Oliver Cromwell

How and why has the rule of Oliver Cromwell been interpreted differently? There are lots of opinions about Cromwell and they have differed a lot. Historians still disagree about him even today! ‘His cruelty and ruthlessness have left a mark and a memory that the last 300 years have not been able to wipe. ’ C V Wedgwood mentioned in the 1950’s-60. He wrote many books about the life of Charles I and this shows that his opinion of Cromwell wasn’t a very nice one. He has stated that Oliver Cromwell has scarred life and they have not been able to get rid of that nasty memory.Although Wedgwood disagrees about Cromwell, there are others that differ. ‘Cromwell was the national hero†¦the greatest because the most typical Englishman of all time. ’ S R Gardiner stated in 1902. Gardiner was a descendent of Cromwell and supported the idea of a Puritan Revolution. This source shows that he was a great fan of Cromwell and he believed that he was the most typical Englishman of all time. I think he might have supported the Puritan Revolution idea because he might be a puritan himself and respected the ideas Cromwell had.I think both of these statements are biased as Gardiner was a descendant of Cromwell and Wedgwood wrote many book about Charles; Cromwell agreed to execute Charles. In this essay I am going to explain how and why his rule has been interpreted in different ways and why he was such a controversial man? Oliver Cromwell was a military and political leader who overpowered the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland. He was born at Cromwell House in Huntingdon on the 25 April 1599 to Robert Cromwell and Elizabeth Steward and he was a puritan.Cromwell was a commander of the New Model Army which defeated the royalists in the English Civil War. He was elected Member of Parliament for Huntingdon in 1628 and for Cambridge in 1640. He entere d the English Civil War on the side of the â€Å"Roundheads† or Parliamentarians and became a key military leader. Nicknamed â€Å"Old Ironsides†, he was quickly promoted from leading a single cavalry troop to command of the entire army. Lots of people turned against Cromwell; and he turned against people to. The levellers were the most famous people who turned against Cromwell and his ruling.The levellers were a political group during the civil war. The levellers list developed with growing conflict within the New Model Army in the wake of the First Civil War. The leveller’s believed in religious freedom, end to imprisonment for dept and that all male population should be able to vote for parliament and this should happen every 2 years. But Cromwell didn’t think this. â€Å"What the levellers say is that the poorer people should have as much riches as richer people. Either you must cut them in pieces or they will cut you in pieces† is what Cromwel l is reported to say.But is this what the levellers wanted? No, it wasn’t. Cromwell made out that they were making the poorer people be as rich as the richer people when all they wanted was for all male population to vote every 2 years etc. This might add on to the reason people still disagree with the choices he made today. John Lilburne was the leader of the levellers and had much support. The Levellers made full use of the printing press to circulate pamphlets and petitions, effectively developing the first mass political propaganda techniques to be used in Britain.In 1649, Lilburne was imprisoned in the tower of London. Whilst he was there he wrote a letter, â€Å"we have much cause to distrust you; for we know how many broken promises that you have made to the kingdom. † He sent this letter as Cromwell met up with the leveller group every week to discuss ideas. For a long time Cromwell agreed with them, and after the king was executed the levellers thought they co uld change. But then Cromwell turned against them. I know this from the sources I have seen in class. On the other hand many people agreed with the choices Cromwell made.People may think that the idea of not going to prison for not paying dept is wrong and religious freedom is wrong as you are not respecting god. On the way down to London a group of 400 men in the leveller group was captured by the new model army. They were imprisoned in Burford church and the 4 leaders (Cornet Thomson, Private Church, Corporal Perkins and Chaplin Henry Denne) were up for execution. All 4 of them were given a chance to agree that there ideas were wrong and they would get killed. 3 refused to but Chaplin Henry Denne agreed and was saved from execution.Even today Burford celebrate leveller’s day every year. Cromwell and Ireland didn’t really get on in them days. Most of Ireland still doesn’t agree with us now. At the time of Cromwell there were lots of Protestants living in Irelan d. This is strange because Ireland was a catholic country. But this happened because King Henry and Queen Elizabeth I started to encourage English Protestants to go and take over land in catholic Ireland. They did this by either pushing the Irish off their land or by making the Irish work for them. But in 1641, the Irish Catholics rebelled against the English rule!At this point the king was still alive and in was in the middle of the civil war so Cromwell couldn’t possibly do anything about it but as soon as the king was executed and the war was over, that’s when Cromwell made a stop to the Irish Catholic rebellion. In 1649, Cromwell landed in Ireland with 12,000 men to invade, his first target was Drogheda! As he landed, Cromwell proceeded to take the other port cities on Irelands east coast. The first town to fall was Drogheda. â€Å"Cromwell’s soldiers promised to spare the lives of any who laid down their arms.But when they had all in their power, the word, ‘no quarter’ went round. † This was from a letter written by Marquis of Ormonde, the leader of the Irish Catholics, on 29th September 1649. The word quarter meant that if the enemy surrendered and gave up their weapons, it was then wrong to kill them. This was one of the two important 17th century rules of warfare. So, this quote shows that Oliver Cromwell recklessly killed innocent people. This is probably why people still disagree with him today; especially people in Ireland as it might be there ancestors who got murdered. But am I being a bit biased here?This was Marquis of Ormonde interpretation of what happened, so what about the other half of the story. Oliver Cromwell wrote a letter reporting what happened. The letter stated that he offered surrender four times. Here are two examples, â€Å"†¦ a summons (order) to deliver (surrender) the town, receiving no satisfactory answer†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and â€Å"†¦ were summoned, but they refused to yieldâ € ¦Ã¢â‚¬  Both of these examples do show that Cromwell was cooperative and gave a chance for them to surrender. These quotes might be the ones that make people support him as he gave them lots of chances to surrender but they refused.The massacre of the garrison in Drogheda, including some after they had surrendered and some who had sheltered in a Church was received with horror in Ireland, and is remembered even today as an example of Cromwell’s decisions. Many people in them day thought that the only way to bring back law and order was to bring back monarchy. But the problem was, they couldn’t possibly bring back Charles II as Cromwell agreed with the execution of Charles I and ran Charles II off to France. The only man who could, was Cromwell. In February 1657, he was offered the crown but he rejected the offer.This could have been for many reasons. One reason could have been that hi army might turn against him. â€Å"Cromwell tried all possible means to persuad e the army officers to approve his plan. He invited himself to dine with General Fleetwood and Colonel Desborough, where he began to go on about monarchy. They told him that those who offered it were friends of Charles Stuart. † This was written at the time by Edmund Ludlow. This show that maybe Cromwell did want monarchy but his army warned him off by saying â€Å"they told him that those who offered it were friends of Charles Stuart. Also, â€Å"one hundred officers said to His Highness that he should not take the title of king because it was not pleasing to his army†¦Ã¢â‚¬  this backs up the quote from Edmund Ludlow as it is saying that the army advise him not to take the title of king. Also they call Cromwell â€Å"His Highness† which shows that they already think he is powerful and loyal. This might have been a reason why people agree with Cromwell as he did want monarchy back but it was the army who stopped him. On the other hand, Lord Clarendon quoted â⠂¬Å"this man, against the desires of all noble persons, took the throne of three kingdoms.Without the name of king, but with a greater power and authority than had been claimed by any king. † He is saying that he does not deserve the title of king as he already has more power than any other king and he wrongly rules three kingdoms. People may agree with this and don’t think that Cromwell should have ruled all three kingdoms and made people obey them when he wasn’t even king. But is this quote biased? Well, it might be as Lord Clarendon was a supporter of the Stuarts. When Cromwell became lord protector, all the opinions about him differed.Lots of people agreed with him becoming lord protector, for example, â€Å"Cromwell would have rather taken a shepherds staff than the Protectorship. Nothing went more against his feelings than show of greatness. But he saw it was necessary at the time, to keep the nation from falling into extreme disorder. † This shows t hat he wasn’t too keen on the lord protector but he accepted it to help the nation. This could be a reason why people look up to him as he didn’t do it for his own likings but to help other people.Another quote from a Bristol Baptist says, â€Å"The days of Oliver Cromwell were marvellous days of prosperity, liberty and peace. † This quote is saying that because of Cromwell becoming Lord Protector, the nation became a better place. On the other hand some people disapprove him and see him as a devil. For example, there was a cartoon titled ‘Cromwell’s Chariot’. This cartoon shows a chariot drawn by two dragon like creatures, Cromwell at the back with the devil. In the chariot there are three ladies which represent the three Kingdoms. Cromwell is holding the scales of liberty and an angel is in a cage.The chariot is running over parliament and in the background two wolves are chasing five sheep. I think these animals represent Cromwell’s men are the wolves chasing the town’s people. This painting shows that the artist thinks that Cromwell is already ruling too much and has locked away all freedom. But this goes against the other quote which stated that when Cromwell was in rule it was marvellous days of prosperity, liberty and peace. There has always been lots of different views about Cromwell and they have all differed through time.In the Victorian period people thought that Cromwell was a great man who helped to make Britain a fairer, stronger and more religious country. The Victorian were proud of being ruled by an elected parliament and in 1899they built a statue of him outside houses of parliament to mark the 300th anniversary of his birth. But in the 1930- 40s many historians thought he was a cruel military dictator. â€Å"†¦ Historians have given us many Cromwell’s. † Christopher Hill said in 1970 and he is basically saying that there is lots of different view of Cromwell.

Leading and managing changes Essay

1.1Background The David Jones is iconic department store in Australian retail industry, but the net profit of David Jones has been decreasing because of the rapid retail environmental changes, unhealthy cultures, and global online attack. The problems of declining net profit in David Jones are creating make it essential to apply the most suitable change management for company. 1.2Aim The aim of this report is not only applying the change management theory, model, and style for David Jones and David Jones’ CEO, Paul Zahra, but also supporting the arguments through case studies in order to find practical solution. 1.3Scope This report presents the view that a positive model, modular transformation and incremental change are the most suitable change management theory that can be implemented for David Jones. Also, a coercive style of management is a suitable style of management for David Jones’ CEO, Paul Zahra. The findings and analysis of performance for each theory, model, and style are justified by a critical comparison of the change management theories, models, styles and practical problem solution cases. Moreover, the improvements for David Jones’ restructure are discussed. 2.0 MODEL OF PLANNED CHANGE FOR DAVID JONES 2.1 David Jones issues David Jones is the oldest department store in Australia and was established in 1838. Until 2010, David Jones worked successfully in the Australian market, especially from 2007 to 2010. During that time, the net profit of David Jones increased from $109.5 million to $156.5 million, but the significant growth in the net profit dropped slowly from $156.5 million to $101.1 million by 2012. The slow decrease in the net profit of David Jones is caused by unhealthy organisational culture, global online retail attacks and retail environmental changes. In order to reconfirm David Jones’s importance in the Australian retail and consumer market, the best planned change model has to be chosen for David Jones. 2.2 Comparison of  planned change models for David Jones Cummings and Worley (2009) summarise the differences of three major models of planned change. The first one is Lewin’s change and action research model, which are more focused on fixing problems than concentrating on what the organisation does well and gaining those strengths. Also, Lewin’s change model, a three-stage model, claims that adaption of these forces maintain the status quo, which leads to efficient strategy for change (Waddell, Cummings & Worley 2007). The three-stage of Lewin’s change model is shown in figure 1(A). Moreover, the action research model is a cyclical process, which is determined by eight steps that fix problems using frequent research (Cummings & Worley 2009). Eight steps of action research are shown in figure 1(B). On the other side, a positive model focuses on positive dynamics in an organisation that improves the extraordinary results (Waddell, Cummings & Worley 2014, p. 39). This model is described by in five steps, which is shown in figure 1(C).   Figure 1: The comparison of planned change models (Cummings & Worley 2009, p.25) 2.3 Positive model for David Jones According to David Jones case study, the positive model of planned change is the best suitable one for David Jones because: †¢ it is proved that in order to survive with today’s uncertainty and huge competitive business environment, organisations need to focus on more business environmental changes than fixing the organisational problems (Waddell, Cummings & Worley 2014, p. 39) †¢Cristian-Liviu (2013, p. 1690) notes that the resistance for change causes the failure of strategic implementation because employees try to maintain their culture. Also, Ruxandra and Camelia (2013, p. 127) noted that resistance to change may create lots of problems during the change process such as activity drawl, activity slow-down, delays in launching and change process, and delayed and inefficient performance. †¢Sandra and Tracy (2012) indicate that bad news in business leads to poor financial outcomes, and external and internal crisis. †¢ it is supported by case studies that the linkage between inability of identifying of retail environmental changes and Zahra’s new rescue plan for David Jones failed because after the new rescue plan of Zahra, net profit and share price continued to decrease. Moreover, the case study said that ‘it may be a good five years before strategy can be assessed properly’ (Waddell Waddell, Cummings & Worley 2014). On the other hand, Lewin’s change model or action research model is not suitable for David Jones case because of focusing on more problems in the organisation than concentrating on retail environmental changes. The result of implementation of Lewin’s change model or action research model would be led to the strategic failure. The possibility of positive model of planned change for David Jones makes it necessary for the company to use positive model. 3. THE CURRENT RESTRUCTURE OF DAVID JONES 3.1 Current business restructure analysis Even though this report agrees with the current restructure and rescue plan of David Jones, which were divided main three parts including eleven subparts that are renovating store policies, focusing its core strengths, and transferring from traditional business to technologically oriented business, I want to add two main parts that are sustainable training and focused marketing strategy. 3.2 Recommended changes for David Jones In order to achieve optimum results, David Jones should consider the following choices. †¢Sustainable training: The rapid changes in business environment are needed and required to learn every innovations for business organisations in order to dominate their current market. It is proved that in the today’s interconnected world, the success of organisations and teams depends on how much they can use and operate new information and communication technologies that changes business environment (Ancona, Bresman & Caldwell 2009). Also, Blanchard (2009) notes that coaching for their employees lead to successful organisation within the unpredictable changes, but the new rescue plan has no any special training and coaching for their employees. It is a big disadvantage of new rescue plan that has been causing the decreasing net profit of David Jones and failure of strategic implementation. Moreover, it is supported by case study that although David Jones had excellent customer service in the fast, but it has decreased over the years. †¢Focused marketing strategy: Another disadvantage of new rescue plan is unfocused marketing strategy. According  to case study, new strategic plan did not include any focused marketing plans, which target customers and profitable markets. Also, David Jones could not identify changing customer behaviours and profitable buyers. It is supported that new economic order has changed the buyer’s market, which is that a twenty-four percent of buyers in Australian population has balanced fifty-four percent of discretionary spending, but David Jones has been concentrating on fifty percent of buyers, who are only twenty-four percent of discretionary spending in Australian population. The combination of lack of marketing strategy and non-target sales activities cause the inefficient strategy implementation. In addition, Nemcova & and Dvorak (2011) state that the strategic management of electronic commerce is concentrating essentially on customers, but David Jones focuses on more result s than concentrating on customers. The possibility of sustainable training and marketing strategy supporting strategic implementation of David Jones makes it necessary for the David Jones to add sustainable training and marketing strategy for their strategic plan. 4. SCALE OF CHANGE FOR DAVID JONES 4.1 Comparison of scale change During the unpredictable changing business environment, the scale of change helps to organisation in order to achieve optimum result how much change the organisations. This process is divided by from fine-tuning organisational development to corporate transformation (Waddell, Cummings & Worley 2014, p. 52). †¢Fine-tuning: This changing process is performed at divisional or departmental level as matching between organisation’s structure, strategy, people and activities. †¢Incremental change: Change process that in order to match changing environment, corporate business structures, strategies and management process are always adapted. †¢Modular transformation: Modular change concentrating on more changing and redesigning one or more division than changing whole organisation. †¢Corporate transformation: Corporate transformation brings about whole organisational transformation. 4.2 Suitable scale of change for David Jones For David Jones, the most suitable of scale of changes are modular transformation and incremental change the reason why: †¢ in the case study, although new strategy of David Jones was implemented in order to match  between retail environmental change and strategic performance, it faced failure because of performing too late. Firstly, in order to dominate online and retail market, David Jones has to use the modular transformation that renovates some divisions including information technology, marketing and strategy and human resource. By renovating the inability of divisions, it reduces the risk of failure of strategic implementations because Poblador (2014) notes that the failure of organisational strategy is sometimes caused by unexpected responses from the organisation itself, especially its employees behaviours that indicates corporation culture. It is showed that using corporate transformation is more risky for David Jones than using modular transformation. After that modular transformation process would be finished and are matched business environment changes, David Jones should be applied to use incremental change process in order to maintain and dominate its retail market. Also, it is supported that the maintenance of changing environmental situations are accomplished by keeping incremental changes (Poblador 2014, p.143). †¢fine-tunning is not suitable for David Jones because between 1960s and 1970s fine-tuning was implemented successfully in organisation, but today’s uncertainty business environment is needed by different change process (Waddell, Cummings & Worley 2014). Also, case study said that even though unhealthy organisational culture have been causing for losing net profit of David, main reason for David Jones is retail environmental change especially online trade, new economic order and technological revolution. On the other side, the decrease of net profit in David Jones was caused by online trade, new economic order, technological revolution and unhealthy organisational culture, and majority of profit in David Jones is earned by traditional department stores, it is not necessary to make whole organisational change in order to match retail environmental changes. It is proved that Ford Plastics was implemented in an organisation-wide change in order to match its external environmental change, but it faced the failure soon (Graetz et al. 2002, p.32). All the evidence shows that the modular transformation change and incremental change are the most suitable change process for David Jones. 5. APPROPRIATE STYLE OF MANAGEMENT FOR DAVID JONES’ CEO PAUL ZAHRA 5.1 Comparison of style of management The style of management is described by Australian researchers Doug Stace and Dexter Dunphy. The main idea of the style of management is that unpredictable business environment is required and demanded the rapid changes for organisation to achieve their strategic goal. Using style of management for organisation, which is described by from collaborative to coercive, makes it easier to be employed (Waddell, Cummings & Worley 2014). †¢Collaborative: Employees are involved in making significant decisions about organisational future and change performance. †¢Consultative: According to consultation, employees bring about organisational change, but for goal setting, they involved limited participation. The goal setting is done by expertise or responsibility. †¢Directive: Main form of significant decisions about organisational future and change performance are made by managerial authority and direction. †¢Coercive: One of forcing authorities, which are outside parties, managers and executives imposes to change on key group in the organisation. 5.2 The most suitable style of management for Paul Zahra For David Jones’ CEO Paul Zahra, the most affordable style of management is coercive because: †¢the long term performance results of sixty teams are estimated that empowering team leader leads to higher work performance for teams over time than a directive team leaders because of higher level of team coordination, empowerment, learning, and mental model development (Natalia, Matthew & Henry 2013). †¢collaborative and consultative are not suitable for David Jones because Phil (2012) estates that the most efficient change management for overpowering companies were brought by the combination of concentrated clear vision of change and sponsorship from the top. Also, it is supported that the commitment of top management for change creates energy for action within the organisation, which leads to a successful vision (Graetz et al. 2002). †¢according to Jaroslav (2013), the directive style leads to lower capacity for the average bank sales clerks, which is proved by banking sector in Slovakia. It is showed like David Jones current situation the reason why net profit of David Jones has been decreasing, which proves that the directive style is not suitable for David Jones. †¢ case study said that not only the board of David Jones has been supporting Zahra’s vision of change, but also the rapid changes in retail business  environment are needed to manage quickly because the business environment changes and competitors do not wait David Jones. To sum up, the possibility of coercive management style to be used successfully in rapid changes business environment makes it necessary for the David Jones’ CEO Paul Zahra to use coercive management style. 6.0 Conclusion It can be seen that the most affordable suitable planned change model for David Jones is Positive model, and scale of change is modular transformation with incremental change. Moreover, the best suitable style of management for David Jones’ CEO Paul Zahra is coercive. Furthermore, even thought this paper agrees with the restructure of David Jones, sustainable training and focused marketing strategy would be added for David Jones’ rescue plan. In conclusion, the combination of Positive change model, modular transformation with incremental change, coercive style of management, sustainable training, and focused marketing strategy will support David Jones’ strategy achievement. Also, the improvements for David Jones’ restructure are discussed.

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

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The European Community Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The European Community Law - Essay Example The Maastricht Treaty transformed the EC into the EU. The total number of EU member countries is 25. The EU has a number of objectives, chief among them being to promote and expand cooperation among member states in economics, trade, social issues, foreign policy, security, defense and judicial matters. Under the Maastricht Treaty, European citizenship was granted to citizens of each member state, border controls were relaxed and suitable modifications in the customs and immigration agreements were brought about in order to allow European citizens greater freedom to live, work, and study in any of the member states2. The European Court of Justice developed constitutional principles in order to ensure the effective and uniform application of Community law within the Member States.The distinction between the EC and national legal systems and the maintenance of the supremacy of the Community law, direct and indirect effects, loyalty and subsidiarity are important factors of the European legal order. However, the development of these principles has not been uniformly well received by the Member States, because of the adverse effect that they have had on the balance of the relationship between Community law and Member States national law. In EC law the constitutional principles have been linked with the judicial review principles. Many constitutional courts, including those of Germany and Italy, refused to accept these constitutional principles in the absence of the acceptance by the ECJ of specific judicial review principles, such as human rights protection. While the judicial review principles have been developed to ensure the effective and uniform application of Community administrative law, it has been argued that the manner of their development is the clearest demonstration that the ECJ has taken on a role larger than that originally envisaged for  it in the Treaty3.

Interview & Research Paper Christianity Assignment

Interview & Research Paper Christianity - Assignment Example The church is the Body of Christ that consists of Baptized whereas the local church is the place where a group of believers assemble each week for, worship, praise, fellowship and Christian Education. In general, by choosing to worship something or someone, it means that one has given himself completely and wants to be mastered by the said person or thing. Some people tend to think that one worships only in songs and prayers, but the truth is; worship is meant to be a lifestyle. As the pastor mentioned; worship is practiced both publicly and privately (Gordon). Public worship occurs each week, on Sunday’s and private worship occurs daily in our homes or other designated places. Everything that a Christian does should be a form of worship to his Creator, worship is at the very core of Christianity and all are called to worship God in spirit and in truth (â€Å"The Purpose of our Worship of God†). The Bible, which is the Christians holy book, instructs people to worship G od. In psalms 100, it states â€Å"Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful singing. Know that the Lord Himself is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him; bless His name. For the Lord is good; His loving kindness is everlasting, and His faithfulness to all generations (Daniel). This verse in the Bible explains how one ought to praise God which is a fundamental part of worship; it shows submission and thanks giving to God. Through worship, a Christian acknowledges that God is the master and the Supreme Being and that he is willing to follow his commands and teachings. Christian worship came about as a result of Jewish worship, Jesus was a Jew and when He went to the synagogue together with His followers, they would sing and praise during the Jewish festivals. As a Christian, I belie ve that worship is important, the Bible has emphasized on this and therefore all Christians are obligated to be worshippers (White 2). The main message in Christianity is love; Christians are asked to love their neighbours as they love themselves. God is love and love is the greatest thing that you can offer another person, when a Christian worship’s God; he is professing his love to Him. Christians are taught that one cannot claim to love God yet he does not love the people around him. My interviewee pointed out that he believes God the Father, sent Jesus into the world to pay our sin-debt by dying on the cross and that man is saved because he believes and accepts him as his personal Saviour (Segler and Bradley 49. When one embraces the lifestyle of worship, it means that love is solidly embedded in all that he does, even to his enemies. The bible states that one has to be a worshipper, true worshipper to be precise. This means people who embrace worship in everything they d o not just when it is convenient or on Sundays. Failure to worship means that one does not acknowledge God in all he does and that he is not following the teachings of the holy book. Therefore one cannot claim to be a true Christian if he does not worship God and as a result he misses out on the blessings that are supposed to come his way and the gift of eternal life; which is life after death. A life free of pain, suffering and hardship as characterized by life in the world as we know it. But a person who worships as is required of him receives

Effective Assessment Practices Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

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Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6

Marketing - Essay Example Marketing is therefore an essential department in every organization since it deals with the product and service proportion thereby catering for the organization’s operations. The department works in close relation with other management departments to ensure the organization operates as a unified whole. In carrying out their mandate, the marketing department develops its operations depending on the nature of the target market for every product or service in the industry. Additionally, the department counsels the production department thereby ensuring that the company produces appropriate goods and services that meet the market demand. Apple manufactures hand held telecommunication devices such as tablets, computers, and laptops. However, the company’s products and services access the international market owing to the fact that some of the phones and products it manufactures are marketed globally. This implies that the company has a big market and therefore several compe titors all that it must compete effectively against to maintain its operations. With this understanding, Apple has a dedicated marketing department, which has steered the organization through success within the years of its operations.

Business Analysis of Wal-Mart Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Business Analysis of Wal-Mart - Research Paper Example Wal-Mart is among the top ranked discount stores in USA and it is also leader of the country’s retail industry.The store was the first one to introduce the concept of providing low price goods and services to customers at their convenience by locating its stores nearby customers’ residency. The store was the first one to introduce the concept of providing low price goods and services to customers at their convenience by locating its stores nearby customers’ residency. In 1962, first Wal-Mart store was opened in Rogers, Arkansas. According to Freeman (2006), Wal-Mart is given the top ranking in terms of the total sales that are made by the store alone. The retail offers variety of products that comprise of family apparel, electronics, household needs, electronics, fabrics, jewellery, shoes, crafts, health and beauty products and lawn and garden accessories along with pharmacy store, Photo processing centre and Tire and Lube Express (Walmart Stores, 2012). In 1991, Wal-Mart opened its first store in Mexico and marked the beginning of its international operations. Currently, Wal-Mart has about 10,185 stores and also locations of clubs in almost twenty-seven countries; it is employing more than 2.2 million people who are serving approximately 176 million numbers of customers every year (Next-Generation Wal-Mart, 2012). The annual growth rate of store is about 22% in country and internationally it is about 58% (Ambartsoumian, 2011). Financial Statements Analysis In order to evaluate the performance of any business, it is important to analyze its performance both from its financial statements and by doing comparison with its competitors. First, it is important to review the performance of Wal-Mart in the last couple of years which can be extracted from evaluation of its financial statements. The summary of financial performance of Wal-Mart is represented in the form of table after analyzing its Balance Sheet, Income Statement and Statement of Cas h Flows (ttm stands for Trailing Twelve Months): The above table shows that company’s performance is increasing despite recession going on in the world. Management of the store is effective as is evident from the ratios of Return on Assets and Return on Equity; it shows that management is performing its function properly so that store’s performance gets boosted. Wal-Mart’s financial statements’ analysis shows that it is still in multi-billion bracket and is also paying off good amount of dividends to its shareholders. One area of concern is total debt to equity ratio which is higher; the company that is performing well has lower debt to equity ratio. The main reason for increase in debt is its heavy investment done in technological avenues which were done via loans from banks and financial institutions. The current ration of store is also less than 1 which is not a good indication because it shows that current assets of store are less than current liabili ties. Although considering its stock market performance which is showing increasing trend but there are some issues internally that needs to be addressed. Since the competition in retail industry is getting competitive, it is mandatory for the stores to ensure that they can compete with the existing and new entrants in the market. Overall, financial health of store is fine and smoothly progressing in retail industry; it is expected to grow exponentially worldwide. However, the main area of concern for management team is its current ration and rise in expenses; the team will have to ensure that it is able to pay off its debts well within agreed time period. Competitor Analysis The main competitors of Wal-Mart are Target Corporation and Costco. According to Ambartsoumian (2011), discount retailers growth

Last runway show Essay Example for Free

Last runway show Essay Some say that you are only as good as your last runway show, your last achievement. And every now and then you have to prove yourself worthy because we all have to move forward and face more challenges and obstacles in our life. It is how the way our life works, if we stop moving forward, we also risk the chances of living a happy and beautiful life. I was always an overachiever and I have wanted things that have challenged me to be overcome and to overcome it successfully. I have always worked on time, wanted to not reach deadlines, afraid that I do not have time to apply changes if necessary. I followed a strict schedule and I had the discipline to do so. I was organized and I had my own system on how my organization will follow. I never asked for anything else because I knew that if I worked hard for what I want, I will get. But I was wrong. I did not take failure lightly, especially failing an exam. It was the exam that could have changed my life. It was the exam that I wanted to ace out of all the exams that I took before it. I never wanted to know the results when I took this exam because somewhere inside of me I knew I was going to fail. And that was not like me at all. I was always excited to find out the results of an exam or a contest that I joined because I know I did so well there was not a chance that I would not get what I want. But this time was different, I failed. There is no one else to blame for this failure other than myself.   I will have to gobble up my pride and let this setback take control of my life. For now, at least. It has been weeks now and for some time I realized that failure is just a part of life. I was so consumed by all the success that I have had for the past years in my life that I never understood the importance of failing. It made me understand things more. It actually made me get to know myself more because I got to evaluate some issues about how I approached the exam, about my scheduling, and mostly about how arrogant I have become. I thought that maybe it was fate’s plan to put me through all of these and carry with me on my way out a lifelong lesson that I have never encountered before because it is the first time that I failed on something major and life changing. I would not say that I loved the experience, but I would say that I would not want this to turn out any other way than it did now. I am not afraid to take any exam or even this same exam again. Because I have faith in myself that I would now do better than I did the first time. I learned that I can reach out to other people when I need them and that they are willing to help me if I just asked. I knew who my real friends are. Those who do not look at me lowly even if I went through this, those who gave me more support instead of laugh at me, and most especially those who encouraged me to not be afraid to try again. If this ever happens again, I know I have these people to run to. If this happens again I will now have the strength to accept failure and feel as if it is a part of everybody’s life, and not just mine. I know I can face whatever challenge that lies ahead of me, because I realized that there is more to life than winning, and it’s actually losing. Losing is not a bad thing; it is always a good thing. It is when you can evaluate yourself and get to know yourself more. Look at your weakness and strategic failures and learn where you will be tweaking for the next challenge that comes your way. We do not always get what we want, it sounds clichà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ but there is a reason behind it. There is something better for us out there and we have got to stick long enough to find it and get our happy ending.

Learning Activity Essay Example for Free

Learning Activity Essay This assignment talks about the mission statement of Lotto Food – grocery store and its importance and it also answer a few questions related to the mission statement. Mission statement The mission statement of Lotto Food – grocery store is â€Å"Where freshness is at its best†. They promise their customers at providing a diverse selection of best quality products at a reasonable rate; along with maintaining the highest standard of freshness they also win the heart and mind of their customers by providing the best customer service. Why is it important to establish a clear mission statement? The establishment of a clear mission statement is important because it reflects the vision of the company as to how the company would like its clients to view it .For the company to be successful, it must have a clear mission statement that convinces the clients how it would be advantageous for them to shop from their grocery store and what facilities and services can they specially enjoy being a customer of their grocery store. Why is it important to communicate the company’s mission statement? In order to let the public know what your company’s vision is and what facilities they have for them and what services they cater, it is necessary to communicate the mission statement of the company. It helps in communicating expectations and also pinpoint what to stress on or to potential and also it gives a clear consensus to the company telling them where they lack and how more can they improve. Communicating the company’s mission statement to the employees is more important than to its clients so that the employees are well aware of the services they have to give and the performance expected out of them. Why is the meaning of the company’s mission statement important in making organizational changes? A mission statement focuses on a company’s present state and therefore in order to bring any organizational change in the company, a change in the company’s mission statement is also required because every aspect of your business is reflected in the mission statement. The attributes of   the product, cost, service, quality and your co-relation with your clients, suppliers competitors and employees working in the company. (Abraham, 2007). Reviewing and revision of the mission statement is very important as it contemplates your aims and goals with the development of your company, the economic condition and the business. If the review results in a amendment of the statement, it’s a big deal because it probably means that your company is expanding or it needs an organizational change. References Abraham,J.. (2007). 101 Mission Statements From Top Companies: Plus Guidelines For Writing Your Own Mission Statement. Ten Speed Press.

Efficiency Reward Management in British Airways

Efficiency Reward Management in British Airways Competition in the airline industry has gone global and the market and industry dynamics have necessitated the need for companies to make concerted efforts streamlined towards ensuring that high quality goods and services are offered in the market at competitive prices. This has resulted in the adoption and implementation of several tools and strategies by British Airways geared towards the aforementioned goals attainment. One of the strategies that have been soundly embraced by British Airways is the effective and efficient management of human resource department in regards to the selection, recruitment and satisfaction of employees. This has been attained through an emphasis on work site wellness program within the company. These initiatives are aimed at enhance performance management within the company. Company Overview Stiff competition has pushed the airline industry to attain very high levels of service quality to their customers. British Airways has been left outside the bracket in this push to smoke away competition and remain a top provider of airline services. The market expectation levels are expected to improve with the increase in the complexity of travelers demands. British Airways has recognized that employees from its most prized assets and has attached the capacity to improve its performance on the ability to effectively and efficiently manage its of human resource department. The pivotal challenge faced by the company is its inability to become a truly transnational airline. The recent economic crunch, political uncertainties in the Middle East and managerial problems have negatively on its ability to improve on its current performance. However, despite the above challenges, Yahoo Finance (2010) illustrates that net profit for the company has improved from 72m Pounds in 2003 to $438 m in Pounds in 2007 and the earnings per share increased from 6.7 pence to 37.2 pence within the same period. Efficiency Reward Management in British Airways Reward management Chew and Teo (1991) state that a reward system expresses what an organization values and is prepared to pay for; it is governed by the need to reward the right things in order to convey the right message about what is important in terms of expected behaviors and outcomes. The importance of HRM has increased with time and the need to properly manage people is becoming a central focus within organizations today. This has precipitated competition amongst various organizations seeking to portray the best skills in peoples management. This has defined a new role for line managers whose roles in organizations have shifted from the traditional supervisory role to more advanced people resource management. To effectively take efficient steps in the recruitment and selection, employee relations, reward management, appraisal and performance reviews, line managers must receive the support of the HR specialists. The above discussions illustrate the high levels at which British Airways as gone to enhance high levels of performance through better rewards management. Reward systems within organizations are always based on how ones value to the organization. It is concerned with both financial and non-financial rewards and embraces the philosophies, strategies, policies, plans and processes used by organizations to develop and maintain reward systems. Most organizations make use of the term compensation to refer to pay or remuneration. There has been a noted problem with the term compensation in that it means rewards to the employee is only for making amends for the distasteful fact people have to work to make a living. In the analysis of Chew and Teo (1991) proposition for most people work is, in the main, a source for disutility, and they therefore require payment to compensate them for the time they devoted towards it. While this argument is true in its literal sense, it however fails to provide a complete definition of pay philosophy. This is because pay philosophy should take into consideration one competence and contribution, not just compe nsation simply because some none has worked for it. In appreciating that employee rewards takes into deep consideration of the organizations integrated policies and practices, rewards are best given according to market worth of an employee. In addition to that, the ones contribution, skills and competence should also form central measurements under which rewards systems can be based. The rewards scheme runs through the culture and philosophies of an organization and is developed within its framework with the aim of maintaining the best levels of pay, benefits, compensation and other forms of rewards. According to Carter (1988), reward system consists of financial (fixed or variable pay) and employee benefits, which together comprises the total remuneration. In addition to that, rewards system also encompasses non-financial components that include (recognition, praise, achievement, responsibility and personal growth). The non-financial components of rewards system also include performance management systems (Lafferty McMillan, 1989). The combination of the two; financial and non-financial rewards forms the total reward system. Deeper analyses of the reward systems reveal that it has five more components that include processes, practices, structures, schemes and procedures (Heskett, Sasser and Hart, (1990). The successful design, development and implementation of management decisions are very complex and at times daunting tasks for many managers especially when managing the most prizes assets of organization-employees. Usually, managers will be faced with daily problems that require the application of tools that will ensure for the successful operations irrespective of the sectors they manage such as the identification of the objectives of the organization, alternative means of achieving the stated objectives and the selection of the means that accomplish the objectives in the most efficient manner. The first process in the decision making process will entail the identification of the problem. The problem in dealing with employee rewards for the optimum benefit of the organization must enhance the ability of the organization to effectively achieve its objectives. Ideally, successful identification of the problem will encapsulate trying to delineate answers to questions such as what coul d be the causes of the problem, where this is happening, how it is happening, when it is happening, with whom it is happening, and why it is happening (MacNamara, 2008). In essence, this should be followed by an in-depth analysis of the delineation of the complexity of the problem, verification of the understanding of the problem; prioritization and understanding the role to be played towards the redress of the problem (Collins, 1987). In recognizing the fact that an organizations performance depends primarily on the quality of its management and employees, line managers appreciate the role of reward in improving the quality of management through generous rewards. British Airways knows that rewards alone cannot play the sole role of management quality improvement but this process demands with it a number of other factors for it to be fully realized. This is because, the culture, values, and management style of an organization, together with its performance management and employee development programs are equally important (Bureau of Tourism Research, 1989).ÂÂ  It is therefore true that reward management forms an integral part of quality management but cannot stand alone in an organization in ensuring quality management. Reward management is one of the central management issue British Airways top management has over the year managed excellently. Effective reward management not only motivates the employees but also depicts harmonious management style the company is applying to capture and succeed in the market. In addition, the recruitment and retention of best talents take precedence in the business. According to Debrah (2005), The reward or compensation people receive for their contribution to an organization includes monetary and non-monetary components. Remuneration does not simply compensate employees for their efforts it also has an impact on the recruitment and retention of talented people. In this regard, reward management within British management calls for brilliant strategies to ensure that it succeeds. Towards this, the company has employed a number of strategies to help successful implement this program. These strategies include controlling reward, monitoring and evaluating reward theories, managing development of reward system, devolution of line mangers for responsibility for reward system (Hollings, 1998). Controlling reward British Airways has got a good reward management control strategy. Control offers the opportunity to plan and execute reward in a more organized and logical manner which reflect the spirit and mission of the company. According to Gabriel (1988), employers and managers should pay attention to their employees and special attention to the best employees. This is done to encourage good performers, to push them to greater heights. Positive recognition for people can ensure a positive and a productive organization. The recognition of outstanding performance aims to create an understanding of what behaviors might add significant value to the organization and to promote such behaviors. Awards- monetary and non-monetary should be given based on the achievements and accomplishments of workers. Effective reward management calls for effective and strategic management to ensure that the programs not only succeed but also offer a good platform for other companies to emulate. This is an entrenched culture within British Airways aimed at ensuring employee performance improvement. In controlling the rewards, the organization benefits a lot from such an initiative. The befits that come along as a result of reward control include offer of the best opportunity for strategic planning, ensures continuity of the reward system, it is effective in the process of the reward scheme evaluation. Monitoring and evaluating reward theories The process of monitoring and evaluating reward theories demand good management practices from the line managers. In British Airways, This process is ideally inclusive of the major parties to the problem and will involve holding a brainstorming session where the possible solutions to the problem are all presented and analyzed. Bowen (1986) has advised against passing judgment on the possible solutions as presented at the earliest stage of evaluating rewards so as to provide chance for possible solutions and errors that could be omitted. The selection of the reward within British Airways considers best alternative to resolving the problem is the next stage and is essentially where the possible solutions advanced are analyzed and dissected in details. In the selection of the best alternative, the line managers within British Airways takes into considerations the approach that is likely to resolve the problem in the long run, the most realistic solutions, the resources available, time a nd the risks associated with each alternative (McNamara, 2008). Managing the developing reward system Initiating a reward program in most organizations has been easy but managing and developing the rewards comes along with many challenges. This is because reward systems must be well developed and enhanced to reduce employee conflict (Irwin, 2003). In British Airways, this involves assessing how the situation will be once the reward has been initiated and looking for possible weaknesses within the reward scheme. This process is well handled within the British Airways by a pool of highly trained line managers. Essentially, this will entail a careful consideration of the best way to implement the new reward policies and procedures, what resources are desirable in terms of people, facilities and finances, time, who will drive the process, and the person in who will be responsible for the success of the plan. It is imperative that the action plan is communicated to all the stakeholders who will be affected by the new changes within and without the organization to limit the possibility of conflict and take into consideration all the divergent views. Communication within the British Airways values the culture and takes into consideration the major drive within the Airline industry which centrally aims at providing the best competitive work environment to the employees. Devolution for line managers The success of reward schemes and projects has to a large extent relied on the interests, support and commitment of the senior management within the British Airways. This is in order to ensure that everybody in the project team and indeed the whole employees are focused and committed. Most reward schemes within organizations are sometimes conceived, funded and developed without appropriate senior management involvement or approval. Naila (2009) has for example noted that some projects go forward without the management clearly conceptualizing what the project entails. A distinction between mere approval and commitment should be clearly discerned so that the projects run smoothly. According to Kerzner (2006), most projects fail when the senior management lacks a clear understanding and a paucity of the projects perceived benefits, risks and difficulties. This is fundamental because the management plays a central role in costs appropriations and budget allocations for project activities . This means that while the projects approval may actually have been acquired, in the euphoria of getting the projects approved; some of the risks may be ignored or glossed over. Efficient project cost management especially in the field of IT should however ensure that projects approvals are not based on hype and unrealistic calculations but on a framework that encapsulates a realistic assessment of the projects. These remain the central themes within British Airways that define its culture and its reward schemes. Interviews in selection and recruitment The most frequently used selection method in most organizations and companies, with British Airways being no exception, is the interview. The company employs this selection process in selecting and recruiting personnel in the top management positions such as departmental managers. Interviews occur when a candidate responds to questions posed by a manager or some other organizational representative. In an interview, common areas in which questions are posed include education, experience and knowledge of job procedures, mental ability, personality, communication ability, social skills as well as the knowledge of current affairs. The recruitment process within British Airways as a close nit process that enasure only the best is recruited. This is ullusterated below by Guemier and Lockwood (1989). Quality Performance Measurement The capacity to understands and measure performance of an organizational policies is crucial for the success of any business. These measures should include process performance and improvements that can be seen by customers. The importance of performance measurement is important to ensure that customer service is given, to set individual team and business objectives, highlight problems and failure in the processes, provide the needed stimulus for continuous growth and provide benchmark for establishing comparisons. To effectively carry out quality performance, an organization must understand the component of quality costs. These is because the capacity to show that quality system is effective, find more efficient ways of working and get it right from the first time are fundamental in the processes. Performance measurements include four quality costs such as prevention costs, appraisal costs, internal failure costs and external failure costs. Through the application of EFQM that recognizes the fact that there are many approaches to achieving sustainable excellence, British Airways has extensively made use of this non prescriptive framework to analyze its quality performance measurements. This process has been carried out using leadership in at the fore front while enablers include people, policy and strategy partnership and resources who are subjected through a process. The results for the performance of the reward policy within British Airways are then measured by peoples results, customer results and social results. These generate key performance results that are generated through three result components. The tool that was preferred for this process was Radar Scoring Matrix that was capable of covering all aspects of results, approach, deployment, assessment and review. The five poor causes of quality include wrong application of measurement tools, poor combination of enablers for the process, poor leadership, inability to establish a measurement process and failure to engage of all employees in the process. Conclusion The world over, organizations and business enterprises are experiencing major economic crunch and environmental upheaval such as deregulated industrial regulation systems, globalization, competition and technological advancement. These economic, social and political circumstances have precipitated a complex and sophisticated of overlapping and concurrent interventions that are radically changing the existing structures, cultures and job requirements. In response to this dynamic and rapid change, managers need to approach the selection and recruitment from a strategic perspective. Recruitment and selection strategies, process and policies should be integrated within the company human resource department and the organization culture. These have been entrenched in the operational culture of British Airways. In the Airline industry, there is need to streamline the operations to embrace the dynamic changes in selection and recruitment. These changes include new strategies on selection and outsourcing. British Airways has been successful and continue to gain more ground in the world market due to its strategic planning and management. This paper has given a comprehensive and in-depth analysis of the role of the human resource department in the selection and recruitment with special reference to British Airways.

Personal Narrative- Most Memorable Christmas :: Personal Narrative

Personal Narrative- Most Memorable Christmas Ever since I could remember, I have spent Christmas at my grandmother’s house, a house which is full of comfort, warmth, and happiness. At Christmas, I have always been able to escape the cold and dark real world allowing myself to truly enjoy just several moments in time. These moments have left impressionable memories from my childhood making Christmas a holiday that is special to me and my family. It is a time for my family to get together, share stories, laugh, and even cry. My most memorable Christmas is one from my past. I was about six years old. I clearly remember sitting in class on the last day of school before Christmas vacation anticipating the bell to ring and signify that the classes were finally over. As the bell rang, I ran out of that class, and once I got home I was ready in an instant to leave for my grandmother’s where I would spend my holidays. It was a two hour drive to my grandmother’s house. I was very impatient throughout the entire drive. I couldn’t wait to see my grandma, my cousin, and my aunts. To make things better, however, snow started to fall filling me with hopes of a snowball fight the next day. Finally, we arrived at our destination. I left the car leaving my parents and little brother behind and ran up the steps to my grandma’s house. I just had to be the first one to knock on her door, so I did. She opened the door for me, and I went inside parting with the bitter cold and darkness surrounding me. Inside the house I was immediately encircled with the aromas of her Christmas cooking and baking. A real fresh Christmas tree which was already beautifully adorned with old family ornaments perforated the air with more holiday aromas. I went into the kitchen with my mom, and together we helped my grandma finish preparing the Christmas Eve dinner. Soon, we all sat around the dinner table enjoying my grandma’s culinary specialties. There was one dish that had stuck in my mind though, possibly because it was the last dish served that night.

Age and Category Blocked Presentation :: essays research papers

Introduction The effect of age and category-blocked and random presentation on free recall and clustering is an important aspect of learning. Learning is a basic foundation of cognitive development. From the many aspects of learning, what we do to learn (the process) and what we learn (the outcome) are of great importance. From the day a child is born, she is exposed to a variety of stimuli; some of which she will pay attention to, others she will not. From those things which require her attention, she will either sort the information or compare it with what she already knows.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In a previous study, Kail (1990) found that children memory capacity develop†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. It appears that individuals are able to recall items when they are categorically grouped (Lucariello & Nelson, 1985). There is evidence that age and presentation order has an affect on free recall (Yoshimura, Moely, & Shapiro, 1971). Memory/Recall Presentation Method Hypothesis The ability to learn new things and recall information is an important developmental task. As in the case of physical abilities, the appears to be a peak age for mental abilities. In examining the processes of memory, how the information is organized and presented has been of great discussion.. In another study of free recall and clustering, Moely and Shapiro (1971) found â€Å"clustering increased with age, but only with block presentation; and clustering was higher for the category blocked condition than for any other condition† (p. 490). Method Participants Ten children of kindergartener age and ten adults, ranging in age of 18-35 will participate in the study. The adults will be recruited through class announcements (Dr. Appleby’s B105) and email notifications (B346). The kindergartners will be recruited from the IUPUI Child Development Center. There will be consent forms given to the parents of the kindergartners and the adults will be asked to complete a consent form. Materials 23 black and white drawings of common items will be used (3 practice cards and 20 test items). The items are from common categories (food, toys, furniture, vehicles, body parts). The drawings will be mounted on 3 X 3 inch cards. We will use an individual data sheet to record the responses of each participant. Procedures Half of the participants in each age group will be presented with the pictures in block order; half are presented the pictures in random order. The experimenter will present the 20 items on at a time, along with a verbal label. The participant will repeat the verbal label after viewing each item. Age and Category Blocked Presentation :: essays research papers Introduction The effect of age and category-blocked and random presentation on free recall and clustering is an important aspect of learning. Learning is a basic foundation of cognitive development. From the many aspects of learning, what we do to learn (the process) and what we learn (the outcome) are of great importance. From the day a child is born, she is exposed to a variety of stimuli; some of which she will pay attention to, others she will not. From those things which require her attention, she will either sort the information or compare it with what she already knows.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In a previous study, Kail (1990) found that children memory capacity develop†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. It appears that individuals are able to recall items when they are categorically grouped (Lucariello & Nelson, 1985). There is evidence that age and presentation order has an affect on free recall (Yoshimura, Moely, & Shapiro, 1971). Memory/Recall Presentation Method Hypothesis The ability to learn new things and recall information is an important developmental task. As in the case of physical abilities, the appears to be a peak age for mental abilities. In examining the processes of memory, how the information is organized and presented has been of great discussion.. In another study of free recall and clustering, Moely and Shapiro (1971) found â€Å"clustering increased with age, but only with block presentation; and clustering was higher for the category blocked condition than for any other condition† (p. 490). Method Participants Ten children of kindergartener age and ten adults, ranging in age of 18-35 will participate in the study. The adults will be recruited through class announcements (Dr. Appleby’s B105) and email notifications (B346). The kindergartners will be recruited from the IUPUI Child Development Center. There will be consent forms given to the parents of the kindergartners and the adults will be asked to complete a consent form. Materials 23 black and white drawings of common items will be used (3 practice cards and 20 test items). The items are from common categories (food, toys, furniture, vehicles, body parts). The drawings will be mounted on 3 X 3 inch cards. We will use an individual data sheet to record the responses of each participant. Procedures Half of the participants in each age group will be presented with the pictures in block order; half are presented the pictures in random order. The experimenter will present the 20 items on at a time, along with a verbal label. The participant will repeat the verbal label after viewing each item.

International approaches to learning Essay

E1. Provide an explanation of three different international approaches to learning. One international approach to learning is Forest Schools. A Forest School is an outdoor education in which the children who attend get the opportunity to visit forest and woodland areas and develop different skills such as, personal, social and technical skills. Forest Schools offer children and young people the opportunity to develop their confidence through hands-on learning in a woodland environment. Forest Schools are also a unique way of building independence and self-esteem in children and young people. â€Å"Forest Schools aim to develop a greater understanding of their own natural and man-made environments, a wide range of physical skills, social communication skills, independence and a positive mental attitude, self-esteem and confidence.† Carolyn Meggitt, 2012, Childcare and Education, London, Hodder Education Another international approach to learning is The Maria Montessori Approach . The Montessori Approach is an educational approach created by a woman called Maria Montessori. Montessori education is focused on a motivated aim: To aid the child’s development into a complete adult human being, comfortable with themselves, the community and everyone around them. The Montessori Method to education is a child-centered educational process based on scientific observations of children from birth to adulthood. This approach values the human spirit and the development of the whole child – physical, social, emotional, cognitive. â€Å"Montessori education offers children opportunities to develop their potential as they step out into the world as engaged, competent, responsible and respectful citizens with an understanding and appreciation that learning is for life†. http://amshq.org/Montessori-Education/Introduction-to-Montessori/Benefits-of-Montessori Another international approach to learning is The Steiner Approach. The Steiner Approach to education was formed by Rudolf Steiner who was an Australian philosopher. When it came to education, Rudolf Steiner believed in developing the whole person. â€Å"The education approach differs from mainstream education in several ways. For a start, Steiner schools put a strong emphasis on the important of spiritual values and social skills and the teaching method is based on a balance of intellectual, practical and artistic teaching†. Physical skills is considered as important too and they use dance to help the children’s development. Steiner as considered color as important especially for helping the children with their imagination skills.  In Steiner Schools, children tend to have the same teacher from the age of six or seven until the age of fourteen and in each class there will be a mix of different age groups. E2. Choose one international approach from E1 and give reasons for your choice. The international approach to children’s learning which interests me the most is the Forest School approach. The reason I have chosen this approach is because E3. Explain the background to the approach you have chosen and write about it. Philosophers, naturalists and educators in Europe and the UK such as Wordsworth, Ruskin, Baden Powell, Leslie Paul, Kurt Hahn, Susan Issacs and the Macmillan Sisters all laid the foundations for what is known as Forest Schools today. Forest Schools were originally based on a rich heritage of outdoor learning going back to the 19th century. Forest schools originated in Sweden in the 1950’s as a way of teaching children about the natural world. Denmark adopted the idea of Forest Schools and it became an important part of early year’s provision. The Forest School concept was then brought to England in 1993 by the staff of Bridgewater, Somerset after an exchange visit to Denmark. Forest Schools have had a huge impact on children within the UK. Forest Schools have made differences in children’s confidence; the children have the freedom, time and space to learn and develop independence. Seen differences in their social skills; the children have learned to gain awareness of the consequences of their actions on other children through different activities, for example sharing tools and playing with one another. Differences have been seen in communication; the language development has been supported by the sensory activities children have been taking part in. Seen differences in their physical skills; these improvements were characterized by the development of physical stamina and gross and fine motor skills. Also, differences were seen in their knowledge and understanding; the children and developed interests with the environment and natural surrounding which meant they were willing to learn more and they gained respect for the environment. E4. Describe the key principles of your chosen approach. Forest Schools have six main key principles. The first one is ‘A Forest School is a long-term process of frequent and regular sessions in a woodland or natural environment, rather than a one-off visit. Planning, adaptation, observations and reviewing are integral elements of Forest School.’ This means that the same group of learners should ideally attend a Forest School at least once every other week and continue to do so for a long period of time. A Forest School programme has a structure which is based on the observations and joint work between learners and practitioners. This will show progression of their learning. The early sessions of any programme begin to form physical and behavioural boundaries as well as making their first observations on which to base future programme development. The second key principle is ‘Forest School takes place in a woodland or natural wooded environment to support the development of a relationship between the learner and the natu ral world’. This means that the woodland area is ideal for the Forest School practice and the individual needs of learners as it provides them with space and the environment in which they are able to explore and discover. This links to The EYFS – A unique child – play and exploration. Forest School aims to develop relationships with nature through regular personal experiences in order to develop long-term practices in staff and learners and the wider community. Also Forest Schools uses natural resources for inspiration, to enable ideas and to encourage key motivation. The third key principle is ‘Forest School aims to promote the holistic development of all those involved, fostering resilient, confident, independent and creative learners’. Holistic development means to develop everything†¦ their physical, social, cognitive, verbal, emotional, artistic, creative skills and spiritual aspects as well. The Forest School leader/practitioner will also try a link Forest School experiences to the children’s home and school life. The fourth key principle is ‘Forest School offers learners the opportunity to take supported risks appropriate to the environment and to th emselves’. This means that the Forest School leaders provide the children with sharp tools and allow them to build fires when under supervision; this allows the children to take safe risks and learn how to use these tools properly providing them with lifelong skills. Any Forest School experience follows a Risk–Benefit process managed by the practitioner and the child that is personalised to the developmental stage of the child. This also means that  Forest School opportunities are aimed to build on the individual’s motivation and positive attitudes and interests of the children. The fifth key concept is ‘Forest School is run by qualified Forest School practitioners who continuously maintain and develop their professional practice’. This means that a Forest School must be ran by practitioners who hold a minimum qualification of Level 3 Forest School qualification and also must hold a Paediatric First Aid qualification which include outdoor elements. It means that there must be a high ratio of practitioner/adult to children. The Forest School leader must have working documents which have all the up to date policies and procedures which are required to run a Forest School and which have the correct information for all the roles and responsibilities of the practitioners and any volunteers. Also the Forest School leader is a reflective practitioner and sees themselves as a learner too. The final key principle is ‘Forest School uses a range of learner-centred processes to create a community for development and learning’. This means â€Å"A learner-centred pedagogical approach is employed by Forest School that is responsive to the needs and interests of learners.† http://www.forestschoolassociation.org/full-principles-and-criteria-for-good-practice/ Also, play and choice is an essential part to the Forest School learning and play is seen vital to the learning and development of children at the Forest School. Forest School provides motivation for all learning preferences and dispositions. Also reflective practice is a key feature of each session to ensure learners and practitioners can understand their achievements, develop emotional intelligence and plan for the future. Practitioner observation is an important part of Forest School pedagogy. Observations link into ‘scaffolding’ and adapting experiences to learning and development. Scaffolding links to Jerome Bruner and his theory on Scaffolding. â€Å"A ‘scaffold’ ensures that children aren’t left to their own devices to understand something. The support is removed when the student is ready, like the scaffolding that supports workers who’ve been constructing or repairing a building, which is removed when construction is complete.† http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/jerome-bruner-scaffolding-and-constructivism-theories.html#lesson E5. Describe the materials and resources that support the children’s learning  in your chosen approach. E6. Provide information on how these materials and resources are used to promote learning. E7. Explain the role of the practitioner in supporting learning in your chosen approach. In a Forest School, the role of the practitioner to boost and develop self-esteem and self-belief and confidence by suggesting small, manageable tasks and ensure that they have time and freedom to learn at their own pace without pressure. This supports the children’s learning because they are At a forest school, the role of the practitioner is to constantly model suitable behviour and encourage the children to develop better awareness of their own and other’s emotional needs. The role of the practitioner is to complete all health and safety and risk assessments. They must follow all policies and procedures. The role of the practitioner is to administrate first aid when needed and maintain a first aid it at all times. The role of the practitioner is to count the equipment in and out as well. All this is done to make sure the children and kept safe from any kind of harm and to maintain the safety and welfare of all the children. The role of the practitioner is to always take into consideration the specific needs of a particular group of children or an individual child and will ensure that every child is respected as an individual, that bullying is not tolerated and that the rules and guidelines are followed. In the event of an emergency they will direct the group to safety. Another role the practitioner must do is complete child observations. This helps the practitioners to understand how individual children learn and play. Also helps with planning so the practitioner can tailor activities to meet each child’s individual needs. The role of the practitioner is to make sure that they complete planning, ensuring that all the children are getting the best out of their experience and by making sure it is a stimulating and inspiring experience for all children and meet the individual needs of all children and the developmental stages of The Early Years Foundation Stage. The role of the practitioner is to maintain the Forest School site. Ensure environmental considerations are being met by making sure the site is kept clean and tidy after every session at the Forest School.

Media influences/Reflects society Essay

Media plays a significant role in our society as a routine in our daily lives that also leads the society with beneficial roles. Media is a massive tool that enhance the society with networking information and develop communication skills with the combination of television,magazines,books,newspapers and more. However, media does not only reflects society but influences them too from few perspectives such as food and electronic devices and fashion Media influences the society by electronic devices _ children or younger generations are the group of society that being influenced easily especially by electronic devices such as internet,smart phones,video games and so on that this is also stated by grath s.jowett,lan c.jarve and Kathryn h.fuller in children and the movies( media influence and the payne fund controversy) from press syndicate of university of Cambridge,1996 _instead of reading books and involving in sports or outdoor activities they are more attracted towards engaging into social activities _spend more time watching television,tv shows, dramas, movies but most of the children now a days uses internet and gadgets such as smart phones to interact with others _ Based on Violent Video Games, Delinquency, and Youth Violence: New Evidence Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice April 2013 11: 132-142, first published on October 17, 2012 also shows the negative effects due to addiction towards video games that causes lack of focus in academics, changes in attitude like ethics/ moral values _besides that, action packed or animated movies from (HBO, TIME WARNER,WALT DISNEY ) like transformer and spiderman actually influences the kids pyshologically and mentally. They tend to imitate and live in a imaginary world where superheros exist _ live tv show such as WWD(wrestling shows) and also video games allows children or youth to behave aggressively and verbally too as stated in Media violence and the American public: Scientific facts versus media misinformation. Bushman, Brad J.; Anderson, Craig A.American Psychologist, Vol 56(6-7), Jun-Jul 2001, 477-489. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.56.6-7.477Media influences the society by food _food is use as a marketing tool to attract people by many strategies such as advertising ads, tv progammes,blogs, newspaper and so on  that actually has a negative impact _Malaysia has the highest rate of obese among society ,one of the reason is media that distracts people by all type of advertisement that is unnesscesary at times based on a newspaper article Obesity rise alarming, says MuhyiddinBy ADIB POVERA | news@nst.com.my Saturday, October 11, 2014, 3:27 AM New Straits Times _Based on MALAYSIA: Malaysia Debates On Fast Food Ads http://www.gala-marketlaw.com/archives-52004/86-asia-a-pacific/167-malaysia-malaysia-debates-on-fast-food-ads By Author: Patrick Mirandah, Patrick Mirandah & Co that the ads for the fast food is the main growing factor of this issue _this Is because now a days youngsters are influenced by western food such as fast food and majority of them are addicted to fast food such as (MC DONALDS,KFC) that can be compared by our ancestors when media was not even a there to influenced them _media created this new perception that is influenced by the upcoming generation that will have an effect towards of society in nation building _instead of promoting on food affairs,there should be more on awareness among the society especially teenagers that motivates them to stay healty and active Media influences the society in fashion _fashion industry is slowly changing to ideal beauty of the world where models with real curves have started to filter into mainstream commercials and advertisements, giving the consumer a look of what they want to be _According to Rob Frankel, this generation is â€Å"way more tuned into media† simply because so much media is available to them. Therefore, young people are most likely to be observing celebrity behavior, and at a time in their life when they are still forming their values (Frankel 2010). _for an example, Isabelle Caro, a French actress and model whose anorexic image appeared in an Italian ad campaign at the Italian fashion week whom died at age of 28 based on new york times by William grimes dec 30 2010 _besides that, One victim of this trend was Jeremy Gillitzer, who was once a male model with stunning good looks and a six-pack. He later got down to 66 lbs. after being ravaged by anorexia. He ended up dying at age 38. _Often these people/celebrities are addicted to drugs and/or alcohol, engage in risky behavior, and are often dangerously thin from the aforementioned problems. This creates more pressure on society and a massive reason to be influenced _ Celebrities are generally the center point of many adolescent lives because of a particular talent, fashion and their behavior (Wilson, 2009). â€Å"There’s simply no escaping the mass marketing of today’s celebrities†, says Common Sense Media’s Jim Steyer in Kids & Celebrity. _ celebrities impact the dress of adolescents in America. Teenager see icons like Beyonce, Jay Z, Rihanna, Justin Bieber, and more dressed in Coco Chanel, Marc Jacobs, Louis Vuitton’s Winter Collection and Versace, and makes them want to go out and buy these different clothing. Therefore, celebrity role models have proven to be influential teachers Media reflects society like a mirror

A Case Study Analysis on the Strategic Alliances of Audio

A Case Study Analysis on the Strategic Alliances of Audio Duplication Services, Inc. (ADS) Abstract Logistic strategy is vital part of company’s goal to reduce cost, gain more profit and improve supplier-customer relationship. This paper studied the logistic process of Vanity Products to have a grasp of how logistic works and affects the flow of supply chain. Guide questions are answered to have a better understanding on the logistic and warehousing; and how these decisions must be well thought.Evaluation, conclusions and recommendation are done to know the best alternative for Vanity Products. Introduction Background and Significance of the Study The strategic decision with regards to alliances is an option for firms to improve and strengthen their respective firms. Strategic alliances is said to be a multi-faceted, goal oriented partnerships of companies in which each shares resources and rewards but the risks involved is also shared.In deciding whether such alliances will h elp your firm, several factors should be considered. These factors are, if this would add value to the products, if this would improve the firm market access, if this would strengthen the operation, if this would enhance strategic growth and organizational skills, and if this would build the firm’s financial strength. The decision if one firm should make an alliance to another company is something that is thought thoroughly.This strategic alliance is a very big step for any firm and the firm should be very critical in making such decisions because the benefits are high and so the risks in this kind of arrangement. Objective of the Study This study aims to: 1. Study and analyze the strategic alliances of Audio Duplication Services, Inc. (ADS) 2. Evaluate the alternative of ADS on its logistics management 3. Study and analyze the benefits of Vendor-managed inventory(VMI) Key Terms to Remember * Shipping Cost – Third Party Logistics- the use of outside company to provide for a particular services to perform all or part of the firm’s material management and product distribution functions * Strategic Alliances – agreement among firms in which each commits resources to achieve a common set of objectives * Vendor-Managed Inventory (VMI)- a family of business models in which the buyer of a product provides certain information to a vendor Results and Discussions Case Questions 1. Why are ADS’s customers’ customers moving towards VMI arrangements? ADS’s customers’ customers (i. e. etailers) are moving towards the VMI arrangement so that the likelihood of being out of stock is reduced and the inventory level in the supply chain is also reduced. This will be achieved because through VMI the retailers could provide a continuously updated point-of-sale (POS) to the record companies. By then, the decisions that will be made by the record companies like how much of each album, CD, and cassette title is delivered and when each delivery is made will be more accurate because the records company’s data is updated. 2. How will this impact ADS’s business? How can ADS management take advantage of this situation?This decision on VMI arrangement will have a big impact on ADS. The ADS management should take advantage in the new arrangement because through this they could maintain a more accurate inventory level. Because in this kind of arrangement, the ADS takes full responsibility on the inventory level and through VMI they could have a more accurate inventory level and also ADS could deliver the product on time. 3. How should ADS manage logistics? The ADS should manage logistics by hiring a third party logistics to manage the logistics in their supply chain. This decision is based on several reasons.One of these is that managing logistics is not one of the expertises of ADS Company and by hiring a third party logistics the ADS Company could now focus on their competency of cassette duplicatio n. Also, the new arrangement of direct shipping to the stores would incur higher shipping cost for ADS because of a more complicated route that unlike before there is a distribution center where the products are shipped; in this situation it is very logical for them to hire a third party logistics so that the path networks of these stores would be manage efficiently by third party logistics who are experts in this things.Another reason why ADS Company should not opt to buy a fleet of trucks is that this alternative would require a very high capital investment. Thus, ADS should hire a third party logistics to manage their logistics. 4. Why are the large national retailers moving toward a direct shipment model? So that the product would get into the specific stores where it is needed on time and with the right quantity. Also, direct shipment model is important in a business to reduce the lead time especially for a company whose nature is already changing due to the changing technology .Conclusions, Recommendations, References, and Other Details Conclusions Ultimately, a business organization’s goal is to make profit. But one cannot forsake the quality of the product as well as the satisfaction of customers. In this case, the customers of Vanity Products made changes in terms of ordering the products they need. It was very challenging for VP to adapt to the changes made by the customers since significant changes have to be implemented to address the demands of customers.VP encountered problems regarding cost as well as logistic service. With this, Tom White recommended a solution where different warehouses will be established near the customers. In the long-term, it is beneficial to the company because it decreases the cost in terms of transportation. Recommendations From the main discussion, Tom’s proposal is the best course for Vanity Products. The requirement of the customers that the products be delivered within five days will be met.At the same time, the cost of VP will be lower compared to that of delivering less than truckload quantities to a specific store or using a peddle run method to deliver a full truckload quantities to a set of stores or customers. Thus, the best alternative or solution to the problem is to implement Tom’s proposal. References (1)J. Heizer and B. Render. (2010). Operations Management. Tenth Edition. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc. (2) Munley. com. Truck Accidents Glossary. Retrieved February 4, 2013 at http://www. unley. com/truck_glossary/legal_glossary_p. html (3) Businessdictionary. com. Freight Costs. (2012) Retrieved February 4, 2013 at http://www. businessdictionary. com/definition/freight-cost. html Other Details â€Å"A Case Study Analysis on the Strategic Alliances of Audio Duplication Services, Inc. (ADS)† IE 191 Section: V Date of Submission: March 21, 2013 Contributors Signature Members: Josol, Patricia Beatriz| ___________| Palomar, Romelyn Mae| ___________| Tena, Mara Alyssa| ___________|

America’s First Black President

America’s First Black President Years of terror and war brought Americans of all ethnicities to believed that a time for change had come; change came in the form of two minorities who had the ability and desire to revitalize a country that had been burdened with doubt and financial frailty. Times have changed, race is still controversy topic, but due to programs like Affirmative Action and the Equal Employment Opportunity Act, minorities are stepping up to take places of power in our country. African Americans are no longer the disadvantaged citizens they once were considered to be, the media, internet and entertainment industries have evolved the thinking of Americans leading to the social acceptance of African Americans and other minority groups. Americans’ have elected their first minority President and he won’t be the last. After 43 Presidential elections Americans made history by elected their 44th President, in 2008 Barack Obama, an African American man, was nominated and elected President of the United States. Obama was not the first African American to run for the honored position as United States President, the honor of the first African American who ran for this position belongs to a woman. In 1968, as a Democratic Party nomination for Presidency, Shirley Chisholm of New York made history by running not only being the first African American woman to run for President. She was followed by Jesse Jackson who ran for President in 1984 and 1988 and Lenora Fulani who also ran in 1988. In 2004, Carol Mosely Braun and Minister Al Sharpton also ran as Democratic Party candidates for United States President. The only African American Republican to run for President has been Alan Keys, he ran in 1996 and 2000. Obama faces criticism for not being ‘black enough' even though anyone with even a small percentage of African American blood is considered, mixed blood has never before kept a man from being considered ‘black’ until the chance of a ‘black man’ being elected President became probable. For example, historical evidence has shown that Warren G. Harding the 29th President of the United States, serving from 1921 1923 was an ‘octoroon' passing as white, with one African-American great-grandparent. Evidence of his mixed ancestry and the efforts to cover it up by his family because in the 1920’s even a hint of African American ancestry would have ruined his political career. Obviously even an individual with a smaller percentage of African American blood than President Barack Obama have been deemed ‘black enough’ for it to ruin their careers so claims that President Obama isn’t black enough are unfounded and just another attempt to belittle and criticize a black man for attempting to be great. African American have desired to lead their country for half a century, their country however, wasn’t ready for a minority leader until the state affairs became a mockery that was questioned by both it’s citizens and foreign allies. Some say that President Obama was the least qualified of all major candidates in both parties and the farthest to the left; with absolutely no military experience and no foreign policy experience. If this is true, then the question that begs to be answered is what prompted Americans to elect him as their President. Is the war on terror the only contributing factor that resulted in the election of an African American man as President of a country who historically only elected married Christian white middle aged males as their President or did the power of the media and youth lead to this victory? No, the war on terror is not what determined the 44th President of the United States. President Obama’s landmark victory was due, in part, to a groundswell of support among young Americans; he won nearly 70% of the vote among young Americans under 25. Unlike the African American who ran in the past President Obama had the media in his corner; the internet with social networking sites like Facebook and Youtube had significant impact on each candidate’s ability to garner voters support. With 2 million American supporters on Facebook and over 1500 video’s on YouTube about Barack Obama, it’s no wonder that his name and face was recognizable by so many. When Barack Obama first announced his candidacy, many said that America was not ready to elect a black president and that he could not garner the votes necessary to defeat first the Democratic favorite, Hillary Clinton, and later John McCain in a nationwide election. Understanding the power of the media and influence American youth who are taking more active roles in politics is how President Barack Obama and his team managed to accomplish the difficult task of getting an African American elected as President. Debaters still argue whether that American’s first African American President is qualified for his role or not; the fact remains that whether he is ready or not his is President and has a duty to do his best just as the Presidents before him have done. Race, ethnicity, gender and sexual orientation should not have any bearings on the qualification of a presidential candidate; the fact that these characteristic do have influence the perception of a person’s ability proves that America hasn’t come as far as many minorities would hope for. Shunryu Suzuki says â€Å"Without accepting the fact that everything changes, we cannot find perfect composure. But unfortunately, although it is true, it is difficult for us to accept it. Because we cannot accept the truth of transience, we suffer. † A change has been made, it’s up to American citizens to accept that minorities are no longer minorities; men and women of every race, religion and sexual orientation know that in electing an African American as President we are one step closer to genuine equality in all Americans.