the knowledge of the departing staff whereas on the other hand, it is forced to use more resources, which could have been put to better use elsewhere, on constant recruitment and job training for new staff. Another major HR challenge that the company faces is the effect of different cultures arising out of its global expansion. Wal-Mart cannot impose a standard HR practice in all countries because of their different cultural dimensions (Hofstede, 2001). Nevertheless, Michael Duke, the President and CEO of Wal-Mart identifies developing staff as one of the five key strategies central to the company’s future (Wal-Mart, 2012). After all in retail it is the store and club associates that take care of customers and members which determines whether customer become loyal or not. On the legal front, Wal-Mart’s HR management has two chief areas of concer n, ensuring equal employment opportunities and improving their labor relations. Under the equal employment opportunity challenge, the important activity is to prevent the likely occurrence of discrimination practices among its staff. This aspiration should ideally reflect the spirit of the law as envisioned by the Civil Rights Act of 1991 by reinforcing illegality of making hiring, firing or promotion decisions on the basis of sex, ethnicity, race or religion (DeCenzo & Robbins, 2005). This act also includes the Glass Ceiling Act. Wal-Mart has been addressing the equal employment opportunity concern by embedding diversity and inclusion into its culture. This has been done partly through its Diversity Goals Program where managers are held accountable for elevating the standards of diversity and inclusion throughout the company, with up to 15 percent of management bonuses and ten percent of performance evaluation scores tied to their diversity goals achievement (Wal-Mart, 2011). T his program has seen the numbers of minorities’ rise from 21.3% in 2005 to 36% in 2011 and that for females rise from 38.8% in 2005 to 57% in 2011. Of the two HR challenges, Wal-Mart’s greater challenge has been its labor relations. Wal-Mart is America’s largest private employer and it has used its muscle to quash all attempts by its workers to form or be part of labor unions. The company’s low cost strategy relies on minimizing production costs and labor costs are often the major expense in production for low-end retail (Woodman, 2012). Without a union, Wal-Mart employees have had less bargaining power and this could be one of the reasons why the company has a rapid turnover. Nevertheless, the continued growth of the group Organization United for Respect at Wal-Mart (OUR Walmart) demonstrates less likelihood of the company’s staff relenting on this issue. For this reason we envisage this power struggle on whether to unionize or not continuing in to the future unless either party relents. We however believe that it would be more productive for Wal-Mart to address the concerns of its workers if it seeks to remain competitive in the coming years. A possible solution is to meet workers’ demands half-way by giving them some of the demands they are requesting such as respect, affordable health care, stable and fair scheduling, and improved wages. Wal-Mart’

Education Philosophy and Rationale Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Education Philosophy and Rationale - Essay Example Multiple Intelligences as a Personal Education Philosophy On a personal perspective, the theory of Multiple Intelligences (MI) by Howard Gardner is the main basis of teaching philosophy. This is one the basis of the recognition of the capabilities of the students in terms of achieving the basic objectives of the teaching and learning process. The theory of Multiple Intelligences can be considered essential as a guide in enabling the educator to recognize the needs of the students in terms of learning. Metaphysics of MI Multiple Intelligences is one of the educational theories which serve as guiding principles in education. The basic knowledge which became the foundation of the theory originated from the two streams of the research conducted by Howard Gardner in 1970, the Project Zero. He also wrote the â€Å"Frame of Mind† in 1983 based on the said research. Gardner’s view is based on biological perspective mainly the collection of cognitive competences which originally was seven and became nine distinct concepts. His theory mainly explored the manner by which human intelligence works in terms of analyzing and the context by which such frames of mind were exhibited (Dixon & McPhee, n.d.). Epistemology of MI The theory of MI, according Gardner, was based on the consideration of the educational philosophers’ views before him. ... ization, work with brain damaged patients, gifted children and other form or conditions which can cause variation in terms of intelligence on the basis of Gardner’s definition. The second foundation of the theory of MI is the relationship of between the forms of intelligences to the human cultural contexts considered to trigger or to exhibit them (Dixon & McPhee, n.d.). There are different forms of intelligences included in Gardner’s theory namely spatial, linguistic, logical-mathematical, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal and naturalistic forms (Slavin, 2008). Linguistic Intelligence. One of the main forms of intelligence is related to the verbal aspect of development or the linguistic intelligence. Included in the said form are the spoken or written words and other faculties of language. The main contexts of linguistic intelligence are reading, writing, telling stories, vocabulary and memorization of words and dates. Strengths include reading, taking notes, listening to lectures, discussion and debate, and learning new languages (Slavin, 2008). It is one of the basic forms of intelligence based on Gardner which according to him can be observed in the â€Å"work and vision of a poet† (Dixon & McPhee, n.d.). Musical Intelligence. The musical intelligence is also referred to as rhythmic intelligence because it is related to pith rhythm and timbre. Based on data gathered by Gardner, the musical ability is distinct from other forms of intelligence, thus, students can be motivated through music-related activities. Also included in the strengths of musical intelligent learners are drama and role playing (Dixon & McPhee, n.d.). Spatial intelligence. One of the forms of intelligence is spatial intelligence which arms a person to comprehend the world

Adolf Hitler Conspiracies Essay Example for Free

Adolf Hitler Conspiracies Essay Did Adolph Hitler really commit suicide on April 30, 1945? Hitler is believed to have poisoned and shot himself along with his newlywed wife, Eva Braun, on April 30, 1945 while in an underground bunker in Berlin. Then, Hitler and his wife’s body were burned outside the bunker. However, many questioned whether this really happened so they have conspiracies on Hitler’s death. Three main conspiracies that really challenge Hitler’s suicide are that the skull found in the bunker did not belong to him, no shots were heard by bystanders in the bunker, and he had an imposter kill himself. So Hitler’s death may have been a hoax due to the evidence from several sources, showing that Hitler may have never committed suicide in that bunker and he had escaped from Germany. The skull that was believed to be Hitler’s, which was taken by the Russian army and preserved by Soviet intelligence, is now proven by DNA analysis to be of a woman under 40 years old. The bodies of Hitler and Eva Braun, Hitler’s wife, after they died, were said to have been wrapped in blankets and carried to the â€Å"garden outside the bunker, placed in a bomb crater, doused with petrol and set ablaze† (Fresh Doubts over Hitlers Death†¦Ã¢â‚¬  3). However, Stalin, who was suspicious about Hitler’s fate, had the Russian forensics team dig up Hitler’s body, but a part of the skull was missing. The Russians eventually found the other fragment to make ensure Hitler’s death. However, American researchers were finally able to examine the skull fragment after it had been under strict possession of the Soviets. The researchers found out the skull fragment belonged to a women under 40 years old because in their DNA analysis of the skull they found that â€Å"the bone seemed very thin; male bone tends to be more robust. Also the sutures where the skull plates come together seemed to correspond to someone under 40† (Fresh Doubts over Hitlers Death†¦Ã¢â‚¬  2). But Hitler was 56 in April 1945 so the skull could not have belonged to him. Braun was believed to have been killed as well so the skull fragment could belong to her and she was 33 years old when she died. Overall, Hitler’s suicide has been greatly challenged by this astonishing discovery about the skull fragment believed to be Hitler’s. Skull Fragment Believed to Belong to a Woman, not Hitler (Fresh Doubts over Hitlers Death..† 1) Nobody actually saw Hitler shoot himself on April 30, 1945. The guards near the bunker claimed they heard nothing, but many of them withdrew their claims because they said Allied interrogators pressured them into saying that. Also some people who claimed to have heard the shot weren’t even there. Otto Gunsche, Hitler’s SS adjutant, claimed to have been in the conference room with Nazi Party Secretary Martin Bormann and Propagnda Minister Josef Gobbels when he heard the shot, and then he claimed they â€Å"rushed to the anteroom with Gobbels in lead† (Adolf Hitler Death and Survival Myths 2). However, Rattenhuber, commander of Hitler’s SS guards claimed that Gunsche was already in the anteroom when he arrived. So Gunsche could’ve helped Hitler escape from the bunker without anyone else knowing. Also Hitler’s chauffeur Erich Kempka and former Reich Youth leader Artur Axmann claimed that they saw a body being carried out of the bunker â€Å"which was wrapped in blanket and was dressed in Hitler’s trousers, shoes and socks†, but they didn’t get a valid identification of Hitler. If no one actually physically saw or heard Hitler shoot himself, how do they know he really shot himself ? Layout of Hitler’s Bunker (Navona Numismatics..† 1) Most of the conspiracies on Hitler’s death have to do with him having a double. Around 2 P.M on April 30, 1945, Hitler had a strange conversation with his personal pilot, Hans Baur. Baur begged Hitler to escape to Argentina, to Japan, or to an Arab country, but Hitler responded â€Å"I am ending my earthly stay.† (Adolf Hitler Death and Survival Myths 2). Notice Hitler said â€Å"earthly stay† instead of â€Å"life† which implies that Hitler was no longer going to be on Earth or that he was planning some sort of escape. Between 2:30 P.M and 3 P.M, Gunsche made a phone call to Kempka and asked him for two hundred liters of gasoline to be at the entrance of the Fuhrerbunker. Notice that Hitler did not make the phone. Could this have meant Hitler had already escaped and his double filled in his place? The Russian’s photo of Hitler’s corpse was indeed not Hitler, it was his double, or Doppelganger, Gustav Weber , who was executed with a gunshot to the forehead, and it’s obvious that it’s not Hitler because Hitler shot himself in the temple. Russian photo of â€Å"Hitler Corpse† (Adolf Hitler Death and Survival Myths 4). Adolf Hitler’s suicide on April 30, 1945 has been challenged by these three conspiracies: the skull found in the bunker did not belong to him, no shots were heard by bystanders in the bunker, and he had an imposter kill himself. In the first conspiracy, researchers were able to examine the skull that was believed to belong to Hitler, but after a DNA analysis of the skull, they found out that the skull belonged to a female under the age of 40 due to its thickness and structure. Then in the second conspiracy, Hitler’s bodygurads and comrades who were in the bunker with him claim to have never saw or heard the gunshot from Hitler’s suicide. In the final conspiracy, Hitler was believed to have a double take his place and commit suicide while he escaped out of the bunker. All three of the conspiracies have valid and credible evidence so if they are true, then Adolf Hitler may have indeed faked his death and escaped from Germany on April 30, 1945.

Gravitational force: An overview

Gravitational force: An overview 1.0 Introduction 1.1 What is gravitational force? Gravitational force is defined as a force of attraction which exerts between two objects with mass. It pulls two objects that have mass. (Gravitation and Gravity n.d.). 1.2 Background Information 1.2.1 The discovery of gravitational force One day, Newton was sitting on his garden and observing the falling of an apple from a tree. A sudden inspiration appeared in his mind. There must be a force exerted on the apple since the apple accelerated while falling down from the tree with zero initial velocity. The force is then called â€Å"gravity† and the acceleration due to the force is called â€Å"acceleration due to gravity† (Sir Isaac Newton: The Universal Law of Gravitation n.d.). 1.2.2 Effects of gravitation on planets If the force of gravity exerts at the top of the trees and mountains, then it must exerts all the way to the orbit of the moon. It is expected that the orbit of the moon around the earth results from the gravitational force as the acceleration due to the gravity can change the velocity of the moon in such a way it followed an orbit around the earth (Sir Isaac Newton: The Universal Law of Gravitation n.d.). 2.0 The Universal Law of Gravitation 2.1 Keplers law of gravitation Keplers Third Law states that the ratio of the cubes of their mean distances from the Sun is same as the squares of the periods of any two planets orbit about the Sun. P represents the time taken for one revolution about the Sun and R represents the distance between the planet and the Sun. The equation indicates that the period for the planet to orbit the Sun is proportional to the radius of its orbit. (Johannes Kepler: The Law of Planetary Motion n.d.). However, the accurate measurements on the orbits of the planets showed that they do not precisely follow Keplers laws. The validity of the Keplers law is corrected by Newton. The mass of the Sun is extremely greater than any other planet. Thus, the force of attraction between planets will be small compared to the force due to the Sun (Sir Isaac Newton: The Universal Law of gravitation n.d.). 2.2 The law of universal gravitation Law of universal gravitation states that every particle in the universe attracts each another with a force that is proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the distance apart squared. This force exerts along the line of centers joining the two particles. The magnitude of the gravitational force can be calculated using the formula: Fg = GMm Fg is the magnitude of the gravitational force r ² G is universal gravitational constant M and m are the masses of the two particles. r is the distance between the two particles. The universal gravitational force is also named universal constant as it is expected to be constant at any times and places. Therefore, it is universally characterized the intrinsic strength of gravitational force (Sir Isaac Newton: The Universal Law of gravitation n.d.). The gravitational constant is very small since we are unaware of the existence of the force of attraction between objects. The accepted value is G = 6.67 x 10-11 Nm ²/kg2. Based on the equation, the greater the distance between two masses, the smaller the gravitational force (Universal gravitation and weight n.d). 3.0 Gravitational fields Gravitational field is defined as the gravitational force felt by a discrete particle in a particular area (Fowler 2006). 3.1 Field strength Gravitational field strength is defined as force, N per unit mass, kg. The definition of gravitational field strength is derived from the Newtons second law, ÃŽ £F=ma. By making acceleration, a, as a subject and then substitute acceleration, a with gravitational field strength, g, and we would obtain a formula, g = F/m. F represents the gravitational force, N whereby m represents the mass of an object, kg. Gravitational field strength close to the earths surface is the same as the gravitational acceleration, 9.8Nkg-1. When the force is not given, gravitational field strength can be calculated by using the formula, g = GM/r ². This formula can be obtained by the substitution of the two equation, F = mg and F = GMm/r ². Hence, resulted in the formation of the equation, g = GM/r ². The greater the value of g, the greater the gravitational field strength (Universal Gravitation and Weight n.d.). 3.2 Principle of superposition In terms of gravitation, principle of superposition refers to the total force of an object. Total force is the addition of all the vectors due to the gravitational fields of force acting on the object (Fowler, 2006). Superposition refers to the masses which interact with each other. To find the total force, we have to find the gravitational force for each mass by using the formula, Fg = GMm/r ². Finally, add up all the forces by using vector addition method (Forces and Fields n.d.). 4.0 Future of Gravitation Einstein theorized that gravity can be explained by the curvature of space time.  Space time is warped by the mass and energy inside of it but not flat. Objects travel in straight line do not hold by mysterious force but follow the curves in space time. The objects move in straight lines along four-dimensional space time but move in elliptical circles in three-dimensional space. Light appears to travel in straight lines although it is actually bent, curved and changed by the fabric of space time. Although it looks like straight out in front of us, it is actually around the corner of the sun because the space time warp morphs the light. We see only the result of the light that is being bent around the sun. This can not be tested since the sun is shining us right in the eyes and we cannot see the stars.  However, it is possible to test out this theory during a total solar eclipse. We are constantly orbiting the sun so we are able to observe the changes of the movement of the star i n orbit (Space Time: The Fabric of the Universe n.d.). 5.0 Conclusion In conclusion, based on the acceptable Newtons gravitational law of gravitation, gravitation is a mutual force. Every particle in the universe attracts every other particle with a force that is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. Therefore, gravitational force is depends on the masses of the bodies and the distance between the two bodies. Reference List Forces and Fields n.d., viewed 29 July 2009, http://electron9.phys.utk.edu/phys136d/modules/m4/efield.htm Fowler, M 2006, Gravitational Field, viewed 29 July 2009, http://galileo.phys.virginia.edu/classes/152.mf1i.spring02/GravField.htm Gravitation and Gravity n.d., viewed 29 July 2009, http://alex.edfac.usyd.edu.au/Methods/Science/studentwork/MassoftheEarth/gravitationandgravity.htm Johannes Kepler: The Laws of Planetary Motion n.d., viewed 29 July 2009, http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/history/kepler.html Newtons Law of Gravitation n.d., viewed 29 July 2009, http://theory.uwinnipeg.ca/physics/circ/node7.html Sir Isaac Newton: The Universal Law of Gravitation n.d., viewed 6 June 2009, http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/history/newtongrav.html Space Time: The Fabric of the Universe n.d., viewed 29 July 2009, http://www.astronomy.pomona.edu/Projects/moderncosmo/alexs%20page%201.html Universal Gravitation and Weight n.d., viewed 29 July 2009, http://dev.physicslab.org/Document.aspx?doctype=3filename=UniversalGravitation_UniversalGravitationWeight.xml Intellectual Disability: Causes and Conditions Intellectual Disability: Causes and Conditions Assessment Demonstrate knowledge of causes and associated conditions related to intellectual disability Outcome 1: Define Intellectual Disability Task 1 1.1 Give 2 definitions of intellectual disability in accordance with a recognised source. Follow prescribed APA format when citing sources. Definition 1: Intellectual disability is a disability characterized by significant limitations in both intellectual functioning and in adaptive behaviour which covers many everyday social and practical skills. This disability originates before the age of 18. Source: World Health Organization. Definition 2: Intellectual disability means a significantly reduced ability to understand new or complex information and to learn and apply new skills (impaired intelligence). Source: World Health Organization. 1.2 Using a definition of intellectual disability give 2 explanations of how this impacts on the persons adaptive skills: The person finds it hard to understand and follow social rules and customs and obeying laws. The person finds it difficult to perform the daily activities which include feeding, bathing, dressing, occupational skills, and navigational skills. Using a definition of intellectual disability give 2 explanations of how this impacts on the persons cognitive ability. A person is not able to think, reason, and solve problems or make decision like what to say while answering the telephone or talking to another person. A person is not able to concentrate, learn new things and does not have the ability to talk or write, resulting in the inability to live independently. Reference: FAQ on Intellectual Disability, American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Outcome 2: Describe the outcomes of intellectual Disability Task 2 2.1 Give 2 examples of causes of intellectual disability that occur before birth and describe two [2] main characteristics of the effects. Example1: Fragile x Syndrome. Source: Bray, Anne, Definitions of intellectual disability, [Donald Beasley Institute, 2003] Main characteristics: If the mother does not follow a low phenylalanine diet before birth then the infants will have a low birth weight and grow more slowly than other children. The child will have heart defects or other heart problems, like abnormal small head size and behavioural problems. Example 2: Downs Syndrome Source: Bray, Anne, Definitions of intellectual disability, [Donald Beasley Institute, 2003] Main characteristics: It is caused by a random error in cell division and results in abnormality in physical characteristics like small chin, round face and almond eyes. The baby will have shorter limbs, protruding or oversized tongue and also have obesity problems. 2.2 Give 2 examples of causes of intellectual disability that occur during or immediately following birth and describe 2 main characteristics of the effects. Example 1: Premature Birth. Source: World Health Organisation, International Classification of Disability, and Health. Main characteristics: It happens when mothers smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol or use illicit drugs which results in unresponsive reflexes and problem in breathing. If the mother suffers from stressful life events, such as death of a loved one or domestic violence which results in slow heart rate or difficult feeding. 2.3 Give 2 examples of causes of intellectual disability that occur during childhood years and describe the impact on the day to day support needs of the person. Example 1: Malnutrition Source: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Impact: The person will have problems in doing his daily activities like going to school or understand what is happening around him or eating his food at the time and taking his medication. He won’t be able to concentrate in class and will often feel depressed. He will need words of encouragement from his teachers and parents. His daily activities should be monitored and ensure to keep health appointments with the physio, social worker and therapists. Example 2: Brain injuries. Source: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Impact: The person will have difficulty with memory tasks like math facts or spelling words. He may not be confident in school will be easily frustrated. He may seem to remember information one day and forget it the next. He will need support in bathing, grooming, and needs reminding of personal hygiene like washing his hands after using the toilet and brushing his teeth. Help from support groups and agencies are also necessary. Outcome 3: Describe conditions frequently associated with intellectual disability. Task 3 Condition 1: Foetal Alcohol syndrome Causes: Mothers drinking during pregnancy leads to foetal alcohol syndrome. Miscarriage, stillbirth premature birth and small birth weight are all associated with it. When a pregnant women drinks alcohol, it easily passes across the placenta to the fetus which can harm the baby’s development. Main Characteristic 1: Children with FAS have distinct facial features including small and narrow eyes, a small head, a smooth area between the nose and the lips and a thin upper lip. Main characteristic 2: They also have hearing and ear problems. Their immune system are also weak due to FAS and they have issues with their height and weight. Description of the Support Needs of the person with the condition: Physical Support: The person needs to be reminded when to take his medicines or needs assistance in taking his medication. They will need assistance in crossing the road and also with daily activities like bathing, grooming and brushing their teeth or putting on their shoes. They will also need speech therapist so that they can interact with their peers. Social Support: The person will need communication and social skills training for interaction with friends, teachers and others. They will need supportive activities like group work to gain confidence and independence. Regular interaction with other children will boost their self-confidence. Cognitive Support: The person will need special education teacher to teach how to talk and what words he should use while talking to someone. He will need a speech therapist to learn how to pronounce a word or say a word clearly. Condition 2: Autism Causes: It is not certain what causes ASD, but it’s likely both genetics and environment play a role. Some studies suggest that people with ASD have abnormal levels of serotonin or other neurotransmitters in the brain. Main Characteristic: 1 People with Autism will have repetitive, obsessive, and unusual behaviour. They will have difficulty in communicating with others does not speak with anyone. They will have excessive lining up of toys or objects and they also have no response to name or social responsiveness. Main Characteristic: 2 They won’t have eye contact while talking to another person and avoid bright lights, noises or physical contact. They won’t be able to understand facial expressions or understand humour or pain, unable to establish friendships and may become isolated. Description of the Support Needs of the person with the condition: Physical Support: They will need an environment which is free from noise and avoid bright lights. They will need constant supervision while doing any work or playing outside. They will need relaxation and stress management like body massage or occupational therapy. Social Support: They will need assistance in learning society rules or social behaviour using logic. They will need advice like how to interact with people and make friends. They will need opportunities for relaxation like chilling out with family and friends. Opportunities for friendships are also important for these people. Cognitive support: The person will need one on one session between him and the therapist. He will need assistance in things like reading a book or solving a math problem. If there is a changes which is made then he should be informed in a manner that makes sense to the person. Reference: FAQ on Intellectual Disability, American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Condition 3: Epilepsy Causes: Epilepsy can be due to severe head injury, strokes, birth trauma, brain tumours, toxins, brain infection, brain diseases, genetic condition or drug abuse.In many cases the cause is unknown. Main Characteristic 1: The person affected will have recurring and spontaneous seizures .The person may be unconscious or completely unaware of what is happening. Main characteristic 2: Some people with epilepsy simply stare blankly for a few seconds during a seizure, while others repeatedly twist their arms or legs. Seizures may be partial affecting small part of the brain or generalised, affecting whole brain. Description of the Support Needs of the person with condition: Physical Support: Making sure that the environment is safe while walking around so that they won’t get injured when seizure occurs. The environment should be hazard free. He should be monitored weather he is taking his medication at the right time or is he getting any side effects which needs to be reported to the right people. Social Support: He should be encouraged to attend school and work and needs to be reminded constantly that he should not be ashamed of his condition. He should be encouraged to maintain contact and communication with friends and co-workers. He should not be treated differently from other co-workers only because of his condition and he should be treated with respect. His dignity should be maintained during seizure episodes. Cognitive Support: He could be missing learning opportunities during seizure and might need extra teaching support. Keeping an appointment dairy will ensure that he is keeping up to date with his activities. Reference: Bray, Anne, Definitions of intellectual disability. [Donald Beasley Institute,  2003]

The Knowledge is Power Program Essay examples -- Education, KIPP Schoo

The Knowledge is Power Program (hereafter referred to as KIPP) has been the recipient of much praise. In the recent documentary, Waiting for Superman, KIPP was lauded as one of a handful of educational programs for poor children of color that is making a difference in closing the achievement gap. Diane Ravitch wrote in her recent book, â€Å"[T]he charter schools with the most impressive record of success are the KIPP schools† (Ravitch, 2010, p.135). Washington Post Education Columnist, Jay Mathews wrote an entire book on the schools, calling them â€Å"the most promising schools in America.†(Mathews, 2009) So, why is KIPP garnering all of this attention and is it really narrowing the achievement gap? KIPP was started in 1994 by Teach for America alumni David Levin and Michael Fienberg, who had been working in inner-city Houston schools. KIPP was created with a singular goal in mind; to get low-income students of color to college. The data would suggest that these schools have been successful in achieving that goal. During the 2008-2009 academic year, KIPP enrolled 21,831 students, 95% of whom were African-American or Latino (KIPP Foundation, 2009). Of those students who finish 8th grade at a KIPP school, 95% graduate from high school and 88% of them matriculate to college. These compare to national rates of 70% high school graduation and 40% college matriculation for low-income students (KIPP Foundation, 2009). According to a recent study of 22 KIPP schools, within three years, half of all KIPP schools in the study closed one half or more of the black-white achievement gap in math, and one third of the black-white achievement gap in reading. In these KIPP schools, student gains are equivalent to 1.2 years of additional growth i... ...the tools to significantly close the achievement gap, but they won’t likely be responsible for a radical upward mobility of low-income students of color. So, what role can KIPP play in the larger picture? Diane Ravitch offered sage advice in a recent speech at Rice University when she challenged KIPP co-founder Mike Fienberg in saying, â€Å"Don’t compete. Collaborate with public schools. Share whatever you know that works. Work with public schools. Help them get better. We all share the same goal and that is to ensure that every child in America gets a great education† (Ravitch, 2010). Perhaps KIPP schools are best utilized as â€Å"laboratories† where methods are tested, refined and readied for export to the public school system at large and utilized by all students. This collaboration could contribute to real public school reform and be the lasting legacy of KIPP.

The Development of Psychology Essays -- Research Essays Term Papers

The Development of Psychology Psychology is defined as the scientific study of behavior and the mind. This definition implies three things. The first is that psychology is a science, a field that can be studied through objective methods of observation and experimentation. The second is that it is the study of behavior, animal activity that can be observed and measured. And the third is that it is the study of the mind, the conscious and unconscious mental states that cannot be seen but inferred through observation. This modern-day definition of psychology sheds light on the history of psychology, for it only became a science in the late 19th century though psychological thought has been present since Antiquity. Previously, psychology had been studied indirectly in the fields of philosophy and physiology. The term psychology has been around for many centuries, coming from two Greek words: psyche, which means soul, and logos, which means the study of. Before the psychology developed into a science, philosophers from as early as Ancient Greece were asking all sorts of psychological questions such as where do emotions come from, does the world we see exist in color, what is perception and what is reality? But philosophers debating these questions relied on the method of rationalism to explain these phenomena. Rationalism uses logic and reasoning to find truth. This technique is far from objective and cannot accurately determine scientific truth. Psychology also had roots in physiology, a branch of biology that studies living organisms and their parts. Physiologists would conduct studies of the brain and the nervous system to explain mental illnesses, an important area of study in the field of psychology. Physiology however, is... ... of the most recognizable are behaviorism, which arose out of criticism of introspection as a valid research method and set out to study only behavior which could be observed directly. Edward Thorndike, Ivan Pavlov, John Watson, and B.F. Skinner influenced this new take on psychology. Other movements include humanistic psychology in the 50s and 60s, and cognitive psychology of present day. Sources Consulted http://www.dustbunny.fsnet.co.uk/Psy1.htm â€Å"The Development of Psychology† : article on the history of psychology as a field of scientific study http://www.alleydog.com/101notes/history.html â€Å"The Field and History of Psychology†: university class lecture on the history of psychology http://www.psy.pdx.edu/PsiCafe/History/EmergenceOfPsy.htm A Psychology Resource Guide with links to relevant sites regarding the emergence of psychology as a science