Psy 375 Senior Interview Essay Example for Free

Psy 375 Senior Interview Essay 1. What is the earth of your home like? Occupied, before they got guardianship of their grandson, life was tranquil and there was not a lot of that must be done around the home. When their grandson came to live with them at age 3, life became â€Å"a buzz† once more. â€Å"Before our grandson came to us, we typically would get up toward the beginning of the day, sit and unwind as we drank our espresso and had a calm breakfast together. Presently, we (her and her life partner) are up right on time to prepare our grandson to go to class. † She likewise says â€Å"We possessed energy for the things that we needed to do in our later long periods of life, seeing family, voyaging and such. Presently our time is devoted to raising our grandson who props us up and on our toes however we would not change the circumstances we are in now for the world. † 2. Has maturing changed the home condition? Indeed, when they were more youthful, they had the vitality and wellbeing to do the things they needed to. Sally says â€Å"With age came some little battles to remain at the pace we had consistently had when we were more youthful. Things that were in every case simple gradually turned out to be additional tedious, housekeeping used to be something that I could finish before long; presently, I am a little more slow (with the assistance of my grandson). Else, she says â€Å"life keeps all of us occupied. † 3. Do you depend on others for help with any exercises in the home? Sally answers â€Å"No, we are as yet capable and ready to do our errands and stay aware of the vital assignments that we have. Despite the fact that, we do have â€Å"John† (grandson) visit family a couple of times each month with the goal that we have the opportunity to energize. † 4. Do you despite everything drive? Assuming this is the case, how has maturing changed how you drive? Sally replied, â€Å"Yes, we both (her and her significant other Mike) despite everything drive. Driving is something that you would think would remain equivalent to you develop old until you get old. At the point when I am driving now, I feel like everybody is in a race to get where they need to go and here I am taking as much time as is needed, attempting to be sheltered while surrounding me are presumably reviling me and saying â€Å"Damn old woman is driving so moderate. † (She snickered as she made the last comment. ) 5. What changes in your home do you face as you get more established? Sally answers, â€Å"As my better half and I get more seasoned, we are beginning to be more slow at things that once took us almost no time. I think as we keep on getting more established, we will keep on getting more slow. † She additionally says, â€Å"With having our grandson home with us, he is helping us when he sees us even battle a little with even little things. I think as we get more established, he will be the one to help us more than any other person. Recreational Activities: 1. Previously, what did you accomplish for entertainment? What do you do now for happiness? Sally answers, â€Å"When we were more youthful and our kids were at home with us, we would invest a great deal of energy outside. We wanted to go outdoors, angling and chasing as a family. As our kids got more seasoned, they all had things that they were engaged with that removed that time that we had a ton of fun things. † She at that point clarified that as her and her better half developed more established, that they turned out to be progressively centered around the things that they needed to do like voyaging and seeing family. Sally at that point clarified â€Å"Now that we have our grandson, I go out to see the films, library, and toy shopping a dreadful part. † But then she clarified that she enjoys investing energy with her grandson doing the things that he gets a kick out of the chance to do in light of the fact that she â€Å"loves to see the grin all over. † Sally additionally clarified that they are dynamic individuals from a congregation that they go to two times per week (Wednesdays and Sundays) and they get extraordinary joy out of the administration. 2. How frequently do you take an interest in these exercises? Sally says â€Å"When â€Å"John† is a decent kid at school and does what he is told here we as a rule take him out about once per week to accomplish something uncommon. † She at that point clarifies, â€Å"Church is a huge piece of our lives. We go to chapel not exclusively to revere yet in addition to have time with individuals that are around our age with and are similar. † 3. Have the things that accomplish for diversion changed as you matured? As expressed above, in their more youthful years, their amusement spun around their family. As they got more seasoned, she says â€Å"The things we did eased back. We were not out constantly we could have been. † Sally says, â€Å"We now invest energy where we feel generally good, church and getting things done with our grandson are our specialty most at this point. † Social Support and Interactions: 1. Who do you communicate with all the time? Is this a similar measure of get in touch with you had in more youthful long stretches of life? Sally says, â€Å"On a consistent schedule, my better half and grandson. I as a rule consider my sister each couple days and perceive how she is getting along and on a week by week premise the siblings and sisters I have at chapel. † She likewise says, â€Å"In the past, we had companions and neighbors that we were in contact with regularly yet as time went on, the companions we have kept are dying or simply losing contact with them all together. It is hard getting more seasoned and viewing the companions you have begin to die, it make me feel that I won't generally be here and afterward it makes me stress over who will keep our grandson when we are no more. † 2. Do you take an interest in any social clubs? Sally says, â€Å"The just genuine organized social club, in the event that you can consider it that, would be church exercises. On Wednesdays, we go to chapel for book of scriptures study and social time where we talk with our companions there and on Sunday, we go to support that furnishes us with God’s word and time with our congregation siblings and sisters. † Meaningful Activities: 1. What gives your life meaning? Sally says, â€Å"My family is the thing that gives my life meaning. I attempt to do however much as could reasonably be expected to remain on top of it of what is new with my kids and grandkids. My kids have consistently been the explanation that we have buckled down. We generally needed them to have the better things throughout everyday life and we needed them to be upbeat. † She additionally says â€Å"Now, my life spins around dealing with â€Å"John† and ensuring he feels that all is well and that he has a steady home to experience childhood in. † 2. Do you despite everything participate in these exercises as you did when you were more youthful? Sally says, â€Å"When we were more youthful, we had much more exercises when our youngsters were youthful. As they grew up, moved out all alone and had groups of their own, our lives calmed down and the exercises we were continually doing changed into exercises that â€Å"Mike† and I needed to do until we got â€Å"John† and once we got â€Å"John† life became occupied again with the entirety of his exercises. † Mental Stimulation: 1. Previously, what did you do to keep your psyche sharp? Sally says, â€Å"In the past, I had my work to keep my psyche sharp. I was a secretary at the center school in the town we live for very nearly 20 years and was consistently occupied with the undertakings that were I needed to do. My youngsters likewise propped my brain up and I adored helping them with their schoolwork since this helped me keep my psyche working and recalling how to do issues like math and science. † 2. What do you do now to keep your brain sharp? Sally says, â€Å"Now to keep my brain sharp I do a great deal of word and number riddles. I love to do Sudoku riddles and word discover puzzles. Sudoku baffles truly keep my psyche working on the grounds that occasionally I feel like my hair is ablaze when I am finished with them (she laughs.) I likewise invest energy with â€Å"John† to helping him with his schoolwork and I think this assists with keeping me learning still since I have seen that the manner in which kids are trained presently has truly changed from when I had my youngsters in school. † Physical Activities: 1. Previously, what did you do to keep truly fit? Sally says, â€Å"In the past, when my kids inhabited home, we were consistently in a hurry. We would go places where we would walk and climb through the forested areas like when we would go chasing or angling. We lives near the corner store so we would likewise simply stroll to the store when we required a couple of things rather than get in the vehicle and drive. † She likewise says â€Å"I never was a huge wellbeing nut who was constantly stressed over exercise on the grounds that my weight was never an issue. I felt that is my weight was acceptable then I was getting a lot of activity. † 2. What do you do to keep genuinely fit at this point? Sally says, â€Å"Nowadays we love to go for â€Å"John† for strolls at the neighborhood trails. It’s ideal to be out in the outside air and have the option to invest energy with â€Å"Mike† and â€Å"John† as well as to get a little exercise since I have seen that the more established I get the less muscle I appear to have. † â€Å"It appears as though the seemingly insignificant details are to a greater degree a test than they were in earlier years. Indeed, even simply opening a container is now and then a test. † 3. Is it accurate to say that you are ready to stay aware of the day by day physical anxieties that you are entrusted with consistently? Sally says, â€Å"Yes, it appears as though I am as yet doing a truly great job staying aware of all that I need to do every day (as she checks out her family room. ) She additionally says â€Å"Keeping a house clean is an errand in its own when you have a grandson to get after wherever he goes. † She likewise says, â€Å"I get around to the things I have to do now when I get to them. I used to attempt to ensure the house was impeccable when my youngsters and â€Å"Mike† would return home every day and believed that having a spotless house for them, food preparing and garments spread out for them day by day was what I should do. Since I consider it, I would have much rather of been playing around with them as opposed to being stressed over the house. † Ending the meeting, her last explanation is, â€Å"Life now is somewhat harder than

Implementation of CAGE Framework in an Organization-Free-Sample

Question: Examine about the Importance of methodologies, plan of action development and execution of CAGE Framework in an Organization. Answer: Presentation The reason for this undertaking is to give a short outline about the three video cuts which tells about the significance of procedures, plan of action advancement and execution of CAGE Framework in an association. Further in setting to the advanced education industry these methodologies are applied to give better result on their working. The business incorporates colleges and organizations as well as incorporates administrative and legislative bodies also. TEQSA, MIT and Australian government division of instruction and preparing are the three bodies which clarify the methodologies and models referenced previously. Further the report effectively legitimizes all the necessity of the errand and more insights regarding the report are talked about underneath: Methodologies executed in Organization Methodology is a viewpoint which causes an association to point and accomplish their focused on objectives present in the market. Along these lines, it will be noticed that an association in the outer condition can possibly accomplish capability if the procedures characterized by the troughs are acceptable and effective enough which can assist them with acing the objective market. Moreover there are a few inquiries which habitually posed to the methodology video which are the place do we contend, how would we contend, Unique selling recommendation of the organization and how the organization keeps up the maintainability of special worth gave. The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) is an organization which manages and controls the quality measures of the advanced education in the serious world. Instruction part is the division which will not work with a reason to gain pay however it will hurry to give quality information and data to the understudies coming to them . Coming about to which, this body was made to manage the advanced education segment of Australia (Ho, Wu, and Wu 2014). In spite of the fact that the association don't have to confront any opposition in the market yet so as to keep up stream of training, the association needs to actualize methodologies and answer previously mentioned four inquiries to look at the credibility of their technique. Discussing rivalry, it will be noticed that the association has no opposition however it run in advanced education and administers the organizations and so forth further the USP of the association is give quality confirmation of instruction gave to understudies in the Australians establishment of advanced education (Cndido, and Santos 2015). The assets and capacities accessible to the organization are its principles and set of accepted rules through which the association gets the chance to direct different bodies present in the business. Finally, maintainability is polished by the associatio n through customary progression of work and enactment in industry. The association appropriately utilizes assets accessible to them so as to make separation and maintainability too. Hence, along these lines in the event that the TEQSA will keep up and deal with their system, at that point the association won't face any issue (Speculand 2014). Plan of action advancement Need of model and a creative device in the working of a college or organization appears to be insignificant. Yet, much the same as different enterprises, there is need of plan of action development in advanced education division too. With developing rivalry an association possibly stay in capability on the off chance that they achieve a decent and proficient plan of action. Manageability in the development of the college or the association possibly accomplished if there is viable and effective model utilized in the association (Massa, and Tucci 2013). This model causes the association to understand the territories where the organization is losing and other contender is picking up and they break down it and right it with advancement so they can pick up the objective market and procure benefit. The advancement device will be utilized in the association so that it separates the organization with its rival present in the market. Therefore thee plan of action lay weight on the figure pres ent the outside which can be inventively utilized by the association in order to make distinguishing proof in the objective market (Bocken, et. al., 2014). The setting to the establishments present in the advanced education industry, it will be noticed that the association, colleges and foundations present in this area should be routinely refreshed and creative in their method of attempting to draw in more understudy. Moreover discussing the University of Sydney, the college is a well prestigious and acclaimed instructive organization of Australia which was started in the year 1850. The college is Australias first college and furthermore one of the most driving colleges around the world. Having such enormous hierarchical structure the establishments should be creative in its working and start definitive plan of action in any case the rumored name earned by the organization would not work. Along these lines, the organization utilizes this model so that they at first keep beware of th e plan of action and contrast it and outer condition and afterward actualize changes in them as indicated by the prerequisites (Martins, Rindova, and Greenbaum 2015). Pen Framework It is a system which tells about various measurements present in the outside condition of the association. Social, regulatory, geographic and monetary contrast are the distinctions which occur in the middle of nations and the association will start activities as needs be by taking a gander at them with the goal that proficiency is started. This system is utilized by association to extend their business in the abroad market. The social perspective tells about the way of life of the organization with which they are contracting, managerial tells the manners by which organizations of different nations regulate (Herrera 2017). Geographic measurement tells about the details of that region and in conclusion monetary tells about the economies of individuals based on which he organizations will start their activities. Relating it to the Australian government branch of instruction and preparing is an association which spurs an ever increasing number of understudies to understudy with Australia n colleges. The association recognizes the social contrasts and breaks down them and afterward urges worldwide understudies to pick up training from them. This office encourages the understudies to have a sense of safety as it kills the distinctions and takes care that instruction is gotten to them appropriately. Further the online gateway encourages numerous worldwide understudies to concentrate in Australia. Hence, with the assistance of this division the brilliant understudies get an opportunity to learn instruction and the confine structure encourages the office to eradicate the distinction in advanced education part and help understudies to get successful and productive (Ghemawat 2015). End Along these lines, in the spotlight of previously mentioned occasions the realities that will be noticed that the previously mentioned report tells about the various structures and models which are utilized in advanced education industry in order to assist them with gaining skill in the objective market. The advanced education industry isn't only here to make benefits however it will likewise add to the general financial development of the nation. In this way, it is significant for such associations to work with full capacity and utilize every one of their assets adequately so as to roll out an improvement. In addition the models help the associations to recognize their issues in the authoritative structure and actualize changes likewise. Accordingly, with the assistance of such methodologies the exercises of the foundations become skillful for the normal person and universal understudies. References Bocken, N.M.P., Short, S.W., Rana, P. what's more, Evans, S., 2014. A writing and practice audit to create economical plan of action archetypes.Journal of cleaner production,65, pp.42-56. Cndido, C.J. what's more, Santos, S.P., 2015. Methodology execution: What is the disappointment rate?.Journal of Management Organization,21(2), pp.237-262. Ghemawat, P., 2015. From International Business to Intranational Business. InEmerging Economies and Multinational Enterprises(pp. 5-28). Emerald Group Publishing Limited. Herrera, M.E.F., 2017. Differentiating the vital job of firms in the monetary advancement of Ecuador with that of South Korea utilizing Ghemawat CAGE separation system. Ho, J.L., Wu, A. what's more, Wu, S.Y., 2014. Execution measures, accord on technique usage, and execution: Evidence from the operational-level of organizations.Accounting, Organizations and Society,39(1), pp.38-58. Martins, L.L., Rindova, V.P. furthermore, Greenbaum, B.E., 2015. Opening the shrouded estimation of ideas: a subjective way to deal with plan of action innovation.Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal,9(1), pp.99-117. Massa, L. also, Tucci, C.L., 2013. Plan of action innovation.The Oxford handbook of development management,20, p.18. Speculand, R., 2014. Spanning the methodology execution aptitudes gap.Strategic direction,30(1), pp.29-30.

The Freshman Application is Now Open! - UGA Undergraduate Admissions

The Freshman Application is Now Open! - UGA Undergraduate Admissions The Freshman Application is Now Open! We have now opened up the Summer/Fall 2012 Freshman Application! As I have stated in previous posts, this does not mean you should stop whatever you are doing and submit the application as quickly as possible. Please do not do this! Instead, make sure that you have all the information you will need prior to submitting your application, such as verifying your SSN, having a copy of your transcript and a resume so that you can complete all of the information needed without errors or gaps. A majority of students who apply right after we open up the application then end up contacting our office to fix mistakes they made by rushing through the application. Here are a few items you want to make sure you complete correctly: Make sure you have put your name in correctly. Your name called/nickname should only list Bob, not Bob James Smith, your SSN NEEDS to be correct for our office and financial aid, and your address needs to be right for both mailing information to you and for Residency purposes. If you are a citizen of the United States, mark citizen. A Permanent Resident is a person with an Alien Registration Card/Green Card, not anyone who lives permanently in the U.S. When listing your high school, do the search process so that your high schools code will drop in correctly and will not slow down us importing the application. In addition, if you have attended multiple high schools, list your current one first. Please list your senior year courses in the area provided, and you can shorthand course names/titles. This helps us in our review of your file. Your HS counselor can only complete the online HS Evaluation form once you submit your application (so please do not wait until the last minute!), and you will be asked to give your counselors email to alert them that you have applied. They will also be able to see this on the UGA HS Counselor Portal, and we will keep the online HS evaluation form open for about a week after the deadline. The SAT/ACT/AP score area on the application is for our general knowledge about you, but we need the official scores to be sent to us. The deadline for Early Action for the SAT/ACT is to take the exam by the Early Action deadline of October 15, and to request the score by October 15. If you have any conduct or conviction issues, please be specific about the situation. As well, we do not need to know about minor traffic tickets, if you had ISS in middle school, etc. In the Activities sections, please do not leave this blank thinking that we will never look at it. This area is important in scholarship review, when we are in our holistic review process, if we need to know more about you, etc. Read the self-reported grades description in detail before completing this section. We are looking at your core course grades from 9th grade on, as well as how many of the grades you list are from AP/IB courses, and how many total AP/IB courses you will have completed by your HS graduation. Do not hit the submit button unless you are sure that you (and your parents!) are ready to submit the application! Remember that the online credit card payment option is only available from 7 am 9:30 pm EST UGA only has an online application, so we do not accept any paper applications that are submitted. Do not fax our office any updates, corrections, etc. We do not like faxes! Remember that there is no admissions advantage to submitting your application on the first day it goes live. UGA will look at you the same way as any other student who applies by the deadline, so being the first application in does not give you any bonus points. While I do not suggest waiting until the week of the deadline to apply (too many risks of problems/errors), I suggest you take your time completing the application and making sure all the information is correct before submitting it. Go Dawgs!

The Policy of the First Amendment - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 2 Words: 545 Downloads: 5 Date added: 2019/04/22 Category Law Essay Level High school Tags: First Amendment Essay Did you like this example? The first amendment conducts to citizens, while many believe that it guarantees them a limit of freedom. We get stuck in an unlawful situations, which forces us to know what our rights are. This is a hotly debated topic that often divides opinions. The first amendment is often discussed yet rarely understood. These rights includes everyone, but some just take advantage over it. It goes without saying this law is one of the most important issues facing us today. The policy of the first amendment is defined as freedom of religion, expression, assembly, and right to petition, however, those who understand the exact nature and consequences of the law have an altogether different perspective. Mark Twain is one individual who agrees and, in this article, censorship is telling a man he cant have steak just because a baby cant chew it contends that this policy is for freedom rights to an extent. He refers the man as citizens meaning if we cant have freedom the rights dont apply a s well. Mark expresses a political correctness in freedom of speech, believing that if anyone cant speak up, whats the point of having our rights. This policy protects us from what we say or do which gives us the ability to express ourselves freely. In terms of freedom, there is rights, we live by freedom if we know to go by the rules. When it comes to AJ Willingham, his work in the CNN political article, most of us agree that the law is content. Where this agrees usually ends, however, is on the issue of companies banning and firing citizens because of their expressions. Whereas some are convinced that the policy is good, and it works for them, others maintain that even if the law is right, some people and places mistreat civilians forgetting about their rights. Google reportedly fired a male engineer who, argued woman are not biologically fit for tech roles this is not government issued because it was not involved but the act the man did had no rights against for him. The man had no respect for his rights, therefore caused him his job. When including a law every person must ensure the respect for it, a person can disrespect the policy and others without knowing, its suppose to be there to protect you and the government. Many can dictate the first amendment, but this just means you cant do anything in some sort that discriminates the point of view for the amendment. All things consider that the first amendment ensues to every civilians, but at times it does grant limits to freedom. The freedom of speech and expression is one that affects the society today, it has been issued for quite awhile now. Taking everything into consideration, knowing the law is important as knowing when you are over powering the law by dictating it. Weighing up on both sides whether if the freedom applies, ofcourse it applies, but the policy contains it with a certain extent. The advantages of the rights for freedom, outweighs the disadvantage of the dictating and letti ng people get the impression that we are vulnerable. Personally speaking, know that we have rights that protects us, it allows us to sleep in peace knowing we can be safe. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Policy of the First Amendment" essay for you Create order

How Should We Then Live Free Essay Example, 1250 words

In the book How Now Shall We Live it is said Because something is legal does not make it right. Nor can the will of the majority be confused with the will of God. They may be very different; in fact, they often are . This sentence was used in Colson s argument over the Vietnam War and his desire to lay his life down in his country s defense. Thus it can be said that society today has become so modernized that it is near impossible for the individual to try to make moral judgments by using God s words and defying those of man. This can lead to a contradiction between the individual and the State because the world today follows a dictum that is not similar to that of God s. To this Schaeffer states Humanism has no final way of saying certain things are right and other things are wrong. For the humanist, the final thing which exists that is, the impersonal universe is neutral and silent about right and wrong, cruelty and non-cruelty. Humanism has no means to give absolutes; thus as a regular consequence of humanism s standing, humanism in private morals and political life is left with that which is absolutely arbitrary. Today, almost every developed and the successful world follows the policies of a democratic charter. We will write a custom essay sample on How Should We Then Live or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page People are distinctive in the inner life of their mind what they are in their thought world leads to how they would behave by all means. This is fair and true of their value systems; it is true of their creativity. This also stands as the truth for their corporate actions, such as political decisions, and it is also a true point for their personal lives". Schaeffer warns of a world where sociological law will take over any stable authority. This will allow the authority to state anything it wants as illegal by using the majority vote, even if it defies all forms of humanity.

Native American Culture Facts Free Essays

SYNDICATE 7 } } Bottlenecks in the processing system at RP1 Excessive truck-waiting time and costs annoying the berry growers Excessive labour costs Poor berry grading system } } Wet Berries 58% System throughput rate : 1200 bbls/hr Wet Berries 70% System throughput rate : 1050 bbls/hr Wet Berries 70%, with a Dryer? System throughput rate : 1200 bbls/hr 3500 3000 2500 Berries (bbls) 2000 58% Wet Berries, 11am Start 70% Wet Berries, 11am Start 70% Wet Berries, 7am Start 1500 1000 70% Wet Berries, 7am Start, 1 Dryer 500 -8 8-9 9-10 10-11 11-12 12-13 13-14 14-15 15-16 16-17 17-18 18-19 19-20 20-21 21-22 22-23 23-00 00-1 1-2 2-3 3-4 4-5 5-6 6-7 7-8 8-9 Time (24-hour) 0 Options No. Of Hours Trucks wait No. Of barrels waiting in the truck (bbls) 1 Truck Capacity (bbls) Total truck waiting time (hrs. We will write a custom essay sample on Native American Culture Facts or any similar topic only for you Order Now ) Average Truck waiting time (minutes) % Change in waiting time Cost per hour/per truck/per day Harvest season truck waiting cost (106 days) % Change in peak-season Truck waiting costs 58% Wet Berries -11am Start 12 hours 16000 75 213. 34 53 – $ 100 2,260,980 – 70% Wet Berries -11am Start 15 hours 40600 75 541. 34 135 Reference level $ 100 $ 5,738,204 Reference level 70% Wet Berries -7am Start 7 hours 9500 75 127 32 -76. 3% $ 100 $ 1,346,200 -76. 5% 70% Wet Berries -7am Start, with 1 Dryer 0 hours 0 75 0 0 -100% 75 0 -100% 5000 4500 4000 3500 Berries (bbls) 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 Start 11am- 70% Wet Berries Start 7am- 70% Wet Berries, 1 Dryer Start 7am- 70% Wet Berries Start 11am- 58% Wet Berries 7-8 8-9 9-10 10-11 11-12 12-13 13-14 14-15 15-16 16-17 17-18 18-19 19-20 0-21 21-22 22-23 23-00 00-1 1-2 2-3 3-4 4-5 5-6 6-7 7-8 8-9 Time (24-hour) Savings: 70% Wet 11am Costs/ 70% Wet Berries, Berries, 11am Alternatives    7am Start, 2 shifts start v/s Start, 1 shif t 7am start 70% Wet Berries, 7am Start with 1 dryer, 2 shifts Savings: 7am start with 1 Dryer over 7 am start with no dryer Equipment Truck Waiting Labour Total Costs $ 0 $57,38,204 $5,66,645. 71 $63,04,849. 7 1 $ 0 $13,46,200 $5,13,948. 57 $18,60,148. 57 77% 9% 70% $ 60,000. 00 $ 0 $4,99,229. 71 $5,59,229. 71 100% 3% 70% } Start Operations at 7am with 2 work-shifts Truck waiting time reduces to 32min on average and costs by 76. 5% Labour costs decrease by 9% } Invest in One Dryer Truck waiting goes down to zero and thus no truck waiting costs Labour costs reduce a further 3% †¢? Buy the Light Meter System Helps save $ 318,410 in the first season itself } Going forward, invest in increasing the capacity of the Drying system to 1200bbls/hr as proportion of wet berries increases. This will help avoid labour and truck waiting costs How to cite Native American Culture Facts, Essay examples

Effective Motivational Techniques in the Hospitality Industry Nowadays

Question: Explore the issues that are faced in the hospitality industry in recent times. There are several factors that can affect the satisfaction level of the employees in the hospitality sector. Thus correlation among the satisfaction level and these factors are established here and conclusions are drawn on the basis of the analysis. Various recommendations are also provided in the research report? Answer: Introduction Rationale: In recent economic scenario, there has been increased competition in each and every industry. After the globalisation, the interconnectedness among the economies has increased significantly. Thus the transfer of goods and services has increased along with the financial resources in the industry. It is known that the hospitality industry is also flourishing in recent times but there are certain issues that are seen in this industry as well (Tang, 2012). It is known that the industry is affected by economic downturns and thus the employment sector also suffers in the economy. Thus it can be said that there are job issues in the industry. On the other hand there are also issues with the acquisition of skills that are necessary in the industry and thus job issues are evident in the industry (Pelit, ztrk and Arslantrk, 2011). It is also evident that there can be various issues that may be faced by human resource in the industry. Aims: The main aim of this research is to evaluate the issues that are faced by the human resource in the hospitality industry. Objectives: The main objectives are, Reviewing the literature regarding the issues that can be faced by human resource Analysing theories regarding good performance of employees at workplace Presenting how the issues can be resolved in the industry Collection of data and performing analysis Conclusion and recommendation Literature Review: It is known that work involvement, satisfaction and motivation are very important in order to achieve success in an industry. There are certain issues that are evident in the hospitality sector by the human resource. These can be discussed here. Turnover is one of the problems that are faced in the hospitality sector. Here it can be said that employee motivation can be one of the causes for the issues related with turnover. On the other hand low wage rates in the industry can also lead to low turnover. People may choose to move to different industries and thus the problem is faced. Recruitment is another issue that is faced in the industry as skilled employees are required in the industry (Anshori and Langner, 2007). Proper training must be provided to the employees and this is another issue faced in the industry. Here the two factor theory of Hertzberg can be discussed here. The two factors are known as the motivators and the hygiene factors. Motivating factors are those factors are intrinsic to the job like the nature of job, personal goals etc (Sharma, 2006). On the other hand the hygiene factors are external factors of the organisation like working conditions, policies of the company, wage rate etc. Methodology: It is very important to get an insight in the topic that has been researched here. It is evident that there are job issues that are seen in the hospitality industry. Journal articles, newspapers, reports and books are also researched in order to get the insight about the topic in details. Here the job issues that are faced by human resource in the hospitality industry can be discussed. For the research study only secondary research has been conducted and findings are drawn from the secondary research. It can be said that, here both the qualitative and quantitative research is required (S.Margabandhu and Dr. M.G.Saravanaraj, 2011). In the research report that is conducted in Taiwan, the structural investigation of the relationship between the employee turnover the work satisfaction of the employees in the hospitality industry has been assessed. A survey was conducted in order to correlate between the variables and more than 100 questionnaires were distributed among the staffs of the hotel (Chen, Wang and Chu, 2010). Here another study that has been undertaken by Anantha Raj Arokiasamy regarding the employee satisfaction in the hospitality industry in Malaysia. In this research, the study was conducted for examining the relationship between the work environment, job security and rewards with the satisfaction of the employees (Arokiasamy, 2013). In order to assess the impact, the responses of 127 employees from three star hotels were collected. In order to collect the data, a survey questionnaire has been prepared and the data is collected for establishing the results. After that a multiple regression analysis is done for finding the correlation between the dependant and the independent variables (Arokiasamy, 2013). Analysis Discussion: It is known that there are constant changes occurring in the hospitality industry. There are various issues that are seen in the hospitality industry. Here the findings of the secondary research can be discussed. The outcome of the first statistical analysis in the hotels of Taiwan the questionnaire was prepared for analysing the correlation between the employee satisfaction and the turnover. The impact of job satisfaction has been assessed here. There were 100 questionnaires are distributed among the staff members of the hotel. Among them only 40 responses were received. That means the response rate is 40% (Chen, Wang and Chu, 2010). It is found from the research that the satisfaction of the employees is also related with the expectations of the employees at the workplace. Here it is found that the age is positively correlated with the work satisfaction. It is found that older people are more satisfied at workplace than the younger people as younger ones tend to seize new things and they have high expectation. It is also seen that married employees are more satisfied at their job than the unmarried people (Verma, 2011). The educational level of the employees is another factor that can affect the satisfaction level. It was found that more educated employees are comparatively dissatisfied at their job. It was also found that the employees of the hotel were satisfied with their remuneration programmes and the policies and benefits that are provided to them (Chen, Wang and Chu, 2010). In the second research report, the relationship between the employee satisfaction and the other organisational factors has been identified. In the research 180 questionnaires were distributed and 155 responses were collected. So the response rate was 81.93 (Arokiasamy, 2013). The demographic characteristics of the respondents were also taken into account. Here the correlation of job satisfaction was established with respect to certain independent variables which are job security, rewards compensation, career development and work environement. First the responses were collected and then they were measured in the likert scale. The responses were then assessed with the help of SPSS software (Arokiasamy, 2013). It is found that the independent variables that are job security, rewards compensation, career development and work environment are all positively correlated with job satisfaction. It is also found that in the hospitality industry job security has significant positive correlatio n with job satisfaction (Tang, 2012). Conclusion Recommendation: In conclusion it can be said that in recent times, there are various issues that are faced in the hospitality industry for the employees. The issues faced by the employees are discussed in the research report. Here the correlation between the job satisfaction and other factors that can influence the satisfaction of the employees are discussed. Here is found that various factors affect the satisfaction level of the employees at the hospitality industry and thus measures should be taken to optimise the satisfaction level so that employee turnover can be improved along with the efficiency and productivity. Here several recommendations can be provided on the basis of the research findings. It can be said that in the hospitality industry, the policies should comply with the interest of the employees. The working condition of the hotel, employee rewards and benefits along with the wage rate should be improved so that it can increase the satisfaction level of the employees. The organisation should also provide effective training to the employees so that the work efficiency can be increased. References Anshori, Y. and Langner, V. (2007). THE IMPORTANCE OF CUSTOMER SATISFACTION AND SUPREME SERVICE PROVISION IN THE HOTEL INDUSTRY: A CASE STUDY OF SURABAYA PLAZA HOTEL.jmp, 3(1). Arokiasamy,, A. (2013).A STUDY ON EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION PERSPECTIVES IN THE HOTEL INDUSTRY IN MALAYSIA. 1st ed. [ebook] Available at: https://www.facultyjournal.com/webmaster/upload/__0012ARA_Hotel%20Industry_JBSQ.pdf [Accessed 22 Jan. 2015]. Chen, Y., Wang, W. and Chu, Y. (2010).Structural Investigation of the Relationship between Working Satisfaction and Employee Turnover. 1st ed. [ebook] Available at: https://www.hraljournal.com/Page/5%20%20Chen,%20Ying-Chang.pdf [Accessed 22 Jan. 2015]. Pelit, E., ztrk, Y. and Arslantrk, Y. (2011). The effects of employee empowerment on employee job satisfaction.Int J Contemp Hospitality Mngt, 23(6), pp.784-802. S.Margabandhu, S. and Dr. M.G.Saravanaraj, D. (2011). A Study on Customer Satisfaction Towards Hotel Industry in Vellore.IJAR, 4(2), pp.4-2. Sharma, H. (2006).HRM in hospitality industry. Jaipur, India: ABD Publishers. Tang, H. (2012). The Value of Employee Satisfaction.The Journal of Hospitality Financial Management, 20(1), pp.100-100. Verma, N. (2011).HRM in tourism industry. Jaipur: Prateeksha Publications.

Internatial Trade Theory Words free essay sample

Trade Theory 1. International(or foreign) trade is across borders. 2. The Mercantilist Doctrine : mercantilism is the first(or preclassical) theory of international trade. 3. Absolute Advantage Theory : The absolute advantage theory holds that the market would reach an efficient end by itself. Government intervention in the economic life of a nation and in trade relations among nations is counterproductive. 4. Comparative Advantage Theory : It was the comparative advantage of a nation in producing a good relative to the other nation that determined international trade flow. It is useful to introduce the concept of opportunity cost. 5. Heckscher-Ohlin Theorem : The central notion of the H-O theorem is that a country exports goods that make intensive use of the country’s abundant factor and imports goods that make intensive use of the country’s scarce factor. 6. The Leontief Paradox : Leontiefs paradox in economics is that the country with the worlds highest capital-per worker has a lower capital/labor ratio in exports than in imports. We will write a custom essay sample on Internatial Trade Theory Words or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This econometric find was the result of Professor Wassily W. Leontiefs attempt to test the Heckscher-Ohlin theory empirically. In 1954, Leontief found that the U. S. (the most capital-abundant country in the world) exported labor-intensive commodities and imported capital-intensive commodities, in contradiction with H-O theorem. 7. Human Skills and Technology-Based Views : The human skills and technology-based view is regarded as a refinement of the conventional theory of trade. It added two new factors of production, namely human skills and technology gaps, to the explanation of comparative advantage sources. 8. The Product Life-Cycle Model : Product life cycle is the stages through which a product or its category bypass. From its introduction to the marketing, growth, maturity to its decline or reduce in demand in the market. Not all products reach this final stage, some continue to grow and some rise and fall. 9. Linder’s Income-Preference Similarity Theory : If two countries have the same or similar demand structures, then their consumers and investors will demand the same goods with similar degrees of quality and sophistication, a phenomenon known as preference similarity. 10. The New Trade Theory : Countries do not necessarily specialize and trade solely to take advantage of their differences; also trade because of increasing returns, which makes specialization advantageous per se. Although this theory is not totally â€Å"new†, it makes several contributions to the understanding of international trade. Because of economies of scale, there are increasing returns to specialization in many industries. Economy of scale is reduction of manufacturing cost per unit as a result of increased production quantity during a given time period. 11. Trade Balance : Calculated as exports minus imports of goods and sevices. 2. Tariff Barriers : include mainly tariffs and quotas and their derivatives as well as export controls and antidumping laws. 13. Tariffs : are surcharges that an importer must pay above and beyond taxes levied on domestic goods and services. 14. Optimal Tariff : assumes that by imposing a tariff, governments can capture a significant portion of the manufacturer’s profit margin. 15. Infant Industries : are that an industry new to a country, especially a developing one, needs to be protected by tariff walls or risk being squashed by established global players before it is given a chance to grow and develop. 6. Quotas : are quantitative limitations on the importation of goods typically spelled in terms of units or value. 17. Rule of Origin : Both tariffs and quotas are administered on the basis of their country of origin, for which the default is the first importing country. Rule of origin terms may differ between different types of tariffs and supports. 18. Export Controls : are typically activated against products with a national security potential but also may be applied to so-called dual-use products such as advanced computers or trucks that can have both security and civilian uses. 9. Dumping and Antidumping : Dumping is defined by the WTO as selling a product at an unfairly low price, with the â€Å"fair priceà ¢â‚¬  defined as the domestic price, the price charged by an exporter in another market, or a calculation of production costs. Whereas antidumping measures were once almost exclusively applied by developed nations fearing competition from developing and especially emerging economies, they are now taken by developed and developing nations alike. 20. Administrative Barriers : Often a government will use administrative measure to block the entry of products while continuing to argue that no barrier exists. (e. g.. Labeling) 21. Production Subsidies : are payments provided by a government or its agencies to domestic companies in order to make them more competitive vis-a-vis foreign competitors at home and/or abroad. 22. Emergency Import Protection : A government protect from sudden and dramatic increase in imports or in market share that can cause material damage to the domestic industry. 23. Embargoes and Boycotts : Embargo is the prohibition on exportation to a designated country. Boycott is the blank prohibition on importation of all or some goods and services from a designated country. 24. Technical Standards : are provisions made by government agencies in various countries that pertain to a large array of areas. 25. Barriers to Service Trade : are quite different from the barriers affecting merchandise trade. Because knowledge plays a key role in a service economy, any limitations on the free flow of information, including constraints on individual mobility, represent barriers to service trade.

Battle of Arkansas Post - Civil War Battle of Arkansas Post - John McClernand

Battle of Arkansas Post - Civil War Battle of Arkansas Post - John McClernand Battle of Arkansas Post - Conflict: The Battle of Arkansas Post occurred during the American Civil War (1861-1865). Armies Commanders: Union Major General John McClernandRear Admiral David D. Porter32,000 men Confederate Brigadier General Thomas Churchill4,900 men Battle of Arkansas Post - Date: Union troops operated against Fort Hindman from January 9 to January 11, 1863. Battle of Arkansas Post - Background: While returning up the Mississippi River from his defeat at the Battle of Chickasaw Bayou in late December 1862, Major General William T. Sherman encountered the corps of Major General John McClernand. A politician turned general, McClernand had been authorized to make an attack against the Confederate stronghold of Vicksburg. The senior officer, McClernand added Shermans corps to his own and continued south accompanied by gunboats commanded by Rear Admiral David D. Porter. Alerted to the capture of the steamer Blue Wing, McClernand elected to abandon his attack on Vicksburg in favor of striking at Arkansas Post. Situated at a bend in the Arkansas River, Arkansas Post was manned by 4,900 men under Brigadier General Thomas Churchill, with defenses centered on Fort Hindman. Though a convenient base for raiding shipping on the Mississippi, the principal Union commander in the area, Major General Ulysses S. Grant, did not feel that it warranted shifting forces from efforts against Vicksburg to capture. Disagreeing with Grant and hoping to win glory for himself, McClernand diverted his expedition through the White River Cutoff and approached Arkansas Post on January 9, 1863. Battle of Arkansas Post - McClernand Lands: Alerted to McClernands approach, Churchill deployed his men to a series of rifle pits approximately two mile north of Fort Hindman with the goal of slowing the Union advance. A mile away, McClernand landed the bulk of his troops at Nortrebe’s Plantation on the north bank, while ordering a detachment to advance along the south shore. With the landings completed by 11:00 AM on January 10, McClernand began moving against Churchill. Seeing that he was badly outnumbered, Churchill fell back to his lines near Fort Hindman around 2:00. Battle of Arkansas Post - The Bombardment Begins: Advancing with his assault troops, McClernand was not in position to attack until 5:30. Porters ironclads Baron DeKalb, Louisville, and Cincinnati opened the battle by closing and engaging Fort Hindmans guns. Firing for several hours, the naval bombardment did not cease until after dark. Unable to attack in the darkness, the Union troops spent the night in their positions. On January 11, McClernand used the morning meticulously arranging his men for the assault on Churchills lines. At 1:00 PM, Porters gunboats returned to action with the support of artillery that had been landed on the south shore. Battle of Arkansas Post - The Assault Goes In: Firing for three hours, they effectively silenced the forts guns. As the guns fell silent, the infantry moved forward against the Confederate positions. Over the next thirty minutes, little progress was made as several intense firefights developed. At 4:30, with McClernand planning another massive assault, white flags began appearing along the Confederate lines. Taking advantage, the Union troops quickly seized the position and accepted the Confederate surrender. After the battle, Churchill firmly denied authorizing his men to capitulate. Aftermath of the Battle of Arkansas Post: Loading the captured Confederate on transports, McClernand had them sent north to prison camps. After ordering his men to raze Fort Hindman, he dispatched a sortie against South Bend, AR and began making plans with Porter for a move against Little Rock. Learning of McClernands diversion of forces to Arkansas Post and his intended Little Rock campaign, an irate Grant countermanded McClernands orders and demanded that he return with both corps. Given no choice, McClernand embarked his men and rejoined the main Union effort against Vicksburg. Considered an ambitious dilettante by Grant, McClernand was relieved later in the campaign. The fighting at Arkansas Post cost McClernand 134 killed, 898 wounded, and 29 missing, while Confederate estimates list 60 killed, 80 wounded, and 4,791 captured. Selected Sources CWSAC Battle Summaries: Battle of Arkansas PostNational Park Service: Arkansas Post

Kim by rudyard kipling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Kim by rudyard kipling - Essay Example and does not inform of Kim’s future move, it provides closure because the redemption at the end offers a solution to all the conflict the novel raises. The ending of Kipling’s novel is very abrupt and may not seem to be coherent because the narration shifted all of a sudden from the painstaking journey in the hills, mountains and plains to an â€Å"I† voice that presents the River of the Arrows. This form of revelation seems to be supernatural and divine because there is no physical connection between the last location of the characters and the river. The voice said: â€Å"‘The River! Take heed to the River!’ and I looked down upon all the world, which was as I had seen it before –one in time, one in place – and I saw plainly the River of the Arrow at my feet† (Kipling 264). After all the time, energy and effort spent searching, the river is finally here like in a dream. Moreover, the â€Å"I† narration at the end is also confusing because the identity of the speaker is not revealed. At times, it seems like the lama is talking, but sometimes, it looks like that Kim or any of th e other characters may be the narrator. This confusion at the end foregrounds that what happens may be a revelation that does not need further explanation because it is divine. However, despite the confusion and lack of coherence, the result is clear and shows that the lama has found his river and has been cleansed of his sins: â€Å"‘I saw the River below me – the River of the Arrow –and, descending, the waters of it closed over me; and behold I was again in the body of Teshoo Lama, but free from sin, and the hakim from Decca bore up my head in the waters of the River. It is here! It is behind the mango-tope here – even here!’† (Kipling 264) This redemption of the lama is very important to the story and to the meaning it is trying to convey. Despite this disruptive ending, Kipling’s novel provides closure because the redemption at the end proposes a solution to the

Research the history, demographics, agenda, primary target choice of Paper

The history, demographics, agenda, primary target choice of Irish Republican Army - Research Paper Example In order to let this happen, the Easter Rising, a very significant insurgence in the Irish history was initiated, during the Easter Week. The Easter Rising aimed to revolt against the British rule in Ireland, and claim independence for Ireland. At this point, the Irish Republican Army came into being. Although, the British government appeased the movement of revolution shortly, revolutionists reassembled themselves under leadership of Michael Collins, and became the military part of the Sinn Fein, an Irish political party (Books LLC, 2010). History: After the establishment of the Irish Republican Army, a lot of unrest began; huge campaigns of insurgence were began opposing the British domination over Ireland, which included military raids, bombardments and more operations of the same kind. At last, 1922 bought the much awaited success for the Irish Republican Army and Ireland gained its much anticipated independence. Although the Irish Republican Army succeeded in achieving its await ed independence from the British rule, it came at a huge cost (Books LLC, 2010). The Anglo-Irish treaty signed in 1921, divided the Irish Republican Party itself in two parts. The Anglo-Irish treaty agreed on establishing Ireland as an independent, Free State, but it also considered Ireland as a territory under the British Empire (Derkins, 2003). Moreover, it also gave Northern Ireland the option of opting out of the Irish Free State, which it practiced. As a result, there was much resentment amongst the Irish Republican Army itself, resulting in a partition among the army itself. One of the groups under the management of Michael Collins, supported the treaty; while the other group established the anti-treaty counterpart, petitioned against the signing of the treaty. This headed to further unrest into the Irish lands, resulting in a civil war amongst both the parties of the Irish Republican Army, which lasted for the next nine months. The civil war ended with the defeat of the anti- treaty group of the Irish Republican Army and a huge increase in the death toll at the battlefields from both the sides. After the civil war, the Irish Republican Army, remained mostly irregular with its hangings, until in 1950s, when it again came in the news due to its efforts of regaining the Northern Ireland from the British rule (Derkins, 2003). The Irish Republican Army attacked the British infrastructure in the Northern Ireland to make the British army more vulnerable to the Irish Republican Army attacks. In spite of the series of attempts to conquer the Northern Ireland, and massive support from the Irish political parties and armies, the operation ended up being a massive failure for the Irish Republican Army, resulting in no fruitful results for them (Books LLC. 2010). Later in 1969, the Irish Republican Army split up again in two groups, but this time conspiring of the â€Å"officials† and the â€Å"provisionals† (Shanahan, 2009). The officials advocated the idea of a united and independent state of Ireland, but through peaceful proclamations, provisionals on the other hand, believed terrorism to be a prerequisite to attain an independent state. In accordance to their ideas, the provisionals launched a series of terrorist attacks on the Northern Ireland and on Britain as well. They tried to dismantle the British rule over the Northern Ireland and continued with their terrorist campaigns that aimed to weaken the

Gender Differences: American and Chinese Culture

Gender Differences: American and Chinese Culture In the 21st century, a number of significant sociopolitical and technological changes have been witnessed, which have made the world a global village which is getting smaller by the day. The technological feasibility that has enabled the mass media to bring events and news across the world to schools, businesses and homes almost as soon as they occur has narrowed down the distance barriers between people, cultures and societies, such that the world is fast becoming one giant melting pot of cultural, ethnic, religious, linguistic and racial diversities. However, these changes have also resulted in the increase in international tensions between countries world wide, due to the increased interaction. The most significant of these tensions have been witnessed in the past between the United States and Northern Ireland, Eastern Europe and most recently, the Middle East. Thus in light of these developments, the need to develop competent and effective intercultural communication cannot be ov eremphasized. It is indeed a fact that such conflicts are usually of political origin, but are primarily caused by religious and ethnic differences that form barriers to effective communication. The term intercultural communication is sometimes used interchangeably with cross-cultural communication; and it is simply the engagement of concerted efforts at understanding how people who hail form different cultures perceive, act and communicate in their native environment. Intercultural communication plays important roles in fostering understanding in the case of communication between countries in the global platform. (Griffin, 2000). The focus of this paper will therefore be to demonstrate an example of poor intercultural communication between North Americans and Asians and how it affects the effectiveness of communication between the two cultures. Which are long term such as prospecting for oil or minerals; The Process Culture, which is seen in organizations that have little or lack of feedback altogether and the members of the organization maintain a strict focus on the procedures of executing and achieving targets, and is most evident in bureaucracies, with the main advantage of achieving consistency in results which is necessary in sectors like the public service and this fact effectively serves to undermine the massive red tape and overly cautious nature of these cultures. (Deal Kennedy, 1982). Edgar Schein has however come up with a method of classifying organizational culture, which is more in line with the present organizational set up. He defines organizational culture as the patterns of basic assumptions that are shared within a groups and that were learned in the during the solving of the problems of internal integration and external adaptation by the group, and which have produced reliable results that can be considered valid and have consequentially been taught to new embers as the correct way to feel, think and perceive when attempting to solve such problems. It will be important to outline the importance of intercultural communication in an organizational setting, before the importance of the impact of ineffectiveness of intercultural communication between two different cultures can be fully highlighted. Schein (2005) expounds that culture is the toughest attribute of an organization in view of change, and surpasses all other attributes of the organization such as the physical attributes, services and products, leadership, and founders. Schein states that the deepest cognitive level of the culture of an organization is where tacit assumptions exist. He expounds that these are the unseen cultural elements that are not easily identifiable in interactions between members of an organization on a daily basis. These elements of an organizations culture are often regarded as a taboo to question or discuss. (Schein, 2005). Organizational culture has various roles in the process of change in an organization. A number of methodologies have been proposed to elucidate this role, which include Burman Evans(2008) view that culture is more relate d to leadership than management .They elaborate that when an organization has the principle focus of transforming its culture, recognition has to be accorded to the fact that this project is long term. This is because achieving change in the culture of an organization ids a difficult endeavor that requires the allowing of employees to take adequate time to get used to the new strategies within the organization. Thus the stronger the culture of an organization, the more difficult it becomes to achieve the change. The six guidelines to achieving organizational change, as given by CummingsWorley(2005), are (i) The formulation of a strategic and clear vision,( Cummings Worley,2005, pg.490),(ii) display of commitment at top managerial levels( Cumming Worley, 2005, pg. 490),(iii) modeling of the change in culture at the top managerial levels( Cummings Worley, 2005, pg.491), (iv) organizational modification to aid change (Cummings Worley, 2005, pg.491) , (v) selection and socialization of terminate deviants and newcomers (Cummings Worley, 2005, pg.491) and(vi) development of legal and ethical sensitivity( Cummings Worley,2005, pg.491).In regard to the design of a model with methods and procedures for analyzing diversity in an organization, Taylor Cox, Jr. (2001) gives three types of organizations which adopt a particularly focused approach in regard to development of cultural diversity in the workplace environment. She outlines the monolithic, the plural and the multicultural organizations in t he journal, The Multicultural Organization. The three types of organizations, according to Cox, are distinguished by their level of structural integration, which Cox defines as the presence of employees from different cultural groups in one organization, with the monolithic organization having minimal structural integration. Cox goes further to outline that monolithic organizations in the United States are usually represented by a majority of white male employees with few women and yet fewer individuals who hail from minority racial backgrounds in the managerial jobs in an organization. The plural organization, however, has an improved level of structural organization, having a heterogeneous workforce which includes people from different cultural backgrounds, other than just one dominant group from a particular ethnic background. The multicultural organization however displays the highest levels of workplace diversity, because it not only contains an evenly balanced workforce in ter ms of cultural diversity, but it also has an awareness of and utilization of its culturally diverse workforce for the benefits of the organization. Having sufficiently defined workplace diversity, it becomes paramount to outline its advantages to an organization and therefore point out why organizations should strive to achieve a cultural diverse workforce. Thus in order to implement these analytical results in a cultural diversity training program, it is imperative to outline that people have a higher degree of inclination to do business with organizations that employ a staff that they can relate to either socially, culturally or ethnically. Therefore, the ways in which a cultural diversity program can be implemented in organizations includes the methods that can be employed by organizations in ensuring that they end up with a culturally diverse workforce. Some of these methods are therefore outlined below. Recruitment Post-Hiring Job Placement Recruitment is basically networking with organizations to build strong relationships that go beyond just business relationships. For an organization to achieve workplace diversity, it has to have a well established method of recruitment of diverse talent across the area in which it operates, in most cases the native country or the region in general, but not just in a secluded locality. Most companies recruit through universities and colleges. Others opt to attend regional and local jib fairs , for example, the UNITY conference, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People(NAACP) an the National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications( NAMIC). Serious companies that have a high likelihood of employing a diverse workforce have strategic partnerships with these channels for diversity recruitment that aid them in the hiring of staff with diverse backgrounds, styles, skills, etc.( Fine 2000). Research has also revealed that companies which make heavy use of electronic postings for job vacancies have a high likelihood of having a diverse workforce. Thus the seriousness of companies in the utilization of electronic postings to recruit employees can reveal the extent of diversity that the company has in its staff. Very serious companies have Associate Referral Bonus Programs through which they give cash incentives to employees who refer job seekers to the company, and thus have a high chance of having a diverse workforce. Building Partnerships with Organizations the Community Companies have to recognize that to achieve competitiveness in a global economy; they have to forge relationships with other organizations and community members who have the common interest of promoting diversity. With the growth of the nation in terms of social, racial, ethnic and cultural diversity, organizations have to adapt in this environment and acquire an advanced level of understanding of the need to attain diversity in its workforce. Thus companies have to be actively involved in both local and national associations if they are to identify diverse talent pools from which they can benefit. The companies can also create innovative partnerships with institutions of higher learning so that they attract and increase the number of qualified minority employees in their workforce. In this manner, when they are job vacancies the institutions of higher learning are the first to know, and qualified students have a high chance of being employed by the company, with no predetermined cultural, ethnic or social inclination being a dominant factor in the recruitment process, thus effectively increasing the chances of the company ending up with a diverse workforce. Companies also need to organize outreach luncheons where the members of the community can interact directly with the human resources department representatives. In this manner, a broadcast recruitment process can be extended to the immediate community where the company operates, so that any talent that may benefit the company is obtained, and therefore e increasing the diversity of the workforce. The company can also use local business resource groups in order to solicit for the recruitment of a diverse workforce from the local community. (Cox 2001). Mentoring: Internally Externally Companies can form voluntary mentoring programs, which may operate either formally or informally. These mentoring programs can be established both within the company and in the surrounding community. The programs can be used in helping to assimilate new employees into the company culture, as well as to groom the future leaders of the company. In this manner, the chances of the company losing employees from diverse backgrounds due to their inability to fit into the company culture is significantly reduced, thereby fostering the development of a diverse workforce.(Cox 2001). Given the benefits of having a culturally diverse workforce, organizations should strive to attain workplace diversity, and in light of the disadvantages it may create if not properly managed, make it their priority to seek beneficial ways of managing a culturally diverse workforce In regard to diversity in business, the underlying theory outlines that in a global market place environment, a business, company, form or institution that benefits from the services of a diverse work force is in a better position to understand the demographic factors in the market place environment in which the business operates , and is therefore better placed to exploit its full potential in that environment, than a business which has limited diversity in its workforce. A diverse work force generally consists of employees, both male and female, who are of varying racial and ethnic backgrounds, as well as of different generations. (Fine 2000). Workplace diversity has also been stated as having the potential to improve productivity, employee satisfaction and retention at the workplace. In this regard, it is usually referred to as inclusion, and it deals with how an organization can utilize its diversities for its general improvement. (Fine 2000). Research has also established that despite a diverse workforce, the management of the company also needs to make concerted efforts at exploiting that breadth of wealth in terms of experience and knowledge inherent in the diverse workforce in order to convert this wealth in to monetary benefits to the company. Otherwise, a company with a diverse workforce will just fair as well as one which has a less diverse workforce. Therefore, the focus of this paper is to design an informed and well researched model with methods and procedures for analyzing diversity, and to further elaborate on how these results can be implemented in a cultural diversity training program. Workplace diversity can generally be defined as the extent of cultural mix in an organization; Cultural mix/ diversity includes the different ways through which employees in a workplace environment share a unique identity as a group, including the identity associated with the diversity of race, ethnic age , gender and sexual orientation. The culture of an organization is a determinant of it cultural diversity. (Fine 2000). However, workplace diversity in most senses brings many benefits to an organization. However, C.L Walck (1995) states that there are serious problems that arise from an organization inculcating workplace diversity into its culture, and therefore the responsibility of managing workplace diversity as a resource in an organizations workforce in order to fully exploit its potential to improve an organizations overall performance falls on the organizations management. In the Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, C.L. Walck (1995) states that managing workplace diversit y implies the negotiation of interaction among groups which display different cultural backgrounds, and also contriving to foster understanding and cooperation in a culturally diverse environment. In regard to the design of a model with methods and procedures for analyzing diversity in an organization, Taylor Cox, Jr. (2001) gives three types of organizations which adopt a particularly focused approach in regard to development of cultural diversity in the workplace environment. She outlines the monolithic, the plural and the multicultural organizations in the journal, The Multicultural Organization. The three types of organizations, according to Cox, are distinguished by their level of structural integration, which Cox defines as the presence of employees from different cultural groups in one organization, with the monolithic organization having minimal structural integration. Cox goes further to outline that monolithic organizations in the United States are usually represented by a majority of white male employees with few women and yet fewer individuals who hail from minority racial backgrounds in the managerial jobs in an organization. The plural organization, however, has an improved level of structural organization, having a heterogeneous workforce which includes people from different cultural backgrounds, other than just one dominant group from a particular ethnic background. The multicultural organization however displays the highest levels of workplace diversity, because it not only contains an evenly balanced workforce in terms of cultural diversity, but it also has an awareness of and utilization of its culturally diverse workforce for the benefits of the organization. Having sufficiently defined workplace diversity, it becomes paramount to outline its advantages to an organization and therefore point out why organizations should strive to achieve a cultural diverse workforce. An international incident that posed potentially dangerous consequences across the world was witnessed some years back between the United Sates and China; with its primary cause being poor intercultural communication between the two countries. The incident was initiated on the 1st of April, 2001 by the collision of a surveillance plane belonging to the U.S navy with a fighter jet belonging to the Chinese. The collision occurred over the South China Sea, which is considered an international air space. The EP-3 surveillance and electronic warfare U.S. plane was extensively damaged, but due to the skillfulness of there, they managed to safely land the plane at an airbase in China. The Chinese military later declared their fighter jet and its pilot missing, and proceeded to detain the crew members of the U.S. plane; who were 24 in number. The two countries were later unable to reach a consensus on the cause of the collision and resolved to blame each other. In the days that followed, U.S and Chinese officials held a series of contentious negotiations to resolve the incident, with the U.S. officials trying to negotiate the release of the crew, and the Chinese officials demanding an acceptance of liability and a formal apology for the incident from the U.S. The U.S. flatly refused to yield to this demand and blamed the incident on the Chinese pilot. Pressure was meanwhile mounting on the then U.S. President, George Bush to secure the immediate release of the detained U.S crew. In the face of mounting pressure, the then Secretary of State, Colin Powell, issued a statement on April 4 expressing regret over the incident and the subsequent disappearance of the Chinese fighter jet and its pilot. The Chinese officials acknowledged the good faith in which the statement was issued, but simply summed it up as a move in the right direction and issued fresh demands for an apology. On April 8, Colin Powell and the then U.S vice president, Dick Cheney, issued a statement expressing sorrow at the disappearance of the Chinese pilot, but dismissed Chinas demands for an apology. On the same day, they wrote a sympathy letter to the wife of the pilot. Once again, the Chinese rejected these efforts and reiterated their demands for an apology. On April 10, the U.S. officials appeared to have been pushed to the corner and issued a statement declaring that President Bush was willing to write a letter of regret over the incident to the Chinese and an issue an adjoining statement admitting the unpermitted landing of the U.S. plane in Chinese territory. Nevertheless, the Chinese did not burge and still demanded an apology. Eventually, on April 11, the United States wrote a letter to the Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs specifically asking him to convey to the Chinese people and to the family of pilot Wang Wei that we are very sorry for their loss. The later further stated that We are very sorry the entering of Chinas airspace and the landing did not have verbal clearance. However, the actual word apology was not anywhere to be seen in the letter. But the Chinese official who were charged with communicating the contents of the letter to the Chinese people chose to translate the words very sorry, which appeared twice in the letter, to shenbiao qianyi , A Chinese statement that implies a deep apologetic expression and is only used when one is accepting liability for wrong doing and its consequences. Based solely on the translation of this letter, the Chinese released the U.S. crew. One thing that clearly emerged from this incident is that it was a matter of what the U.S. chose to say and what the Chinese chose to hear that ended this impasse. This matter was resolved by the exploitation of the loss of meaning inherent in translation from one language to another by the United States officials who were involved in the negotiations. Bates Gill, the North East Asian Policy Studies director at Brookings Institution states that U.S.negotiators have in the past exploited the use of such words as acknowledge which upon translation stand for to recognize or admit, so that the Chinese can take such words to mean an admission of guilt, when this is not really the case. (Griffin, 2000). There are several cultural differences between the Chinese an Americans, which has necessitate the need to develop a meaningful intercultural communication network so as to foster understanding between these two countries with the ultimate aim of creating a better relationship between the two countries. The benefits of an effective intercultural communication network include, but are not limited to creation of healthier communities, reduced friction and conflict, improved international, regional and local commerce and increased tolerance which results into personal growth. (Griffin, 2000). The cultural differences between the two countries that necessitates the employment of effective intercultural communication networks. Some differences particularly in the societal and institutional organization of American and Chinese societies that significantly played a role in the development of the highlighted incident to the stated proportions include; ethnic culture, whereby the Chinese are generally a reclusive people, preferring to mind their own business and center their cultural values in building of healthy relationships with each other at individual level. They keep to themselves and isolate strangers, while Americans are individualistic and do not believe in strong cultural ties and generally operate under an attitude of saving the world and thus meddle in all affairs unfolding around them. In terms of source of trust, the Chinese believe in trusting the people who surround them and dread losing credibility as a result of failure to live up to oral agreements. The Ameri cans on the other hand, belie in trusting the terms of the contractual agreement and not the people they deal with. Their only fear is getting into legal hassles as a result of contravening the contract, and show little respect for oral agreements. (Griffin, 2000). In terms of business culture, the Chinese are genially clumsy in their communication and operate with quietness and reservation when doing business. The Americans are the exact opposite; being effective and eloquent communicators who are in most senses very outspoken. In regard to the style of negotiation, the Chinese make group decisions, but the final decision lies with the boss. Americans believe in the giving of more individual authority to the stake holders, with the decision making process evenly distributed among the major players. When it comes to dealing with business counterparts, the Chinese are courteous and deal with their clients at a personal level, such that if there is a breach of contract then arising issues are taken up strongly, with the bad experiences being committed to long term memory. Americans, on the other hand, keep it strictly business, and adopt a matter-of-factly approach. They are also always willing to negotiate with the enemy so long as there is something to gain. (Griffin,2000).Finally, the Chinese exhibit a serious weakness in the ability to make quick decisions in the heat of the moment, while their American counterparts have a strong sense of resolving serious issues as they present themselves. (Griffin, 2000). Being that the negotiations for the release of the detained U.S. crew was taking place between officials representing two countries, it was very necessary that careful and appropriate diplomatic approaches be employed, lest the situation get out of hand. Therefore the choice to use letters to communicate official positions presented an appropriate communications device. Letters, as communication devices, are effective in that in they leave no room for ambiguity and contention. They are also formal and can be easily stored and retrieved fro reference in case a clarification is required. An appropriate communication theory that was at play in these negotiations was the stand point theory which outlines that knowledge, communication behaviors and individual experiences are largely under the influence of the social groups to which they belong. (Gudykunst, 2003).This is because by carefully exploiting the loss in meaning due to translation of words from one social setting to another, the United States officials who negotiated the release of the U.S. crew managed to establish a delicate balance between yielding into the demands of the Chinese, and maintaining the sovereignty of the United States through avoiding being arm-twisted into issuing a public apology to China. Had this issue not been resolved amicably, the situation could have rapidly degenerated to unimaginable proportions. This is an example of how effective intercultural communication can play important roles in achievement and maintenance of good diplomatic relations in the face of a potential crisis. References. Burman, R. Evans, A.J. (2008) Target Zero: A Culture of safety, Defence Aviation Safety Centre Journal, 34 (2), 22-27. Retrieved, 10 March, 2010, fromhttp://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/849892B2D6D24DFDB5BD9A4F288A9B18/0/DASCJournal2008.pdf Charles, W.L. Gareth, R.J.(2001). Strategic Management. New York: Houghton Mifflin. Cox, Jr., Taylor (2001). The Multicultural Organization. Academy of Management Executive, 5(2), 34-47. Cummings, Thomas G. Worley, Christopher G. (2005), Organization Development and Change. New York: Thomson South-Western. Deal T. E. and Kennedy, A. A. (1982) Corporate Cultures: The Rites and Rituals of Corporate Life. Massachusetts: Penguin Books. Huczynski, A. and Buchanan, D.A. (2007). Organizational Behaviour: an Introductory Text. Michigan: Prentice Hall. Montana, P., and Charnov, B. (2008). Management. New York: Hauppauge. Schein, E.H. (2005). Organizational Culture and Leadership. New Jersey: Jossey-Bass. Fine, Marlene G.(2000). Cultural Diversity in the Workplace: The State of the Field. Journal of Business Communication, 33(4), 485-502. Griffin, E. (2000). A First Look at Communication Theory. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill. Gudykunst, William B. (2003), Intercultural Communication Theories, in: Gudykunst, William B (ed.), Cross-Cultural and Intercultural Communication, 1(3), 167-189. Huczynski, A. and Buchanan, D.A. (2007). Organizational Behaviour: an Introductory Text. Michigan: Prentice Hall. Montana, P., and Charnov, B. (2008). Management. New York: Hauppauge. Walck, C.L. (1995). Editors introduction: Diverse approaches to managing diversity. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 3(1), 119-123. The Movie: The Devils Advocate The Movie: The Devils Advocate I had a chance to watch the movie The Devils Advocate that was directed by Taylor Hackford and released in 1997. This movie is one of the best films that have some deep theology over the doctrine of God and the philosophical problem of evil. In fact, the problem of evil has been discussed over the long centuries, and the debate still rages on today. After watching the show I really got thinking whether I am on a right way in my life and reconsider my life priorities. Basically, the film is about the law company run by John Milton who represents the Satan. I believe that the author chooses the lawyers as the main characters intentionally because they have this power to judge the others and decide on the lives of the accused. The show reveals different kinds of issues that all humans from different parts of the world struggle. Also, the movie proves how sin leads to falling and destroys the human life. The most interesting thing is that in the show it is presented as the Satans plan. However, there are certain moments where it is obvious that the humans have a choice and go for sinful one. What is so dangerous about the humans? Why are we always destroying ourselves and the world around us? The answer cannot be simple explained by the original sin and human weakness. Actually, the reason is the loss of ethics and concerns for the others. People obsessed with vanity, greed, lust and the list can be continued. The reason is that they merely violate the Ten Commandments written in the Old Testament, or put it differently, Gods law. The illustration of vanity is an episode when John Milton asks whether it would not be better to take care of wife and give up one case. Kevin Lomax responds that You know what scares me? I quit the case, she gets better and I hate her for it. I dont want to resent her, John, Ive got a winner here. Ive got to nail this fucker down, do it fast, and put it behind me. Just get it done. Then put all my energy into her ( The Devils Advocate (1997) Memorable quotes, n.d.). It is worth to admit that this choice is the significant moment that led to the ruin of Kevins family and life. Therefore, this passage highlights basic, fundamental beliefs at play. This is a great example of how fast the humans get possessed with power and exchange biblical moral beliefs to follow fleeting sinful desires. It seems that with each step we take away from these beliefs, we each step become closer to true evil. The strongest point in the show is presented by Kevin Lomax who asks, Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven, is that it?( The Devils Advocate (1997) Memorable quotes, n.d.). Then, John Milton responds, Why not? Im here on the ground with my nose in it since the whole thing began. Ive nurtured every sensation mans been inspired to have. I cared about what he wanted and I never judged him. Why? Because I never rejected him. In spite of all his imperfections, Im a fan of man! Im a humanist. Maybe the last humanist. (The Devils Advocate (1997) Memorable quotes., n.d.). This approaches to the doctrine of God. I mean that God has integrity; he is truthful. God is concerned for the welfare of those whom He loves for their best interest. God has unconditional love and unselfish interest in us for our sake. As in the Bible John 3:16, For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. In contrast, Satan always hated the humans from the existence. The problem of evil challenges Christian faith, but we should not forget that the Lord promises us the blessing in our life, and all we need just obey and be faithful to God. Even though all people are sinners as we are born with it, God is generous to us because in his plan he gives us a chance for redemption and salvation. I remember from the class lectures that, according to Augustinian theodicy, there is no evil but the lack of good. God created us as good beings in His image. However, we have a free will, and we have to make the choices that will define our life, our surrounding, our ethics, our relationships, and our faith. When the humans put themselves over the Creator, we separate from God even if He loves us. I see that in the choice that God gives us we have to take responsibility for our actions. As a matter of fact, this responsibility is repentance. What worldview is assumed in the show? The show The Devils Advocate paints a clear picture of different worldviews with its consequences. Some have faith in the government or in a hope for world peace. Others have faith in their money, their education or their employment; however, it can all let them down. Our health can fail, we can lose our job, and we can end a meaningful relationship with someone we care about. In contrast, I am convinced that all of those things are temporal, and they can be changed. I am a believer, and I agree that only Christian worldview produces a way of living that is fruitful and creative. There is no doubt that the Christian faith makes sense in this world that has lost its moral. I believe that the truth is absolute, and it can only be understood by submitting to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. We all live by faith. To sum up, I have to say that I really enjoyed the movie because it made me to think what is really destroying our world, and what our part in creating better future is. We should start from the choices we make every day. Gods will do not have power unless we allow evil to seep in our hearts.

Autobiography †What life means to me? Essay

I was born on 28th of April 1991. I started my education from a nearby primary school called Ladybird. I was living with my parents, three brothers and my sister. At the age of 5 I was in class 1 in Toronto School of Academic Excellence. In 1996 I had an outstanding vacation to Canada for 2 months. We liked it so much that we visited to Canada again in 1998 and 2000. What life means to me? â€Å"In the end, it’s not going to matter how many breaths you took, but how many moments took your breath away†. â€Å"When life gives you a hundred reasons to cry, show life that you have a thousand reasons to smile†. Unforgettable Moments Some memories are unforgettable. I have two moments to share. One of them is a happy moment whilst the other one is sad. However I will share the sad one first so I can end my autobiography with a happy ending. It was about one of the most burning hot afternoon, the temperature would have been around 35 to 40 degree centigrade. I was with my brother in the car, and my dad was sitting on a bench across the street, outside the AGA Khan Hospital. My mom was in the hospital for a routine check up. I wanted to go to my dad across the street. As my brother was sleeping in the car, I decided to go by myself. I could see my dad talking to a person next to him. I was only 7 years old. As I was young and immature, without looking right and left, I started crossing the road and headed towards my dad impatiently. When I was only half way across unexpectedly I heard tires screeching and felt a sudden rush of pain coming from my legs. It happened all so quickly. Within a jiffy I was laying flat on the street crowded by dozens of people. When I gained consciousness I saw my mom crying and sitting beside me in the car and holding me in her arms. I saw my feet covered with by mom’s blood soaked scarf. The first hospital we went to said that they couldn’t do anything because it was a police case. Due to lack of time and excessive bleeding from my feet and bruises on my head, we couldn’t wait for the police so they told us to go to another hospital that do not have stringent rules about police case victims. So my dad drove as fast as he could. He was driving through the hot dry wind. And the frigid wind screamed across the wilderness. Finally, we got there on time and the doctors bandaged my feet and cleaned up my bruises. I was ordered to have three days of bed rest. My brother got told off, as he ought to have taken care of me. But still my dad calmed down after looking at me. I felt sorry for my brother and I knew it was entirely my fault. I learned a lesson in this incident that â€Å"never cross the road without someone older than you or if you are mature enough then you should look around before crossing the road. Well that was the bad part. Now it’s time for the good part. I don’t really remember when this happened as it is a bit of a blur in my memory but still I managed to remember the gist of it. It was before my ninth birthday. When my dad took me to the market to buy some groceries. When we were going inside the grocery shop, the bicycle shop next to it caught my eyes. I was crazy about bikes. When I saw my dad busy buying groceries, I sneaked outside and started exploring the different bikes and their advanced mechanisms like their smooth brakes. I just could not get my hands off those bikes as, I had always dreamed of having one. I started to visualize myself with each one of those bikes, riding swiftly down the streets, smashing through the autumn breeze. I was so engrossed in my day dreaming that I didn’t hear what the shopkeeper said but his interruption broke the chain of my dreams. I asked the shopkeeper how much would the bike cost to which he instantly replied â€Å"18000 rupees†. I started to wonder that this was too expensive and would take a lot of my months pocket money to get to 18000 rupees and probably by that time I would not have so much of a crave for those bikes. I was so disappointed that I left the shop without saying a word. I went back to the grocery shop and started looking for my dad. A voice came from behind â€Å"Salman I am behind you†. I ran towards him excitedly. I wanted to tell him about the bikes but I thought to myself that they are too expensive. I should just let them go. Looking at my facial expression, my dad asked me â€Å"what’s wrong do you want to say something son? † I sighed, and said â€Å"No it’s ok†. We walked back home together and I was quiet for most of the journey, still imagining those fascinating bikes. The next morning when I woke up my mom wished me happy birthday and hugged me. There was no one at home. My brother and sister had already left for school and my dad was at work. I waited for them to come back so I could cut my chocolate cake topped with cherry and vanilla icing. It looked so delicious. I just could not wait to get a mouth full of the soft chocolate. Everyday my dad used to be home by six in the evening but for some reason he was late. I waited for him anxiously so that I could cut my cake and open up my presents. Finally he was home at seven and surprisingly he was not alone. He had bought me the same bike. I could not believe my eyes. I was completely gob smacked. I stood there for a couple of minutes staring at the bike. It seemed too good to be true. I was jumping all around with excitement. After I had released my excitement, I started to look at my dad and I tried to work out â€Å"how he knew that I wanted this bike†. I was still thinking about it when he started to answer my thought by saying â€Å"I saw you at the bicycle shop and I was very aware of your passion for bicycles† I was completely astonished that he even knew what I was thinking just by reading my face. He continued saying that â€Å"Parents always know about their children’s needs†. I thought â€Å"that just explains it all†. It was the best birthday I ever had. These are some of the moments I wanted to share with everyone. I can’t forget these two episodes of my life. They play a very important part in my life.

High Schools Students Essay

No Child Left Behind mandates placed tremendous pressure on schools throughout the country to succeed in helping our students achieve. School leaders are spending time and money to find ways to improve their schools. Many leaders have chosen to restructure their everyday scheduling format. Schools need to explore if this is beneficial or not. The purpose of this study is to determine if block scheduling has an effect on student achievement of high school students who are enrolled in block scheduling classes versus those enrolled in traditional classes. The block format will consist of four 90-minute classes. The traditional format will consist of six 50 minutes classes. To examine student achievement, the researcher will explore three critical areas. They are academic achievement, student discipline, and student attendance. The sample population will consist of students, teachers and administrators. The students of this population will be students enrolled at a high school that uses the block format and students enrolled at a high school that uses the traditional format. To examine academic achievement, only students who have completed their 11th grade year and taken the social studies portion of the Georgia High School Graduation Test will be used. To examine discipline and attendance, the teachers, administrators and some students will be randomly selected. The case study will consist of interview questionnaires and data from the students’ records to determine if there is a difference with block scheduling compared to traditional scheduling. The research will explain and explore if block scheduling versus traditional scheduling is a wise decision for school leaders throughout the country. CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1. 1 Statement of Problem It is no secret that schools in the United States have come under much fire lately for their failure to meet the basic educational needs of students. Globally, students in the United States lag far behind those of other countries. Education reform is a catch phrase on the lips of politicians and educational researchers alike. Dobbs reports that in a global math skills test, the United States ranked 24th out of 29 wealthy, industrialized countries. Approximately 5500 students in 262 high schools were studied; their poor performance suggests a widening gap between US students and their counterparts in Europe and Asia (Dobbs, M. , 2004). In addition an International Math & Science Study reported the high school seniors were out-performed by 90% of other tested nations in math and by 76% in science (Hodges, 2003). In reading, students are equally unprepared. The Alliance for Excellent Education reports that nearly 6 million middle and high school students do not read at grade level. In addition, over half the students entering college scored at unacceptable levels on college entrance exams in reading, and these trends seem to cross gender and racial lines (Aratani, 2006). The current debate about school reform came in response to the report, A Nation at Risk (2004) which made the above statistics and their implications public to the nation. The National Commission on Excellence in Education remarked that if a foreign power had attempted to impose our current education performance on any nation, it would have been deemed an act of war. In a nutshell, schools in America were characterized as failed systems (Finn, 1997). The No Child Left Behind Act (NCBLA) by the current Bush Administration is one of the most groundbreaking educational reforms in years. Approved by Congress in December 2001 and signed into law on January 8, 2002, this legislation expanded the federal government’s role in the operation of public schools and imposed new obligations on all school districts. The NCLBA’s basic reform principles feature stronger accountability of the schools, administrators and teachers, increased flexibility and local control of funds from the federal government, expanded options for parents in choosing schools, and an increased emphasis on successful teaching methods (No Child Left Behind Act, 2001). Policymakers are also accountable not just for the enhanced consumer satisfaction of the parents who have an active role in school choice, but also for the overall improvement of opportunity and performance for students who have only a limited role in school choice (Leckrone & Griffith, 2006). To combat these downward trends and to provide for the new obligations and standards in the NCLBA, public education reform has turned to a revision of the structure of the school day. This included changing the schedules from a traditional six or seven period day which consisted of 45 to 55 minute classes that met daily for an entire school year to a block schedule. Block schedules take many forms, but basically, the class times per period doubles to about 90 minutes each and the number of classes taken is reduced from six or seven to four per semester. 1. 2 Statement of Purpose Since the trend toward block scheduling began several years ago, and reports have been mixed as to whether block scheduling has been beneficial or deleterious in solving some of the problems of US high schools. Many factors are involved when it comes to student achievement. These include, among other things, school climate, teaching practices, familial support, motivation and resources. This study seeks to determine the effectives of block scheduling on the academic performance of high school students with regard to the discipline, attendance and test scores. 1. 3 Definitions For the purposes of this study, the following definitions will be used: †¢ 4 x 4 Block Scheduling – Four classes, approximately ninety minutes in length, every day for the first semester. Four completely different classes, again ninety minutes in length, every day for the second semester. Each class equals one credit (The Change Process and Alternative Scheduling, 1996). †¢ A/B Block Scheduling – Four classes, approximately ninety minutes in length, meeting every other day (â€Å"A† days) for an entire school year. Four completely different classes, again ninety minutes in length, meeting on alternate days (â€Å"B† days) for an entire year. Each class equals one credit (The Change Process and Alternative Scheduling, 1996). †¢ Combination Block Schedule – A combination of 4 x 4 and A/B block schedules (The Change Process and Alternative Scheduling, 1996). †¢ Flexible Schedule – A combination of 4 x 4 and A/B block schedules, but class length varies from day to day. One example: On three out of every five days throughout the school year, each class could be 90 minutes in length. On the other two days, designated as Advisement/Resource Days, each class is 75 minutes in length. An Advisement/Resource Hour is 60 minutes in length (The Change Process and Alternative Scheduling, 1996). †¢ Traditional Format – six (or more) 50-minutes classes per day †¢ FMS – the Flexible Modular System designed by J. Lloyd Trump which introduced alternative scheduling options and provided for differing times for classes depending on the needs of the student and the content of the particular course. †¢ GHSGT – The Georgia High School Graduation Test which must be passed by all seniors in public high schools in Georgia. †¢ Carnegie Unit – 120 hours of class or contact time with an instructor over the course of a year at the secondary school level †¢ No Child Left Behind Act – NCLBA, 2001 legislation which tightened federal control over the standards and processes of American public schools. 1. 4 Assumptions of the Study This study assumes that all schools and students and teachers polled are enrolled or teaching in schools that follow the typical formats discussed above, that they have no previously diagnosed mental disabilities or learning problems and that the school is not participating in any additional enrichment programs which may distort the results of the study. 1. 5 Significance of the Study This study is important for anyone interested in improving education in American high schools. This study is significant in that it provides to the body of research that determine a) if the block scheduling concept is perceived by teachers and students as efficient and advantageous and b) if the block scheduling concept is actually responsible for improved academic achievement based upon variable factors of attendance, disciplinary records, and achievement test scores. 1. 6 Limitations of the Study This study is limited by the existence of several variables which cannot be tested by these researchers or that cannot be completely controlled. First, the research obtained is limited to those participants who willingly elect to complete the surveys and questionnaires in their entirety. All personal data to be collected is limited by the veracity of the respondents. Because of the small scope of the research, it is difficult to statistically proportion the number of respondents from necessary categories such as gender, race, income level, and college plans. It can also not take into account existing problems in the schools unrelated to scheduling such as teacher turnover, violence, etc. 1. 7 Summary The problems faced by high schools in the United States are wide-ranging and diverse. No one change will provide an instant cure for all that ails the education system. The NCLBA mandates and the general demise of educational achievement has prompted several new methods of teaching, administrating and funding education in America. The issue of scheduling may hold promise as to improving some aspects of academic performance. CHAPTER TWO REVIEW of the LITERATURE 2. 1 Historical Background of Block Scheduling Students of the 20th century spent nearly all of their high school time in 45 to 55 minute class periods, six or seven classes a day. During the 1960s, some experimental ideas emerged, notable the model of J. Lloyd Trump, who proposed creating classes of varying lengths depending upon the course. Science courses with lab requirements could meet for 100 minutes while lectures could be scheduled for 40 minutes and tutorials for 20 minutes. This system was called the Flexible Modular System (FMS). Later, a similar type of scheduling was dubbed the Copernican Plan which resulted in a reported benefit of improved graduation rates (Carroll, 1995). The plan gives students an extra chance each year to pass a semester class that they may have failed. In 1984, John Goodlad warned education leaders that the traditional school structure spends way too much time on six or seven class changes and does not allow â€Å"for individualized instruction, for extended laboratory work, or for remediation and enrichment† (Queen, 2000). Eventually, the extreme flexibility of time produced discipline issues, scheduling headaches and teacher planning problems, and FMS’s popularity began to wane (Dobbs, W. , 1998) Nonetheless, the importance of this system has not been overlooked, and it is generally regarded as the precursor to the modern block scheduling system. Tradition has always played a role in high school scheduling. The Carnegie Unit became a standard for determining a students required yearly course load. Most critics of the traditional system likened the Carnegie Unit to simply amassed seat time (Canady and Rettig, 1995). This point was reiterated in the National Education Commission on Time and Learning’s publication of A Prisoner of Time. It states that Learning in America is a prisoner of time. For the past 150 years, American public schools have held time constant and let learning vary. The rule, only rarely voiced, is simple: learn what you can in the time we make available. It should surprise no one that some bright, hardworking students do reasonably well. Everyone else—from the typical student to the dropout—runs into trouble. Time is learning’s warden. (National Education Commission on Time and Learning, 1994, p. 7) â€Å"The pace is grueling† (Irmsher, 1996). A student will spend nearly seven hours a day in seven to nine locations pursuing seven to nine different lessons and activities which produces an impersonal and inefficient approach to instruction. â€Å"The pace is grueling† (Irmsher, 1996). Unfortunately, many administrators, teachers and parents resisted any type of change to the system that they had experienced themselves. This resistance was challenged with the report A Nation At Rise was published in 1983 which revealed the American educational system was not up to par with international systems. Thus, restructuring schools became a focus in improving educational achievement (Queen, 2000). 2. 2 Summary of Current Knowledge and Theory Relevant to Block Scheduling 2. 2. 1 Overview of Perceived Advantages to Block Scheduling Several researchers (Dobbs, W. , 1998; Hurley, 1997; Zepeda, 1999; Staunton, 1997; Staunton and Adams, 1997; Pisapia, and Westfall, 1997; and Eineder and Bishop, 1997) reported the following perceived strengths and advantages by both students and teachers to block scheduling: †¢ Increased teacher preparation time (in both teams and as individuals). †¢ Double the class time for certain core subjects such as language arts and math. †¢ Half as many students for teachers per semester †¢ Additional elective class choice for 9th grade students; more choices for upperclassmen, including options of Advanced Placement and other higher level coursework †¢ More time for completion of labs, incorporating technology, class trips, and other various applications of learned material †¢ Improved school climate and decreased disciplinary referrals †¢ More time to do homework and for guided practice under the direction of the teacher †¢ Improved academic achievement by students †¢ Ability of students to accumulate enough credits to graduate early. †¢ More one-on-one time between teachers and students In general, surveyed students liked the block scheduling. They claimed to be getting better grades, to have time for more in-depth study, and got more attention from the teachers. They said their lives were less stressed and they liked having a fresh start each semester. Nearly all students asked said they would not want to return to the traditional schedule. One of the greatest effects of the 4 x 4 schedule is that students report having less homework. Of the 37 students interviewed, 20 said they had less homework, 7 said they had more, and 6 said they had about the same. If you don’t like the teacher, you don’t have to deal with him all year, or if you don’t like the subject. When the semester ends, it’s like a new school year. You’re not bogged down. Clearly, these students reaped academic benefits from the change to the 4 x 4 schedule. Both college preparatory and general students reported they were learning more and receiving more individual attention (Hurley, 1997). Surveyed teachers indicated that they enjoyed lecturing less and spending more time one-on-one with students. Teachers teaching in block scheduling used more of a team approach and allowed them to experiment more in the classroom (Staunton, 1997; Staunton and Adams, 1997). Teachers also reported that their teaching methods and practices changed as block scheduling was implemented. They used a wider array of strategies and activities. In one Florida study of over forty high schools on block scheduling, â€Å"forty percent of the teachers reported less stress at school, one-third reported increased common planning time, and 80 percent noted that they preferred the block schedule to their previous schedule† (Deuel, 1999). There seem to be several perceived advantages associated with block scheduling. 2. 2. 2 Overview of Perceived Disadvantages to Block Scheduling Several researchers (Dobbs, W. , 1998; Hurley, 1997; Zepeda, 1999; Staunton, 1997; Staunton and Adams, 1997; Pisapia, and Westfall, 1997; and Eineder and Bishop, 1997) reported the following perceived weaknesses and disadvantages by both students and teachers to block scheduling: †¢ Additional costs in hiring teachers. †¢ Additional costs in adding space for teachers or the need for teachers to ‘travel’ which means he has no permanent classroom †¢ Difficulty in making up work from absences because missing one day equivalent to missing two classes †¢ Some classes clearly benefit from meeting every day (i. e. performing arts classes) †¢ Need for teachers to commit to using new teaching methods †¢ Ninety minutes is a long time to hold the attention of students †¢ Uneven schedules in which the harder classes all end up lumped into one semester making it too difficult and the next semester too easy. †¢ The possibility that there will be a long gap in between sequential courses if they are not taken in back-to-back semesters. The primary disadvantage given by surveyed students is that the classes are too long. Students particularly gave this as a weakness when their teachers lectured for nearly all of the time period. Others noted that â€Å"bad classes are really bad when they are held for 90 minutes† (Hurley, 1997). Surveyed teachers voiced concerns about interruptions of sequential material from one semester to the next and consistency issues with students. However, teacher opinion seemed to be mixed about this issue. Some foreign language teachers feared a sequential break between levels (Scheduling Foreign Languages on the Block, 1998). Other researchers found that some schools actually showed an increase in foreign language test scores because students could take level I and level II courses in back-to-back semesters (Schoenstein, 1996). Some teachers felt more comfortable with the lecture approach and had little comfort with experimentation of teaching methods (Staunton, 1997; Staunton and Adams, 1997). 2. 2. 3 Actual Advantages to Block Scheduling via Research Studies. A Temple University study found that block scheduling had distinct advantages in academic achievement. Students who made the honor roll at the three schools studied rose from 22% to 31%. SAT scores rose by an average of 14 points. In addition, the number of detentions declined while student attendance increased (Evans, Tokarczyk and Rice, 2000). Most recently, a 2006 study indicated a variety of advantages to block scheduling. Five Connecticut high schools were studied to determine what, if any, positive outcomes would result. The researchers used test scores and surveys as a means of data collection from school guidance counselors, teachers, administrators and students. The study found that gains in math rose significantly over a two year period, achievement test score averages rose in a statistically significant manner over three years, and PSAT and SAT scores increased within the first three years but then leveled off. (Wilcox, 2006). This study is one of the few longitudinal studies available. This study also stressed the importance of time as a factor in determining the success of block scheduling. â€Å"Almost all of the results which indicated significant differences were shown after two or more years† (Wilcox, 2006). Clearly some time is necessary in order for students and teachers to become accustomed to the changes. Some of the school studies Wilcox (2006) examined had been operating on a block schedule for as long as ten years. Unfortunately, not all the schools had baseline data for years before the block schedule or had opened with a block schedule. The study further stresses the level of support by the staff can be a determining factor as to the success of any type of block scheduling, which seems to correlate, at least on surface examination of the results, with training procedures and teacher confidence. 2. 2. 4 Actual Disadvantages to Block Scheduling via Research Studies A University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill study studied achievement in reading and mathematics of students in a high school which ran a tri-schedule. This schedule consisted of a traditional schedule, a 4 x 4 schedule and hybrid schedules which all operated in the same single school. The NC state mandated tests in reading, language and math were used to determine achievement. For reading and language test results, there was no statistically significant difference based on the types of schedules. There was, however, a statistically significant difference in math computation subtest. The traditional schedule saw slightly higher scores in understanding and retention of mathematical computation for tenth grade students. Thus, this study â€Å"supports the importance of daily instruction and contact time to student achievement in mathematics as distinct from other academic skills† (Veal and Shreiber, 1999). Another study tested students in the Wilmington area of North Carolina. It, too, found that students on traditional schedules scored higher on tests of algebra, English, biology and history than did students on a block schedule (Lawrence and McPherson, 2000). 2. 2. 5 Studies that were Inconclusive in Determining the Efficacy of Block Scheduling in Increasing Academic Achievement. A third North Carolina study, this one undertaken by the Department of Public Instruction, compared End-Of-Course (EOC) test scores in five areas (English I, Algebra I, Biology I, US History, and Economic, Legal and Political Systems (ELP)). It sample scores from schools that operated on block schedules and on traditional schedules for 1993 to 1996. It mentions at the outset that the first schools to adopt block schedules in NC were those that had lower achievement scores to begin with. These schools’ scores were adjusted for the purpose of this study. The overall results were inconclusive. Some blocked schools showed some improvement in some years but then lower scores in other years. â€Å"At present, there are essentially no significant differences between groups of blocked and corresponding non-blocked school groups in terms of student performance in state EOC Tests† (North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, 1997).