Swot Analysis of Dell Computers

Dell Computer Corporation started in 1984 by Michael Dell with this very simple premise as its basic foundation: that personal computers could be built and sold directly to customers and by doing this, Dell could address their specific needs and provide the best computing solutions that meet those needs. Dell’s Direct Method provides two distinct advantages: 1. reducing marketing and sales cost by eliminating markups of distributors and retailers and 2. building to order reduced inventory costs and risks of retaining inventories. Dell’s Direct Model is the main reason why it has achieved its stellar status in business today. This strategic model enables Dell to interact with customers directly providing them with fast, reasonably-priced and friendly means of production and distribution. SWOT Analysis of Dell Computer Strengths Dell's Direct Model approach of enables the company to offer direct relationships with customers such as corporate and institutional customers. Their strategic method also provides other forms of products and services such as internet and telephone purchasing, customized computer systems; phone and online technical support and next-day, on-site product service. This extensive range of products and services is definitely one of Dell’s strengths. Dell Computer's award-winning customer service, industry-leading growth and consistently strong financial performance differentiate the company from competitors for the following reasons: Price for Performance – Dell boasts a very efficient procurement, manufacturing and distribution process allowing it to offer customers powerful systems at competitive prices. Customization – Each Dell system is built to order to meet each customer’s specifications. Reliability, Service and Support – Dell’s direct customer allows it to provide top-notch customer service before and after the sale. Latest Technology – Dell is able to introduce the latest relevant technology compared to companies using the indirect distribution channels. Dell turns over inventory for an average of every six days, keeping inventory costs low. The company's application of the Internet to other parts of the business –including procurement, customer support and relationship management — is growing at a rate of 30 percent. The company's Web site received at least 25 million visits at more than 50 country-specific sites. Weaknesses Dell’s biggest weakness is attracting the college student segment of the market. Dell’s sales revenue from educational institutions such as colleges only accounts for a measly 5% of the total. Dell’s focus on the corporate and government institutional customers somehow affected its ability to form relationships with educational institutions. Since many students purchase their PCs through their schools, Dell is obviously not popular among the college market yet. For home users, Dell’s direct method and customization approach posed problems. For one, customers cannot go to retailers because Dell does not use distribution channels. Customers just can’t buy Dell as simply as other brands because each product is custom-built according to their specifications and this might take days to finish. Opportunities Personal computers are becoming a necessity now more than ever. Customers are getting more and more educated about computers. Second-time buyers would most likely avail of Dell’s custom-built computers because as their knowledge grows, so do their need to experiment or use some additional computer features. Demand for laptops is also growing. As a matter of fact, demand for laptop has overtaken the demand for desktops. This is another opportunity for Dell to grow in other segments. The internet also provides Dell with greater opportunities since all they have to do now is to visit Dell’s website to place their order or to get information. Since Dell does not have retail stores, the online stores would surely make up for its absence. It is also more convenient for customers to shop online than to actually drive and do purchase at a physical store. Threats In a volatile market such as personal computers, threats abound. Computers change in a constant sometime daily basis. New software, new hardware and computer accessories are introduced at a lightning speed. It is essential for Dell therefore to be always on the lookout for new things or introduce new computer systems. The threat to become outmoded is a pulsating reality in a computer business. Not only that, companies must produce products that are high in quality but low in price. This is one challenge that Dell contends with. One of the biggest external threats to Dell is that price difference among brands is getting smaller. Dell’s Direct Model attracts customers because it saves cost. Since other companies are able to offer computers at low costs, this could threaten Dell’s price-conscious growing customer base. With almost identical prices, price difference is no longer an issue for a customer. They might choose other brands instead of waiting for Dell’s customized computers. The growth rate of the computer industry is also slowing down. Today, Dell has the biggest share of the market. If the demand slows down, the competition will become stiffer in the process. Dell has to work doubly hard to differentiate itself from its substitutes to be able to continue holding a significant market share. Technological advancement is a double-edge sword. It is an opportunity but at the same time a threat. Low-cost leadership strategy is no longer an issue to computer companies therefore it is important for computer companies to stand out from the rest. Technology dictates that the most up-to-date and fastest products are always the most popular. Dell has to always keep up with technological advancements to be able to compete.

Dbq Mechanization of India and Japans Cotton Industry

Trevor Olds DBQ During the period of time from the 1880s to the 1930s, Japan and India both were beginning to mechanize their cotton industries. Both of these countries had similar recruitment techniques, but differed when it came to who the workers were and where they came from, and the working conditions they had in the mill. Documents 1, 2, and 6 all show the increased usage of machines in Japanese and Indian cotton factories.The chart in Document 1 that details the production of cotton yarn and cloth in India shows how India utilized more machines to create more yarn and cloth in 1914 than in 1884. The chart shows how machine spun yarn was surpassing the amount of hand-woven yarn, as well as how the amount of machine-made cloth is quickly catching the amount of hand-woven cloth, which shows the mechanization of India’s cotton industry. This document is reliable because it is data collected from British colonial officials who would have no benefit of altering the data in an y way.The Indian economist Radhakamal Mukerjee who wrote â€Å"The Foundation of Indian Economics† (1916) in Document 6 talks of how handloom cloth weavers cannot compete with the machines in the factories and are rapidly declining. This shows India’s step towards a more mechanized cloth industry. The document is not completely reliable because as an economist, the author may have overemphasized the decline of India’s handloom weavers to show economic growth. Comparable to India’s increased production of machine spun yarn is Japan’s outlined by the chart in document 2.Japan’s incredulous increase in machine spun yarn from five million pounds in 1884 to 666 in 1914 dwarfs India’s growth that was 151 million pounds in 1884 to only 652 in 1914. Document two may not be completely reliable because the data may have been altered to make Japan’s Industry is improving just a bit faster than India’s. Though Japan and India were s imilar in their implementation of machines in the cotton industry, Documents 7, 8, and 10 show that the workers in these factories are different.Documents 8 and 10 are pictures of an Indian and a Japanese textile mill. The photo of a Japanese cotton mill in document 8 is not reliable because it is from an official company history, that means that the company could only be showing the nicer part of the factory where the labor environment is not that bad. The same goes for the picture of an Indian textile mill in document 10. Moving on the Indian textile mill in Document 10 shows all male workers, indicating that many more men worked in Indian textile mills than women did.However, in contrast to India, the Japanese mill in Document 8 shows quite a few women with several men here and there, which indicates that Japan was different from India and had more women workers than men. The comparative chart of female workers in Japan and India in Document 7 shows that less than a quarter of In dian textile laborers were female and that over three-fourths were women in Japan, which is directly opposite in Japan and India.The chart also shows how the percentage of female workers goes down while the equivalent Japanese percentage rises slightly. This shows the difference of workers between Indian and Japanese textile mills. Document 7 is not very reliable though considering the chart was taken from a dissertation of which we have no knowledge of the author. Document 4 is a written source pertaining to the high percentage of female workers in Japanese mills. This document explains the reason for the increased number of women working in textile factories.The reason is that since the farmers are so poor the money made by their daughters is often more than the farmer’s annual income and that they virtually provide for the family. Of course, since the document is written by a Buddhist priest the document is not completely reliable, his idea would be that these girls in the factories are the families’ salvation, so he pays no attention to the negative aspects of the girls leaving home because Buddhism places individual meditation and salvation over family bonds.A useful document would be a journal entry by one of these girls talking about how they felt about being sent away to work in the textile mills and how her absence would affect the family. Even though the people that worked for the mills were of different nationalities, the systems that textile mills used in India and Japan were similar. Documents 4, 5, and 9 talk about how workers were taken from peasant families. Document 5 talks about how the â€Å"cheap† workers came from rural farming communities.In Japan, the person who leaves their family is no longer a financial load for the family, which explains why families sent workers to the mills. Document 4 basically explains the same ideas, but adds the factor of extra income that can come from the workers in Japan that supports th e family. Document 9 states that the Indian mills also sent people from rural farming communities. Most of the workers are peasants from agricultural villages and earn low wages, resembling the systems of the Japanese mills.Documents 3 and 9 show one of the most important differences between the countries: their respective working conditions. The story of the Japanese mill worker in Document 3 talks of long working hours, no heat, and little food. There are also low wages, with the possibility of no pay for the first year. When the high amount of sick people at the factory who no one will go near is added, we learn that the working conditions in the Japanese mills were terrible.This document also shows the truth because it is a personal recollection from a female worker in one of the mills. People also had to sleep together at the factory. This last fact by itself is directly contrasted by document 9 because the huts Indian workers lived in when working in the factories. Indian work ers lived in their own hut and only worked at one factory for two years, as opposed to the Japanese worker who is only likely to get paid starting their second year. This shows that the Indian workers had better living conditions than the Japanese workers.Since the Indian document is written by a commissioner and not a worker, the author could have altered the information that was presented affecting the reliability of the document because of his bias. Two extra documents that would be helpful would be an account from an Indian worker and a report from a Japanese official to provide an all-around comparison of the countries. In conclusion, the mechanization of the textile industry saw a great rise from 1880 to the 1930s in both Japan and India, who both found the majority of their workers from farming peasants to work in the mills.Japan used mainly female workers with worse working conditions than Indian workers, who were mostly male. An additional document would be a comparison of machines used in India over this time compared to those used in Japan to determine the importance of mechanization in the textile industry of the two countries comparatively to properly examine the similarities and differences of the mechanization of the cotton industry in Japan and India.

Poverty in America Essay

Poverty is a disturbing but significant global concern. Just as it is for millions of other people all over the globe, poverty is occurring in America. Over the past decades, income disparity is ascending, in addition to the number of communities that failed to keep up with the national economic standard. Although poverty is present everywhere, it is more serious in developing countries, wherein one in every five person lives on not more than $1 for each day, which is the threshold being applied by the World Bank to classify poverty. The unrelenting problem of poverty is a multifaceted one that embraces individuals and communities who, without their fault, find themselves powerless to manage in this information-intensive and constantly developing world. For the majority Americans, poverty implies destitution, or the lack of ability to provide the family with reasonable shelter, clothing, and nutritious food. Despite the fact that material destitution does exist in America, it is relatively confined in severity and scope. To be aware of poverty in America, it is necessary to observe several statistics, as well as to observe the actual living conditions of the persons that are considered poor by the government. Overview of Poverty in America A large numbers of the country’s population live at or below the threshold of poverty, which means payment of bills every month and financing for the essentials, consisting of shelter, clothing, and food, not counting access to health care and a number of simple comforts is a constant struggle. According to estimates in 2003, roughly 25 percent of counties in the United States had low rates of workforce participation, soaring rates of unemployment, high reliance on government transfer expenditures, and incomes that is lower than one-half of the national average or less for each person. The Census Bureau classifies poverty as a family of three earning not more than $14,680, and not more than $9,393 for a worker without any dependent (Blanco, 2004). According to the 2003 statistics of the Census Bureau, almost 36 million Americans lived in poverty, which is 1.3 million more in 2002. Since 2000, the country has experienced an increase of 4.4 million people who lives in poverty (Blanco, 2004). According to a survey, the present American families are experiencing worse living conditions than they have in the previous years, as 10 percent of all families or approximately 7.6 million families in 2003 lived in poverty, which is an enormous ascend from the previous years (Blanco, 2004). In 2005, the registration of the United States Census Bureau of poor individuals in the country totaled to approximately 37 million poor Americans (Rector & Johnson, 2004). Therefore, there is one in every eight Americans that is struggling with inconceivable poverty. These millions of Americans are asserted to be deficient of the necessary clothing, shelter, and enough money for the food, as well as being forced to live in unpleasant conditions (Rector & Johnson, 2004). Common Factors of Poverty In the concluding half of the 20th century, the three factors that are generally offered to explain movements of poverty in the United States are changes in family structure, economic inequality, and income growth. If the average per-capita incomes are increased, such as increasing wages and employment, then it is expected that poverty will generally decline. Nevertheless, economic inequality can take the edge off the overall constructive impact of income growth if lower-income workforce and unemployed citizens do not benefit from the fruits of such development. On the other hand, changes in the family structure, primarily the ever-increasing number of families headed by female may be linked with higher rates of poverty for the reason that such families are more expected to be poor and are more economically vulnerable. I. Economic Equality Certainly, the country has made several enhancements over the intervening decades in terms of the overall minimum living standard as measured through material conditions. Yet the living conditions of the poor individuals are severely different from that of families and individuals who take advantage of various degree of economic security as measured through income levels that provide unstressed and comfortable situations. The escalation in the number of poor individuals and families in the country ought to provide the government various apprehension, but even more upsetting is the increasing difference between the underprivileged and wealthy in America. In the previous decades, compensation for more affluent Americans has considerably ascended, stimulated by increase in stock options, bonuses, salaries and other rewards. However, the compensation provided for millions of lower-wage workforces dropped off; and in fact, a number of them have even lost their jobs (Blanco, 2004). Therefore, this factor has prevented the advantages of economic growth from being equally drawn out. Moreover, in 2005, non-Hispanic white men, not less than 25 years of age, holding only high-school qualification have $35,679 median income; whereas women within the same age group, need a degree in college in order to obtain a comparable median income (Spriggs, 2007). The outcome is that the households headed by female are harmed by the major earnings gap, which has a poverty rate of 31.1 percent in contrast to their male-headed household counterparts, which only had a 13.4 percent poverty rate (Spriggs, 2007). In 2005, poverty for women is excessively elevated than men, which is14.1 percent in contrast to 11.1 (Spriggs, 2007). The disparity reflects unrelenting gaps in earnings between male and female workers. At the same time, since 1959 the median income of white males with a family of five has been higher than the poverty line, but for women with a family of three, it was only in 1990 that their median income broke beyond the poverty line (Spriggs, 2007). Further, notwithstanding the progressive structure of benefit procedure in Social Security benefits, the constant gap is best reflected in disparities in poverty among the elderly, where the lifetime earnings of women suggest they have lower assets than men. II. Family Structure Higher rates of poverty among women have generally been contributed to the changes in family structure. The percentage of families headed by single female with children rapidly rose over the previous decades of the 20th century, which reached 26.5 percent in 1995 from only 11.5 percent of all families with children in 1970; with higher rates for Hispanics and blacks. At the start of year 2003, roughly 26.1 percent of the entire families with children in the country were headed by single woman. A number of such families do not obtain any or adequate child support from the absent fathers of the children. It is suggested in one study that if fathers married the destitute mothers of their children, approximately three-quarters of the single-parents would instantly be elevated outside poverty status (Rector & Johnson, 2004). Obviously, two parents in a household generally earn more than single-parent. The burden of receiving enough income to raise dependent children outside poverty additionally confronts women who are the single head of the family, as well as getting and paying for child care concurrently with their work and management of the household without help. Since this hazard confronted by women of serving non-working dependents as well as their efforts in looking after their elderly parents is not distributed by society, women who head such families are expected to obtain lower levels of education, therefore, resulting to their lower earnings. Aside from the fact that women are more expected to earn significantly less than men with similar qualifications, mothers have a tendency to accumulate less experience than other workers. III. Income Growth Poverty is associated with the lack of sufficient income, so the core problem therefore is the compensation for the workers. Among the poor, only 11.4 percent or 2.9 million jobs around the clock is available for the whole year (Spriggs, 2007). This sector of the population is further directly impaired by minimum-wage laws that have hindered costs of living. This setback is particularly severe for poverty stricken American-Hispanics and American-Asians, where 18 percent of them worked year-round for full time (Spriggs, 2007). There are several reasons why numerous people lack the income to overcome poverty. For instance, people do not work or if they work, they do not earn sufficient amount of money. Whether in good or bad economic times, the ordinary poor family with children exerts only 800 hours of work throughout a year or 16 hours of work for each week (Rector & Johnson, 2004). Evidently, almost 75 percent of poor children would be lifted outside certified poverty status if work is provided in every family, that would increase the work hours to 2,000 for every year or comparable to 40 hours for each week all through the year (Rector & Johnson, 2004). In 2005, approximately 61 percent underprivileged families have no less than one worker; and of twice-poor families, 71 percent have no less than one worker. In view of the 1990s record job creation, the number of poor but working people declined to 8.5 million in 2000 from 10.1 million in 1993. In short, America is capable of dealing with poverty. But there have been vast stubborn concerns that have lodged the face of poverty. Mounting disparity in the labor market has increased the share of the working age poor citizens, and the unsympathetic federal minimum-wage laws that have amplified the numbers of poor people working year-round for full-time. In a country with a per capita Gross Domestic Product is exceeding the poverty line for a family of four, it is atrocious that there are still more than 12 million poverty stricken American children, and nearly 3 million people work around the clock, for one whole year who are still finding it hard to make ends meet. Facts Concerning the American Poor Sector Based on the American’s accepted definition of poverty, only a small number of the 37 million individuals fit the poor description, contrary to what the Census Bureau classified. Despite the fact that real material destitution undoubtedly does take place, it is limited in severity and scope. A number of America’s underprivileged lives in material conditions that would be considered as well-off or comfortable some generations ago. The following are information obtained from different government reports regarding people classified as poor by the Census Bureau: 1. Roughly 46 percent of the entire poor households actually own their individual houses (Rector & Johnson, 2004). The typical house owned by persons identified as poor by the Census Bureau is a three-bedroom house with a garage, one-and-a-half baths, with at least a patio or porch. 2. About 76 percent of underprivileged families have air conditioning in their houses (Rector & Johnson, 2004). By comparison, merely 36 percent of the entire population of the United States benefited from air conditioning 3 decades ago. 3. Only 6 percent of the underprivileged families are considered overcrowded, and not less than two-thirds of them have extra two rooms for every person (Rector & Johnson, 2004). 4. The typical poor American has more living space than the average individual living in Athens, Vienna, London, Paris, and other cities all over Europe (Rector & Johnson, 2004). 5. Practically three-quarters of poor families own an automobile, while 30 percent own at least two automobiles (Rector & Johnson, 2004). 6. Approximately 97 percent of poor households own at least one colored television, while half of the said percentage has at least two colored televisions (Rector & Johnson, 2004). 7. Roughly 78 percent own DVD or VCR players, while 62 percent have satellite or cable television reception (Rector & Johnson, 2004). 8. Around 73 percent of the poor households have microwave ovens, one-third owns an automatic dishwasher, and over half own a stereo system (Rector & Johnson, 2004). Further, as a group, America’s poor are far from being constantly malnourished. In fact poor children have usual protein intakes of 100 percent beyond the medically suggested levels and consume more meat than children of higher-income do (Rector & Johnson, 2004). Nevertheless, despite the fact that in general the poor are well-nourished, there are still several poor families who experience short-term distress due to food deficiencies. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, although most of the time the hunger is temporary, still 2.6 percent of poor children and 13 percent of poor families experience food shortage sometime during the year (Rector & Johnson, 2004). Approximately 89 percent of the poor account sufficient food to eat to their families, at the same time only 2 percent says they often do not have adequate food to eat (Rector & Johnson, 2004). Conclusion / Recommendations Following the United States government classification of poverty, the typical poor American people have a living standard far superior as compared to what the public envisions. Nevertheless, the typical poor person’s living conditions should not be taken to suggest that every poor American lives devoid of hardship. Millions of Americans are still continually struggling to hang on, making tough choices between housing, hunger and health care for their families. Economic inequality, income growth, and changes in family structure without doubt affected poverty trends over the latter half of the 20th century. Poverty in America can be readily reduced, if parents are provided with sufficient hours of work and if fathers are at all times present with their families. Although marriage and work are unyielding ladders away from poverty, the country’s welfare system uncooperatively continues to be unsympathetic to both. Foremost programs such as Medicaid, public housing, and food stamps keep on reprimanding marriage and rewarding idleness. Therefore, if welfare could be turned around to uphold marriage and work, the remaining number of poor family would quickly decrease. Further, as a matter of course, the United States has employed over the years job creation and economic growth to trim down poverty, but at present situation the courses are consequential only to the extent that inequality on wages is reduced. Poor people are generally not victims of themselves, but of appalling economic policies along with obstructions to opportunity. Since work generates income, it is important therefore that the government must provide a great increase in available working hours in different labor sectors for the poor. Along with the work opportunities, it is also important to eliminate economic inequalities based on gender, age, economic status, and many others in order to provide higher wages and higher incomes to the underprivileged sectors of the country. America is a nation with one of the most productive and strongest economies in the world. As such, the country must exert a continuing effort to fully utilize the abundance and therefore eliminate the country ’s alarming poverty rate.

Being a Leader Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Being a Leader - Essay Example However, overtime Chung did not turn out as Leary expected since he distanced himself from her and fellow workmates, although his work was outstanding at first, Leary became uncomfortable with the way Ted conducted his business; as well, she was uncomfortable with his request. The main cause of the problem in the case is mistrust between Karen Leary and Ted Chung, among other concerns like professional conduct, cultural consideration, individual responsibility, self-interest, integrity, code of ethics and indecision. The primary problems in this case include Ted’s performance conflicting with company demands, language barrier between the industrialist and Karen the manager at Merrill Lynch and Ted’s withering of individual responsibility under demands of the client. Other problems include Ted’s Self-interest that led to greed and selfishness as well as Karen’s indecision regarding Ted’s request. In this case, Causes of the problems include culture at the organization before Karen became manager; Ted’s professional performance sometimes conflicted with the company demands and Self-interest. Other causes include Ted’s change in performance reporting, Chung’s integrity issues and decline of individual responsibility. ... Cultural framework determines human resource practices in many companies especially in recruitment and personnel management, which was the main cause why Leary hired Chung for the position of financial advisor to target Taiwanese investors. Since employee belief regarding obligations to organization or other employees is inherently perceptual and subjective, a person’s interpretation of terms and conditions of obligation may differ, which make employees to develop different comprehension of employer obligations. For instance, according to Elias and Linda (6), when Chung is ordered to stay at the sales assistant desk, he was uncomfortable with the request and maneuvered his way out of the desk. In evaluating Chung, it appears that Leary made perpetual errors in assessing him; for instance, it is clear from the study that Ted’s â€Å"increased displays of ego and temper† worried Leary (Elias and Linda 8). Moreover, even though, she was concerned with Chung’s slow start, with time Chung became a strong producer and Leary acknowledged that the Taiwanese market had the potential to be further developed (Elias and Linda 8). Nevertheless, Leary felt uncomfortable with various aspects of Ted’s performance since she did not know how Chung’s client was involved with the account, and matters were made worse by her inability to access the client because of the language barrier and the client’s close relationship with Ted. Although a year passed since Chung got hired, Leary tried to know Chung better but he often distanced himself from her and other financial consultants in the office (Elias and Linda 1). Within organization setting, individuals seek to fulfil personal goals, while at the same time others within the same

Talisker Insurance Agency Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Talisker Insurance Agency - Essay Example Query handling, making of proposals, and presentations are shoddy and leave much to be desired. Talisker Insurance Agency has to move from a disorganized to a systemized work environment. The Agency suffers from serious administrative drawbacks both in operational methods and data storage and retrieval techniques. The consolidated office is in urgent need of modernization. Consolidation of office has given Bill Smith an opportunity to bring about much-needed changes in the work environment of the Agency. Â  As part of immediate modernization, we have to purchase 13 PCs with latest available configuration. Two laptops will be used to do work at the clients’ end. A Local Area Network (LAN) has to be established. A leased line will be used for Internet connectivity. The website of Talisker Insurance Agency called the Taliskerinsurance.com has to be developed. The website besides enhancing the reach of Talisker Insurance Agency will also aid in bolstering its marketing and administrative functions. Mr. Smith has to be convinced on the development of a website on counts enumerated below. First, no forward-looking company with a vast client base can afford to not to have a web presence in the present times. Second, the cost of web development, maintenance, and hosting has reduced drastically over the past years. Third, with a state-of-the-art networking environment in the office premises, we are just a step short of a website. Fourth, the prospective clients in remote locations can access the website and see the policies on offer. Thus there will be an increase in the generation of marketing leading resulting in more business. Due to the low cost of developing and maintaining a website, Mr. Smith needn’t worry about its financial viability. The investments into development of IT tools will soon result in an increase in revenue by curtailing unnecessary costs and streamlining of business operations.

Globalisation Transationals and Economic Policy Essay

Globalisation Transationals and Economic Policy - Essay Example 136-137). Assuming that Boeing has a headstart, the likely outcome is that of Airbus deciding not to produce the aircraft, in favor of 0 loss, rather than to enter the market against Boeing, in which both firms would each incur losses amounting to -5. However, once Europe decides to subsidize Airbus, the outcome of the game shifts in favor of Airbus, and it can decide to go head-on with Boeing in the market, earning profits while Boeing incurs losses. Moreover, should Boeing decide to not produce as it would be incurring 0 loss in this, Airbus by producing the aircraft would allow it to raise its profits from 0 loss in the previous scenario with no subsidy to 110 profits post-subsidy by Europe. Krugman further notes that out of this, 100 represents a gain of national income for Europe, and conversely, a loss of the same amount for America. This shows that under some circumstances, a country can lift its welfare by supporting its own firms against foreign competitors. At the same time , a domestic firm can lower the profits of other firms which wish to enter the domestic market. Another reason for strategic trade policy as the case above is when viewed from the possibility of existence of external economies - one in which it has been observed that innovative firms, with huge investments in R&D fail to "appropriate fully the knowledge they create". This case is not evident in "perfectly competitive models" as when increasing returns is tied with economies of scale in markets with imperfect competition. The argument for strategic trade policy based on externalities however need not affect other countries' welfare negatively - as when governments choose particular industries or firms to support. However, this is not the case when externalities are at the national level, in which clearly free trade is at the mercy of a government's protectionist policies. Pursuing a strategic trade policy is limited by at least three factors that make it a less desirable option. First, external economies are difficult to measure, measurement of which is needed to formulate interventionist policies (i.e. difficult to measure the exact external benefit of say, a $10 investment in R&D). Second, rent-seeking firms could water down the gains from interventionist policies. Third, a country's considerations for its economy overall adds greatly to the empirical difficulty of formulating strategic trade policies (that is, "a country cannot protect everything and subsidize everything"). The above considerations however, according to Krugman do not render the pursuit of strategic trade policy undesirable. In most cases, they point to caution as to the difficulties are due to empirical considerations - and yet, governments are not altogether, lacking in information. In what sense, of any, is it appropriate to consider that international trade in today's world is free International trade in today's world can be considered free to a certain extent by measuring the progress done compared to the past. For example one indicator suggests that the pace of international tra

Employment Law Compliance (Principles and Strategies) Essay - 1

Employment Law Compliance (Principles and Strategies) - Essay Example ts Act of 1964 applies to all businesses with fifteen or more employees; while most businesses will fall into this category, there are some small businesses that may employ fewer than fifteen employees (McGraw-Hill, 2013). The same is similar for the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) as it applies to businesses with more than 25 employees (McGraw-Hill, 2013). The size and expanse of a business may also change the laws and regulations that apply to it. A medium size business will not only have to comply with federal laws but also the state and local laws that apply to each area that the business is located in. For example, Arizona enforces a different minimum wage requirement than does Michigan, as do many states. Oftentimes a states’ minimum wage law will depend on the cost of living in that area; it is important for a business to know what these wage requirements are to ensure compliance with employees’ wages. Also, other laws also have state specifics that expand on federal laws. Referring again to Arizona, the Legal Arizona Workers Act (LAWA) is an expansion to the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) which states that it is illegal to hire or retain an employee that is considered to be an illegal alien within the United States (McGraw-Hill, 2013). LAWA further requires that all employers use the E-verify system, a free web-based system to verify employment, to determine the hiring ability of a candidate (Arizona Senate Research Staff, 2013). These state specific laws would only be applicable to those businesses that reside or partake in business within said state; therefore they would only apply to a small business if they were in a given state, and then to those medium and large businesses that have expanded into those areas with specific mandates. It is important for a business to comply with all laws and regulations that apply to a business to ensure penalties are avoided. Finally, large businesses have the broadest of laws to comply with. Many

Create a crisis action plan Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Create a crisis action plan - Coursework Example It is also important for the management to attempt to create goodwill in the company so that it can have a good image in the eyes of the (Flippo, 1961). There are different steps that can be taken when resolving conflicts in an organization. According to Armstrong (1994), there are mainly four stages that are involved in conflict resolution which involve the following: carry out research about the root cause of the conflict, design an action plan, implement the plan and finally evaluate the effectiveness of the crisis action plan. Some claims of sexual harassment that are reported in the organization are baseless hence the need to conduct some investigations to establish if the case has actually happened. In the event that sexual harassment claims are real, a proper course of action will be required in order to rectify the issue so that the parties involved can work together in harmony again. The action plan ought to involve the parties involved in the case of sexual harassment. This action plan should not only be limited to the people who are directly involved in the case but should be a leading example to the would be offenders in the future. The people involved should be brought to the drawing table where their case is openly discussed. The views of both parties are taken into consideration and a solution that is satisfactory to both parties is found. For the sake of progress and unity in the organization, reconciliation is the way forward when the offender and the victim have understood each other and hav e agreed to forgive each other. Thus, in the case highlighted above, the action plan involves the parties involved burying the hatchet and working together in unity. However, this course of action ought to be implemented by a responsible person like a leader in the organization. In order to implement this course of action, the leader should make sure that the people involved do not revert to the issue again but they should just focus on

Should Animal Experimentation Be Permitted Essay

Should Animal Experimentation Be Permitted - Essay Example Experiments on the regeneration of spinal nerve endings were conducted at the University of Zurich. In test-tube testing, nerves dismembered from rats were left open to immunoglobulin that blocked regeneration. The nerves regenerated successfully though not fully. The rats were the animals of choice because there was no other suitable replacement. The use of animals in these studies is important as those involved cannot present a raw form of treatment directly to humans. Opposition of experiments conducted on animals is a threat to medical advances and the furtherance of human knowledge. In relation to medical research, since there are no suitable replacements for animals, animal experimentation should be allowed. On the hand, due to the emotions attached individuals to animals, activists call for a ban as this is a selfish act for humans. The claim also is that, â€Å"will humans keep experimenting and murdering animals for these selfish gains till they are endangered?† Moreo ver, still on medical advances, animal testing should not be permitted as the same animals do not have the complexity of the human body (Murnaghan, par 3). Thus, should the products tested on animals fail on humans; it will be a waste of animals such as rats and mice. As a replacement for animals, computer models and simulations can be used to predict the likely reactions from an experiment (Murnaghan, par 3). Animal experiments should not be permitted if at all they are carried out unnecessarily (Environment commission, p.1). This is, in cases, such as those carried out for aesthetic value where animals should not be allowed for use. Instead, they should test their products by looking for volunteers, as it is the humans to use the products. At the same time, it tests on animals should be allowed as the animals conditions are put into considerations during the tests. In this case, they are not to suffer according to the law. This is such that, when the animals acquire adverse condit ions and complications from the experiments or reach the â€Å"human endpoint† (serious respiratory problems, loss of weight and extreme tumor growth), the animal is euthanized if the case is severe (Vos, p. 1). This is to mean that as long the animals welfare is taken into account, testing should be allowed. In drug experiment, animal testing assists in ensuring the wellbeing of medication taken by human beings or stuffs that human being are uncovered to frequently. Animals are used to test the dangers of these substances on humans thus lowering the potential harm and saving lives. Animal experiments should not be allowed as there are alternatives. Despite not being the best alternatives to animals, they can be used to reduce the numbers of animals used as well as the level of their suffering during experimentation. Replacements could be; cell cultures, which reduce the, number of animals used, use of statistics, which uses comprehensive data to gauge the spread of disease, and finally the use of advanced scanning technology that allows for investigation of disease through human scans rather than performing animal testing(Paul, 7). The use of animals for experimenting increases the knowledge and understanding of the animal being used for the experiment. This means that the animal species being used is a beneficiary of the experiment in that researchers may come up with ways to help the animals survive. This is as in cases where

Paper about MSC Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Paper about MSC - Essay Example This paper will attempt to describe marine science and the recent challenge or challenges the field of study is facing. Marine science is also known as oceanography or oceanology. As the term connotes, it deals with the study of the ocean and involves a variety of topics across several disciplines that can influence processes in the ocean world. There are four branches of the disciplines; namely, biological, chemical, geological, and physical. The first has to do with the interaction of marine organisms with their environment under the seas. Chemical oceanography is the study of the chemical properties of the sea. Knowing this is important because the seas and things in it help in sustaining life on earth. The chemical make-up of anything from the ocean that man comes into contact with will help society understand, for example, its effect on man. Geological oceanography, meanwhile, is that branch which concerns itself with the ocean floor as well as the tectonic plates of the earth. Lastly, physical oceanography studies the physical characteristics of the seas like waves, temperature, currents, tides , etc. Studying the ocean and all that is in it is not a new discipline. As mentioned in the introduction, humans were already exposed to the seas and oceans in prehistoric times although the observations were mostly for purposes of map making and fishing. Proponents include Juan Ponce de Leon and Benjamin Franklin who were responsible for identifying and naming, respectively, the Gulf Stream. Written accounts of their sea travels serve as information from explorers like James Cook, Louis Antoine de Bougainville, James Rennell, Sir James Clark Ross, Charles Darwin, Robert FitzRoy and Matthew Fontaine Maury and have helped in enriching the knowledge base about the ocean and marine life. The contributions of these explorers have enabled oceanographers after them to prepare properly for

Marketing Report and research (mobile phones) Paper

Marketing Report and (mobile phones) - Research Paper Example For the primary data gathering and analysis, a questionnaire was designed and survey conducted. The data gathered from the survey was then analysed. From the analysis it was derived that a mobile phone which includes computing as well and is priced low is the need of the hour, mainly for foreign nationals residing in Australia. To further strengthen this conclusion, industry/ competitor’s analysis and PESTL was also done. The above mentioned analysis also yielded favourable results. The next step was to work on the SWOT of the organization and decide the marketing mix. It is found that organization is strong in technology and pricing but suffers from the lack of a brand image as of now. To overcome this brand positioning was also decided. Main challenge that confronted the students, while preparing this report, was during the primary research phase. Seeking cooperation, from what constituted the sample, and urging them to give correct answers to the questions was time intensive exercise. Nevertheless, it definitely enabled the students to realize the hard ground realities. It gave a feel of what real marketing is like and was definitely an enjoyable experience inspite of all the hardships. After going through the process of new product conceptualization and development, it is realized that launching a multi technology device (MTD) for foreign nationals residing in Australia would be profitable venture. MTD is a combination of mobile phone and computing technologies. As per the forecast on the basis of past trends in the Australian telecom industry at least 35% international students, 30% households and atleast 10% of the 18-65 age bracket people would purchase the MTD. Since SWOT, PESTL, primary research and secondary research all point to the viability of the project, it is recommended to go ahead with the new product concept of launching the mobile phone based on the research undertaken by the students. The

Hello Kitty Singapore Essay Example for Free

Hello Kitty Singapore Essay A person has many needs at any given time. Abraham Maslow sought to explain why people are driven by particular needs at particular times. According to him, human needs are arranged in a hierarchy (refer to Figure 1), from the most pressing to the least pressing. In order of importance, they are physiological needs, safety needs, social needs, esteem needs and self-actualization needs. The most basic level of needs must be satisfied first before desiring higher level needs. Therefore, having a Mctoy fulfils the forth level needs, called as ‘Esteem Needs’. Self-esteem is the desire for status, self-respect and prestige. Owning the series of Hello Kitty dolls has gained a sense of fulfilment to the individual because it is not that easy to get the limited edition toys at any time. Besides that, the ‘Kiasu’ attitude which is very popular among Singaporeans to have something which everyone else is having, regardless of whether it is of any use. The fear of losing out drives the feeling to fulfil their esteem needs, where they are happy knowing they too have one like others. In order to fulfil the esteem need, people are often engaged in either profession or hobby to gain recognition. For those who loves collecting dolls, use this hobby as a platform to gain recognition from others so that they will be praised. Thus, they feel that by owning the series of hello kitty dolls can make them gained recognition. How has McDonald’s created value to its consumers by offering Hello Kittty dolls in their Extra Value Meals? Marke ting experts, Don Peppers and Martha Rogers say that ‘The only value a company will ever create is the value that comes from customers.’ Customer value is the relationship between the consumers perception of benefits they believe they will derive from a purchased compared to the price that will be paid. The total benefit package includes functional attributes of the product and related service attributes. Creating value not only transforms sales effectiveness, it also provides insulation from price pressure. There are many sales strategies, tactics and techniques for creating value for customers. McDonald’s has identified the benefits that consumers would gain from the promotion by creating a series of value to its customer through the promotion. The total value created to its consumers by McDonald’s comprises of four sources namely product, services, personnel and image. Firstly, the product (Hello kitty Dolls) were given as a premium to its loyal consumers at its cost price when consumer purchases the Extra Value Meal, rather than charging any extra amount for it. McDonalds has created value to its consumers by offering this product premium. In terms of service, McDonald’s has created value to its consumers an alternative way of getting the exclusive dolls, where these dolls can only be purchased through McDonald’s outlets during the limited period of time. This series of limited-edition toys will not be available as and when consumers want them. Thirdly, the satisfaction gained by consumers by owning these dolls. As the dolls were limited edition and were sold at cheaper price, McDonald’s has created the satisfaction feeling among its consumers when they own them. And finally image value is created to McDonald’s consumers where the consumers have the option to choose designs of their preferences during the one-month promotion. The image of ‘Kitty’ representing different cultures wedding costumes creates value to those owning them. Thus, McDonald’s has added up values from all the four sources mentioned above to successfully create values to its consumers through its ‘Hello Kitty’ Promotion. Recommendations and Conclusion Here are several alternatives that McDonald’s should have considered before carrying out the promotion to avoid such havoc from happening: 1) Study the consumer behaviour of Singaporeans 2) Periods of the promotion 3) Increase the number of toys offered for promotion In conclusion, the havoc caused from the ‘Hello Kitty’ Promotion in Singapore has not tarnished McDonald’s image in any aspect. This was proven when McDonald’s introduced another six sets of designs featured royal costumes around the world a year after, and the sales seem not to be declining. There was no repeat of the previous year’s frenzy as McDonald’s was prepared. Several precautions were taken such as limiting the number of dolls each customer can buy to four, and had more dolls in stock for panic buying. Besides that, to monitor and control the crowds, McDonald’s has hired security personnel and mobile squad officers to visit McDonald’s outlets.

Negative Aspects Of Nuclear Power Plants

Negative Aspects Of Nuclear Power Plants There are many different types of power sources across the world that produce electricity in many different ways. There are methods that use the power of nature, such as: hydroelectric power which uses the power of water to spin a turbine, windmills that use the power of the wind to spin a generator, and solar power which uses the heat from the sun. There are also man-made methods such as: power plants that burn coal, generators that burn gasoline, and plants that burn wood to use the heat from the fires to produce electricity. There is also nuclear power, which uses the heat from a radioactive isotope to produce electricity. Nuclear power is formed by energy harnessed from a natural resource. It is produced in power plants or power houses. Nuclear power is efficient, uses fewer natural resources, and adds a minimal amount of pollution to the atmosphere (Wilcox 1996). In the same respects, nuclear power can be very dangerous and produce long term negative effects to the environment. Radioactivity is extremely harmful, not only to the environment, but also to the people who come in contact with it. This has long made it feared by people who live around nuclear power plants and made these power plants a target for terrorists. The are at least two incidents involving nuclear power plants that had gone wrong within recent history. On April 26, 1987, Chernobyl nuclear facilitys number four reactor sustained catastrophic damage when a routine safety test went wrong. An explosion in the number four reactor spewed radioactive material miles into the air creating a radioactive situation 100 times worse than Hiroshima. The immediate death toll was 31, while thousands will have to live with the long term effects of the radioactivity (Chernobyl accident..2011). On March 28, 1979, Three Mile Island nuclear facility experienced an overheat condition in one of their nuclear reactors when operators noticed an increase in water flow to the reactor exceeding normal levels. They attempted to correct the problem, but only succeeded in making it worse. The incident was contained with minor exposure of radioactivity to the environment but not until after the radioactive fuel rods melted through the bottom of their HYPERLINK ../../../../../../../bio/Jennifer-Rosenberg-7900.htmcontainers. During the process some radioactivity escaped into the atmosphere (Three mile..2010). The examples of the disasters above show both the instability and destructive nature of the uranium used in nuclear power plants. Uranium and plutonium, the byproduct of nuclear fission, which is the process used to create nuclear energy, and are extremely unstable if not maintained perfectly in the correct conditions. The instability of these two radioactive elements can lead to both dangerous and destructive outcomes. As witnessed in the Three Mile Island disaster, when uranium is not properly cooled it can reach temperatures high enough to allow it to melt through its container causing the possible release of radioactive material into the environment. The outcome from the accidental release of radioactive material from a nuclear power plant into the environment is far more destructive and long term than the release of other energy producing materials, such as coal, oil, or other fossil fuels. Clean up is also a lot more difficult and hazardous. The effects of the release of radioa ctive material can last several billion years and can forever change the environment where it occurred. The after effects of an accidental release of fossil fuels, such as oil, from a typical power plant is far less dangerous (Diehl 2004). The wildlife repopulates and regrows quicker from the accidental release of fossil fuels than from the accidental release of nuclear energy. This shows how nuclear energy is dangerous to the health of the environment. The mining process of uranium for a nuclear power plant causes the same environmental effects as the mining of coal, on a smaller scale. The mining process also produces lead, a hazardous material known to cause cancer, birth defects, and other human and environmental problems. Uranium, unlike many other sources of energy, such as wind, water, and sun, is a non renewable resource. During mining, to keep ground water from entering the underground mine, uranium contaminated water is often pumped into local rivers and lakes, polluting that water as well. After the mine is shut down, there is a great risk of ground water becoming contaminated. Waste rock which is rock removed from the mines that does not have enough usable material in it is removed from the mine and piled above the surface. This material usually contains higher than normal amounts of radiation. This waste rock is often turned into gravel used for cement and paving roads, spreading radioactive material across large areas (Diehl 2004). This shows how even the mining process is very destructive and dangerous to the environment. While producing fewer greenhouse gases, nuclear power can hardly be considered an efficient, effective, cleaner alternative to the production of electricity. When compared to the amount of energy produced from the burning of fossil fuels, we see that the amount of power from a nuclear power plant is lower than that created from the burning of fossil fuels. It takes far more time and resources for nuclear power to equal the production from other sources such as fossil fuels (Linnerud 2011). In the increase in demand for energy from the nuclear power plants, the green house emissions also rise with the increase in production. This shows the inefficiency of nuclear power and the increase of greenhouse pollution. This proves that the increase of nuclear power in place of fossil fuels does not provide a reduction in climate changing effects during the production of energy (Lloyd 2006). Resources Chernobyl Nuclear Accident [homepage on the Internet]. World Nuclear Association; 2011 Mar..[cited 2011 Mar. 21]. Available from http://www.world-nuclear.org Diehl P. Uranium Mining and Milling Wastes: An Introduction. [homepage on the Internet]. 2004 Aug.15..[cited 2011 Mar. 21]. Available from http://www.wise-uranium.org Linnerud K. The Impact of Climate Change on Nuclear Power Supply, Energy Journal 2011; 32 (1): 149-168. Lloyd B. Nuclear Power and the Greenhouse Effect [homepage on the Internet]. Darwin (NT): Parlamentary Library Service; 2006. [cited 2011 Mar. 21]. Available from http://www.ntl.nt.gov.au. Three Mile Island Accident [homepage on the Internet]. World Nuclear Association; 2011 Mar..[cited 2010 Jan.]. Available from http://www.world-nuclear.org Wilcox C. Powerhouse. Minneapolis (MN): Carolrhoda Books, Inc. 1996. 48p.

Reflective practice is an integral part of developing skills to improve

Reflective practice is an integral part of developing skills to improve Reflective writing is as a medium for an individuals reflective capacity to be communicated and examined both internally and externally. Self directed learning is emphasised through reflective writing as students engage in a more holistic approach which uncovers the reasons behind their actions. Experience and learning Moon (2004) emphasised that an individual can both reflect in order to learn or learn as a result of reflecting. Through experiencing new situations medical students are able to learn and develop new skills but the level of learning depends on the depth of reflecting of the experience. This is often why reflection is described as learning through experience. Reflection of an experience is associated with deep learning where the student is able to gain more insight into the decisions behind the actions involved. (Marton,Hounsell, Entwistle 1984) By learning through experience students are able to build on previous knowledge which covers a solid knowledge base that can be applied to changing situations and which experiences can be drawn from. Learning does not stop at reflection but involves the changing in decision making processes and actions that reflection should bring about in future situations. What is learnt from reflection must be put into practice for it to be effective. Kolb (1984) proposed that Learning does not result from having an experience but occurs when an experience is examined, reviewed and reflected upon. This process allows a connection to form between theory and actions where an experience involves preparation, action, reflection and connection back to previous knowledge. Refection involves lifelong learning as the changing nature of medicine and ethical concerns continues to challenge practitioners. Emotions and Reflection William (2002) said Actions are so much more powerful if they arise from both feelings and thoughts. Reflection involves the process of understanding and examining emotions and how they affected a situation. Emotions are an integral part of any experience and it is through reflective practice that the impact emotions has on a situation comes to light. Practitioners have to deal with many different situations that can cause psychological and emotional strain. Reflective writing allows emotions to be dealt with and not compressed. Through expressing personal feelings practitioners are able to be more focused and self-aware which can increase their capacity to feel empathy for patients situations. Empathy makes patients feel more understood and heard and through reflective writing the promotion of understanding of patients situations and vulnerabilities can be achieved. (Squier 1998) Negative feelings can hinder performance through self doubt and lack of confidence but through reflecting on negative experiences these emotions can be used to improve performance and encourage self directed learning. (Olckers, Gibbs, Duncan 2007) Reflective writing allows students to use emotion in their writing which assist in overcoming psychological and emotional barriers which they may face and provides an opportunity to examine potential moral consequences of an action. Reflective writing allows students to deal with their emotions instead of suppressing them and allows the development of strategies to deal and express emotions in different settings. This promotes a sense of practitioner wellbeing where the mental, emotional and spiritual health of practitioners is looked after. Through reflecting on emotions a connection between the medical profession will the rest of society is built where there is less risk of practitioners becoming detached and intolerant. Reflection and learning in the Professions Reflection in the medical practice can be viewed from three directions; reflection-on action, reflection-in action and reflection-for action. (Killion, Todnem ,1991) Donald Schon (1983) developed theory of reflective professional practice by developing reflective- in and reflective-on action. Reflection- in action involves connecting past experience, feelings and knowledge to a current situation. This process allows new insight and understanding to be established in relation to the situation which will influence the decisions made by the medical practitioner as the situation develops. This type of reflection is particularly important to medical practitioners who face complex and new situations regularly and who need to make fast accurate decisions and actions. (Schon 1983) Reflection-on action involves reflecting on a situation that has occurred and analysing decisions made to determine weaknesses or possible improvements that could be implemented in future practice. This form of reflection is often only undertaken when something goes badly or not to plan but it is essential for reflection to take place after experiences that went well to fully reflect on an individuals strengths and weaknesses. There is also pr-action reflection which describes a form of reflection before an action is taken. This form of reflection aims to prepare professionals to be able to deal with situations where there may be no time to reflect in action so it becomes important to reflect prior to action. (Mann, Gordon and MacLeod, 2009)Reflection prior to action is often done unconsciously where future possible actions are accessed and evaluated and goals are set. In medicine if prior knowledge of patients condition is known research through literature, past case studies and communication with other health professions can result so that possible conditions which may be present can be dealt with. Reflection for action can be used to view the situation from a variety of perspective not just from ones self. It can include perspectives of the patient, other health professional and text based knowledge. This form of reflection can reduce mistakes and prepare practitioners for possible unforeseen circumstan ces. (Keith Ong 2011) Reflection and Personal Development Reflective practice is a key skill for medical students to develop and continue to use throughout their medical careers. Reflective practice assists medical students and practitioners to refine their ability and continually challenge their own decisions making process. The goal of reflection according to Epstein, should be to develop not only ones knowledge and skills, but also habits of mind that allow for informed flexibility, ongoing learning and humility, (full text1 19) Personal and professional development is an integral part of the medical profession. This development is cultivated by reflective practice which allows self-assessment and professional identity to be uncovered. Professional identity is established through reflective writing as a medium for practitioners to express their own voice and perspective, and clarify and refine personal values which may be competing or conflicting to others. (Shapiro 2006) Through becoming more self-aware reflective practice allows practitioners to become more engaged and aware during clinical encounters and improve clinical reasoning. This is why reflection has close links to safe practice as critical though has been put into decisions allowing care to be solely patient based. (Bansman 95). Critical examination of decisions allows problem solving skills to enhance which contributes to more effective treatment of patients. Reflection assists in guiding present and future decisions and actions in a competent and knowledgeable way through allowing new experiences to draw on pervious situations to increase understanding of patients and to extend empathy towards them. (Wald 2010) Reflective writing improves clinicians stores of empathy, reflection, and courage Writing that affects the reader is art (Charon 2004) Reflective practice is shown to have many benefits for practitioners not only through clinical skill improvements but assisting in developing the whole person by developing interpersonal skills. Practitioners improve skills of empathy as they are more aware of their patients and their own emotions and how those emotions may effect the consultation or decision made by the patient. Reflective practice allows a connection to form between technical and knowledge based facets and emotional aspects. It aims to develop personal skills which will enhance and guide technical learning and performance in a clinical setting. Through assessing the bigger picture though reflective practice students are able to deal with more complex and unforseen issues. The process of reflection Reflection may be difficult to teach (Stimson 2009, Roberst 2009) although reflective frameworks can assist in engaging individuals with reflective practices and developing skills for future internal reflection. Reflection in a practical setting needs to be continuous for the knowledge uncovered during reflection to be translated into action. Gibbs (1988) created the Five stages of reflection model which can be used as a guide for reflective writing. This model represents the cycle that reflective practice is a part of. The five steps of this model include describe, reflect, research and analyse, decide, act and evaluate. Brookfield (1987) approach to reflection involves using the view points of a number of different perspectives know as the four lenses. It involves researching, analysing and connecting through critical reflection. Conclusion Reflective practice is an important attribute for undergraduate medical students as it increases self-awareness, refines problem making skills and prepares students to deal with complex, unpredictable situations. Through reflection students are able to refine their clinical skills by recognising their strengths and weaknesses which develops personal competence and identity. Although reflection takes time and effort the long term benefits create a more competent and compassionate practitioner

The Emerging Culinary Trend - Gluten-free Essay -- Nutrition

Wheat is one of the number ones sources of fiber in the American diet. According to gluten.net (GIG) gluten is a storage protein that is found in all grains. The immune system response to this protein is called Gluten Sensitive Enteropathy or Celiac Disease. People with this sensitivity must adhere to a gluten-free diet and must avoid wheat, rye and barley products. This paper will examine gluten-free products and address the opinion that this emerging trend tastes as good as any other food with gluten in them. Gluten is a protein that is found in wheat, oats, rye and barley. What most people don’t know is that wheat is also used in products from tomato soup to lip gloss to even shampoo. Most medications, art supplies and also in the body of Christ at Holy Communion. (Alicea, 2008). Unless items are certified to be gluten-free those with Celiac Disease cannot consume them. (Alicea, 2008) Celiac Disease is an autoimmune response to gluten. (Alicea, 2008) In an article written in Long-Term Living: For the Continuing Care Professional. The article states, â€Å" A person {with Celiac Disease} immune system’s sees the gluten protein as a toxin and produces antibodies that damage the small intestine’s ability to absorb nutrients, which can lead to weight loss and vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Celiac disease is one of the most under-diagnosed diseases among the American population; many doctors confuse the symptoms with that of irritable bowel syndrome. (Alicea, 2008) Celiac Disease affects everyone differently; infants, toddlers, adults and senior citizen are all at risk for developing Celiac Disease. In infants the symptoms have far worst effects and even fatal results than those in older suffers if left untreated. Babies with Cel... ...essed carbohydrate from your daily intake. This doesn’t hold true for all gluten-free products as they have the same carbohydrate level as their counterparts; so just because it says gluten-free doesn’t mean that they are healthy in excess. Everything is healthy in moderation. References Alicea, Ronni. "Gluten-Free Diets: Are You Prepared?." Long-Term Living: For The Continuing Care Professional 57.12 (2008): 22-24. Academic Search Complete Web. 9 Nov. 2011. Coffey, Lynette. Wheatless Cooking: including Gluten-free and Sugar-free Recipes. Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed, 1985. Print. "Frequently Asked Questions." Gluten Intolerance | Gluten Intolerance Group. Web. 10 Nov. 2011. . Walsh, William E. "Gluten Intolerance." Food Allergies: the Complete Guide to Understanding and Relieving Your Food Allergies. New York: Wiley, 2000. 216-24. Print.

American Corporations and Internet Pornography Essay -- Exploratory Es

American Corporations and Internet Porn      Ã‚   In this essay, we shall consider the so-called "reputable" mainstream American companies that are reaping huge profits from Internet porn, as well as related considerations.    Marriott, Westin, and Hilton are known for their pornographic video deliveries to paying rooms, a practice which Omni Hotels discontinued when confronted by the American Family Association. On the other hand, Internet porn companies like Yahoo! In its x-rated Geocities sites, was not intimidated by AFA's threats. Instead, it took US Attorney General Ashcroft's strong action to intimidate Yahoo! into only a partial-withdrawal from Internet porn. However, Yahoo! Still retains marginally pornographic material on websites.    AT&T is the biggest American company that has accommodated itself to the pornography boom. Its cable division, AT&T Broadband, distributes to subscribers the explicit porn channel, The Hot Network; and this has unfortunate repercussions in the world of Internet pornography. In the spring of 2001, an interfaith coalition of relig...

Comparing Confucianism and Daoism Essay

Philosophical Daoism and early Confucianism have very different views on the way we should live life. If I was to choose a path in life to follow it would be the Confucianist path. Confucianism is a lot more controlled then Daoism. Daoism focuses on wu-wei, which translated is non-action. Non-action means that the Daoists believe the best way to live life is to just go with the flow, and not interrupt the natural course of life. Looking at such perspectives on life only brings chaos to my mind, as a society with a â€Å"go with the flow† attitude could cause a lot of problems. Without rules, regulations, or rituals to follow I feel that people would take advantage of this and simply do whatever it is they wish to do. The Daoist text, Tao Te Ching, does not have specific rules to abide by. It preaches messages via stories on how to live, which are then interpreted into guidelines that the Daoists follow. On the contrary, in Confucianism we are exposed to a way to live in order to achieve the good that is within all of us. Confucius believed that society was naturally good, but he felt that the society was getting corrupted with bad morals that focused on money, profit, and power (Lecture notes November 1,2011). In order to achieve the human goodness that we all have within us, and that we had in the past, he offered his followers two different choices to follow. The first choice involved education, which was accomplished through the five classics; the second method was through simple observation, letting life educate you (Lecture notes, November 3,2011) . These strategies represent moral force rather than physical force, and they cultivate human goodness. Along with these two ideas on how to cultivate human goodness, Confucius strictly believed that ritual, Li, would be the key to achieving good manners. The Master said, So long as the ruler loves ritual, the people will be easy to handle. (14. 44)† (Course Reader 3, p. 335) Confucius regulated his people through the religious rituals, rules, and by enforcing education with the intention that it would help cure his people of the corruption they have endured. Unlike the Daoist path, Confucius clearly had a smart approach on how to handle the current political situation in his country, by assuming ritual would put an end to current conflicts. If people were to follow the Daoist perspective on life it would lead to many conflicts due to the lack of control on people’s actions. These conflicts could grow into a more serious war between people, simply causing more suffering, which is why I would choose the Confucianist path over the path of Daoism. Even though Daoism would seem to cause more problems in society, some aspects of the religion are advantageous. Most people in life do not like to be dictated, and told what to do. Unlike Confucius the Daoists believe that forcing an act, such as educating yourself, is unnatural. Confucius dictated his followers to persevere in education, and this is a possible demand that some may not have followed as it was an act they were told and forced to follow in order to cultivate human goodness. The Daoists believe that going against this natural flow in life takes more vital energy, making the Daoist religion somewhat more plausible then Confucianism(Lecture notes, November 17,2011). But, the freedom in the Daoist religion may also be displeasing when it is looked at as a disadvantage. In Daoism, there is no harsh judgement on morality, meaning there is no good or bad, or right and wrong. The impact of this belief is evident when observing drastic situations such as wars, murders, and robberies. If there is no good or bad, society would have no morals when making decisions. This has a detrimental effect on the Daoist religion because the decisions people make in life could lead to large conflicts and suffering among people when they are made lacking morality. Confucianism on the other hand, lacks answers when the topic of the after-life comes up. Confucius never seemed to talk about the after-life, nor would he have an answer for someone if they were to have asked him about it. Till you know about the living, how are you to know about the dead? (11. 11)† (Course Reader 3, p. 342). Confucius avoided this topic and focused on current life issues, as he wanted to fix the current problems in his country. He looked up to the Duke of Chou, who was a politician, rather than a higher spiritual figure. This shows Confucius’ political rather than religious strategy to fix current problems around him (Lecture notes, Novemeber 8 2011). Confucianism demonstrates a weakness to it’s beliefs because as human beings we want to feel secure, and are curious about the afterlife. By not having an answer to what happens when we die, and by not having any views on the after-life, Confucianism neglects certain questions we want answered. From another point of view, Confucianism gives us exactly what we need to do in order to achieve human goodness. Confucius proposed two methods to cultivate goodness, education and simple observation. Confucianism is regulated, and unlike Daoism which can lead to chaos and disorder among people, the Confucianist path if followed correctly can lead to human goodness. Mencius also believed in goodness, because he taught his followers that all human beings are born good. Mencius believed in good and bad, and he described good as sympathetic compassion. Sympathetic compassion is the inability of humans to bare the suffering of others. Mencius also taught his followers that through education they can develop sympathetic compassion (Lecture notes, November 3,2011). The idea of human goodness, and the stability of a regulated religion based on ritual is what makes Confucianism more favourable. Despite the pros and cons mentioned for each religion, Confucianism is the better alternative due to its safe qualities. By following Confucianism there would be less worries about war and conflicts occurring due to choices made with the lack of morality. Confucianism would direct people towards the right direction in life, by teaching the followers how to cultivate human goodness. By cultivating human goodness, the Confucianist society would only ameliorate themselves as people. The path of Confucianism would be a strong and supportive religion to follow that would contribute to contentment for it’s followers along with those around them.

Biblical World View Essay Essay

In The Essence of the New Testament: A Survey, Towns and Gutierrez, the authors concur with other Biblical scholars understanding that â€Å"the teaching of Romans is not only crucial for Christian theology, but the greatest revivals and reformations throughout the history of Christianity have resulted from an increased understanding and application of the teaching of this epistle† This essay will attempt to summarize how the first 8 chapters of this amazingly written Book of Romans shapes my own personal Biblical worldview. I will first look at 4 areas in which Paul specifically presents clear evidence to his readers of the truth of the Gospel Message. The first area He presents is in regard to the natural world that surrounds all mankind. In Roman’s 1: 19,20 Paul writes â€Å"For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made. † I remember as a child in Sunday school that I was often taught about God by looking at natural world that surrounded me. The sunrise, the rainbow, the oceans and many more wonders that pointed me to a God who was not only very powerful but very loving, too. He gives us rain so the soil can produce food and sunlight to give warmth and water to provide life to every living thing He created. Paul presented this basic truth about God because all mankind can easily relate to the amazing natural world that affects his of her everyday life. God has created an amazing order to His World so man must know that the world they live in is a divine creation. Seeing God in nature is not only evidence for me that He is real, but also I see this natural world as another of the beautiful gifts that He gives us to enjoy. And for me, it is a strong reminder each day that God loves me. The second area Paul focuses on is our own human identity. Man’s identity is built on what he has clearly seen in nature. So, Paul quickly moves to point out that once humans have experienced God’s creation and they choose not to  honor Him â€Å"They are without excuse; for though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God of give thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened. † Romans1 :20-21. Paul goes on to list the many sinful ways of the darkened minds that chose not to honor God. The inspired list of sins that Paul declares leaves no room for any man to truly believe that he is without sin. It is in that list of sins that Paul shows the separation of all mankind from God. It is only in that place of acknowledgment of sin that man can begin to understand his or her human identity. My own human identity is shaped more and more each day as I choose to stand before God acknowledging that I am a sinner. I have a world view that is changing to become more understanding of the need to spread the Gospel message because of my increased awareness of my own sin nature. The third and forth areas of Paul’s writing in Romans builds on the first two. Now that mankind has had the obvious evidence of the existence of God in Nature, and now that mankind has seen that he fits somewhere on the list of behaviors that do not honor God, Paul moves on to point out the affects of ungodly living. Mankind began to worship idols, and humans turned against each other as the result of turning their hearts and minds against God. Because of mans’ choice to turn from God, the sinful nature of man was as plain to see in the culture of the day as was the nature of God was plain to see in the natural world He had created. Any man whose heart was not completely heartened could begin to see that Paul†s message about God was full of truth. When I look back at the times in my life when I have lived without God. Or when I live knowing Him without really realizing that He is in control, not me; I begin to feel the emptiness that living without Him brings to me and those around me. Not only emptiness, but sometimes total chaos due to lack of purpose. As I realize my own personal struggles with faith, I can see how this world needs a savior, too! Paul presents evidence of a people and of a culture that has turned from God. As the Jews put themselves above Greeks and dissension grew among so many different cultures, the will of God had become lost. Paul’s writing in Roman’s made clear what God’s will is for mankind. To summarize, Paul presented a biblical world view in Romans that no man could truthfully reject. God can be seen in nature. Just as God can be seen in nature so can the sinful nature of man be seen in culture we live in. All mankind knows this truth in their heart yet all men refuse to totally honor God. â€Å"Since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God;† Romans 3:23 Paul sets the stage for mankind to accept the Gospel message of forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ. Thank God for the inspired writing that is the Book of Romans. It can inspire all its’ reader to take a trip on the Roman Road to Salvation.

Filmography Notes on the Opening Scene of the Darjeeling Limited

Fast paced Indian music builds tension even before the opening credits have stopped rolling Establishing shot indian city, while not revealed as india at this point the viewer associates the architecture as foreign in some exotic location, one car on the road, depth created by background being out of focus and leading lines created by the road. High angle extreme long shot, zoom to reveal tracking shot of taxi cab and people in exotic attire and foreign style tricycle cabs, gives the viewer more information about setting while the tracking of the car establishes the subject of viewingInside the cab we have a rig attached to car on passenger side tracking shot representing the perspective of the passenger reveals the fare meter in the right third of the shot letting the viewer know that the car is a cab, the frame is balanced by cars and people on the left side of the street opposite the cab far meter, the frame quick pans to create a fast pacing and to reveal taxicab driver. he has a beard and is wearing a turban, a signifier of India from a western viewpoint, also is a frame within a frame because of drivers side window.From inside the car the camera is mounted on the dashboard of the cab to show the audience the passenger, Bill Murray. The taxi driver is placed in the left third while the passenger is placed in the right third, the cabs frame serves as leading lines creating depth in the frame His business man attire contrasts the taxicab driver's outfit and the setting, showing he is a foreigner in this country, the reckless maneuvering of the cab, honking and engine sounds, and the frantic look on his face tells the audience that the passenger is worried about being somewhere on time.Low angle tracking shot behind the car creates a tension and intensity by creating a feeling of the car moving faster as the camera moves further away, honking and motorcycle engine noise fading in and out create the illusion of the speed of the taxicab Close up on cab driver, then zooms in again to extreme close up to allow the audience to focus on the cab drivers intense focus, facial expressions help viewers to feel the emotions the director wishes to convey, here his intense expression and the background flying by in the frame of the window.Next shot is from bill Murray's perspective, over the shoulder shot over the cab driver looking out the center of the windshield as they race thru the busy city street, frame within a frame, shot is balanced by colorful awnings, signs, and tall buildings on the right and people in bright clothing walking on the opposite side of the street. The cab fare meter also rests on the bottom left to balance out the cab driver and steering wheel who are on the right.The camera then flips around to reveal the anxious look on bill Murray's face as he checks his watch again revealing that he is on some sort of deadline creating tension and fast pacing in the scene the back window is once again a frame within a frame and the cam era is placed at slightly below eye level, shot then switches to the cab drivers point of view though lowered to about his chest level, the steering wheel is revealed to have a symmetrical shrine like set up of beads and small paintings of people and a temple, the steering wheel frames the entire shrine like setup, the drivers hand is balanced by the red sticker on the right of the dashboard, outside of the windshield colorful and exotic scenery can be seen, shadows of cars created by natural lighting and the yellow guardrail separating the street create leading lines giving depth to the background.The next shot is a tracking shot at the front of the cab, the shot has incredible depth thanks to the leading lines of the buildings lining the street, frame centered on the taxicab as it barely misses motorcyclists and medians, close up on bill Murray's character placed in the right third of the shot, his face still showing distress, the camera then continues to bounce rapidly from the s ame shots in and around the cab to promote the sense of urgency until the cab pulls up to the entrance of a train station, the camera takes a static shot as the cab pulls in to be centered in the frame, people in vibrant Indian garb are placed evenly on either side of the car as It pulls in creating a well balanced closed frame with depth being created by the awning of the train station and the lines it creates, people also placed in foreground and background, otherwise flat frame, very still photo-like shotAs Murray's character exits the car the camera is positioned outside the cab and zoomed in on the face of the driver, the zoom is slowly pulled out to represent the movement of the subject as the passenger flees from the cab in too much of a hurry to pay, the cabbie angrily shakes his fist and screams in Indian, another indicator of setting in the opening scene The camera then follows Murray's character through the train station, in first a handheld tracking shot to create the ef fect of running like the character does and then a dolly tracking shot, people are placed in the foreground to create the feeling of crowdedness at the station and the camera follows keeping a 45 degree angle behind the subject to create leading lines in the station, the subject is also always kept in the right third to create a more interesting shot.At the ticket counter the camera is behind, people's heads cropped tightly in the frame to again create the feeling of crowdedness of the train station, the positioning of the camera gives the audience the feel of standing in line as Murray's character barges on and cuts to the front of the line saying â€Å"that's my train† finally reveals to the audience what the conflict is in this scene, pointing off screen, the characters actions and the cropping of people and the fence of the ticket counter create an open frame that leads to the next shot of the train pulling away from the station, then a sudden pan to the businessman runni ng into the frame, chasing the train ,to maintain the fast and urgent pacing. A handheld tracking shot follows Murray as he runs along the boarding platform after the train he was trying to catch, as Murray runs past the camera, the camera pans to follow behind him and reveals the train, moving slightly faster than the businessman can run The next shot then frames the back of the caboose and an Indian boy standing in the right third of the frame, the camera slowly tilts down to reveal the name of the train â€Å"the Darjeeling limited† and also the title of the movie An extreme close up profile of Murray's character as he screams wait! Wait!Murray's head hides a younger man, adrien Brody, who comes into view as he runs slightly faster past Murray. They exchange glances as brody outruns murray in a mad dash for the train. While the audience has been lead to believe that the businessman was the protagonist we were to follow on this adventure he instead falls behind Fast paced I ndian music cuts out and a slower song this time tomorrow by the kinks begins to play, the next shot is a slow motion dolly tracking shot following the train in the left third of the frame as brody's character, peter enters into the frame from the right, he catches up to the back of the train, throws his bags on, and hoists himself on the train.Natural light brightly illuminates the background, the shot is slightly over exposed to augment the intensity of the sun in the shot, His eyes can be seen looking off screen and then a close up reveals a sympathetic look on peters face, he pulls up his glasses showing that he is looking at something, the camera flips around to his perspective in a dolly shot or mount on the back of the train, the train tracks and boarding platform lead our eyes back to the businessman who has been left behind by the train, Murray's character looks exhausted and disgusted. Another close up of Peter, he smiles, grateful that he did not end up like the businessm an, also here we can see shadows closely, because of the natural lighting used throughout the lighting techniques were somewhat limited The slowing of the music and the slow motion shots bring the pacing of the film back down to the signature slow and deliberate pacing of Wes Anderson films

Swot of Nescafe

Background Nestle is a Swiss multinational company which was founded in 1866 and finally formed in 1905 by merging two companies, and it is the largest food company in the world which products include breakfast cereals, pet care, ice cream, bottled water, dairy products, baby foods, chocolate and confectionery, sports nutrition, weight management, food service, culinary, chilled and frozen food, healthcare nutrition, drinks as well as coffee, and it launches a presence in almost every country in the world.And it aims at providing good foods, beverages to customers in order to enhance their lives. As we found that Nestle has nearly 8000 brands in worldwide, we decided to focus on Nescafe which is launched in 1938, a brand of instant coffee. The first instant coffee has been developed for seven years, and it has a huge successful after launching during World War II period. And it can be found in 43 countries in worldwide. And it has different types of products in Nescafe, for instance: single serve coffee, house blend, instant coffee in jars and aluminum packs, etc.It has also launched a coffee machine lately which is greatly helpful in expanding their market share in coffee market. Strengths As Nestle is a well known brand in the world, which means it has a certain and broad geographic coverage in world, so this is good for Nescafe to make any further development and it is believed that Nescafe is the major player in coffee market and it has a strong brand names because of associating with Nestle which has mass market share in the world.Besides, Nescafe has various products in different flavor and packing which can be fit into different market segment, for example, it has house blend coffee for customers who can make coffee at home whenever they want, also instant coffee in jars and aluminum packs which offer customers an experience in drinking coffee in everywhere at anytime. Moreover, Nescafe has a great position as UK’s No. 1 soluble coffee brand also dominant instant coffee market in some countries. So it has a certain amount of loyal customers and good word of mouth is guaranteed.Nevertheless, Nescafe is set at a reasonable price that consumers can afford it easily and it can attract more new customers. Weaknesses Although Nescafe has quite a lot of strength, it still has its weaknesses which are coffee market is nearly saturated and people starts concerning health problems; it is because Nescafe has already been introduced coffee in different forms which are no more new forms can be found, which means Nescafe can only expand their market share by extending the product line.Moreover, it has been recently claimed that caffeine is a central nervous system and metabolic stimulant and it has physically and psychological effect on people if consuming too much; and this can be found in coffee, thus, it may cause a decrease in consumption in coffee as people start caring health problems. Opportunity Even if Nescafe has a big success i n coffee market, there are always many opportunities waiting for it.As I have mentioned before that people start concerning their health problem, it will be a weakness also an opportunity for Nescafe. And it is believed that it will be new and long lasting trend for Nescafe to introduce some new kind of coffee, for example, it has already been launched sugar free coffee, it may also develop organic coffee bean or else coffee which has lower caffeine. Furthermore, Nescafe can open up a Nescafe store which is operating like Starbucks or Pacific coffee company.Actually it is a potential opportunity for Nescafe to maximize its profit and increase its market share, because it can sell Nescafe’s products in the store, also adding some food or new flavor of coffee for consumers. On the other hands, Nescafe should keep tracking on the latest trend which is helpful for it to innovate new flavors which can win acceptance, for examples, developing a new flavor like green tea latte in wh atever form. It will definitely gain consumers’ attention and keep strengthening customers’ loyalty.Last but not least, Nescafe can try to tie-up with some restaurants to provide its products, in order to spread its product all over the world and customers can buy and enjoy it everywhere. Threat Somehow, Nescafe is facing some threats like Starbucks which is an experienced and well known coffee shop that may drag its market share away. Besides, some coffee lovers may in love with the freshness of Starbucks which is selling just in time coffee.Plus, there will always be some instant coffee brands with relatively lower price; it is affecting Nescafe that some instant coffee lovers would like to choose the brands according to price instead of quality. And now the world is facing inflation, so does Nescafe is confronting the same problem. It is because inflation leads the cost of Nescafe rise, and Nescafe have to balance between cost and quality which it cannot lower the q uality standard to decrease the cost. Vice versa, it has a rising cost caused by keeping good quality standard.

The State Of The Lebanese Curriculum Education Essay

On Tuesday April 18, 1996 Israeli 155mm mortars shelled UNIFIL ‘s Fiji BATT compound in the small town of Qana few kilometres south E of Tyre in Southern Lebanon. Around 800 civilians had taken safety at the base. The organic structures of 102 Arab civilian work forces, adult females and kids were shattered to pieces. Many similar accidents had occurred in the past, but this one was different. It triggered protests and presentations against the Israeli ground forces which has been busying Lebanon since March 14, 1978. During and since these events, the Lebanese acted as united and cohesive people, fighting to make the same end of release, and to bask its fruits – a free and incorporate state. Four old ages subsequently, the Israeli military personnels moved out of the country and May 25, 2000, was declared a national vacation in jubilation of opposition and release. Each twelvemonth, activities and visits are paid to the grave of the Qana slaughter victims, in memorialization of the 18th of April. Crowds of citizens, intellectuals and pupils from different countries of Lebanon visit the sufferer ‘ graveyard in Qana on the said juncture. The purpose is to supply approaching coevalss with cognition bases, good for the building of a hereafter rich in its national didactic lessons, peculiarly the national battle heroic poem against business. As a Lebanese, I truly acknowledge the function the Lebanese have ever played in engaging a war against the business of our land and resources. However, I am critical of the Lebanese course of study which has been meaningless and non built on facets and issues of the Lebanese world. I am even more critical of the insensitive and unresponsive nature of the math course of study we teach and survey, at least in the schools and universities in Lebanon, which is inactive and does n't experience anything of its milieus. There is no uncertainty about the extent of harm caused by many old ages of business in our instruction in Lebanon. Most significantly we are non able to cover with Western mathematics which is described by Bishop ( 1990 ) as â€Å" one of the most powerful arms in the infliction of Western civilization † . ( p. 52 ) Although the â€Å" business † of our land is an highly serious issue, the biggest danger we presently face is the battle for stoping the â€Å" business of our heads † because â€Å" The most powerful arm in the custodies of the oppressor is the head of the oppressed † ( Freire, 1970, p.14 ) . Since the development age was launched by Truman more than 50 old ages ago ( through declaring all societies outside the Western universe â€Å" developing † and, therefore, in demand of â€Å" aid † to â€Å" develop † them ) , mathematics instruction, development plans, and scientific cognition have been the chief tools used in interrupting the dorsum of societies. I was born in Beirut, Lebanon. Except for a few old ages when I had to travel out and work, I have lived all my life in Lebanon. When I was born, the Gallic system of Education was used because, for some clip, we have been colonized by France. After 1968, the British and American course of study became the course of study in schools. Since 2000, and after the terminal of the civil war in Lebanon, a so called â€Å" Lebanese new course of study † has been in the procedure of being developed. The intent of this paper is to cast some visible radiation on the Lebanese mathematics curriculum from a socio political position and to foreground some issues that defined and confined the Lebanese experience of learning math in schools. Specifically, I would wish to analyze what â€Å" business of heads † means in mathematics course of study and besides how â€Å" business † is reflected in the history of mathematics instruction in Lebanon. My peculiar attractive force to the impression of â€Å" business † lies in the fact that our heads have been controlled in Lebanon by restricting the options and options in how mathematics was taught and learned in the yesteryear. I am cognizant of this fact because of my past experience as both a pupil and instructor of mathematics in Lebanese schools every bit good as in other schools in the Middle East. We have been directed and driven so that we are unable to see possible options and options in both our instruction and acquisition of mathematics. The nature of mathematics learning has been such that pupils are non encouraged to talk up and show their different ( and sometimes opposing ) points of position and to admit the right of others to take his/her ain point of position.OBJECTIVES OF TEACHING MATHEMATICS IN LEBANONIn Lebanon ( besides true in many topographic points particularly the developing or Third World Countries ) , we are committed to a position of mathematics as a scientific discipline that is absolute and unconditioned. We have considered mathematics to be a complete system stand foring nonsubjective, ageless truths. In his chapter, Math, Culture and Authority, Fasheh ( 1997 ) excellently gives a vivid, thick description of how math, in Third universe states, â€Å" aˆÂ ¦.is normally taught as a set of regulations and expressions that pupils have to memorise, and a set of problems-usually absurd to students- that they must work out † ( p.275 ) . This is every bit true for the Lebanese schoolroom and Lebanese course of study which is extremely compartmentalized and decontextualized. Teachers are the exclusive authorization in the schoolroom every bit good as the major beginning of mathematical cognition dictated as a set of nonnegotiable regulations and processs that challenge topographic point and clip. In short, mathematics course of study is considered as the unquestionable hegemony which is to be followed and respected by both pupils and instructors. Reflecting on the province of the field, a closer expression at the history of how findings from international proving led many states to oppugn the substance of their school course of study and how this testing has led to divisions and wars been what the best math course of study for the twenty-first century is, confirms the incontrovertible position that when political relations intervene in instruction worldwide, the good intended messages are lost. Possibly a well known illustration is the California math Wars where terrible diminution in the sum of educational budgets made it more purposive the usage of standards-based appraisals as a motivation for acquiring more support, the beginning being private organisations.RETHINKING MATHEMATICAL KNOWLEDGE: ETHNOMATHEMATICSâ€Å" A common misconception in the instruction of math has been, and still is, the belief that math can be taught efficaciously and meaningfully without associating it to civilization or to the single pupil † ( Fasheh, 1997, P. 281 ) . Extensive research acknowledges the function that civilization dramas in act uponing the manner people see things and understand constructs. This, and non the trouble of the topic, impacted the position that math is nonmeaningful, stiff and beyond one ‘s apprehension. â€Å" Math can be used to emphasize one ‘s ain civilization with its particular and beautiful features. At the same clip, math can be used to do one aware of the drawbacks in one ‘s ain civilization and attempt to get the better of them † . ( Fasheh, 1997, P. 284 ) . My ain experience, and the experience of many others that I knew or read about, made me progressively believe in the sociopolitical facet of math as a tool to stamp down and rule minorities in the universe. Mathematicss has played an of import portion in globalisation ( English, 2002 ) . First, the topic itself is a merchandise of centuries of cultural exchange between East and West. In the head of many, it has achieved a position of an international linguistic communication independent of cultural association and context of development. The similarity of many mathematics instruction plans around the universe is partially a merchandise of this thought. Second, besides mathematics is seen as a ticket for draw a bead oning persons and states for technological, and therefore economic, development. This image of mathematics promotes the copying of course of study from the economically more successful to the less successful states. Further, the position of mathematics in the course of study is similar in many states where it is given a particular importance, 2nd merely, if non equal, to linguistic communication instruction. In many states mathematics is tied to scientific, technological, and therefore to economic development. Undoubtedly, these similarities have added ammo to the often-expressed position that mathematics is a â€Å" cosmopolitan linguistic communication † . These similarities have given rise to the term â€Å" planetary course of study † in mathematics instruction.The Role of EthnomathematicsFrom prehistoric ages, worlds have been roll uping cognition to react to their thrusts and demands. Such responses vary from part to part, from civilization to civilization ( Bishop, 1990 ) . Possibly the most of import philosophical difference between a traditional and an ethnomathematical position is that ethnomathematics recognizes, encourages, and awards the belief that all people do mathe matics within their ain unique and personal context, and that this ability may take many signifiers ( Borba, 1997 ) . Indeed it emerges from within each person through their single interaction with their cultural and physical environment. It besides recognizes that everyone does mathematics, hence there is no such thing as a non-math individual – ethnomathematics is closely tied to issues of entree and equity ( Anderson, 1997 ) . In his chapter, Ethnomathemtics and Education, Borba envisions â€Å" ethnoknowledge † as the starting point for the pedagogical procedure in which pupils ‘ cognition is â€Å" compared with the ( ethno ) cognition developed by the academic subjects in a manner that this academic cognition can besides be seen as culturally bounded † ( p. 269 ) . Harmonizing to Borba, this study can be accomplished by pupils and instructors discoursing â€Å" the efficiency and relevancy of different sorts of cognition in different contexts † ( p. 269-270 ) . It is going clear in the heads of many the fact that instruction has transformed cognition and larning into trade goods, and pupils and instructors into consumers ( Kilpatrick, 2003 ) .I still retrieve how my female parent, run uping apparels for us and for our friends, used mathematics unwittingly in her pattern. She used to routinely take rectangles of cloth and with few measurings turn them into beautiful, absolutely fitted vesture. The mathematics she was utilizing was beyond my comprehension. Sing her mathematics in context made me understand my mathematics in context, the context of intent, significance, and power. I feel that my female parent was much freer than me. She learned by detecting, making, reflecting, associating, and bring forthing. She constructed her ain apprehension. In contrast, I was an impersonator, work outing jobs, most of which have been solved for a trillion times, in tiring repeat in schools around the universe for the past 100 old ages at least. While sh e was invariably involved in the human facet of math, my cognition and thought were confined chiefly to text editions, which I studied and taught. Detecting my female parent ‘s math and cognition helped me detect how deeply my cognition was entrenched in text edition during my surveies, and during my instruction. As a consequence of colonial instruction, in Lebanon and in other Third universe states as good, we come to see mathematics by and large as a merchandise of the West. The addled course of study organ transplant -during the 1960's- from the extremely industrialized states to ‘Third World ‘ states reinforced this image. Although, during the 1970 ‘s and 1980 ‘s, there emerged among instructors and mathematics pedagogues in developing states, a turning opposition against the Eurocentrism, ( Powell & A ; Frankenstein, 1997 ) , in Lebanon this misconception is accentuated due to the unstable political clime that swayed Middle East part up-to-date.What can be done?In an effort to reform our math instruction and acquisition, we are in the procedure of constructing a new math course of study which extremely acknowledges criterions put forth by NCTM. We are now, more than of all time, aware of the importance of stressing job posing/problem-solving attacks to larn, curri culum dialogue and incorporate course of study planning supported by appropriate appraisal schemes including non-competitive appraisal. I would wish to visualize that in the future our teaching method could be community – based and community focused and that it helps develop the pupils ‘ accomplishments in the defense mechanism, care and farther development of our rational heritage and civilization. The position and intent of math course of study is closely linked with the different socio-political ambiances that reign from one state to another. While we, as Lebanese, view math as an indispensable tool for release from the business of land and head, others see it as a agency to remain in front in the battle for political power. In Lebanon, now, we are fighting to specify ourselves through reflecting on our lives, and seeking to show that in every bit many signifiers as we have in our â€Å" dirts of civilizations, † and through discoursing what we do and what we are. In the concluding analysis, a chief issue is to specify ourselves or else be defined by others.