Professional Services Firms Ideal Location and Building Layout Assignment

Professional Services Firms Ideal Location and Building Layout - Assignment Example Examples of professional services firms include accountants, architects, attorneys, brokerage firms, software consultants, business consultants, and engineering design consultants etc. The similarity between the above-stated professionals is that that the jobs which are done by these individuals cannot be done by the individuals or the businesses on their own. For example, a business setup cannot have a software consultant of its own which is certainly needed by the business set up for software development. Such capabilities and technical knowledge are not expected to be possessed by any individual or employee of business so these capabilities have to be acquired by hiring the services of professional services firms. The location decision for a professional services firm depends on the following factors: - Services were already provided in the vicinity. - Employment at the site. - The area is available. - Other businesses already present at the site. - The availability of the required workforce in the locality. - The rent of the site and the financial matters related to the site allocation. - The extent of customer interaction with the firms already working at the site. - Location (downtown, near downtown, elsewhere in the city, suburban or rural). - Previous history of similar kind of businesses working in the area. - The financial considerations regarding construction in the locality if a permanent office has to be established. - Accessibility for the customers.   - The traffic control, environmental pollution and noise pollution levels in the area.

Aging and Disability Worksheet Essay Example for Free

Aging and Disability Worksheet Essay Answer the following questions in 100 to 200 words each. Provide citations for all the sources you use. †¢ What is ageism? How does ageism influence the presence of diversity in society? Ageism is defined as prejudice and discrimination against old people. Schafer writes that for the ageist, elderly persons reflect the image of disease, death, and dying as well as a reminder that we all be old one day (2012,pp. 395-396). Another stereotype of the elderly is that they are slow and mentally dysfunctional. All of this is further emphasized by society’s fixation with youth. †¢ What is the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA)? How does the ADEA address issues for the aging population? The Americans with Disability Act is a law that prohibits discrimination based on disability and only disability. It is somewhat similar to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Our textbook defines this law as In many respects, this law is the most sweeping antidiscrimination leg- isolation since the 1964 Civil Rights Act. The ADA went into effect in 1992, covering people with a disability, defined as a condition that â€Å"substantially limits† a â€Å"major life activity† such as walking or seeing. It prohibits bias in employment, transportation, public accommodations, and telecommunication against people with disabilities (Schaefer, 2012). The ADA addresses issues for the aging population by how our text book stated basically, we can see it taking a civil-rights view of disabilities that seeks to humanize the way society sees and treats people with dis abilities (Schaefer, 2012). Which is by not discriminating them. †¢ What is being done to address the issues you identified? There are senior citizen centers that have been working to provide activities to bring the elderly together for social interaction. Most elderly look to family as their main source of support system. Many of these elderly try to stay living as close to their children have been known to live with their parents during this time to provide the best care to their aging parents. Retirement is an issue that some employers try to help by letting employers â€Å"step down† so that they may retain some of their benefits from still being employed. The media has started depicting some more of the elderly to be active people that are as bright as young people as opposed to times when they made old people appear to be shriveled and wrinkled up people that cannot do much at their age. †¢ Is the number of aging population expected to rise in numbers or decrease? The world population has experienced continuous growth since the end of the Great Famine and the Black Death in 1350, when it stood at around 370 million. The growth rate peaked at 2.2% in 1963, and had declined to 1.1% by 2011. Current projections show a continued increase in population (but a steady decline in the population growth rate). †¢ What types of legislation may or may not be affected by the aging population? In the midterm, anti-age discrimination legislation, better health and a statutory rise in the retirement age to manage the cost of the state pension bill will see more older people working for longer, whether they want to or not (see changes to retirement and pensions). This will decrease the number of old but active volunteers. In the long term, especially as baby boomers become the older old, there will be a rise in demand for health services and long term care, possibly combined with constrained public spending, creating a challenge for the funding of public services and pensions and increasing pressure on families and friends to support retirees. †¢ How does poverty affect the aging population? Poverty affects the aging population by them not being able to afford medical insurances and many other expenses such as housing. An increase in the numbers of older people at 80 plus, will mean more with complex needs. The baby boomers are more assertive, put more emphasis on lifestyles, and do not consider themselves old. Part II Answer the following questions in 100 to 200 words each. Provide citations for all the sources you use. †¢ What does the ADA provide for people with disabilities? The ADA makes it illegal to discriminate based on disability in several different areas in life. It prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in: employment, services rendered by state and local governments, places of public accommodation, transportation, telecommunications services. Under the ADA, accommodative services for these disabilities are usually the same as those offered to people with physical, psychological, sensory and cognitive disabilities. †¢ How have people with disabilities been treated in the past? People in the past treated people with disabilities as if they were a disease themselves. In some countries people with disabilities would be murdered to lessen the burden and â€Å"ease their pain† but as time progressed people started to treat them as if they were a lost kitten, and have become more affectionate towards us or them. †¢ How has the attitude toward people with disabilities changed over time? The disabled were placed in institutions (by the government) and were often forgotten about thus forcing them to live in unsafe/ unsanitary conditions. In conditions that would be construed as â€Å"animal cruelty† if a kettle owner made their animals live in those very same conditions the disabled were forced to live in. Many were abused, neglected, and murdered either by family members or at the hands of institution workers. The word â€Å"retarded† was used to describe everyone with a disability, regardless of the type of disability or the severity. While discrimination toward the disability is still rampant and the government shows little interest in eliminating disability discrimination. †¢ What are some unique circumstances or issues encountered by people with disabilities? When I was younger I remember going into stores that still had those turning things, gosh what are they called? They were made of metal and you had to turn them and go through them in order to get into the store. I would see how that was a huge issue for the people in wheelchairs or many other disabilities.

history of communication :: essays research papers

HISTORY OF COMMUNICATION Better than shouting Communication begins with language, the distinctive ability which has made possible the evolution of human society. With language any message, no matter how complex, can be conveyed between people over a limited distance - within a room or place of assembly, or across a short open space. In modern times 'town criers' hold an annual contest to discover which of them can shout a comprehensible message over the greatest distance. The world record is less than 100 metres. Already, at that short range, a more practical alternative is to run with the message. The history of communication is mankind's search for ways to improve upon shouting. byc When running with a message, to convey it in spoken form, it is safer to do it oneself. Sending anyone else is unreliable, as the game of Chinese whispers demonstrates. So another requirement for efficient communication is a system of writing. Messages carved on stone pillars communicate very well across time, down through the centuries, but they are an inefficient method of communicating across space. The message reads only within reading range; its recipients must travel to receive it. The system is altogether more efficient if it is the message which travels. This requires yet another ingredient in the communication package - a portable writing material such as papyrus. byg There are forms of long-distance communication not based on words. The smoke signals used by American Indians (above all perhaps in westerns) are of this kind. So are bonfires lit in succession on a line of hilltops. But such devices are only capable of conveying very limited pre-arranged signals, such as 'danger' or 'victory'. Some non-verbal systems are more sophisticated. The whistled language of Gomera, in the Canary islands, is used to communicate across deep valleys. It is well adapated to the islanders' immediate needs, but would be incapable of sending this paragraph as an accurate message. For communication of this kind writing remains indispensable. byd Post haste: 6th century BC The sending of written messages is a standard feature of government in early civilizations. Much of our knowledge of those times derives from archives of such messages, discovered by archaeologists. There is great advantage to a ruler who can send or receive a message quicker than his rivals. In the estimation of the ancient world the most efficient postal service is that of the Persians.

How calcium is absorbed in the body Essay

Calcium in the diet of a teenager is actively absorbed in the small intestine and transferred into the intestinal capillaries. Describe the route this calcium would follow to end up in the upper arm. Describe in detail the role of calcium at the neuromuscular junction as well as its role in the mechanism of muscle contraction and relaxation of the triceps. Considering the function of calcium in bone growth, explain in detail how the humerus would grow in length. Calcium in the diet of a teenager is absorbed in the small intestine and transferred to the intestinal capillaries. It diffuses into the bloodstream through the gastric vein into the hepatic vein and then through the common iliac vein into the superior/inferior vena cava that brings the blood into the right atrium of the heart. The sinoatrial node which is located in the right atrial wall, would send an electrical impulse through the heart, causing it to contract. This would then trigger the AV node (which is located between the septum between two atria) to contract as well. When the AV node contracts it sends an impulse through the AV bundle and into the purkinje fibers (which in return causes the entire heart to contract). After going through the right atrium, when the heart contracts it opens up the tricuspid valve, therefore pushing the calcium into the right ventricle. When the heart contracts again (SA node contracts again through AV bundle and purkinje fibers) it causes the pulmonary semilunar valve to open and enters the pulmonary trunk and pulmonary arteries which then brings the blood into the lungs. Then it goes through a systemic loop (the tissue capillaries of the lungs) , which takes the now oxygenated blood and returns to the heart via the pulmonary veins from the lungs. Then from the pulmonary veins the blood enters the left atrium (SA node will contract, causing AV node to contract, sending impulse through the AV bundle, ending at the purkinje fibers) and calcium forces through the bicuspid valve, and into the left ventricle. Then the heart contracts, and (SA node/AV node/AV bundle/purkinje fibers) causing contraction and blood travels through the aortic valve and then into the aorta. From the aorta, the calcium in the blood goes into the right and left subclavian artery and branches down to the axillary artery, and then towards the bra chial artery. From the brachial artery, the oxygenated blood containing calcium in it, goes to the muscles of the upper arm (the brachii muscles) and gives nutrients to the tissue cells. Calcium plays an important role in muscle contraction. Firstly, an action potential arriving at the acon triggers the release of the neurotransmitter called acetylcholine (ACH) at the neuromuscular junction. The acetylcholine (ACH) binds with the muscle receptor and sodium ions (Na+) are released, which triggers the action potential in the muscle cell. The action potential transmits through the sarcolemma. The calcium (Ca+) ions are then released from the sarcoplasmic reticulum. The calcium ions bind with troponin (making it change shape) which makes the troponin release tropomyosin. The myosin then binds to the actin. With the hydrolysis of ATP the myosin head changes shape and a cross-bridge is formed causing the muscle cell to contract. This cycle repeats itself until the contraction is done, or when there is nor more calcium or ATP energy. Once the triceps muscle is relaxed then the calcium gets back into the sarcoplasmic reticulum. During relaxation of muscle cells, the level of calcium in sarcoplasm is low and the troponin holds the tropomyosin in position to block myosin-binding sites on actin. During contraction of the muscle cells, a muscle action potential opens calcium channels in the sarcoplasmic reticulum and the calcium flows into the cytosol. The growth of bones can happen through two different types of ossification which include: intramembranous ossification and endochondral ossification. The process for the growth of a long bone like the humerus, the process of endochondral ossification is used. This takes place on the epiphyseal plate (made from remaining hyaline cartilage) in the metaphysis area of the bone. There are four zones on the epiphyseal plate: a) the resting zone which contains the chondrocytes, b) the zone of proliferation where the chondrocytes divide and push the resting cartilage outwards, c) the zone of hypertrophic cartilage where the chondrocytes enlarge and lengthen the diaphysis, d) Zone of calcification- where dead chondrocytes and new one matrix is created. At the end of the growth period, the epiphyseal plates  are completely ossified and the epiphyseal plates close around the age from 18-25. The epiphyseal plates then become the epiphyseal lines. The calcium is a necessary dietary requirement for proper bone growth, development in the body, and to prevent bone deterioration or an example of a disease called osteoporosis.

The Nonverbal Decoding Ability

1. Bonnet, C. (1993). Adoption at birth: prevention against abandonment or neonaticide. Child Abuse Negl, 17(4), 501-13. This study aims to clarify some of the anomalies that exist between abandoning a child at a public place and the choices made by the parents at the time of the birth of a child. 2. Bowen, E. , & Nowicki, S. (2007). The Nonverbal Decoding Ability of Children Exposed to Family Violence or Maltreatment: Prospective Evidence from a British Cohort. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 31(3), 169-184.This study outlined as to how the exposure of children to family violence and maltreatment in first four years of age can influence a child’s expression of fear and other related psychological issues. 3. Buller, David. (2005). adapting minds: evolutionary psychology and the persistent quest for human nature. MIT Press: New York. This book presents a philosophical analysis of evolutionary psychology and discusses some of the most important works in this field. 4. Castellucci & Plum. (1999). Ethics and Adoption Indeed. Retrieved 24 April 2009 from http://www. bastards. org/bq/bq11/ebdrep. htmThese are some of the notes from Evan B Donaldson Symposium on Ethics and Adoption and basically discuss some of the work presented by the participants in that symposium. 5. Conte, J. R. , & Schuerman, J. R. (1987). Factors associated with an increased impact of child sexual abuse. Child Abuse & Neglect, 11(2), 201. This study dealt with the factors in assessing the impact of sexual abuse on children. Results indicated that there are variable results indicating different degree of variability of the results. 6. Daro, D. , & McCurdy, K. (n. d. ). Preventing child abuse and neglect: programmatic interventions.Child Welfare, 73(5), 405. This study provides an insight into how the prevention efforts at altering such behaviors can contribute towards the overall risk to the children and the families. This study further discusses as to what we know about the efficacy and e fficiency of such efforts and what some of the problems being faced are. 7. Finkelhor, D. , Williams, L. M. , & Burns, N. (1988). Nursery crimes: Sexual abuse in day care. No. : ISBN 0-8039-3400-9, 272. This study provides an empirical evidence of the child abuse taking place within the daycare facilities with children under the age of 7 years.This article therefore defines the nature of the problem, the effectiveness of the different investigation methods as well as the impact of such incidences on the community as a whole. 8. Gauthier et al. (1996). Recall of Childhood Neglect and Physical Abuse as Differential predictors of Current Psychologically Functioning. Retrieved 24 April, 2009 from http://www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/pubmed/8832112 This study attempts to bridge the gaps between the neglect and physical abuse on the psychological functioning of the children.By examining the sample of 236 male and 276 female undergraduate students, this study therefore empirically concluded tha t there is an strong relationship between the physical abuse and psychological functioning. 9. Gelles, R. J. , & Harrop, J. W. (1991). The risk of abusive violence among children with nongenetic caretakers. Family Relations, 78-83. By using a sample of more than 6000 participants, this study attempted to understand whether the non-genetic caretakers use more violence than the genetic caretakers. 10. Golden, O. (2000). The federal response to child abuse and neglect. The American psychologist, 55(9), 1050.This study outlines some of the efforts of the administration on children and family in improving the lives of the maltreated children. 11. Groza, V. , & Ryan, S. D. (2002). Pre-adoption stress and its association with child behavior in domestic special needs and international adoptions. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 27(1-2), 181-197. This study focused on the cross sectional data analysis of the adopted children from US and Romania. The major findings of this study include the recommen dations for families to understand how negative experiences in early childhood can affect child behavior. 12.Hill, R. B. (1977). Informal Adoption among Black Families. This is the study on the informal adaptation patterns of children in Black American families and outlined how different factors contribute to such patterns. 13. McNamara, Carter. (2008) Analyzing, Interpreting and Reporting Basic Research results. Free Management Library. Retrieved 24 April 2009 from http://managementhelp. org/research/analyze. htm This article, published on internet describes as to how to approach the research professionally and from an academic point of view. 14. Nalavany, B. A. , Ryan, S. D. , Howard, J. A., & Smith, S. L. (2008). Preadoptive child sexual abuse as a predictor of moves in care, adoption disruptions, and inconsistent adoptive parent commitment. Child Abuse & Neglect, 32(12), 1084-1088. This study actually attempts to reinforce a small body of research that the CSA complicates furthe r the child adaptation process. 15. Spinetta, J. J. , & ER, D. (n. d. ). The child-abusing parent: A psychological review. Child Abuse: A Multidisciplinary Survey, 14. 16. Tan, T. X. (2006). History of Early Neglect and Middle Childhood Social Competence: An Adoption Study. Adoption Quarterly, 9(4), 59.This study examines whether the earlier history of neglect and maltreatment in infancy has any influence over the competence of the children when they reach the adolescence. This study further assesses the impact of such on the social interaction of children as well as their performance in the extracurricular activities. 17. Tongue, A. C. (1991). The ophthalmologist's role in diagnosing child abuse. Ophthalmology, 98(7), 1009. This study discusses the role of Ophthalmologist in diagnosing the early child abuse and as such provides certain recommendations as to how such violations can be decreased. 18. Watson et al. (1994).Substitute Care Providers: Helping Abused and Neglected Childre n. DIANE publishing Chicago This study provides insight into the development of abuse and drug exposure into the children and how to recognize different physical indicators to diagnose such state of children. 19. Wilson, M. I. , Daly, M. , & Weghorst, S. J. (2008). Household composition and the risk of child abuse and neglect. Journal of Biosocial Science, 12(03), 333-340 This study attempted to assess how the different factors such as family composition, income, age of the victim as well as household consumption can result into child abuse. 20. Harter, Susan.(2001). the Construction of the Self: A Developmental Perspective. Guilford Press: New Jersey This book attempts to explain as to how the children and their self perception about themselves define their relationship with others. This book therefore also provides the information about the self development of children which take place over the period of time. 21. Grotevant, Harold. (2005). Minnesota/ Texas Adoption research Proje ct. Retrieved 24 April 2009 from http://cehd. umn. edu/FSoS/assets/pdf/ResearchDiscovery/Procedures_Measures2. pdf This study basically attempt to measure the validity of different hypothesis

Pronouncing the Spanish H

Pronouncing the Spanish H The letter h may be the easiest of all the Spanish letters to pronounce: With the only exceptions being a very few words of obvious foreign origin and the two-letter combinations explained next, the h is always silent. In Combinations and Alone The letter combinations ch, which used to be considered a separate letter of the alphabet, and the sh in flash and a few other imported words are pronounced basically the same as in English; however, the usual silence of h doesnt mean its pronunciation doesnt sometimes trip up beginning Spanish students. Those who speak English as a first language often want to pronounce the letter when it is in a cognate, that is, a Spanish word that is more or less the same as English. For example, the h should not be pronounced in words such as vehà ­culo (vehicle), Habana (Havana), Honduras and prohibir (prohibit), as tempting as it may be. Etymology If the h is silent, why does it exist? For reasons of etymology (word history) only. Just as the k in the English know and the b in lamb used to be audible, the Spanish h used to be pronounced ages ago. Almost all Spanish consonants have become softer over the years; the h became so soft as to become inaudible. The Spanish h also was used to separate two vowels that werent pronounced as one, that is as a diphthong. For example, the word for owl used to be spelled as buho to indicate that it was pronounced as two syllables rather than rhyming with the first syllable of cuota or quota. Nowadays, though, an accent is used over a stressed vowel to indicate the lack of a diphthong, so the word is written as bà ºho. In this case, then, the accent isnt used to indicate stress as it usually does, but as a guide to the proper pronunciation of the vowels. Also, these days it is standard for the h between vowels to be ignored in pronunciation; that is, the vowels sometimes run together despite the h between them, depending on how they are stressed. For example, prohibir is pronounced more or less the same as proibir would be. Note, though, that when the stress is on the second syllable in forms of this word, it is accented and pronounced clearly. Thus conjugated forms of the verb include prohà ­bes, prohà ­be, and prohà ­ben. Also, this is why bà ºho (owl) is  spelled with an accent mark. The accent assures that this word is pronounced as bà ºo  rather than buo. Similarly, alcohol is pronounced as alcol, not as alco-ol with a brief pause (known as a glottal stop) between the o and o.   Exceptions The words where the h is pronounced? Apparently, the only such word that is recognized by the Royal Spanish Academy as fully Spanish is hmster, a cognate of the English word for hamster, although it came to Spanish by way of German. It is pronounced much as it is in German or English as if it were spelled jmster. Other imported words, listed by the Academy as foreign or not listed at all, in which native speakers often pronounce the h include hockey (not to be confused with jockey), hobby (plural usually hobbys), Hong Kong (and some other place names), hacker and hit (baseball term or a major success). Also, jalar and halar (to pull) are often used synonymously, and in some regions, it is common to pronounce jalar even while writing halar.

Qualitative Analysis Essays - Silver Compounds, Analytical Chemistry

Qualitative Analysis Essays - Silver Compounds, Analytical Chemistry Qualitative Analysis Qualitative Analysis Introduction: Qualitative analysis is used in the determination of the identity of a substance. It is different from quantitative analysis, which deals with the determination of the amount of a substance. In this experiment, qualitative analysis techniques are used to determine whether or not a sample contains a certain ion. When using this method, an unknown and a reactant are mixed. The result of the reaction leads to a conclusion about the presence or absence of certain ions in the unknown. Many ions react in similar ways, and although the addition of one reagent to an unknown may not identify the ion, it limits the possibilities as to what the ion could be. A sequence of reactions used to analyze a sample is called a scheme, and it usually requires a large number of reagents and separation steps. For this experiment, the unknown may contain anywhere from 2 to all of the following cations and anions: Cations Anions Ag+ Cl- Ba2+ SO42- Fe3+ PO43- Cu2+ Cr3+ The following reagents are used to identify the ions: 1M H2SO4 2M HCl 2M NH4OH (labeled as NH4+) 2M NaOH .1M Ba(NO3)2 (labeled as .1M Ba2+) .1M AgNO3 (labeled as .1M Ag+) The first four are used to identify the cations, and the last two, used in conjunction with the first four, are used to identify the anions. The identification of the ions is mainly based on solubilities. This means that something must be known about the solubility characteristics of the different ions in the presence of the available reagents. The point of the first part of the experiment is to learn which reagents cause the ions to form precipitates, and which reagents dissolve the precipitates formed by the ions. This information is used to make the flow charts for the identification on the unknown ions. For example, it is important to know that a certain reagent will dissolve the precipitate formed by one ion, while it will not dissolve the precipitate formed by another ion. This can be used to distinguish between two different precipitates present in a solution, or to confirm which ion formed the precipitate and therefore was present in the solution. When carrying out the reactions, avoid adding an excess of reagent to the solution. This is because some precipitates redissolve in an excess of the reagent. Therefore, in cases where one drop of reagent produces a precipitate, 3 or more drops could completely dissolve the precipitate without it ever being visible to the eye. This would cause a large error in the scheme developed to identify the unknown ions. Experimental: The first part of the experiment consists of reacting the cations and anions with the reagents in order to see what the reaction will result in (precipitate or no precipitate). The cations were each reacted with the first four reagents listed in the introduction (H2SO4, HCl, NH4+, and NaOH). Then, the anions were each reacted with Ba2+ and Ag+. This was done by placing 2 drops of the ion in the test tube and then adding 2 drops of reagent. Each cation was reacted with each of the 4 reagents before moving on to the next cation to be tested. Prior to performing the reactions, a chart was made like the one in the data and calculations section. As each reaction was performed, the chart was filled in with the observation of what happened. If there was no change, NR was written in the chart for no reaction. If a precipitate formed, the color of the precipitate was written in the chart. If there was no precipitate but there was a color change in the solution, that was also recorded. As each reaction was carried out, it was sometimes difficult to determine whether a precipitate formed or not. If there was uncertainty, the test tubes had to be placed into the centrifuge in order to separate the precipitates from the solution. There are some very important things to remember when using the centrifuge. First, when tubes are placed in the centrifuge, a tube with an approximately equal volume of solution should be placed exactly opposite each sample tube to counterbalance it (use a test tube filled with an equivalent amount of water if necessary). Second, the centrifuge should come to a stop before it is opened and the test

A Funny Thing About William

A Funny Thing About William A Funny Thing About William A Funny Thing About William By Maeve Maddox US Social Security records indicate that the five most popular boys’ names in 1915 were John, William, James, Robert, and Joseph. In 2014, the top five were Noah, Liam, Mason, Jacob, and William. Not only has William remained a popular given name for 100 years, it has become doubly popular with the newcomer Liam. Liam is another version of William. Of Germanic origin, William is a compound of the Old German element vila, â€Å"will† or â€Å"resolution,† and helm, â€Å"helmet.† The name can be translated as â€Å"helmet of resolution† and occurs in different forms in different modern languages: German: Wilhelm English: William Irish: Ulliam (shortened to Liam) French: Guillaume Spanish: Guillermo Italian: Guglielmo Portuguese: Guilherme According to an article at MooseRoots (a genealogy research engine), in 2014, William was the most popular name given to newborn boys in 14 states, and Liam the top name in 17 states. The article suggests that William is more popular in the South and Liam in the North, but a closer look at the state-by-state statistics given on another part of the site shows that in several of the states in which Liam is number one, William is close behind. In eleven states, both William and Liam rank in the top three: Idaho Iowa Kansas Maryland Minnesota Missouri North Dakota Oklahoma Utah Virginia Wisconsin Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:85 Synonyms for â€Å"Help†3 Cases of Complicated HyphenationHow to Send Tactful Emails from a Technical Support Desk

Methods and Research in Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Methods and Research in Communication - Essay Example ar (2003) sought to explore the dynamics and challenges of the Middle East conflict and the role of the media in either contributing to the conflict or determining its course. One central question that is raised by the study involves the nature of contribution by the media in a cultural conflict. The study also questions the possibility of the existence of the element of bias in media coverage of conflict in the Middle East. Another important question raised by the study involves the capacity of the media to provide avenues that might be used for successful resolution of conflicts. Shinar (2003) adopted an explorative case study design with particular focus on the Palestinian-Israel conflict. The main hypothesis of the study was that the media involvement in conflict basically seeks ways of resolution. The study explored various models of conflict resolution in terms of their respective levels of efficacy to the Israel-Palestinian situation. Some of the historical incidents of the conflict were matched with the models with the objective of determining the patterns of the situation with the view of predicting possible scenarios for the future. The results of the study showed that the media involvement in conflict takes multiple forms and objectives. The media does not always engage in conflicts with the purpose of resolving the conflict. Sometimes the media basically seeks to transform the nature of conflict to match its own peculiar objectives. The study conducted by Melone, Terzis & Beleli (2005) focussed on the different roles that the media plays in a conflict situation. The hypothesis of the study was that the shape of any particular conflict is essentially determined by the manner in which the media participates in the conflict. The major assumption of the study is that responsible and ethical journalism will always produce positive results for the media whereas unethical journalistic practices have the capacity to escalate tensions and conflicts. The

Implementation of organisational identification Essay

Implementation of organisational identification - Essay Example Organizational identification is, according to Gemmiti (2008, 6), â€Å"an individual’s knowledge of belonging or membership to a group of members of the organization.† This knowledge of belonging to a particular organization is heavily based on emotions and has a great influence on an individual’s behavior. The identification comes with an employee’s understanding and realizing of how their personal goals and values are aligned with the goals and values of the organization. Finally, as such goals, norms and values are aligned, the employee adds that group membership to their overall self-concept (Meyer, Becker, and Van Dick 2006). Therefore, it can be said that organizational identification refers to whether an employee associates themselves with the organization in which they work and whether an employee views themselves as a part of the organization. According to Van Dick, Grojean, Christ, and Wieseke (2006), the concept of social identity can help to determine how organizational identification is related to organizational citizenship (Van Dick, Grojean, Christ, and Wieseke 2006). The two concepts, according to the researchers (Van Dick, Grojean, Christ, and Wieseke 2006), are positively related because individuals’ self-concepts are formed on the basis of belonging to certain organization. The stronger the feeling of belonging is, the more effort a person is willing to devote to the development of that organization. Therefore, in an organization, the more organizational goals and norms are in line with those of the individual, the more devoted that individual is to the organization. So, organizationa l commitment is also related to organizational identification. Organizational commitment is very important for employers because it determines the level of employee performance, job satisfaction, absenteeism and other productivity-related factors. This paper critically examines the concept of organizational identification, and analyzes how it is related to organizational performance, individual performance, job satisfaction and productivity. Literature review Organizational identification and organizational commitment An empirical study conducted by He and Mukherjee (2008) examined how organizational identification was related to job satisfaction and organizational commitment. The research was conducted with Chinese salespeople and showed that organizational identification represents a link between job satisfaction and job commitment. Job satisfaction was divided by the researchers into intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic job satisfaction referred to how employees viewed their partic ular jobs. Extrinsic job satisfaction included employee’s satisfaction by their working conditions, such as pay, environment, and management. The two different types of job satisfaction related differently to both organizational identification and organizational commitment. In particular, as He and Mukherjee (2008, 2) outline, †extrinsically motivated job satisfaction has a stronger relationship with organisational identification than intrinsically motivated job satisfaction.† The Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire was used by the researchers to measure job satisfaction. An Organisational Commitment Questionnaire was used for measuring organizational commitment. Finally, an Organizational identification measure designed by Ashforth and Mael (1992) was used to measure organizational identification of 438 Chinese salespeople representing real estate industry. The results showed that extrinsic job satisfaction had a positive influence on organizational id

English High School Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

English High School - Essay Example Blanche is a character possessing relatively low self-esteem. Her driving force - desire - makes her constantly suffer inside. That's why Blanche has the habit of always bathing as if it were a cleansing ritual. But the feeling of refreshment and renewed strength is not long lasting: the past does not wash away so easily and brings her to the terrible climax. Blanche feels desperately lonely and hopes to meet someone to save her from falling into depression. She focuses on this so much that she falls in the end. Art, as a symbolic expression, often reflects intra-physic conflicts within the artist, and many of Tennessee Williams' plays contain themes of desperate loneliness, human disconnectedness, and victimization between the powerful and the weak. Human psychology in A Streetcar Named Desire is not represented as a guiltless thing; on the contrary, it is more so being represented as an instrument that aids people in committing terrifying deeds. The psychology of humans is being described by Blanche's weak psychological state. Blanche has the psychology of a deprived woman; she wants to be loved, but can never reach it. Stanley's active hatred towards Blanche is obvious throughout the play, especially during his birthday gift to her, his damage of her relationship with Mitch, and his raping her.

Asian Commercial Dominance Annotated Bibliography

Asian Commercial Dominance - Annotated Bibliography Example This is politically, socially and economically. Its dominance economically is represented by countries in this continent. Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, China, India and South Korea are some of the countries that contribute to its economic stability. It is the annual GDP from these countries that has enabled the continent to compete actively with Europe. Other countries like Mongolia, Pakistan, Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand have also grown tremendously in the economic sector. All this coupled with the minerals in some of the Asian countries ensures that it expands economically. Minerals are found in abundance in Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia amongst others. This has enabled the economic exchange between this continent and many others (Levinson, p 34). The European continent has over the years held the helm in economic stability. It is ranked the highest in relation to current GDP. This position is threatened by the continued dominance of the Asian continent. Th e above mentioned countries have contributed in their own way to overall Asia’s economic dominance. China has grown steadily over the years to ensure that it is the second largest economic powerhouse in the world. It strongly competes with the nation of Japan. This is in relation to many manufacturing plants. Japan is a powerhouse for very many industrial companies all over the world. It is famous for worldwide brands that include Samsung, Toshiba, Sharp, Phillips, and LG amongst many others (Higham, p 45).

SAM 400 UNIT 10 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

SAM 400 UNIT 10 - Essay Example effectiveness, the power of vision, the leadership equation, empowering people, developing others, leadership principles, importance of ethics and finally understanding people (Marry, pp. 1). In my opinion, the areas of leadership that stand out or rather are most important include the leadership equation, the power of vision, leadership principles and performance management. The leadership equation is in line with the leadership style (s) employed by the coach (Manning and Curtis, pp. 16). The effectiveness of a leadership style is evident by the level of a team’s success thus proper styles of leadership ought to be considered. The power of vision is known to predict the future (Manning and Curtis, pp. 56). This area works to outline a general direction towards success. The principles of leadership are important in the sense that they provide a comprehensive framework under which the operations of a particular team are based (Manning and Curtis, pp. 148). Adherence to leadership principles ensures that discipline and order is maintained in a team. Principles ensure that a good ethical environment is maintained. Finally, performance management is very important since the success of a team is based on its performance (Manning and Curtis, pp. 302). It is therefore necessary to evaluate how a team is performing. Good performance should always be upheld. It is the dream of every team to maintain a good record of performance. Poor performance forces the team to reflect on its mistakes with a view to record improved results next time. This reveals how important it is to manage the performance of a

Asian Commercial Dominance Annotated Bibliography

Asian Commercial Dominance - Annotated Bibliography Example This is politically, socially and economically. Its dominance economically is represented by countries in this continent. Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, China, India and South Korea are some of the countries that contribute to its economic stability. It is the annual GDP from these countries that has enabled the continent to compete actively with Europe. Other countries like Mongolia, Pakistan, Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand have also grown tremendously in the economic sector. All this coupled with the minerals in some of the Asian countries ensures that it expands economically. Minerals are found in abundance in Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia amongst others. This has enabled the economic exchange between this continent and many others (Levinson, p 34). The European continent has over the years held the helm in economic stability. It is ranked the highest in relation to current GDP. This position is threatened by the continued dominance of the Asian continent. Th e above mentioned countries have contributed in their own way to overall Asia’s economic dominance. China has grown steadily over the years to ensure that it is the second largest economic powerhouse in the world. It strongly competes with the nation of Japan. This is in relation to many manufacturing plants. Japan is a powerhouse for very many industrial companies all over the world. It is famous for worldwide brands that include Samsung, Toshiba, Sharp, Phillips, and LG amongst many others (Higham, p 45).

Movie comment Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Comment - Movie Review Example The film was revealing both racially and regarding gender roles. The film considered not only how a liberal white couple would potentially judge a black son-in law; but how his family might react, how other whites and blacks might react. The question did not concern conflict, it concerned the future problems a mixed race couple might face in 1967. It is reasonable to review this potential problem today, much less 40 years ago. The women in the movie influenced the men, perhaps manipulated them, as a diplomatic back channel. Although the men tried to rationalize their positions, they argued emotionally, including name calling. Although the women felt the hearts should decide, they discussed the situation calmly. These scenarios reveal the real power structure in these homes. Tillie’s outburst assumed John was making a black power statement by marrying a white girl. She was protecting Joey, and commenting generally on the black male persona. The parents concerns symbolized the à ¢â‚¬Å"special problems† the couple would face. If the parents could not accept the relationship, how would the rest of the world? These moments and questions were revealing, not phony.

Example of education because during that time Essay Example for Free

Example of education because during that time Essay In the text, Pocho, by Jose Antonio Villarreal, education plays an important role of explaining the characteristics of the immigrants during the 1930’s. Education is one way for readers to have an experience of what they have been through. During the investigation between the protagonist Richard and sheriff, Richard speaks out some words that the sheriff does not understand. Villarreal writes, â€Å" You mean homosexual? No, he wasn’t- this was a new word to the man. He was on the force because his sister had married a man who had something to do with the Chief of Police†¦ Goddamn! Where’d you learn the big word?† (Villarreal, 89). This is an example of education because here the sheriff is investigating Richard by asking him for information about Joe Pete Manoel. Richard responds with a big word â€Å"homosexual† to the sheriff that he did not understand. This is a highlight of the time period when it does not need any education to be a patrolman in Santa Clara. Education is the process of receiving or giving systematic instruction, at a school. Jose Antonio Villarreal directly mention in the texts of Richard’s thoughts about his teacher at school. During the conversation between Richard and Mary, Richard gives out his thought when the teacher does not inform the same answer from what he read on a book. Richard said â€Å"Well, the teachers teach us all kinds of things, and sometimes they’re not really honest about it†¦ sometimes I read things in books that show me teachers are wrong sometimes†¦ they cant be all right, and I don’t like them to always tell me that they kn ow everything, that’s all†. (Villarreal, 71). This is an example of education because during that time, teacher feels like their students are not smart enough to learn two sides of the story. Richard feels that sometimes books can teach him more than what he learns at school. It highlight that during that time education is not an important aspect of the immigrant lives. During the time of 1930’s, Education is not important to most of Mexicans families. But what makes Richard so special and unique is with his intelligence and desire to learn for his own good. Education make Richard shine as a main character, instead of a twelve-year-old kid, he talks like he is an adult. Richard said, â€Å" Try to understand me. I want to learn, and that is all. I do not want to be something- I am. I do not care about making a lot of money and about what people think and about the family in the way you speak. I have to learn as much as I can†¦ you would not understand me if I could† (Villarreal, 64). This quote is a portrait of Richard as a young kid with the mentality to learn. Education helps Richard speaks for him and not what his mother wants. It highlight that even in the period of poverty, Richard’s family believe that with education, they will have a better life.

The Graying Shades Of Media A Corrupt Conundrum Media Essay

The Graying Shades Of Media A Corrupt Conundrum Media Essay Since the days of the freedom movement Indian media has been recognised as patriotic and nationalist tool to provide unbiased news and build positive public debates. Mahatma Gandhi, The father of the Indian nation juggled his movement with the moral power of active journalism. Today, India with its over a billion population supports nearly 70,000 registered newspapers and over 450 Television channels. In the sphere of journalism, there are eminent Journalists in the country who are honoured and accepted as the moral guide in the Indian society. While the newspapers in Europe and America are losing their readership annually, the Indian print media is still going from strength to strength with huge circulations and greater marketing opportunities. The media is still considered to be the fourth important pillar after the judiciary, parliament and bureaucratic set-up in democratic India. Media is considered to be a repository of public trust for conveying information to public honestly. With the advent of technology the new dimension of internet has changed the way the news is shared and views are exchanged. The speed of travel of information has grown logarithmically and media has become more powerful than any time before to shape the minds and generation of opinions of the masses. Social media is developing as a pervasive tool to connect the society laterally which is affecting marketing strategies of the business houses and structuring political influences by the people in power or seeking power. Historically media has always taken the flak for favoring the more influential sections of society and has also been blamed to shade the news and views to suit the economic viability of the publishing houses. Political leanings and corporate influences on the editorials and selectivity in coverage of news is not hidden from the public but in recent years, malpractices in the Indian media has gone way beyond the corruption of individual journalists and media organizations. Unfortunately the information is planted and views are on sale for favors received in cash or kind in institutionalized and organized forms of corruption. Newspapers publishers and television channels owners do not shy away from receiving funds for publishing or broadcasting information in favor of particular individuals or corporate entities that is disguised as news. The plague of unethical commercial activities and market interests of media institutions disfigure the role they play in the shaping of public opinio n and in upholding principles and norms of democracy. II Understanding certain terms related to media Paid media is the most traditional advertising in which a company pays for space or for a third party to promote its products. This form is thriving with emergence of more targeted cable TV, online-display placement, and other channels options for marketers expanding exponentially .Online video and search marketing is attracting greater interest .Paid media has too much of clutter with declining response rates and declining credibility. Owned Media Owned media, consists of catalogues, web sites, retail stores, alert programs and e-mail notifications of special offers etc on properties or channels owned by the company that uses them for marketing purposes. Owned Media do not offer guarantees and consumers have limited trust in this media. Earned Media Earned media (or free media) refers to favorable publicity gained through promotional efforts other than advertising, as opposed to paid media, which refers to publicity gained through advertising.[1] Earned media often refers specifically to publicity gained through editorial influence, whereas social media refers to publicity gained through grassroots action, particularly on the Internet. The media may include any mass media outlets, such as newspaper, television, radio, and the Internet, and may include a variety of formats, such as news articles or shows, letters to the editor, editorials, and polls on television and the Internet.  [1]  Earned media is an old PR term that essentially meant getting your brand into free media rather than having to pay for it through advertising. Social media Social media employ web- and mobile-based technologies to support interactive dialogue and introduce substantial and pervasive changes to communication between organizations, communities, and individuals. [1] Andreas Kaplan and Michael Haenlein define social media as a group of Internet-based applications that build on the ideological multi faceted and technological foundations of Web 2.0, and that allow the creation and exchange of user-generated content.[2] I.e. Social media are social software which mediates human communication. When the technologies are in place, social media is ubiquitously accessible, and enabled by scalable communication techniques. In the year 2012, social media became one of the most powerful sources for news updates through platforms like Twitter and Face book.  [2]   Sold Media Paid and owned media are controlled by marketers touting their own products. For earned media, such marketers act as the initial catalyst for users responses. But in some cases, one marketers owned media become another marketers paid media-for instance, when an e-commerce retailer sells ad space on its Web site. This is termed as sold media on an owned media whose traffic is so strong that other organizations place their content or e-commerce engines within that environment.  [3]  This is gaining more popularity as a promotional media on the web based sites as it gives eye ball attention to the interested clientele only as it is projected on the related web pages which the potential client of the product is visiting. Hijacked Media The same dramatic technological changes that have provided marketers with more (and more diverse) communications choices have also increased the risk that passionate consumers will voice their opinions in quicker, more visible, and much more damaging ways. Such hijacked media are the opposite of earned media: an asset or campaign becomes hostage to consumers, other stakeholders, or activists who make negative allegations about a brand or product e.g. a prank online video of two employees contaminating sandwiches in Dominos Pizza kitchen appeared on YouTube. Advertorial An advertorial is an advertisement in the form of an editorial. The term advertorial is a portmanteau of advertisement and editorial. Merriam-Webster dates the origin of the word to 1946.[1]In printed publications, the advertisement is usually written in the form of an objective article and designed to look like a legitimate and independent news story. In television, the advertisement is similar to a short infomercial presentation of products or services. These can either be in the form of a television commercial or as a segment on a talk show or variety show. In radio, these can take the form of a radio commercial or a discussion between the announcer and representative.  [4]   Paid News Paid news or paid content are those articles in newspapers, magazines and the electronic media, which indicate favourable conditions for the institution that has paid for it. The news is much like an advertisement, but without the ad tag. This kind of news has been considered a serious malpractice since it deceives the citizens, not letting them know that the news is, in fact an advertisement. Secondly, the payment modes usually violate tax laws and election spending laws. More seriously, it has raised electoral concerns because the media has a direct influence on voters.  [5]   The dynamic media jargon has its vocabulary changing every moment which in turn is not only changing the way consumers perceive and absorb marketing messages but will also force marketers to change their thinking about the way they allocate spending and organize operations. Different kinds of media are becoming more integrated. The sold media can catapult a marketer into a stream of contacts with users and members through owned-media hubs, where marketing companies can offer a more engaging experience, get consumers interested in products. New publishing models are finding their way in modern media as marketers are leaning on media providers for help by partnering with media publishers to create deeper marketing experiences for consumers and to obtain content and ad sales support. Computer maker Dell and automobile manufacturer Nissan, for example, worked with the Sundance Channel in United States to create a television talk show hosted by Elvis Costello to attract their target demog raphic with ads that seamlessly blended into the shows content. Applications created on mobile phones are initiating tools that provide useful information. For example, eBays Red Laser generates a list of prices for products by merely scanning the barcode on mobile phone. Twitter and other blogging platforms are social media platforms to promote new products and promotions by leveraging its huge fan base. III Accountability and responsibility in journalism Good journalism flourishes where society respects and enforces the rule of law. International standards supply guarantees of free expression. But these standards also typically acknowledge certain legitimate grounds for the states restriction of free expression.  [6]  The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948, pronounces in Article 19 that: Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek,receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers. Article 29 then qualifies this right as: In the exercise of his rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject only to such limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose of securing due recognition and respect for the rights and freedom of others and of meeting the just requirements of morality, public order and the general welfare in a democratic society .  [7]   The right to free expression often goes loggerheads with other competing interests. Sometimes there is no legal remedy for types of journalistic misconduct that can disappoint readers and viewers. A courtroom is often not the best place to resolve disputes about balance, fairness, and accuracy and there is always the risk that harsh judicial remedies, even those imposed when the underlying case involves journalistic misconduct, will inhibit the future free and open publication of controversial views. In such a scenario self-regulatory mechanisms offer a valuable alternative.  [8]  Most associations of journalists, and many individual news organizations, have adopted codes of ethics. Terms vary. Some codes are binding, and violation of a provision can lead to dismissal by an employer or expulsion from a professional journalism society. But most codes of ethics, instead, offer voluntary guidelines to help journalists make morally and professionally sound decisions. Codes thus encou rage greater accountability to readers and viewers. A good example is the Code of Ethics for the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ)  [9]  , the largest voluntary association of U.S. news reporters and editors. Its code encourages journalists to abide by four core principles: Seek truth and report it: Journalists should be honest, fair and courageous in gathering, reporting and interpreting information. Minimize harm: Ethical journalists treat sources, subjects and colleagues as human beings deserving of respect. Act independently: Journalists should be free of obligation to any interest other than the publics right to know Be accountable: Journalists are accountable to their readers, listeners, viewers and each other. By its own terms, the SPJ code is a voluntary guide to ethical behavior. It states:The code is intended not as a set of rules but as a guide for ethical decision-making.  [10]  Similarly the Press Council of India, an autonomous body was set up under the Press Council Act, 1978. The Press Council of India has developed norms of journalistic conduct that cover the principles and ethics regarding journalism. The Press Council of India has also laid down guidelines on reporting of specific issues of public and national importance. In 1996, it drew up a set of guidelines that are particularly applicable to financial journalism. The Press Council of India has also issued guidelines on reporting of elections.  [11]  Mint  [12]  has laid down a code of journalistic conduct for guiding its journalists in so much of details that these can be expanded in scope to be followed by the entire media to safeguard and uphold the values of journalism in the country. Journalists have to be honest fair and courageous in gathering, reporting and interpreting information; ensuring accuracy, objectivity, balance and fairness. A Journalist should be free of any obligations, whether political or corporate. Speaking of corporations, there is no denying that Journalism and reporting like most other professions need significant capital inputs and sound business sense to survive. But, this is a profession where the stakes are much higher because it is a profession which has the power to create opinions and to shape a nations present and its future. Journalists must maintain dignity in expression and be sensitive while reporting on critical issues. IV Mass media bias: Can it be avoided? Media bias is the bias of journalists and news producers within the mass media in the selection of events and stories that are reported and how they are covered. The term media bias implies a pervasive or widespread bias contravening the standards of journalism, rather than the perspective of an individual journalist or article. The direction and degree of media bias in various countries is widely disputed.  [13]  The phenomenon of political bias has been founded in the media along with the invention of printing press and historically media has always favored the more powerful social groups. Like newspapers, the broadcast media (radio and television) have been used as a mechanism for propaganda from their earliest days, a tendency made more pronounced by the initial ownership of broadcast spectrum by national governments. Although a process of media deregulation has placed the majority of the broadcast media in private hands, there still exists a strong government presence, or ev en monopoly, in the broadcast media of many countries across the globe. At the same time, the concentration of media in private hands, and frequently amongst a comparatively small number of individuals, has also led to accusations of media bias.  [14]   There are primarily three categories of bias in reporting of a news viz. gate keeping bias which stops a news from appearing at all, coverage bias which gives the various degrees of prominence to the news and statement bias which gives color to a news through opinionated coverage.  [15]  The following are the most commonly talked about biases:- Support or attack a particular political party, candidate, or ideology. Advertising bias, when stories are selected or slanted to please advertisers. Corporate bias, when stories are selected or slanted to please corporate owners of media. Mainstream bias, a tendency to report what everyone else is reporting, and to avoid stories that will offend anyone. Sensationalism, bias in favor of the exceptional over the ordinary, giving the impression that rare events, such as airplane crashes, are more common than common events, such as automobile crashes. Favors or attacks on a particular race, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, or ethnic group.  [16]   The bias of the mass media may be sited due to its economic structural views which get a leaning to a political view and in turn takes the form of propaganda. The corporate ownership of media houses is bound to have biases in the areas where their profitability is affected. There is another demand-driven theory of mass media bias. If readers and viewers have prior views on the current state of affairs and are uncertain about the quality of the information about it being provided by media outlets, then the latter have an incentive to slant stories towards their customers prior beliefs, in order to build and keep a reputation for high-quality journalism. The reason for this is that rational agents would tend to believe that pieces of information that go against their prior beliefs in fact originate from low-quality news providers. According to a a behavioral model which is built around the assumption that readers and viewers hold beliefs that they would like to see confirmed by news pr oviders. When news customers share common beliefs, profit-maximizing media outlets find it optimal to select and/or frame stories in order to pander to those beliefs.  [17]  In another model media bias arises because the media cannot tell the whole truth but are restricted to simple messages, such as political endorsements. In this setting, media bias arises because biased media are more informative; people with a certain political bias prefer media with a similar bias because they can more trust their advice on what actions to take.  [18]   Not all accusations of bias are political. Science writers accuse the entertainment media of anti-science bias. Television programs such as The X-Files promote superstition.  [19]  In contrast, the Competitive Enterprise Institute, which is funded by businesses, accuses the media of being biased in favor of science and against business interests, and of credulously reporting science that purports to show that greenhouse gasses cause global warming.  [20]   There has been a number of suggestions and efforts to straighten the biases during media coverage. A technique used to avoid bias is the point/counterpoint or round table, an adversarial format in which representatives of opposing views comment on an issue. This approach theoretically allows diverse views to appear in the media. However, the person organizing the report still has the responsibility to choose people who really represent the breadth of opinion, to ask them non-prejudicial questions, and to edit or arbitrate their comments fairly.  [21]   Another technique used to avoid bias is disclosure of affiliations that may be considered a possible conflict of interest. This is especially apparent when a news organization is reporting a story with some relevancy to the news organization itself or to its ownership individuals or conglomerate. Often this disclosure is mandated by the laws or regulations pertaining to stocks and securities. Commentators on news stories involving stocks are often required to disclose any ownership interest in those corporations or in its competitors. Same holds good during reporting of run up to elections when media covers stories and opinions through news columns and editorials as well publish advertisements related to contesting candidates and propaganda of the political parties. V Paid news: Pernicious dimension of media Media bias has always been a detrimental phenomenon affecting all forms of media that plagues society due to financial selfishness and vested interests of the journalists and the corporate houses controlling the strings of various sections of media. But in the recent years this bias is falling in the vicious trap of corruption whereby the news has started to have a price tag and advertorials are passed as news to unsuspecting readers and viewers. It has become pervasive, structured and highly organized and in the process, is undermining democracy in India. Media has moral responsibility to keep the news objective, fair and neutral. A clear distinction between information and opinion from advertisements that are paid for by corporate entities, governments, organizations or individuals has to be maintained at all times. The reader should be able to distinguish between news reports and advertisements/advertorials and the boundary between the two should never blur. But recently the paid news is becoming a deep-seated ailment which has become organized and is not restricted to only journalists, managers and owners of media companies but also involve advertising agencies and public relations firms. Owners and editors of media companies ideally should erect a firewall between journalists or content creators/producers, on the one hand, and buyers and sellers of advertising space, on the other but in some newspapers, magazines and television channels, this wall has too many convenient orifices which leads to the most common problem of making an attempt to manipulate public debate through the purchase of favorable editorial space and the purchase of advertising space .Owners of media organizations compel themselves to give favorable information about certain advertisers and block unfavorable information against them due to their financial relationships, including share-holdings, with them. An outgoing chairperson of the Securities and Exchange Board of India, in his farewell speech, referred to the existence of the anchor investor. Therefore, this problem, in a different sense, though it cannot be termed as paid news, also existed in the sphere of business journalism. Such trends have been discernible in sections of the Indian media for some years now in spite of press council of India having drawn a set of guidelines in 1996 which are particularly applicable to financial journalists on the behest of the regulator of the countrys capital markets, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).Disclosure of private treaties between media companies and other corporate entities need to be mandatory to safeguard the interests of investors. This practice(paid news) has started in media after India adopted free-economy policy. Corporates and media came closer and marketing managers became stronger than the editor of a media establishment. ..Media (the only hope for the common man) is supposed to be advocating for the deprived sections of society. But media itself has become an integral part of consumerism and corporate system.  [22]  The explosive growth in the media in the country had highlighted the fact that the Fourth Estate is the only one among the pillars of democracy that has an identifiable commercial and explicitly for-profit persona. While the primary professional duty of media organizations is to their readership to keep them informed and appraised with news, views and ideas, the commercial logic brings in a new set of stakeholders in the form of the shareholders of these companies.  [23]   The paid news has proliferated more due to diminution of the role and the status of editors in media organizations and the reduced freedom of journalists under the Working Journalists Act. Senior journalists prefer to work with their employers under fixed term contracts which erode their protection otherwise accorded to them under the provisions of the Act. Until the 1970s and the 1980s, many editors would not brook any interference from the management of the company they would be employed by the number of such editors started dwindling as more and more senior journalists started acceding to every whim of their managers and employers instead of their editors. With managers playing a more influential role in the selection and presentation of news, it was not surprising that the importance of the news started getting determined by the revenues that would be generated for the media company.  [24]  The journalist faces an ethical dilemma which begins with the inherent conflict betwe en the individuals role as a journalist providing independent information to the public and his or her employers quest for profit. The poor wages of journalists especially those who work in non-urban areas also force them to double up as advertising agents working on commissions to earn their livelihood. The paid news acquires a completely new complexity of staggering proportion with the corporatization of media houses and large media houses not only own print media but also own electronic media and radio waves. These media houses offer packages for the projection of certain individuals in all the forms of media that they own and control. This distorts parliamentary democracy in multiple ways: (a) (the) media ceases to be objective and, therefore, distorts public perception; (b) it distorts the electoral political choices of the people by providing undue advantage to those candidates/political parties who are able to afford these packages, (c) it manipulates democracy, negating it completely by denying or by not providing equal access to those who cannot afford to indulge in such malpractices thereby breaching the provisions of the Constitution of India, and (d) it demeans the idea and essence of journalism itself.  [25]   Paid news phenomenon represents a fatal combination of three Ms, namely, the media, money and mafia that has subverted free and fair elections. He said that earlier, politicians used to hire musclemen with huge amounts of money and train them in booth rigging. Nowà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦candidates are training media pens instead of mafia guns to rig the minds of people with constant opinion bombarding.  [26]  The new aspect of this phenomenon of paid newsas seen in parliament elections in 2009 is that there was widespread participation by political parties in this process. The integration and assimilation of leading political parties and corporate public relations bodies in this racket is also unique to the elections of 2009.  [27]  The Election Commission noted during the election process that the more disturbing phenomenon recently emerging and which is causing serious concern to the commission is the latest complaint to the Commission that some of the newspapers have even offered p ackages at hefty sums, offering three types of services one, projecting the image of a political party or a candidate in a positive manner; two, giving negative publicity to the rival party or candidate. The rates of such packages vary, depending upon the standing and circulation of the newspaper in the area covered by the constituency.The regional media councils have been rising to address the problem by repeatedly urging the journalists to desist from the temptation of We strongly believe that the practice of putting out advertising as news is a grave journalistic malpractice. Moreover the trend threatens the foundation of journalism by eroding public faith in the credibility and impartiality of news reporting. It also vitiated the poll process and prevented a fair election, since richer candidates who could pay for their publicity had a clear advantage.  [28]  A prominent journalist took a poke shot on vernacular press, The vernacular media may be feeling cocky, having pulle d themselves out of physical poverty under their own steam, but they have yet to learn how to deal firmly and decisively with another kind of poverty that of the professional, ethical kind  [29]  . The society has woken up to the media malpractices and the reflection is seen in the films and documentaries. Film director Shri Ram Gopal Verma made a movie in Feb 2010 named Rann dealing with the topic of corruption in the media. Even a documentary titled Advertorial: Selling News or Products? was produced by an eminent media critic and academic Paranjoy Guha Thakurta for Indias national broadcaster, Doordarshan.Even in a survey conducted by the Readers Digest in March 2010, called the Trust Survey, 750 Indians were asked to rank the short-listed individuals belonging to different professions. Journalists were ranked 30 out of the 40 professionals listed and were placed next only to barbers and bus drivers.  [30]  Edelman, an independent public relations firm, in its 2010 Trust Barometer Survey (conducted in 22 countries worldwide, including India and six other countries in the Asia-Pacific region) stated that the Indian media has been losing its credibility and trust among the people. The study, which sampled 1,575 people in the 25-64 age group and 200 opinion leaders in India, noticed a sharp drop in trust over the past two years in television news in India. However, newspapers are ranked higher than other media in terms of credible news with people trusting newspapers more than any other medium: 38 per cent of the Indians polled trusted radio and television, while

Project Management Essay example -- Business Research

Project Management Although a development team does most of the work, it is the project manager that is running the development process. All human activity that involves carrying out a project needs a plan. We call this Project Management. But there is a big difference between projects that involve one or two people and projects that involve large numbers of people. There is always a smaller group of individuals behind all larger groups that is planning, directing, and motivating those people. There are three main parts to project management: start date, finish date, and all the tasks that need to be carried out. When the plan starts to involve different things happening at different times, most of which are dependant upon each other, the plan can start to take up an enormous amount of time and space. This is why you must start with a strong plan. Now days there are computer programs that tend to produce answers long after the events have taken place. These project planning and scheduling pr ograms provide real information, risk analysis, time recording, costing, estimating and many other types or project management. But these programs are not at all project management. Project management is control, leadership, teamwork, managing of resources, and a basic knowledge for the project. Project managers are found in every industry, from architects to policeman. There is a demand for more and more people who have the necessary skills it takes to manage a team or a project. The main concerns of a project manager are time, quality, and cost control. These are what drive these managers to be the most efficient as possible. â€Å"The success of a project will depend upon the effort, care and skill you apply in its initi... ...ble components in terms of size and complexity. The major type of graph used is a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). WBS is very project oriented. Other charts that could be used are Gantt charts and Load charts. As we move into the future there is more and more demand for great leaders no matter the line of work you are in. It seems that less people are able to think for themselves anymore, it is like everyone is becoming robots to technology. I feel that this is creating an enormous door for the people who can lead others into this new frontier. It seems that there are fewer people who have the skills or even who are willing to do this. There are great rewards for the people who recognize this new movement and want to take control of large businesses. So as time moves on we will see how this new technology revolution ends up and who the leaders will be.

Odysseus- Character Comparison to the movie Essay

In comparing the blockbuster movie TROY to secondary sources found o the internet and in various texts, there are many significant differences in the portrayal of Odysseus and his involvement in Trojan War. In the movie, the first we see of Odysseus is when he’s sent by the Mycenaean King and conqueror of Greece, Agamemnon, to persuade Achilles to join the Greek war effort because, I quote, â€Å"Odysseus is the only man he’ll listen to†. The respect and belief placed in Odysseus further proves the amount of admiration Greeks hold in his ability as an eloquent speaker. In many of the texts, there is more to the pre-war story of Odysseus then mentioned in TROY. One commonly held belief is that Odysseus was one of the original suitors of Helen. He was the one that made all of her suitors swear to defend her marriage rights. However, when Menelaus called on the suitors to bring Helen back from Troy, Odysseus was reluctant to make good on his oath. In the sources Odysseus was one of the key Greeks involved in the Trojan War. He was, according to one text, to be â€Å"Outspoken and sincere, fierce and proud†. To another source, he was said to â€Å"Refuse to leave the field when the Greek troops were being routed by the Trojans. In contrast with the texts, the movie portrays very little of Odysseus’ involvement in battle and shows none of his efforts as a Greek ambassador. This is mentioned regularly in our sources, again referring to the amount of approbation the Greeks had for Odysseus’ capability to influence the minds of men. One of our sources mentions the bravery and courage Odysseus showed while trying to protect a dying Achilles. It states that Ajax, another Greek warrior, Achilles and Odysseus got inside the walls of Troy before the nocturnal raid of the Trojan horse. However in the movie it shows nothing of this event and many other minor occurrences and chooses to reveal Achilles’ death after the creation of the Trojan horse which is seen to be historically incorrect. Whilst comparing various texts to the movie itself only one major similarity was recognised. This being Odysseus’ involvement in the Trojan horse. In both the texts and the movie, Odysseus is portrayed to be the originator of the horse, the stratagem by which the Greeks were finally able to take the city of Troy. His cleverness and ingenuity is emphasised once again because of his ability to create such deceiving device that would in turn win the war for Greece.

Blackpool: the Las Vegas of Lancashire?

Blackpool is the original seaside destination and a model for other hotspots like Coney Island and Atlantic City (Jerde Partnership, 2003). Blackpool still remains the largest seaside resort in the UK but since the 1990s Blackpool has experienced a 30% drop in tourism (Jerde Partnership, 2003). Blackpool Borough Council commissioned EDAW together with experienced architects The Jerde Partnership to prepare a masterplan for central Blackpool. The need for the masterplan was clear, to transform the seaside resort from slow and steady decline to a future of achievable and sustained growth (EDAW, 2003). This report looks at where Blackpool has come from, where it is now and where it hopes to be. It will evaluate the effectiveness of Blackpool's strategy, examining the expectations and demands of the stakeholders. If will also examine the support of the proposed actions plans by the stakeholders and the local community. History Blackpool takes its name from ‘le pull', a stream which drains Marton Mere and Marton Moss into the sea. The stream runs through peat lands which discolour the water hence the name Black Poole (Blackpool Borough Council, 2003). In the late 1700s Blackpool was frequented by the landed gentry following a national craze for sea bathing and the drinking of seawater (Blackpool Borough Council, 2003). The building of the Preston and Wyre railway in 1840 provided cheap excursion trains to Blackpool from industrial Lancashire, making Blackpool a destination for thousands of visitors from Lancashire and Yorkshire. By the late 1800s Blackpool's visitors were predominately the working classes from Lancashire and Yorkshire rather than the gentry. Blackpool was seen as ‘the Playground of the Industrial Revolution': a town that grew rich on traditional Wakes Weeks (Blackpool Borough Council, 2003). The development of the resort's entertainment attractions began in the 1890s to provide facilities for the 35,000 resident population together with approximately 250,000 annual visitors (Blackpool Borough Council, 2003). Illuminated trams were first seen in Blackpool in 1897 as part of the Jubilee celebrations but static illuminations did not appear until 1912 (Blackpool Borough Council, 2003). BASELINE DATA Blackpool has high levels of social and economic deprivation. Blackpool was ranked 32nd on the index of multiple deprivation out of 354 districts in England in 2000 (ODPM, 2003). Seven of Blackpool's wards are in the 10% most deprived in England, this equates to 32% of Blackpool's population (approximately 40,000 people). Tourism continues to be the major employer in the region, 88% of employment is in the service sector, linked to tourism and leisure. Blackpool has a lower gross domestic product (à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½7,383 per head) than Liverpool (à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½9,352 per head), which has European Objective 1 status. Blackpool's small manufacturing sector, accounts for 10% of jobs, has suffered a decline in recent years. Local specialisms are in vehicles, food and drink and plastics, with nationally known firms including TVR Sports Cars, Horizon Biscuits and Glasdon UK Ltd. Blackpool is also an important administrative centre, accommodating large national and regional office headquarters such as the National Savings (‘Ernie') and the Department of Social Security (Blackpool Borough Council, 2003). Despite this Blackpool has lacked major investment and is very run down with a large number of houses, hotels and guesthouses in multiple occupation (HMO), particularly for benefit claimants. It also has very poor sea water quality and polluted beaches. Blackpool's population has risen from 473 in 1801 to 3,707 in 1861, by 1901 it had reached 47,348 and 101,553 by 1931. The population of Blackpool has now steadied at around 150,000. With a population of 4,366 per kmà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½, Blackpool is more densely populated than Liverpool or Manchester. Outside of London, only Portsmouth is more densely populated (Blackpool Challenge Partnership, 2002). Blackpool has a high proportion of economically inactive people with 27.8% of the population retired compared with 18.9% nationally and 5.3% unemployment compared to a UK average of 3.3% (Blackpool Borough Council, 2003). There are also between 2,000 and 3,000 homeless people in Blackpool (Blackpool Challenge Partnership, 2002). In 1989 a national survey found that 4,190,000 holidaymakers stayed in the resort and 12,590,000 people came on day or evening trips (Blackpool Borough Council, 2003). Over the years there has been a significant shift in holiday patterns with more people using self-catering accommodation and many more people visiting the resort for day or evening trips or short breaks (Blackpool Borough Council, 2003). The bulk of visitors come from social groups C & D (manual skilled and non-skilled) with limited disposable income with the majority still coming from Lancashire, Yorkshire and Scotland. THE WAY FORWARD: BLACKPOOL'S OPTIONS * Do nothing (product continues to decline) * Upgrade existing facilities (prolong product life cycle but remain in same market area) * Radical change (move into new market area with new product) BLACKPOOL'S VISION AND MASTERPLAN Blackpool will be recognised as a vibrant, inclusive, healthy, safe and prosperous town where visitors and residents share the common goal of Blackpool being the number one visitor destination in the UK (BCP, 2003) ‘If Blackpool is to survive and prosper, it must find ways in which it can once again become internationally competitive as a destination resort.' (Marc W. Etches, Managing Director, Leisure Parcs Ltd) Stakeholder Expectations. The key stakeholder groups for the renaissance of Blackpool are public bodies, private sector organisations and members of the public & community groups. The following identifies some of the principal members of the stakeholder groups: Public Bodies * Blackpool Borough Council * The Blackpool Challenge Partnership (also the Borough L.S.P) * North-West Development Agency/Lancashire West Partnership * The European Union * The Government (SRB) and Government Office for the North-West * North-West Tourist Board & English Tourism Council * Blackpool & Fylde College * The Gaming Review Board * Lancashire Constabulary Private Sector * Banking industry * Blackpool Airport * Blackpool Chamber of Trade * Blackpool Pleasure Beach * Blackpool Seasonal Traders Association * Blackpool Town Centre Forum * Casino Resort Operators * Conference organisers * Construction companies * Consultants (to develop & deliver proposals) * Entertainment industry * Holiday operators & travel agents * ICT industry * Leisure Parcs (owners of Blackpool Tower, the Sea Life Centre, the Three Piers and the Wintergardens) * Local & national press * Service industry (hotels, catering) * Transport industry Community Groups/Members Of The Public * Blackpool Coalition against Gaming Expansion * Blackpool Diocese * Existing visitors to Blackpool * Future new visitors to Blackpool * Population of Blackpool These groups will comprise mainly those with an interest in developing the new Blackpool ‘product' (supply side) and those which will constitute the demand for the Blackpool product. However, market competitors will also be less direct stakeholders in Blackpool – these could include competitor resort casino operators (Las Vegas, Australia's Gold Coast, Sun City) and other ‘mini-break' destinations (Center Parcs, Euro Disney, Amsterdam, Dublin etc.) and UK weekend-break destinations (Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, London etc.) Since achieving the new Blackpool product will require huge and comprehensive changes to the physical and economic make-up of the borough, the process will require both a clear vision and a robust business plan, supported by the many stakeholders. Moreover, it will require a credible leader with the necessary skills, experience drive and determination to realise the vision. There are likely to be significant obstacles to achieving the new Blackpool, therefore a strong leader will essential in order to retain the support and enthusiasm of all the projects varied stakeholders. In order to gain extensive stakeholder support for the new Blackpool, their (probably) disparate expectations must be recognised and subsequently acted upon. Once stakeholders have been identified, a process of consultation should take place to discover what they want Blackpool to be. This will inform the visioning exercise and if stakeholder views are acted on, assist in building consensus. With a large range of stakeholders, it would be appropriate to adopt a flexible and multi-faceted approach to consultation; different methods (exhibitions, ‘listening' events, newspaper articles, focus groups, public meetings, questionnaires) would be geared to the natures of the various stakeholders. In reality, this is what Blackpool has done. The lead organisation for the project, The Blackpool Masterplan, is the Blackpool Challenge Partnership (since 2002 also the Local Strategic Partnership LSP for the Borough). The key funding for driving the Masterplan forward through development and on to delivery is à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½20,000,000 of SRB6, secured in late 2000 and à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½X million in EDZ money from the European Union, secured in 2001. As part of the bid process, the partnership undertook a significant amount of consultation via the Let's Talk Campaign. This included: * A 2-page questionnaire prepared by the Blackpool Town Centre Forum and sent out to more than 500 shops, pubs, clubs, banks and building societies (results indicated that 91% of respondents supported the Masterplan); * Focus groups and telephone canvassing of a random sample of 600 local people, undertaken by a specialist market research consultancy; * Meetings with specific groups (e.g. churches, youth organisations). Since securing the SRB6 funding, a comprehensive package of projects are being developed and delivered to bring broad social and economic benefits to Blackpool, as well as the development of the Vision Masterplan. The Marketing Plan. (2 Vision Statements – which is confusing!) The Vision statement is that ‘Blackpool will be a Vibrant, Inclusive Healthy, Safe and Prosperous Town.' As with many municipal vision statements, this in my opinion, is both vague and all encompassing and therefore not particularly useful (no measurable targets, so how do you know how to get there?). However, it gives a positive message which few stakeholders are likely to disagree with. The vision aims to provide a better quality of life for people in Blackpool by revitalising the tourism industry. The key strands for realising this vision are: * Building ‘state of the art' conference facilities; * Radically improving the hotel offer (more quality 3 and 4 star hotels); * Revamping existing attractions and revitalising the entertainment offer; * Creating an internationally recognised centre for tourism and casino training; * Tackling crime, especially burglary and car crime; * Improving the health of people in Blackpool through a range of initiatives; * Improving education outcomes and community learning opportunities. Building on existing physical and social regeneration funded through SRB2, the new Blackpool would be achieved through a series of projects and thematic activities. However, at the centre of the regeneration programme is the aim to improve the quality of life for local people by increasing local economic growth through enhanced tourism activity. And the hub of this plan is the proposal to create a purpose built conference centre and resort casino in the centre of Blackpool. Marketing Objectives. The Masterplan sets out the marketing approach for Blackpool. Since this has been developed; through extensive consultation with stakeholders, it would seem fair to say it reflects the broad wishes of most stakeholders (even the Blackpool Diocese†¦). Obvious objectors would be the anti-gaming lobbyists. The Masterplan sets out how radical physical changes coupled with capital investment will transform the town, making it attractive to new market sectors (i.e. visitors who will spend more money. So although Blackpool has undergone notable economic regeneration and diversification during the past decade, by SRB2 funding, the economy is still largely dependent on tourism (Source?) . However, with the current tourism offer in decline, the Blackpool ‘product' will need to undergo change in order to prosper(Source?) . Given that the town has so much existing experience and infrastructure based around tourism, the obvious theme for economic regeneration would be to deliver an improved tourism offer that meets current market demand, therefore bringing more money into the town. This is exactly what Blackpool is doing – instigating a comprehensive, economic regeneration programme, led by tourism. This is complemented by two further themes of physical improvements and to benefit the socially excluded sector of Blackpool's population. The latter would be principally around housing, health, education, training and entry to employment. Set out in the Blackpool Masterplan, the hub of the vision for the new Blackpool product is the development of 3 (?) resort casino hotels with associated purpose built conference facilities as well as broad appeal leisure facilities. These would include shops, restaurants, cafà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s, bars, cinemas, theatres and a large leisure pool. Since poor weather is currently a visitor deterrent, these facilities would be covered to allow for all year round use. Moreover, covered links are proposed to key existing attractions, such as the Pleasure Beach funfair. Access issues have already been partially addressed. In 1995 the new Blackpool Airport terminal building was opened and passenger number increased from 50,000 in 2002 to a projected 250,000 in 2003. This increase is principally due to the introduction of daily Ryanair flights to London Stansted and Dublin. Part of the forward programme of improvements are safer car parks and a modernised tram system. Bit more on resort casinos†¦ Associated economic benefits in Blackpool†¦ Associated economic benefits to the region†¦ Critical analysis of the Blackpool Masterplan STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES * Blackpool product radically transformed * Broad stakeholder support * Builds on existing strengths * Comprehensive regeneration package(economic, physical and social elements) * The product would be first of its kind in UK * Proposals too radical? * Timescale issues * Funding issues * No casino operator secured * New gambling bill not enacted until 2006 at the earliest * Planning issues * Old Blackpool image might remain; will new market sectors want to come to Blackpool? What happens if the gaming laws don't change? Blackpool Council leader Roy Fisher has stated that ‘ We believe the relaxation of the gaming laws will happen, which is why we're trying to harness the positive potential of that development now. However, casinos are just one facet of the wide ranging draft masterplan that includes building a host of other new attractions and facilities. Rest assured, the council is absolutely committed to a major programme of regeneration for Blackpool. With or without casinos, we are determined that Blackpool will be transformed once again into a destination of truly national and international calibre.' (Blackpool Today, 2003). In addition to this the Jerde Partnership (2003) acknowledge that the gaming reforms are an important ingredient in Blackpool's strategy but they are not required for success COMPETITORS U.K. * Seaside resorts (e.g. Southport, Lytham, Brighton, Scarborough) * City-break destinations (e.g. Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, London) * Mini-break destinations (e.g. Centre Parcs) * Conference centres (e.g. Harrogate, Brighton, Bournemouth) * Theme Parks (e.g. Alton Towers, Lightwater Valley, Legoland, Chessington) * ‘Hen & Stag' destinations (e.g. Nottingham, Chester, York, Newcastle) Abroad. * Casino resorts (e.g. Las Vegas, Sun City, Gold Coast) * Theme Parks (Euro Disney, Disneyworld Orlando, Disneyland Los Angeles) * Package holiday destinations (e.g. Spain, Greece, Tenerife, Florida) * Conference destinations in other European cities * ‘Hen & Stag' destinations (e.g. Dublin, Amsterdam, Prague, Barcelona) CONCLUSIONS * Blackpool needs radical change since the present product , principally a tourism offer, is at the end of its lifecycle and in serious decline * New product / new market * Comprehensive marketing plan * Balance of realism and informed risk taking

Reflective Practice in Teaching

Reflective Practice in the context of teaching ESOL Reflective practice engages practitioners in a continuous cycle of self-observation and self-evaluation in order to understand their own actions and the reactions they prompt in themselves and in learners (Brookfield, 1995; Thiel, 1999). Reflective practice is considered as an evolving concept which views learning as â€Å"an active process of reviewing an experience of practice in order to describe, analyse, evaluate and so inform learning about practice. (Reid, B 1993 cited in Garfat, T. 2005). In my opinion, implementing reflective practice approach to professional development in order to expand our knowledge is a challenge. This challenge involves teacher’s ability to â€Å"reflect on his or her practice† in order to â€Å"bring about change and improvement†, especially in the ESOL context that is represented by variety of learner groups, curricula, available resources, and amount and type of teacher prepar ation (Schellekens, 2007, p. 199). To me, nowadays, teaching students to meet their requirements does not only involve the effective and professional use of methodology, training and concept alone. I think that it is all about the ability of integrating both theory and practice with highly exploratory process of reflective practice. I consider reflective practice as a reflective professional development tool, which I treat merely as a personal low-tech way of incorporating reflective practice in day-to-day classroom teaching in order to make my class more effective. Developing own reflective or critical thinking skills should engage various aspects of teaching, such as preparation process, receiving feedback form the learners, self-evaluation process, feedback or criticism from the colleagues, statistical data, teacher’s diary, training/development and own teaching experience. According to The Institute for Learning’s policy statement on professional formation, reflective practice is a professional requirement to show reflection on the impact of professional development (Lifelong Learning UK, 2007). The Institute’s online personalised learning space, REfLECT, requires teachers to submit variety of individual reflective practice evidence that includes: * self evaluation – an individual analysis of the applicant’s learning needs and goals for the next 12 months, * professional development planning – n individualised learning plan detailing the actions the applicant will take to address the needs and goals identified through self assessment, * reflective practice – reflection on the impact of professional development on the applicant’s teaching practice, the benefit to learners and wider communities of practice: could include, or be a mix of, a personal reflection on the impact of CPD, peer review, learner obse rvations, observation of teaching and learning, collaborative working, etc. (IfL, 2008) The models of reflection, which I have chosen to mention in this paper, promote looking at what has been learned and planning how those lessons can be applied if similar experiences re-occur. The two models of reflective practice in the context of teaching are: Brokfield’s model of four reflective â€Å"lenses† and The Reflective Cycle by Gibbs (1988). 1. Brookfield’s model of four critically reflective lenses In his â€Å"model of four critically reflective lenses†, Brookfield (1995) suggests that we should make use of the four â€Å"critical lenses† through which to view and reflect upon our teaching practice, and he suggests the following: 1. ur own view (which he refers to as autobiography); 2. that of our students; 3. that of our fellow professionals; 4. and the various theoretical perspectives propounded in educational literature. Brookfield treats teacher’s personal experience as the most important insight into teaching to which teache rs have access, and this personal experience should combine both: considerations of classroom and lesson management as well as whether or not the learning experience was a profitable one for the students. By talking to colleagues about what happened in the classroom, not only may we find solutions to problems but also share and broaden our teaching experience. (Brookfield, 1995; p. 31-36). 2. The Reflective Cycle by Gibbs (1988) Gibbs Reflective Cycle (1988) encourages a clear description of the situation, analysis of feelings, evaluation of the experience, and analysis to make sense of the experience to examine what you would do if the situation arose again. This straightforward and therefore useful cycle appeals to me in several aspects. An incident is identified and thought about to provide a description of what happened. The abstract aspects of the situation – the emotional dimension – are taken into account and reflected upon. This has to be done because if I can stand back from what happened and identify how I felt then those feelings can be evaluated. In the light of reflection I could see how perhaps extremes of emotion affected my outlook and thus actions. Was there anything positive that could be carried forward into the future or negative that needs to be addressed? Is it possible to find the cause of these positive and negative aspects that I might examine later? This analysis allows me to break down the incident into smaller parts that made up the situation. The question I ask myself is: What were the issues, key factors and influences and how did they combine to bring about the incident? Once I have this deeper understanding drawn from all the information I have about the situation I can try to work out what else could have been done at the time. Having concluded what, upon reflection, would have been the way to address the situation I can produce an action plan for the next time the same situation arises. By applying this reflective practice cycle to similar situations the outcome should be steady, gradual improvement, associated with stimulating personal and professional growth, and closing the gap between theory and practice. DESCRIPTION My reflection below describes a critical incident involving my 17 year old, Entry 1 ESOL student from Somalia with undifferentiated Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). In undifferentiated ADD, the primary and most significant characteristic is inattentiveness but hyperactivity is not present. The student manifests problems with organization and distractibility, even though he may seem quite and passive. The symptoms I noticed in the classroom environment included: * a short attention span, * occasionally impulsive behaviour, * difficulty sitting still, * a tendency to express the wrong answer, * inconsistent levels of task-attentiveness, * a tendency to appear forgetful as the consequence of inadequate access to actually well-stored information, * inconsistent levels of task-completeness, often losing things necessary for tasks * an appearance of being forgetful, when in fact the information was never really received or processed, * compromised summarization/paraphrasing competencies. FEELINGS I have found myself wondering whether this student might have a learning disability about three months ago as I noticed that his learning issue, ADD, is impeding his progress in English. At times I was also slightly frustrated with the students’ classroom behaviour and lack of his academic progress. I was advised to take a â€Å"wait and see† approach to this case. I decided that there must be a better way of handling these exceptional students. In order to help me understand the complexity of the issue I decided to do extensive research on students with ADD and ADHD and how to tackle the issues in class, as well as how to help my student achieve in ESOL. EVALUATION After careful evaluation why my student may advance through his ESOL studies at a slower rate than their peers and having done a detailed â€Å"tick-off† evaluation sheet of all of the symptoms I noticed during lessons, I decided to explore future solutions to this problem. Extensive research about students with ADD and ADHD helped me understand the complexity of the issue and how to tackle the issues in class. It really motivated me to find out how to help my student achieve in ESOL. ANALYSIS During my reflections after each lesson and reflective analysis of the student’s action during lessons, I thought it was essential to uncover his special needs before he could get into disciplinary trouble, lose all self-esteem, or drop out of school. I realised that a â€Å"wait and see† approach is this case was not a way to go. Instead, I should act fast and refer this student to be professionally assessed by the Educational Psychologist and organise a Study Support Assistant. In conclusion, I became conscious of the fact that having a special education aide in the ESOL classroom, cross-training of special education and ESOL teachers, and making resources on this topic (literature and trained staff) more available, would be of great help in recognising such learning difficulties and dealing with them on regular day-to-day basis of ESOL teaching. CONCLUSION On the positive side, this reflective practice raised my awareness of the numerous reasons some ESOL students may reveal through inappropriate behaviour and/or limited language learning progress. I have learnt and I will continue to observe such students, incorporating teaching strategies for teaching students with learning disabilities in the classroom, analyse teaching and learning process to help them, make adjustments in delivery of the language when dealing with students with ADD/ADHD, and promptly refer students that present truly special education needs. On a slightly negative side, the previous teacher did not identify the student’s problems early enough or did not have enough evidence to justify my student’s ADD/ADHD as a potential threat to his achievement in ESOL class. I started teaching this student about three months ago but it was only a month and a half ago when I started applying various strategies to meet his individual learning needs to help him success in ESOL despite his ADHD, such as: student monitoring, self management, discipline, and encouragement. In more detail, I provided supervision and discipline through enforcing classroom rules consistently, encouraging him to positive self-talk, trying to be very patient with him, avoiding all distracting stimuli and transitions, physical relocation, changes in schedule, and disruptions, developing an extensive individual learning program, simplifying instructions, giving extra time for certain tasks. I strongly believe that his learning difficulties should ave been identified much earlier and appropriate strategies put in place at the beginning of the course. ACTION PLAN Next year, I am planning to apply the background information obtained by this reflective practice in the new group of ESOL young learners and to relay it to my colleagues. I will also connect with a special education professional who will be happy to observe my ESOL students next year and to provide assistance with strategies to use in my classroom, if the students with learning difficulties are going to be identified. I will also research some literature resources to educate myself more about placement procedures for students with special education needs, practical reading strategies for ESOL students with learning disabilities, and teaching teens with ADD and ADHD. As the most immediate action plan, I shall incorporate special reading and writing strategies for the student with ADD/ADHD. These may include the following strategies. However, the student will be required to give me feedbacks which of them works best for him, and these include: * Using â€Å"previewing† strategies by being aware of the following reading problems: 1. Reversals when reading (i. e. , â€Å"was† for â€Å"saw†, â€Å"on† for â€Å"no†, etc. ) 2. Reversals when writing (b for d, p for q, etc. ) 3. Transposition of letters and numbers (12 for 21, etc. ) 4. Loss of place when reading, line to line and word to word * Shortening or lengthening the amount of required reading * For all assignments, clearly identifying expectations in writing * Making required book lists available prior to the first day of class to allow students to begin their reading early or to have texts put on tape * Encouraging the use of books-on-tape to support students reading assignments * Providing students with chapter outlines, or handouts, that highlight key points in their readings * Having students make a chart similar to the one below of their strengths and challenges so that they, as well as I, can learn from their perceptions of how well they read, write, remember, listen, speak, attend and get ideas out. Skills| Strengths| Challenges| Comments| Reading| | | | Writing| | | | Memory| | | | Listening| | | | Speaking| | | | Attention| | | | Getting Ideas Out| | | | To sum up, reflective practice is perhaps best understood as an approach which promotes autonom ous learning that aims to develop students’ understanding and critical thinking skills. It also helps students to understand that learning is individual. It is an act of being able to reflect on our strengths, weaknesses and areas for development. It is also an emotional response that complements our knowledge and what we understand about a subject, and which enables us to act in a situation. Personally, I strongly agree that the importance of reflecting on what we are doing, as part of the learning process, is one of the defining characteristics of teaching professional practice. References * Brookfield, S. (1995) Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher. San Francisco: Jossey Bass * The Excellence Gateway http://excellencegateway. org. k/tlp/cpd/assets skills_life_basic_key. rtf (accessed 13/05/2011) * Gibbs, G. (1988) Learning by Doing: A guide to Teaching and Learning Methods. Oxford: Further Education Unit, Oxford Polytechnic. * The Institute for Learning http://www. IfL. ac. uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/4640/ProfessionalFormationStatement. pdf (Accessed 13/5/11) * Lifelong Learning UK, 2007, New Professional Standards for Teachers, Tutors and Trainers in the Lifelong Learning Sector. http://www. lluk. org/documents/professional_standards_for_itts_020107. pdf (Accessed 05/5/2011) * Reflection Models http://www. brainboxx. co. uk/a3_aspects/pages/ReflectionModels. tm (Accessed 16/05/2011) * Root, C. – A Guide to Learning Disabilities for the ESL Classroom Practitioner http://www. cc. kyoto-su. ac. jp/information/tesl-ej/ej01/a. 4. html (Accessed 16/05/2011) * Schellekens, P. 2007. The Oxford ESOL Handbook. Oxford: Oxford University Press. * Strategies For Teaching Students with Attention Deficit Disorder (AD/HD) http://www. as. wvu. edu/~scidis/add. html#sect0 (Accessed 16/05/2011) Professional Values and Ethics Values are enduring beliefs, both hard-wired (meaning acquired genetically) and shaped by cultural context, about preferred â€Å"end states† (Urbany, Reynolds, & Phillips, 2008, p. 75). According to Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (2009), ethics is discipline dealing with good and evil and with moral duty or moral principles and practice. Professional ethics and values guide the decision-making process of all companies and organizations. Most businesses and organizations state their values and ethics in their mission statement and in their code of ethics. The professional ethics and values of a business or organization will set the tone of how they conduct their operations, how they interact with customers and how employees interact with each other. Sources of Professional Values and Ethics The three groups include the Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs (CEJA), Ethics Resource Center and the Institute for Ethics. The CEJA develops ethics policy for the American Medical Association by preparing reports that analyze and addresses ethical issues (AMA, 2009). The Ethics Resource Center develops practical solutions for physicians who are confronted with ethical challenges and provides continuing education and outreach programs for medical students, practicing physicians, and residents. The Institute for Ethics is an academic research and training center on ethics in health care. The Institute covers issues such as, professionalism, health information policy and health preparedness (AMA, 2009). Association of American Educators (AAE) The ethical conduct toward students outlines how teachers should interact and communicate with their students. This principle states that teachers hould take responsibility to ensure that students learn qualities that will help them evaluate the consequences of and accept the responsibility for their actions and choices. The second principle, ethical conduct toward pra ctice and performance instructs teachers on assuming responsibility and accountability for their performance and maintaining the dignity of their profession. Ethical conduct toward practice and performance also covers official policies and laws. The third principle, ethical conduct toward professional colleagues discusses issues such as confidentiality among colleagues, and making false accusations about colleagues or the school system. The final principle, ethical conduct toward parents and community includes issues such as, effectively communicating with parents, respecting the values and traditions of the diverse cultures, and manifesting a positive and active role in school/communities. Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) How Ethics and Values Affect Success Professional ethics and values can have both positive and negative affects on a business’ or organizations’ success, â€Å"Values, whether neutral, virtuous or not so virtuous, drive our decision making† (Urbany, Reynolds, & Phillips, 2008, p. 76). Many companies have made millions using unethical strategies, while others have been destroyed by them. For example, several banks were lending money to individuals who they knew could never pay back the entire amount owed as a result most of the banks went bankrupt. However, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the biggest offender in this situation was bailed out by the government with a slap on the wrist. On the other hand, there are several companies that pride themselves in choosing to make the tough ethical decisions. For example, companies that recall millions of dollars worth of products to ensure their customers safety, or companies that choose to operate in the United States although they could operate at a lower cost outside of the United States. Conclusion {text:bookmark-start} {text:bookmark-end} References American Medical Association (AMA). (2009). American Medical Association. Retrieved from www. ama-assn. org Association of American Educators (AAE). (2009). Association of American Educators. Retrieved from