Beginning and Ending Your Speech

Beginning and Ending Your Speech Since the introduction will be your audience's first impression of your presentation and your conclusion will be the final impression you leave your audience with, it is important to spend time writing and practicing both the introduction and conclusion. If you successfully get through the introduction of your speech, it improves the chances you will have a successful speech overall. First, because it will set the tone for the rest of your speech and second, because it will be a boost to your confidence.For both the informative and persuasive speech, you will have your Central Idea Statement at the end of the introduction and at the beginning of the conclusion (with a change in verb tense in the conclusion). For each speech, both the introduction and conclusion should be about a minute to a minute and a half long. If yours is longer or shorter in practice, work on adjusting it. You should not start your informative or persuasive speech with â€Å"Hel lo, my name is†¦.. † instead, start right into the professional introduction as you have created it.Your introduction for both the informative and persuasive needs to have all five elements: 1. It should get the audience's attention and interest You could do this using any of the following techniques (you might use more than one but not all seven). a. State the Importance of Your Topic Explain to your audience how important your topic is to them or the seriousness of your topic. This might include statistics or reports concerning your topic. b. Startle the Audience You might choose something that startles them, such as popping a balloon to talk about air noise.But you should not scare or terrify them. c. Arouse the Curiosity of the Audience You might start with a riddle of some sort to reveal the topic or talk about the topic in a way that leaves the topic a mystery at first. d. Question the Audience You might start by asking your audience rhetorical questions (questions you are not expecting them to answer verbal, but instead, in their own mind). e. Begin with a Quotation You might start with a quotation that somehow leads to the topic. f. Tell a StoryTell the audience a story (either actual or composite) that reveals the nature of your topic. g. Relate the Topic to Current Events You might explain how your topic is related to something that has recently happened in the news. 2. Relate the Topic to the Audience Tell your audience why they should listen to your speech; why this particular topic should be of interest to your audience. If you can't relate your topic to your audience, then why are you having them listen to it? 3. Reveal the Topic Make sure your audience is clear exactly what topic you will be discussing.It may seem obvious to you by the story you have told or the quotation you have shared, but it might not be to them. 4. Establish Credibility and Goodwill This can be difficult for a new speaker or a speaker that is unknown to the audie nce and consequently doesn't have a reputation with the audience. One of the main ways to start off establishing credibility with an audience is through professional dress (referred to as initial credibility). This way at the start, your audience has a good impression of you.In regard to the spoken introduction, explaining to your audience any association you have to your topic will help with credibility (â€Å"for the past four years I've been involved with Civil War reenactments†). If you decided on the topic simply because it was of interest to you, stating that is a good way to establish credibility (â€Å"when I first started doing research for this speech, I didn't think much about the dollar bill, but through my research I was amazed how much history there is behind this piece of paper we all use every day†).Establishing goodwill is establishing that you want to help your audience understand your topic; you have concern for their learning. You might do this by a ddressing their concerns about the topic (â€Å"I know many of you might be oppose to school vouchers but I hope you will keep an open mind about the issues I would like to discuss with you today† or â€Å"I know you might have struggled through a math class but I hope to show you how math can be a form of artwork†). 5. Preview the Body of the Speech For the most part your Central Idea Statement will fulfill this function.However, you may decide your topic needs even more of a preview than the CIS and want to add additional set up for your topic. Your conclusion for both the informative and persuasive needs to have all four elements: 1. Review the Body of the Speech For the most part your Central Idea Statement will fulfill this function. However, you may decide your topic needs even more of a review than the CIS and want to add additional conclusion for the topic. 2. It Should Relate to the Introduction Have your speech come full circle by relating to something you di scussed in the introduction.You can go back to any of the ways you got your audience's attention and interest. For example, you could finish a story you told in the introduction or go back to the questions you posed to your audience and answer them. 3. Call for Future Action in Regard to Your Topic While this seems more natural for a persuasive speech (â€Å"please go out and vote†), it can work for an informative also. You might ask them to learn more about your topic, or try the subject of your speech the next time they get a chance. â€Å"So the next time you go to see a movie, consider all the work that goes into editing a movie† or â€Å"Today I've told you some about The House on the Rock, if you'd like to learn even more, please check out the following books†¦. † or â€Å"The next time you find a spider, instead of running for the can of Raid, consider what an amazing architect you have in front of you†). 4. Give the Speech a Feeling of Conclu sion Your audience shouldn't be confused if your speech is concluding or not. You want to be sure to bring the speech to a clear and smooth ending.People are often so relieved to be finished with the speech (or they haven't spent time writing the ending) that they ruin a great speech with a terrible ending. Remember this is the final impression your audience will have of you and your speech. You should not end the speech with â€Å"thank you† since that implies that the audience was somehow doing you a favor by listening to your speech instead of listening because it was a good speech. Also, you shouldn't end with statements like, â€Å"that's it! or â€Å"that's all I have† since that just throws away the ending of the speech. Additionally, you shouldn't end with â€Å"are there any questions? † since there isn't a time set up for questions ; answers after your speech (so it is just another throw away ending). Another mistake to avoid is to start packing up or walking toward your seat during your conclusion. There is time for that after you speech. You should end your speech, in place, centered in front of your audience. You want to end your speech as strong as you started it. *** The End ****

Kudler Foods †Expanding their Business towards Catering

Kudler Fine Foods is a rapidly expanding public alimentation business in California. They organize their activity within three retail stores: the first in La Jolla, the second in Del Mar and the third one in Encinitas. Kudler products are mostly fine products, and the customers are being provided with numerous delicatessens. The net advantage that separates Kudler from other competitors is represented by the relatively low prices. Kudler’s policy is to insure the best quality of their products at affordable costs. After having registered impressive success on the market, Kudler is now considering launching into the catering business as well. This means that the producer would have to acquire additional space, employ certified chefs and distribute the food to several social events. Investing in such a business opportunity implies a multitude of risks. Therefore, prior to starting a catering business, marketing specialists need to analyze the market and develop a plan for the business. The Marketing Mix The marketing mix is a combination of four crucial elements, also known as the 4Ps: product, place, price and promotion. In order to insure the success of its strategy, the manager at Kudler Fine Foods needs to base his decisions on the effects that these four elements generate upon the targeted market. The Product The catering product offered by Kudler is a complex one as it is both a product as well as it is   service. The product is represented by the actual food presented to the customer and the services are the making of the food and its delivery to the address requested by the customer. Regarding the product, the manager has to make several decisions, such as: brand name, functionality, styling, safety, quality, packaging, warranty, accessories and services. (NetMBA, Business Knowledge Center). The Kudler catering products are mostly designed for two occasions: social events and lunch meals for employees. The main characteristics of both types of products are similar, in the meaning that they are meant to appease one's hunger. However, in the case of employee lunch, the foods would have a simple consistence whereas in the case of social events, the order would be more sophisticated,   consisting of numerous delicatessens, rare appetizers and desserts. The catering products would be distributed under the name and exclusive approval of Kudler Fine Foods Inc. The quality of the products would be in perfect accordance with the rename gained so far by Kudler: high and irreproachable quality. The packaging of the food would be Kudler's responsibility and they would contract a company specialized in manufacturing packages. These could be personalized for each occasion and they would definitely have written on them the the caterer's name and contact details. The warranty of alimentation products is a sensitive issue within caterers and their clients. Considering that the products are prone to rapidly deteriorate if kept in inappropriate conditions, the supplier has the moral and legal obligation to inform the customer of the conditions in which to properly preserve the food. If the customer respects the supplier's indications and the food still goes bad, the caterer will either replace it, either return the customer their money. Finally, the accessories and services provided by Kudler could include additional spice, pickles and drinks, dishes and table linens or trained personnel to wait on the quests. The additional charge for these accessories and services would be pre approved by both customer and caterer. The price of the products When it comes to determining the price of the catering products, the manager needs to decide upon several issues, among which are: pricing strategy, suggested retail price, establishing the volume of discounts and wholesale pricing, cash and early payment discounts, seasonal pricing or price flexibility (NetMBA, Business Knowledge Center). In order for Kudler Catering to benefit of a successful launch and gain as many customers as possible, they should implement pricing with 5% lower from the prices promoted by their competitors. Such a strategy would not raise significant difficulties for Kudler as the community already acknowledges them as a provider of high quality products at decent cost. Therefore, the catering products would easily offer customers an effective report qualityprice. Even if the prices are to be lower than those promoted by competitors, they should be established based on the company's costs. In this order of ideas, the price of the products would enable the producer to financially remunerate their staff, pay all fiscal obligations towards the state, repay the supply debts, grant the ability for further material purchase and insure a significant profit. For a successful promotion of the products, Kudler would also grant their customer several discounts. The usual remuneration method would consist of an advance of 25 to 50%, and a further payment upon the delivery. However, if the customer is willing to allocate the supplier the entire amount of money instead of just the advance, the caterer would grant them a 5 to 10% discount (depending on the amount of the ordered products). Place Placing the products implies finding appropriate means and channels for successfully distributing them. The Kudler Fine Foods manager has to decide upon the following problems: distribution channels, market coverage, specific channel members, inventory management, warehousing, distribution centers, order processing and transportation (NetMBA, Business Knowledge Center). The catering products would be manufactured and initially stored within Kudler's space. An hour prior to the event for which the products were ordered, the caterer would have them transported to the customer where they would be prepared for the guests. The order processing and transportation would be entirely the responsibility of the producer. Promotion Promoting the catering products on the market implies a constant communication with the target audience and the means of getting their attention and generating a positive attitude towards the products. Among the issues regarding promotion are: promotional strategy, advertising, personal selling and sales force, public relations and publicity (NetMBA, Business Knowledge Center). Kudler would use most of the available media channels for promoting their new business. They could contract an advertising company to be in charge of their promotional campaign. They could develop commercial advertisements that could be seen on television or radio announcements. Also, they could order spreading out fliers and organize sampling sessions. Aside from the advertising campaign, the producer would establish a 24 hour PR department in charge of receiving telephone calls from customers. Kudler employees would register all requests and complaints from clients and forward them to their colleagues and superiors. Target market and technology The Kudler catering target market is composed of two categories: organizers of social events and company managers who wish to order the products for their employees' lunch. The second category is a less pretentious one and does not require highly specialized production technology. On the other hand, catering for social events demands hi-tech gadgets and a high quality of the foods served. In order to successfully cater social events, Kudler needs to posses several hi-tech devices such as highly specialized kitchen and industrial robots. Not only do these machines improve the overall quality of the final products, but they also save a significant amount of time and energy for the producer. Kudler catering and organic growers For several years now, the usage of organic growers in cultivating agricultural products has been a widely disputed issue around the globe. Supporters of organic growers argue that the quality of the resulted vegetables is significantly better than the quality of the vegetables grew in the classical method. Moreover, they state that the organically grew vegetables have better chances of developing in unfriendly weather and soil conditions. They say that â€Å"organic crops perform up to 100 percent better in drought and flood years† (The New Farm Research). On the other hand, disclaimers of the artificial soil fatteners argue that organically grew vegetables generate negative effects upon the consumer's health. They believe that long term exposure to organic growers could lead to incurable diseases and even death. Given the multitude of arguments in favor and against organic growers, the reactions of Kudler's customers would be diverse: some would agree, some would disagree and some would be indifferent. In order to satisfy their clientà ¨le, the catering company could discuss this issue with the order deponent and allow them the choice of the kinds of products and vegetables to be used for their event. Conclusions Kudler Fine Foods is a company that has, in a relatively short time, gained the trust and respect of customers. With their three stores opened in California, they proved their commitment and understanding towards the clients' needs by presenting them with high quality products at decent prices. Today, Kudler is considering launching their company onto the catering market. By maintaining their effective report of price and quality, aided by their acknowledged reputation and the support of a well trained marketing team, Kudler is prone to register successful outcomes. Bibliography: ? NetMBA, Business Knowledge Center, Marketing Mix, 2002 – 2006 http://www.netmba.com/marketing/mix/, last accessed on October 7, 2006 ? The New Farm Research,  Ã‚   Organic crops perform up to 100 percent better in drought and flood years, posted on November 7, 2003 http://www.newfarm.org/depts/NFfield_trials/1103/droughtresearch.shtml, last accessed on October 7, 2006 ? Varsity Essays, Kudler Fine Foods Proposal, 2006 http://www.varsityessays.com/essays/63026.html, last accessed on October 7, 2006                                    

Mini biography of rachel mcadams

Rachel McAdams was raised in St. Thomas, Ontario. Get downing at the age of four, she competed in figure skating. By the age of 13, she was executing in Shakespearian productions in summer theatre cantonment. In high school, McAdams intended to use to college to analyze cultural surveies, because analyzing theatre would be â€Å"a spot of a joke† . At the last minute, a play instructor encouraged her to try out to be a play major. She finally majored in theatre at York University and graduated with awards and a B.F.A. grade. She began her professional on-screen calling with an visual aspect on the Disney series â€Å"The Famous Jett Jackson† ( 1998 ) followed by a pilot for MTV. After a few more movies, she hit it large after her visual aspect in the hits Mean Girls ( 2004 ) and The Notebook ( 2004 ) .IMDb Mini Biography By: jatzaTrivialityAttended Original Kids Theatre Company in London, Ontario. Her male parent, Lance, is a truck driver and her female parent, Sandy, is a nurse. She has a younger sister, Kayleen McAdams, and a younger brother, Daniel. Born in the same infirmary as The Notebook ( 2004 ) co-star Ryan Gosling in St. Joseph ‘s Hospital, London, Ontario. In 1995, she received an moving award for her function in the one-act high school play â€Å"I Live in a Small Town† when it was presented at the esteemed Ontario Showcase at the Sears Drama Festival. Studied theatre at York University in Toronto, where she appeared in legion phase and pupil movie productions. During her senior twelvemonth, she played a kid in â€Å"The Piper† , a workshop led by a originative squad from Toronto ‘s Necessary Angel Theatre Company. Worked at a McDonald ‘s for three summers with her sister, Kayleen McAdams, and her brother, Dan McAdams. Was told to partially pattern the character of Regina George after Alec Baldwin ‘s public presentation in Glengarry Glen Ross ( 1992 ) . Received a record five MTV Movie Award nominations in a individual twelvemonth. Graduated from York University in Toronto with awards & A ; a B.F.A. in theatre Once a vegetarian. She donated many signed head-shots to Rocky Stone to be auctioned off to raise money to purchase more playthings for less fortunate childs as portion of the Toy Mountain Campaign. Is of Irish descent. Attended David Rothenberg ‘s on-camera moving category in Toronto with fellow histrions Scott Speedman, Kenneth Mitchell, Polly Shannon and David Sutcliffe. In December 2005, she was # 1 on MuchMusic ‘s â€Å"Who To Make: 20 Sexiest Girls† list. This list is aired each twelvemonth, and there is besides a separate list for cats. Named # 14 on the Maxim magazine Hot 100 of 2005 list. Met her fellow, Ryan Gosling, on the set of The Notebook ( 2004 ) . Ranked # 17 on Maxim ‘s hot list 2006. Considered for the function of Susan Storm/Invisible Girl in Fantastic Four ( 2005 ) . Named # 51 in FHM magazine ‘s â€Å"100 Sexiest Women in the World 2006† addendum. ( 2006 ) . While a pupil at York University, she lived in the same â€Å"house† as Ron Sparks in Vanier Residence. Had to turn down the female lead in The Last Kiss ( 2006 ) due to scheduling struggles. The function was finally given to Jacinda Barrett. Was considered for the function of Vesper Lynd in Casino Royale ( 2006 ) , before the function was given to Eva Green. She was voted the # 101 on FHS ‘s list of Sexiest Women in the World ( 2005 ) . Is a vegetarian once more. Lifes in the popular Los Angeles vicinity of Silverlake. Other Silverlake locals include Beck, Bo Barrett, Christina Ricci, Jason Lee and Ryan Gosling. Older sister of Kayleen McAdams. Split with Ryan Gosling. [ Mid-2007 ] Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in movie history ( # 68 ) . [ 2007 ] . Has a Canis familiaris named George, which she shared with Ryan Gosling. Has of course blond hair. She does n't have a auto. As portion of her day-to-day part to assist conserve energy, she rides her motorcycle or takes the coach. Co-founder of www.greenissexy.org, a web site which helps raise consciousness about the environment. Was Jon Favreau ‘s first pick to play Pepper Potts in Iron Man ( 2008 ) , but she turned the function down. Likes shopping at Vintage vesture shops. Auditioned for the function of Cady in Mean Girls ( 2004 ) , but the portion went to Lindsay Lohan alternatively. Avoided winging aeroplanes until age 22. Auditioned for the function of Sophie for the musical Mamma Mia! ( 2008 ) but lost out to actress Amanda Seyfried. Seyfried had lost out to McAdams antecedently for the function of Regina when they both co-starred in Mean Girls ( 2004 ) . Reunited with former fiance Ryan Gosling ( August 2008 ) . Has one time once more called it quits with former fiance Ryan Gosling [ November 2008 ] . Her favorite actresses include: Joan Cusack, Juliette Lewis, Kate Winslet and Samantha Morton. She besides considers Elizabeth Taylor and Audrey Hepburn to be her function theoretical accounts. She would love to work with Daniel Day-Lewis, James Franco and Sam Rockwell. She is allergic to Equus caballuss. Learned to drive after a bike accident. Learned to appreciate rugger from Russell Crowe.Personal Quotation marksEqually unusual as film devising is, making love scenes for the first clip with person you ‘ve ne'er even said hullo to does work in footings of holding a fresh quality to a relationship. It takes a batch of clip, committedness and a pick. I ‘ve chosen this way, but it ‘s non to state I ‘m non unfastened to love or whatever comes my manner. You ne'er close doors. The craziest thing I ‘ve of all time done to acquire a cat ‘s attending? I admit I stalked person. I showed up at a eating house where I knew the cat worked, and we were really good friends and had lost touch, and I pretended that I did n't cognize he worked at that place. And so ran into him and, â€Å"Oh my God, you work here? I had no idea.† It ‘s the most manipulative thing I ‘ve done in my full life, but it all worked out really good, so I have no declinations. Yeah. I still live in Canada, so it ‘s non rather the same. And when I ‘m in L.A. , I ‘m in a auto ; you do n't hold the contact with the populace. It ‘s non so bad. It ‘s still reasonably much the same. I still experience reasonably normal-ish. The most romantic thing, a lovely boy bought me a frock one time. He got my measurings, really they were from The Notebook ( 2004 ) and I had them sitting someplace, and he found them and bought me this frock, bespoke, this beautiful small black cocktail frock. And I thought that was really, really posh. I want to seek a batch of things that I have n't tried. You know, I did a thriller ( Red Eye ( 2005 ) ) after this, because it was so different and it was a genre I had n't worked in yet. Then I did a beautiful household ensemble play. And following? I do n't cognize. I might travel off to make a little independent in New York. I ‘m non certain. The quality of stuff is of import but, fundamentally, I ‘m unfastened to anything. I like to remain unfastened to anything. A friend of mine had this great theory about the â€Å"Teletubbies† ( 1997 ) , that it ‘s fixing us for being mindless. And acquiring us ready for life in an belowground universe. When they build the belowground universe because we can no longer take a breath the air that it will look like Teletubbie land. I do n't cognize, I like to travel on truly different types of day of the months. Traveling someplace new or some new portion of the metropolis, something that ‘s non your mean thing. Something where you merely travel have an escapade together. I guess you have to be truly unfastened to your moving spouses and believe in the narrative. I have a certain wonder for life that drives me and impel me frontward. I one time made a ( it was supposed to be a 30-minute ) bean salad that took me like 6 hours. I want to work with great managers and seek non to set excessively much force per unit area on myself and merely read things for the narrative and acknowledge when I ‘m drawn to something for the right grounds and seek to keep some saneness. I ‘ve discovered as I ‘ve grown up that life is far more complicated than you think it is when you ‘re a child. It is n't merely a straight-forward fairy tale. I ‘ve kind of heard that â€Å"it† girl thing, but non truly. Hearing it from a few people does n't solidify it in my head and I would n't cognize how to solidify that rubric. It ‘s so elusive and what does it intend, I do n't cognize? I ‘ll set on a hood stone T-shirt, a '50s manner skirt, and a brace of flip-flops. I like to engage a whole clump of things together. I ‘m a chump for those sweeping love narratives. When I read the book ( The Notebook ( 2004 ) ) , I could n't halt shouting! I merely had such a powerful, instantaneous reaction – it was written so good. I was non popular in high school, I know every actress says that, but truly, I was a large geek. Paramount sent them nine-foot-high ( theater anteroom ) cutouts of me. They say, â€Å"You do n't hold to come place, we ‘ve got you in every room of the house! † Most of the clip, people will merely go through me by, or if they do recognize, they ‘ll state something like, â€Å"My girlfriend said that was you, but I did n't believe her.† I did ( preparation in ) tennis, concert dance, swing dance, piano, art category and etiquette. I besides did Gallic idiom, but so it was blending me up with my Southern idiom, so we stuck to Southern! I wanted to be a secretary, I love paper cartridge holders and stapling machines. If I hurt person, if I were to by chance jab person ‘s oculus out, I would laugh. And so I ‘d state, ‘I ‘m regretful, I truly do experience bad, ‘ but so I ‘m on the floor peal. Yeah. I still live in Canada, so it ‘s non rather the same. And when I ‘m in L.A. , I ‘m in a auto ; you do n't hold the contact with the populace. It ‘s non so bad. It ‘s still reasonably much the same. I still experience reasonably normal-ish. I ‘ve been really lucky so far. I have n't had any bad experiences every bit far as fan brushs. They do n't truly acknowledge me. I think it has to make with my hair. I change it all the clip. I like altering my hair colour and sometimes it ‘s merely non for a function. Normally, I merely do it for me. I guess each relationship is different. That ‘s what I love about relationships. Even when they end, you ‘ve learned so really much, so much to take into your following relationship and to take into your life. It ‘s the greatest thing that comes out of an stoping – so it depends on the individual. – On what she learned about herself when her relationship with Ryan Gosling ended I would love to hold childs someday ; I really ca n't conceive of non holding them. My parents have been married for 36 old ages. They [ Lance, a mover, and Sandy, a nurse ] have a pretty honest, straightforward relationship that I hope to hold myself. – On holding her ain childs someday You ne'er truly cognize the individual you ‘re kiping beside. You have a right to your secrets, but that ‘s really hard when you ‘re supposed to be person ‘s spouse. – On matrimony as a minefield of secrets, as suggested in Married Life What about nakedness in movies? Nudity for fictional characters is as normal and everyday as eating breakfast. What bothers me is our civilization ‘s compulsion with nakedness. It should n't be a large trade, but it is. I think this overemphasis with nakedness makes histrions nervous. There ‘s the concern about seeing one ‘s organic structure dissected, misrepresented, played and replayed on YouTube. – On nakedness in moviesSalaryMorning Glory ( 2010 ) $ 2,000,000The Time Traveler ‘s Wife ( 2009 ) $ 4,000,000Red Eye ( 2005 ) $ 1,000,000

Organizational Technology Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Organizational Technology Plan - Essay Example Those key objectives are: Continuously improving performances relating to environmental, health, and safety issues Reporting key data as often as possible to the public Operating various businesses and subsidiaries in a sustainable manner by having innovative products and services Making practices that benefit the environment, health, and safety of all a priority to benefit stakeholders. The driving force behind Eaton’s technological environment is sustainability. Eaton is committing to sustaining its practices through research of new technology, â€Å"green† technology, and the benefits that it can produce – for example, Eaton’s hydraulic systems are a combination of hybrid and electric powertrains that reduce emissions for the cars and trucks they are a part of. 2. Personal and organizational responsibilities for moral and ethical use of technology: Eaton has committed itself to holding every employee, in every office of every branch of its company accou ntable for any action, and was named in 2010 by the Ethisphere Institute as one of the world’s most ethical companies.

Critically analyse the courts' approach to the interpretation of the Essay

Critically analyse the courts' approach to the interpretation of the duty of disclosure contained in s.18 of the Marine Insurance Act 1906 - Essay Example One of the notable ways in which marine insurance differs from other kinds of contracts is in the difference between the way conditions and warranties are treated. While under contract law, the breaching of a contractual condition can lead to a repudiation of contract but a breach of warranty does not allow such repudiation because a warranty is not fundamental to a contract. With a marine insurance contract however, the conditions are reversed and certain implied warranties, such as ensuring that the ship being insured is sea worthy2, will become as capable of enforcement as a contractual condition, with the provision for voiding of the contract in the event of a breach. Where marine insurance is concerned, the contractual principle underlying such contracts is not that of Caveat Emptor (Buyer Beware) as in the usual contracts, rather these contracts are based upon the uberrimae fides which is the requirement of good faith from both sides, as a result of which all information pertaining to potential risks must be disclosed fully and a failure to do so would be construed as concealment of relevant information, which is a valid ground for an insurer to void an insurance contract. The duties of disclosure are embodied in sections 18 and 19 of the Marine Insurance Act of 1906. Section 18 is primarily concerned with the duty of disclosure that is due from the insured while section 19 concerns the duty of disclosure that fall upon an agent who in involved in the process of getting a party insured. Section 20 underlies the â€Å"expectation or belief† of honesty that is implicit in the duty of disclosure placed upon an insured, so that representations are to be made in good faith.3 Since the question of marine insurance generally arises among parties that are in the shipping business, there is an underlying assumption behind the duty of disclosure wherein the

Economic Geography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Economic Geography - Essay Example The first map shows the population distribution of the blacks in America by 1990. According to the department of commerce, there is a high concentration of blacks in states as Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee states (U.S Census Bureau 1). The population density of black in the states o Utah, Arizona and Colorado, however, is less than one per cent of the total population. The second map shows the population density, by state, in the America by 2010. The states of Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi have high density of population per square miles. Other states as Utah, Montana and Colorado have low population per square mile (U.S Census Bureau 1). The relationship between the two maps is the depiction that states occupied by blacks have high density of population per square miles. The black population is also concentrated in limited states compared to other races because of political seclusion of the blacks back in historical times. U.S. Census Bureau. 2010 Census Redistricting Data Summary File: United States and Puerto Rico Population Density by County or County Equivalent. 2010. Web. April 6, 2013.

Hospitality Industry and Environment Forces Essay

Hospitality Industry and Environment Forces - Essay Example In addition, diplomatic relations among governments have diverse effects on the hospitality industry. A government may choose, when it ascertains it is appropriate, to advise its citizens against visiting certain countries depending on how the prevailing diplomatic relations between the two nations. Economic factors influence the hospitality industry. A booming economy leaves a people with spare cash to spend on holidays. A weak economy presents, however, little cash flow to governments and relevant agencies that may lack the resources to invest in the hospitality industry. In addition, technology influences the hospitality industry. Tourists can enjoy their tours in many ways due to the advances in technology. Tourists can now film their adventurous trips and share their experiences with friends and family through social sites. Hotels can also provide booking services to their travelling clients online through their websites (Mok, Beverley and Jay 139). Surveillance and security provided in the hospitality industry have improved because of technology. There are fewer incidences of terrorist attacks targeting the hospitality industry because of technology applied in gathering and sharing intelligence by relevant agencies. Socio-cultural factors influence the hospitality industry. The manner in which local people interact with tourists determines their satisfaction levels. In addition, hospitable societies receive the highest number of tourists. Societies with unique cultural practices also attract many

Analytical response to a poem Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Analytical response to a poem - Essay Example The poet is successful in creating the nightmarish situation before the readers through the careful selection of images, symbols, allegories, diction, etc. and thereupon to indicate the situation of the world he lives in. "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; / Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, / The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere / The ceremony of innocence is drowned" (Yeats, lines 3-6) According to the speaker of the poem, the best people in the world lack all conviction, whereas the worst "are full of passionate intensity." Therefore, a reflective analysis of the poem "The Second Coming" by William Butler Yeats, it becomes lucid that the poet employs harsh imagery, powerful language, and strong symbolism in order to warn readers of a world in a chaotic downfall and the approach of the birth of an antichrist in a new two thousand year cycle. This paper undertakes a profound investigation of the use of imagery, symbolism, and poetic language in the poem "The Second Coming" in order to determine the main themes as well as aesthetic characteristics of the poem. The poem "The Second Coming" by WB Yeats belongs to the Modernist poetry and the poet has been effective in incorporating the various poetic techniques of the Modernist poetry. ... "Turning / and turn / ing in / the widen / ing gyre // The fal / con can / not hear / the fal / coner" (Yeats, lines 1-2) Significantly, the rhymes of the poem are haphazard too and there are only coincidental rhymes in the poem, such as "man" and "sun", apart from the two opening couplets of the poem. Thus, the major rhymes of the poem include "gyre" and "falconer", "hold" and "world", and "man" and "sun". The poem is written in two stanzas - the first one with eight lines and the second one with sixteen lines. In a reflective analysis of the imagery used by the poet in "The Second Coming", one recognizes that Yeats begins his prophetic poem with harsh and dark imagery which effectively conveys the message of the poet. The opening image of 'the widening gyre' which suggests the historical movement or trend started at the birth of Jesus Christ is figured as a falcon's towering and the images such as 'falcon', 'falconer', 'Mere anarchyloosed upon the world' etc indicates the kind of world that the poet lives in. Similarly, other images like 'blood-dimmed tide', 'ceremony of innocence', 'passionate intensity', 'the Second Coming', 'vast image out of Spiritus Mundi, 'shape with lion body and the head of a man', 'indignant desert birds', 'stony sleep', 'rocking cradle', etc help the author in effectively conveying his points. Therefore, the stunning, violent, harsh and dark imagery used in the poem makes it greatly appealing to the readers and the author efficiently communicates to the readers t hrough these images. The use of strong and convincing symbolism has made significant contribution to the success of "The Second Coming" which is Yeats' most

The film A Streetcar Named Desire from the silent film era through the Essay

The film A Streetcar Named Desire from the silent film era through the 1950s - Essay Example Stella is married to Stanley played by Marlon Brando and they are expecting a child. Stanley and Blanche are the two central characters of this movie. The story gradually becomes interesting as friction begins to develop between Stanley and Blanche. Stanley being an uncouth, randy, sweaty and rough character does not like Stella very much which ultimately leads to immoral and violent depictions in the movie. The movie received a lot of criticism upon its release regarding the vulgarity and decadence depicted in it. Brando’s performance as Stanley is hailed as one the best performances in the history of American cinema. Brando was able to represent the exact nature of Stanley in front of the viewers. Stanley had to be uncouth yet attractive to women and Marlon Brando was just the man for that. This paper will analyze Marlon Brando’s acting skills in this movie. Later on, these skills and tools will be associated with the method acting presented by Uta Hagen in her book R espect for Acting. Stanley wears shirts that reveal his muscles and sweat; he drinks and smokes in a greedy fashion yet he possesses a grace in his personality. He is gentle in his own sense. Brando played this character in very realistic manner. He gave the character true raw emotions. His style in this movie is said to have influenced the Hollywood film industry so much that it inspired many artists such as Sean Penn, Jack Nicholson and James Dean. Before Brando’s performance in this movie, no matter how violent the emotions in acting may be, audience could always spot a hint of modesty in it. Brando left a mark on acting style that was adopted by Hollywood and embraced by the audience immediately. Brando portrayed more than just the violent nature of the character. Every single action of the Brando in this character feels as real as his anger outbursts. Moreover, Brando was able to pull off this role with such delicacy that he left a lot of fragments of Stanley’s pe rsonality for the audience to interpret. There are instances where the audience cannot easily interpret the actions of Stanley because there is no apparent cause for the way he behaves and this makes the audience wonder about the life of the character which ultimately leads to the development of sympathy towards characters. The character shows that it has much more than just his raw violent outbursts and callous behavior (Ebert). Brando sank in this character so well that the audience could not view Stanley and Brando as two different individuals. In fact, Brando himself became the character and was soon associated with Stanley. The charms of his acting can be measured by the fact that the audience started learning to develop sympathy for film characters after this movie. Brando presented Stanley to the audience in a manner that would distress them but this distress is accompanied by enticement. The audience fell in love with a loathsome character. The charm of the character overpow ered them. Brando’s sexual appeal and charms superseded Stanley’s uncouth and rowdy behavior. If we take the audience out of picture, even then it would be hard to separate the two entities as they resolved well together. It seems that Brando did not make any effort playing this character. He was so at ease that it appears Stanley is a part of Brando’s personality. Such realistic acting comes from specific methodologies that involve the resolution of the character and the actor. Unlike the conventional acting of the rest of the cast of the movie, Brando’

Strategic management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Strategic management - Case Study Example The Business System Model is responsible for the current level of strategic performance of the company. In order to sustain in the highly competitive retail market, Starbucks has undertaken a comprehensive strategy of integrating its business ethics, values and principles in the area of customer service in order to tap the potentially high market demand. The emotional engagement talks about a third factor introduced by the company called the Starbucks Experience. The customer gets engaged emotionally with the offerings of Starbucks and treats it as the third place to visit after their home and office (Fitzroy and Herbert, 2007, p.48). Starbucks have been able to set up their retails shops in identified locations in the urban areas which can reach the largest number of customers. Apart from this, the current strategies also involve diversification of business to the area of financial services. Findings: external and internal analysis The internal and external analysis of Starbucks has been conducted with the help of analysis of data (given in Appendix) on the strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the company which are internal and external characteristics respectively of the organization. The analysis of the strengths of the company reveals that Starbucks is the largest coffee chain spread all over the world. The company has strong financials and the valuation of the coffee segment is $4billion. Starbucks experience is an influential factor in the business that has driven internal performance of the company to new heights (Hutt and  Speh, 2012, p.29). The Starbucks products are slightly high priced and are aimed at tapping the customers who are willing to pay slightly more for the Starbucks experience. This leads to loss of customer base for Starbucks. The negative publicity of Starbucks is also an area of weakness for the company. Key strategic issues/findings The strategic issues in the business of Starbucks could be found with the help of i nformation of the business and the industry trends (given in the Appendix). The dip in the performance of stock from 2008 to 2009 reveals that inevitable gaps between the business of the company and the industry trends have developed. This has also been reflected in the slowdown of revenues earned from 2008 to 2009 and in the profits earned from 2008 to 2009 and 2009 to 2010. The strategic issues that have been identified in the business of Starbucks are inability to control the rapid expansion of its retail coffee outlets (Jenster, Hayes and  Smith, 2005, p.68). The image of Starbucks have got diluted which was built among the up market consumers over the years. The retail coffee outlets that are competing with each other intensely are also eating up their market shares. This has resulted in the of the Starbucks experience which has led to the decline of Starbucks performance. Evaluation of options The options to reduce the gap between the business performance and the changes dev eloping in the industry could be evaluated with an objective to reduce the gaps in the business per

Journal 6 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Journal 6 - Essay Example The book suggests that the schools of Haiti needs revival as the government need to stop inequality practiced in school in the past. So we can see that Haiti had been having a bad social and economical status which was expected to change after earthquake related humanitarian work. The author states that being a under developed nation, Haiti’s medical infrastructure has been highly damaged and the refugee camps were only temporary relief which had many risks. The misery, causality, lack of proper medical facilities all were matter of concern in Haiti after the earthquake occurrence. He in his book does point out to the impartiality and discrimination in the country and how media and foreign agents restricted Haitian life during the disaster. He argues that the political and military should not interfere with humanitarian work as seen in Haiti. So we can see from the readings that Haiti as a disaster struck nation needs a more comprehensive strategy from their government and

The bank of America Essay Example for Free

The bank of America Essay The bank of America is an institution that offers financial services. It is the largest bank in term of holding institution as far as assets is concerned in the nation. In terms of market capitalization, this bank is the second largest in United States. The four functions of management in this bank which include planning, organizing, controlling and leading in this bank are affected by both external and internal factors in the business environment. The external factors that may be known to affect the management functions of the bank in its business environment include political, sociological, as well as economical factors (Thomas, 2007). The sociological factors include demographic trends and status, personal values and work ethics as well as the general cultures. These factors affect the bank differently especially to the management in defining their ways of accomplishing their work. Since this bank has spread its wings in several countries and opened new branches, the central management of this bank has to understand the unique business environment in these countries to ensure they are competent and thus maximize their profitability (Thomas, 2007). Understanding of these factors helps the management in planning the future of the bank as well as designing services for certain group of the people. Political and economic factors include all the factors necessary such as the competitors as well as the customers. The management of the bank must also study and understand about the political and economic environment in order to have a dynamic and continual relationship (Green, 2003). By studying the bank’s customers, competitors and even the political factors, the management is capable of making effective decisions which can result to high performance of the bank. Internal factors that may affect the bank in its business environment consists organizational resources that are available for the bank to accomplish its objectives. These include the human, physical and financial resources. The role of the management is acquiring and using these resources in the bank effectively and efficiently (Green, 2003). The management in each branch has to compete with other branches or competitors continuously. Since organizational resources are scarce, success of the management depends on utilization of these resources. Globalization is known to be a very important aspect for any business operating in the world market (Kershner, 1990). A company like the bank of America has to be globalized in order to have growth, survival and success in world market. Bank of America demands market in several other parts of the world such as in china, New Delhi, Bangalore among others. This has made this bank to have a big deal of profitability and success. For example, bank of America in the ending fiscal year of 2006 reported an increase in its net profit by 80 percent (Thomas, 2007). The global networking of the Bank of America allows it to have new ideas and plans in order to capture international market. Technology has much dramatic effect and can affect the management of a bank at any time since the changes in business environment can be felt quickly in the firm. As technology can change suddenly, the management has to be in position that can make decisions which can put the bank in flexible position to enable it adapt to changes of technology as it occurs (Hull, Seelig, Showinsky, 1996). Computerization has changed the banking system completely since many bank customers nowadays use credit cards as well as plastic money. Most customers of the bank of America can now deposit their money as well as withdraw in any part of the world. They can even pay their bills as well as open accounts for the new customers through the internet. Accessing account transaction does not need one to physically go to the bank but can now be done through the internet. Technology advancement has contributed to all this which has simplified the whole process of banking.

How Effective Is The Child Protection System?

How Effective Is The Child Protection System? Literature highlights some of the challenges for social workers assessing and making decisions about African children and families whose cultures differ from the majority of the white population in United Kingdom. The critical evaluation of knowledge and research in child protection and prevention of child abuse in black African children is important to the forming of social work policy, services and appropriate intervention. This is because there is need to provide appropriate intervention services which are culturally sensitive but at the same time preventing child abuse. It is important that black African children perspectives form part of policies and legislation. Several authors have critically analysed the evidence on service provision for black families in general. A pathologising approach to black families may lead to unnecessary coercive intervention and on the other hand a cultural relativist approach may lead to a non-intervention when services are required (Dominelli 1997 , Chand 2000). The purpose of the review is to explore if the child protection system is effective in preventing child abuse in black African children and their families. By child protection, the review will be referring to all the agencies and services involved in protecting and preventing child abuse. By relating to theory and research, there is hope to uncover gaps, themes and debates and also, raise questions which can be useful for future research. The literature review starts by setting the parameters that is, defining the terms that will be used, such as, child protection and child abuse. The literature review goes to set the historical and theoretical context because it is important to know how long literature and research has existed on the topic and what has been happening including research on culture differences, poverty, power issues and child protection. The review goes on to address the theoretical perspectives on the topic to analyse the theories that form the knowledge base in rese arch. The review goes on to look at the major findings in research and literature by exploring the key themes such as factors that impact African children that can result them in being involved in the child protection system for example, child rearing practices, poverty and limited knowledge in cultural practices by social work professionals. Finally the review will look at the anti-discriminatory practice and user-involvement to show how professionals can work sensitively and provide culture appropriate services. The literature search Child protection system aims to prevent situations that can result in a child or young person aged sixteen and under experience abuse that puts them in danger of not developing appropriately or losing their life (Save the Children UK, 2008). The abuse can fall under the category of child abuse which could be in form of neglect, emotional, physicals and sexual, (Woolfson et al 2009). The search involved these terms. After establishing the specific area to be reviewed; the focus was on black African children and the child protection system. The area of child protection and black African children is a controversial area that has been neglected in literature and research and there is need to analyse themes and identify gaps in literature. The sources selected were journals, books, government records and articles. Electronic search engines were used because they provided a readily available wide range of literature and research articles which have been accepted for publishing. These sourc es were used as evidence and source of information because they had been accepted for publishing hence they would not provide with false information. Review of the literature Historical Context In setting the historical context, the most important development in child protection is the formulation of the Children Act 1989 which was influenced by the public inquiries of the 1970s and 1980s child deaths, for example, the Maria Cowell. The Act stressed that the Local Authoritys duty is to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. However, research into how the Children Act was being put into action found that the child protection system was still focusing on single incidents of child abuse rather than planning to meet the wider requirements of children in need (DoH, 1995a). The studies also noted that many children and families received little or no support, the assessment of risk was low (Stevenson, 1998) and ignored the influences of poverty, unemployment and poor housing. This meant that a new way in thinking was needed about working with families. The result was publication of the Framework for Assessment of Children in Need and their Families (DoH et al, 2000) and Wo rking Together to Safeguard Children (DoH et al, 1999). A Common Assessment framework was also developed to promote more effective earlier identification of childrens additional needs and improve inter-agency working. A review into previous deaths of children indicates failures to listen to children, sharing of information, follow procedures and recognising indicators of abuse. The main response to the deaths of children due to local authorities failures has been to seek bureaucratic solutions such as introducing new guidelines, laws and procedures (Ferguson, 2005). However, the Laming 2003 enquiry into the tragic death of Victoria Climbie in 2000 is particularly significant because it pointed out the inter-agency approach established after Maria Cowells death in 1973 was not followed and it considered implications for the whole of the child protection system (Batty, 2003). Laming (2003) highlights the misjudgements made on the Climbies case based on cultural assumptions that led to a tragedy. However, Garret (2006) argues that the Laming report (2003) appears to detach a childs race from core assessments and this was echoed in the Every Child Matters which appears to mention very little about the needs of children from other races. After the Victoria Climbie enquiry there has been recent death of children known to social services such as, baby P (2007) and Khyra Ishaq (2008). This begs the question, where is the child protection system going wrong? There are debates on how to provide social work interventions and family support that are culturally sensitive and competent to African children and their families who are at risk of significant harm (Stobart, 2006; Holland 2004, Robinson 2007; Mama 2004). This was highlighted in the Laming Progress Report (2009) which set out challenges faced in safeguarding children such as: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ there is still need to improve knowledge and skills to understand children and their family circumstances. Also the laming report noted that despite the progress in inter-agency wor king there are still problems of day to day reality of working across organisational boundaries and cultureà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ , Laming Progress Report (2009). When reviewing literature it is important to note that there is a sparse of research on black African children and the child protection system in the Britain hence it is difficult to set out the historical and theoretical context. Where research and literature exists, the data is still not plausible because it is mixed with other research data from minority ethnic populations and their experience differs widely. Theoretical and research perspectives that shape knowledge Different theories and perspectives inform knowledge base in literatures surrounding African children and the child protection system. When researching this area there is need to look at experiences of African people and their involvement with child protection hence researchers can use the black perspective which is based on the notion of common experiences that black people share. The black perspective criticises repressive research and theories that are likely to oppress black people, (Robinson 2007). African families will always refer to their culture as frame of reference to their parenting capacities (Bernard and Gupta, 2008) and understanding and acknowledgement of the black frame of reference will enable social workers to come up with accurate and comprehensive assessments of African black children involved with the child protection system, (Robinson 2007). Other literature is based on the ecological perspective and highlights the importance to analyse the impacts of social ex clusion, poverty and immigration on black African children and their families, (Gibbs and Huang 2003). However, Robinson 1998 argues that there is a danger of over-generalising and stereotyping because individual members from the same culture can behave differently from the pattern that is typical of that culture. However, other researchers argue that postmodern theories have gained popularity in social work, (Pease and Fook 1999; Leonard 1997). Researchers have argued against postmodern theories who want a better understanding of identity, combining personal with structural elements of living (Dominelli 2002; Graham 2002), drawing on the idea of what holds people together, (Badiou 2001). The lack of appropriate preventative support services which are culture sensitive often result in social work operating against the interests of black children involved in child protection, (Barn 1993, Graham 2002). Social work has operated within a problem oriented framework which is characterised by deficit and dysfunctional theories of black families (Robinson 2008). Major finding in literature and research Research agrees that black African children and their families are disproportionately represented in child protection (Graham, 2006; Barn et al 1997; Bernard and Gupta 2008). When looking at experiences of black African children and their families and how best to offer them appropriate intervention it is important to acknowledge background in terms of religion, culture, language and beliefs (Bernard and Gupta 2008; Gibbs and Huang 2003; Robinson 2007). Research shows that black African families may experience oppression and discrimination within the child protection system (Chand, 2008). A lot of literature appears to draw attention to the parenting in African families and how their culture is neglected in a lot researches and there is little empirical evidence especially about African parenting in Britain (Bernard, 2002; Graham 2006). Parenting by African families is entwined into an already debate of what constitutes child abuse (Francis, 1993; Chand 2000). Barn, 2002 argues that c hild abuse is a socially constructed phenomenon and most of literature surrounding child abuse is based on western societys views and middle-class. This can lead to discrimination and stereotypes towards African families rearing practices and lead to unwanted intervention and social care involvement. There is well documented literature focused on how culture influence parenting of African families involved with child protection system, (Brophy et al 2003, Bernard, 2002; Graham 2006). However, the empirical research is limited but the little data that exists poses the notion that cultural practices appear to play some part in African children being involved in the child protection system, (Mama, 2004). Literature suggests that African families practice harsh punishment for children, however, Barn et al 2006; Thoburn et al 2005; Nobes and Smith 1997, challenge such stereotypes and in their study, they found no significant differences between ethnic groups with regard to physical punis hment. However, these studies cannot be generalised to African families easily because the majority of the participants where white parents. There is gap in research on the parenting by black African families and a recurrent theme in literature is the need to acknowledge cultural and social contexts of parenting and experience of African black families to make sense of child abuse and provide appropriate intervention for children and families involved in the child protection system, (Holland 2004, Robinson 2007, Stobart 2006). A focus on ethnicity or identity, preclude issues of power and oppression operating in the everyday experiences of childrens lives to be appreciated, (Graham, 2007). Research found that most black African families live in poverty and social exclusion and how this impacts on parenting, (Bernard and Gupta 2008; Gibbs and Huang 2003; Robinson 2007; Platt, 2007). A study of more than 7,000 children looked after by 13 Local Authorities found that children who were not of the white origin where more likely to be put into care due to poverty (Sinclair et al, 2007). Sinclair et als study is very important b ecause it is a comprehensive qualitative study which focuses on the needs of children in care systems involving their perspectives and investigates the outcomes for children. The study also suggests how the care system should function and managed which is important to social work professionals and policy makers. However, data produced cannot be easily generalised to the entire population of African children because their experiences varies. There has been research critically examining the treatment of asylum seeking children and the child protection system and there is argument between the Children Act 1989 and immigration legislation and policy and Jones (2001) argues that social work profession singularly failed to provide critical scrutiny on the status and relationship of immigration and child care law and the erosion of childrens rights. Other researchers agree with Jones, that vulnerability of asylum seeking children has emotional and legal aspects, (Woodcock, 2003; Chase, 2009). Kohli 2006, argues that legislation obstruct the provision of preventative services to vulnerable children and their families. Research has highlighted the fragility of African children who claim asylum such as having suffering trauma due to their circumstances that led them to claim asylum such as war and torture, (Hodes, 2000, 2002; Ehntholt and Yule, 2006; Dyregrov and Yule, 2006). Research shows that there is a gap in research on asyl um seeking children and social work to inform practice, (Kohli and Mather 2003; Okitikpi and Aymer 2003). Rustin 2005, states that there is a complicated interaction between social workers knowledge in asylum seeking children and the existing stereotypes regarding these groups of service-users, (Bernard and Gupta 2008; Robinson 2007; Barn 1993; Owen and Statham 2009). Bernard and Gupta (2008) go on to cite other factors that affect African children such as asylum seeking, AIDS, loss and separation and this is important because when providing intervention to African children there is need to comprehend their background to offer appropriate services which do not discriminate them any further. Young (1990) states that black children often experience multiple-oppression for example, they suffer from stereotypes from society and also they are invisible to the child protection system. Graham (1999) goes on to argue that intervention with African families is at the centre of wider debates and conflict; and evidence from research continues to show over-representation of African children and their families in child protection. The debates seem to focus on power imbalances and how to involve African families to gain control over their lives, (Graham, 1999; Young, 1990). Other researchers highlight the issues of language in child protection and the provision of appropriate intervention services, (Chand 2000, Ahmed et al, 1982). The use of children as translators in sensitive child protection issues is unethical and inappropriate, and also the use of an interpreter can distort the assessment process, (Chand, 2000). Bernard and Gupta (2008) go further to look at other factors that affect black African children that other literature seems to neglect such as how gender norms place women in an inferior position within African cultures and this can limit mothers to protect their children in the environment of domestic violence, however Owen and Statham (2009) argues that the is limited evidence to maintain or challenge this notion. Nevertheless, in Masson et al (2008) study, domestic violence was evidenced as a cause of concern in the court files of half the children of Black African mothers implicated in their study of care proceedings. Research and evidence from Climbie enquiry propose that social work professionals involved with black and minority ethnic families might not act in child abuse cases because of fear of being regarded as a racist (Scorer, 2005; Bernard and Gupta, 2006). Nevertheless, literature and research fail to provide a large amount of evidence to support this notion for example, Gordon and Gibbons (1998) in their study found no differences between ethnicity in terms of children being placed on the child protection register and factors such as parents mental health problems, criminal activities or the child not fitting in a reconstituted family were the reasons for involvement than ethnicity (Williams and Soydan, 2005). However, Selwyn et al 2008 found that social work professionals were more uncertain and occasionally puzzled regarding how best to promote the needs of ethnic children and they felt further self-doubting in their assessment. Recurring themes in literature is the significance of so cial work professionals to build up on culturally sensitive work with black and ethnic families (Gray et al., 2008; Sue, 2006; Laird, 2008; Stirling et al., 2009; Hodge, 2001). Anti-discriminatory perspectives and the incorporation of knowledge from service users Thompson, (2008) states that anti-discriminatory practice has been used in Britain to account for good practice in social work to counter structural disadvantages however, Graham 1999, argues that anti-discriminatory practice fails to provide a knowledge base for social work that is engaged in the collective development of the black community. Professionals can indirectly oppress African children and their families through practice for example, by imposing their personal values or power, (Dominelli 2007). Research and literature talks about the child protection providing cultural sensitive services and training social work professionals have the knowledge and skills in working with different cultures. However this can actually create further oppression and social divisions. The majority of the workers will have dominant Eurocentric views which encourage further social divisions for example, excepting the view that African families live in poverty and not fight and challenge this view by providing services that help families to counter these structural inequalities in society. Dominelli (2007) argues that there is need to address the systems that reaffirm racist dynamics rather than challenging them. Dominelli (1992) argues that black children and families are over-represented in the controlling aspects of social work and under-represented in the welfare aspects of social work. Problems with communication and working in partnership have been highlighted in literature. Chases (2009) study found that young people described complex relationships with social workers and other social care professionals and were also more mistrustful of the interplay between social care and immigration services. There is limited research that incorporates service user involvement (Buchanan 2007; Bernard 2002) taking in their lived experiences however, an important study by Chase 2009 found that young people often described complex relationships with social workers and other social care professionals and were also more mistrustful of the interplay between social care and immigration services. Recent policy has tried to enforce advocacy as a way of promoting social justice and incorporate disadvantaged groups views on the services that are appropriate for them. In Bowes and Sims (2006) empirical study, they found that black and minority ethnic communities gave support to advocacy s ervices, however, they were still marginalised by the services they were already using. There appears to be a need of qualitative research and literature that includes an extensive study of black African childrens perspectives and experiences, (Graham 2007) which forms a value base to inform practice in social work. Relevance to policy and practice Using the ecological approach the Framework For Assessment of Children in Need and their Families (DoH, 2000), places a requirement on social work professionals to take account of cultural background and socio-economic positions of families paying attention to power imbalances in relationships, (Dalrymple and Burke, 1995). Dalrymple and Burke (1995) argue that an understanding is needed of the association between personal experience and structural realism of inequality. Therefore service users perspectives should form part of policies and legislation respecting and literature highlights that childrens rights may still lack from policy and legislation, therefore, these notions challenge professionals to take childrens views seriously and appreciate their contribution to research, (Aubrey and Dahl 2006). Lots of research appears to focus on empowerment through cultural knowledge inviting new thinking about the challenges faced by black communities, (Aubrey and Dahl 2006). The complex s ocial circumstances experienced by many African families pose challenges for social work professionals working to safeguard and promote childrens welfare. In order to safeguard and promote welfare of African children acknowledgement of sources of discrimination and oppression, a commitment to human rights and social justice must be met. Several authors have critically analysed the evidence on service provision for black families in general. A pathologising approach to black families may lead to unnecessary coercive intervention and on the other hand a cultural relativist approach may lead to a non-intervention when services are required (Dominelli 1997, Chand 2000). Either way appropriate intervention is not provided for black and ethnic minority children. The quality of services in black communities is a focus for debate and raises important issues about the lack of policy initiatives based upon needs and aspirations of local communities (Graham, 2002). By drawing on strengths perspective professionals can illuminate how parents draw on cultures as a resource to parents in circumstance of adversity whilst not excusing behaviour that is harmful to children. Conclusions There is gaps in research on child protection and black African families and a recurrent theme in literature is the need to acknowledge cultural and social contexts of parenting and experience of African black families to make sense of child abuse and provide appropriate intervention for children and families involved in the child protection system, (Holland 2004, Robinson 2007, Stobart 2006). Research shows that there is a gap in research on asylum seeking children and social work to inform practice, (Kohli and Mather 2003; Okitikpi and Aymer 2003). There is need for research centred on black African children and there is also need to involve them in forming of policies, challenging the notion that only ethnicity causes the experiences faced by African children. This is because by having cultural sensitive intervention, there can be reinforcement of stereotypical services and discrimination ignoring other things such as gender, age and class.

Effective Written Communication Essay -- essays research papers

â€Å"Even the best ideas are of small value unless communicated well.† People write in response to situations that call on them to put their thoughts and feelings into words. For example, a boss may ask an employee to write a report on how to market a new product line or the company for which an employee works is requesting assistance in designing a home page on the World Wide Web. In a labor force full of mediocre writers, someone who writes well is bound to stand out and succeed, while someone who writes poorly is bound to do just the opposite. It is not to say that the mediocre writer will not be successful, but the success of a person who possesses excellent writing skills will certainly be far greater. Sponsorship of a workshop for employees to improve writing skills would certainly assist in empowering employees, serve as a motivator for boosting company morale, and ultimately result in an increase in business profits. According to Dr. William C. Byham,â€Å"the successful organizations will be the ones best able to apply the creative energy of individuals toward constant improvement† (5). Yet, constant improvement is a value that cannot be imposed upon people. It has to come from the individual. The only way to get people to adopt constant improvement as a way of life in doing daily business is by empowering them. Empowering employees definitely motivates them to take ownership of their jobs so that they take personal interest in improving the performance of the organization. Formal training in empowerment skills and related areas are conceived via personal and organizational success. Personal and organizational successes are achieved through good advertisement as well as excellent relations with the public. Both of these rely heavily on one’s ability to communicate thoughts and ideas effectively. The heart of effective communication is excellent academic writing skills. Participative management stems from the idea of involving employees in the decision-making process. â€Å"In the Fifties, managers thought it meant being friendly to employees. In the Sixties, they thought it meant being sensitive to the needs and motivations of people. In the Seventies, managers thought it meant asking employees for help. In the Eighties, it meant having lots of group meetings.† The very name â€Å"participative management† seems to imply that it is something that management does whi... ...it.† The effect that a positive tone can have on a company’s image is amazing. A simple â€Å"please† or â€Å"thank you† renders desired results and shortens response times as well. Eliminating negative-tone communication and promoting positive-tone communication guarantees phenomenal yields and profits. Thanks to an effective formal writing program utilized by Brown & Brown at the end of the year 2001, the firm’s net income rose sixty percent, from $38.7 million to $61.7 million for the year 2002. Finally, through sponsorship of a workshop where employees can improve writing skills it affords the employee the opportunity to be taken seriously. It allows the employees to feel as if they are personally contributing to the overall success of the organization. When an employee can influence how things get done or when her efforts are recognized and accomplishments are rewarded it empowers the employee to tackle challenges with undying fervor, therefore; increasing quality, customer satisfaction, and productivity. These kind of positive results ultimately render skyrocketing increases in business profits. Isn’t it amazing what a little workshop on enhancing academic writing skills can do?

The CIAs Role Then And Now :: essays research papers fc

After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) was created by President Truman as an insurance policy against that kind of surprise, which caught America off guard in World War II. According to the National Security Act of 1947 the CIA’s principal function was to be the correlation and evaluation of intelligence collected by other departments. In other words, the CIA is an All-Source Fusion Agency. The difference involving the direction of the CIA during the cold war and the function that the CIA plays now have changed somewhat, but these roles basically remain the same. During the cold war, global security rested on the shoulders of the two greatest nations: The United States and the Soviet Union. Other nations had capabilities to harm other smaller nations, but none had the world power control of the two greatest nations. The CIA’s mission in the spring of 1948 was â€Å"to collect secret intelligence on the Soviet Union itself, its military intentions, atomic weapons and advanced missiles; on Soviet actions in Eastern Europe, North Korea and North Vietnam.† (Richelson, 217). The mission set forth the guidelines for the CIA to protect the United States from the Soviet’s missiles. Now that the United States is dealing with nations of the former Soviet Union there is still a need to watch those Soviet missiles. The difference is now the CIA must track where the missiles and miscellaneous small arms are being distributed or sold. The mission of watching the missiles remains, but the role the CIA plays has slightly changed. The need for the CIA in today’s global society has increased to a higher level than that of the cold war. Today there is a threat from every corner of the world, instead of only between the major world powers. With the United States being the only world power and the Soviet Union collapsed, weapons of mass destruction have hit the open market. This new over-the-counter missile sale has multiplied America’s potential foes (Bissell, 205). Bin Laden has demonstrated that no activity oversees will be safe. With the horrific act of the attack on the USS Cole in October 2000, the Middle East has shown but one example of how the CIA’s roles of responsibility must change to watch smaller groups or organizations. The evil mix of fanaticism and flexibility that is the mark of today’s terrorist makes the next strike not a question of if, but of when and where.

Supply Chain Management :: Business Case Studies Essays

In this competitive world every organization is striving hard to be at the top in its own field. The competition in the business environment has become intense. The winds of change are blowing in purchasing and supply. And it is one of the areas that the organisations look into for achieving competitive advantage. The changes in conformance quality standards, JIT approaches to material availability, long term relationships with fewer suppliers and a win-win approach to negotiations have helped organisations to survive and succeed in a very competitive world. It's every organisations dream to have a low cost supplier and a low cost service provider to its customers. In this changing world of competition, globalisation, innovation and technology all organisations are thriving to re-engineer their business processes to achieve a competitive edge over others. These changes have led the organisations to cost effectiveness aspect in every department of business especially supply, purchasing, distribution and management. In terms of tough competition organisations offer similar products in terms of quality, price and features. Customer service differentiation can provide an organisation with a distinct advantage over the competition. The level of service provided to functions such as marketing and production affects the organisations ability to serve the need of the customers. The organisation can achieve competitive success if they satisfy the customers through their services effectively and efficiently. This is achieved if they are capable of retaining their customers. A greater customer satisfaction is achieved by a superior service provided by the organisation. This is achieved if the business functions are well defined and are supported by other functions. This report gives an insight about the various aspects of supply chain management and operational management and also the important strategies involved. It also explains the importance of managing the supply chain in the business perspective. v Before proceeding further its important for us to know what supply chain is and what supply chain is about? Supply chain: In an industrialized or non-industrialized society goods are physically moved from production area to the service area. This exchange takes place when there is discrepancy between the amount and type of goods available and the goods needed. If there is surplus amount of goods in organisation that someone else needs, becomes a basis for exchange. This gives rise to channels where there is an exchange between producers and consumers. The alignment of firms that bring products and services to market is called supply chain.

Classic Pen Co. Case

Classic Pen Co. Case In the past Classic Pen Company had been the low-cost producer of black and blue pens and had profit margins over 20% of sales. Over the last five years Pen Co. decided to start producing red and purple pens. They require the same basic production technology but can be sold at 3% and 10% premium selling prices. Sales Manager Dennis Selmor is just seeing the financial results and is not happy with the numbers. The first issue that Pen Co. is facing is their decline in profitability. Even though the numbers show the red and purple pens are more profitable individually (red 14. %, purple 18. 2%), the overall return on sales is declining (13. 5%). A second issue that Pen Co. has is the issue of addition of resource costs. It requires a substantial amount of time for physical changeover of production from one colour pen to another. Particularly changing from another colour to red. The final issue Pen Co. faces is the increase of costs related to scheduling and purchas ing activities. Most of the indirect labour costs and computer system costs are related to scheduling and purchasing.Pen Company’s declining profitability could be based on the amount of the company’s overhead. They have determined overhead to be 300% of direct labour costs, when previously the overhead cost was only 200%. The make-up of this overhead is indirect labour, fringe benefits, computer systems, machinery, maintenance, and energy. The reason for such a large increase in overhead is because of the higher demand for indirect costs due to the addition of more complex and specialized products. While the cost for direct labour per one unit is the same for each colour of pen produced.The cost for indirect labour is made up of three different activities: 50% for handling production runs ($10,000), 40% for physical changeover or set up costs ($8,000), and 10% for maintaining records or parts administration ($2,000). The cost for computer systems is made up of two act ivities: 80% for production run activities ($8,000), and 20% for record keeping or parts administration ($2,000). Finally the remaining indirect costs are the machinery ($8,000), maintenance ($4,000), and energy ($2,000).These are all used to supply the machine with the capacity to produce the pens with a total of $14,000. Overall Classic Pen Co. must improve upon several areas of demand in order to increase its profitability similar to what it had been in the past. They need to increase their planning and try to adjust their current planning system and organizing. They could invest in more computers to increase the amount of scheduling being done by computers and as a result lower their indirect labour costs.Finally I recommend they should invest in some more machines to produce the different colour pens in. This would have a high cost of capital but would eventually save the company money in the labour cost and time required for the physical changeover between colours Calculation Page Indirect LabourMachine Support Handling Production Runs = 10,000Machinery = 8,000 Set Up = 8,000Maintenance = 4,000 Parts Administration = 2,000Energy = 2,000 Fringe Indirect Labour = 8,000Total = 14,000 Computer SupportFringe for Direct LabourHandling Production Runs = 8,000Fringe = 8,000 Parts Administration = 2,000 Total Overhead = 60,000 Calculating Activity Rate Activities| Activity Cost| Cost Driver #| Calculation| Activity Rate| 1) Handling PR| 22,000| 150| 22,000/150| 146. 67 / Run| 2) Set Up| 12,000| 526| 12,000/526| 22. 81 / Hour| 3) Parts Admin. | 4,000| 4| 4,000/4| 1000 / Product| 4) Machine Support| 14,000| 10,000| 14,000/10,000| 1. 4 / Hour| 5) Fringe DL| 8,000| 20,000| 8,000/20,000| 0. 4 / DL Cost| Total| 60,000| | | |

Sir Gawain & the Green Knight

Middle English love is that of abiding the rules of chivalry and the subservience to God. Within Sir Gawain and The Green Knight, love is emanated within this form of a romantic poem. This fifteenth century poem was written with all the characteristics of love and its challenges that so often come with it. The story of the intrusive Green knight ends up having a twist that confronts the norms that knights have adopted. Sir Gawain, a model for knights in the Arthurian kingdom, ultimately redefines himself and his love for all codes of his kingdom manner.Through this romantic journey the model knight will rediscover the truth through deception. The many forms of love including chivalry, spiritual and courtly love will become strengthened through the Green knight challenge. Chivalry is a common theme within Sir Gawain, â€Å"By champions of chivalry achieved in arms. † (95) From the dinner scene in part one to the illustrious battle at the Green Chapel in Part 3. The love of keep ing their virtues was imbedded in all aspects of the story.Sir Gawain was the epitome for these virtues, through his valiant journey to the Green Chapel and strong will against the lady of the house. â€Å"With the pentangle portrayed in purest gold. † (620) The five points of pentangle represent his perfection over evil. He loves being faultless in decisions that as long as he stays to the five points the Lord would keep him. With the five points on the front of his shield and Mother Mary on the back he had all the armor one needed. A great romance mustn’t be left without spiritual love, especially to a chivalric knight.Gawain’s truth to his faith has him praying for help, â€Å"that Mary may be his guide. † (738) His prayers were answered soon after from which a â€Å"wondrous dwelling [appeared]. † (763) The great feasts also show the love of their God for the extravagant meals that are abundantly shown. â€Å"Great is God’s grace, and g oodly indeed. † (920) Which is expressed for the gratitude of Gawain’s presence. The importance and love of faith in Gawain’s quest does not come without its trials. The lovely lady of the house became another test of his chivalry and faith. With guile in her heart,† (1472) she makes several attempts to test Gawain’s strength. With her permission to â€Å"lay on as you like,† (1503) she also uses her cunning to pursue and manipulate his love. â€Å"For loyal faith in love, in life as in story,† (1513) she tempts him with courtly love to abide by the chivalrous approach. To have relations while her â€Å"husband is not nearby,† (1533) from which was made under thrice. â€Å"The two converse as friends of true love’s trials and bliss,† (1506) this spoken from the narrator hints to love being a state of suffering within the story.Although they may love and suffer Gawain becomes better for it. Through his mistakes over love and faith it eventually leads him to a better understanding and a united brotherhood with the green girdle. The significance of the knight’s honor and brotherhood is mentioned throughout. â€Å"To counsel their comrade, with care in their hearts,† (558) after love for God the counsel and brotherhood is most important. Their â€Å"beneficence boundless and brotherly love,† (652) was shown before Gawain took forth.Even after Gawain confessed to the kingdom that he had not met his journey with success he was still comforted by the king. â€Å"The king comforts the knight, and the court all together. † (2513) Gawain wore the â€Å"badge of false faith that [he] was found in there. † (2509) As a sign of deep support and love by his fellow brothers, he was met with all bearing the green sash. Clearly it is evident that love plays a crucial role in Sir Gawain and The Green Knight. Although the love is enduring for Gawain it was not as it seemed.The t rue love is what ended up being his true suffering. Gawain’s struggles through keeping his five points of perfection, his composure with the lovely lady and the brotherhood that supported him no matter what the outcome. These were the true challenges that love had brought about. His Lord and Mother Mary guidance to the castle had also been a test to his capabilities. Though he did his most human effort to stay true to his virtues the test of the Green knight was just that. To breakdown the perfection of the knight hood ideals and come out stronger for it.

Expository Essay Essay

#3 focusing on the importance of the past and how ‘The Kite Runner’ shows no matter how deeply it might be buried, it finds a way to re-surfacing Have you ever tried to run away from your past? And did it work for you? Well in the book we learn that a lot of characters try to run away from their past, for instance Baba hiding the fact that Hassan is also his son or when Amir witnessed Hassan being raped. They all tried to run away from their past but it all caught up with them in the end, like Amir said â€Å"My past was like that always turning up†. There is no way to hide from your past, whether you try to run away from it or bury it as deep as you can because the past always claws it way out. An example could be Amir trying to forget that he was a bystander to Hassan’s rape. He tried to forget everything, delete everything that happened about that night. ‘But even though life goes on memories remain forever’. He lied about Hassan stealing his watch and money thought chasing Ali and Hassan away might help him forget or ease his pain . When he received that phone call from Rahim Khan saying there is a way to be good again, he knew that it was time for him to face his fear. Going back to Kabul frightened him, he was about to face his deepest fear, everything in Kabul changed it was not the same. He wanted to make his father proud and be the brave man his father expected and longed for, just like Hassan. Sometimes it’s not always our guilt that forbids us to forget but the judgement of people in our community. When she ran away with her older boyfriend and moved in with him, she was seen as a disgraceful girl with no respect in the Afghan community. Soraya status is later restored when she gets married to Amir who’s a much respected man in the afghan community. Sometimes keeping a secret could be the cause of our death. In Baba case we learn that the cause o his death could be keeping the secret that Hassan was his son. When his diagnosed with cancer he refuses the treatment, possibly because he has accepted that was his punishment for his ‘sin’. On the end Baba dies as a tortured soul. Furthermore we learn that we the past cannot be forgotten or ignored but we can make peace with it. The kite runner illustrates that we learn from our mistakes which helps to be better people and more accepting of others. Like Amir said,’for the first time since the winter of 1975 I felt at peace†¦ Healed at last ‘.

Engaging In Comparative Education Education Essay

IntroductionIt is in the very nature of logical activity to do comparings. Comparing is a simple portion of idea procedure which enables us to do sense of the universe and our experience of it. Indeed, it can be said that merely by doing comparings can we decently support our place on most inquiries of importance which requires the devising of the judgements. Comparing causes us to do statements to the consequence that one thing is intellectually or morally preferred to or more effectual or better than the other, and this can be clearly exposed in the instruction field, where the quest for betterment for making things better is ever obliging. In a universe which is chiefly focused on intense planetary economic competition and turning beliefs in the cardinal function of instruction as the beginning of possible advantage, authoritiess have become progressively haunted with the international rankings of measured educational results. Educational policy is progressively driven by national efforts to copy the sensed advantage associated with the educational schemes and techniques of other states. Margret Brown argues that documenting patterns in high-scoring states that give thoughts for alteration are really of import ( as cited in Broadfoot 2000, p.361 ) . It would be at least as of import to happen out why similar undertakings have non been successful in other states. ( Shorrocks-Taylor & A ; Jenkins 2000, p.16 ) It is important to measure any suggested patterns from one state to another. Teachers and the general public demand to be informed about the jobs of seting something â€Å" borrowed † into pattern and reform thoughts from other states to our ain system. The increasing international importance of a policy discourse of larning in relation to conventional educational establishments such as schools and universities, reflects the modern-day apprehension of the deduction of the ‘knowledge society ‘ ( Broadfoot 2000, p.358 ) ; It is of great possible and inevitableness for the whole population to be capable and disposed to take advantage of the new methods for accessing new cognition that information and communications engineering is doing available. This besides reflects the turning acknowledgment that ‘learning ‘ is non tantamount with learning. Today ‘s turning concern is womb-to-tomb larning which is strongly described in a recent European Commission study: ‘The Treasure Within ‘ . ( Broadfoot 2000, p.358 )Different position of comparative instruction by different bookmansAntoine Jullien de Paris in 1817 proverb comparative instruction as an analytical survey of instruction in all states with a position to hone national schooling systems with version and alterations from which policymakers can borrow thoughts to implement in their own-country ( Bray 2007, p.1 ) . In Hans ‘ position the public-service corporation of comparative instruction was that type of instruction which analyzes comparative jurisprudence, comparative literature or comparative anatomy in order to foreground the differences in the forces and beginnings that create the differences in the educational systems ( C.S. Oni 2005, p.244 ) . Lewis approached the issue of comparative instruction in footings of an Island formation. Lewis asserted that, no state is an island ; that each is a portion of the universe ; hence, no educational system anyplace in the universe is deserving anything unless it is comparable to some other systems in the universe. â€Å" ( Quoted from C.S. Oni 2005, p.244 ) . Comparative instruction for Blishen is the subdivision of educational theory that has to make with analysing and construing the educational patterns and policies in different states and civilization ( C.S. Oni 2005, p. 244 ) . Le Thanh Khoi believed that comparative instruction is a multidisciplinary country when he said that it â€Å" is non purely a subject, but a field of survey covering all the subjects which serve to understand and explicate instruction † ( quoted from Bray 2007, p. 35 ) . In add-on to larning about other people and civilizations, comparative instruction besides helps the research worker to cognize about oneself. As George Bereday puts it: â€Å" It is self-knowledge Born of the consciousness of others that is the finest lesson comparative instruction can afford. â€Å" ( Quoted from Kubow & A ; Fossum 2003, p. 11 ) . With the sweetening of patriotism and the increasing importance of the state states in the beginning of the nineteenth century comparative instruction was pushed in front. The aim was to larn utile lessons from foreign states, particularly refering instruction systems. This contained a really colonialist position of the western societies on the foreign states. School systems were seen as a resource of new educational thoughts, which could be â€Å" borrowed † to better the ain school system. Comparative instruction transferred itself from extremely pure description degree to a more sophisticated analysis. With the rise of the societal scientific disciplines in the 1950s the historical facet became undistinguished. Alternatively comparative instruction was introduced as a true scientific discipline by utilizing statistical techniques and more quantitative methods. The chief attack was structural functionalism.The purposes of comparative instruction:The purposes of comparative i nstruction are to depict educational systems, procedures, and stoping merchandises every bit good as to help in the development of educational establishments and patterns. It besides highlights the relationships between instruction and society and establishes generalized statements about instruction that is valid in more than one state. Comparative instruction besides deepens our apprehension of our instruction and society ; it can be of great assistance to policy shapers and decision makers ; and can be of great plus in the instruction of instructors ( Bray 2007, p.15 ) . Comparative research besides helps us understand better our ain yesteryear ; turn up ourselves more precisely in the present ; and see more clearly what our educational hereafter may be. Comparative instruction gives the research worker the ability to depict what might be the effect of certain classs of political and economical action, by looking at experience in a scope of states. From the theories mentioned supr a extracted from different bookmans, we can see that comparative instruction facilitates the research workers to larn from the achievement and mistakes that other states have made in the procedure of work outing similar educational jobs. The focal point of comparative survey in instruction is the aggregation and classification of information, both descriptive and quantitative. As Sadler stated in one of his talks delivered in 1900: In analyzing foreign systems of instruction we should non bury that the things outside the schools matter even more than the things inside the school, and govern and construe the things indoors. We can non roll at pleasance among the instruction systems of the universe, like a kid sauntering through a garden, and picking flowers from one shrub and some foliages from another, and so anticipate that if we stick what we have gathered into the dirt at place, we shall hold a life works. A national instruction system of instruction is a living thing, the result of disregarded battles and â€Å" of conflicts long ago † . It has in it some of the secret workings of national life. † ( Quoted from Philips in Alexander et. Al 1999, p.19 ) .On ComparingThe comparative instruction research worker should travel far from the familiar to see the unfamiliar ‘to make the familiar strange ‘ , in order to broader the rules, geographical and epistemic position ( Broadfoot 2000, p .363 ) . When comparing in instruction research workers are bring forthing a assortment of descriptive and explanatory informations which differ from micro to macro comparative informations analysis, leting us to see assorted patterns and processs in a really broad context that helps us to throw light upon them ( Sultana as cited in Borg 2009, p.21 ) . While less developed states have a inclination to look at more developed states to larn from them, more developed states tent to look at states that are on the same economic and educational degree to do cross-national comparings. Examples of this are figure of states that looked at USA as their theoretical account. Switzerland in mid-1990 apart from looking up to USA, it besides hired American advisers to develop a reform bundle for schools ( Steiner- Khamsi 2002, p.76 as cited in Bray 2007, p.18 ) . On the other manus, America learned besides from other states ( Levin 2010, p.96 in www.kappanmagazine.org ) like East Asia, ( Bray 2007, p.21-22 ) where the US section of instruction made an intensive survey of Nipponese instruction and came out with 12 rules of good patterns. Educators and policy shapers went to Finland, which is the top-performing state in the first three unit of ammunitions of PISA, in order to happen the key to education success to accomplish high Markss in PISA. Pr ivate companies like Cisco and McKinsey, are publishing studies on the quality of instruction around the universe. Comparisons across clip provide information about betterment or diminution over the old ages like comparing the different periods in the history of instruction. These comparings though are limited in the nature of the mention groups or standards used: that is they are normally limited to school systems similar to those being evaluated. When policy shapers look at the yesteryear to larn for the hereafter as the British policy shapers used to make in 1980 ‘s to do comparings with their ain yesteryear instead than with other states. Sometimes the ground to compare with the predecessors is to see how the society has developed every bit good as to larn from the errors that were done in the yesteryear ( Bray 2007, p.23, Bradburn & A ; Gilford 1990, p.2 ) . Comparisons with other vicinities or between provinces, provincials and parts compare similar local educational systems within the same province, or with those in other provinces or the state as a whole. Comparisons with other provinces or the state as a whole have the advantage of comparing between educational systems that are loosely similar. They provide information on peculiar state ‘s degree of accomplishment in instruction to the much broader country of the universe ‘s instruction system ( Bradburn & A ; Gilford 1990, p.2 ) .Example of such comparing is the comparing between the instruction systems of Hong Kong ( Bray 2007, p.131 ) or the instruction systems of Macao ( Bray 2007, p.134 ) . When comparing the research worker has to place the countries ; states or topographic points, and can non be generalised. As Le Than Khoi ( in Sultana as cited in Borg 2009, p.16 ) gave the illustration of the Mediterranean. There are excessively many differences in the part that we call the Mediterranean † to do it the object of comparative analyses. Culture is an of import factor when comparing topographic points. An illustration of this is the consequence that Finland got in the PISA in 2002 compared to other topographic points which was based on the reading competencies. Finland achieved good as it has centuries of cultural tradition that long promoted the reading ability ( Bray 2007, p.167 ) . A comparative instruction research worker must seek non to be prejudiced either on political, national, spiritual, racial, gender or ideological facets. It is important that the paradigms used are relevant to all geographic countries and states that are included in the survey. Differences between inter and intra-national research present challenges in comparative research that must be recognized. Such differences are frequently important resource of cultural fluctuation ( Bradburn & A ; Gilford ( 1990 ) , p.21 ) . The part of developing states in international surveies adds information to the development of local research capacity and besides widens the sample of take parting states. Third-world engagement develops North – South duologues every bit good as East- West linkages as it serves as a good beginning for edifice trust and co-operation ( Bradburn & A ; Gilford ( 1990 ) , p.22 ) . As the economic sector is increasing its value and the importance of holding a sound instruction system, the concern and industry sector may confer with comparative educational surveies in their international planning. Textbook publishing houses, developers of educational package and other educational bargainers use comparative instruction to categorise the demands and markets for new merchandises. So the inquiry raised is â€Å" In whose involvements do the instruction system and determinations taken, work? † ( My talk notes ) . Though comparings in instruction are of great benefit there are besides who is sceptic and critic about it. There is the belief amongst these that comparative research will take to a homogeneous-world attack to education that impede proper attending to each state ‘s alone history, civilization, and people. ( Bray 2007, p.178 ) . This thought comes from experiences with international establishments that forced economic policies that had negative effects in less-developed states. It is critical for policy shapers to maintain in head that non all the methods of any state can or should be put into pattern in other states. ( Lavin 2010, p.96 in www.kappanmagazine.org, Stromquist 2002, p.87 ) It is of import that â€Å" insiders † and â€Å" foreigners † work collaboratively in order to research and development work that is more sensitive to local, societal buildings of world. ( Crossley 2002, p.82 )Education research undertakings and organisations:As planetary economic competition additions, additions besides the beliefs in the instruction as the beginning of fringy advantage, authoritiess have become progressively haunted with the international rankings of measured educational results. However the issue and impact of power on the educational establishments differentiate signifier in society to another. It is going of import more than of all time as the determination devising in instruction is altering well. The chief histrions are no longer those most affected by instruction like the pupils, parents and the instructors but instead private bureaus and international fiscal establishments ( Stromquist 2002, p.87 ) . International bureaus compare forms and consequences in different states in order to better the advice that they give to national authoritiess and policy shapers. The UNESCO, World Bank and OECD are amongst international bureaus each underscoring their ain purposes changing from teaching method, course of study, economic and fiscal affairs, which play an of import portion in the instruction sphere. Their purpose is to help states in planing and implementing successful policies to turn to the challenges that the educational systems are confronting. They besides create strategies for advancing womb-to-tomb acquisition in relation with other socio-economic policies ( Bray 2007, p. 31 ) . New thoughts gained from international surveies such as PISA, TIMMS and Survey -Lang can be tried to see if they will better the instruction system and to understand why the public presentation of pupils in different states differs ( Shorrocks-Taylor & A ; Jenkins 2000 ) . Since the late 1950 ‘s with the initiation of the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement ( IEA ) such big graduated table comparative surveies have taken on considerable significance in instruction. From the get downing the IEA has been committed to analyzing larning in the basic school topics and to carry oning on a regular footing study of educational accomplishment. Over clip, these ‘outcome ‘ informations have been progressively linked to analyses of the effects of course of study and school organisation upon larning and the relationship between accomplishment and student attitudes ( Shorrocks- Taylor 2000, p.14 ) . There are different methods on how to mensurate the comparative facet which differs from theoretical grounded surveies intended to construct or prove complex theoretical accounts of educational systems to descriptive surveies whose intent is to supervise different characteristics of educational systems, patterns and results. The intent of theoretically oriented surveies is chiefly to analyze relationships among variables and expression for insouciant accounts. It is designed to analyze links between school accomplishment and such features as course of study, learning methods, household outlooks and support degrees. These highlight the degree of differences between schools or categories every bit good as on differences between pupils as the unit of analysis. ( Bradburn & A ; Gilford 1990, p.5 ) Belatedly, the intensification of international competition, spurred on by globalisation, neo-liberalism and marketizing, has major deductions for cross-national surveies of educational accomplishment, for those engaged in or covering with the powerful influence of national and international conference tabular arraies, and for the theoretical models that we employ in our analyses. If the support of research is progressively linked to commercial involvements, for illustration, the potency for critical theory, or for alternate cultural positions to act upon the building of new cognition, may be progressively challenged. Questions of power and â€Å" whose cognition counts? â€Å" , in the procedure of development arise, possibly, more strongly than of all time before ( mention from my talk notes ) . As Sultana stated, comparative instruction should travel further than the concern with comparing â€Å" like with similar † ( Sultana as cited in Borg 2009, p.9 ) . It focuses more on happening a peculiar point from where educational and related societal phenomenon can be seen from different positions ; make a deeper apprehension of the kineticss as good come up with new thoughts. Comparative instruction provides penetrations on higher instruction, educational invention, teacher instruction, power and instruction researches each conveying the experience of the research worker ‘s state, or the state or the states that research worker has studied and came together in order to portion these issues in debating Sessionss.Comparative instruction and globalisation:In a globalise universe, schools have come under greater national question sing the ways they can lend to or detain a national advancement. Claxton ( 1998 ) has described the rapidly-changing times we are populating a s the ‘Age of Uncertainty ‘ in which it is impossible to foretell the province and form of the universe in few old ages clip ( as cited in Broadfoot 2000, p. 358 ) . The educational universe today encounters systems which may finally turn out to be a revolution in what is to be taught, to whom and how, since, as Edmund King implies, ‘all its established systems were developed for a universe that no longer exists † ( quoted in Broadfoot p.267 ) . Accountability and educational transmutation rose oppugning on the instruction procedure itself. The heightened involvement in and concern over instruction has encouraged pedagogues to re-evaluate in the visible radiation of new planetary worlds, the intent of schooling, the implicit in theories about the relationship between instruction and development and oppugning about pedagogue professionalism. ( Watson as cited in Crossley 2002, p.81 ) The ways in which pedagogues in different states view these issues and the schemes employed to turn to them must be understood in the visible radiation of different cultural, societal and political context in each state. By sing the educational issue from the position of two diverse states the research worker can place factor that might be missed when sing the issue within the context of ain state entirely. If the research country is related to researcher ‘s ain cultural environment, it is non ever easy to comprehend its particular features. The instance may look excessively apprehensible and non-problematic. â€Å" A fish can non see that it is populating in H2O † ( quoted in hypertext transfer protocol: //www2.uiah.fi/projects/metodi/172.htm ) . Multiple cultural positions believing and analytic models from a multiplicity of adherent the research would supply an international context every bit good as tools for opening position to heighten the manner of seeing instruct ion.Critical thought on Comparative instruction:Comparative instruction and the critical position taking that comparative enquiry, assist the research worker to travel into a deeper analysis of the relationship among society, development, instruction and the function that citizens either straight or indirectly play in the instruction procedure. Through the development of comparative thought accomplishments research workers should be able to set about analyses of their place civilizations and systems with a more apprehension of the assorted cultural factors at drama. Comparative instruction encourages both research workers and pedagogues to inquire inquiries like: â€Å" What sort of educational policies, planning and instruction are appropriate and for what sort of society? † The field of comparative instruction focuses attending on what might be appropriate and inappropriate policy while encourage consciousness of doctrines underlying educational policies and encourages inte rdisciplinary review. ( Klein 1990, 1996, Epstein 1983 as cited in Kubow & A ; Fossum 2003, p.7 ) . Comparative instruction is good and necessary non merely for bookmans and policy shapers but for instruction practicians every bit good. As Gutek said, instructors function in two dimensions: as citizens of peculiar nation-states, they foster pupils ‘ national individuality ; and 2nd as citizens of a planetary society, they recognize that possibilities of worlds growing and menaces to human endurance traveling beyond national boundaries ( Gutek 1993 as cited in Kubow & A ; Fossum 2003, p.251 ) . Teachers must larn to look at other tantamount schoolroom and school patterns throughout the universe. As Stake ( 1978 ) said â€Å" we observe that people per se pursue the general by looking at the particular. Peoples make sense out of the new fortunes they encounter by comparing that particulars to the existence that includes their ain frames of mention. We have named the procedure of executing cross-cultural probe and so deducing penetrations from these probes the accomplishments o f comparative position pickings † ( quoted in Kubow & A ; Fossum 2003, p.252 ) . Schools are compared with spheres which constitute tenseness and combination of forces. In order to understand and command such status, involves critical accomplishments and the ability to understand the political underlining of societal and educational fortunes ( Kaplan 1991 as cited in Kubow & A ; Fossum 2003, p. 252 ) . These sorts of critical thought can advance critical inquiries like: What is the purpose of schooling? What are the just instruction and who decides? What is the appropriate balance between educator authorization and answerability? What factors reinforce or hinder teacher professionalism? ( Quoted from Kubow & A ; Fossum 2003, p. 252 ) . The field of comparative instruction continues to specify its individuality and significance in the new thought about instruction, society, colonialism and development. Ideas from post-foundational thought, post-modernism, post-structuralism and post-colonialism, are of great importance in comparative research because they deal with common metanarratives of advancement, modernness, laterality and subordination that there have been the fulcrum of the chief thoughts in comparative instruction. ( Mehta & A ; Ninnes 2003, p.238 ) , Crossley 2002, p.82 ) .Examples of Case surveies:Case study 1: Comparison literacyThe utility of comparative instruction is seen in the figure of different instance surveies. An illustration of a instance survey is ‘Literacy accomplishments in Maltese-English bilingual kids ‘ by Rachael Xuereb ( 2009 ) . The survey examines the reading and phonological consciousness accomplishments in English and Maltese of kids whose female parent lingua is Maltese and 2nd linguistic communication English. A sample of 50 typically developing Maltese kids aging between 8 old ages 0 months to 10 old ages 5 months was chosen to take part in this survey. The kids acquired Maltese as a first linguistic communication within the household and subsequently acquired English as a 2nd linguistic communication through Kindergarten and/or the early school old ages. The participants in this survey attend a church school situated in the south-western portion of the island. Since kids star traveling to school at the age of 5 old ages, the kids have been larning to read in Maltese and besides in English. For the intent of this survey, Maltese reading and reading-related trials were created to parallel the UK and US standardised appraisals. All the kids sat for the novel trials and the standardized trials. Harmonizing to the consequences found by Xuereb, Maltese kids read better in Maltese than in English, which is the linguistic communication of direction in most of the topics. Each kid was tested on the undermentioned steps in both linguistic communications: word and non word reading, non word repeat, spelling, sectioning words and non words elision, rapid naming of letters, Numberss and colorss, frontward memory for figures. Increasing research has addressed this issue for bilingual pupils, in relationship to whether phonological consciousness in the first linguistic communication predicts phonological consciousness in the 2nd linguistic communication ( Quiroga, Lemos-Britton, Mostafapour, Abbott & A ; Berninger, 2002 ) . Studies comparing first linguistic communication and 2nd linguistic communication decrypting accomplishments in readers of different writing systems suggest that these accomplishments are positively correlated and that single differences in the development of these accomplishments can be predicted on the footing of underlying cognitive and lingual abilities such as phonological accomplishments, memory, orthographic cognition and velocity of processing ( Geva & A ; Wade-Woolley, 1998 as cited in Xuereb 2009, p.331 ) . This survey aimed to happen reply for how do Maltese-English bilingual kids perform on reading and phonological undertakings and to verify whether anterior findings of cross-language transportation from first linguistic communication phonological consciousness to reading or to 2nd linguistic communication phonological consciousness be replicated in this sample of Maltese-speaking pupils.Case study 2: Comparing the function of gender and age on pupils ‘ perceptual experiences towards on-line instruction.This survey conducted by Fahme Dabaj, and Havva BaAYak, was conducted in order to inquiry and analyse the perceptual experiences and attitudes of the pupils to online distance instruction by agencies of electronic mail and the World Wide Web as the method of presenting direction through online sheepskin plans offered by Sakarya University in Turkey with regard to their age and gender. The research was based on a questionnaire as a mean of informations aggregation method. The findings of the analysis explained that although the pupils registered to the on-line plan by will, they preference was for the traditional face-to-face instruction due to the trouble of the gestural communicating, their deficiency of ability in utilizing the engineering required, and their belief in traditional face-to face larning more than on-line instruction. The research methodological analysis of this survey used the quantitative statistical methods and techniques such as significance differences, correlativity and the cross-tabulation distribution to happen out if there is a important relationship between the independent and the dependent variable inquiries, mensurating the function of age and gender of pupils towards their perceptual experiences sing distant instruction. The quantitative information was collected by study questionnaire and was analyzed via quantitative statistical methods. All the pupils enrolled in the distance instruction plans and the online classs in the autumn term of the 2005/2006 Academic Year took portion in the research. Sing gender, the consequences proofed that the female pupils have a better consciousness of the on-line instruction contrasting to the male pupils. Sing age, the consequences showed that the older the pupils ‘ penchant moves towards go toing face-to face categories.Case study 3: Comparison different Art methodological analysiss.I besides attempted to do a little comparative survey in which I compared Art methodological analysis adopted in a province school compared with that adopted by the Verdala International School. The Verdala International is a coeducational international school in which foreign pupils resident in Malta can go to. The Art section in this school in based on two Art Programs ; the IG which is tantamount to O ‘ degree test and the IB which is tantamount to the A ‘ degree test. My research was aimed at conveying out the difference in instructors ‘ and pupils ‘ attack towards the topic. The first difference which I pointed out was the degree of organisation in the province school ‘s Art room in comparing with the â€Å" organized † pandemonium that ruled in the Verdala International. Both instructors ‘ response to my remarks about the Art room environment was that it reflects the methodological analysis they adopt towards the topic. Art lessons in the province school are more structured ; pupils have to follow regulations which hinder them from utilizing their imaginativeness freely. In both schools the lessons where introduced in the same mode there was a batch of instructor talk with the instructor orchestrating the whole thing. The kids were merely asked to take part when the instructor asked them for suggestions. The two lessons differed in the manner they developed while in the province school, the pupils followed the traditional method by copying the instructor ‘s illustrations from the whiteboard and were really limited in experimentation, at Vedala international the pupils were much freer to experiment and be originative. The ground was that although the Art course of study of both schools are really similar, the methodological analysis adopted is different. The instructor at the province school believes that in order to â€Å" interrupt the regulations † in Art foremost the pupil has to larn them by utilizing the traditional method – by copying. While Art lessons at the province school are more exams oriented, although at Verdala International they do hold an terminal of twelvemonth trial, the focal point is more on assisting pupils develop originative thoughts. During my observation Sessionss at the province school, which were carried out in the beginning of November, the instructor systematically reminded the pupils about the test. On the other manus at Verdala International the concluding trial was ne'er mentioned. At the Verdala International I besides tried to compare Maltese pupils who have been to a province school and are now go toing Verdala International with foreign pupils who had been go toing to Art categories in their ain states are now at Verdala. The purpose of such comparing was to place pupils ‘ positions of the methodological analysiss used for the instruction of Art in Malta and abroad. The foreign pupils interviewed were from Italy, USA, Sweden, Germany, Russia and England. From the response given it resulted that the conservative Art methodological analysis used in Maltese province schools is really similar to that in Russia and in the early old ages of the in-between school in Germany. Lessons at Verdala International are more similar to those in Italy where the pupils are active participants and able to take determinations on what they should make. While in province schools every lesson planned out by the instructor following the course of study that is to be covered, at Verdala International the lesson is in the signifier of a group treatment. Each pupil decides on a subject that he/she would wish work on and the instructor will ease his acquisition. This manner, different pupils might be working on different undertakings unlike in province schools where everyone would be making the same thing. Maltese pupils prefer more the methodological analysis used at the Verdala International than the Art methodological analysis used in the province school. The research methodological analysis of this survey consisted of observation Sessionss, interviews with pupils both on single bases and in groups, and interviews with four instructors ( one at Verdala International and 3 at province school ) . The figure of pupils that took portion in this survey was 45 pupils ( 22 at Verdala International and 23 at province school ) .DecisionThe comparative instruction country is composed by what research workers declare about its nature, beginnings, intents, hereafters, by the â€Å" truths † people support and by the battle over what made â€Å" true † comparative instruction ( Mehta & A ; Ninnes 2003, p.240 ) . The significance in analyzing this country utilizing rational truth, the working and foreign systems of instruction will ensue in our better fitted to analyze and understand our ain piece helps to widen and intensify our apprehension of the universe it is a manner to progress our entire capacity to believe. As postulated by Sadler: â€Å" If we study foreign systems of instruction exhaustively and sympathetically-and understanding and thoroughness are both necessary for the task- I believe that the consequence on our heads will be to do us value as we have ne'er prized before the good things which we have at place and besides do us recognize how many things there are in our ain instruction systems which need pmt and seeking alteration. † ( Quoted from Bray 2007 pp. 37-38 ) .