How Can College Students Manage Their Money Essay

How Can College Students Manage Their Money - Essay Example A student should also be able to separate wants from needs and prioritize the most significant things. â€Å"Scholarships.com† explains that a good plan must be put into action after identifying the differences between wants and needs (Web). Understanding wants and needs helps in tracking a student’s spending and making sure that a student has sufficient resources in the event of an emergency and enhances making informed money management decisions. Moreover, a student may opt for a checking account that reduces fees on withdrawals or fund transfer and therefore shopping around to find a bank with convenient ATM’s near campus may hugely reduce some unnecessary costs. Just in line with the banking, a student should be able to keep an eye on the account balance before spending against it thus reducing cases where a student budgets for money that is perhaps not existing. Additionally, most students misuse credit cards hence attracting dangerous financial position.   Many students currently use credit cards in carrying out their transactions thus making it easier to amass a large amount of debt while in college. A student should go easy with the credit cards and understand that the easiest way of spending beyond one’s means is charging the credit card (â€Å"Scholarships.com† Web). Students should, therefore, use credit cards sparingly and avoid paying interest on even simple things such as on a bag of chips.

Animals Shouldnt Be Kept in Zoos Essay Example for Free

Animals Shouldnt Be Kept in Zoos Essay The social network, Facebook is unnecessary worldwide for people under the age of 18 because there many people who are being exposed to atrocities through Facebook. If you are under the age of 18 you also have high risk of becoming prevalent to cyber bulling and many people under this age are not taking action when they are being bullied or when they view it; and a large percentage of people that use Facebook are under the legal age. Facebook is the worst social networking site for internet trolling, and bullying is now more prevalent online than anywhere else. Research has stated (daily mail. com, Damien Gayle, 2013) that 87 per cent of teenagers who reported cyber abuse said they were targeted on Facebook. Facebook is the worst social networking site for internet trolling, and bullying is now more online than anywhere else. Bullying on-line continues to be a serious problem for a huge number of teenagers and we cannot ignore its often devastating and tragic effects. When teenagers are bullied many of them try to hide it and decide not to tell anyone. Research states that this is mainly because they scared, nervous, don’t want to be teased or don’t want to act as if it is a problem. Emma-Jane Cross, CEO and founder of the charity BeatBullying, said many young people were suffering because of cyber bulling in silence. However, hundreds of young people are being cyber-bullied or trolled so badly that it can lead to depression, truancy, self-harm, or even force them to contemplate or attempt suicide. This is a real problem Around 7. 5 million (out of the 20 million on Facebook) are under the legal age of 13. Even more troubling, more than five million Facebook users were 10 years old or younger, and they were allowed to use Facebook largely without parental supervision leaving them vulnerable to threats ranging from malware to sexual predators. It is absolutely inconceivable that a pre-teen would have the ability or patience to go through the existing maze of settings to be able to make their Facebook account private enough to ensure protection from unwanted approaches, spam and exploitation of their personal pictures and content. In saying this, so many people are using Facebook and are posting private picture, addresses and birth date. A study shows Schools, teachers and cyber safety experts, are trying very hard to educate teens about their longer term digital identity and online behaviour. But again, as my previous post suggests, it appears that many parents are simply not taking responsibility for their childrens online behaviour. Some seem unaware of the potential online dangers that their children can face daily. This can be partly due to schools not publicizing the constant stream of incidents. Or maybe its because their own children are keeping quiet even when harassed for fear of being banned and ostracised by their peers.

Law of Contract Essay -- Papers

Law of Contract Michelle is at University, studying to be a veterinary surgeon. David, a close family friend is also a veterinary surgeon. Whilst away at University, Michelle received a letter from David, saying that he was due to retire in a few weeks' time and that he wondered whether she would be interested in buying his veterinary equipment for the bargain price of 500 pounds. His letter asked for a prompt reply as a junior partner in his veterinary practice was also interested in buying the equipment, albeit at a higher price. Upon receipt of David's letter, Michelle decided that she would like to buy, but she would need to borrow the money. In order to speed matters up, she then wrote to David expressing a firm interest, but asking if he would be prepared to accept payment by instalments. Her letter got lost in the post and was never received by David Not having heard from David, Michelle arranged a bank loan and then posted a second letter, enclosing a cheque for 500 pounds. This letter did arrive, but by this time, David had assumed that she was not interested in the equipment and had already sold it to his junior partner instead. With reference to the case situation above, discuss, using decided cases to support your arguments, the contractual implications and the remedies, if any, that Michelle might be able to pursue against, David. Answer In discussing the situation amidst Michelle and David, it is critical to establish whether an actual contract has come into existence between the two parties. It is therefore necessary to examine, in relation to the scenario, the presence of the three chief element... ...o of the scenario, David is referred to as 'a close family friend'. Agreements with relations of this manner are not normally imagined to be subject for litigation. In addition to the relationship of the parties, is the immense sense of ambiguity present throughout the scenario. The court may, on these grounds declare the agreement void with the presumption that there was no intention to create legal relations (Gould v Gould 1969). After keenly examining the scenario with the application of knowledge of the different elements of agreement, it may be concluded that a contract did not exist between David and Michelle because of the deficiency of those factors essential to the formulation of an agreement. The lack of contractual implications thereby greatly inhibits the possibility of a successful pursuit against David.

Hlta Job Description Essay

To provide support for pupils, the teacher and the school in order to raise standards of achievement for all pupils (e. g. SEN, EAL, GT, all underachieving groups), by utilising advanced levels of knowledge and skills when assisting with planning, monitoring, assessing and managing classes, and to encourage pupils to become independent learners, to provide support for their welfare, and to support the inclusion of pupils in all aspects of school life. MAIN DUTIES Planning 1. Prepare lessons with teachers, participating in all stages of the planning cycle, including in lesson planning, evaluating and adjusting lessons/work plans. . Develop and prepare resources for learning activities in accordance with lesson plans and in response to pupil need. 3. Contribute to the planning of opportunities for pupils to learn in out-of-school contexts in line with school’s policies and procedures. Teaching and Learning 4. Within an agreed system of supervision and within a pre-determined les son framework, teach whole classes. 5. Provide detailed verbal and written feedback on lesson content, pupil responses to learning activities and pupil behaviour, to teachers and pupils. 6. Motivate and progress pupils’ learning by using clearly structured, interesting teaching and learning activities. 7. Be aware of and support difference and ensure all pupils have equal access to opportunities to learn and develop. 8. Promote and support the inclusion of all pupils, including those with specific needs, both in learning activities and within the classroom. 9. Use behaviour management strategies, in line with the school’s policy and procedures, to contribute to a purposeful learning environment and encourage pupils to interact and work co-operatively with others. 0. In accordance with arrangements made by the Headteacher, progress pupils’ learning in a range of classroom settings, including working with individuals, small groups and whole classes where the assigned teacher is not present, in line with regulations and guidance under Section 133 of the Education Act 2002 and STPCD2003. 11. Organise and safely manage the appropriate learning environmen t and resources. 12. Promote and reinforce children’s self esteem and independence and employ strategies to recognise and reward achievement. 3. Assist the classteacher in encouraging acceptance and integration children with special needs, or from different cultures and/or with different first language. 14. Support the role of parents in pupils’ learning and contribute to/lead meetings with parents to provide constructive feedback on pupil progress, achievement and behaviour, maintaining sensitivity and confidentiality at all times. Monitoring and Assessment 15. With teachers evaluate pupils’ progress through a range of assessment activities. 16. Assess pupils’ responses to learning tasks and where appropriate, modify methods to meet individual and/or group needs. 17. Monitor pupils’ participation and progress and provide constructive feedback to pupils in relation to their progress and achievement. 18. Assist in maintaining and analysing records of pupils’ progress. 19. Contribute to programmes of observation and assessment as planned by the teacher and provide reports, evaluations and other information to assist in the provision of appropriate support for specific children. 20. Support the teaching staff with reporting pupils’ progress and achievements at parents meetings which are usually held outside school hours. Behavioural and Pastoral 21. Recognise and challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation and any form of abuse of equal opportunities, ensuring compliance with relevant school policies and procedures and making sure the individuals/s involved understand it is unacceptable. 22. Understand and implement school child protection procedures and comply with legal responsibilities. 23. Assist in maintaining good discipline of pupils throughout the school and escort and supervise pupils on planned visits and journeys. 24. Provide support and assistance for children’s pastoral needs, for example, caring for sick, injured or distressed children. 25. Provide physical support and maintain personal equipment used by the children at the school. 26. Foster and maintain constructive and supportive relationships with parents/carers exchanging appropriate information, facilitating their support for their child’s attendance, access and learning, and supporting home to school and community links. 7. Supervise pupils in the playground and before school and on bus duty days and plan/organise play time activities when it is wet playtime. 28. Assist teachers by receiving instructions directly from professional or specialist support staff involved in the children’s education. These may include social workers, health visitors, language support staff, speech therapists, educational psychologists, and physiotherapists. Other 29. Any other duties required by the class teacher, Deputy Headteacher, or the Headteacher, which is within the scope of this post. 0. To work within and encourage the school’s Equal Opportunity policy and contribute to diversity policies and programmes in relation to discriminatory behaviour. 31. To promote the safeguarding of children. 32. To carry out the duties and responsibilities of the post, in accordance with the school’s Health and Safety Policy and relevant Health and Safety Guidance and Legislation. 33. To use information technology systems as required to carry out the duties of the post in the most efficient and effective manner.

Common Core Standards Essay

Much like the runways of Paris with its changing fashion trends, the world of education follows trends as well. Educators cringe when they hear â€Å"No Child Left Behind† some ten years beyond its advent. Now, the phrases â€Å"Common Core† and â€Å"Student Learning Objectives† have teachers seeing red. However, despite the latest and greatest trends to boost student achievement, the very same students in the United States continue to underperform on a global scale in Mathematics. In 2012, the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) bore out results that â€Å"29 nations and jurisdictions outperformed the United States by a statistically significant margin,† (Heiten, 2013). In order for our students to rise to a position high on the performance scale of nations, students must master the basics in all subjects, but more specifically in the area of Mathematics. In an effort to develop students with a deeper understanding of mathematical and language and reading concepts, forty-five states (my home state of Maryland being one of them) and the District of Columbia have adopted the Common Core Standards, a system of expected benchmarks for students in grades K-12. According to the Common Core State Standards Initiative website, the standards â€Å"define the knowledge and skills students should have within their K-12 education careers so that they will graduate high school able to succeed in entry-level, credit-bearing academic college courses and in workforce training programs,† (Common Core State Standards Initiative, 2014). The local statistics mirror the national data. Both present conditions which are symptomatic of a larger systemic problem; American students are not mastering mathematical concepts at any level. The learning environment is a fourth grade inclusion classroom in a neighborhood school in the suburban Washington, D.C. (Maryland) area. Students in the class are differently abled. The class has students with Individualized Learning Plans (IEP) to accommodate varying needs from Asperger’s Syndrome to mild intellectual disabilities. There are also students who have been tested and identified as Talented and Gifted (TAG), as well as on grade level learners. Students are taught in whole group, differentiated small groups, and occasional pull out sessions with specialists. Current Conditions There are twenty-one students in the fourth grade inclusion classroom. All students took a standardized unit test in October 2013 that tested the Common Core Standards taught in the first quarter of the 2013-2014 school year. Of these, Standard 4.OA.B – Find all factor pairs for a whole number in the range 1–100. Recognize that a whole number is a multiple of each of its factors. Determine whether a given whole number in the range 1–100 is a multiple of a given one-digit number. Determine whether a given whole number in the range 1–100 is prime or composite, (Common Core State Standards Initiative, 2014), only 20% scored at a level of â€Å"proficient† on standardized (MUST Test Result Data, 2013). The lack of proficiency in this standard is symptomatic of the underlying condition I have encountered; students have not yet mastered basic multiplication facts. Without mastery of basic multiplication facts 0-12, students are unable to manipulate and perform operations on fractions and decimals and subsequent pre-algebra concepts in the latter half of fourth grade and continuing into following grades through high school. Desired Conditions The current conditions for the fourth grade class is at 20% of students who have performed at a â€Å"proficient† level of mastery in basic mathematical facts. This is equivalent to a grade of 80%, or a â€Å"B†, in traditional percentage and letter grading systems used in the US. The desired state of performance is the inverse of the current statistics; 80% should have mastery at a level of proficient or advanced and 20% performing at minimal or below grade level standards. After mastering basic facts, students will be able to not only identify multiples and factors of numbers 1-100, they will also be able to perform operations on fractions and later, algebraic statements. Data Collection Processes Discussion of Data Collection Instruments The designer developed a survey for teachers of grades three through five in order to help determine where problems or areas of deficiency are in current math. The first two questions asked the percentage of their students who are currently proficient in accuracy and automaticity in multiplication facts. In other questions, respondents ranked their responses using a Likert Scale,  which helped to identify their attitude on the necessity of students mastering basic multiplication facts currently in order to develop a deeper understanding of current and future mathematical concepts. In the questionnaire, respondents were asked to rank what they believe to be their students’ biggest challenges in mastering this specific standard. Questions also asked the extent to which computer aided instruction is used in helping aid in mastery of multiplication facts. In getting answers to these questions, I will use the data to identify several factors; impact of teacher’s attitude t oward remediating students in basic facts that should have been mastered in the previous grade, and time dedicated to instruction and practice in this particular standard. Discussion of Sources of Data Six intermediate elementary (grades three through five) classroom teachers who instruct students in mathematics answered the survey and questionnaire. Students of these teachers range from those with special needs, general education needs, and also students identified as â€Å"Talented and Gifted† (TAG). Data Gathered Through Other Sources Quantitative data was gathered from the Prince George’s County Public Schools Mandatory Unit Systems Test (MUST) in Mathematics administered countywide to fourth grade students in 146 elementary schools. Specific data used in this needs analysis was limited to one fourth grade inclusion classroom, Lake Arbor Elementary, where the designer is the teacher. The designer collected further quantitative data from the same inclusion class on timed multiplication tests where twenty-two students answered 100 multiplication facts (0-12) problems in five minutes. Data Analysis Techniques Used The survey and questionnaire were designed to gather data that would substantiate the need for students to master basic multiplication skills in intermediate elementary grades. The survey was used to gather both qualitative and quantitative data based on teachers giving percentage results of students’ current level of performance. Teachers also ranked what they believed would improve their teaching of mathematics in the classroom. The questionnaire was designed to gather data on teachers’  attitudes of the importance of student mastery of basic multiplication facts. The questionnaire also served as a tool to gain input on the challenges the believe limit their students from performing on grade level in mathematics, particularly in mastering basic multiplication facts. Finally, teachers were given the opportunity to answer an open-ended question, which gauged their attitude toward the importance of mastery of basic multiplication facts in the modern world and classroom . Results of Analysis Question one of the survey asked what percentage of your students can answer basic multiplication facts with accuracy on most occasions. Findings of Needs Analysis While a majority of respondents determined mastery of basic multiplication facts as â€Å"essential for success in their current grade,† it is of note that two teachers said mastery of basic facts are â€Å"desirable, but not as important as in past year.† This information would indicate teachers’ attitudes are moving away memorization of facts, possibly due to the  widespread availability of technological applications that students can or will use in the classroom and later in life. The attitude towards the lowering of importance of rote memory skills for facts reflects the larger societal dependence on technology. Applications on smartphones and mobile devices are becoming increasingly used in place of mental math and are utilized both by the current generation of students in elementary school now, but also by the newer generation of teachers who instruct them. To further deepen the understanding of the philosophical shift in importance of memorization of multiplication facts, teachers were asked if they administered timed multiplication tests in their classroom. Furthermore, teachers were asked if they encourage an atmosphere of healthy competition for mastery of the facts amongst their students. While all six respondents reported that they do administer timed multiplication tests, only one teacher stated that there was an atmosphere of â€Å"healthy competition† amongst her students where they challenge one another to higher levels of performance. The information suggests that while teachers are still administering the tests as part of regular instruction, the instructors’ attitude of the importance of them as a way to aid in student mastery of facts is evidenced in the lack of encouragement by both teacher and students to achieve at higher levels. Finally in the questionnaire, teachers were asked to rank factors they believe to be the biggest challenge(s) their students face that prevent them from performing on grade level in their current math instruction. The two most common responses amongst all respondents cited both a lack of support from parents in practice of math facts and a lack of basic understanding and mastery of basic mathematical facts from addition and subtraction up to division and multiplication as the biggest barriers to student success. Goal of Instruction Given practice in automaticity and accuracy, fourth grade students will be able to independently complete 100 multiplication problems of basic facts 0-12 in five minutes time with an increase in automaticity and accuracy of 50% over a ten-week period as measured by a pre-test and post-test assessments. Having this knowledge will enable students to manipulate and perform operations on fractions and mixed numbers, as well as deepen their knowledge of factors and multiples for future instruction.

Free Essays on Single-Sex Education

Learning Structure Throughout history and even today, single-sex education is a prestigious mark of social status reserved for the elite class. Despite the obvious mark of high social status, there is a controversy among educators and parents. Many educators support the claim that coeducation is the best method and should be carefully improved to offer higher quality education. However, those that favor single-sex education claim it is an effective method to eliminate sexual distractions and intimidation influenced by gender differences. These two perspectives scratch at the true issue at hand: how to provide an appropriate education for girls and boys as they move through adolescence toward adulthood. High quality education is offered when proper resources, experienced educators, and a healthy academic environment are forged together. Therefore, single-sex education will not necessarily improve the learning environment. At coeducational schools, students are able to share their diverse perspectives and talents with those of the opposite sex. The various perspectives help to introduce and educate students of different methods. In Sean McCollum's article, a male student states, "guys and girls bring diverse viewpoints to different subjects. Girls might have a very different take than the boys, say, on [author] Virginia Woolf, and it might challenge my way of thinking. Gender diversity is just as important as racial diversity. If you remove the different perspectives [of gender], you're losing a section of diversity - a big one" (18). Throughout elementary school, I observed that the two sexes have different academic trends. Boys are generally more athletic, and better at mathematics and science. Females, on the other hand, are more composed and stronger in reading, spelling and other literary disciplines. Allowing the two generally different groups to work together in a coeducational setting will improve the overall grades... Free Essays on Single-Sex Education Free Essays on Single-Sex Education Learning Structure Throughout history and even today, single-sex education is a prestigious mark of social status reserved for the elite class. Despite the obvious mark of high social status, there is a controversy among educators and parents. Many educators support the claim that coeducation is the best method and should be carefully improved to offer higher quality education. However, those that favor single-sex education claim it is an effective method to eliminate sexual distractions and intimidation influenced by gender differences. These two perspectives scratch at the true issue at hand: how to provide an appropriate education for girls and boys as they move through adolescence toward adulthood. High quality education is offered when proper resources, experienced educators, and a healthy academic environment are forged together. Therefore, single-sex education will not necessarily improve the learning environment. At coeducational schools, students are able to share their diverse perspectives and talents with those of the opposite sex. The various perspectives help to introduce and educate students of different methods. In Sean McCollum's article, a male student states, "guys and girls bring diverse viewpoints to different subjects. Girls might have a very different take than the boys, say, on [author] Virginia Woolf, and it might challenge my way of thinking. Gender diversity is just as important as racial diversity. If you remove the different perspectives [of gender], you're losing a section of diversity - a big one" (18). Throughout elementary school, I observed that the two sexes have different academic trends. Boys are generally more athletic, and better at mathematics and science. Females, on the other hand, are more composed and stronger in reading, spelling and other literary disciplines. Allowing the two generally different groups to work together in a coeducational setting will improve the overall grades...

buy custom Comprehensive Mental Health Services essay

buy custom Comprehensive Mental Health Services essay Introduction The awareness of mental health needs of adolescents and children is increasing among health care specialists. Violence in schools, increased dropout rates, suicide and homicide tendencies, bullying, and high-risk behaviors are observed commonly across the United Kingdom and United States schools. The economic impact and human toll of insufficiently addressing mental health issues is extremely crucial because untreated mental abnormalities increase higher rates of children incarcerations, drug abuse, unemployment, school dropout, and family dysfunction. The proportion of school children, in which mental disorders are observed, has gone up from 8 percent to 22 percent over the past two decades.According to the United States Pediatric Report on juveniles mental health published in 2000,18 percent of school children require active mental health treatment, 12 percent show significant functional disorder, and 6 percent have severe functional disability. These data were extracted from the Institute of Mental Abnormalities in the United States school children (US Public Health Service, 2000). Current study attempts to seek how mental health services are developing as a strategy to resolve these issues by eliminating barriers to availing mental health interventions, and enhancing coordination of those treatments. The study also examines potential in the School-initiated mental health services for prevention efforts, and intervention strategies. Needless to mention that more than 70 percent of health physicians advocate the need of counseling and psychological facilities in school campus, which include interventions, referrals, and assessments.Schools play a powerful role in providing mental health treatment for many pupils.These mental health interventions range from minimal services offered by school pediatrics to a compact, integrated program of identification, prevention, and treatment within a school campus. Many schools in the United States have introduced comprehensive SBHC benefits for the benefit of children. There are now 1,200 SBHCs providing mental health servic es. Mental Health Services on School Campuses The optimal way to identify components of schools initiated mental health services is to examine a three-leveled health model of needs and services. The first level provides a set of health services for minor mental abnormalities. Activities in the first levelmodel should be ubiquitous so that all children can avail in the school campus. Preventive mental wellness programs are those, which focus on minimizing risk factors and building awareness, providing a friendly, positive, and social environment at school campus while ensuring that each pupil receives an encouragement from his or her family that associates with healthy development. A sense of pupil involvement in school activities renders positive influence on academic career and minimizes risky behaviors.For instance, schools must offer students extracurricular activities, multiple and varied curricular programs, thereby increasing the probability that each pupil will effort to be successful in some sphere of school life. The second level focuses on the targeted mental health interventions, which are created to help children, who have one or more mental health disorders, but their performance is quite satisfactory to engage in many academic, social, and other extracurricular activities. Second level services can include provision of individual therapy to students. Further, for students facing learning problems in education, as well as for those showing behavioral problems, this tier may include behavioral characteristics of these students, and specialized and individualized education programs may be designed that can eliminate these students behavioral problems. The third level of mental health services focuses on those students who are diagnosed with severe mental health disorders and symptoms. These children need treatment from a multidisciplinary professional team that usually includes an individual therapy, special education services, pharmacotherapy, and coordination of social agencies. Researches, so far, have not produced satisfactory results on the success of school-initiated mental health services models. Whereas, the Bridges Project model that uses the three-leveled model in schools has produced positive results with improved school grades and attendance, improved emotional and behavior rating scale (Brock, 2011). Preventive Strategies As school administrators design the first tier of mental health services (a compact program of mental health prevention), schools should provide active participation of pediatricians, nurses, primary social services, community agencies, and parents. The health program should offer: 1) collective opportunities for pupils to build resiliencee and resistance to different stresses; 2) discipline and behavior plans; and 3) mental health syllabus (violence and bullying prevention), which are included into health education curricula (Bruns, Walrath, Glass-Siegel, Weist, 2004). Discipline and behavior plans should be implemented in schools for acquainting consistent behavior consequences and expectations of all participants. School management should teach administrators and educators the following basic principles: 1) the vital characteristics of behavior management techniques; 2) diagnosis of mental health disorders at an early age; 3) creating a secured environment for students. Some schools prepare school nurses, teachers, and other staff to volunteer in student health improvement programs after school hours. Support staff also leads health care providers to assist children to express themselves to their parents within a comfortable, safe, and secured environment. Schools should develop multidisciplinary support teams, which will include nurses, mental health specialists, school staff, and physicians to review and design intervention strategies for children experiencing mental problems at school, as well as at home (Hussey Guo, 2003). Conclusion School-based mental care programs are increasingly gaining significance in most schools of the United States. These mental health services improve accuracy of diagnosis and treatment of children. One of the key challenges to offering mental health services to children is gaining information regarding behavior of students in different environments. Schools serve as a wealth of opportunities to obtain information on how students cope with social and physical stresses, on how well they perform in the academic context, and how they develop interpersonal relationship with teachers, and peers. Several challenges have been observed in providing mental health care at school campuses. First, mental health services should be rendered under the strict guidance of medical experts, such as a general physician, mental health specialists, and social welfare organizations. Otherwise, mental health problems may not be effectively diagnosed and students in need of health care services may be neglected . Second, mental health care must be included in school syllabus so that these medical services become an integral part of education curriculum. Finally, since parents play a vital role in mental health intervention for students, creative strategies must be designed to attract their participation in medical services, not simply parental consent. Buy custom Comprehensive Mental Health Services essay

Andrew Jackson, Indian Removal, and the Trail of Tears

Andrew Jackson, Indian Removal, and the Trail of Tears The Indian Removal policy of President Andrew Jackson was prompted by the desire of white settlers in the South to expand into lands belonging to five Indian tribes. After Jackson succeeded in pushing the Indian Removal Act through Congress in 1830, the U.S. government spent nearly 30 years forcing Indians to move westward, beyond the Mississippi River. In the most notorious example of this policy, more than 15,000 members of the Cherokee tribe were forced to walk from their homes in the southern states to designated Indian Territory in present-day Oklahoma in 1838. Many died along the way. This forced relocation became known as the â€Å"Trail of Tears† because of the great hardship faced by Cherokees. In brutal conditions, nearly 4,000 Cherokees died on the Trail of Tears. Conflicts With Settlers Led to Indian Removal There had been conflicts between whites and Native Americans since the first white settlers arrived in North America. But in the early 1800s, the issue had come down to white settlers encroaching on Indian lands in the southern United States. Five Indian tribes were located on land that would be highly sought for settlement, especially as it was prime land for the cultivation of cotton. The tribes on the land were the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek, and Seminole. Over time the tribes in the south tended to adopt white ways such as taking up farming in the tradition of white settlers  and in some cases even buying and owning African American slaves. These efforts at assimilation led to the tribes becoming known as the â€Å"Five Civilized Tribes.† Yet taking up the ways of the white settlers did not mean the Indians would be able to keep their lands. In fact, settlers hungry for land were actually dismayed to see Indians, contrary to all the propaganda about them being savages, adopt the farming practices of the white Americans. The Attitude of Andrew Jackson Toward Indians The accelerated desire to relocate Indians to the West was a consequence of the election of Andrew Jackson in 1828. Jackson had a long and complicated history with Indians, having grown up in frontier settlements where stories of Indian attacks were common. At various times in his early military career, Jackson had been allied with Indian tribes  but had also waged brutal campaigns against Indians. His attitude toward Native Americans was not unusual for the times, though by today’s standards he would be considered a racist as he believed Indians to be inferior to whites. One way to view Jackson’s attitude toward Indians was that he was paternalistic, believing the Indians to be like children who needed guidance. And by that way of thinking, Jackson may well have believed that forcing the Indians to move hundreds of miles westward may have been for their own good, as they would never fit in with white society. Of course, the Indians, not to mention sympathetic white people ranging from religious figures in the North to the backwoods hero turned Congressman Davy Crockett, saw things quite differently. To this day Andrew Jacksons legacy is often tied to his attitudes toward Native Americans. According to an article in the Detroit Free Press in 2016, many Cherokees, to this day, will not use $20 bills because they bear the likeness of Jackson. Cherokee Leader John Ross Fought Against Indian Removal Policies The political leader of the Cherokee tribe, John Ross, was the son of a Scottish father and a Cherokee mother. He was destined for a career as a merchant, as his father had been, but became involved in tribal politics and in 1828 Ross was elected the tribal chief of the Cherokee. In 1830, Ross and the Cherokee took the audacious step of trying to retain their lands by filing suit against the state of Georgia. The case eventually went to the U.S. Supreme Court, and Chief Justice John Marshall, while avoiding the central issue, ruled that the states could not assert control over the Indian tribes. According to legend, President Jackson scoffed, saying, â€Å"John Marshall has made his decision; now let him enforce it. And no matter what the Supreme Court ruled, the Cherokees did face serious obstacles. Vigilante groups in Georgia attacked them, and John Ross was nearly killed in one attack. Indian Tribes Were Forcibly Removed In the 1820s, the Chickasaws, under pressure, began moving westward. The U.S. Army began forcing the Choctaws to move in 1831. The French author Alexis de Tocqueville, on his landmark trip to America, witnessed a party of Choctaws struggling to cross the Mississippi with great hardship in the dead of winter. The leaders of the Creeks were imprisoned in 1837, and 15,000 Creeks were forced to move westward. The Seminoles, based in Florida, managed to fight a long war against the U.S. Army until they finally moved westward in 1857. The Cherokees Were Forced to Move Westward Along the Trail of Tears Despite legal victories by the Cherokees, the United States government began to force the tribe to move west, to present-day Oklahoma, in 1838. A considerable force of the U.S. Army more than 7,000 men was ordered by President Martin Van Buren, who followed Jackson in office, to remove the Cherokees. General Winfield Scott commanded the operation, which became notorious for the cruelty shown to the Cherokee people. Soldiers in the operation later expressed regret for what they had been ordered to do. Cherokees were rounded up in camps and farms which had been in their families for generations were awarded to white settlers. The forced march of more than 15,000 Cherokees began in late 1838. And in the cold winter ​conditions, nearly 4,000 Cherokee died while trying to walk the 1,000 miles to the land where they had been ordered to live. The forced relocation of the Cherokee thus became known as the â€Å"Trail of Tears.†

Intelligent Buildings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Intelligent Buildings - Essay Example This environment works like a computer in which different parts and facilities are integrated to efficiently accomplish resources in a synchronized way with the intention of maximizing occupant protection, saving expenditures associated with operations and energy, attaining effectiveness and easiness in dealing with changes. In this scenario, am intelligent building offers an easy, creative and affordable atmosphere through an effective optimization of three significant components: products (such as structure, materials, machinery, services, facilities and so on), people (like that builder, owner and occupants), and processes (such as process control, automation, performance, maintenance, and so on) along with effective communication between all these element (Sharma, 2013). This paper discusses some of the important elements of an intelligent building. This paper will discuss: building management systems, security management, telecommunication systems and fire detection and preventi on. A large number of researches and experiments are being conducted to determine the uses and effectiveness of technology for managing and controlling the different tasks of buildings. However, the management of the technology that is used to manage different tasks of intelligent buildings is a serious challenge. In fact, this management has turned out to be more challenging with an increase in the number of systems that are integrated into buildings. Additionally, the ultimate power of Internet and extensive developments in IT infrastructures combined with building management systems, have ended in the formation of intelligent buildings (Fernandez, 2013). Building management system is a system that integrates a wide variety of management options that are used to manage different technological services and elements of a building. These technological services and elements can include: safety options, access controls and processes, lighting facilities, fire detection and management

Team Work Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 3

Team Work - Research Paper Example Individuals often come together to formulate groups of different types and sizes. However, these groups are not necessarily considered a team. A team includes a group of individuals working with each other in order to fulfill a common objective or goal (Carter, Bishop, and Kravits, 2012). In the current context, most activities are accomplished by teams. Large companies often formulate project teams, assigning these to different parts of the world. Smaller organizations also use teams in order to guarantee that their products as well as services are doing well competitively. Professors in universities develop curriculums as teams, working with not just other professors, but with counselors and administrators as well. The main advantage to teamwork is the fact that the skills, knowledge, resources, and abilities of various individuals can be combined in order to accomplish a task (Carter, et.al., 2012). Tasks often require the expertise or knowledge of various individuals in order to produce effective and quality results, teams can secure such quality. Collaboration is the primary element of teamwork. Even where project teams are not big enough, collaboration is still important. Collaboration is about working effectively alongside other individuals in order to secure common goals. It requires different variables, including trust, honesty, respect, and openness (Xiao, Parker, and Manser, 2013). This would mean that the members of the team are honest with each other, telling the truth even if such truths would not be favorable to the team. The members of the team would work with a high level of comfort with each other, allowing members to participate in the problem-solving activities and in managing obstacles (Xiao, et.al., 2013). Openness would also indicate that members of the team would be able to easily say what they want to say to the other

Argument Paper#1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Argument Paper#1 - Essay Example e method through which the government and the policy makers can increase and encourage others to donate organs is by paying donors and their family members for donations either by paying them in hard cash or providing them with benefits that have a monetary value such as tax credit or a better retirement plan. There is a heavy debate amongst policy makers about whether to use monetary incentives to promote organ donation or not. There are several reasons due to which opponents of monetary incentives are against this method, but the proponents have a very solid case to defend the position of using monetary incentives. Selling of organs should be encouraged and should be legalized in order to save important lives, in order to make organs more accessible and to decrease the healthcare cost of the government. Selling of organs should be legalized by the government if it wants to save significant lives that are waiting on the list of receiving organ donation. A huge number of people who are waiting for the donation are those who belong to the youth category of the society. This section of the society is very essential for the better future of the society. Siegel in his article has stated that there are young and healthier individuals who are waiting for a donation (Siegel, 2011). If selling of organs is legalized, it will encourage living people to donate their organs and it will even encourage people to get themselves registered for donating their organs after their death. This in turn will help in saving several young individuals who are healthy and can contribute to the society in a healthy manner. Legalizing sale of the organs will increase the accessibility of the organ donation amongst those who cannot afford to purchase organs. Currently there is a black market of organ donation and in this black market a huge number of organs are being sold at very high prices which are only accessible by those who belong to high income earning groups. At the same time there

4 articles about UK politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

4 articles about UK politics - Essay Example The safety of the population is put at risk as the politicians try to save the government money by keeping criminals out of jail and they try to win votes during election season, also by doing the same thing. The result of which, according to Bray, is a higher crime rate and a slap on the hand of the repeat offenders. Bray made it clear that he wanted the politicians to stop using the judicial system for their personal benefit. It was, he said, the job of the politicians to make sure that the prisons could hold the convicted so that they would be taken out of society for the benefit of the greater good. He also said that the police needed to step up and do their jobs. The statements made by Bray were contradicted by Justice Minister Jeremy Wright however. Justice Minister Wright explained that Bray made statements in error as the conviction rate for criminals has been on the rise since 2010 and the criminals were staying in prison longer than Bray indicated. He also dismissed claims of government and police interference in the sentencing of criminals. Coalition Spending Revealed: Crime Agencys  £336,573 Outlay on Mercedes Vans for Special Projects, a  £27,000 Parking Bill at Gatwick Airport and  £108,000 PR Spend Among Government Departments’ Public Accounts Oliver Wright of The Independence reports that a snapshot analysis of the government spending over the first 2 months of this year shows just how mismanaged the government finances are. Apparently, there have been a few questionable government project awarded to private contractors. Thanks to the government rules, these figures were made public because the amount of the contracts were all over the  £25,000 limit. As the report progressed, more and more disturbing disbursement of the public funds were found. These included the National Crime Agency payout to Mercedes Benz in the amount of  £336,573 for the

INTRODUCTION TO FINANCIAL SERVICES Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

INTRODUCTION TO FINANCIAL SERVICES - Essay Example The unique characteristic of the financial intermediary here is that their assets and liabilities are overwhelmingly financial.2 The financial intermediaries succeed by using customer’s savings (who save in order to maximise the savings but with minimal risk) to lend to investors (who fights to get the money at the cheapest rate as possible but with less strings attached) with the aim of making a return on their investments for themselves and their customers. Their main role can be said to be channelling of customer’s savings to investors who so need the money to make meaningful investments that give rise to an economic growth and development for the society.3 The financial intermediary strives to make the better deal of a large profit as possible from these savings as to keep the institution running. (See appendices 2) According to J.O. Sanusi (2002), availability of investible funds for investment in any economy can be said to be the key factor in the growth process of that economy especially as it is realised that these funds are a necessary condition for output production and employment growth. Efficient financial intermediaries through the role they play in any economy are of course seen as the best means of achieving higher levels of output production, employment, and income which invariably enhance the living standards of the population. It cannot be argued therefore that countries that have enjoyed or are enjoying economic prosperity such as the Western countries are having such an efficient mechanism for mobilising financial resources and allocating same for productive investment.4 Banks long ago were considered as the best intermediary since they are able to provide an important positive means of mobilising the savings from customers, and allocating these funds to the investors for finance investment projects

4 articles about UK politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

4 articles about UK politics - Essay Example The safety of the population is put at risk as the politicians try to save the government money by keeping criminals out of jail and they try to win votes during election season, also by doing the same thing. The result of which, according to Bray, is a higher crime rate and a slap on the hand of the repeat offenders. Bray made it clear that he wanted the politicians to stop using the judicial system for their personal benefit. It was, he said, the job of the politicians to make sure that the prisons could hold the convicted so that they would be taken out of society for the benefit of the greater good. He also said that the police needed to step up and do their jobs. The statements made by Bray were contradicted by Justice Minister Jeremy Wright however. Justice Minister Wright explained that Bray made statements in error as the conviction rate for criminals has been on the rise since 2010 and the criminals were staying in prison longer than Bray indicated. He also dismissed claims of government and police interference in the sentencing of criminals. Coalition Spending Revealed: Crime Agencys  £336,573 Outlay on Mercedes Vans for Special Projects, a  £27,000 Parking Bill at Gatwick Airport and  £108,000 PR Spend Among Government Departments’ Public Accounts Oliver Wright of The Independence reports that a snapshot analysis of the government spending over the first 2 months of this year shows just how mismanaged the government finances are. Apparently, there have been a few questionable government project awarded to private contractors. Thanks to the government rules, these figures were made public because the amount of the contracts were all over the  £25,000 limit. As the report progressed, more and more disturbing disbursement of the public funds were found. These included the National Crime Agency payout to Mercedes Benz in the amount of  £336,573 for the

Spirituality in Organizational Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Spirituality in Organizational Strategy - Essay Example Senior leaders of the organization should be able to embrace it strategically and use it as a determinant of organizational performance. A leader should have emotional intelligence which will help support the spirituality of an organization. Casey claims that if a leader does not have emotional intelligence, it will be hard for him of her to embrace spirituality in his organization (34-46). Recently, there has been a major debate on business and spirituality, where many leaders have advocated for a link between issues of the soul and corporate success. However, there is some irony in this spirituality and business juxtaposition if a leader decides to reflect upon the signs of corporate scandals that have been brought by multiple legal and ethical lapses that occur in any organization. However, one would be cynical to think that spirituality phenomenon is a reason of many contradictions in organizations. This paper aims to explain why spirituality in an organization is strategically i mportant and how leaders can use it as a determinant of organizational performance. Leaders often doubt spirituality that is used outside any religious meetings, and therefore, this paper will discuss useful objectives that can be internalized into an organization strategy and how organizational leadership can affect their success. A leader is someone who is capable of influencing his followers to behave or think the same way. Spirit on the other hand, can be defined as a vital force within living beings. If we combine the two terms, it suggests that a leader is someone who can understand and seek out his inner self as well as fosters the same meaning to his employees. Srivastra asserts that spirituality in leadership is an approach in leadership where a leader will strive to influence a sense of interconnectedness and significance among his employees (45-67). Spirituality in leadership therefore, involves principles and spiritual values in the workplace. If a leader is spiritual he will understand the significance of employees finding meaning in the work, which demonstrate a genuine concern for the particular person and not just workers. Spirituality in leadership will help assist employees find meaning in their duties by addressing important questions like the great purpose of their work as well as the worth of their work. Additionally, it will help them in defining their ethical values and principles, legacy and who they are in the organization. Therefore, a spiritual leader will try hard to make his workplace a community, consisting of employees with shared beliefs, values and traditions. Such leadership will also focus more diversity and transformation, rather than on people and power as well as controlling. It will also focus on inspiration and collaboration (Nandam 23-46). However, this does not mean that being a spiritual leader, a leader should adhere to a particular religion or attempt to convince his employees to pursue specific religious set of pri nciples. It is concerned more with the growth of the workers as an individual person, people who show off their compassion to their customers, superiors, employees and subordinates (Bubna 34-88). Spirituality in an organization is important because the employers in the workplace will be able to find the meaning of their lives. In the world today, most of the employees look up to their workplace as one of the ways of defining their lives as well as give meaning to their lives that is torn apart by modern way of living. For example, back then people lived as close knit family, including their extended family, but the world today has changed because nuclear family is not enough to give an employee emotional support and

Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Essay Example for Free

Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Essay Aron Ralston’s physiological need was to satisfy his hunger, thirst, and a need to love and be loved. His desire was to be a father. This gave him a purpose to live. His will to live became greater than dying. But thirst and hunger overcame him to a point where he was saving and sipping his own urine to stay alive. I also believe that he had a divine appointment as he was shown insight into his reproductive future by the vision he had of a son. He was also shown that he was going to lose his arm when he saw the preschool boy being scooped up by a one armed man. I do not know if Aron believed in God or if he even had a relationship with my Lord and Savior or not, but I do think that his spiritual development should have grown through his journey. Hunger can put us in a life or death situation. After hours of driving alone in an unfamiliar city, you finally see a diner where you can eat. Even though it looks deserted and a little creepy, you end up stopping because you are really hungry. According to Maslow (pg 407) our need to meet the physiological need of hunger and thirst takes priority over our safety needs prompting us to take risk at times in order to eat. See more:Â  Masters of Satire: John Dryden and Jonathan Swift Essay References Myers, David G. Psychology. New York: Worth, 1998. Print.

An overview of IKEA

An overview of IKEA 1. Introduction Undoubtedly, in the modern, technological and developed world, IT defined as the storage, protection, conversion, transmission and retrieval of data, has a significant role in various important activities and contributes in industrial development. The usage of Information technology in businesses is a useful tool in managing and administering their regular operations and activities. An example of wise and effective application of IT into business is IKEA. IKEA is the worlds largest home furnishing retailer with stores located worldwide. Every year IKEA stores welcome 565 million visitors, while more than 450 million visits have been recently recorded to its website. The followed low-price strategy coupled with a wide range of functional, well designed products that satisfy every lifestyle and life stage of its customers, who come from every age group and type of household, is responsible for its rapid growth and its enormous success. 2. The company 2.1 Company overview IKEA began to design its own furniture in 1955 and opened its first store in Sweden in 1958. In 1959 it began to produce self-assembly furniture to lower freight chargers and other costs to retail customers, an approach that continues until today. IKEA now has over 200 stores in 30 countries. Each store has about 9500 items for sale. Its 2008 sales were over â‚ ¬20 billion. The company, over time has become a leader in its niche by the choices made in that process. Nevertheless, the IKEA uniqueness presents a formidable barrier to competitors- one that supply chain planners can look in creating their own business models. The â€Å"IKEA concept† guides the company. This concept is to make â€Å"well-designed, functional home furnishing products† at low, affordable prices. In fact, the design process for a new product begins by setting the retail price. It then proceeds to design production processes that meet the cost objective. Finally, the product is designed to IKEAs style standard. This standard omits cost-adding frills that add no value in terms of functionality. Each IKEA store carries -on average a selection of 12000 products, while the core rage is the same worldwide and independently of the store size. Managing over 200 stores spread in 30 countries worldwide and having 1,600 suppliers in 55 countries, requires apart from outstanding support staff, exceptional logistics and the best information systems. IKEA, in order to maintain an integral supply chain at its most efficient level, it must incorporate the right people, the high technology and the best information systems. 2.2 IKEAs timeline 2.2 SWOT Analysis 2.3 IKEAs challenges and goals The company requires the best tools available to ensure a faultless transition and has to be able to solve any problems as quickly as possible, particularly when it is the worlds leading home furnishing retailer. The rapid development of technology creates new standards and increases demands in planning process. The company has to be modernized and able to adjust quickly to changes, place additional pressure on the whole operation of the supply network and be innovator in using the most up to date information systems. Being sustainable should remain a central part of IKEAs image. Failure to deal with new challenges and problems that arise due to market forces and to various economic factors will cost IKEA in every area of its business. Hence, to ensure that this would not happen, IKEA needs to invest in IT, helping the company to adapt quickly and easily to the developing situations (agility) and face any problems occurred. Investing in IT can achieve: Increased visibility in the sales patterns of IKEA products. Improved forecast accuracy. Improved planner experience and productivity through exception-based management. Enabled the consolidation of supplier base with a focus on low-cost countries. Increased overall supply chain visibility and efficiency. 3. IKEA and IT 3.1 IKEAs major IT systems IKEA has many company-wide IT systems. These IT systems are facilities which aim to process data and provide meaningful information to users but each of them varies in function. IT systems are able to track data and information to all resources external or internal making possible design, production processes, distribution, retailing take place in the most productive and effective way. 3.2.1 IKEAs intranet: bringing people and information together In 1997 IKEA launched its intranet, IKEA inside.At its first steps it included useful information for co-workers and had a basic although unclear structure: content was static, interactivity inexistent but it improved through trying and learning. Through time the need to share the intranets content not just with IKEAs co-workers in the service office but also with the people working in IKEAs stores emerged. What was considered critical to success was the way the site would be set up in order to match the retail personnels needs and skills. In the following years IKEA replaced its traditional paperwork system with digital equivalents which led to great accomplishments, decreasing costs and time needed to complete different kind of tasks within company. Intranet offers a wide range of applications such as online surveys, details about products, company news, customer feedback, inventory and supply management tools and material concerning marketing. Hence, is considered by employees as their second hand that promptly provides them, whenever and wherever needed, with the necessary tools and information to perform their duties. Innovation and effort for improvement through intranet in IKEA never stops. Recently in May 2008 the Swedish company launched the ico-worker which houses information about employees and it is used in general as a digital human resource centre. Applications vary from managing retirement plans to requesting time-off and accessing online pay checks. This latest addition to intranet has saved hundreds of thousands of dollars and also many hours of work for IKEAs HR department. Through intranet IKEA has managed to decrease costs in departments other than HR. The intranet consultant, Toby Ward, mentions that IKEA US has managed through intranet to decrease costs more than $500,000 per year. More precisely, it has managed to decrease paper costs by $192,000, streamlining processes and self-serve process by $4,590, modernizing communication technologies -video conference to webex- by $90,000 and finally self-service HR by $219,000. The intranet team has accomplished not only to decrease costs but also increase sales by empowering employees and sales teams. It has succeeded this goal through delivering a highly focused on sales content. Employee discussion boards and provision of information concerning sales number and metrics are only some of the tools offered on a daily basis to employees working at IKEA. IKEA inside has managed to bring people and information together in the most productive way. Other companies use intranets as well without being merely as successful. What is the element that has ensured IKEAs intranet long term success? Is it a very sophisticated technology? The answer is that the key element to success has been the provision and ability to coincide the technology based system to the people it is meant to support. Technology was definitely not the sole focus when developing IKEAs information systems and especially intranet: The emphasis has been placed more to people rather than data or technology. Specifically, the IT was designed to enhance the connection between employees and data in respect to IKEAs people-centered culture. Beth Gleba, Internal Information Manager for IKEA explains that We are a people-based company. Face-to-face time is very important. Weve built our intranet to complement this. We dont want people to feel technology replaces but enhances our c onnection to one another. Working with our culture, not against it, has been key. The Intranet as part of IKEAs information landscape has been able to decentralize work, impact the bottom line, improve IKEAs financial factors and all that because people building the intranet right from the start had in mind that it should be more than its bits and bytes, it should be able to respond to peoples needs respecting their work culture. 3.2.2 IKEAs product information assistance (pia) One of IKEA ‘s key IT systems is PIA , Product information assistance which was introduced in 1998. This system has as a core objective to help administrate product information and is therefore useful for product development projects. PIA is provided with information by project teams and product developers. Input data include several kind of information about the product: sale price, expected cost, product composition, goals. PIA is also fed with information by other specialists at IKEA who provide details about suppliers, materials etc. Product developers are the main users of output information but all of IKEAs employees have also access to the system: they can either browse information or create documents such as internal reports. When we refer to product development at IKEA we should have in mind a fully vertical integrated system: A system that provides resources and coordinates the different stages of design, manufacturing, logistics, warehousing and finally exhibition in retail stores. So, behind each product there is a vast system of internal and external resources that interact one with another. Through PIA, IKEA has been able to perform miracles: It has been able to create products -like Lack, a simple table- that had a constant price for decades although the price of input materials has increased substantially. This accomplishment was possible with the use of PIA which has combined resources in different ways to reach the same result. PIA is responsible for collection, process and diffusion of the large amounts of information needed for each product, Lack as well, to both external and internal units. Of course PIA is not yet a perfect system. Certain limitations emerge from its direct and indirect connections its passive and active users but PIA is a system which constantly evolves with changing features and patterns getting better each time. 3.2.3 Supply Chain Management IKEAs supply chain follows the â€Å"philosophy† of make to stock. This means that products are not built upon customer request and thats why there is a large dependency on demand forecasts. In the past, there was a great degree of freedom concerning stock planning and replenishment at a regional level. Through time this has led to stock outs, overstocks and obsolete inventories. But this was not the only problem faced by IKEAs previous supply chain. The fragmented and unreliable information used -coming from manual work- created lack of trust between the different parts participating in the supply chain. Moreover problems in data maintenance were spotted as well as lack of the proper tools to handle deviations in demand. In order to address these problems IKEA decided to attain better control of the supply chain and improve performance. The new concept is being currently implemented and an important part of it is the IT technology being used. IKEA has reformed to a centralized planning organization with integrated planning processes and high data quality. APS (advanced planning systems) are tools used to help make decisions in this complex environment of global networks. The main idea is that one central planning engine includes all decisions concerning the supply chain: stock replenishment, sourcing, production and distribution decisions. The following figure shows the new planning concept where all forecasting activities are centralized and stock levels are under control through out the whole supply chain In the new global planning process corporate sales planning takes place first, its results are used as input in to the global need planning process. The next step is the capacity planning process and finally the planning of the distribution supply chain takes place. Most of the planning processes are supported by APS and the forecasting processes have been supported by JDA. The contribution of these two systems to the improvements described concerning the integration of the supply chain has been amazing. With the use of APS the number of forecasts has reduced from 120 to around 30 the average forecast accuracy has increased from 60% to 80% Several roles in IKEA‘s planning organization have been supported with up to date information concerning stock levels, replenishment needs and safety stock calculations. APS has improved supply chain planning in the following ways: It has helped reduce stock levels and improve services It has provided management of large amounts of data and run of â€Å" what if† scenarios to ensure the best decisions will be taken It has present results in an understandable way It has contributed to the improvement of the degree of automation planning and therefore has save time for decision making It has helped to balance the supply chain through coordination It has offered tools to detect and deal with planning problems in early stages It has improved the data quality In the year of 2001 IKEA has launched a new cooperation with JDA which in its turn provided a new solution to apply JDA Demand solutions on all company products in the international market. The primary objectives pursued by the company were to design a methodology to plan sales, to come up with real sales forecasts in order to determine capacity for stocks as well as plan for suppliers and estimate the transpiration costs. Due to this global supply chain planning system, today IKEA has the opportunity to manage its sales, capacity, inventory and distribution in an efficient and visible manner. This gives the company to better consider its sales prospects and improve the business operations as a whole. The reports state on the companys planning departments testifying about the efficiency of this method as it was vividly reflected in more accurate forecasts. 4. Future Challenges Over the next five years IKEAs strategy has been to keep expanding in the international markets which makes them to face new challenges, particularly with the distribution system. Such enormous growth urges the company constantly review its distribution structure and adapt it to the required needs. One of the primary moves the company should do is to reallocate its distribution structure in a way that the low-flow range will be stocked centrally for big regions and high-flows near to the appropriate market. Meantime, the company should work on increasing direct deliveries. The other upcoming challenge that the company is coping with is about organizing remote shopping over phone and Internet. Even though IKEA customers still prefer to visit the stores as it is a whole experience for them, however internet shopping and phone orders is on demand and in order to meet this expectations the company should find new and flexible distribution solutions. 5. Evaluation of the impact of IT in IKEAs success 5.1 ITs impact on IKEAs success As the globalization is increasing in the retail industry in terms of sales and supplies the significance of IT is rising substantially and is playing a vital role in managing the complexity of retail operations. Major retail industry players are willing to allocate larger amounts for IT costs as they realize the importance of its application in the business as it generates numerous advantages over the competitors and delivers value. IT has played a great role in IKEAs success and this is because the company was not merely integrating these systems into its operations but also combining them with its strategic goals. At the same time, IKEA was able to maintain successful in the market as it was evolving the IT systems in the company as the business was growing starting from simple and base systems to finding complex solutions to complex problems. 5.2 Competitive advantages from ITs implementation In this dynamically moving business environment it is a challenge for companies and organizations to sustain their competitiveness. Today by integrating IT systems in its everyday operations, IKEA has empowered its grounds in the market as these systems provide best information that the company needs to do its tasks more effectively. It has quick access to information and it minimizes the errors in business transactions. At the same time it serves as a powerful competitive tool for IKEA to interact with its customers, supplier and employees in an effective manner that contributes to a mutual benefit by making its stakeholders loyal to the company. Today, due to its successful Supply Chain Management system IKEA is able to achieve cost benefits and offer reduced prices to its customers. At the same time the implementation of Supply Chain Management system in its global planning has given IKEA the opportunity to reduce its stock level and increase the service level. This in its turn contributes to the overall satisfaction of the company clients and supplier. Contrary to its competitors, IKEA is able to detect and cope with problems related to the supply chain at an early stage which helps the company to have a balanced chain. It also has accuracy in its forecasts and better visibility and efficiency in its overall chain. In summary, the IT implementation in various business operations gave number of competitive advantages and benefits to IKEA. Today the company has improved its overall operations in the market and runs the company with a better and global view. These IT initiatives gave the company long-run significant competitive advantages in the market that will contribute to improved profits. 5.3 Lessons learned from IKEAs IT applications IT systems became the heart of IKEA operations and it plays an important role in alleviating pressure points in its business transactions. On the other hand, those companies who do not manage their IT systems effectively it becomes a problem rather than solution, especially when a retail industry player has to deal with advanced planning and scheduling systems, merchandizing and inventory management systems. However, these systems play crucial role in retail operations and when the company uses it effectively, it can improve efficiency and increase revenues. In IKEAs example we learn that the company matched its IT systems to its existing culture and found success in its initiatives. Their objective was not to create a sophisticated systems but systems that could promptly respond to the employees, suppliers and customers specific needs. One of the success factors that have to be taken into consideration was that IKEA did not compromise its corporate culture by using information technologies. The company was aware that these systems exist to support people and not the technologies. They understood that those tools should not have negative impacts on healthy and powerful organizational culture as these tools are not capable to replace the nuances of the human experience. Another important aspect that has to be taken into consideration is the change management in IKEA, when implementing new IT projects. Most of the IT systems integrated by IKEA have been implemented successfully as the company spent money and efforts to support workers to adapt to methods and tools by creating awareness and interest among the employees, trying out the solutions and adapting to the change. 6. Conclusion Undoubtedly, effective use of modern IT can be seen as a requirement to succeed in the markets. Information technology secures the efficient information flow needed to develop and support a growing IKEA. IT has the ability to support a global organization such as IKEA with business solutions and services that keep the company running and to develop the way the company does business by supply quick, lean and user-friendly IT services rather than just technology. IT offers countless opportunities to simplify, streamline and improve every aspect of IKEA operations. Most of the specialized jobs and projects are based in the IKEA IT centers, but IT support functions are needed in all parts of the company. Historically, IKEA has developed many of its own IT-solutions and stands as a model for various businesses worldwide. In the future, considering the globalization, internets expansion and technological growth, the role of IT will be even more critical. Given that IKEAs personnel has been proved through the companys long history as a solution-oriented and creative organization with a genuine interest in the overall success of IKEA as a home furnishings company, the future of IKEA is even promising with its IT systems to be the shortcut to success. 7. References Ward T., Sales intranet case study: IKEAin http://intranetblog.blogware.com/blog/_archives/2009/4/14/4153375.html Paul Chin, 2009. Inside IKEA ‘s human intranet approach at http://www.intranetjournal.com/articles/200908/ij_08_21_09a.html . Baraldi E. , Waluszewski A. 2002. Information technology at IKEA: an â€Å"open sesame† solution or just another type of facility? In http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL_udi=B6V7S-4C7VXV7-3_user=10_coverDate=09%2F30%2F2005_rdoc=1_fmt=high_orig=search_sort=d_docanchor=view=c_searchStrId=1206222647_rerunOrigin=google_acct=C000050221_version=1_urlVersion=0_userid=10md5=101bf0153f4fccb85d75fc95846140f2 The table was extracted from Jonsson P., Rudberg M. , Holmberg S. Global supply chain planning at IKEA in http://www.plan.se/files/Jonsson_Rudberg_Holmberg_08.pdf

Comparison of Sound of Waves and Sailor Who Fell From Grace with the Sea :: comparison compare contrast essays

Comparison of Sound of Waves and Sailor Who Fell From Grace with the Sea There are many similarities between Yukio Mishima's â€Å"The Sound of Waves" and â€Å"The Sailor Who Fell From Grace with the Sea,† but there are also some important differences. The endings of the two novels seem to oppose each other, however some of the imagery and characters personalities in the novels make them very similar. In â€Å"Sailor,† one of the main characters is named Ryuji. He is a sailor, and later a father, and plays a central role in the novel. In â€Å"Waves,† Ryuji is used as the name for a character again. However, this Ryuji is not seen often in the action -- he is instead a medium through which the two main characters are forced to communicate. The Ryuji in â€Å"Waves† is also a young boy, while in â€Å"Sailor† he is a weathered man. In both novels, the Westernization of Japan is used as a motif. In â€Å"Sailor,†Fusako is the proprietress of an import shop and her home and lifestyle are both very Western. This Westernization is something that would lead to the eventual downfall of Ryuji. In â€Å"Waves,† Churiko, a more western-thinking, college-educated girl, is the character that creates the problems which must be overcome. It seems that Mishima is trying to communicate to the readers that Westernization is not a good thing for Japan. In r eal life, we know that Mishima did think this was true. He would commit ritual suicide for his beliefs about the emperor. The sea is of course of central importance in both novels. Surprisingly though, the two novels do not share the same view of the ever-changing force. In â€Å"Sailor,† Ryuji describes the sea as, â€Å"another kind of prison.(16)† In â€Å"Waves†, Shinji, the main character, feels surprisingly free when he first ventures onto the sea: â€Å" ‘I'm free!’ he shouted in his heart. This was the first time he had realized there could be such a strange sort of freedom as this.(150)† Another contrast between the two books deals with the ending. In â€Å"Sailor,† it is the fulfillment of love that causes the death of Ryuji, the heroic seaman. When Ryuji finds Fusako he stops his work as a man of the sea and chooses to work in her store to make her happy. In â€Å"Waves,† the young lovebirds are not destroyed by the s ea as Ryuji was, they are united by it. Comparison of Sound of Waves and Sailor Who Fell From Grace with the Sea :: comparison compare contrast essays Comparison of Sound of Waves and Sailor Who Fell From Grace with the Sea There are many similarities between Yukio Mishima's â€Å"The Sound of Waves" and â€Å"The Sailor Who Fell From Grace with the Sea,† but there are also some important differences. The endings of the two novels seem to oppose each other, however some of the imagery and characters personalities in the novels make them very similar. In â€Å"Sailor,† one of the main characters is named Ryuji. He is a sailor, and later a father, and plays a central role in the novel. In â€Å"Waves,† Ryuji is used as the name for a character again. However, this Ryuji is not seen often in the action -- he is instead a medium through which the two main characters are forced to communicate. The Ryuji in â€Å"Waves† is also a young boy, while in â€Å"Sailor† he is a weathered man. In both novels, the Westernization of Japan is used as a motif. In â€Å"Sailor,†Fusako is the proprietress of an import shop and her home and lifestyle are both very Western. This Westernization is something that would lead to the eventual downfall of Ryuji. In â€Å"Waves,† Churiko, a more western-thinking, college-educated girl, is the character that creates the problems which must be overcome. It seems that Mishima is trying to communicate to the readers that Westernization is not a good thing for Japan. In r eal life, we know that Mishima did think this was true. He would commit ritual suicide for his beliefs about the emperor. The sea is of course of central importance in both novels. Surprisingly though, the two novels do not share the same view of the ever-changing force. In â€Å"Sailor,† Ryuji describes the sea as, â€Å"another kind of prison.(16)† In â€Å"Waves†, Shinji, the main character, feels surprisingly free when he first ventures onto the sea: â€Å" ‘I'm free!’ he shouted in his heart. This was the first time he had realized there could be such a strange sort of freedom as this.(150)† Another contrast between the two books deals with the ending. In â€Å"Sailor,† it is the fulfillment of love that causes the death of Ryuji, the heroic seaman. When Ryuji finds Fusako he stops his work as a man of the sea and chooses to work in her store to make her happy. In â€Å"Waves,† the young lovebirds are not destroyed by the s ea as Ryuji was, they are united by it.

Traditional Ways of Meranao Courtship

TRADITIONAL WAYS OF MERANAO COURTSHIP Introduction: Marriage in Meranao society is not just a simple romantic one-to-one relationship between boy and girl; rather, it is a fusion by defiant ties of two families seeking to establish socioeconomic and political relations with one another. I. Courtship A. Selecting a mate B. Courtship prior to marriage C. Manifesting the intent for marriage D. Deliberation of the proposal E. The engagement periodF. Training to assume rights and duties INTRODUCTION Marriage in Meranao society is not just a simple romantic one-to-one relationship between boy and girl; rather, it is a fusion by affiant ties of two families seeking to establish socioeconomic and political relations with one another. Traditional marriage has therefore always been contracted through parents, although the practice is slowly becoming modified to conform to the times.It is, therefore, clear why the reckoning of the salsila genealogical record, occupies a significant niche in the Meranao mind. In fact, in considering marriage, what the pananalsila ‘salsila expert' says or reveals about the lineage of the parties concerned can become crucial in the decision to proceed with the marriage or not. It is part of one's group consciousness or pride (maratabat) to see the individual's marriage establishes strong family relations.The study will only focus to the traditional ways of courtship and marriage of Maranao and on how courtship and marriage happen. The objective of this study was to know more about the traditional ways of courtship and marriage of Maranao man and woman because the time is now escalating the western influences and it causes forgetfulness of Maranao culture. The study was made possible to the internet websites, books, magazines, and news. I. Courtship A.Selecting a mate The Meranao courtship may start either prior to or after marriage. There are proofs to show the existence of courtship prior to marriage. There are a number of cases in wh ich the couple does not see each other until their wedding day because their selection of a partner is usually undertaken by parents, kin, or the community. In some cases, children may be betrothed as infants or promises may be made between families regarding children still unborn.Even children who are allowed to confide to their parents their wish to marry, because of personal attraction, is subject to the decision of the parents or kindred. Arranged marriage is prevalent in Meranao society because of family social and economic factors which are given prime importance, that is, marriage is seen as an institution establishing a union between two families. It is a bond uniting two families in which the sharing of problems and happiness is the major consideration.Thus children to be â€Å"married off† are always told the practical reasons for the union such as: the other family can give you happiness, or can bring up; it has many members who help one another, who do not bother their in-laws, who belong to the royal blood; the intended spouses will be a good wife or a husband, responsible one, and many others. These social and economic considerations subordinate the romantic factors in marriage, although the latter is not totally ignored. The marriageable children have themselves no much choice in the marriage.Meranao parents who â€Å"marry off† their children usually do not ask for their approval. The prospective spouse is usually chosen first from among the relatives. If no relative qualifies the search movies on to the neighborhood and if there is no one there either continues on to other people elsewhere. Meranao do not like their children to marry non-Meranao women, but especially non-Meranao men. Deviats of this norm have been made almost outcasts of the society. Consciousness of kind is very strong among Meranao.Because of the practice of arranged marriage, actual courtship of the individual bride herself may continue or begin after the wedd ing ceremony. This is the boy’s task, with his parents and in-laws acting as the pressure group for the girl’s acceptance of the marriage. The mechanism or procedure is not established, as it is based on individual personal ability or patience. B. Courtship prior to marriage Courtship prior to marriage is given importance in Meranao society. It is highly regulated, which practically makes it a very delicate task to handle.There are norms that must be followed. Violation of these norms brings violence in the community. As already stated, courtship is either an individual or group endeavor. As an individual work, it is expected of a man not of the woman and, traditionally, the act is not primarily directed at the latter herself. It is may be directed at her guardians, kin or any other influential person who has the say in the conduct of her marriage. If ever it is directed at the girl, her influential kin must not be disregarded or the boy will meet obstacles when his ma rriage is proposed.In the rural areas, it is usually done at a nocturnal visit in the house of the girl, in a gathering, or in the working place. The boy must behave in the most acceptable manner without showing any aggressiveness to the girl. When he comes up in the house, he is not entertained by the girl but any old folk in the house, particularly the girl’s mother. He may be served cigarettes or a betel quid or, nowadays, a snack. This encounter is usually characterized by a display of skills in pananaroon or tobad-to-bad (short poetic love poem in classical Meranao language) by both parties.In most instances, this tobad-to-tobad triggers the boy’s emotion to propose marriage by requesting or confiding to his parents or to his close relatives about his wish to be married off. It may also scare him so that he will disappear from the house especially if he finds the situation not suitable. In the past aside from the vocal renditions, musical instruments have been emp loyed to convey the sentiment of the both parties. In this case, the boy and the girl enjoyed themselves but they were left alone since the activity was a group endeavor. The girl had her company; so had the boy.Her parents would even participate. The musical instruments were either the insi (bamboo flute) or a three-string guitar called kotiyapi or the musical activity could have been a kalilang (playing of musical instruments composed of two big gongs, 7 small graduated gongs and a drum). A boy may also express his love by sending a kirim (highly poetic love letter) to the girl. This kirim, however, is not kept confidential. The girl shows it to her companions, to her mother or to other old folks, not only because there is pride in having received it but also to solicit opinions on how to handle it.Aside from nocturnal visit, a boy can also court in any appropriate gatherings, as in a kanggawi or a vigil or in group games by boys and girls; or in a kalilang, where boys and girls e xhibit their expertise (a practice inhibited since Martial Law). C. Manifesting the intent for marriage When the parents like to marry off their son, they usually look for a go-between to do preliminary negation, called the kapangakap o kapanokatokay (literally, â€Å"knowing†). This go-between talks secretly to the parents of the girl regarding the intent.As go-between, he may be frankly told by the parents of the girl not to pursue the intent in some reasons, or he may be made to feel their openness to the proposal. Whatever may be the result, the go-between conveys it to the parents of the boy in euphemistic language. If the result of his preliminary talk is negative, he does not openly tell the parents of the boy so, in order to avoid embarrassment. He finds other reasons to explain why their intent is not viable. But if the result has been a positive, he tells to pursue their intent.Thus the next move of the parents and kin of the boy, accompanied by the go-between, is t o visit the girl’s parents. In this visit, they may not mention anything about their intent, or formally propose the marriage of their son. This procedure is called kapangilaylay (citing). In opening the proposal, the spokesman of the boy’s parents, usually the go-between, states their intent by saying: â€Å"We come here because of our intent to let [mentioning the name of the boy] live with you, if you do not mind. † Later, he states the betang they can afford.He does not say it explicitly in plain language but expresses it as a lot (potluck) of the boy. The girl’s parents or their representative makes a response, which is neither acceptance nor refusal, but a deferment of their decision on the matter. The delay may be days, weeks or months, depending upon the time they need to convene their relatives who will decide the matter. But, before they make the response, they claim the kawasa tig or diyalaga. This is an amount ranging from P100 and up for the opening of the discussion for marriage; some say it is a token of honor to the bangsa (descent) of the girl.But actually, the amount is used to defray expenses incurred during the discussion of the marriage proposal. D. Deliberation of the proposal and the taalik After the girl’s side has decided on the betang, it conveys the decision to boy’s side, or both parties come on a set date to formally deliberate on the matter. If they meet on cetain date to deliberate on it, both parties bring their maongangen (a person who has wisdom in public speaking). In this open meeting, both parties display their poetic and oratorical skills.The girl’s side formally states its response to the proposal. The boy’s side may ask for postponement in order to study some point in question, say the betang, or bargain secretly if there has been no prior bargaining made. Usually, however, they readily accept the response of the girl’s party. This smooth agreement in the ope n is made possible because there usually has been already a previous underground negotiation and agreement made with the go-between before the formal opening of the public ceremony.Everybody knows that what is publicly displayed has been already privately agreed upon. When both parties have agreed on the betang, the taalik is set. It is usually chosen by the boy’s side with the consent of the girl’s kin. It is may be several days, months or years hence, depending upon the capabilities of the boy to put up the demanded betang and/ or the maturity of prospective bride and groom in the case of children marriages. When the taalik comes and the boy’s parents wish to move it for some reasons, they may ask for postponement.They are allowed postponement three times but for each one, they are required to put up part of the betang to make sure they do not back out of the agreement.. The interim before the taalik is time for both parties to observe one another’s cha racters, and the boy and his parents’ opportunity to prove their best to their prospective in-laws so that when the wedding comes, they may be able to reduce the betang if they connot completely put it up. It is also time for them to pool together resources to meet the betang, that is, to collect the expected share of every relative in the betang no matter how poor the may be.If the boy’s side fails to put up the betang on the final date, the marriage proposal is annulled, especially if the girl’s parents do not give it any further chance. If this happens all the expenditures of the boy’s side are forfeited. On the other hand, if the girl’s side rejects the proposal before the taalik has came it shall refund all the expenses of the boy and pay a fine imposed for the breach of contract, unless there is a grave offense committed against the girl of the family honor and integrity, such as oral defamation, slander or some other insult.The fine shall be determined by the taritib and igma or by amicable settlement by the go-between through the kokoman a kambatabataa. E. The engagement period While waiting for the taalik to come, many things are expected to happen. The relatives of the boy may perform the kapaniwaka or siwaka. This is a gift-giving of raw food by the parents of the boy to the parents of the girl. In the past, it is composed mainly of betel nut and leaves, lime, tobacco (or imbama) and other items in bundles or sacks. Kapaniwaka is believed to be determinant of status of both parties.It carries with it prestige: the greater the items given, the higher is the prestige of the giver and receiver. Kapaniwaka actually is a courtship mechanism designed to win the love of the girl and her kin. Aside from the kapaniwaka, the boy may start eating with girl, a ceremonial act and status called kaatoang. The prospective bride and groom eat from a brass tray (tabak); in the urban area a table is used. During first meal together, chaperons accompany them. After sometime, the two are left alone at the meal, but they are always under watch secretly by the people in the house.This situation makes the boy extra careful in his dealing with his sweetheart. Before the boy can eat with the girl, however, a leka sa dulang (literally, opening of the food on the tray) is asked of him by the guardians of the girl. This is an amount which varies from one place to another and the family of the girl. It ranges, however, from P100 to a few thousands. In the past the claim is isa tao (literally, one person) or one person which can be substituted in cash (paras). F. Training to assume rights and dutiesWhen the proposal for marriage is accepted, rights and duties of both parties defined by the tradition take effect. Neither of them can back out the agreement, otherwise a fine shall be imposed on the violator without a substantial ground. The boy has the right to sleep in the house of the girl and show his best behavior to the girl and her parents, not only to win their love (so that if there is a little difference in the betang he can bargain for it), but also as a kind of training for him be treated with even more difference than one’s own parents.During the boy’s first night in the house, he is given the best available malong (circular blanket with openings at both ends) as his souvenir which he uses during the engagement period and keeps for himself. The gesture symbolizes honor and welcome. The boy’s permission must be sought when the girl goes out to attend some gathering or to some important business. He is expected to accompany her not only to ensure her safety but to provide for her financial expenses, if any.If the girl is attending a social gathering like kalilang, he must go with her, because if she plays the kolintang he is expected to accompany her on the agong, otherwise he will be demeaned if some other boy plays the accompaniment. This practice appears to have died ou t since the Martial Law period. The girl’s failure to seek the permission of the prospective husband can be a ground for breaking the proposal, or else the parents of the girl are fined a certain amount (sala) to be negotiated by the go-between or to be determined by the datu in the community, in accordance with the taritib and igma.This practice is not strongly adhered to in recent time especially in the City. The boy may help this prospective parents-in-law in their work. This is highly recommended in order that he would gain their esteem and appreciation. He is also expected to provide some assistance in the form of foodstuff, like rice or money. If the girl smokes, he has to bring her cigarettes.