Operational Budget

A budget is a formal plan that estimates the plausible expenditures and income for an organization over a certain amount of time. Seeing that budgets are such a valuable tool for planning and having a control of a company’s finances, budgeting affects nearly every type of organization. Typically a small business contributes in budgeting to determine the most efficient and effective approach making money and increasing its asset base.A financial plan can help a company use its restricted finances in a way that best utilizes existing business opportunities. An operational budget involves the development of monetary tactics for the organization, generally for a year. Though annual budgets need not be subdivided into shorter terms, monthly and/or quarterly budgets are particularly constructive for foreseeing cash needs and for evaluating actual knowledge with plan.An extensive master budget entails planning for all stages of the operation: sales, marketing, manufacturing, engineer ing and general administration. â€Å"Once a budget has been established comparisons may be made with actual results and variances analyzed, budgetary control. Flexible budgetary techniques may also be used to update figures or test alternative courses of action. The advantages and disadvantages of an operating budget are: Advantages| Disadvantages| | |Commitment and motivation of managers| The time taken and the cost of this time| Looks at alternatives| May be unexpected events that affect later results| Sets targets and standards| Information must remain confidential| If predicted volumes change, new sales and costs can be predicted using flexible budget techniques| Managers may treat cost budgets as separate from revenues, and hence over-spend if revenues are not achieved| Looks forward and considers both internal and external factors| | In order to be successful, operating budgets are prepared by departmental managers using the Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industr y or similar to give detailed figures for all volumes, sales, costs and hence profits or costs. † (BURGESS, 2009) These may exist by month and could be determined by day for the entire financial year. The three main steps in contributing towards accomplishing a successful operating budget are: planning for achievable target and objectives, comparing the actual numbers to the budget and evaluating to differences, and taking corrective action if necessary. The key pecuniary relation between a strategic plan and an operational plan is the establishment of a departmental financial plan.The strategic plan gives a budget approximation that is based on anticipated revenue. ‘The operational plan provides a more precise number that can be used to measure the success of a strategic plan. If the operational budget is more than the strategic plan provides for, then the company needs to exert more effort to bring the two numbers more in line. † (Rosemary Peavler, 2012) Budgets are a valuable instrument for businesses to use to help evaluate the performance of their firm at the end of the time period that the budget covers. Businesses should look at actual expenses, for instance, compared to budgeted, or planned, expenditures.By doing this, the business can see how much actual expenses assorted from intended expenses in order to improve the budgeting process in the next time period. Businesses also use budgets for the idea of control. If businesses have a master budget to track, then they can carefully manage expenditures during the time period of the budget by evaluating them to the master budget. Budgets help avoid overspending. The budget also gives the company a target to use by which to evaluate the firm. Not only can expenditures be monitored, but so can income inputs. Some disadvantages of budgeting are staff time devoted to budgets bears a potential opportunity cost.The time these workers give to the budgeting process means they are not accessible to accomplish other tasks and responsibilities. There are Errors and imprecision that will always remain since it is unfeasible to forecast the future. There are major external events, such as, rising energy prices or the worldwide recession that may disfigure the whole process. Budgets also involve and affect people therefore they could be basis for conflict since there may be complicated decisions over where restricted funds are spent. Some departments with tight budgets could feel constrained. Therefore, this will carry the risk of frustrating initiative and enterprise.

Alcohol Abuse Introduction

Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse Signs, Symptoms, and Help for Drinking Problems It’s not always easy to see when your drinking has crossed the line from moderate or social use to problem drinking. But if you consume alcohol to cope with difficulties or to avoid feeling bad, you’re in potentially dangerous territory. Alcoholism and alcohol abuse can sneak up on you, so it’s important to be aware of the warning signs and take steps to cut back if you recognize them. Understanding the problem is the first step to overcoming it. In This Article: * Understanding drinking problems * Signs & symptoms of alcohol abuse Signs & symptoms of alcoholism * Drinking problems and denial * Effects of alcoholism * Getting help for alcohol abuse * When a loved one has a drinking problem Understanding alcoholism and alcohol abuse Alcoholism and alcohol abuse are due to many interconnected factors, including genetics, how you were raised, your social environment, and your emotional heal th. Some racial groups, such as American Indians and Native Alaskans, are more at risk than others of developing alcohol addiction. People who have a family history of alcoholism or who associate closely with heavy drinkers are more likely to develop drinking problems.Finally, those who suffer from a mental health problem such as anxiety, depression, or bipolar disorder are also particularly at risk, because alcohol may be used to self-medicate. Since drinking is so common in many cultures and the effects vary so widely from person to person, it’s not always easy to figure out where the line is between social drinking and problem drinking. The bottom line is how alcohol affects you. If your drinking is causing problems in your life, you have a drinking problem. Do you have a drinking problem? You may have a drinking problem if you†¦ Feel guilty or ashamed about your drinking. * Lie to others or hide your drinking habits. * Have friends or family members who are worried a bout your drinking. * Need to drink in order to relax or feel better. * â€Å"Black out† or forget what you did while you were drinking. * Regularly drink more than you intended to. Signs and symptoms of alcohol abuse Substance abuse experts make a distinction between alcohol abuse and alcoholism (also called alcohol dependence). Unlike alcoholics, alcohol abusers have some ability to set limits on their drinking.However, their alcohol use is still self-destructive and dangerous to themselves or others. Common signs and symptoms of alcohol abuse include: * Repeatedly neglecting your responsibilities at home, work, or school because of your drinking. For example, performing poorly at work, flunking classes, neglecting your kids, or skipping out on commitments because you’re hung over. * Using alcohol in situations where it’s physically dangerous, such as drinking and driving, operating machinery while intoxicated, or mixing alcohol with prescription medication ag ainst doctor’s orders. Experiencing repeated legal problems on account of your drinking. For example, getting arrested for driving under the influence or for drunk and disorderly conduct. * Continuing to drink even though your alcohol use is causing problems in your relationships. Getting drunk with your buddies, for example, even though you know your wife will be very upset, or fighting with your family because they dislike how you act when you drink. * Drinking as a way to relax or de-stress. Many drinking problems start when people use alcohol to self-soothe and relieve stress.Getting drunk after every stressful day, for example, or reaching for a bottle every time you have an argument with your spouse or boss. The path from alcohol abuse to alcoholism Not all alcohol abusers become full-blown alcoholics, but it is a big risk factor. Sometimes alcoholism develops suddenly in response to a stressful change, such as a breakup, retirement, or another loss. Other times, it gra dually creeps up on you as your tolerance to alcohol increases. If you’re a binge drinker or you drink every day, the risks of developing alcoholism are greater. Signs and symptoms of alcoholism (alcohol dependence)Alcoholism is the most severe form of problem drinking. Alcoholism involves all the symptoms of alcohol abuse, but it also involves another element: physical dependence on alcohol. If you rely on alcohol to function or feel physically compelled to drink, you’re an alcoholic. Tolerance: The 1st major warning sign of alcoholism Do you have to drink a lot more than you used to in order to get buzzed or to feel relaxed? Can you drink more than other people without getting drunk? These are signs of tolerance, which can be an early warning sign of alcoholism. Tolerance means that, over time, you need more and more alcohol to feel the same effects.Withdrawal: The 2nd major warning sign of alcoholism Do you need a drink to steady the shakes in the morning? Drinking to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms is a sign of alcoholism and a huge red flag. When you drink heavily, your body gets used to the alcohol and experiences withdrawal symptoms if it’s taken away. These include: * Anxiety or jumpiness * Shakiness or trembling * Sweating * Nausea and vomiting * Insomnia | * Depression * Irritability * Fatigue * Loss of appetite * Headache | In severe cases, withdrawal from alcohol can also involve hallucinations, confusion, seizures, fever, and agitation.These symptoms can be dangerous, so talk to your doctor if you are a heavy drinker and want to quit. Other signs and symptoms of alcoholism (alcohol dependence) * You’ve lost control over your drinking. You often drink more alcohol than you wanted to, for longer than you intended, or despite telling yourself you wouldn’t. * You want to quit drinking, but you can’t. You have a persistent desire to cut down or stop your alcohol use, but your efforts to quit have been unsu ccessful. * You have given up other activities because of alcohol.You’re spending less time on activities that used to be important to you (hanging out with family and friends, going to the gym, pursuing your hobbies) because of your alcohol use. * Alcohol takes up a great deal of your energy and focus. You spend a lot of time drinking, thinking about it, or recovering from its effects. You have few if any interests or social involvements that don’t revolve around drinking. * You drink even though you know it’s causing problems. For example, you recognize that your alcohol use is damaging your marriage, making your depression worse, or causing health problems, but you continue to drink anyway.Drinking problems and denial Is my drinking a problem? by Harvard Health Publications Denial is one of the biggest obstacles to getting help for alcohol abuse and alcoholism. The desire to drink is so strong that the mind finds many ways to rationalize drinking, even when t he consequences are obvious. By keeping you from looking honestly at your behavior and its negative effects, denial also exacerbates alcohol-related problems with work, finances, and relationships. If you have a drinking problem, you may deny it by: * Drastically underestimating how much you drink Downplaying the negative consequences of your drinking * Complaining that family and friends are exaggerating the problem * Blaming your drinking or drinking-related problems on others For example, you may blame an ‘unfair boss’ for trouble at work or a ‘nagging wife’ for your marital issues, rather than look at how your drinking is contributing to the problem. While work, relationship, and financial stresses happen to everyone, an overall pattern of deterioration and blaming others may be a sign of trouble.If you find yourself rationalizing your drinking habits, lying about them, or refusing to discuss the subject, take a moment to consider why you’re so d efensive. If you truly believe you don’t have a problem, there should be no reason for you to cover up your drinking or make excuses. Five myths about alcoholism and alcohol abuse Myth #1: I can stop drinking anytime I want to. Maybe you can; more likely, you can’t. Either way, it’s just an excuse to keep drinking. The truth is, you don’t want to stop.Telling yourself you can quit makes you feel in control, despite all evidence to the contrary and no matter the damage it’s doing. Myth #2: My drinking is my problem. I’m the one it hurts, so no one has the right to tell me to stop. It’s true that the decision to quit drinking is up to you. But you are deceiving yourself if you think that your drinking hurts no one else but you. Alcoholism affects everyone around you—especially the people closest to you. Your problem is their problem. Myth #3: I don’t drink every day, so I can’t be an alcoholic OR I only drink wine o r beer, so I can’t be an alcoholic.Alcoholism is NOT defined by what you drink, when you drink it, or even how much you drink. It’s the EFFECTS of your drinking that define a problem. If your drinking is causing problems in your home or work life, you have a drinking problem—whether you drink daily or only on the weekends, down shots of tequila or stick to wine, drink three bottles of beers a day or three bottles of whiskey. Myth #4: I’m not an alcoholic because I have a job and I’m doing okay. You don’t have to be homeless and drinking out of a brown paper bag to be an alcoholic.Many alcoholics are able to hold down jobs, get through school, and provide for their families. Some are even able to excel. But just because you’re a high-functioning alcoholic doesn’t mean you’re not putting yourself or others in danger. Over time, the effects will catch up with you. Myth #5: Drinking is not a â€Å"real† addiction like drug abuse. Alcohol is a drug, and alcoholism is every bit as damaging as drug addiction. Alcohol addiction causes changes in the body and brain, and long-term alcohol abuse can have devastating effects on your health, your career, and your relationships.Alcoholics go through physical withdrawal when they stop drinking, just like drug users do when they quit. Effects of alcoholism and alcohol abuse Alcoholism and alcohol abuse can affect all aspects of your life. Long-term alcohol use can cause serious health complications, affecting virtually every organ in your body, including your brain. Problem drinking can also damage your emotional stability, finances, career, and your ability to build and sustain satisfying relationships. Alcoholism and alcohol abuse can also have an impact on your family, friends and the people you work with.The effects of alcoholism and alcohol abuse on the people you love Despite the potentially lethal damage that heavy drinking does to the body—in cluding cancer, heart problems, and liver disease—the social consequences can be just as devastating. Alcoholics and alcohol abusers are much more likely to get divorced, have problems with domestic violence, struggle with unemployment, and live in poverty. But even if you’re able to succeed at work or hold your marriage together, you can’t escape the effects that alcoholism and alcohol abuse has on your personal relationships.Drinking problems put an enormous strain on the people closest to you. Often, family members and close friends feel obligated to cover for the person with the drinking problem. So they take on the burden of cleaning up your messes, lying for you, or working more to make ends meet. Pretending that nothing is wrong and hiding away all of their fears and resentments can take an enormous toll. Children are especially sensitive and can suffer long-lasting emotional trauma when a parent or caretaker is an alcoholic or heavy drinker. Getting help for alcoholism or alcohol abuseIf you’re ready to admit you have a drinking problem, you’ve already taken the first step. It takes tremendous strength and courage to face alcohol abuse and alcoholism head on. Reaching out for support is the second step. Whether you choose to go to rehab, rely on self-help programs, get therapy, or take a self-directed treatment approach, support is essential. Recovering from alcohol addiction is much easier when you have people you can lean on for encouragement, comfort, and guidance. Without support, it’s easy to fall back into old patterns when things get tough.Getting sober is only the beginning Learn about roadblocks to staying sober Watch 3 min. video: Roadblocks to awareness Your continued recovery depends on continuing mental health treatment, learning healthier coping strategies, and making better decisions when dealing with life’s challenges. In order to stay alcohol-free for the long term, you’ll also ha ve to face the underlying problems that led to your alcoholism or alcohol abuse in the first place. Those problems could be depression, an inability to manage stress, an unresolved trauma from your childhood, or any number of mental health issues.Such problems may become more prominent when you’re no longer using alcohol to cover them up. But you will be in a healthier position to finally address them and seek the help you need. Helping a loved one with alcoholism or alcohol abuse If someone you love has a drinking problem, you may be struggling with a number of painful emotions, including shame, fear, anger, and self-blame. The problem may be so overwhelming that it seems easier to ignore it and pretend that nothing is wrong. But in the long run denying it will be more damaging to you, other family members, and the person with the drinking problem.What Not To Do * Don't attempt to punish, threaten, bribe, or preach. * Don't try to be a martyr. Avoid emotional appeals that ma y only increase feelings of guilt and the compulsion to drink or use other drugs. * Don't cover up or make excuses for the alcoholic or problem drinker or shield them from the realistic consequences of their behavior. * Don't take over their responsibilities, leaving them with no sense of importance or dignity. * Don't hide or dump bottles, throw out drugs, or shelter them from situations where alcohol is present. * Don't argue with the person when they are impaired. Don't try to drink along with the problem drinker. * Above all, don't feel guilty or responsible for another's behavior. Adapted from: National Clearinghouse for Alcohol ; Drug Information Dealing with a loved one’s alcohol problem can be an emotional rollercoaster. It’s vital that you take care of yourself and get the support you need. It’s also important to have people you can talk honestly and openly with about what you’re going through. A good place to start is by joining a group such as Al-Anon, a free peer support group for families coping with alcoholism.Listening to others with the same challenges can be a tremendous source of comfort and support. You can also turn to trusted friends, a therapist, or people in your faith community. * You cannot force someone you love to stop abusing alcohol. As much as you may want to, and as hard as it is to watch, you cannot make someone stop drinking. The choice is up to them. * Don’t expect the person to stop drinking and stay sober without help. Your loved one will need treatment, support, and new coping skills to overcome a serious drinking problem. * Recovery is n ongoing process. Recovery is a bumpy road, requiring time and patience. An alcoholic will not magically become a different person once sober. And the problems that led to the alcohol abuse in the first place will have to be faced. Admitting that there’s a serious problem can be painful for the whole family, not just the alcohol abuser. But don†™t be ashamed. You’re not alone. Alcoholism and alcohol abuse affects millions of families, from every social class, race, and culture. But there is help and support available for both you and your loved one.What Not To Do * Don't attempt to punish, threaten, bribe, or preach. * Don't try to be a martyr. Avoid emotional appeals that may only increase feelings of guilt and the compulsion to drink or use other drugs. * Don't cover up or make excuses for the alcoholic or problem drinker or shield them from the realistic consequences of their behavior. * Don't take over their responsibilities, leaving them with no sense of importance or dignity. * Don't hide or dump bottles, throw out drugs, or shelter them from situations where alcohol is present. Don't argue with the person when they are impaired. * Don't try to drink along with the problem drinker. * Above all, don't feel guilty or responsible for another's behavior. Adapted from: National Clearinghouse for Alcohol & Drug In formation When your teen has a drinking problem Discovering your child is drinking can generate fear, confusion, and anger in parents. It’s important to remain calm when confronting your teen, and only do so when everyone is sober. Explain your concerns and make it clear that your concern comes from a place of love.It’s important that your teen feels you are supportive. Five steps parents can take: 1. Lay down rules and consequences: Your teen should understand that drinking alcohol comes with specific consequences. But don’t make hollow threats or set rules that you cannot enforce. Make sure your spouse agrees with the rules and is prepared to enforce them. 2. Monitor your teen’s activity: Know where your teen goes and who he or she hangs out with. Remove or lock away alcohol from your home and routinely check potential hiding laces for alcohol—in backpacks, under the bed, between clothes in a drawer, for example. Explain to your teen that this la ck of privacy is a consequence of him or her having been caught using alcohol. 3. Encourage other interests and social activities. Expose your teen to healthy hobbies and activities, such as team sports, Scouts, and afterschool clubs. 4. Talk to your child about underlying issues. Drinking can be the result of other problems. Is your child having trouble fitting in? Has there been a recent major change, like a move or divorce, which is causing stress? . Get outside help: You don’t have to go it alone. Teenagers often rebel against their parents but if they hear the same information from a different authority figure, they may be more inclined to listen. Try seeking help from a sports coach, family doctor, therapist, or counselor. Next step†¦ Find the right treatment for you. Many effective alcohol treatment options are available, including rehab programs. However, professional help isn’t the only way to get better. There are also plenty of things you can do to help yourself stop drinking and achieve lasting recovery.

How Do I Decide to Drop a Course?

You probably know how important it is to take on a rigorous course load in high school to show top-tier colleges that you are up to the challenge of handling a demanding curriculum. So you may be reluctant to drop a class from your schedule, lest admission committees think you might not be able to handle the demands of college work. However, sometime dropping a course is the right call. Read on for advice on how to evaluate whether or not dropping a class is the best choice for you. First, think about why you want to drop the course. Is there a disproportionate amount of work? Is the work too challenging, to the point that you don’t believe you’ll be able to earn a good grade in the class? Is the course taking away time that might be better spent on friends, family, or your extracurricular activities? Only you can decide what you need to prioritize, but it is important to keep in mind that often, extracurricular activities matter just as much as the courses you take, so if a class you do not particularly want to take is interfering with an activity you find more stimulating, dropping the course may be the right call. Additionally, if a class is causing more stress than you are able to handle, it is probably interfering with other aspects of your life. You should also evaluate whether or not the course in question fits in with your academic profile. You want to demonstrate that you are a specialized student who focuses on particular strengths and interests , so you will need to think about the strengths you a presenting, and how dropping a particular course will influence your profile. For instance, if you are an aspiring English major, you probably shouldn’t drop AP Literature, since doing so may indicate that you are not dedicated to your chosen subject or not able to complete the course material. However, dropping a course outside of the interests you have indicated, such as AP Chemistry, probably won’t have as much of an adverse effect on your college application. On the other hand, if you are planning on majoring in one of the sciences in college as part a pre-med track, dropping AP Chemistry is not such a good idea, while dropping something like AP French is less of a big deal. Keep in mind, though, that it’s important to take as challenging a load as possible in the course subjects – English, Social Studies, Science, and Math – so unless you’re really struggling, staying in a core class that is challenging is probably a smart idea. If the course in question is a requirement at your high school, you probably won’t have the option of dropping it. However, you might be able to take an easier level of a course instead; for instance, if the course is AP, IB, or Honors level, you could switch into the regular version, assuming it is not too late in the school year to do so. You also need to look longer-term and think about whether or not the course in question is a prerequisite for future classes you might want or need to take. For example, some high schools might require you to complete AP Calculus AB before AP Calculus BC, so if you drop AB, you will not be able to take BC later on. Additionally, some high schools have honors or AP tracks, and if you start taking regular-level courses in a particular subject, you might not be able to participate in more-demanding equivalents later on. For instance, you might need to take Honors English in your junior year if you want to take AP Literature in your senior year. Many students choose to drop a course because they are concerned with how it might impact their GPAs. If you are not doing well in a class, and you believe the grade you receive may be much lower than your average, dropping the course may be a good idea. Still, don’t drop a class impulsively, because you may not be doing as poorly as you think you are. Before you make your decision, discuss your concerns with your teacher. He or she may be able to better contextualize particular assignments or test and explain how they will impact your overall grade. You could also ask if you might be able to complete extra credit assignments or make-up work to improve your grade. There may be other ways to resolve the situation aside from dropping the class entirely, so thoroughly explore your options first. If you are not particularly interested in the material, you may not do well in the course. While this isn’t necessarily the case—many students still perform well in courses they don’t like—if the course isn’t a requirement or adding to your academic profile in any meaningful way, it may not be worth taking at all. If you are struggling with a course, you may not need to drop it entirely. Consider additional solutions, such as: Ultimately, you are not bound to your initial course choices, unless they are requirements, so you don’t have to take a class you find too demanding or are not enjoying. And if staying in the course is getting in the way of or distracting from other interests, activities, or courses, dropping it may be the right call. Still, you should weigh the pros and cons carefully before making your final decision. Looking for help on choosing courses and honing your talents? The Mentorship Program matches you with personal mentors from top colleges to work together one-on-one over the course of a year, encouraging you to discover your passions, develop significant self-motivation, and become a high-performing individual.

Task Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Task - Essay Example mitive; karyon= nucleus) cells lack a true nucleolus, cellular organelles such as mitochondria, chloroplast, endoplasmic reticulum (ER), Golgi bodies etc. The DNA found in prokaryotes is circular, devoid of basic histones; they do not undergo normal cell division of mitosis and meiosis, they multiply by simple replication of DNA, followed by binary fission, thereby the two daughter cells are clones (exactly similar). Single celled organisms do not possess defined nutrition and excretory mechanisms. Some single-celled organisms such as amoeba have simple cell structures known as  vesicles  that are responsible for excretion and  osmoregulation. Moreover, they ventilate through simple diffusion process across the cell membrane. Single cellular organisms can be deemed as simple, as unlike eukaryotic cells where progeny is formed after the fusion of male and the female gametes, and the progeny possesses the characteristics of both the parents, while most single celled organism do not. As a matter of fact, they can divide a number of times within one hour. Additionally, unlike most  multicellular  organisms, single-celled organisms can readily synthesize most of the essential substances that they need from simple nutrients. These processes are very simple and straight forward. Also, single-celled organisms can be considered as simple due to their limited capacity to occupy a wide range of habitats. This is attributed to the fact that they do not have division of  labour necessary for the exploitation and subsequent utilization of a wide range of resources. On the contrary, they achieve division of  labour  by formation of colonies, which they achieve by having their daughter cells remaining attached after subsequent cell divisions. Variation has been estimated as a vital component in the sustenance of species. Most single-celled organisms tend to lack variation owing to their ability to reproduce asexually, implying that organisms retain the exact genetic composition

Funding of Media Venture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Funding of Media Venture - Essay Example It is the main concern of the following paper to discuss with examples of the key requirements for, and obstacles faced when, seeking funding for a media venture. For a media firm to be able to secure funding, one of the requirements in many cases is a business plan which contains a solid business concept. This is because the funding agencies like the donors, banks or sponsors expect a return out of the funds they invest in the media venture. For this reason, they believe that a media firm with a good business concept would be able to compete effectively with other media firms and in the end make profit. However, the media firms that do not have sound business concepts will in most cases find it hard to acquire funds because they are perceived to be risky businesses that may not compete effectively in the media industry. A good business concept in this case will include details of the winning product and services in form of quality advertisement and creative thinking by the media per sonnel especially the journalists, the presenters and writers. Hewlett-Packard Company for example required that those media companies that seek funding must first ensure that they have a sound business plan. Product viability is another key requirement that venture capitalists tend to look at before providing funding to the media firms. They first look at the probability of success of the product that the media wants to offer in the market. If they realize that the products that the media wants to offer have high chances of success, the funds will be provided with relative ease since they assume that their investments are not going to be put in a business that is too risky with limited chances of survival. Picard noted on the contrary that venture capitalists are in most cases reluctant to provide funds to media firms if they establish that the products on offer have very low chances of success2. Capital Threshold Most companies that provide funding to media ventures require that t he latter have a given amount as part of their financial base before they can be offered funds. This situation was witnessed when HP Company announced their funding program to internet startups in which they required interested media companies to have a financial base of $250000 in capital before they could be considered for funding3. This capital threshold is meant to indicate the seriousness of the media company. The capital base also ensures that the company can provide security to its customers and clients before the business can pick up. This means that those media companies that were seeking funding to venture into the internet services but lacked the stated amount could not get funds from Hewlett-Packard4. Compliance with Government Regulations Before the media venture can be provided with funding from outside sources, they are normally required to be in compliance with government regulations and policies5. This is to ensure that the business that is being financed is a legal entity and operates within the legal framework. The media ventures that comply with the government regulations show signs of seriousness in doing business as opposed to those that fail to comply. Those who provide funding to

Business environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

Business environment - Essay Example The pre-privatization organization of electricity in United Kingdom is symbolized by broad vertical integration of production, transmission, distribution and its supplication (DTI, 2006). For instance, the structure of nationalized industry in Wales and England was control by one huge production and Transmission Company called CEGB which sold electricity in mass to 12 area distribution boards. Each of them served a franchise or a closed supply area. In Scotland, existed two vertically integrated boards that practiced regional monopolies though they cooperated nearly in utilization of their producing plant into ensuring that the demand was catered as viewed in the figure below: One of electricity innovation sector at privatization was the building of electricity pool of Wales an England (DTI, 2006). The pool become one of initial mechanisms of its type and thus, there involved little experience on other countries to rely on its creation and regulations connected with it. In its establishment, considerable weight was offered to arrangements functioned pre-privatization by CEGB, the time when electricity system was publicly-owned and centrally organized. Electricity Association (2002), after the first increase in numbers of licensed electricity suppliers functioning in electricity supplying market, the modern increase in acquisition and merger practices proposes the trend toward consolidation of electricity supply market. Electricity Association (2002) points onto the lowering prices and relentless competition, since spurring on companies gets a chance of consolidation to ensure they become more competitive (Electricity Association, 2001). There has been the recent trend into integration of production and supplication in recent years. In July 1998, Powergen purchased East Midlands Electricity as National Power purchased Midlands Electricity supply business. After the National

Final exam- Choose the following prompt and write an organized well- Essay

Final exam- Choose the following prompt and write an organized well- developed as a response - Essay Example On a macroscopic point of view, one can argue that when Achebe decided to write Things Fall Apart in English he somehow intended it to teach the significance of acknowledging multiple perspectives at least as much, if not more, than by his fellow Nigerians (Achebe, 1994). His goal probably was to critique and amend the societal notion of looking at an idea through one angle. In Things, Fall Apart the author specifically deals with the subject by exploring how the prospect and reality of societal change affect a set of characters. The tension and suspicion concerning whether transformation should be privileged over culture is given a narrow though and normally involves the notion of personal status. Taking Okonkwo, for instance, his resistance to the new religious and political orders is shallowly based since he has an opinion that they are not manly. He also feels that since the new ideologies are not as manly, they may, in the long run, make him less manly. To some extent seem may true in a nutshell but that is not the reality as the books proceeds. By analysis emphasize the fear to explore that many people normally fall prey to. The society more often than not presumes that what they hear or made to believe qualifies as the truth. The reality is that This Okonkwo’s resistance to traditional change. Likewise, it Okonkwo’s s fear of losing societal status he previously enjoyed. In other words, a feeling of self-worth which can be seen to be dependent upon a set of traditional standards through which society values or evaluates him. Sadly, he uses these fears and shallow observations to claim and justify his fears. What Chinua Achebe emphasizes is the need to look at issues from a broader angle before laying claims. Through the book, he has hinted that what is perceived by many as the truth many be far from it. Just as in

Compare and contrast the economic, political and social environment of Essay

Compare and contrast the economic, political and social environment of the United States in the 1920s and the 1950s - Essay Example The economy of 1920 boomed and contributed to the success of the country during this era. It resulted in a boost in employment, cost-effective development and consumerism. In 1920s, there was a great enhancement in purchase of commodities, mass production, industrial production, corporate profits and movies. In 1920, every field witnessed innovative breakthroughs and creations. These inventions embrace cars, methods of transportation, gas stations, malls/shopping centers, radio, and sewing machines. The period of 1920 was a period of huge advancement in the sphere of mass communication and the movies became popular as well (Goff & Terry, 2002). The manufacturers made huge profits from new business and production approaches. Departmental stores along with service station chains benefited from considerable retail power and helped in wage rise. The figure of millionaires in US increased during this period. The share market reached to the pinnacle. The salaries of management were increased excessively. Banks offered significant bonuses to their staff. The moral codes of business distorted and corruption was prevalent in politics, business and society. This was an indication of the end of booming period in USA. Comparatively, the period of 1950 was somewhat outdated. The economy during 1950 observed no major innovation. The main issue of this era was inflation, the rise in consumer prices, in indirect business taxes as well as social security taxes. Tax rates along with employment rates carried on climbing during this period. First half of 1950 viewed the prosperity of progress of life insurance companies and enrollment of new private companies to take in the extremes of personal investments (Goff & Terry, 2002). The industries that flourished after the war comprised, transport industry, newspaper industry, automobile industry, housing industry, electronics and aviation and aerospace industry, military industry, Hollywood and newspaper industry. During this

Communication and Conflict Chapter 7 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Communication and Conflict Chapter 7 - Essay Example (The case mentioned Enrique believing that â€Å"he and Monica had a clear[er] picture of one another.†) These are the perceived incompatible goals. It is natural that in courtships, couples tend to put their best foot forward, to make the other feel special, and to show the other that his or her desires are paramount to her or him, which however is abandoned when one enters into marriage because pretensions are shed (Ziglar, 2004). The conflict appears to have reached a productive phase when Monica offered her explanation that what she meant about â€Å"forget about the job† was only for a short enough time to enjoy a night out, not to forget about it entirely; however, it re-entered a destructive phase when she appeared to accuse Enrique of not listening to her. On the other hand, Enrique tried to enter the constructive phase when he began to apologize to Monica, but vacillated towards the destructive phase again when he took issue with her comment to listen to her as an accusation, and stormed out to a friend’s house. IV Power Power is not openly discussed, but it is an issue apparently from Enrique’s side. ... The power currency Monica makes use of appears to be her feigned interest in Enrique’s job, and Enrique’s power currency is his attempt at apology and the physical contact he initiated, possibly conveying his use of affection as bargaining chip. Both Monica and Enrique felt that their spouse was trying to exert his /her power over her/him. Actually, it was more likely that they felt threatened when no threat was actually meant. Enrique felt he should exert his power as the breadwinner, and Monica felt she might exert her influence over him by cajoling and acting sweet. She over-interprets his actions as being akin to her parents’ actions; he over-interprets her words (â€Å"forget the job† and â€Å"why don’t you listen to me?†) as a challenge to his power and an accusation that he is inadequate (â€Å"I wish I had some pull†; â€Å"Doesn’t she see how much I’m trying, how hard I’m working?†). Both parties p erceived each other’s style as manipulative (Enrique of Monica) and unsympathetic (Monica of Enrique). V. Style While individuals use their own distinctive styles in a conflict, the conflict also takes on a style of its own (Chapter 7:223). At first, Monica was sweet and playful showing support and encouragement (â€Å"you’re up for a promotion, right?† while Enrique showed nonchalance and seriousness. After the conflict began, Monica protested innocence (â€Å"I didn’t say you should forget it, Enrique. I said let’s do something else for awhile†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ) and then hurt (getting up to silently do the dishes, or saying â€Å"I wish you would listen to what I’m saying.†), while Jack shows anger (â€Å"Forget about the job! How am I supposed to do that?†) and then conciliation (â€Å"I’ll come back later to pick you up for pizza). Later both revert to

Information System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Information System - Essay Example Technology is considered a major component of human activities; besides, there is a theory of technological determinism, which contends that technology is a determinant of the direction of cultural advancement, though it does not determine growth of social foundation. Moreover, there are assumptions that technological innovation is considered a driving force behind the social chances, hence establishing the social actors and relations (Hanks, 2009, 23). Nevertheless, this paper will present a discussion to support the motion that information systems have revolutionised the way people work. Technology is considered practical application of knowledge in an urbanized way in which improves the human life. Technology has a greater influence on the society in various dimensions. This has led to finding ways of doing things more efficiently and effectively. This is due to the application of some devices like computers. On the other hand, Revolution refers to the gradual increase complexity as time goes by things change within the perspective of technology improving (Eisenstein, 2002, 87). This is due to the increased innovation through the application of knowledge in order to come up with new things. ... Feature of technology relates to patterns of social consumption and establishment of consumer logic in developing countries leading to the change of cultures (Pacey, 1985, 12). However, technology has been associated with negative cultural aspects, whereby it also results to transmission of bad culture, which affects people negatively. Information systems through the internet by use of computers has influenced their behaviours in a way that alters the way individual identifies and recognizes the social sphere of action, tradition cultures, values systems and factors of social harmony (Hanks, 2009, 26). There are special cultural identities to members of a certain community that relates to the need for endogenous developing, whereby there s a compulsory process of social evolution and change that results to the establishment of values and models of external behaviours (Hanks, 2009, 26). These behaviours are inspired by the advent of foreign technologies and cultural systems. For insta nce, communication through the internet has established ability to transmit sounds and images across the world, thus leading to reproduction of altered face of contemporary culture, and this influence the way people work (Grint and Woolgar, 1997, 20). Science has a substantial role in the modern life with a profound impact on the civilization of human beings. Information systems have lead to the provision of remarkable insights in the modern world. It resulted from scientific revolution in the 20th century, which marked a quantum leap to the modern world (Lara, 2010, 3). This led to many technologies and the development of various devices and machines that have

The United States Constitution Essay Example for Free

The United States Constitution Essay I. The United States Constitution is essentially a set of principles that provides for the framework of our government, establishes the three main branches of government and provides for their functions. It also contains an enumeration of the rights and liberties of the people. It is a relatively short document considering the role it plays in every nation. Because the constitution contains only general principles and policies, it does not seek to cover every eventuality. It also does not seek to provide a solution to every conceivable problems of man. As a result, disputes among those in power and those between the government and its citizens are likely to arise. Under the constitution, it is the Supreme Court and the other courts that are tasked to interpret the constitution. The concept of judicial interpretation has spanned a number of controversies regarding how the judges are to perform their constitutional function. Some say that the Supreme Court must adhere to the principle of strict constructionism. Under this principle, in case of doubts in the interpretation of any vague and doubtful provision of the Constitution, the Supreme Court must strictly construe its provision. According to Law. com, strict constructionism refers to the interpretation of the constitution â€Å"based on a literal and narrow definition of the language without reference to the differences in conditions when the Constitution was written and modern conditions, inventions and societal changes. (â€Å"Strict Construction†) This principle is preferred because it protects against judicial activism or judicial legislation which means that the Supreme Court goes beyond its function of mere interpretation and encroaches upon the domains of the legislature. By following this principle, the public can be assured that the constitution will not be abused and its meaning will not be changed depending on the whims and caprices of the Justices of the Supreme Court. Strict constructionism is contrasted with the principle of Original Intent. Under this principle, the vague and doubtful provision of the constitution is interpreted by means of ascertaining the intent of the framers of the constitution at the time it was enacted. They do this by examining different sources, including contemporary writings, newspaper articles and the notes from the Constitutional Convention. This is preferred compared to the principle of Strict Constructionism because it goes beyond the literal wordings of the constitution and determines the reason behind the constitution. It affirms that the reason why the constitution was vaguely written and couched in general terms is because the framers wanted the future generations to refer to the intention of the original framers of the constitution for guidance. Among the arguments against the principle of Original Intent is that the framers may have written the constitution but it was the will of the people who made it happen and who ratified it. Considering that they were merely agents and that the real principals are the delegates to the Constitutional Convention and the people, too much attention to the intent of the framers should be tempered. Secondly, even the framers had differences amongst themselves on some issues. In case of dispute, which intent should be upheld by the Supreme Court? For the present society, it is very troublesome that the intent of a person who has been dead for several generations shall be used as basis for important decisions that may affect a person’s life and his future. Among the arguments raised against strict constructionism is that it does not give justice to the constitution. As a living document, the constitution must be interpreted in accordance with its spirit that gives life to it not according to its strict and literal meaning that kills it. II. The procedure in juvenile justice system is essentially different compared to the procedure in adult courts. In criminal courts, our criminal justice system takes into account the element of free will. This means the court considers that when the crime was committed, the same was done willfully and intentionally by someone who is in full possession of his mental faculties. As a result, the penalty imposed is proportional to the crime committed. On the other hand, when a juvenile commits a crime, the law takes into account that he lacks full intelligence. The law considers that he is still corrigible. As a result, the emphasis is not on punishment and deterrence but on rehabilitation. The following are the differences in the proceedings before juvenile courts and adult criminal court: a) the proceedings in the criminal court are public and as a matter of public policy the public can gain access to their records except on certain cases. On the other hand, juvenile courts keep the proceedings private so as to avoid social stigma being placed upon the juvenile; b) another difference is that trial is strictly based on the fact of the commission of crime. No other evidence that seeks to prove the good character of the accused is generally admissible. On the other hand, juvenile courts take into account in its hearing the fact of the previous record of the juvenile; c) the determination in criminal courts is that the accused is either innocent or guilty. On the other hand, juvenile court’s ruling is that the juvenile is adjudged delinquent for the purpose of protecting the juvenile against the social stigma; d) two proceedings are involved in juvenile courts, once the juvenile is adjudged to be delinquent, another hearing is conducted for the purpose of determining the penalty to be imposed. On the other hand, only a single trial is conducted in adult criminal courts. Once the defendant is adjudged guilty, the finding already includes the proper penalty to be imposed without the need of separate hearing.

Undying Message Essay Example for Free

Undying Message Essay â€Å"I have asked myself many times: Is the Filipino worth suffering, or even dying, for? Is he not a coward who would readily yield to any colonizer, be he foreign or homegrown? Is a Filipino more comfortable under an authoritarian leader because he does not want to be burdened with the freedom of choice? Is he unprepared, or worse, ill-suited for presidential or parliamentary democracy? I have carefully weighed the virtues and the faults of the Filipino and I have come to the conclusion that he is worth dying for because he is the nation’s greatest untapped resource. † *Ninoy delivered before the Asia Society on August 4, 1980 in New York City. It’s been years and yet Benigno â€Å"Ninoy† Aquino Jr. is still remembered from the shirts and posters that we see everywhere. This is only a sign that he became a part of every Filipino’s identity. However it is not only his so called heroism and legacy that has been left and looked upon, the famous statement â€Å"Filipinos are worth dying for† is also celebrated and even put in the old 500 peso bill with his famous portrait. But why did his statement moved us, Filipinos? Why is it necessary for him to say that we are worth dying for? â€Å"Worth dying for†: the phrase is heavily equipped with words that can be controversial. How do we say something is worthy and not only worthy of anything but worthy of dying? Are we that special for him to say that? Yes, for him, it is yes. Going back decades ago, we were under the martial law led by Ferdinand Marcos, the archenemy of Ninoy. Everybody before looked upon Ninoy for he was the only political actor that readily questioned Marcos and therefore took the hearts of the people. And with his death, the people’s cry for democracy was only empowered to the point that everybody was swayed by his ill fate. Scores of students, teachers, and workers alike make use of his statement either to fight their rights, use it academically, and/or to give inspiration to the public. That’s how it made impact on our way of living. We tend to use famous words from famous people because we think it will make our convictions heavier. Now this statement became a legend not only as a symbol before but also a symbol of fighting. It will be and always be reminding us that we are worth dying for and because of that we believe that we should be the bosses of the government and they should look upon us as their greatest resource for our own development.

Play Based Learning and Teaching

Play Based Learning and Teaching This essay debates play-based and formal approaches to teaching and learning for 4-5 year olds (Foundation Stage children) and for Key Stage 1 pupils. The essay will begin by looking at what is expected of Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 level pupils, in terms of the desired learning outcomes, as framed by the Foundation Stage Profile assessments and the National Curriculum for Key Stage 1, and the various assessments this embodies. The essay then moves on to look at the factors that are generally agreed to be important in successful learning, and the various models of ‘play-based’ and ‘formal’ learning as applied to these ages of children, within the context of the Foundation Stage Profile assessments and the National Curriculum for Key Stage 1, and the various assessments this embodies. The essay concludes that whatever learning approach is used, other factors (such as age, gender and socioeconomic) are often more important in determining learning outcome s and that, as such, the methods that are employed in teaching children at Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 are relatively unimportant: what is important is that children are taught, that children’s learning process is enabled through an adequate assessment of children’s abilities and preferred style of learning and that the teaching of children is attempted on as individual a basis as possible, given that children of this age all have individual learning needs, based on their specific developmental stage and other, external, factors that influence how well the child learns and how much motivation the child has to learn. In terms of what should be being taught at the Foundation Stage level, the document Curriculum Guidance for Foundation Stage (see DfEE, 2000) sets out six areas of learning that are intended to form the basis of Foundation Stage learning: communication, literacy and language; knowledge and understanding of the world; personal, social and emotional development; mathematical development; physical development and creative development (QCA, 2008). Each of these six areas of learning has a set of related early learning goals that the teacher should aim for completing, in terms of recording the child’s achievement on their Foundation Stage Profile (DfES, 2007). By Key Stage 1, children should have mastered all of the necessary early learning goals and should, through this, be enabled to begin the learning process that will take them through the programme of study as set out in the National Curriculum for Key Stage 1 right through to their National Curriculum Assessments (see DCSF, 2 007). Thus, from an early age, children have an extremely structured learning pathway, in terms of the learning outcomes that are desired under the current National Curriculum framework for Key Stage 1 children and due to the Foundation Stage Profiles that need to be filled out for every Foundation Stage level child (DfES, 2007). How this learning pathway is delivered to children, and how these learning outcomes are achieved is, however, not so rigid and teachers are free to deliver these learning outcomes in the way in which they see fit, although in most Government-run places of education in the UK, this is usually performed under the framework of dependence on previous models of success (i.e., the long-established routes for achieving learning outcomes in children). The different modes of learning are usually labelled ‘play-based’ and ‘formal’ but this, however, tends to ignore the fact that there are many modes of learning. As Vosniadou (2001) argues, children learn in many different ways, through active learning, social participation, meaningful activities, by relating new information to prior knowledge, through strategic thinking, by engaging in reflective thinking, by restructuring prior knowledge, through understanding, not simply memorisation, and through practice, amongst other methods, all of which are subject to individual developmental differences. Choosing the ‘correct’ method for learning (i.e., the method most likely to achieve the desired learning outcome) is usually a case of matching the method of learning to the individual child in terms of their abilities, thus fostering an atmosphere of motivated learning. This approach can, however, be difficult in classrooms with children of mixed abilities, leading to situations of frustration occurring in the bright children, who do not feel sufficiently challenged, and in the less able children, who feel they cannot cope with the things that are asked of them and is difficult when there are so many assessments to prepare children for. One of the skills, therefore, that a good Foundation Stage or Key Stage 1 teacher needs to possess is the ability to match a child’s ability to the best learning method for them in order to achieve the most efficient mode of learning for each and every child. This can, however, in practice be very difficult, with teachers at these levels being pressed for time and under pressure to deliver certain learning outcomes, with the development of the new Foundation Stage Profiles (see DfES, 2007 and QCA, 2008), for example, which have basically set a curriculum for Foundation Stage children and through the National C urriculum which begins at Key Stage 1 level. Bransford et al. (1999) argue that the design of learning environments, however that learning is presented to children, needs to be based on what needs to be taught, how this needs to be taught and on how the success of the learning approach is to be assessed. As Bransford et al. (1999) argue, different learning goals require different learning approaches, and different learning environments should be developed according to the degree to which these environments need to be learner-centred, knowledge-centred, assessment-centred or community-centred. For learning to be successful, three principles generally need to hold: i) that learning environments encourage children to be active, and thus effective, learners; ii) that learning environments encourage collaboration with other students and iii) that learning environments encourage the use of meaningful tasks and authentic materials (Vosniadou, 2001). Without such a learning environment, under whichever teaching regime (i..e, ‘pla y-based’ or ‘formal’), the child will fail to learn and the teacher will have failed that child (Bransford et al., 1999; Vosniadou, 2001). If the teacher decides to use child-initiated (‘play-based’) learning in the classroom, the three principles should hold. Child-initiated play should enable children to use resources in their correct manner within their correct settings and to behave in appropriate ways according to the particular setting and the role-play contexts that are being encouraged, whilst teaching them about responsibilities such as tidying up after themselves and sharing toys and spaces with other children (Vosniadou, 2001). As such, play-based learning can be a valuable learning tool but a tool that needs to be appropriately supported by teaching staff with adequate resources and support and systems in place for adequately monitoring, observing and recording how the children under their care play, and providing suggestions for modifications to their mode of play if their play is not responsible, for example, or is causing problems for other children under the teachers care (i.e., is accompanied by rowdy behaviour) (Vosniadou, 2001). Similarly, formal learning should be conducted on the basis of fostering the three principles, namely the encouragement of active learning, the encouragement of active sharing amongst children and the encouragement of meaningful tasks through authentic learning materials (see Vosniadou, 2001). In terms of the Foundation Stage Profiles and the National Curriculum Assessments for Key Stage 1 level children, it is perhaps seen as the easier option for teachers to use formal approaches to learning rather than play-based approaches, in terms of directing children’s learning in the ways that will fulfil the requirements of the assessments. Studies have shown that this is perhaps not the best way of fostering an atmosphere of motivation for learning, and such heavy slanting towards testing and fulfilling Curriculum ideals can actually actively de-motivate children, especially children so young as Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 levels (Strand, 2002). Strand (2002) concluded that continuous assessments of children does little more than de-motivate those children who are not attaining good scores on such tests, does not encourage motivation to do better on subsequent tests, does not increase overall attainment year-on-year and, as such, does little more than put a massive administrative burden on teachers and schools. Whatever the teaching method employed, many research studies have shown that attainment at Key Stage 1 is more dependent on factors other than school organisation and teaching methods, because background factors (such as gender, age, socioeconomic status) lead to variations in individual possibilities for attainment, in terms of expectations and motivations for learning (Sammons et al., 1997). These findings seem to suggest that the actual teaching method is often unimportant in determining learning outcomes as other factors have far more of a hold over a child’s educational achievements than the particular teaching method that is employed in the classroom the child attends. It has long been known, for example, that parental input in to a child’s education can convert in to higher educational achievement, thought to be due to the fact that this encouragement enables and facilitates confidence, which then translates to higher educational achievement (see, for example, Ho over-Dempsey and Sander, 1995 and Christenson and Sheridan, 2001), not only for ‘able’ children but also for those children with special needs, be these gifted children or children with physical or mental disabilities affecting how they are able to learn (see Will, 1986). This essay has debated ‘play-based’ and ‘formal’ approaches to teaching and learning for 4-5 year olds (Foundation Stage children) and for Key Stage 1 pupils. The essay began by looking at what is expected of Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 level pupils, in terms of the desired learning outcomes, as framed by the Foundation Stage Profile assessments and the National Curriculum for Key Stage 1, and the various assessments this embodies. It was concluded that, from an early age, children have an extremely structured learning pathway but that how this learning is delivered to them is, essentially, up to their teachers. The essay then moved on to look at the factors that are generally agreed to be important in successful learning, defining three principles for successful encouragement of learning and achievement of learning outcomes, namely that i) learning environments should encourage children to be active, and thus effective, learners; ii) that learning environments should encourage collaboration with other students and iii) that learning environments should encourage the use of meaningful tasks and authentic materials (Vosniadou, 2001). If these principles are followed, through whichever approach to teaching (i.e., ‘play-based’ or ‘formal’) and under whatever learning environment, then the child’s learning will be enabled to the maximum. The essay concludes that whatever learning approach is used, other factors (such as age, gender and socioeconomic) are often more important in determining learning outcomes (see Christenson and Sheridan, 2001) and that, as such, the methods that are employed in teaching children at Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 are relatively unimportant. At these stages, and indeed throughout the child’s education, what is important is that the child’s own learning process is enabled through an adequate assessment of children’s abilities and preferred style of learning and, through this, that the teaching of children is attempted on as individual a basis as possible, tailoring the specific learning needs of the child to the specific learning outcomes that are desired. This is because children of this age all have individual learning needs, and preferred styles of learning, based on their specific developmental stage and other, external, factors that influence how well the chi ld learns and how much motivation the child has to learn (Bransford et al., 1999). A child’s learning should, ideally, be fitted to the style through which the child learns best (be this ‘play-based’ or ‘formal’), to facilitate the child’s learning: in this day and age, however, targets are more important than this fundamental truth, and so this is often not possible in the context of Government-run UK schools, which are more interested in testing than developing teaching plans suited to children’s individual learning needs. In this context, thus, more than ever before, parents have a shared responsibility to enable their child’s education. References Bransford, J.D. et al. (1999). How people learn: brain. Mind, experience and school. National Academic Press. Christenson, S.L. and Sheridan, S.M. (2001). Schools and families: creating essential connections for learning. DCSF (2007). National curriculum assessments at Key Stage 1 in England, 2007. DfEE (2000). Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage. Available from http://www.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/eyfs/resources/downloads/5585_cg_foundation_stage.pdf [Accessed 29th February 2008]. DfES (2007). Foundation stage eProfile. Available from http://schoolsportal.suffolkcc.gov.uk/schools/FSP/FSPUserGuideV25.pdf [Accessed 29th February 2008]. Hoover-Dempsey, K. and Sander, H.M. (1995). Parental involvement in children’s education: why does it make a difference? Teachers College Record 1995. Hutchin, V. (2003). Observing and assessing for the foundation stage profile. Hodder Murray. Kyriacou, C. (1997). Effective teaching in schools. Nelson Thornes Ltd. Vosniadou, S. (2001). How children learn. International Academy of Education. Educational Practice Series, Number 7. QCA (Qualifications and Curriculum Authority) (2008). Foundation stage profile assessment. Available from http://www.qca.org.uk/qca_11958.aspx [Accessed 29th February 2008]. Sammons, P. et al. (1997). Accounting for variations in pupil attainment at the end of Key Stage 1. British Educational Research Journal 23(4), pp.489-511. Strand, S. (2002). Pupil mobility, attainment and progress during Key Stage 1: a study in cautious interpretation. British Educational Research Journal 28(1), pp.63-78. Will, M.C. (1986). Educating children with learning problems: a shared responsibility. Exceptional Children Feb, pp. 411-415. Wood, E. and Atfield, J. (1996). Play, learning and the early childhood. Paul Chapman Publishing.

Sherwood Anderson Life And Influences :: essays research papers

LaBrie 1 Sherwood Anderson's life experiences And the way they influenced how he wrote Sherwood Anderson often wrote of other people's misery in his short stories and used it in ironic ways when writing his endings. After reading several of his these stories and reading several biographies of his life, I have come to the conclusion that Anderson's life experiences greatly influence the method in which he wrote them. Also, when comparing some of his stories to his life, you will see that many of them can be closely compared to difficult times in which he went through while growing up and as a grown man. Sherwood Anderson was born into a rather impoverished circumstance in a small Ohio village named Camden. His father was a heavy drinker and had a particular hard time keeping a job. His mother was a hard working woman with strict religious beliefs and always taught her children to work as hard as they could. Anderson was the third of seven children, making his family large and hard to support. Anderson was not an exceptional student, but rather was average grade wise. He graduated grammar school and completed nine months of highschool. Anderson was forced to drop out because he needed to work for his family and bring in more income than his mother and two brothers were making. Anderson worked as a laborer in 1896- 1898, then served in the Spanish American War. He attended Wittenburg Academy in Springfield, Ohio, in 1900, then went to Chicago. In Chicago he worked at a produce warehouse, and when he was in his teens he began working as an editor for an advertising agency. In 1904 he began to display unusual talent for success in the mail- order paint business. LaBrie 4   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In addition to having financial problems Anderson also had numerous family problems. I believe that this is the reason that Anderson would use love in his stories and have his characters unable to be with that love.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Anderson was first married on May 16, 1904, to Cornelia Lane of Toledo. He fathered two sons, Robert Lane and John Sherwood, and a daughter, Marion with her. On July 27, 1916, Anderson divorced his current wife and married Tennessee Claflin Mitchell on July 31, at Chateaugay, New York. This marriage had many difficulties since Anderson and Claflin did not agree on most things such as business and family life. Because of this, they divorced in 1924, and after this Anderson married Elizabeth Prall.

Free Affirmative Action Essays - Affirmative Action is Against the Bibl

Affirmative Action is Against the Bible America was known as the Land of Opportunity. Then it became evident that "opportunity" was only available to white men. Later, laws were passed to ensure equal opportunity regardless of race, sex, or religion. These Affirmative Action laws were set in place by our government with the intent of correcting the social evil know as prejudice; but in doing so, they created a monster. Affirmative action has become an ineffective, outdated, and socially harmful policy that is weakening our great nation. "The adoption of Affirmative Action programs in the 1960s reflected our national aspiration to overcome long-entrenched injustices and become a society where equal opportunity, or at least a fair opportunity, was a reality for more of our citizens. These programs were a response to economic, political and cultural circumstances that demanded, then encouraged, and then tolerated widespread discrimination on the basis of such factors as color, gender and ethnic background. The common hope was that these programs would be transitory in nature and would enable us as a society to reach a point, at some future date, when they would no longer be needed" (Shapiro). It is my opinion that we have now reached that date. Continued use of the policy is much like continued use of a strong medication. When a patient is suffering from a terrible disease, as was the United States suffering from discrimination, strong medication is sometimes needed to cure the problem. But once the disease is taken care of, further use of the medication does not help... ...e right course of action. This is an ideal that has always been true, but is quite often broken, resulting is negative effects and more problems. A course of action that is morally wrong, ethically wrong, and economically wrong, is not the correct way, but an easier way. Often, the correct way is more difficult and requires more work, but nevertheless, it is the correct way. Two wrongs do not make a right, but they do make more problems and prolong an actual resolution to the problem. Works Cited Shapiro, Harold. "Affirmative Action: A continuing discussion / A continuing commitment" Internet Source. Available at: http://humanitas.ucsb.edu/projects/aa/docs/shapiro.html Websters Dictionary Harbor House Publishers Inc. Baltimore. 1984

Essay --

Born on 21 September 1866 in Bromley in Kent County, England, Herbert George Wells (H.G. Wells) was the youngest of 7 children of Joseph Wells and Sarah Neal. The Wells family deteriorated due to poverty and the marriage was not that happy; Joseph and Sarah would later live separately, though neither married another. (http://www.online-literature.com/wellshg/) His father launched a fruitless store that sells glassware and cricket equipment. Herbert’s father was also a skilled cricket player who earned sufficient money to support his family by playing cricket professionally (http://www.egs.edu/library/herbert-george-wells/biography/). Wells was born to parents who tried but failed to escape their lower class statues. His father’s earnings as a professional cricket player was the only thing that is keeping them alive, but even this failed when he was handicapped in an accident. Because of this, Wells began his vain attempts to find a job. (http://www.war-ofthe-worlds.co.uk/h_g_wells.htm). Herbert was an avid reader at an early age but it would take some time before his skills as a writer were discovered. He went and studied in Thomas Morley’s Academy for several years before poverty forced him to drop out and look for a job. He became an apprentice to a draper, but Wells did not like his job and became a pupil-teacher at Midhurst Grammar School in 1883. When Herbert was granted a scholarship to the Normal School of Science in London, he became interested and began his studies in biology and Darwinian principles under Thomas Henry Huxley (http://www.online-literature.com/wellshg/). Class became difficult for him, so he dropped out without a degree, and in 1888, moved to London University. He was given his degree in B.S. in Zoology i... ...ian ages of England into his view of the future if capitalism continues to prevail. Wells also included his knowledge of the Darwinian principles to further discredit capitalism (http://www.gradesaver.com/the-time-machine/study-guide/about/). Wells was able to optimize his usage of themes that are evident all throughout the novel. One of the dominant themes present in the novel was the severe discrimination of social classes. Wells grew up during the time where the upper class were harsh to the lower class, and Wells captured this in his novel. In the story, the Eloi made the Morlocks into their servants, wherein they became extremely dependent on them for their survival. Morlocks, in the other hand, are oppressed and they began to rebel against the Eloi (http://www.hyperink.com/Major-Themes-And-Symbols-In-The-Time-Machine-b930a15). Capitalism and communism Essay -- Born on 21 September 1866 in Bromley in Kent County, England, Herbert George Wells (H.G. Wells) was the youngest of 7 children of Joseph Wells and Sarah Neal. The Wells family deteriorated due to poverty and the marriage was not that happy; Joseph and Sarah would later live separately, though neither married another. (http://www.online-literature.com/wellshg/) His father launched a fruitless store that sells glassware and cricket equipment. Herbert’s father was also a skilled cricket player who earned sufficient money to support his family by playing cricket professionally (http://www.egs.edu/library/herbert-george-wells/biography/). Wells was born to parents who tried but failed to escape their lower class statues. His father’s earnings as a professional cricket player was the only thing that is keeping them alive, but even this failed when he was handicapped in an accident. Because of this, Wells began his vain attempts to find a job. (http://www.war-ofthe-worlds.co.uk/h_g_wells.htm). Herbert was an avid reader at an early age but it would take some time before his skills as a writer were discovered. He went and studied in Thomas Morley’s Academy for several years before poverty forced him to drop out and look for a job. He became an apprentice to a draper, but Wells did not like his job and became a pupil-teacher at Midhurst Grammar School in 1883. When Herbert was granted a scholarship to the Normal School of Science in London, he became interested and began his studies in biology and Darwinian principles under Thomas Henry Huxley (http://www.online-literature.com/wellshg/). Class became difficult for him, so he dropped out without a degree, and in 1888, moved to London University. He was given his degree in B.S. in Zoology i... ...ian ages of England into his view of the future if capitalism continues to prevail. Wells also included his knowledge of the Darwinian principles to further discredit capitalism (http://www.gradesaver.com/the-time-machine/study-guide/about/). Wells was able to optimize his usage of themes that are evident all throughout the novel. One of the dominant themes present in the novel was the severe discrimination of social classes. Wells grew up during the time where the upper class were harsh to the lower class, and Wells captured this in his novel. In the story, the Eloi made the Morlocks into their servants, wherein they became extremely dependent on them for their survival. Morlocks, in the other hand, are oppressed and they began to rebel against the Eloi (http://www.hyperink.com/Major-Themes-And-Symbols-In-The-Time-Machine-b930a15). Capitalism and communism

Abi Abdulkalam Essay

Political views In his book India 2020, Abdul Kalam strongly advocates an action plan to develop India into a knowledge superpower and a developed nation by the year 2020. He regards his work on India’snuclear weapons program as a way to assert India’s place as a future superpower. It has been reported that there is a considerable demand in South Korea for translated versions of books authored by him.[8] Kalam continues to take an active interest in other developments in the field of science and technology. He has proposed a research program for developing bio-implants. He is a supporter of Open source software over proprietary solutions and believes that the use of open source software on a large scale will bring the benefits of information technology to more people. Aerospace engineer After graduating in Physics from St. Joseph’s College, Tiruchirapalli, Abdul Kalam graduated with a diploma in Aeronautical Engineering in the mid-1950s from the Madras Institute of Technology.[10] As the Project Director, he was heavily involved in the development of India’s first indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-III). As Chief Executive of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (I.G.M.D.P), he played a major part in developing many missiles in India including Agni and Prithvi although the entire project has been criticised for being overrun and mismanaged.[11]. He was the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of Defence Research and Development Organisation from July 1992 to December 1999. Pokhran-II nuclear tests were conducted during this period and have been associated with Kalam although he was not directly involved with the nuclear program at the time. See more: Distinguish between problem-focused coping and emotion-focused coping Essay Awards and honors On April 29, 2009, he became the first Asian to be bestowed with the Hoover Medal, America’s top engineering prize, for his outstanding contribution to public service. The citation said that he was being recognised for: * making state-of-the-art healthcare available to the common man at affordable prices; * bringing quality medical care to rural areas by establishing a link between doctors and technocrats; * using spin-offs of defense technology to create state-of-the-art medical equipment; and * launching tele-medicine projects connecting remote rural-based hospitals to the super-specialty hospitals. It added that he was an eminent scientist, a gifted engineer, a visionary, and a humanitarian.[12] On 13 September 2009, he was awarded the International von Kà ¡rmà ¡n Wings Award.[13] The Government of India has honored him with some of the country’s highest civilian awards: * Padma Bhushan in 1981 * Padma Vibhushan in 1990 * Bharat Ratna in 1997 for his work with the ISRO and DRDO and his role as a scientific advisor to the Indian government. Kalam was the third President of India to be honored with a Bharat Ratna before being elected to the highest office, the other two beingSarvepalli Radhakrishnan and Zakir Hussain. He is also the first scientist and first bachelor to occupy the Rashtrapati Bhavan. After his tenure as the President he is now a visiting professor at J.S.S. University, Mysore. He has agreed to deliver a minimum of four lectures every year. Books and documentaries Kalam’s writings * Wings of Fire: An Autobiography of APJ Abdul Kalam by A.P.J Abdul Kalam, Arun Tiwari; by K. Bhushan, G. Katyal; A.P.j. Pub. Corp, 2002. * Scientist to President by Abdul A.P.J. Kalam; Gyan Publishing House, 2003. * Ignited Minds: Unleashing the Power Within India by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam; Penguin Books, 2003. * India 2020: A Vision for the New Millennium by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Y.S. Rajan; Penguin Books India, 2003. * India-my-dream by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam; Excel Books, 2004. * Envisioning an Empowered Nation: Technology for Societal Transformation by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam; TATA McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Ltd, 2004. * Guiding Souls: Dialogues on the Purpose of Life by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Arun K Tiwari; Ocean Books, 2005. * Children Ask Kalam by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam; Pearson Education, ISBN 81-7758-245-3 * Indomitable Spirit by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, 2006 * The Scientific Indian: A Twenty-first Century Guide to the World around Us by APJ Abdul Kalam and YS Rajan Biographies * Eternal Quest: Life and Times of Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam by S. Chandra; Pentagon Publishers, 2002. * President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam by R. K. Pruthi; Anmol Publications, 2002. * A. P. J. Abdul Kalam: The Visionary of India by K. Bhushan, G. Katyal; A.P.H. Pub. Corp, 2002. * A Little Dream (documentary film) by P. Dhanapal; Minveli Media Works Private Limited, 2008.[14] * The Kalam Effect: My Years with the President by P.M. Nair; Harper Collins, 2008. * My Days With Mahatma Abdul Kalam by Fr.A.K. George; ISBN No:978-8190452953; Publisher: Novel Corporation, 2009. References 1. ^ A Brief Biography of Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam 2. ^ â€Å"Former presidents†. Government of India. 3. ^ Bidwai, Praful (23 June 2002). â€Å"‘Missile Man’ as India’s President†. http://original.antiwar.com. Retrieved 27 September 2009. 4. ^ â€Å"Kalam was real people’s President: President’s bodyguards†. Hindustan Times. 2007-07-24. Retrieved 2009-03-27. 5. ^ Perappadan, Bindu Shajan (2007-04-14). â€Å"The people’s President does it again†. The Hindu. Retrieved 2009-03-27. 6. ^ Pruthi, R. K. (2005). â€Å"Ch. 4. Missile Man of India†. President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. Anmol Publication. pp. 61–76. ISBN 978-8126113446. 7. ^ Sen, Amartya (2003). â€Å"India and the Bomb†. In M. V. Ramana and C. Rammanohar Reddy. Prisoners of the Nuclear Dream. Sangam Book. pp. 167–188. ISBN 978-8125024774. 8. ^ â€Å"Kalam, the author catching on in South Korea†. 9. ^ â€Å"India leader advocates open source†. 10. ^ Missile History 11. ^ â€Å"Missile plan: Some hits, misses†. 12. ^ â€Å"Former President Kalam chosen for Hoover Medal†. Indiatimes (New York). 27 March 2009. Retrieved 30 October 2010. 13. ^ Caltech GALCIT International von Kà ¡rmà ¡n Wings Award 14. ^ â€Å"Documentary on Kalam released†. The Hindu. 2008-01-12. Retrieved 2009-03-27. 15. ^ My Days With Mahatma Abdul Kalam, ISBN 978-8190452953 Retrieved 2010-07-01 Gandhian Missile Man Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam * Achievements Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabhudin Adbul Kalam, was born on the 15th October, 1931, at Rameshwaram in TamilNadu. He did his B.Sc. at the St. Joseph’s College, Tiruchi, and DMIT in Aeronautical Engineering at the MIT, Madras, during 1954-57. He joined the DRDO in 1958. During 1963-82, he served the ISRO in various capacities. As Project Director, SLV-3, he was responsible for carrying out design, development, qualification and flight testing of 44 major sub systems. In 1982, as Director, DRDO, was entrusted with the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme. He conceived the programme cnstituting 5 major projects for meeting the requirements of the defence services and for establishing re-entry technology. The development and successful flight test of Prithvi, Trishul, Akash, Nag, and Agni established the indigeneous capability towards self reliance in defence preparedness. The successful launching of ‘Agni’ surface-to-surface missile is a unique achievement which made India a member of an exclusive club of highly developed countries. Thus, through SLV and Guided Missile Programme a solid foundation has been created in the indigeneous testing and development of high technology Aerospace Projects. An Advanced Technology Research Centre, called Research Centre Imarat has also been established by Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam as an extension of DRDL to undertake development in futuristic missile technology areas. He has also established a unique 3 tier management structure to integrate and commit technologists, academic institutions, Industries etc. As a crowing glory to all his achievements, he was appointed Scientific Advisor to Raksha Manthri and Secretary, Dept. of Defence Research and Development. He is a member of Indian National Academy of Sciences, Astronautical Society of India and many other professional bodies. He has published two books. Awards * He has been Awarded with the India’s Highest civilian Award â€Å"The Bharat Ratna† in 1997. * Starting with Anna University’s first D.Sc., Honoris Causa, he has received many such including the one given by IIT, Bombay, BHU and others. * Other prestigious awards include Dr.Biren Roy Space Award, Om Prakash Basin Award for Science and Technology, National Nehru Award, Arya Bhatta Award. * Dr. Abdul kalam, is praised as a welder of people and a Gandhian Missile Man by R.K. Laxman, in his cartoon in â€Å"Times of India.† * As a humanitarian and with his extreme simplicity, easy access, he has become a National Hero. He loves Tamil poetry and is interested in carnatic music. He has himself written poems in Tamil. He adores his Gurus of MIT and cherishes his education and training at MIT.| Return to Home Page Dreams To Ignite Young Minds India has to have vision to become a developed nation. A good dream for our young people is the vision. Can we ignite our young minds? These are the thoughts that frequently ‘fire’ the mind of India’s missile man– this year (1998) Bharat Ratna awardee Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. In an interview to Science Express, the man who built biting molars and awesome muscles into India’s missile programme outlined the vision he has of India of tomorrow. â€Å"Whenever there is a goal, the dynamics of performance changes, Technology is the economical strength of the nation†, says soft-spoken Kalam. â€Å"India has people of high calibre and intelligence. The only thing required is more facilities in our labs, government funding and good leadership in scientific areas.† After a pause, he fires another missile: â€Å"Most importantly, determined youngsters.† No wonder he advices the youth of the country to â€Å"dream, dream and dream and conver t these into thoughts and later into actions.† Kalam’s advice to the youngsters of the nation is to â€Å"think big† . â€Å"We are a nation of a billion people and we must think like a nation of a billion people. Only then can we become big.† Dr. Kalam’s, Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister and Secretary, Defence Research and Development is the second scientist to receive the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award, after the late Dr. Homi Jehangir Baba. This genius attributes his success to his parents and the team which worked relentlessly to achieve the goal. Science, according to him, is a global phenomenon. He feels there are a few areas where India can develop its core competence. These areas are software engineering, computer products and design, agriculture and food, aviation, defence research and space technology and chemical engineering. â€Å"This will lead to a highly beneficial economic and social progress for the nation,† says Kalam. The man who said, â€Å"Friends, you now have the fire to torch the Agni† turns out to be extremely shy. His love for the Bhagavad Geetha and the long mane almost gives the missile man the halo of a saint. In fact, his views on technology and life make him the copy book saint of science armed with Brahmastras and the power to heal wounds. That is another passion of Kalam-using missiles that maime and kill to give a fresh hope to the disabled. In a U turn, Kalam has not shied in using the technology behind fire-spewing missiles to build artificial limbs and spring-like coils called stents to keep the heart vessels open. He is one of those scientists who aims at putting technology created by him to multiple use. He used the light weight carbon-carbon material designed for Agni to make calipers for the polio affected. This carbon-carbon composite material reduced the weigh t of the calipers to 400 grams (from its original weight of 4kgs.) Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS, Hyderabad) was the birthplace for the defence technology spin offs from Kalam’s labs via the DRDL (Defence Research and Development Laboratory), DMRL (Defence Metallurgical Research Lab) and the RCI (Research Centre Imarat). â€Å"It was a great experience to see, in the orthopaedic Department of NIMS, how the light weight caliper could bring happiness to the polio affected†, remembers Kalam. Another important event that took place in Hyderabad is the development of the Cardiac stent. Cardiac stents are used during a Balloon Angioplasty. The clogged arteries are opened up using a balloon and stents are inserted to prevent the vessels from collapse. â€Å"The stent developed by us costed much less (he is modest not to say that the cost is less than half) than the ones imported,† explains Kalam. Kalam says there are many more avenues wherein defence technology can be used for a social cause. The technology used for defence imaging systems can be used for medical imagery which is yet another value product, he says. â€Å"We are also working on a cost-effective lighter substitute for the Jaipur foot,† he adds. He is of the opinion that a mission oriented programme should be chalked out where in medical equipments and their maintenance should grow out of indigenous technology, thus making us self reliant. But personally, given a chance would he rather opt to use technology solely for social purposes or continue with his missile programmes? â€Å"If India has to become a developed nation it has to have overall development. That includes the field of medicine, defence technology and everything else,† says Kalam in a matter-of-fact tone. Having rolled out sophisticated missiles at regular intervals, Kalam is now striving to make the reusable missiles dream a reality. Like the space shuttles, the reusable missiles can carry war-heads to a pre-determined target, de liver the fire power and return for another run. The reusable missile’s close ‘cousin’ is Nishant – the Remotely Piloted Vehicle (RPV) or a one-time-use missile that can thumb its nose at even sophisticated radars. Many of Kalam’s pet projects like the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP) and several other defence ventures under his command, are poised for a quantum leap next year. According to a status report of major ongoing projects of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) headed by Kalam, the development of the five indigenous missiles under the IGMDP is progressing as per schedule. â€Å"Agni† missile, the crown of the IGMDP, is being given top priority and DRDO scientists have been able to indigenously produce carbon-carbon composite material which could withstand temperatures upto 3500 degrees celsius during the flight of the missile. UNI quoting Defence Minisry sources said production of 150-Km range â€Å"Prithvi† missile for the Army had already commenced and two flight trials of the 250-Km range, Indian Air Force (IAF) version, â€Å"Prithvi† had also been completed. User trials of the other three missiles under the IG MDP – the 9 Km short range low level quick reaction Trishul for the three services, the 25Km medium range surface to air missile â€Å"Akash† with multiple target handling capability, the third generation 4Km range anti-tank â€Å"Nag† missile – were slated to commence next year. In many ways, the â€Å"Akash† missile is emerging as a key weapon which is being developed by the DRDO as it employs ram rocket propulsion to facilitate carrying of bigger pay loads. ‘Akash’ is the key in the sense that ram rocket technology is also to be employed by India for the futuristic reusable missile systems. As far as the current status of India’s ambitious Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) was concerned, the second LCA was under integration along with the simultaneous development of technology demonstrator TD-1. Several new technologies had been established with regard to the LCA. They included carbon fibre composite structure, control law for unstable aircraft, digital fly-by-wire control system and advanced computing system. The Kaveri engine had been developed and was undergoing evaluation. Its integration with LCA was expected in early 1999. No country can throttle India’s missile programme despite technology denial regimes, believes Kalam. An important aspect of â€Å"the integrated guided missile development programme was identification of critical technologies and their indigenisation as the missile technology control regime was primarily directed at India.† Elaborating on his future plans, the senior most serving defence scientist referred to the Technology Mission 2020 which proposes to change the national status from a developing one to a developed one and involve 500 people from academia, industry and government. He also spoke about working on a 10 year self-reliance programme in defence technologies. Kalam was born into a family of modest means in Rameshwaram, a small town in TamilNadu. It was his father who wanted him to take up science in the college. After graduating from St.Joseph College, Tiruchirapalli, he joined the Madras Institute of Technology (MIT) to specialise in Aeronautical Engg. This was indeed his launching pad for this promising young man who was destined to become the father of Indian missile programme. After a brief stint in the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), he joined the Indian Space Research organisation (ISRO) in 1963. While at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, he developed the Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-3) which put the Rohini Satellite into orbit. He later re-entered DRDO at the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad, as the director and this is where most of the research and development of his missile programmes were conceived and created. In his hour of glory, the missile man remembered his parents, co-workers especially at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram and a Hyderabad-based defence research laboratory, besides teachers who collectively contributed in various ways towards this achievement.

Using Material from Item a and Elsewhere Assess the Sociological Explanations for Ethnic Differences in Educational Success

There argon umteen reasons for tuitional underachievement and it has been said that paganity is one of these key featureors. It has been frame that Indian and Asian scholars atomic number 18 of high rearingal achievement than White, African-Caribbean, and Black, Pakistani and East Pakistani pupils. One possible cause of social differences in education could be at the fault of the education system.To investigate this Sewell conducted a study using semi-structured interviews and observations in an inner-city boys door-to-door school, his study revealed the ways in which African-Caribbean students argon label by their teachers, peers, light students as problems in the classroom. Sewell showed how Black boys use these ostracise perceptions to construct different responses to school ground on their own masculine images, many of these belonging the anti-school culture, such as conformists, innovators, rebels and retreatists, tout ensemble in favour of gang culture.Howev er approximately sociologists atomic number 18 critical of this study in that they feel Sewell is blaming black-culture for the educational failure as opposed to recognising racism within the education system. A nonher reason for ethnic differences in achievement lies in the school itself. Sociologist Connolly piece that teachers are more likely to be overly critical of African-Caribbean pupils behaviour due to stereotypical views of their ethnic ways resulting in them being labelled as troublemakers and being in fate of stricter discipline.This can at that placefore lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy of the student whereby they become troublesome in a screw-you effect to their teachers. However, as criticism to this Sewell found evidence that not every pupil responded with the self-fulfilling prophecy, and in fact some African-Caribbean students adopted White value and behaviours at the expense of losing their African-Caribbean stereotypical identities.There are light(a)ly de finite suggestions as to why certain ethnic groups are underachieving in the education system however they are reasons as to why some ethnic groups are performing better than others. For example, the star sign of a pupil is a capital agent in their socialisation and education and this therefore has the biggest impact on the pupil so when at school they allow for either be handicapped or at an advantage from their upbringing.For example, Modood argued that some ethnic minorities have higher levels of cultural capital, scorn often being from a blue-collar background. Many Indians and Asians originate from working-class backgrounds until now though they end up with essence class jobs. These parents therefore place especially high values on educational success and contain the knowledge and spirit of education to motivate their children and help them to succeed.Strand alike investigates ethnicity and achievement in education, he compared the appear of Indian, African-Caribbean and uncontaminating British pupils in their auxiliary education. Strand found that Indian children do more exacting progress than the white British students but African-Caribbean pupils fell withal further behind. Strand found the Indians success was due to both(prenominal) genuine and cultural factors such as high aspirations and dedication to business firmwork, low levels of hooky and exclusion and good resources at home such as computers and private tutoring.However there was no evidence that African-Caribbean parents and pupils adopted a culture that would hold them back in their educational success, they had high aspirations and a positivistic attitude to school. Overall his look into found little, if any, difference in the cultural concur for education between working-class white and African-Caribbean pupils and so, although there were valid reasons found for the Indian pupils success, it was difficult to explain why African-Caribbean pupils were doing slight well. These are, in my opinion the most pregnant factors affecting ethnic differences in educational achievement and although Strands research did not come to a clear conclusion as to why African-Caribbean pupils are underachieving it is clear to see that negative stereotypes and material/cultural deprivation are the reasons for their underachievement and the positive labelling and encouragement from parents cultural capital is what gives Indian and Asian children an advantage and therefore contributes to their educational success.