Critical Evaluation of Assessment Practice in Enterprise Education

In this twenty-four hours and age, there is a demand for pupils to derive entrepreneurial accomplishments which may assist them run into work force and economic demands. This demand has been documented by several research workers. The function of the pupil has changed over the old ages from independency and ego sufficiency to interdependence. This alteration is seting larning establishments under force per unit area to bring forth alumnuss who have non merely the cognition, but besides the accomplishments needed in designation of chances, understanding market forces, commercializing new merchandises and recommending for them. This means that there is a turning demand for establishments to make assessment patterns that will assist their pupils be successful in this extremely competitory universe. This critical paper focuses on appraisal pattern in endeavor instruction. Many bookmans have written articles and documents about the demand to hold deeper appraisal pattern research to assistance in the creative activity of appraisal schemes that are pupil oriented and which are up to the needed criterions. The paper entitled â€Å" Assessment Practice in Enterprise Education † is authored by Dr. Luke Pittaway[ 1 ]. It analyses the present arguments about assessment pattern in Higher Education. The paper gives some in depth information about educational research on appraisal in instruction and to what extent this research impacts on entrepreneurship instruction. The attack of the article is based on researching several results and foregrounding the functions they play in assisting in the comprehension for the assorted grounds why people engage in endeavor instruction. Thereafter, the paper applies the different results to assessment pattern. This application of results is done by describing a figure of focal point groups. The terminal consequences based on different focal point groups are presented harmonizing to results in different possible entrepreneurships and little concerns. The followers is a critical rating of the paper. Article Summary Pittaway identified different research subjects in the country of endeavor instruction. The writer looked at systematic literature reappraisal to place these subjects. Some of the subjects that the writer found to rule this country are: Factors impacting the leaning of pupils to go enterprisers Changes in pupil efficaciousness brought approximately by instruction Institutional policies and Teaching method The writer criticized the systematic literature reappraisal of non giving much attending to the issue of assessment pattern in endeavor instruction. Harmonizing to him, â€Å" coded commendation informations developed inductively from abstracts did non foreground the topic as of major concern to the research community † . He goes on to state that the research done on endeavor instruction focuses excessively much on the design and execution of plans instead than assessment pattern efficaciousness. However, every bit much as the writer recognizes the restrictions of these research outcomes, he besides admits that there is barely any research that has been done on the country of assessment pattern in assorted entrepreneurship diaries. Harmonizing to him, this could be the ground why current research on appraisal standards on endeavor instruction has really small to offer. Pittaway argues that this inadvertence is unfortunate since he sees assessment as being really of import in academic pattern. He says that appraisal determines the quality of higher instruction instruction and acquisition. He agrees with those who say that decently designed appraisal tools make aid do clear outlooks. He besides says that they are of import in the constitution of sensible work load and creative activity of chances for pupils to supervise themselves, pattern, rehearse and acquire feedback. Harmonizing to Pittaway, the UK authorities bureaus such as the Quality confidence Agency and the Higher Education Academy, that are responsible for guaranting that instruction quality is maintained, usually put a batch of accent of assessment pattern. They usually focus on appraisal pattern so as to guarantee that rating is effectual. Concentrating on appraisal pattern besides enables the bureaus to protect educational criterions. They besides use it as a agency of larning every bit good as pupil feedback. Pittaway observes that although appraisal pattern is enormously of import, it has been abandoned in many learning establishments and it is taught as a topic in endeavor instruction. He addresses this inadvertence by measuring assorted statements and positions given in research on several assessment patterns. He besides gives some of the established entrepreneurial results in endeavor related instruction. The results that he focuses on are those that have been developed by the UK National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship. At the terminal of the paper, Pittaway draws together some of the classs of appraisal and explains how they can be used to better endeavor instruction. Cardinal Subjects: Arguments and Discussions Pittaway states that as a topic, appraisal is rather wide and it includes several signifiers of assessment pattern in higher instruction. He lists these assessment pattern signifiers as: Institutional appraisal Teacher appraisal Student appraisal He focuses on pupil appraisal, which he says has elicited concern chiefly due to increasing force per unit area from academic bureaus and authorities organic structures which are looking to act upon, enhance and step public presentation of establishments. However, he considers assessment pattern as a really of import facet of educational pattern for its built-in function in measuring the nexus between the existent accomplishment of pupils and the desired or expected educational results. He goes on to state that the nexus between appraisal and educational results is really near. He says that the system of appraisal used has the possible to drive pupil behaviour and in the long tally, affect their learning experience. Pittaway focuses on arguments and statements which revolve around political and educational concerns. One of these educational concerns is based on how assessment patterns impact on the acquisition procedure. This concern seeks to understand how and to what extent appraisal can be able to assist larning to happen. Many establishments in the state have put in topographic point appraisal methods that have a clear alliance with expected larning results every bit good as the cognition and accomplishments that pupils are taught. Pittaway sees the deficiency of a clear alliance between larning results, larning chances and appropriate appraisal patterns as a major job ( Pittaway, 7 ) . He says that this alliance has non been every bit good thought through as it should be. Another job that Pittaway points out in the bing appraisal undertakings is the deficiency of a deep procedure. He says that the bing appraisal patterns encourage surface acquisition at the disbursal of deep acquisition which usually has the possible to enable a pupil addition entrepreneurial accomplishments that he can utilize subsequently in life. He says that â€Å" many of our appraisal processes encourage surface larning directing pupils to play the system instead than promoting deep acquisition † . Principles for Effective Assessment Practice Pittaway gives the undermentioned rules for efficient appraisal pattern in enterprise instruction: The appraisal pattern should be dependable, valid and consistent The sum of appraisal should be appropriate The intent or ground for appraisal should be clearly defined the standards used in appraisal should be expressed, apprehensible and transparent all signifiers of appraisal tools need to be based on proper apprehension of pupil acquisition procedures appraisal must suit the differences exhibited by single pupils appraisal patterns should give room for pupils to have feedback appraisal must enable pupil and instructors to reflect on their acquisition and pattern eventually, the appraisal method used in an establishment needs to be an built-in portion of class design Reliability, value and consistency are some of the qualities that any academic appraisal plan should hold. The assessment pattern should be dependable in that it should be applicable to broad scope of class countries. A valuable appraisal pattern means that it is able to heighten the entrepreneurial capablenesss of scholars. The assessment undertaking demands to be appropriate to a scholar ‘s environment. The endeavor appraisal should be related to what the pupil has learnt in his entrepreneurial instruction and it should besides reflect the sort of entrepreneurial patterns that are used in a certain part. Many pedagogues do non clearly specify their appraisal intents. This is what leads to equivocal appraisals which end up non assisting the pupils at all. To avoid such a state of affairs, there is demand to clearly specify larning results in entrepreneurship assessment patterns. Educators need to believe profoundly about the appraisal tools to utilize in endeavor instruction. This will do apprehension of assessment standards really easy and apprehensible. When pedagogues understand the pupil ‘s acquisition procedures, so it is besides easy to make assessment patterns that are value added. In planing efficient appraisal patterns, there is need to understand a pupil ‘s alone demands. There is no point in planing appraisal plans which do non reflect the demands of each and every pupil. When the single demands of scholars are considered in the design of appraisal in entrepreneurial instruction and appraisal, so assessment efficiency is possible. An efficient appraisal pattern should give a pupil the chance to have feedback. Feedback is of import as it enables the pupil to personally estimate how good he understands constructs and how efficaciously he can use the accomplishments that he has been taught. Feedback should be given in a manner that encourages betterment in larning results. Contemplation is an of import facet of effectual acquisition. In planing entrepreneurial appraisal patterns and schemes, pedagogues need to believe about making them in away that will advance contemplation. When pupils and their instructors reflect on their acquisition patterns, they are likely to appreciate their acquisition results and better their entrepreneurial accomplishments. Including practical and good thought out assessment scheme in the overall class design is really of import. It ensures that the appraisal method and standards used is in line with the needed acquisition criterions. The thought that assessment patterns need to be wholesome is a welcome one. It is high clip that pedagogues recognized the importance of effectual appraisal in making a coevals of entrepreneurial persons. They should therefore think truly carefully about the appraisal patterns that will convey out the best int inheritor pupils in footings of entrepreneurial capablenesss. Teachers and other instruction policy shapers should non work in isolation with pupils and other stakeholders when planing appraisal schemes that are applicable to a broad scope of classs. Pittaway says that given the diverseness and possible complexness of endeavor instruction appraisal pattern, there is demand for more consideration for the topic from a pattern and research position. He goes on to state that pedagogues need to believe more carefully about the jobs and issues that are usually associated with appraisal. These issues include the intended acquisition results in entrepreneurial surveies every bit good as how this can be linked together in planing effectual educational designs ( 18 ) . This is a strong point that Pittaway makes. Educators need to germinate from theory appraisal to skill based appraisal in entrepreneurial appraisals. They should believe deeply about the consequences they intend to see after learning entrepreneurial accomplishments to their pupils before they create any assessment tools. When they are certain about the intended acquisition results, they can so plan effectual appraisal undertakings that are pupil oriented. Although this is the ideal appraisal pattern, it is non as easy to accomplish as Pittaway points out ( p. 18 ) . The writer says that diverseness in itself has brought many other appraisal jobs, particularly those that are associated with effectual appraisal pattern. He says that the topic has non been dwelt with earnestly and in adequate deepness by research workers, and hence, pedagogues can non accomplish what they want. Pittaway besides observes that although there is a high rate of deficiency of advanced appraisal, the deficiency of advanced bringing is really minimum. Pittaway besides focuses on the philosophical diverseness sing the function of assessment pattern in endeavor instruction. This he says is demonstrated in literature and endeavor pedagogues ‘ end product. He says that there are considerations in the presentation of endeavor instruction appraisal patterns. He says that formative appraisal enables pupils to place their countries of failing and helps in bettering acquisition. Summational appraisal is usually used to measure where or how far the pupils have come in footings of their public presentation. Pittaway observes that there exists some sort of tenseness between these two sorts of assessment positions. He points out that research workers usually place more with summational methods of appraisal. These methods are usually entrenched in many educational establishments where external accreditation systems and diagnostic signifiers are common. However, he says that although these tensenesss are a world, they can be resolved by uniting elements of the two positions of endeavor appraisal patterns ( 18 ) . He goes farther to indicate out another signifier of tenseness in educational doctrine circles: cold perceiver vs. societal perceiver appraisal. In the past few old ages, ego and peer appraisal in higher instruction has grown in popularity ( 19 ) . This makes it possible for those people who are themselves prosecuting in larning to measure the sort of acquisition that has already occurred. However, Pittaway argues that the difference in the cold perceiver and societal perceiver appraisal methods is really minimum and it should non impact really much on larning results. Pittaway besides addresses the issue of entrepreneurial larning results in footings of how pedagogues understand the relevancy of endeavor instruction and appraisal. He says that pedagogues need to understand how enterprising people and entreprenuers learn so as to be able to do appropirate determinations sing the â€Å" signifiers of instruction activity that can advance such acquisition † ( p.9 ) . He besides looks at how entrepreneurial acquisition research can offer insight on how best to travel about the creative activity of effectual appraisal schemes. He says that research based on endeavor larning gives pedagogues a opportunity to place those larning results that are desired in educational activities. He lists a figure of characteristics of entrepreneurial acquisition that he gets from assorted research workers ‘ work: the acquisition should be action oriented enterprisers learn through experience enterprisers learn through contemplation and making they usually learn through experimenting, copying, chance pickings, doing errors and job resolution. Pittaway besides highlights the different countries which pedagogues can utilize to make enterprise instruction and appraisal that impacts on larning. He goes on to state that these countries have the ability to impact alterations in empathy, behaviour, motives, values, competences, ability to pull off relationships and venture creative activity cognition ( p.10 ) . By foregrounding these eight countries of alteration, Pittaway shows the complexness that comes with enter instruction appraisal. Supporting Theories Although there has been a spurred addition in the development of entrepreneurship instruction, there has been minimum research done to analyze pupil larning results and their impact on scholars ‘ attitudes, calling ends and professional competences[ 2 ]. Duval-Coutil, Reed-Rhoads and Haghighi ( 2010 ) portion Pittaway ‘s sentiments when they province that enterprice appraisal has been enormously ignored as a topic. Another research worker, Shartrand ( 2008 ) says that entrepreneurial appraisal plans are: â€Å" Case surveies turn toing the procedure of deriving administrative blessing and pupil involvement, depicting content cognition that is covered, pedagogical attacks utilised, challenges of execution, and, in some instances, appraisal programs † ( p.8 ) Many grounds have been given for the deficiency of valid appraisal instrument certifications and informations. The chief ground is that the call to include entrepreneurship into mainstream academic plans is comparatively new in many learning establishments ( Shartrand and Weilerstein, 2008 ) . There are barriers that may do execution of assessment pattern in endeavor instruction excessively hard. One of these obstructions is based on the world that there may be need for interdisciplinary coaction, a move that may non be excessively popular among faculty members ( Yorke, 1998 ) . Another obstruction has to make with deficiency of consistence in assorted academic plans ( Duval-Couetil, Reed-Rhoads and Haghighi, 2010 ) . This makes it difficult to make assessment schemes that are valid for a broad scope of academic contexts. Several surveies assess the complexness of assessment pattern in endeavor instruction. Falkang and Alberti ( 2000 ) looked at the different accents that has been put on entreneurship classs. They grouped the classs into two different classs: Those that focus on the account of entrepreneurship and its function in the economic system. Those that have an experiential disposition in developing pupils in accomplishments needed in entrepreneurship concerns In the first class of classs, pupils are far removed form the topic under treatment. However in the 2nd class, the classs usually highlight the different methods that are required in measuring acquisition in different environments. It can be said so that the first class of appraisal measures how effectual certain classs are in footings of satisfaction, pupil involvement, pedagogical attacks and cognition acquisition. The 2nd attack can be said to be more practical when viewed from an entrepreneurship appraisal point as it considers the development of new ventures, impact on economic system and professional results. Like Pittaway, research workers Duval-Coutil, Reed-Rhoads and Haghighi have besides categorized appraisal in entrepreneurship instruction. Their classs are ; class degree ratings, focused instrumental ratings and broader plan ratings[ 3 ]. Course flat ratings are those that measure the pupil ‘s reaction to a specific class. Focused instruments are those that seek to estimate certain facets related to entrepreneurship. Broader plan ratings are designed in a manner that they can measure a broad country of results such as economic impact, cognition, satisfaction and calling pick. To a great extent, Duval-Coutil, Reed-Rhoads and Haghighi ( 2010 ) are on understanding with Pittaway on the complexness of developing assessment patterns in entrepreneurial results. The research workers argue that the being of barriers in the bing academic system have made it about impossible for establishments to make assessment patterns that reflect the aims of multiple classs. Harmonizing to Shartrand and Weilerstein ( 2008 ) the appraisal aims for endeavor instruction should steer and promote affectional attacks to larning. The assessment pattern should besides mensurate the expected results in a dependable and valid manner. Entrepreneurial appraisal patterns should besides specify and protect academic criterions ( Palomba and Banta, 1999 ) . When the appraisal is seen to protect academic criterions, so it will non be met with every bit much contention at it soon attracts. Gibbs ( 2002 ) says that some of the jobs encountered in endeavor appraisal are ambiguity in the appraisal and several dissensions centered around the coveted acquisition results. Pittaway besides has a similar observation and he says that the pedagogues in endeavor demand to happen appropriate ways to heighten clear larning results, particularly at the phase of enterprise class development ( Pittaway, 8 ) . There are some assessment methods used soon in schools are usually student and accomplishment based. These sorts of appraisal schemes are suited for enterprise instruction as they are able to run into the demands of academic asperity ( Shartrand and Weilerstein, 2008 ) . It is true that the relationship between different appraisal patterns and acquisition and instruction quality has non been looked at really earnestly. However, stakeholders in establishments of higher larning need to recognize that appraisal demands and standards play a large function in finding pupil larning effectivity ( Falkang and Alberti, 2000 ) . There is demand to carefully design appraisal patterns in a manner that it impacts strongly on the quality of their instruction ( Heywood, 2009 ) . More research is needed in the country of appraisal patterns in endeavor instruction so as to make advanced appraisal schemes that are up to the needed criterions ( Palomba and Banta, 1999 ) . These advanced appraisal schemes for enterprise instruction should besides heighten pupil acquisition, which should be reflected in assessment results. When this topic is given the needed attending by research workers, it will be easy for pupils and instructors likewise to understand its importance in today ‘s extremely progressively entrepreneurial universe ( Falkang and Alberti, 2000 ) . Students and staff will be able to handle it as an built-in constituent of the larning procedure as opposed to handling it as a concluding adjunct to larning. This will enable the pedagogues to acknowledge and do usage of multiple appraisal tools which must be designed to heighten survey wonts that will finally add value to the pupil ‘s life ( Shartrand and Weilerstein, 2008 ) . The appraisal patterns that an establishment decides to utilize should offer a clear coherence between expected acquisition results, the cognition and accomplishments that are being assessed and what the pupils are really taught ( what they learn ) ( Duval-Couetil, Reed-Rhoads and Haghighi, 2010 ) . These assessment undertakings should non merely measure the capableness of scholars to remember some information that they were late taught, they should besides be designed in a manner that they can efficaciously measure the capacity of pupils to synthesise and analyse new constructs and information. Decision Pittaway ‘s article has focused much on the appraisal patterns used in enterprise instruction plans and how this country has been researched. Although appraisal is a really of import portion of endeavor instruction, there are really few establishments that have given much attending to the topic, as Pittaway points out. There seems to be deficiency of experience of making or acquiring alternate or different signifiers of appraisal to suit into a certain academic country. There is demand for more research into the country of appraisal patterns in endeavor instruction. This will assist in the coevals of advanced thoughts on how pedagogues in entrepreneurship can come up with assessment patterns that can supply a nexus between pupil accomplishment and general academic demands. Pittaway does depict the complexness and diverseness of assessment pattern tools and schemes that have been identified by some endeavor pedagogues. He concludes by stating that there should be more accent from a research and pattern position. This is the lone manner that he says establishments will be able to make assessment patterns that are relevant in this twenty-four hours and age. Good appraisal schemes are priceless to establishments and to pupils as good. For one, when a acquisition establishment has good established appraisal patterns, there is no danger of traveling off the grade when it comes to educational quality. Educators are able to keep the set criterions for educational quality while at the same clip developing entrepreneurial capacities in their pupils. This means that when a pupil learns in an establishment that has developed its appraisal patterns, there is a high likeliness that he will be a better enterpriser than a pupil who has non gone through the system. Pittaway has written down some of the rules that he says should be followed when making appraisal plans for enterprise instruction. He has given these rules as dependability, value, consistence, appropriateness transparence and clearly defined appraisal patterns. He goes on to indicate out that although these are the ideal rules for appraisal tools in endeavor instruction, non all pedagogues apply them all. There exists some conventional mean of appraisal that are non every bit effectual as they are supposed to be in this extremely entrepreneurial universe. Educators must see coming up with appropriate appraisal patterns that reflect the demands success in the universe today. The thought that assessment patterns need to be wholesome is a welcome one. It is high clip that pedagogues recognized the importance of effectual appraisal in making a coevals of entrepreneurial persons. They should therefore think truly carefully about the appraisal patterns that will convey out the best int inheritor pupils in footings of entrepreneurial capablenesss. Teachers and other instruction policy shapers should non work in isolation with pupils and other stakeholders when planing appraisal schemes that are applicable to a broad scope of classs. Given the diverseness and possible complexness of endeavor instruction appraisal pattern, there is demand for more consideration for the topic from a pattern and research position. This position is supported by both Pittaway and other educational research workers. Educators need to believe more carefully about the jobs and issues that are usually associated with assessment patterns in larning establishments. These issues include the intended acquisition results in entrepreneurial surveies every bit good as how this can be linked together in planing effectual educational designs. When these issues are resolved, assessment patterns will eventually give the consequences that are required in this twenty-four hours and age. Enterprise pedagogues need to be extremely advanced in the manner they design their appraisal tools so as to heighten acquisition and accomplishment deriving in their pupils. If the appraisal patterns that are used in most establishments of higher instruction are disused, so there is need to revise the system to guarantee that appraisal standard is in line with entrepreneurial demands. Educational research workers all agree on the fact that there is demand to aline larning results, assessment undertakings and larning chances to do endeavor instruction and appraisal every bit effectual as possible.

Organisational structure of British Airways Essay

1.0 Introduction The following assignment aims to highlight the organizational structure of a major player in the aeronautical sector which is BRITISH AIRWAYS. For that purpose, it is necessary to consider fundamental management’s principles in order to understand at best the factors which may influence the result of the company, without forgetting the importance of the interactions between the internal and external environments which play a major role in the success or the failure of the strategies undertaken by the company. It will be then necessary to find aspects to be improved by the company to propose solutions and so optimize the general performances of British airways. 1.1 British airways â€Å"to fly, to serve† With more than 93 years of existence, British Airways acts as an expert of aeronautical services whether it is at the airport or aboard the planes which compose the fleet of the company or for the business trips. The  company employs more than 39 900 persons in 2010 in UK and overseas while the head office is based in Waterside. Web 1: http://www.britishairways.com/cms/global/microsites/ba_reports0910/financial/notes/note7.html 2.0 The organizational structure 2.1 Definition According to H. Mintzberg  «The organizational structure is the total sum of the employees to divide the work into different tasks and to insure then the coordination between the tasks ». The organizational structure can also be defined as the way the authority is considered through the relations hierarchical or the way the activities are specified and distributed and still the way the systems of communication inside organizations are established. The organizational structure can be divided into macrostructure and into microstructure: while the macrostructure relates to the totality of the divisions or the organization, the microstructure relates to the organization of the activities and the hierarchical relations inside a certain department of the organization. 2.2 How to determine the best organizational structure for British Airways? In order to determine the organizational structure which will meet the needs at best of the company and which will allow her to use its resources in a effective and efficient way it is important to estimate two important aspects which are the departmentalization as well as the amplitude of control. The departmentalization consists in group the common resources to exploit them at best whereas the amplitude of control determines the degree of authority which exercises an immediate superior in front of his subordinate. There are several organizational structures offered to companies to respond to their needs such as the tall structure, the flat one or the functional organization. 3.0 Which are the organizational structures adopted by British Airways? 3.1 The tall structure: Having made a current inventory of fixtures of the resources that possess the company, managers decided to opt for a tall structural organization to remain long-lasting. This structure distinguishes the various levels of decision where the highest person in the organization chart detains most power. As for executives, they take care to oversee the work of the subordinates. So, they act as intermediary as shows hit the organization chart below which reveals the position of every manager in the organization chart of the company. The structure consists of three levels where Willie Wash is the chief executive; he controls the customer and operations executive which group the communications sector which is important because the brand image depends on this department, the customer service which is always trying to improve this service, the engineering one, the flight operations and the operations. There is also the management board which includes two departments of customer and operations executive, which are customer and engineering, and also the finance and performance sector, people and organisational effectiveness which verifies if the employees make correctly the tasks which were attributed to them by their superiors, sales and marketing and strategy and business units. Finally, investments, legal and government and industry affairs and safety and security are directly supervised by the chief executive in order to improve these important sectors. British airways organizational structure: Web 2: http://www.britishairways.com/cms/global/microsites/ba_reports0809/our_business/workplace.html 3.1.1 How this structure helps the company to achieve it goals? This structure chosen by the company allows every employee of British Airways to be situated in the organization chart in a clear and detailed way without any ambiguity. So, it allows avoiding any misunderstanding as for the authority which detains every employee on his colleague or his hierarchical  superior what pulls a healthy climate and thus urges the employees to put a lot at best into their tasks. These tasks are determined through the objectives fixed by the managers so every employee is in front of his responsibilities and feels as being a part of the project of the company. This structure also allows the managers to optimize at most the performances of their human resources through trainings offered to the employees to be constantly up to date at the level of the skills. Indeed, it is more and more asked to the employees to be versatile and efficient at the same time. Finally, this structure allows the managers to supervise in a direct way their subordinates what allows t o adjust the problems if they exist. 3.2 The customer structure: This structure considers the importance which represent the customers without whom, no organization can remain long-lasting and show good results. This structure consists in determining need for every specific category of customers of the company to satisfy them at best. The structure which adopts British Airways articulates around the baptized project â€Å"Compete 2012† to answer the bigger and bigger customer requirements and to become eventually the leader regarding customer service in the aeronautical sector. This program turns around three essential entities in the survival of the company which are the partners with whom the relations must be stable and cordial. We also find the colleagues who play an important role there because they represent the direct contact between the company and the customers. And finally the customers among whom needs and expectations must be clearly defined to satisfy them at best and so create a relation on the long term between the parts. Thi s project thus bases itself on two essential qualities that are the excellence as well as the performance as summarizes it the figure below. British airways customer structure: Web 3: http://www.britishairways.com/cms/global/microsites/ba_reports0910/our_business/strategy.html 3.2.1 How this structure helps the company to achieve it goals? This structure contributes largely to the success of the objective of the company which is to become the world’s leading global premium airline world. To reach this objective and in spite of a difficult context there, the company put on the excellence of the services proposed to the passengers and by developing new projects to satisfy them at best. Beyond that, this project contains 5 strategic objectives: Be the airline of choice for long haul premium customers, Deliver an outstanding service for customers at every touch point Grow our presence in key global cities Build on our leading position in London Meet our customers’ needs and improve margins through new revenue streams. Web 4: http://www.britishairways.com/cms/global/microsites/ba_reports0910/pdfs/Strategy.pdf 4.0 Recommendations The tall organizational structure has to be improved because we find inconveniences such as the slowness of decision-making; a decision has to pass by all the hierarchical levels before being approved or rejected. This considers a brake when we know the importance of the speed of transmission of information and data within organizations. So, they can change for a flat organizational structure which will accelerate the time of decision-making. The responsibilities as well as the freedom of the employees are restricted because they have to conform to the decisions taken by their immediate superiors without being necessarily consulted. This entails a lack of motivation or investment on behalf of the employees, so managers have to empower employees by increasing bonuses. The implementation of this structure turns out very expensive because of the administrative costs. In view of the context current, it would be recommended to the company to reduce its costs by opting for a cheaper structure.

John Locke †Mind Essay

Hume and Locke’s conflicting views on the existence of personal identity stem from a fundamental disagreement in regard to memory. According to Hume we have an impermanent personal identity as a result of our constantly changing stream of perceptions. These mental experiences are usually triggered by impressions, or perceptions that involve a sense experience. These constantly changing streams of perception form the false identity. On the other hand John Locke proposes this concept that  says X has identity if the ideas of X cause an observer to have of x are the same at different times. The best capable observer is X themself, as they are there for every moment. For Locke all that is needed for personal identity is mental identity. Both these ideas of personal identity are intertwined with each respected philosopher’s views on memory. According to Hume, memory is unreliable. He believes projectivism tricks us into forming memories. This is true because Hume also says we can’t remember everything, but we project as if we do. The reason he imposes this is because he believes it causes us to assume we are the same in our memories as we are now. Hume says our memories are triggered by ideas, or perceptions caused by thinking about an impression, instead of actually experiencing it. These memories at best resemble one another, which means we confuse similar but different impressions of ourselves for an impression of a single unchanging self. Moreover, Hume says we do not have the same ideas as we do now and do in the past. As a result memory gives us false identity with what it remembers. With this, the nature of the human self is derived from these mental experiences. Although Hume maintains that personal identity is falsely assumed by humans, the ideas that arise from our memories are what forms one’s identity. The end result of personal identity is that individuals have a false sense of identity, but that this false sense of identity is what gives them their individuality. This whole process is reliant upon memory; hence memory is crucial in the development of the false self and individuality. Contrary to Hume, Locke believes memory is reliable. He insists that we are able to genuinely recall the same memories. Similarly to Hume, Locke agrees we don’t remember everything. Although he shares this belief, he feels what we do remember is enough. He continues this assertion as he points out we don’t remember everything accurately but we remember enough accurately. In doing this, we are able to accurately recall past ideas and compare them with present ones. This is how he reaches his point that memory is reliable. Since  our memories are reliable, our ideas in the past and the present can genuinely be the same. For Locke, the nature of the human self is formed through this process of linking old memories to new memories to create similarities. Like Hume, individuality is obtained when this process is complete and with it comes awareness of one’s self through time. While Hume and Locke have very differentiating opinions on the conception of personal identity relative to memory, they both agree that the end result will be a unique individual.

Journalism - Writing Technologies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Journalism - Writing Technologies - Essay Example Her arguments, especially those that suggest how language evolved out of mathematical algorithms, will also be compared with other theoretical models such as the remediation concept as posited by Bolter and Grusin (2000). Language and Code Codes refer to the advanced writing techniques that translate natural languages to executable programs through a structured process of gradual refinement. The argument about how codes are increasingly becoming part of society is anchored on the logical evolution of language. Hayles pointed out that it has always changed across different periods of human history, adapting and changing according to the social triggers that disrupt the language systems. According to Aitchison (2001), such social triggers accelerate deeper causes and hidden tendencies that lie dormant within a language (Aitchison, p153)2. The explanation of this phenomenon can be quite complex and could assume scientific, psychological and cultural perspectives. Nonetheless, they revea l the agreement that languages are bound to be affected by the speakers’ environment. This is the raison d’etat behind the conventional claims about the impact of the code in modern society. Technology has dominated much of human activities with the way computers and other information and communication machines have increasingly become integrated in man’s way of life. There are, for instance, those who will argue that life will be difficult without a mobile phone or work cannot be performed without the Internet or computers. What happened was that technology became indispensable and machines have influenced human faculties and activities. Technological codes have been integrated in several aspects of human lifestyle such as how codes are embedded in commercial product cycles and into the wider capitalist system itself. These reasons, however, belong to a school that conventionally explains how technology impacts language and writing. Hayles has suggested a diffe rent perspective in interpreting the role of codes in language and its development. She invoked a growing school of thought that argues how the universe is fundamentally computational, elevating code as some lingua franca not only of machines but of all physical reality (Hayles, p15).3 In the context of writing, for instance, there is the claim that its earliest precursor is mathematics and not pictures that many believe led to syllabic writing and phonetics (Liu, 2010, p315).4 This position made writing a complex set of semiotic situations rather than mere recording of what is spoken. This theory has enabled Hayles to explain a deeper relationship between code, language, society and technology. She was able to develop a paradigm that is based on the concept of computation. Code, Writing and Speech As has been stated previously, code is a writing technique that translates language into a form understood by machines. Therefore, if Hayle’s theory is to be believed, it resembles other forms of language such as writing and speech. The outcome of the process is similar to those used in human processing of visual information, including perspective and stereoscopy (Hayles, 1999, p275).5 This nature, including Hayles invocation of Derridean metaphysics, demonstrate how code assume a certain degree of materiality as has been supported as well in how codes have penetrated the represented world. This is the basis for

Decision-making processes within private limited companies in England Essay

Decision-making processes within private limited companies in England and Wales - Essay Example According to Section 14 of the companies Act 1985, the registered memorandum of association and articles of association bind members and the company and are assumed to have been signed and sealed by each member thus all members must observe the provisions of the covenant (Grier, Griffin and Capper, 1998). In the case of Wood v. Odessa Waterworks (1889), the judge clarified that the articles of association not only constitute a contract between the shareholders and the company but also a contract between each individual shareholders (Bretagne, 2005). Companies Act 2006 made significant changes to the old Companies Act 1985 especially on the proceedings and governance of Private limited companies. Table A of the Companies Act 1985 was replaced with Model Articles of Association for the private limited companies and public limited companies that are contained in Companies Act 2006 (Griffin, 2006). The model articles took effect on 1 October 2009 thus making it possible to take advantage of benefits offered by Companies Act 2006. For instance, private limited companies incorporated before 1 October 2009 can continue with their previous articles of association or amend the articles in order to exclude the requirement of having to hold annual general meetings and employing a company secretary (Birds, 2010). Another significant change brought about in the decision-making of private limited companies in England and Wales is the removal of the previous statutory ‘cap’ on the authorized share capital (Lacy, 2002). ... e sets of model articles for public and private companies limited by shares and set model articles for the companies limited by guarantee (Clayton, 2008). The private limited companies are no longer required to have a company secretary. However, the companies can decide to appoint a secretary and his authority should be equivalent to that of a secretary of a public limited company (Hannigan, 2012). Such appointment must be notified to registrar of companies and records filed in the company’s register of secretaries. According to the previous law that was in force recently, Company Act 1985 required the directors to appoint the secretary, determine the remuneration and remove the secretary from office (Davies, 2010). The current law has simplified the decision-making process through removing the previous statutory requirement of holding an annual general meeting (Kershaw, 2012). The current law makes it possible to make decisions through written resolutions. In the previous 198 5 Act, private limited companies were required to hold annual general meetings (AGMs), but the current law gives the members the flexibility to determine whether to hold AGMs or or make critical decisions through written resolutions (Grier, 2009). However, members that hold 10 percent of the voting rights can go ahead and request for an annual general meeting (AGM). Under the previous law, the written resolutions required unanimous consent of all members unlike the current law provides that normal rule for ordinary and special resolutions will apply to written resolutions and a simple or 75 percent majority will be sufficient to pass the written resolutions. Part 13 of Resolutions and Meetings in companies Act 2006 sets a statutory minimum period of notice of general meetings to 14 days, but

Negotiations in the Euro Crises (main negotiations and decisions from Research Paper

Negotiations in the Euro Crises (main negotiations and decisions from the beginning until today) - Research Paper Example Countries such as Portugal, Ireland, Greece, and Spain popularly known as the PIGS enjoyed cheap credit in the international capital markets. Moreover, the EU supported these countries by offering structural funds. Additionally, the countries borrowed heavily from the international capital markets. Although investments increased in the PIGS, there was eventual increase in housing prices. Additionally, the economies became less competitive. Consequently, the countries experienced financial crisis resulting from excessive debts. This essay focuses on the negotiations in the Euro Crises and the decisions made from the beginning of the crisis until today. The 2007 financial crisis, which affected other regions of the world, resulted in collapse of the global financial markets. In 2009, the crisis intensified with the worsening of the Greece debt situation. The crisis spread to involve political as well as economic crisis in the entire Eurozone. This has threatened the permanence of the E uropean Union. The challenges facing the Eurozone include increased credits and public deficits in some of the Eurozone countries, the destabilized European banking system, economic downturn, and persistent imbalances in the trading systems in the Eurozone. Additionally, the employment declined gradually in most countries in the Eurozone, especially the PIGS. ... Following this crisis, several meetings, and discussions were held amongst politician, scholars, and businesspersons across the world and especially in the Eurozone. The discussion and meetings aimed at analyzing the crisis and ways to resolve it and prevent such occurrence in the future. The crisis started with deterioration of financial systems in some of the nation in the Euro zone. This resulted in bailouts for countries such as Greece, which was the first nation to receive aid from International Monetary fund and the European Union. This was followed by bailouts for other countries such as Ireland. Moreover, more countries especially the weaker economies in Eurozone have continued to demand for bailout. However, some countries such as Greece and Ireland are facing challenges related to European economic as well as the monetary union (Cooper Web; Bastasin 20-25). One of the major causes of the extension of the crisis is the lack of interest by most EU members on the decision-maki ng processes. Moreover, most economies made decisions based on assumption. Some assumed that the Greek bonds were similar to German bonds in terms of riskiness. The assumption was grounded on the fact that Greek and Germany have similar currency. The assumptions affected the participants in the bond market who failed to understand the difference in competitiveness and internal politic of the different Euro zone countries and effect of such factors on the economy. However, this has changed and negotiation within the Eurozone has resulted in establishment of different interest rate charges for the different countries in the Euro Zone (Nelson, Belkin and Mix 1-5). In June,

Freakonomics Podcast Death by Fire Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Freakonomics Podcast Death by Fire - Assignment Example electronic equipment, people forgetting and leaving their gas on, and the availability of materials that could easily catch fire around the home such as furniture. 6. The discussion about creating safer cigarettes is due to the fact that cigarettes cause a lot of the home fires due to smokers leaving their cigarettes extinguishing them after smoking and placing them either knowingly or unknowingly on an ignitable surface. Cigarettes that have not been extinguished if placed on surfaces such as beds or sofas, could easily burn the mattress or sofa as even when it is not being smoked it continues to burn. An ignition safe cigarette has been proposed as the cigarette once placed down will automatically extinguish itself. 7. The technology that is taking place with cooking equipment is the installation of temperature regulators that prevent cookers from getting to their auto ignition temperature and installation of motion sensors in the cooker so that if the cooker is left unattended for too long it would shut itself off. 10. So many people died despite the claim that the building was fire proof since the fire escapes had collapsed and the exits were not enough for the workers, a stampede ensued which led to the workers falling on each other on the way down the stairs, The exit door to the building was locked, and the lack of fire alarms led to the workers on the nineth floor not knowing early enough that a fire had ensued meaning they did not have enough time to exit the

Encouraging University Freshmen to Perceive Writing Positively Essay

Encouraging University Freshmen to Perceive Writing Positively - Essay Example Though this is expected, hard working students find the subject interesting after attending a few classes. They use the available materials from such sources as Think Tank, WSIP, the library, as well as UITS to develop their skills, thus finding it easy to do the subject. On the other hand, those who do not put in enough effort find the subject tasking, thus developing a negative attitude towards the subject. This hinders the ability of such students to excel in the subject. Consequently, the overall performance of the student gets affected, as other subjects also require them to write assignments as part of their course work. Therefore, I urge you to maintain a positive attitude towards this particular subject as it defines part of your success story at the university. I joined the writing class without much knowledge on how to do good writing. I had problems with constructing logical sentence, and maintaining flow in my work. More to these, I had problems with clarity as most of my points were disorganized, which made it difficult to comprehend my writing. In addition to these, the tenses gave me a load of problems, which gives you enough reasons that I was once a pathetic writer. However, I believe a determined mind conquers any difficulty. Consequent to this belief, I purposed to improve in all these areas. I attended my lectures punctually, and paid attention to the lessons. More to these, I set time to practice my writing skills on a daily basis, leading to an improvement in four weeks.

Online discussion for Human Resources Management in Healthcare Essay - 1

Online discussion for Human Resources Management in Healthcare - Essay Example Hence, this shuns the manager from thinking of ever increasing the employees’ monetary rewards but result to other ways to retain the staff. Medical field owing to its dynamic nature, which keeps in pace with technological knowhow; mostly prompts practitioners into developing themselves in their respective careers. Therefore, the plan will be effective if it motivates medical practitioners in the firm to advance in their careers (Zipf & Engle, 2008). However, due to the firm’s limited budget, managers can organize internal training sessions where more experienced practitioners are able to share their knowhow especially with the juniors. To arouse this desire, the healthcare facility ought to create an environment where people are free to interact and even organize internal workshops for their juniors or the new recruits. Workers’ health is extremely essential despite them being the one who would work towards the wellness of the patients. Therefore, the management ought to ensure that, the healthcare facility has effective wellness initiatives meant for workers wellbeing. This does not imply management should strain the already limited budget, but introduce cheaper programs. These may encompass internal workouts days, campaigns against certain health predicaments (like obesity) besides organizing medical check ups for the practitioners. However, these initiatives should not turn to be an extra financial burden to the budget but should be within its limit. Employees usually feel appreciated and motivated especially if the organization’s management recognizes their exceptional contribution towards attaining its goals (Zipf & Engle, 2008). This is especially when they devise something new and uncommon in other organizations that will aid in raising their competitive advantage. This recognition plan may entail sometimes

An analysis f Jevons' Theory of Women's Employment Essay

An analysis f Jevons' Theory of Women's Employment - Essay Example On the contrary, men’s participation in the labor market has never been challenged by proponents of the neoclassical tradition. Such assumptions push economists to view women as dependent beings. This essay discusses Jevons’s theory of women’s employment, and the inherent flaws of his arguments. Overview According to Pigou, the primary basis of women’s work is the labor earnings of their husband. Likewise, Becker argues that women look for employment because of a ‘household decision’ (as cited in Gupta, 2000). The question is, does the decision to look for employment a personal choice of women? Apparently such an assumption prevents one from wondering why women keep on working when their salaries are very unreasonable; such a decision may reveal an unproductive use of their capabilities; and women are prohibited by market forces to maximize benefits or returns to their personal investment (e.g. education). The participation of women in the lab or market is not viewed as a positive input to economic progress; it is rather seen as creating unfavorable outcomes for household work and national interest. Edgeworth cautioned that a huge population of women in the labor market would lead to â€Å"depression or debacle of industry†, a â€Å"debacle, ultimately ruinous alike to wealth and family life† (Kuiper & Sap, 1995, 19). However, one of the most fervent critics of women’s employment is William Stanley Jevons. He warns about the effect of employment on the household responsibilities of women and on rates of infant mortality. Paradoxically, the solutions to such dilemmas identified by the so-called ‘free market’ economists are largely influenced by draconian involvement in current labor market situations. Edgeworth supported the strengthening of barriers to women’s employment, and Marshall backed up the Factory Acts. Jevons was harsher, supporting the legalization of the total omission of mothers of children aged three and below from factories (Kuiper & Sap, 1995, 19-20). Likewise, where Pigou supported state involvement to remedy market malfunction in the employment sector, women were openly excluded. Specifically, Jevons argued that mothers of young children should be prohibited from working in factories, a rule which is thought to guarantee that children’s right and welfare were safeguarded. In 1882 Jevons called this subject matter ‘the employment of child-bearing women away from home’ as â€Å"the most important question touching the relation of the State to labor which remains unsolved† (Peart, 1996, 143). Because the participation of these women in the labor market discarded infants to â€Å"that scourge of infant life, the dirty fungus-bearing bottle† (Peart, 1996, 143), it was obvious that comprehensive policy was needed. The ills related to oppressive policy were in this case ‘overbalance[d]’ by the ‘i nfanticide’ that arose from unhindered action (Ege & Igersheim, 2011, 97): The objection may no doubt be made, that the exclusion of childbearing women from works in public factories would be a new and extreme case of interference with the natural liberty of the individual†¦ But I venture to maintain that all these supposed natural entities, principles, rules, theories, axioms, and the like, are at the best but presumptions or probabilities of good. There is, on the whole, a certain

The House Negro and the Field Negro Essay Example for Free

The House Negro and the Field Negro Essay There are two kinds of Negroes in the American society, according to Malcolm X. They are the subservient house Negro† and the subversive â€Å"field negro. † After making a detailed comparison between the two in the body of his speech, he categorically describes himself a â€Å"field negro† (X, Malcolm 1). Malcolm X is what he said he is as a field negro – a defiant black nationalist, with little regard, if at all, in the social institutions founded by white American masters, a representative of the mass of African Americans struggling to unfetter the chain that held the black people to slavery for over four centuries. Malcolm X was a man for his times, a man who witnessed in his youth the racial abuses of America’s white colonial rulers, a philosophical and religious thinker whose bold ideas and expressive rhetoric found acceptance among many African Americans who had long been subjected to racial abuse and debasement. He styled himself to represent the mass of American Africans, suited up in gentlemanly elegance to earn the respect and attention of his audience. Malcolm X delivered his speech in plain language no fancy words, no discombobulated phrases to distract his listeners. He went straight to the point and tackled issues with surgical competence and sharpness. He explained the term â€Å"house slaves† in plain and simple English, in a manner that all his audience could relate to, like the willingness of â€Å"house slaves† to pay three times the price of a house to be able to brag â€Å"I’m the only Negro out here† (Breitman 11). So the crowd roared in mock agreement. In like manner, he said a â€Å"field negro† represented the masses. He said â€Å"when the master got sick, the field Negro prayed that he’d die. † Nothing could be more graphic than that to illustrate a person’s contempt for another. Then, he said â€Å"I am a field Negro† (X, Malcolm 1) to show where he stood on the issue. He was a confident public speaker, gesturing like a true professional, like a brilliant pastor behind his pulpit. He knew his audience and made sure that he delivered the message that they wanted to hear and did it with aplomb as he underscored every sound bite that appealed to them. He was Master X behind the rostrum. His message reverberated across America with the same force and appeal that catapulted Martin Luther King Jr. into American consciousness. However, his message had none of the diplomacy and statesmanship presented by King. Malcolm X’s message was radical, uncompromising, violent, and sweeping – and should be better viewed and understood in the context of the era which bred his kind. He preached tit-for-tat as a principle of self-defense and belittled King’s calls for â€Å"civil disobedience† and â€Å"non-violence. † Malcolm X envisioned an entirely different route in his efforts to liberate the black people from slavery. His idea of freedom and liberation was for the establishment of a black republic within the United States or return of black people to their respective homelands in Africa, ideas that tended to divide rather than unite more African Americans. Moreover, he made more enemies than friends in the process of advancing these ideas in the forum of public opinion. Clearly, his ideas were more of a vindictive reaction to centuries of slavery, discrimination, and persecution in the hands of their American masters rather than a well-thought out plan to correct inequities which many well-meaning white Americans had along realized to be wrong and were willing to rectify. Malcolm’s ideas have more rhetoric than bites, more wishful thinking than real. His allegations of racism were directed to all white Americans, which maybe true but not that quite all encompassing. White American could likewise allege that Malcolm X was a racist for putting all white American together as abusive slave drivers. While some may practice racism, white Americans can claim that not everyone is racist, which is quite true. Malcolm X is a racist himself for his unforgiving tirades against white Americans. Racism is wrong no matter who practices it – black, white, yellow, or brown. As a Muslim convert, he cited the Koran, the Muslim bible, to preach the principle of â€Å"an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth† (Breitman 12). He said, â€Å"If someone lays his hand on you, send him to the cemetery† (Breitman 12). While he supported King’s civil rights movement in principle, he distanced himself from actively supporting the movement through King’s numerous sit-ins and other protest actions that reverberated across America and roused leaders from Washington D. C. to take notice and spur them to seriously consider the issues presented. The success of the civil rights movement was correctly attributed to King’s strategy of â€Å"civil disobedience† not sanctioned by X’s Muslim religion. If his plan to fight â€Å"tooth for tooth,† then the turn of events in the United States would have been different, with the black people being probably shot down for terrorism and mayhem. Then, that would have ended the black American’s struggle for liberty and independence. As if Malcolm X’s call to arms and racist statements were not enough, he called for the return of American Africans to their home countries and the establishment of a black republic within the United States which this writer believes could have altered the course of American history. He called for the establishment of a Pan African Republic to consolidate all black Americans in the United States. It was an outrageous proposal, but nevertheless it won support among the many members of the black community, particularly the young. It was primarily his forceful voice and the compelling drama that he managed to inject into his speeches that enthralled audiences. He was not the ambulant speaker that many of today’s so-called TV evangelists practice to appeal to TV viewers, strolling around the stage as they deliver their speeches. He was regal as he stood firm on the podium, cool and calculating, an authoritative figure that spoke in forceful cadence, his hand movements providing the beat from which his voice would follow in different speed, pitches and timbres. He spoke from memory and extemporaneously, reading his lines from the ohs and ahs of his audience, spending more time and adding more lines on issues that drew the most reaction from his audience. He appealed to his audience’s heart, telling them stories from everyday life and from classic books that chronicle their struggles as a people, like Uncle Tom’s Cabin. He described the â€Å"house negro† as Uncle Tom, outfitted in suit just like his master and happy to be in his company. He said there were more Uncle Toms in their midst as the crowd roared in agreement (Breitman 12). . But he assured his audience that there are more â€Å"field Negros† in their midst, all of whom were firm in their belief in freedom and independence for all black Americans. He told them they need to be firm and strong, that it was alright to defend one’s self from force and intimidation. To kill their enemies if and when necessary to uphold one’s identity (Breitman 12). . He said it was not alright to suffer in silence and invoked the Koran, the Muslim bible, as the source of his enlightenment. He appealed even to criminal elements to be prepared for a possible encounter against the whites. He told them to be in the forefront of the struggle and drew the loudest cheers. Malcolm X was the opposite of Dr. Luther King, who espoused peace. If King was a rebel, X was a revolutionary who hated white Americans, no matter who they were. They had only two similarities, or maybe three. They were both blacks, both supported civil rights and liberties, and both were fiery speakers and staunchly independent-minded. Later, they were both to die in assassin’s bullets. The speeches of Malcolm X were fiery from beginning to end – and his speech on the house and field Negros were no exception. At the end of his speech, he once again stoke the fire of what he claimed to be 400 years of slavery and discontent by a call to arms, urging all blacks not just in America but across the globe to rise in arms against white America. His speech was always laden with hate and bigotry, urging everyone to take arms in the guise of self-defense. His humor, while evident and indeed funny, was lost in the mood of his message, comical yet contemptuous. While his premises were sound, it appeared that his conclusion was not. This writer believes any call for violence is unjustified when the other party shows a sincere desire to listen and understand the concerns of the opposite camp. Malcolm X’s insistent calls to arms were valid only when white America refused to talk. When it expressed its desire to settle matters over a negotiating table, then Malcolm X’s revolutionary actuations were no longer valid and, therefore, inconsistent with our nature as rational human beings. Moreover, there was no need to draw a wedge between the home negro and the field negro if they were both willing to listen and understand what the other party has to say. So, what is wrong if the house negro is used by white America to sound out the field negro for a possible peace talk. To sustain peace in the United States, all parties involved in the conflict should discuss the issues in a civil manner, rather than fight over it in the battlefield. It was enough for Malcolm X to explain the distinction between the house Negro and the field Negro, but debasing one over the other was outright uncalled for, uncivil, and a threat to peace. The speech was far from neutral and simply being informative. It was racism seen from other end. It had Malcolm X’s signature all over it for his unequivocal posture over racism, self-hate, and community empowerment taken to an extreme that is too obtrusive for complacency and comfort. This former â€Å"ghetto youth† is a dangerous icon for today’s rebellious youth. Works Cited Answers.Malcolm X, Religious Figure / Civil Rights Figure. 2007. 24 September 2007 Breitman, George. Malcolm X Speaks: Selected Speeches and Statements. 1990. Grove Press. Finkelman, Paul, ed. Malcolm X. MSN Encarta. 2007. 24 September 2007 Ursula Mctaggart, Ursula. The Oratory of Malcolm X. Solidarity National Office, Detroit, MI. 24 September 2007. X, Malcolm. The House Negro and the Field Negro. Speech by Malcolm X 4 February 1965. Iowa lakes Community College. http://www. iowalakes. edu/directories/faculty/burns/informative/Malcolm_X`s_House-Field_Negro_speech. htm/. X, Malcolm. Interview with A. B. Spellman and Malcolm X. Monthly Review. 16 May 1964. 24 September 2007 X, Malcolm. Transcript. The House Negro and the Field Negro. 4 February 1965. http://www. iowalakes. edu/directories/faculty/burns/informative/Malcolm_Xs_House-Field_Negro_speech. htm X, Malcolm. The House Negro and the Field Negro. Perf. Malcolm X. YouTube. 24 September 2007 ;. X, Malcolm. The Undiscovered Malcolm X: Stunning New Info on the Assassination, His Plans to Unite the Civil Rights and Black Nationalist Movements the 3 `Missing` Chapters From His Autobiography. Democracy Now! 21 Feb. 2005. 24 September 2007.

Mending Wall Poetry Analysis Essay Example for Free

Mending Wall Poetry Analysis Essay The neighbour keeps resorting back to the same simple argument and point of his father’s saying, â€Å"Good fences make good neighbours. † The speaker continues to remain unconvinced and presses the neighbour’s old-fashioned stubborn claims to be overlooked despite his reluctance to be swayed. The piece remarkably is quite simplistic in the way that the vocabulary of the poem contains no real fancy words, most are short and the majority can be used in conversion in everyday life. There are no stanza breaks, obvious ending rhymes or overall rhyme scheme observed either. The repetition of whole lines is surveyed twice throughout the poem however. â€Å"Something there is that doesn’t love a wall,† is the opening line of the piece and is repeated on line thirty-six. This is a reoccurring idea that this wall should not be up standing in the first place as it is unnecessary. Frost says that there is a natural force that tears down these walls as they are unnatural. The repetition emphasises that it only separates us from being able to build last longing relationships from those who may be on the opposite side to that fence. The other replication noticed is of the motto of the neighbour’s father, â€Å"Good fences make good neighbours. † This phrase holds a very strong importance to the speaker’s neighbour. In no way, shape or form does the man over the wall want to change his sturdy built tradition of his father’s trusty and wise wisdom. Frost would rather the neighbour think for himself and for him to grasp the opportunity to do something different rather than continue to â€Å"move in darkness† and let go of the unneeded barrier between that lies between them. One interpretation is that Frost could be trying to convey is one of unnecessary barriers and dead-ends. Excuses not to alter their lives, not to form new friendships or develop and build even stronger ones. The title Mending Wall could mean anything but fixing the fence between the two blocks of land but refer instead to the broken relationship that exists between two human beings.

Individual Learner Difference In Second Language Acquisition Education Essay

Individual Learner Difference In Second Language Acquisition Education Essay SLA (Second language acquisition) is a process through which an individual learns a second language as an additional language after having learned a native language already. SLA involves broad research and is considered a branch of applied linguistics. The concept is also related to education, neuroscience sociolinguistics, and psychology. Learning a second language is not an easy task, this is a practice that involves commitment, study, dedication, patient as well as time in order to develop. People who learn a second language do not do it because is just a compulsory subject at school, but because they feel encouraged to learn it , considering factors such us, communication with foreigners, academic studies and better opportunities to find a good job. Research has shown that there are differences among second language learners that significantly affect language learning success. As a result, the study of individual differences (IDs) especially in language learning motivation and language aptitude has been attributed to researches on L2 studies dating back to the 1960s. Motivation is what guides people to accomplish and be successful in all areas of life. Regarding the classroom environment, this term is the basis of how enthusiastic or unwilling students are to learn and the guidance force to maintain the extensive and sometimes tiresome learning process. Both the degree of motivation and educational success frequently seem to go hand in hand, which can be clearly observed throughout the teaching practice. This essay seeks to explore and discuss in detail one individual learner difference in second language acquisition, which is motivation. Apart from defining the term, regarding different authors, the essay will also include the analysis of the various types of motivation, as well as, the role motivation plays in second language classrooms. And finally, ways of fostering motivation will be proposed. The term Motivation in SLA One of the individual learner differences in SLA is motivation, which is a term difficult to define, since its meaning could depend on the individuals and their cultures. DÃ ¶rnyei (2002: 1) says that motivation is best seen as a broad umbrella term that covers a variety of meanings, but simultaneously this author also describes motivation as the factor in charge of determining why individuals decide to carry out an action, the amount of effort people invest in the tasks as well as the rate of perseverance people put when completing various activities. Alike DÃ ¶rnyei, Passer and Smith (2004: 327) perceive motivation as a process that influences the direction, persistence and vigour of goal-directed behaviour. According to Gardner (1985), motivation is what makes people to act towards a given situation. Taking into consideration all these definitions which state what the term of motivation is, it can be deduced that the concept refer to some type of energy that guides individuals t o undertake a task in their lives. The motivated language learner Lightbown and Spada (2002) point out that motivation is a factor that plays an important role in language learning success. In the context of language learning is what pushes a pupil to gain knowledge of the English language. The importance of motivation in relation to achieving the goals of learning English as a Second Language according to Naiman et al, (1978) is that it gives the learner the ability to tolerate ambiguity; a need for achievement; a positive orientation towards the task; high aspirations; ego involvement; perseverance and goal orientation. Therefore, a motivated language student is a person who has positive attitudes towards the target language. These attitudes are shown when the second language learner makes efforts to acquire the language and has a consistent desire of studying and discovering new and additional material. Moreover, looking for opportunities and ways where he or she will be able to put in practice the target language. An additional way of defining a motivated learner is when learning the second language is a comfortable situation for the apprentice, taking pleasure in the tasks involved. Furthermore, a pupil that experience a high level of motivation will doubtless feel pleased about learning the language. Researchers have arisen several explanations of what encourages learners to study a foreign language; they have found that motivational factors are fundamental at the time of speaking about second language success. Types of motivation As it was mentioned before, there are diverse meanings for motivation in SLA, regardless of the words they basically refer to the same notion. Also, there are different factors which somewhat vary depending on the authors points of view. I will refer in this essay to the different types of motivation, taking into consideration different authors. Extrinsic and Intrinsic motivation: The words extrinsic and intrinsic are to some extent complicated, given that both terms do not seem to have a clear definition in the field of second language acquisition. Passer and Smith (2004) cite extrinsic and intrinsic motivation, even though Noels (2002) uses the terms extrinsic and intrinsic orientations. For these authors, Passer and Smith and Noel, extrinsic signifies that people carry out an action to accomplish an external goal or evade punishment, while by intrinsic motivation the authors altogether mean that students do activities, due to the satisfaction they get from the tasks themselves. Activities that motivate students intrinsically are likened to enjoyable activities, fun, or things that students do out of their own choice. Some of the conducted studies assert that intrinsically motivating activities lead to improved learning by the students. The difference between Passer Smith (2004) and Noels (2002) is just the notion motivation and orientations, in view of the fact that both terms involved different approaches of motivation. The initial term proposes that the motivation itself comes from outside or within; while the term orientation suggests that it is rather the different triggers of motivation that comes from outside or within. Although, Glasser (1996) does not use the terms intrinsic and extrinsic, he provides a third route to see where motivation comes from. He states that motivation is produced trying to satisfied the essential desires which all human beings own. For instance, the need of entertainment. He points out that even if a person is influenced by the environment, all motivation still comes from inside the individual, because it is he or she who really choose whether or not and how to carry out an activity. Though I concur with Glasser that just the individuals are the ones who make their own decisions, I think that what motivates people, are factors which can be both external and internal. Alternatively, Garden and Lambet (1972) coined the following terms to classify motivation. Integrative Motivation Garden and Lambet (1972) describe this term as the desire that the learners have to familiarize themselves with the culture of the ethnic group that speaks the language they intend to learn. Gardner (2002) himself perceives Integrativeness as one of the factors that conduct to motivation for second language learning, and by this he suggests that whether learners have the hope to come nearer the L2 community they will have real desire in learning and studying the second language. Besides, the term also refers to the degree at which the learner desires to understand the target community. Essentially, integrative motivation refers to a learners desire to expand their association with the community that they are targeting. Saville Troike, (2005) affirm that the main triggers of this type of motivation are emotions or affective factors. For instance, a Chilean boy who come to live in London for a time, meet an English girl and fall in love with her. He will have the desire and motivation to learn English in order to communicate with his girlfriend and integrate into the new culture and become part of the community. As Chile is mainly a monocultural society, chances to utilize the second language in daily conversations are fairly limited. Therefore, learners do not feel motivated to learn the second language to become part of the community, since they just need their first language to interact. It can be discussed that integrative motivation is an intrinsic factor, because it implies that learning a second language is more a final aim itself rather than a mean to accomplish a final goal, due to the authentic desire on the learning tasks (Noels (2002). Instrumental Motivation: One more term that Gardner and Lambert made up is instrumental motivation which Lightbown Spada (2002: 56) introduce as language learning for more immediate or practical goals. Very similar to integrative motivation, instrumental motivation also sees language learning as an instrument to accomplish a goal rather than the satisfaction in the action itself. However, what distinguishes both terms is the final aim, which in integrative motivation is the interaction in the L2 community while in instrumental motivation the ultimate goal is more practical, for instance, obtaining a better job, career developmental or passing exams. For most Chilean learners of English instrumental motivation is the key element at the time to learn English as a second language. For Lightbown Spada (2002) both types of motivation are important , they say that whether the students feel the necessity to interact in the second language in various social situations or to accomplish academic and professional aspirations, the communicative value of the foreign language will be perceived and therefore, they will feel encouraged to get proficiency in the language. I agree with the authors that both types of motivation are important to acquire a second language, However for Chilean people integrative motivation is far to be seen as a reason to study the second language due to the fact that Chile , as I mentioned earlier, is a monocultural and monolingual society. Classroom Learning Motivation vs. Language Learning Motivation When considering second language acquisition and motivation, it is important to put two motivational constructs into consideration. Research has shown that there are two categories of motivation that should be put into account when discussing SLA. This mainly deals with the difference that exists between classroom learning motivation and language learning motivation. Language learning motivation refers to the desire to learn a second language. Language learning motivation includes evaluated second language acquisition, socio-educational representation (Gardner, 1985), the preparedness to converse model (Clement, Dornyei, MacIntyre Noels, 1998) among others. It is the universal type of motivation that applies to any context of learning a language. The universal attributes of the learner relate to the need to learn the language. Clements (1980) social context model, Gardners (1985) SLA social-education model among others, agree that the motivation or desire to learn a second language is a characteristic that has considerable effects on the individual although they are different when it comes to assessment, correlates and antecedents. The other type of motivation is the learning motivation in a classroom. According to Heckhausen and Kuhl (1985), classroom-learning motivation is the general educational psychology as described by Dornyeis model of post-actional, actional, and pre-actional motivation model. Although it is seen to be an important part to motivation as a whole, the SLA socio-educational model by Gardner, (1985), characterizes it. The main focus is the persons view on the mission to be achieved and to a large extent, it is state oriented. This means that a number of issues that are related to the language class will affect the individuals perception. As a result, the atmosphere in the class, the teacher, the contents of the course, facilities and materials combined with the students personal attributes will affect the persons motivation when it comes to classroom learning. It is hard to differentiate between the two categories of motivation because they control the individual at any particular time. Therefore, it is important to consider both classes of motivation operative. Just as hard as it is to define motivation, it is equally difficult to give an explanation to the meaning of learning a second language. According to Gardner, the motivational strength can only be estimated from questionnaires based on an individuals attitude and is considered to be a hidden psychometric characteristic. Other educational practices have applied the use of indicators that have been observed from individuals behavior in response to a given task. This depends on the persons selection of tasks, which is determined by the level of difficulty, the persistency of the learner to tackle the problem at hand, the extent at which an individual participates in a group or class activities, the span of attention and focus, or the qualitative information available on spoken reports of self-regulation and self-monitoring. The new research program by Crookes and Schmidt (1991) includes the advancements made in the universal educational, which has narrowed to the field of language learning motivation. This directs its focus on individuals, the approaches that the learner might implement in the learning process, the learning contexts, and the observable conduct of class members. Following the inception of the new outline, the areas of interest have shifted to the learner as an individual. In Covingtons self-worthy theory (1998), the importance of the learners ideas were emphasized, their own beliefs, the strategy they use, and the level of their desire to deal with the task at hand. The self- efficacy concept by Bandura (1997) is a very important related characteristic which assesses the level at which learners gauge their potential and their own management. Individuals who have this ability come up with an efficient motivational thinking strategy and are able to reduce the risk of failure and increase t heir chances of success while depending less on outside obligatory measures and strategies. Motivation: Individual Learner Difference in Chilean Culture Clement and Noels (1996) indicate that the cultural settings present different language learning and individual learner differences. In the Chilean cultural setting, the motivation to learn the English language offer some challenges to the learners due to most of the students who attend Chilean public schools are in social risk. In addition, many of the learners may be discouraged to put personal effort in learning the language because of the fact that they may not find the language useful outside the educational setting. Others may be of the opinion that their chances of travelling to a country where English is spoken as a native language are rather minimal. Furthermore, challenges that come with teaching a class that has many students may affect the effectiveness of the teachers and the quality of the lesson. This together with the little interest towards learning the English language may influence negatively the motivation to teach as well as the motivation to learn. Fostering Motivation The best ways to foster motivation is to create a good environment, which is beneficial for second language learning. This can be done by reducing the number of students per class to ensure that the instruction given by the English teachers is of good quality. The teachers should also come up with plans that apply to both slow learners and fast learners so as to ensure that those who do not grasp quickly are not left far behind because this may demotivate them to continue learning. The schools may consider initiating exchange programs with schools where English is the native language. This would give students the feeling that studying English is not an effort in vain but a step in the right direction since it would help them in securing jobs and touring other parts of the world. Moreover, teachers should come up with a timetable that gives us enough time to prepare for our classes by getting the necessary materials as well as reflecting on the success of the program. This would help us in coming up with a better plan to teach hence improving our teaching methodology. It would also help teachers find ways of motivating their own students. With the relevant authorities ensuring that, schools are well equipped to teach English as a second language, students will be motivated to learn and teachers will be motivated to teach. Conclusion The above discussion has provided an analysis of motivation as an individual learner difference. There have been numerous research studies exploring individual learner differences, which have indicated that the main reason why many L2 students fail while others succeed effortlessly is the presence of different student characteristics such as language aptitude, motivation, or personality traits. The motivation of the student is very important in the learning process and is regarded as the key factor that contributes to the success of SLA. Research has revealed that intrinsic motivation is more successful than external or extrinsic motivation over the long term. Some students learning rate is higher as compared to others. Some learners are able to grasp quickly and they go on to the level of reaching near-native competence while slow learners experience difficulties in the early stages of the learning process. Recently conducted research has shown that this disparity is caused by the p articular strategy adopted by the learner, motivation, anxiety, personality, as well as societal and social influences. Research has clearly shown that the intensity of the students motivation to its highest level, including the cognitive, affective, and behavioral components are the most important aspects towards success in SLA. Since the integrative motive incorporates the aspect of being open to cultural identification as part of the process, it tries to imply that integration may be more connected to achieving highest level of achievement as compared to other types of motivation that do not have this component. Classroom learning motivation seems to be a system that encourages individuals to acquire specific language elements but for the students to be masters of the language, more is needed. In my opinion, the integrative motivation provides the students with a better platform for SLA. A teachers role in the process of learning a second language is rather complicated but very important. It surpasses the provision of reward since the whole experience is dependent on the self-efficacy of the student. The teachers role entails providing challenging yet supportive environment to allow the students to learn and explore their potential. The teachers are also supposed to help their students to develop their own motivational thinking by discovering their original orientation. The most challenging aspect in all of this is trying to avoid anything that may de-motivate the students. Although it is very much possible to imagine other forms of motivation, the type of motivation does not matter very much. The difference that emerges between instrumental and integrative motivation, or between extrinsic and intrinsic motivation does very little in helping us to understand the role that motivation plays in second language acquisition.

For Every Action There is a Reaction in Macbeth Essay -- Macbeth Essay

William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth tells the story of Macbeth, a loyal and brave nobleman who lives in Scotland, with his wife Lady Macbeth. At the start of the play, Macbeth (a general in the army of King Duncan, originally thane of Glamis, then thane of Cawdor, and later King of Scotland) takes three prophecies from three atrocious witches. The first witch says, â€Å"All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, thane of Glamis† (1.3.48). The second witch says, â€Å"All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, thane of Cawdor† (1.3.49). The third witch tells us the final prophecy and she says, â€Å"All hail, Macbeth! that shall be king hereafter† (1.3.50). This is where the whole play unfolds with Macbeth knowing that he will become King in times way, and so forth he begins his way to becoming king with later on in the play as he murderers the King of Scotland, King Duncan. He eventually kills many others such as Banquo, Lady Macduff and her children, which later on in the play everyone caught on to why Macbeth killed the innocent, and is to why everyone retired away from his power, went against him and killed him. Macbeth’s death would be considered a â€Å"Poetic Justice† in the play Macbeth. The outburst of Lady Macbeth’s death for taking out a suicide would as well be considered a â€Å"Poetic Justice† in the play. But the wicked from them all, the three witches do not suffer in any way and do not take any punishment for their acts. The degree of â€Å"Poetic Justice† found in the play of Macbeth is acceptable and would be at a completion of 85%. The first to be mentioned in my introduction paragraph right above is the one and only Macbeth. The first malevolent decision by Lady Macbeth and Macbeth was to kill King Duncan. With King Duncan ... ...ld be when Macduff slaughters Macbeth and Malcolm is put back in the honour of the throne and is called King of Scotland. So, therefore, the witches are just as guilty for the events that place, but yet they suffer no punishment for it. The only people in the whole play that have done wrong have been either murdered or have committed suicide but the witches. I left my degree at an 85% for the reason that the witches were not punished in the act of justice but just left alone. Reason being is because no one but Banquo and Macbeth knew of them which are how they played the whole game invisible to their own power. Whether or not that poetic justice is served to all, it did serve to the biggest treats in the whole play; Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Works Cited "Justice in Macbeth." 123HelpMe.com. 13 Jan 2016 .

Investigate the Effect of Varying Solution Concentration on Osmosis in

Investigate the Effect of Varying Solution Concentration on Osmosis in a Potato Chip Prediction A definition of osmosis is: 'the movement of water molecules from an area of high water concentration to a low water concentration across a semi-permeable membrane' (Oxforddictionary 2000). In a high concentration of water the amount of solute (e.g. sugar) is low. These solutions are usually known as a dilute or weak solution. But in a low concentration of water the amount of solute (e.g. sugar) is high. These solutions are usually known as concentrated or strong solutions. When a weak solution and a strong solution are separated by a partially permeable membrane, the water will move from the area of high concentration to the area of low until both sides are equal. This is osmosis, and is shown in the diagram below. Examples of osmosis can also be seen in living cells. Root hairs on plants take in water from the soil via osmosis. Water continuously moves along the cells of the root and up the xylem to the leaf. Water is moving to areas of lower water concentration all the time. This is shown in the diagram below. Example of Osmosis in a Root Hair Cell When a cell is placed in distilled water which is high water concentration water will move across the semi- permeable membrane into the cell which has lower water concentration by osmosis, making the cell swell in size. The cell is now known as turgid. If a potato cell was placed in the same circumstances the cells would increase in length, volume and mass because of the osmotic effects. If the same potato cells were placed in a solution with a low water concentration, then the effects would be the opposite - water would move out of the cell into the area of lower concentration, the water. Thus, the potato chip will decrease in length, volume and mass. In more extreme cases, the cell membrane would break away from the cell wall and the cell is then known as plasmolysed. The higher the concentration of water in the external solution, the higher the amount of water that enters the cell by osmosis. The smaller the concentration of water in the external solution, the higher the amount of water that leaves the cell. However, there will be a point where the concentrations of water inside and outside the cells are equal. This is known as the isotonic point, and at this point there will be no change in the length, vo... ...nger, this would have enabled me to find the saturation point (when the potato can no longer take in any more water) and dehydration point (when the potato cannot lose any more water)and therefore get a more accurate result. Finally, I could extend the experiment to a more exact level by looking at the potato cylinders under a microscope, and then I would be able to see the cells in greater detail and draw some more observational results. Further investigations that I could carry out in the future are, using a different variety of potato, for example, a 'king Edward' rather than a 'maris piper'. Also I could use a different plant tissue, for example, a carrot or an apple. Then I could find out whether osmosis occurs with the same patterns and trends with any vegetable. Conclusion However despite this, I think that the experiment I carried out, (given the apparatus I was given to carry out the test) was successful, my results were consistent, and I was pleased with the comparison of my results with my previous prediction. I followed the method plan correctly; I believe I gained accurate and sufficient enough results to conclude the experiment, and to prove my initial prediction.

Natural Law :: essays research papers

Natural Law The School of Natural Law Philosophy was an intellectual group of philosophers. They developed new ways of thinking about religion and government. Natural law was based on moral principles, but the overall outlook changed with the times. John Locke was a great philosopher from the middle of the 17th century. He was a primary contributor to the new ideas concerning natural law of that time. He argued that humans in the state of nature are free and equal, yet insecure in their freedom. When they enter society, they surrender only such rights as are necessary for their security and for the common good. He also believed that each individual retains fundamental prerogatives drawn from natural law relating to the integrity of the person and property. This natural rights theory was the basis of not only the American, but also the French revolution. 1 During his lifetime, he wrote many essays and letters to his colleagues on a variety of topics:2 †¢ Letter on Toleration (1689) †¢ Second Letter on Toleration (1690) †¢ Two Treatises of Government (1690) †¢ Essay Concerning Human Understanding (1690) †¢ Some Considerations of the Consequences of Lowering of Interest, and Raising the Value of Money (1691) †¢ Third Letter on Toleration (1692) †¢ Some Thoughts Concerning Education (1693) †¢ Further Considerations Concerning Raising the Value of Money (1693) †¢ The Reasonableness of Christianity (1695) †¢ A Vindication of the Reasonableness of Christianity (1695) †¢ A Second Vindication of the Reasonableness of Christianity (1695) †¢ A Letter to the Bishop of Worcester (1697) †¢ Discourse on Miracles †¢ Fourth Letter for Toleration †¢ An Examination of Father Malebranche's Opinion of Seeing All Things in God †¢ Remarks on Some of Mr Norris's Books †¢ Conduct of the Understanding Locke's greatest philosophical contribution is his Essay Concerning Human Understanding. In the winter of 1670, five or six friends were talking in his room, probably in London. The topic was the "principles of morality and revealed religion," but arguments arose and no real progress or serious discussion took place. Then, he goes on to say, "it came into my thoughts that we took a wrong course, and that before we set ourselves upon inquiries of that nature, it was necessary to examine our own abilities, and see what objects our understandings were, or were not, fitted to deal with." At the request of his friends, Locke agreed to write down his thoughts on this question at their next meeting, and he expected that a single sheet of paper would suffice for the purpose. Little did he realize the importance of the issue which he raised, and that it would take up his free time for nearly twenty years.