Ku Klux Klan Essays (414 words) - Religion, Culture,

Ku Klux Klan Prejudice comes in many forms. Two such forms of extreme prejudice are the Salem witch-hunts and the Ku Klux Klan. In the colonial time, from 1700 to 1775, the Salem witch-hunts took place. The KKK originated after the civil war and is still going on today. These two groups based their prejudice on religious beliefs. People from many different cultures founded our nation, which gives us a unique diversity that was and is not always respected. The Ku Klux Klan states they are based on Christianity and uses such symbols as the flaming cross. Burning the cross is supposed to represent opposition to tyranny and obedience to God. The KKK believes they are superior to all non-whites. The people responsible for the Salem witch-hunts feared and persecuted those whom didnt share religious and personal beliefs. A way of testing your beliefs was being forced to recite the 10 commandments without falter. Ku Klux Klan often expressed their beliefs by putting burning crosses in non-white homes, se tting homes and businesses on fire, and even hanging non-whites. In the same way, the witch-hunts would force those who were prosecuted to confess and incriminate, if not, they would be hung, burned, or in one case smashed to death. Both groups use Christianity against other people that differed from them. The KKK was an underground organization, and used robes and hoods to disguise themselves. Rarely did members become publicly known because they were denounced by majority of society. Public leaders such as, reverends and government officials conducted the Salem witch-hunts. The trials were often public events that were well attended by the general population. The Ku Klux Klan was not based on fear of non-whites, rather their own supremacy. While the witch-hunts feared those with different beliefs including what we would now consider, mentally disabled. What good are religious beliefs such as Christianity if they are twisted, warped, and used as an excuse for violence. The KKK can no longer get away with their violent acts because of their shrinking numbers and the prevalence of equal rights today. Hopefully nothing as severe as the witch-hunts could ecure today, although, the more recent McCarthy trials were similar in that they were based on fear. We are a nation of cultural diversity and that diversity should be respected, no one should have the right to force their beliefs on others. Social Issues

Healthy Snacks Lesson Plan

Healthy Snacks Lesson Plan Title: Investigating Healthy Snacks Goal/Key Idea: The overall goal of this lesson is for students to understand that eating foods that are low in fat is important for their overall good health. Objective: The learner will analyze snack foods to determine if they are high in fat as well as identify snack foods that are low in fat. Materials: Brown PaperPencilsOilGrocery ads Science Words: fatsOilsSnacksLow-fatHigh-fat Anticipatory Set: Access Prior Knowledge by asking students to respond to the question, Why do you think people need to eat healthy snacks? Then record their answers on chart paper. Refer back to their answers at the end of the lesson. Activity One Read the story What Happens to a Hamburger? by Paul Showers. After the story ask students the following two questions: What healthy snacks did you see in the story? (Students may answer, pears, apples, grapes)Why do you need to eat healthy food? (Students may respond, because it helps you grow) Discuss how foods that are low in fat help you develop properly, give you more energy and contribute to your overall good health. Activity Two/ A Real World Connection To help students understand that oil contains fat, and that it is found in many of the snacks that they eat, have them try the following activity: First discuss what foods are high in fat and have a lot of oil.Then have students write the word oil on a brown paper square (cut out several squares from a brown paper bag).Then have students place one drop of oil on the paper.Next, have them think of three snack foods that they like to eat and have them write these foods on three separate pieces of brown paper.Then direct students to rub each paper with the snack name on it and wait a few minutes and observe the paper.Tell students to hold their paper up to the light to see if the oil shined through the paper.Have students compare each paper with the square with the oil, then record their data.Have students answer the questions: How did the oil change the paper, and which snack foods contained oil?   Activity Three For this activity have students search through grocery ads to identify healthy snack foods. Remind children that foods that are low in fat are healthy, and foods that have a lot of fat and oil are unhealthy. Then have students write down five snack foods that are healthy and tell why they chose them. Closure Refer back to your chart on why do you think people need to eat healthy snacks, and go over their answers. Ask again, Why do we need to eat healthy? and see how their answers have changed. Assessment Use an assessment rubric to determine the students understanding of the concept. For example: Did the student conclude what snack foods are low in fat and healthy?Was the student able to distinguish different foods that were low in fat and high and in fat?Did the student choose healthy snack foods? Childrens Books to Further Explore Eating Healthy Snacks Nutrition written by Leslie Jean LeMaster - This book is discusses our bodies nutritional needs. Nutrition: Whats in the Food We Eat written by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent - This book discusses fats and talks about the food groups. Healthy Snacks (Healthy Eating My Pyramid) written by Mari C. Schuh - This book discusses healthy snacks and how to eat healthy using the food plate guide. Looking for more lesson on healthy eating? Try this lesson on healthy vs unhealthy foods.

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

International Relations High School - Essay Example That the WASP should dominate, be regarded as the superior race, is a direct outcome of the fact that, to a large degree, they shaped the land, created the nation and framed its culture. Irrespective of the fact, or myth, that America is a melting pot, it is ultimately a nation created in the image of the WASP culture, religion and world view. Indeed, the capitalist system which is so distinctly American is the product of the Protestant work ethic. Democracy, which is as American as is capitalism, was born of the historic encounter between these early immigrants and the British. Added to that, the country's founding fathers, its first president and most of those which played such a seminal role in the formation of the United States of America, are WASP. The perception of superiority, therefore, is rooted in the making of America. Similarly, the American Indian's occupation of the bottom tier and the persistent perception of them as an inferior race emanates from the historical circumstances surrounding the encounter of the races. As noted in Chapter 6, not only did the American Indian emerge as defeated but was decimated, virtually purged off the land.

Human Recourse Management Amounts to Little More Than a Simple Essay

Human Recourse Management Amounts to Little More Than a Simple Reworking of the Human Relations School of Management - Essay Example This essay stresses that there are several factors which have there impact on the growth of the HRM as a field. The main factors are economy and society. During the period of agrarian economy the social structure and economy was very simple. It developed into a complex system during industrial revolution. The social set up changed. There was more emphasis on the productivity. Manufacturing industry contribution to economy decreased in subsequent years and Service Industry experienced growth. The importance of human increased due to the fact that human is important factor in the production and consumption of services. Human resources have been an important factor of production from the agrarian economy. This paper makes a conclusion that the scientific methods of management by Taylor and his stress on efficiency improvement gave food of thought to others. Mayo and others focused on the soft components of workers’ life. These were the psychological and social components. This was the starting of the study of human resource management. Various theories of motivation, leadership, loyalty, perceptiuon, behaviour and others have developed. The contributions of Human Relations School of Management encouraged the managers and leaders to understand individuals’ various needs and develop their human resource strategies on the basis of that. This have demanded for an individual department in the organisations. It is Human Rsource Management department which independently handles the needs and requirements of the human resource. Hu

The first two chapters of Hard Times Essay Example for Free

The first two chapters of Hard Times Essay Dickenss was a lively writer who knew what he wanted to write about but also what his readers wanted to read. In each of his books dickenss is careful to select a balance between his own ideas a morel intention with that of what the Victorian public enjoyed, (mystery, crime, romance and comedy). Dickens also felt strongly about the unfair class division in the cities. He was determined to portray the wrongs done to children and make a stand against the utilitarianism in society. (Perhaps his own childhood experiences never left him). All of these factors contributed to the initial creation of Hard Times. In this essay, I will look at the satiric methods Dickens uses in the opening chapter of Hard Times). When first reading the opening chapters of the novel it is apparent that there is an obvious difference in style and language from todays text. The sentences are far longer, some of the language is unfamiliar and Dickenss is clearly manipulating the reader. To do this, Dickens uses a number of techniques, such as humour, irony, wit and exaggeration to describe the education system in this period. These methods combined are known as satire and are all used simultaneously to engage the reader into reading further and believing the plot. This was a very common tool used in the Victorian time as it encompassed comedy and exaggeration to attack an otherwise difficult situation. However this method sometimes involved the twisting of facts and over amplification of ideas in order to convey a view point. Despite this, the technique was widely accepted by Victorian society as they much preferred an exciting and interesting read. Determined to portray an insight into the education system, dickens set about describing a sinister class room scene with the aid of satire. The school is host to a new schoolmaster starting his first day teaching pupils. Dickenss carefully assigns names to each character in relation to their individual personality or stature. For example, the figures of authority are named Mr Gradgrind and Mr Chokumchild which both suggest rough, abrasive and menacing individuals. In contrast a young girl, new to the class, is named Sissy Jupe. A name which compliments her weak, feminine and vulnerable persona.

Independant Amateur Filipino Film Makers Film Studies Essay

Independant Amateur Filipino Film Makers Film Studies Essay In the spirit of independent expression, the Cinemalaya Awards seeks to discover, encourage and honor the cinematic works of Filipino filmmakers that boldly articulate and freely interpret the Filipino experience with fresh insight and artistic integrity. Cultural Center of the Philippines As of today, we filipinos are very fond of Hollywood films. Cinemas in the Philippines are currently full of different Hollywood films. There are very few films that are recognized throughout the country. This is one of the reasons why the Cultural Center of the Philippines arranged Cinemalaya, an awards show giving Filipino independent films credit. We wonder, though, is it enough? We think that it is absolutely not. Most of the Philippines creative young minds are not recognized by as much people as that of Hollywood films. We also believe that independent films carry more true-to-life stories, and that it actually has more values instilled in it. We find it very disappointing that cinemas today show less of these, and show more of Hollywood films that make us fantasize more than make us realize the harsh realities of life, and how to deal with them in a realistic way. Also, Filipinos nowadays are supporting the movies of other countries more than their own. This is why we are forw arding our proposal that cinemas in the Philippines should showcase more Filipino independent films than Hollywood films. In this paper, we define independent films as films made by amateur Filipino film makers, films that are low-budget, or home-made. We define Hollywood films as films made in Hollywood, films that have high-budget productions, films that have professionals working on it and the like. We will be limiting our statistics to only Philippine Independent films. We will make surveys regarding the awareness of students of independent films, their stand (against it, for it, neutral) on independent films, their views toward independent films. We will also research more about independent films. First of all, we believe that independent films are needed more than Hollywood films when it comes to education, especially for the children. From our observations, weve noticed that independent films capture a more realistic view on life. One example of these independent films is Idol: Pag-asa ng Bayan (2007) which is about an honor student ending up cheating for the sake of his friends, portraying a reality of peer pressure, selfless actions, and of course cheating. Another example is Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros which focuses on the emotional damage a boy can undergo, as if he was a female. Lastly, the most dramatic and realistic example is Magnifico which shows us how hard life is especially when youre poor. A young mind, Magnifico attempts to help out his family earn by working at such an early age. It shows the effects of poverty, the beauty of simple living or contentment, and the love for family. Whether it focuses on social issues such as cheating (Idol: Pag-asa ng Bayan,2007) or homosexuality (Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros,2005) or economic issues such as poverty (Magnifico, 2003) , independent films successfully presented actual happenings in our world today. Most Hollywood films, on the other hand, a re fiction, a literary work, history, and the like. Some Hollywood films also depicted realistic stories such as World Trade Center (2006) which focused on the 9-11 bombing, Kramer vs Kramer (1979) which focused on the realities of marriage and family problems, and John Q (2002) which focused economic problems, but these films dont have much of a filipino sense. It is important to be reminded of our values not only as people but as Filipino people, so we should be seeing these realities set on the Philippine situation, the Philippine customs, the Filipino attitude. Another point is that sure, some Hollywood films like Troy (2004), 300 (2007), and Beowulf (2008), are very helpful in our studies, but then we arent planning on removing films like that from cinemas. We just need to have more Filipino independent films because we need more education about the realities of the present situation, as weve established earlier. We also noticed the difference between the objectives and focuses of Philippine independent films and Hollywood films. Weve noticed that Philippine independent films seem to aim to open the minds of children rather than adults. Hollywood films seem to aim to open the minds of adults- parents, teachers etc. Weve also noticed that Philippine independent films seem to aim to remind people of the mistake in actions, mistake in character, and mistake in society. It seems like these films focus on the problems present. Hollywood films on the other hand, seem to aim to make people see possible problems, though these problems are less likely to occur in the Philippines. Like racism, for example, there are fewer races here so the chances of racism are minimal. In terms of focus in target, through research, we were able to find out that independent film, as said by the online Wikipedia focuses on niche audience (Wikipedia, no page), meaning a portion of people, not the general public. Hollywoo d focuses on the general public. We researched more about art films in contrast with Hollywood films. David Bordwell, as Wikipedia said, wrote about the difference of the two kinds of films. According to an article in Wikipedia, Bordwell wrote in his article, The Art Cinema as a Mode of Film Practice(Wikipedia, no page) , that those of Hollywood films use stereotype characters, familiar settings, and wherein the protagonists actions lead to only one end point, sort of like a cause and effect. He also stated that independent films often deal with an inner drama that takes place in a characters psyche. (Bordwell. no page). He also said that its more realistic, and it breaks away from the stereotype, mainstream structures. Looking at these facts, we saw that independent films have more value in content. This is one more reason why there should be more independent films in our cinemas. In terms of appeal, of course the majority will go to Hollywood films. Hollywood films have a greater budget; so of course, they will have trailers that could capture an audiences attention. Since Independent films are low-budget films, they can not advertise their works, or even if they could, they wouldnt bother because as Bordwell said, independent films are focused only on a portion of the public. Hollywood films also have better effects and cinematography than that of independent films. But we dont take this as a liability, mainly because if there is less quality of effects and cinematography, the audience is forced to focus on the main story, the lessons, and more importantly, the problems presented. If youre thinking how are cinemas going to earn money if you put more independent films, which are less appealing to the public? theres answers for that. First of all, there have been films that were made a hit, especially Magnifico (2003), and Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros (2 005), though not in box office. Independent movies are also beautiful, and we believe that people would like to watch these films if they were aware of this. Also, in Malls, we see a lot of advertisements of films, and if independent films were to be put on big screen, with matching advertisement, people would be encouraged to watch. Lastly, since most people can relate to these films better, theyd be encouraged by people whove seen the film. Therefore, putting these films in theaters wouldnt really affect the cinemas in terms of economy. How many people are actually aware about independent films? Based on our surveys, the average ratios we got were the following: six out of ten people are aware of these independent films, one out of six is for independent films, four out of six are against independent films, and one out of six are neutral about it. This is another problem. The answers we got indicated that many people arent even aware of these films. So, all the more we have to show these independent films. As you can see with the statistics, more filipinos are against it, showing lack of nationalism. If you are wondering What benefits would cinemas gain with this proposal? our proposal has a lot. First of all, it encourages nationalism. By watching an independent filipino film, you support a group of filipino citizens. By supporting these people, you support the country. Second of all, more talent would be recognized. We are used to recognizing the same people as producers, directors, and especially actors. In indep endent films, since you have low budget, you get people who are either unprofessional, or people who have low talent fees, but of course, have talent. So, when the movie hits the theaters, the people who contributed there would be recognized. Also, was we said said in our introduction, there is something called the Cinemalaya awards which is an awarding ceremony for all independent films. If these films are shown in theaters, more people can vote/nominate independent films, plus this awarding ceremony will be given more attention by the public. Furthermore, showing these films in theaters help us showcase the talents of young filipino artist to foreigners. That is something to be proud about. Lastly, as weve said earlier, independent films have more value in content, and are aiming to enlighten or remind us about the realities or problems in life, therefore showing these films in the cinemas are also a way of spreading education to the youth, and even to the adults, especially filip inos. As the world evolves into a more modern world, our values and nationalism goes down. Our talents, its hidden in one corner of the world, while stardom, its just across the theater doors. This is the problem we want to solve. That is why we exposed our views and points about our preposition: The cinemas in the Philippines should showcase more Filipino independent movies than Hollywood Movies. We need to raise our Filipino flag. We have to show them what we have. We have to educate the future of the country. We have to restore the values that were gone. If this proposition is approved, then maybe its another victory for me and you.

Information technology in business environment Essay

The business environment is becoming increasingly competitive. Information technology is now providing business entities with basic as well as progressive business tools that will enable them to improve their financial performance, efficiency, and its use of the organisation central operational resource and staff members. Adoption of computerised system is vital to the businesses entities that want to improve their efficiency and performance by using computerised systems to facilitate their day-to-day transactions. Lots of researches were conducted to assess the critical success factors or CSFs for implementations of computerised systems, but the results were different from each other. Trough lots of researching, the nine CSFs were outlined in this paper. The interrelations between the nine CFSs were also discussed. Introduction. The business environment is becoming increasingly competitive. Market boundaries have become larger and barriers to entry have diminished. In the current turbulent economic environment today’s modern organisations must closely examine the way they currently do business not only to remain competitive and profitable but also to simply remain in business (Cameron & Philip, 2001). Information technology is now providing business entities with basic as well as progressive business tools that will enable them to improve their financial performance, efficiency, and its use of the organisation central operational resource and staff members. Adoption of computerised system is vital to the businesses entities that want to improve their efficiency and performance by using computerised systems to facilitate their day-to-day transactions. The purpose of this paper is to outline and assess the critical success factors for the adoption of computerised systems including ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) implementations by businesses entities, and then analysis the interrelations between these critical success factors. Outline of Critical Success Factors for Adoption of Computerised Systems Implementations of computerised systems including ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning). Implementations are usually large and complex projects. Although  the adoption of small businesses would be simple and easy, we focus on the adoptions of computerised systems by medium or large organisations here, especially ERP implementations. Because ERP systems seek to integrate all department and functions across a company onto a single enterprisewide information system that can serve all those departments’ particular needs (Considine, et.al, 2005:p290). ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems may well count as ‘the most important development in the corporate use of information technology in the 1990s’ (Davenport, 1998). The adoptions of cumputerised systems, such as ERP implementation, by large organisations often involve large groups of people and other resources, working together under considerable time pressure and the developments could not be predicted. Lots of researches were conducted to assess the critical success factors or CSFs for implementations of computerised systems, but the results were different from each other. Trough lots of researching, the CSFs could also be concluded in this paper below: No. Critical Success Factors & Rank 1 Top Management Support: A 2 Clear Goals & Objectives: A 3 Project Management: A 4 Interdepartmental Co-operation & Communication: A 5 Project Team Competence: A 6 Vendor Support: B 7 Computerised System Package Selection: B 8 Data Analysis & Conversion: C 9 Staff Training: C Although beside the CFSs stated above, there must be a lot of other CFSs affect the implementations of computerised systems, these nine CFSs listed above should be the most important ones among all the factors affecting the implementions of computerised systems. As shown in the diagram, the CFSs are numbered form one to nine and ranked from A to C. The CFSs ranked A represents the ones that are most important CFSs should be taken into consideration when we come to implementations of computerised systems. Generally, CFSs in the same rank seem to be equally important; because it’s hard to say which one is the more important than the other, that depend on what situation we faced. Analysis of Critical Success Factors for Adoption of Computerised Systems (1) Top Management Support (Rank A) If top management is not actively backing an all-pervasive project like an ERP implementation, there is little hope for it (Akkermans & Helden, 2002). This does not mean that middle management and other staff are not important, top management itself is not omnipotent in the whole project. The key is that top management is vital and other issues such as middle management are also important as well in this kind of processes. However, if top management permanently delegates its responsibilities to technical experts, the chances for project failure are high (Ewushi-Mensah & Przanyski, 1991). (2) Clear Goals & Objectives (Rank A) When people or oganisations want to do something, the goals and objectives must be clear. Because you don’t know why you have to do it without goals as well as objectives, and you can’t plan for it. This simple rule certainly applies to the implementations of computerised systems. Especially for implementation of an IT project, the first step should be identification of goals and ways to accomplish these. (3) Project Management (Rank A) As it is mentioned above, adoption of computerised system is complex, costly and time consuming. The management of such a project should be tight and careful because of the complexity. Some degree of improvisation would be needed because of some unforeseen changes would occur during the process. The performances of the employees are also important. As A.R. Elangovan and Jia Lin Xie(2000) said: managers should pay more attention to how their power is perceived by their subordinates as well as carefully examine the trade-off between short-term and long-term consequences of such perceptions to be effective. (4) Interdepartmental Co-operation & Communication (Rank A) Interdepartmental communication: Communication across different business functions and departments is one of the most important issues involved in the IT implementation literature. According to one author on IT project management, ‘communication is the oil that keeps everything working properly’ in these contexts (Schwalbe, 2000). Interdepartmental co-operation: The effectiveness of interdepartmental co-operation heavily depends on the extent of interdepartmental communication. Quality interdepartmental communication reinforces the quality of interdepartmental co-operation. Because the computerised systems seek to enable the organisation to operate as a whole, interdepartmental co-operation is vital. (5) Project Team Competence (Rank A) The ability of the project team is also important to the implementation of a computerised system. This argument is supported by considerable amount of researches. It’s really important. Effective project team could minimise the cost as well as the time consumed and ensures the implementation of project is in the correct way. (6) Vendor Support (Rank B) Most of the time, organisations do not have all the technical as well as transformational skills and knowledge for managing such a major undertaking on its own. As a result, support provided by the vender is important to aid the implementation of new system. (7) Computerised System Package Selection (Rank B) Different system packages are designed to meet different organisational requirements. For example, some packages are suited for large organisations but some are more suited for smaller ones. Selection of system package depends on what kind of organisation you have got and other organisational requirements and goals. (8) Data Analysis & Conversion (Rank C) Before use of the newly installed computerised system, the project team and the organisation have to transfer existing data from existing system to the database of the new comprised system. This refers to the process of Data Conversion. As data conversion is typically a manual operation, controls are needed to ensure that the data conversion has been accurately performed (Dhaliwal & Konsynski, 1977). Data should be tested to ensure that the process is successful, no errors incurred and no information lost. (9) Staff Training (Rank C) The desirability of computers taking account of user capabilities was pointed out by Licklider (1960)(Feeney & Hood, 1977). It’s not so important but essential for orgaisations to train their employees after installation of new computerised systems. To some extent, the performance of a new system depends on the performance of the staff within the organization (Bartol, et.al 2001:p295). Quality staff training would enable the new system to be successful and effective. Interrelations Between These Critical Success Factors. All the CFSs should not be considered in isolation, because they are interacting with each other and affecting each other as well. The relationships between these critical factors are delicate and different from each other. For example, with strong vendor support, the project team would work more effective and the project team competence would be strengthened. This is known as the virtuous cycle. But the interaction and relationship between CFS 6 and CFS 7 would be different. The vendor support should be taken into consideration when we are selecting computerised system software. Software with strong vendor support is always preferred by the organisations, but the quality of the software itself is also important. In addition, increase of CFS 4 has a considerable positive impact on all other CFSs as well as the whole process of implementation. As it is mentioned above, all the CFSs are working together and interacting with each other throughout the whole project. None of them can be considered in isolation. Interdepartmental co-operation & communication within the project team was found to be the core process for project progress. Presence and attitudes of the surrounding stakeholders, ie top management, project management, software vendor support and so on, were identified as the root causes driving performance of this core process. At the time of the crisis, simultaneous and mutually reinforcing changes in presence and attitudes of all these stakeholders enabled the transition from a vicious into a virtuous cycle of project performance (Akkermans & Helden, 2002). Conclusion. Information technology is now providing business entities with basic as well as progressive business tools that will enable them to improve their financial performance, efficiency, and its use of the organisation central operational resource and staff members. Adoption of computerised system is vital to the businesses entities that want to improve their efficiency and performance by using computerised systems to facilitate their day-to-day transactions. Lots of researches were conducted to assess the critical success factors or CSFs for implementations of computerised systems, but the  results were different from each other. Trough lots of researching, the CSFs could also be concluded, they are top management support, clear goals & objectives, project management, interdepartmental co-operation & communication, project team competence, vendor support, computerised system package selection, data analysis & conversion and staff training. All the CFSs should not be considered in isolation, because they are interacting with each other and affecting each other as well. Bibliography: Akkermans H. and Helden K. V. 2002 ‘Vicious and Virtuous Cycles in ERP Implementation: a case study of interrelations between critical success factors’, European journal of information system, no.11, pp35-46 Bartol K, Martin. D., Tein M. and Matthews G., 2001, Management, A Pacific Rim Focus, 3rd Edn, McGraw-Hill, Sydney, p295 Cameron, D. and Philip, J. ‘The Adoption and Use of Electronic Banking by SMEs in Australia: An Exploratory Study’ CollECTeR 2001. http:// www.collecter.org/collecter01/Doug_Cameron.pdf (6 May. 2005) Considine B., Razeed A., Lee M. and Collier P. 2005, Accounting Information System: understanding business process, 1st edn, John Willey & Sons Australia, Ltd, Queensland, p290 Davenport T. 1998, ‘Putting the enterprise into the enterprise system’, Harvard Business Review July-August, pp.121-131 Dhaliwal D. and Konsynski B. 1977, ‘Data integrity considerations in computer based accounting systems’, Proceedings of the 1977 annual conference Elangovan A. R. and Xie J.L. 2000, â€Å"Effects of perceived power of supervisor on subordinate work attitudes†, Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol.21, no.6, pp.319-328 Ewushi-Mensah K. and Przanyski Z. H. 1991, ‘On information systems project abandonment: an exploratory study of organizationa practices’, MIS Quarterly 15, pp.67-85l Feeney R. and Hood J. 1977, ‘Adaptive man/computer interfaces: information systems which take account of user style’, ACM SIGCPR Computer Personnel, Volume 6 Issue 3-4 Schwalbe K. 2000, ‘Information Technology Project Management’, Course Technology, Cambridge MA

The Silver Linings Playbook Chapter 6

The Concrete Doughnut I notice that my father waits until the game is just about to begin before he comes into the family room. It is only preseason, so we do not engage in any of the regular-season game-day rituals, but Dad has put on his number 5 McNabb jersey and now sits on the edge of the couch, ready to jump out of his seat. He nods at my brother solemnly but completely ignores me, even after I heard my mother say, â€Å"Please, just try to talk to Pat† when they were arguing in the kitchen. Mom puts the food on folding tables, takes a seat next to Jake, and we all start to eat. The food is excellent, but I am the only one to say so. Mom seems happy to get the compliment, saying, â€Å"Are you sure it's all right?† like she does, because she is modest when it comes to cooking, even though she is a great cook. â€Å"What do you think the Birds will do this year, Dad?† Jake asks. â€Å"Eight and eight,† my dad answers pessimistically, like he always does at the beginning of every NFL season. â€Å"Eleven and five,† my brother says, to which my father shakes his head and blows air through his teeth. â€Å"Eleven and five?† my brother asks me, and I nod because I am optimistic, and winning eleven games would most likely put the Eagles in the play-offs. Since we have season tickets, I know we are assured play-off tickets should the Birds earn a home game, and there's nothing better than an Eagles play-off game. Now, I admit that I have not been keeping up with the Birds in the off-season, but when the starting lineups are announced, I am really surprised that many of my favorite players are no longer on the team. Duce Staley. Hugh Douglas. James Thrash. Corey Simon. All gone. I want to ask, â€Å"When? Why?† but don't, fearing my father and brother will think I am not a true fan anymore, which they said would happen when I first moved to Baltimore with Nikki and gave up my season ticket. To my surprise, the Birds are also not playing in Veterans Stadium, but at Lincoln Financial Field, just like Jake had said. Somehow they have built an entire stadium since last season, and I must have missed all the hype because I was stuck in the bad place. Still, something does not really seem right to me. â€Å"Where is Lincoln Financial Field?† I try to ask nonchalantly when the commercials come on after the first series. My father turns his head and stares at me but does not answer my question. He hates me. He looks repulsed, like it is a chore to sit in the family room watching the game with his mentally messed-up son. â€Å"It's in South Philadelphia, just like all the other stadiums,† my brother says too quickly. â€Å"Good crabby snacks, Mom.† â€Å"Can you see Lincoln Financial Field from the Vet?† I ask. â€Å"The Vet's gone,† Jake says. â€Å"Gone?† I ask. â€Å"What do you mean, gone?† â€Å"March 21, 2004. Seven a.m. It fell like a house of cards,† my father says without looking at me, just before sucking an orange piece of meat from a chicken bone. â€Å"Over two years ago.† â€Å"What? I was at the Vet just last †¦Ã¢â‚¬  I pause because I start to feel a little dizzy and nauseous. â€Å"What year did you just say?† My father opens his mouth to speak, but my mother cuts him off, saying, â€Å"A lot has changed since you were away.† Still, I refuse to believe the Vet is gone, even after Jake retrieves his laptop from his car and shows me a downloaded video of the Vet being imploded. Veterans Stadium – which we used to call the concrete doughnut – falls like a circle of dominoes, gray dust fills the screen, and it breaks my heart to see that place crumble, even though I suspect that what I am viewing is a computergenerated trick. When I was a boy, my father took me to many Phillies games at the Vet, and of course there were all of the Eagles games with Jake, so it is hard to believe such a big monument to my childhood could be destroyed while I was in the bad place. The video ends, and I ask my mother if I can talk to her in the other room. â€Å"What's wrong?† she says when we reach the kitchen. â€Å"Dr. Patel said that my new medication might make me hallucinate.† â€Å"Okay.† â€Å"I think I just saw Veterans Stadium demolished on Jake's computer.† â€Å"Honey, you did. It was demolished over two years ago.† â€Å"What year is it?† She hesitates, and then says, â€Å"Two thousand and six.† That would make me thirty-four. Apart time would have been in progress for four years. Impossible, I think. â€Å"How do I know I am not hallucinating right now? How do I know you're not a hallucination? You're all hallucinations! All of you!† I realize I am screaming, but I can't help it. Mom shakes her head, tries to touch my cheek, but I swat her hand away and she starts crying again. â€Å"How long was I in the bad place? How long? Tell me!† â€Å"What's going on in there?† my father yells. â€Å"We're trying to watch the game!† â€Å"Shhhh!† my mother says through tears. â€Å"How long?† I yell. â€Å"Tell him, Jeanie! Go ahead! He's going to find out sooner or later!† my father yells from the family room. â€Å"Tell him!† I grab my mother's shoulders, shake her so her head wobbles all over, and yell, â€Å"How long?† â€Å"Almost four years,† Jake says. I look back over my shoulder, and my brother is in the kitchen doorway. â€Å"Now let go of Mom.† â€Å"Four years?† I laugh and let go of my mother's shoulders. She covers her mouth with her hands, and her eyes are full of pity and tears. â€Å"Why are you guys playing jokes on – â€Å" I hear my mother scream, I feel the back of my head hit the refrigerator, and then my mind goes blank.

The policy to include SEN pupils in mainstream education has failed to address many of the key issues for these pupils and as such fails to be effective The WritePass Journal

The policy to include SEN pupils in mainstream education has failed to address many of the key issues for these pupils and as such fails to be effective Introduction and Background The policy to include SEN pupils in mainstream education has failed to address many of the key issues for these pupils and as such fails to be effective Introduction and BackgroundAims, Objectives and MethodologyCurrent Theoretical PositionConclusionsReferencesRelated Introduction and Background The broad policy which involves the inclusion of pupils who are considered to have special educational needs (SEN) within mainstream schooling across England and Wales first originated as part of the Warnock Report, 1978 (DES, 1978). However, over the years, several different codes of practice and governmental guidance documents have established strong policies and even legislation which states that it is essential in mainstream schools to provide a learning environment that is suitable for a diverse range of pupils and abilities, including SEN. In accordance with the Education Act 1996, this requirement is a statutory requirement and therefore mainstream schools are bound to have a facility within them to deal with SEN. Despite this, there remains a seeming lack of understanding when it comes to the best practical ways in which these individuals can be managed within the mainstream environment, with a focus primarily being on ensuring that there are school level policies in place in order to facilitate the needs of these individuals, with a particular focus on behavioural concerns. In reality, however, it is suggested here that the handling of SEN pupils in the mainstream environment needs to be much more individualised, so that it can offer valuable guidance to all teachers, not simply those directly involved in the support of SEN pupils (Harden, 2003). One of the immediate difficulties which arise when undertaking this type of research is that of defining what is meant by special educational needs, in the first place. This definition can have a dramatic impact on how the particular school or educational establishment then goes on to actually include such students. For example, there is an argument to be had that a particularly gifted student would potentially have special educational needs. If the concept of a special needs pupil is simply based on the amount of time that is required from the teacher and is based on requirements which go beyond the â€Å"average† student, these types of questions and the influence that they would have on teaching practices, in general, is potentially huge for the development of the success of the inclusion policies, started back in 1978. Aims, Objectives and Methodology The overall aim of the research is to determine whether or not the specific policy and now legislative requirement placed upon mainstream educational establishments to have an agenda in place to include SEN pupils has been effective or not. In order to achieve this, there are several strands to the research which need to come together through the use of an interpretivist approach, recognising that opinions and activities vary, depending on the surrounding circumstances, but with the ability to draw central themes and ideas such that the original statement can be answered. The actual concept of special educational needs will be looked at in terms of how policy defines these pupils with recognition that this definition will have an impact on the way in which the students are to be supported under the general inclusion of these students within mainstream education. Inclusion is a critical factor in this regard and this is also one of the strands of the research, which requires a larger amount of attention. By stating that the policy aims to include SEN pupils, it is impossible to determine whether the policies are proving successful or not, without considering what precisely is meant by inclusion and whether it is judged, based on educational achievement, or whether it is based on some softer issues such as social inclusion. Taking an interpretivist research approach to this paper, the aim is to establish more specifically whether inclusion in mainstream education can impact on particular individuals with special needs, with the recognition that the impact will naturally vary, depending on the surrounding circumstances and it may also vary from school to school and classroom to classroom. The research question here has expanded the issue of inclusion within mainstream school by taking on an interpretive paradigm as it is thought that, in order to gain a greater understanding of the various factors that may ultimately impact on the practical application of the policies being produced. From an ontological point of view, the research will establish an understanding of the nature of the area of special educational needs and how these pupils could potentially be integrated into mainstream education. The research will, therefore, focus largely on how special educational needs are defined and the practical ways in which the policies deal with the requirement, in order to add value to this research area. The secondary stage of the research takes a more epistemological perspective and looks at the nature of the knowledge that has been established and whether there are fundamental flaws in the approach which has been taken, so as to question whether some of the known factors remain valid. Consideration will also be given as to whether a different form of reality within the area of special educational needs should be established. The area of SEN within mainstream education is, potentially, relatively complex and it is therefore necessary to take a balanced approach between questioning current policies and looking at the foundations behind them and looking towards the future of how these policies could be shifted or applied, in order to achieve the underlying aim of genuine inclusion at every level. Current Theoretical Position The area of educational needs and the treatment of those with special educational needs have gained considerable attention from both academics and professionals, particularly since the government created a formal policy to demand greater inclusion within mainstream education. As noted during the introduction, there is now a statutory requirement on mainstream schools to ensure that they have suitable methods of provision for including SEN pupils within their organisation and this has created a large body of information and research as to how this has been implemented and whether or not it has been effective. As part of the â€Å"general statement on inclusion† in Curriculum 2000 (QCA, 2000), some general principles of inclusion were established which argue that, if these principles of inclusion were suitably pursued, the general policies relating to the effectiveness of SEN inclusion would be achieved. The three areas included: setting suitable learning challenges; responding to the learning needs of individuals who are often very diverse; and thirdly, recognising and putting in place processes to overcome any potential barriers (Wang and Algozzine 2008). Previous research in this area has, however, typically fallen into specific areas, namely the way in which mainstream educational establishments can provide an appropriate response to any behavioural concerns and behavioural issues within their school, as a result of the inclusion of SEN pupils (Harden, 2003). Research has also been relatively extensive when it comes to determining the impact that this additional support can have on participation and inclusion, e.g. the role of the assistant teachers. Finally, there is also a body of research which has looked at the approaches taken at school level to manage a variety of different communities which may be around them. However, whilst this point of view clearly offers valuable information as to how inclusion is achieved, it is argued here that a somewhat limited view has been taken by the existing literature in this area (Dyson et al., 2002). Inclusion in itself needs to be questioned and there is a large volume of research which has looked specifically at whether or not inclusion should automatically be viewed as a positive aspect of these types of social policies. For example, Oliver (1996) argues that inclusion is, in fact, an automatic right for all children with any form of special educational needs, regardless of the extent of the need or the personal reasoning for each individual. Other researchers have taken a different approach and have failed to take on board the underlying assumption that inclusion is a positive aspect, in all cases. For example, Smelter et al. (1994) argues that placing an individual within mainstream education may not always be the best approach for that individual. Therefore, the focus needs to shift towards establishing policies where the underlying aim is to provide the best possible educational environment for each individual. This would automatically mean that some pupils would not neces sarily be focused upon in terms of gaining inclusion within mainstream education, but rather the policy setters would be looking at the broader issues of educating SEN pupils in such a way that they gained the best overall results and this may require a different educational approach to be taken. The perceptions of both teachers and teaching assistants in the area of inclusion of SEN pupils are also a crucial factor and has gained some attention, in recent years. For example, the way in which support provisions are provided is in itself potentially a vitally important research area. According to the SERC Report in 1993, approximately 8,000 SEN pupils were found to be educated in mainstream classes, within primary school education. However, only 50% of these pupils were receiving additional support which was primarily focused on learning and remedial support, rather than social needs. The way in which additional support interacts with the mainstream educational establishment is arguably a crucial aspect of this research. The research, therefore, takes an interpretivist approach which recognises that the effectiveness of inclusion may depend on whether or not the support structure is in place for effectively filling the gaps that would prevent an SEN pupil from struggling with being involved in mainstream education. It also looks at the underlying policies for achieving inclusion in mainstream education, and how these needs should to be accommodated within mainstream education, looking at the practical approaches taken when it comes to providing specific support that is tailored for each individual. Due to statutory requirements, it is taken as a given that inclusion is the ultimate target, yet research in this area has looked primarily at how precisely this should be achieved. INTO (2000). For example, research has looked at how SEN pupils should be accommodated within mainstream education, so that these pupils remain within the mainstream education establishment, but are required to attend special c lasses to assist with their specific area of difficulty. This focus is primarily aimed at establishing the resource needs of teachers who are providing support for special educational needs; however, it also gives a strong indication of how these SEN pupils can be accommodated within mainstream education, but can also have their own needs met through the use of special classes, where appropriate (Norwich and Lewis, 2001). The increasing need to provide teachers and resources to support inclusion in mainstream education is justifiably one of the key areas of literature that has previously been established within the area of special educational needs, as the current situation seems to suggest that the need to achieve inclusion within mainstream education is a given. However, the real difficulty comes when it is necessary to this area is how to implement inclusion in the most appropriate way. It could be argued for example, that inclusion is potentially beneficial, provided it is suitably resourced and supported, so as not to be the detriment of any pupil, whether they are SEN pupils themselves or, indeed, others within their peer group. Conclusions Even a cursory glance at issue of including SEN pupils within mainstream education indicates a much broader range of factors and issues which need to be considered when looking to implement such a policy. Statutory requirements for inclusion are already part of this system within the UK. Therefore, the chosen area of research is to look at how effective these policies have been, while also questioning whether indeed setting policies is the appropriate way of providing the best educational background for all pupils. The research will also look at ways in which these policies should be practically applied and the types of resources that need to be made available in order to support the inclusion of SEN pupils within mainstream education. By taking a rounded view of the issue of SEN pupils within mainstream education and even questioning the foundation of the original policy, a stronger understanding of the various different factors can be had. These finding should help prevent mainstre am schools from becoming too focused on practical issues such as achieving educational results, but also recognising that issues such as social inclusion are likely to be of considerable concern, when it comes to the overall picture of achieving inclusion within mainstream education. References Department of Education and Science (DES) (1978) Special Educational Needs, Report of the Enquiry into the Education of Handicapped Children and Young People (Warnock Report). London: HMSO. Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) (1998) Meeting Special Educational Needs: A Programme of Action. London: DfEE. Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) (2001) Code of Practice for Special Educational Needs. London: DfEE. Harden A (2003) Supporting pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD) in mainstream primary schools: a systematic research of recent research evidence of strategy effectiveness (1999–2002). In: Research Evidence in Education Library. London: EPPI-Centre, Social Science Research Unit, Institute of Education Howes A, Farrell P, Kaplan I, Moss S (2003) The impact of paid adult support on the participation and learning of pupils in mainstream schools. In: Research Evidence in Education Library. London: EPPI-Centre, Social Science Research Unit, Institute of Education. INTO (1997) The Visiting Teacher Service for Special Needs, INTO Report. Norwich B, Lewis A (2001) Mapping a pedagogy for SEN. British Educational Research Journal 27: 313–330. QCA (2000) General Statement for Inclusion in Curriculum 2000. London: QCA. Roaf C, Bines H (1989) Needs, rights and opportunities in special education. In: Roaf C, Bines H (eds) Needs, Rights and Opportunities: Developing Approaches in Special Education. London: Falmer Sebba J, Sachdev, D (1997) What Works in Inclusive Education. Basingstoke: Barnados Wang C, and Algozzine B (2008) Effects of targeted intervention on early literacy skills of at-risk students. Journal of Research in Childhood Education 22: 425-439.

Stegners View of the True Hero of the West essays

Stegners View of the True Hero of the West essays The West -" home on the range where the deer and the antelope play; where seldom is heard a discouraging word and the sky is not cloudy all day."" The romantic idea of the land west of the hundredth meridian has often inspired songs and poetry, like this one, about idyllic conditions in this dry "paradise."" Often these ideas did not prove to be completely accurate, and a very few people attempted to present the facts to the public to dispel the romantic ideas of an effortless existence in these western lands. John Wesley Powell was one of these people. Wallace Stegner viewed Powell as a champion for science and one of the true heroes of this time because he did not follow the romantic ideas that so many of his contemporaries held about settlement in the West. One of the men Stegner presented as the epitome of Western romanticism was the Honorable William Gilpin, who eventually became the first territorial governor of Colorado. Throughout Stegner's book, he used Gilpin as a contrast to Powell, who represented science. Gilpin was the example of the people that Stegner believed to be enamored with the idea of the West as a huge frontier, able to support millions, without looking at the facts and examining the situation from a scientist's point of view. He pointed out several differences in Powell and Gilpin that illustrate how he believed Powell to be the hero, even though he was never recognized as one, and Gilpin to be a dreamer. Stegner gave several examples to prove that the loudest promoters of settlement were often ignorant of the lands in which they lived, which proved that they were in fact, unable to determine whether the West was ready to be settled. One of the examples Stegner used was the fact that Gilpin believed all Indian tribes to be the same. In his zeal to promote Western settlement, he made the statement that with settlement in these lands came a unity of the people of the United States. Native Americ...

What Makes a Leader Harvard Business Review Article

What Makes a Leader Harvard Business Review - Article Example For each of these classes of authority, job descriptions hat define the duties of that specific entity and his area of expertise come handy. While all these entities are considered controllers of some department or business area within the company, they are separated from one another by the number of characteristics that guide their line of duty. Hence fore, there is a difference between leadership and other categories of authority. A leader is an entity that does not command any line of business to a number of subjects but rather an entity with various characteristic attributes that guide the entity’s choices, approach to problems, and inclusion or exclusion of other entities in the decision making process. A leader is therefore an individual in charge of a certain line of operations or a number of people with a common goal. However, to be a leader, an individual must have self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skill as his/her core attributes. Self- awareness is the wholesome of the person in terms of how they understand themselves and how they make decisions that have an impact in their lines of duty. For a self-aware individual in the line of leadership, personal decisions are a reflection of personal abilities. Hence fore, self-awareness helps the leaders to take or turndown duties that are in or out of the scope of their abilities. Self-regulation is a second attribute of leadership that cultivates behavior and habit of a leader. When faced with a crisis, self-regulation helps a leader to limit his reaction in terms of outburst or emotional instability. Empathy is the third attribute of leadership and helps a leader to understand the emotional status as related to how people react in the line of duty. The discussed three leadership attributes make up the most important component of leadership, emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is the ability to manage and control emotions and channeling one’s line of tho ught to productivity. It is through emotional intelligence that various companies thrive or fail with regards to their management’s embrace of emotional intelligence. Data Analysis and Opinion: Following a study to test the competency of some 188 companies in terms of IQ, professional skills, emotional intelligence, and other management attributes, it was observed that leaders who applied emotional intelligence were 20% more productive than their own expectations forecasted. Those leaders who do not exercise emotional intelligence were found to be 20% less productive than their counterparts who use emotional intelligence. However, while emotional intelligence can be appraised as a very important management tool, it is important too to understand that leaders are required to have personal skills that relate to IQ. Being smart is one thing, and being a leader is another. Therefore, while the characteristics of being a leader work hand in hand to create or manifest emotional int elligence. Research has found that emotional intelligence is more a genetic capability than it is a learnt attribute of leadership. Research analyzes programs designed to manifest emotional intelligence but has found out that there are attributes that can be learnt and others that cannot. For example, empathy is a major installment in emotional intelligence. However, it is one of the most difficulty attributes that can be learned especially from a manager’s or an executive’s position. For example, an executive may be interested in

NUMMI Case Study External Environment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

NUMMI External Environment - Case Study Example Discussion The effects of the government`s laws and regulations to the business. The aspect of a government`s involvement in the operations of a given business is an external factor that can either have a positive or negative impact on the business. In this case, the government of the United States has stipulated various regulations to guide various aspects in the production of motor vehicles; the main role of the set benchmark was to govern the construction of motor vehicle engines in a manner that emits limited quantities of exhaust whose final impact on the business became negative. These regulations forced the company to increase their production cost since the production of the required engines was very expensive thus leading to a negative influence on the General Motors Company which at that time focused on production of large vehicles with bigger engines that emitted large quantities of exhaust since the production cost was favorable. This presented the Company with a major ch allenge that involved seeking for better ways that that could not agree with the financial status of the company since the customers started demanding for high quality vehicles thus leading to a left shift in the demand curve of the vehicles manufactured before the new regulations came were enforced. Despite the fact that the General Motors struggled to produce vehicles that met the government and customer standards, they experienced frequent losses as their products were of low quality since they could not meet the required standards of both the customers and the government. The management of the NUMMI had to modify their strategies used in terms of production so as to face the challenge. As a result, the above challenge created the need to seek external assistance in order to improve their productivity hence profits; a solution was formulated which could see the Company form a partnership with the Toyota Company in Japan. The agreement was that Toyota could assist General Motors C ompany to produce smaller cars with higher operational qualities. The merger led to the formation of the New United Motor Manufacturing Incorporated (NUMMI). However, General Motors Company did not implement most of the modes of car production systems employed by Toyota Company hence leading to the closure and failure of some of its branches such as the Van Nuys in the year 1992 (Glass 9). Economic Recession The second aspect of external environment that led to the failure of the General Motors Company is the economic recession experienced in the United States of America that resulted to the loss of the Company’s market share from forty seven percent to thirty five percent from the late 1907’s to the early 1980’s (Glass 10). At that time, the recession was characterized by excessive car production that led to deflation in the markets. The reduction of the market share of the General Motors Company enabled many of the customers to develop a negative perception to wards the products produced by the company due to the fact that they were of low quality. The media and the consumer report magazine also played a big role in the failure of the company since they portrayed a negative perception of the company towards the consumers thus enabling them to ignore the NNUMIS`s products (Glass 12). By the year 1992, the Company had made a loss of approximately twenty billion US dollars propagated by the recession and the