Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Events and Treaties of World War I - 1317 Words

Introduction In history class we are currently discussing the events and treaties of World War 1. I found this subject very interesting and the fact that many soldiers suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder piqued my curiosity. My teacher discussed how towards the end of the war soldiers portrayed symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and often fled during war which led to most of them being captured by their government and killed. I want to learn more about this topic because it is very interesting to me. I also want to learn more about why instead of finding out why the soldiers were acting out of the ordinary they just killed them. While I am researching this topic I hope to become better with my time management skills and also become an all-around better writer. This research question will help me evolve into a better world learner because it will help teach me some things about the history of our world. World War 1 occurred between a number of different countries. Pos t-Traumatic Stress Disorder during World War 1 also not only affected Americans it affected other countries as well because of the shell shock soldiers were experiencing in the trenches. I am planning to take many different approaches when I am answering this question. I plan on researching many different first-hand accounts while also using different books and internet resources. I hope to be able to get accounts about what happened from generations of people whose families actually wentShow MoreRelatedThe Treaty Of Versailles Ended World War I1708 Words   |  7 Pages The Second World War took approximately 50,000,000 to 60,000,000 lives (â€Å"World War II†). But this total does not include the millions not accounted for, many of them infants. The war had many causes, but the vast fault lay on a piece of writing from twenty years before the war even started. The Treaty of Versailles ended World War I but instigated the events that led up to World War II. Because the treaty of Versailles was so harsh on Germany, the effects of those terms allowed the Nazi partyRead MoreThe Treaty of Versailles1684 Words   |  7 PagesInvestigation The Treaty of Versailles was created to bring peace between nations after WWI. This investigation will answer the following question: To what extent did the Treaty of Versailles bring peace? In this investigation, the extent of the Versailles Treaty’s success will be evaluated by examining the period of its development, 1918, to the rise of Hitler, 1933. Several sources were used in this investigation including a number of books that look at the terms of the Treaty of Versailles andRead MoreWorld War II Was The Second Greatest War Of The Twentieth Century860 Words   |  4 PagesWorld War II lasted from 1939-1945, but there were a number of circumstances leading up to the beginning of World War II. It involved the majority of the nations in the world in which they formed two military alliances. Those alliances were the allies and axis. In a state of total war, World War II was the most deadly war in history. This war was caused there was a violation of the Treaty of Versail les from WWI. Then, there was the expansion of the Japanese and fascism. Another reason for the outbreakRead MoreThe Major Cause Of The First World War838 Words   |  4 PagesTo The First World War The events that result to or lead to the outbreak of a war form part of history that is highly analyzed and discussed over historical times for number of significant reasons. These reasons include giving answers to questions and shedding knowledge upon some particular patterns that may exist in war circumstances and giving an understanding on how and why they occur. For instance, the First World War was preceded by a number of events globally. The cause of war was introducedRead MoreEffects Of The Middle East And Eastern Europe1097 Words   |  5 PagesMr. Sipher March 20, 2016 World War I: The Effects in the Middle East and Eastern Europe War World I, otherwise known as the â€Å"Great War,† was a devastating ordeal for the people of the world, who faced the repercussions of the war. The war was started with ideas of nationalism, patriotic feelings, which can be unifying, however it can turn nations against each other as well. During the war, in the years of 1914-1918 and the years after it leading to the Second World War, the occupation of the regionsRead MoreThe Weimar Republic And The Treaty Of Versailles, League Of Nations, And Poor Leadership Essay1559 Words   |  7 Pagesobtained from Friedrich Ebert, in his inaugural speech when he was elected President of the Weimar Republic in January of 1919. For the past few months, I have been deeply analyzing and researching incessantly some reliable sources to discuss some of the major events and factors that led to the failure of the Weimar Republic which are the Treaty of Versailles, League of Nations, and poor leadership. Well, to start of with, It all goes back to a small town in Germany called Weimar. In this GermanRead MoreEssay on Factors that Led to the Outbreak of WWII1519 Words   |  7 Pagesspeculation surrounding the cause of World War II. This paper seeks to answer the question: what were the factors that led to the outbreak of the war? Being one of the most defining moments in the 20th century hence necessitating the need for such studies. The in-depth study will include coverage of the causes, events surrounding it, the outcome and the effect it had the globe over. A lot of previous events such as the Holocaust and the signing of the Treaty of Versailles have been proposed to beRead MoreThe United States Into World War I1368 Words   |  6 Pagesmany events that lead the United States into World War 1. The three main events that led to the to the United States entering into World War 1 were the British propaganda. Then the sinking of the Lusitania along with the Zimmerman telegram. With all of these events linked to each other they gradually pushed the United States into the war even though the United States tried to remain a neutral nation, they had no choice but to join the Allies and enter into the first world war. The First World WarRead MoreCauses Of Ww2 And Appeasement During World War II1553 Words   |  7 Pagesand Appeasement As a result from World War 1 governments were in shambles, economies were destroyed, and leaders were lacking skills needed to maintain people in these conditions . The world was once again a ticking time bomb. Between the end of World War One and the start of World War Two these effects were felt all over the world. Many people have different ideas on how World War Two was caused. However it was not one single event that set of the war, it was an accumulation of many problemsRead MoreTreaty of Versailles1324 Words   |  6 PagesTreaty of Versailles Essay One of the most important documents ever, The Treaty of Versailles was proposed to be a peace settlement between the victorious Allies and the defeated Germans at the outcome of World War I. The document was a major disaster and did not serve any of the purposes it was drawn for. The harsh provisions of the treaty along with its unfair orders to Germany led to the worlds most horrific leader come to power and also set the platform for another war. The treaty became a

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Homelessness in Public Schools - 998 Words

In the United States nationwide public schools are faced with dilemmas. The choices schools make has to be effective, serve the students, and have the best outcome. Well known problems such as bullying, special educational needs, budget cuts, new standards, and job cuts. Some of the problems are well known to the public while other problems are left in the background. According to the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY) reported that the U.S. Department of Education collected data stating â€Å"during the 2008-2009 school year that 954,914 homeless children and youth were enrolled in public schools.† This problem affects the child socially, mentally, and most importantly academically. The†¦show more content†¦The school serves letting the child know they are a part of something and the child feels comfort and trust. Have banners up motivating the child they can be what ever they dream to. (e.) â€Å"Provide additional supports†- Additional programs are presented to the homeless st- udent such as a nutritional program to make sure the child gets a proper meal. Interactive clubs such as sports, academics, and organizations. All these help the child stay in school as they look forward to showing off their talents, in their specialized area; this helps the child’s â€Å"social and academic development.† (f.) â€Å"Collaborate with other organizations†- In conclusion after this research I am well aware of how one issue that the child is no way in control of can affect them in the classroom and as well later in life. That Elementary Education is the foundation of a student’s future and can make or break a student. We as educators need to make sure that everything we do is for the children. Programs are created to make sure every child has an education no matter what circumstances or the background children come from. In AmericaShow MoreRelatedCase Study : Ending A Never Ending Story1685 Words   |  7 PagesCampaign name: Ending a never-ending story. (Queensland) Executive Summary Situation Analysis and research Homelessness becomes a noteworthy matter in Australia in our time. Target publics People who suffering from homelessness and domestic/ family violence. Objectives (S.M.A.R.T): providing volunteer activities (April,2017), creating website ( early 2017) selling clothe at charity event ( every 3 weeks in 2017), recording documentary movie ( early 2017 ) Strategy: using both emotion and characterRead MoreI Am A Retired Army Veteran Essay1607 Words   |  7 Pagesand the building complexes in that area and found that these were public housing. As I continued my research and what life was like there in those houses I decided that I would get some actual answers. I parked on the street and approached in a respectable manner an older man named Jimmy and asked him what it was like living in public housing. He answered â€Å"I am a retired army veteran and before going into combat I married my high school sweet heart, but we didn’t have enough money to buy a home so sheRead MoreHomelessness and Childhood Development Essay976 Words   |  4 Pagesexperience homelessness in youth. Homelessness at such an early and integral stage in one’s life presents lasting consequences and we must work to better understand, prevent and reverse the effects of homelessness on children. â€Æ' Homelessness is a widespread issue that in recent years has only worsened with the downturn in the economy and a never-ending war. Of this very vulnerable population however there is within an even more vulnerable population, the children affected by homelessness. We as a societyRead MoreThe Problem Of Homeless Families1622 Words   |  7 PagesFamilies Before I began the research I had already known that single parent homelessness is a n extremely emotional and heart breaking problem. In seventh grade my family and I went on vacation to New York City and I remember seeing a good of homeless people on street corners, but what surprised me the most was seeing younger people who appeared homeless. It’s a obvious answer, I’m against homelessness and family homelessness even more. It truly is heartbreaking to see little children who are forcedRead MoreEssay On Homeless Programs838 Words   |  4 Pagesthese programs and projects have played a role in reducing homelessness, it does not mean these programs make a significant difference. There is a dilemma about funding for housing projects. There is no doubt that housing projects cannot maintain their operation without sufficient funding. However, increased funding for homeless programs can slightly reduce homelessness. In â€Å"Does Increased Funding for Homeless Progr ams Reduce Chronic Homelessness?†, Shawn Moulton estimates a â€Å"fixed-effects model† to examinesRead MoreThe Negative Effects Of Family And Family Homelessness1270 Words   |  6 PagesFamily and child homelessness has been a major social problem within the United states since the 1980s (Bassuk). According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, it is a problem that affected 79,446 family households in January 2010, and over 1.5 million children between the years of 2005 and 2006. Family and child homelessness is a genuine issue that although has increased to 37% of the overall homeless, and is said to have reached an â€Å"historic high† (Bassuk), it has not been discussedRead MoreEssay on Homelessness in The Glass Castle1264 Words   |  6 Pagesare rarely exposed to miseries in society. One of these conflicts is homelessness. When living in an environment surrounded by homes, individuals often have difficulty imagining not being able to s leep in a warm bed, eat a proper meal or even receive necessary medical attention. This grim situation is depicted in the writings of Jeannette Walls. In the autobiography The Glass Castle, Jeannette Walls accurately portrays homelessness by explaining its causes, its impact upon daily life, and its effectRead MoreThe Effects of Homelessness on Children1654 Words   |  7 Pagesmental abuse and drug use. Homelessness gained public attention in the late 1970s because homelessness became more visible when it began to include women and children. Today homelessness can be linked to various other problems. It is estimated that 200,000 thousand Canadians have lived in or used the services of a homeless shelter. On any given night, as many as 30,000 thousand Canadians experience homelessness and as many as 50,000 thousand Canadians may be â€Å"hidden homelessness† victims. In other wordsRead MoreYouth Among The Homeless Essay1118 Words   |  5 Pages Homelessness is all around the world, and many people have either dealt with the issue or had first-hand experience with it. Thus causes everyone to think about the possible solutions to such an important social and economic problem. Whether or not anyone wants to support or ignore the issue, it will always be there. However, the youth population is on the rise among the homeless. While the exact number of youth among the homeless is hard to determine, given various information about homelessnessRead MoreHomelessness : America s Resources For The Homeless Are Scarce1452 Words   |  6 PagesRunning Head Homelessness in America Resources for the Homeless are Scarce in America Justin Hooks Fayetteville State University 2/27/2015 Abstract In this study, I will take the time out and investigate the effects that every day citizens have on homeless citizens and how we can play a big role in helping homelessness decrease. Over the past years many citizens haven’t established safe and stable places to live. I will then elaborate on how you can be sheltered and unsheltered and still

Monday, December 9, 2019

Marketing Strategy of Oyo Room Samples †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Marketing Strategy of Oyo Room. Answer: Introduction Oyo room is one of the most famous Indian Hotel Brands. Their main headquarter is in Gurgaon, India, it first started their in 2013, with one hotel, and now it has 7000 hotels across India. Basically they build a partnership with hotels and keep some of the rooms for themselves with the aim of consistency of various each of the room including free breakfast, flat screen TV, neat and clean bed, free wifi, a beverage tray and so on. It is a chain of hotels that are spread in various towns in India. They assure a quality experience for the customers. The range of their budget is from 1000 to 4000 rupees (Odunlami, 2014). The funder of this company Ritesh Aggarwal who was only 17 years old when he started OYO room was a college dropout and is an inspiration for many youngsters. Business Model Their business model is simple as they connect their guest with the hotels by the list of hotels from their website and take a payment as their revenue; their marketing strategy is online marketing. Their business works through online marketing. Oyo room has secured a multiple value of over 600 crore all over the market. Their marketing prospects have been increasing only because of their smart strategy as they have made alignments with Make MyTrip, hotels.com and Clear Trip(ciim.in, 2017). They have launched their own app which has made bookings easier; through their site and apps they have made partners with zero to 2 star hotels as well as guest houses. This smart move has opened many gates for them and they have a much wider range of customers. The app launched has helped their business to expand even more. They almost have more than 70,000 rooms across India. They have very gripping propositions for partner hotels to attract those hotels to give them rooms under their name. Oyo room which started in 2012 now looks like one of the most promising business in India and it is sure to stay. The benefits due to this are they have various partners which gives them various benefits. Due to their business innovation there are many companies who want to do business with them. Oyo works very closely with their business partners and in way it give those companies 100% more profits. Background OYO Industry in India is an example for sever new companies in bringing all the budget hotels at front. This step has increased much room record and has formed more competition in the market. It is promoting all kinds and size and patterns of hotel to think about their strategies. Among all these OYO room is leading. It has opened in 104 cities (OYO Rooms, 2017) Marketing Objectives The target of OYO rooms is to offer a good stay at a matchless cost. OYO gives great lodging for example ventilation and cooling system even at a normal guest house. They have their names in almost all travel books. Their model is simple, which receives inns to get them according to their process and inspires them to maintain a good administration, staffs security, and later on they want their rooms according to their own choice, with some specific needs that matches their criteria or idea of serving customers better. This shows that they have a good hospitality management as well. Even though they do not invest in any money on these small properties, they give their plan to them so that they can build the room according to them, which makes it a win-win situation for them, as these small inns do not have any marketing strategy or system of any financial background of their own and they simply rely on them (Ibojo Asabi, 2015). Advertising Approach In order to stay on this position OYO is focusing on the mass and their customers. They are following the new market and their form of functionality. They have a huge hit on Facebook with followers of more than 2.5 lakh and twitter which has more than 8000 fans (Dave, 2014). They approach to those hotels or guest rooms who do not have any network and its a huge plus for them as they get rooms on their name in a very low price and in return those hotels get publicity for OYO rooms. This growing brand is leaving no marks to spare, they are using every stage to promote their brand and make revenue out of it. In order to fulfill its goal, the brand has started a mass media campaign; they are coming on radio, print, television. Apart from the technology they are following the perfect path by advertising their brand. They are giving ads and they have eve introduced some web series where they are promoting themselves. These kinds of campaigns and advertisement bring the brand to life and ma ke the brand more accessible and predictable for the people. They have also released two to three films which show people opting for OYO rooms for different reasons to have a peaceful stay (Jha, 2015). Delivery Approach Among the metropolitan cities, they have circulated their brand name in Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune, Kolkata and Hyderabad, all these places have OYO rooms and the demand s are quiet high. In fact they are planning on going further and to open several more OYO rooms in all part of India. They give time to time discount and it is location friendly. It has a unique approach when the location is owns it will automatically give the pop up of the nearest OYO rooms one could find. Therefore it attract more people. Key use of Branding: SWOT Analysis The SWOT analysis is very essential in every business it analyses the strength, weakness, opportunity and threat. OYO is one of the largest networks of branded hotels in 104 Cities, it had a unique idea and therefore it could emerge in such a hit. The strength of this company is that they not only capitalize on big hotel rooms but also small hotel rooms and even guess houses. The weakness is that they have rooms in not only big hotels but as well as small one and therefore it might happen that they might use their publicity in return. They have several opportunities to enlarge their business as they just take over few rooms which should not be costing much for them, therefore they can start their business outside India. As there are various other companies rising and taking or imitating their ideas, it is highly possible that if they dont maintain their standard then they might lose it to them. Business Strategy It seems that OYO has been spending the most in digital advertisement and is also getting a great result from it. They even reached out to people to understand their wants and interest. This is a mass brand which is natural digital domain. Their sole strategy is to reach out to people and to make their business visible (Ansari, Jain Kaur 2015). They have established OYO bistro, OYO premium for top clients. The next strategy the company took was to tie up their business with Airtel for wi-fi, Zo rooms, Tourism and Hospitality and skill gathering. As they are do not own any hotels by themselves and just simply brand the hotel, therefore there profit is more. Budget hotels normally do not have the knowledge and capabilities of marketing, therefore have a low price. OYO not only repair the rooms of a small hotel and guesthouse they also give them the brand name. Which results in better response and in a way becomes a strategic advertise for that particular hotel. Service Accomplishments The location awareness of OYO room is awesome. OYO knows everything about the destination and the area. OYO gives excellent service to their clients by solving their problems in different ways, be it price, hotel policies, location, accommodation etc. Most of the percentage of customers comes from the OYO app. They have given discounts to their loyal customers, and hence try to give the best service (Ramesh, 2017). Conclusion OYO is just a 5 years old company and it has already thriving with its popularity and achievements. In order to achieve so much so quickly the company has incorporated many new techniques and ideas. Their strategy has always been unique and they have adapted too many new technologies. The digital era has given birth to huge opportunities for them and they have used that media quiet well. This specific case study will be very beneficial to understand their marketing strategy ad productivity. References Ansari, M. K., Jain, G., Kaur 2015 J. A STUDY ON IMPACT OF ICT ON THE MARKETING STRATEGY OF INDIAN TOURISM INDUSTRY. ciim.in. (2017).Oyo Room Marketing Strategy and Case Study.Chandigarh Institute of Internet Marketing - ciim.in. Retrieved 29 July 2017, from https://www.ciim.in/oyo-room-marketing-strategy-case-study Daramola, O., Odunsi, O. (2016). Assessing students awareness of environmental hazards and risks in public tertiary educational institutions in Oyo State, Nigeria.Economic and Environmental Studies,16(4 (40)), 655-672. Dave, K. S 2014. A Study on FIIs Investment in Equity Market and its Impact on BSE SENSEX. Devang, A., Kruse, C., Parker, A., Siren, P. (2017). The Next Wave of Business Models in Asia.MIT Sloan Management Review,58(2), 35. Dhankar, S. (2017). Foreign Direct Investment and its impact upon the Indian Hospitality Industry. IBOJO, B. O., ASABI, O. M. (2015). Impact of customer satisfaction on customer loyalty: A case study of a reputable bank in Oyo, Oyo State, Nigeria.International Journal of Managerial Studies and Research,3(2), 59-69. Jha, S. (2015). Global Library Business Digest (October 2015) Vol 2 Issue 7. Jha, S. (2015). Global Library Business Digest (October 2015) Vol 2 Issue 7. Odunlami, I. B. (2014). Impact of customer satisfaction and customer retention on customer loyalty: A case study of enterprise bank in oyo.International Journal of Education and Research,2(9), 427-450. OYO Rooms. (2017).Hotel Booking India, Branded hotels, Affordable Stays OYO Rooms.OYO Rooms. Retrieved 29 July 2017, from https://www.oyorooms.com/ Ramesh, A. (2017). Capturing Pilgrims Mind Space in India: A Study of Sales Promotions at Maha Kumbh Mela Allahabad 2013 Kumbh Mela Ujjain 2016.Purushartha: A Journal of Management Ethics and Spirituality,10(1). Ramesh, A. (2017). Capturing Pilgrims Mind Space in India: A Study of Sales Promotions at Maha Kumbh Mela Allahabad 2013 Kumbh Mela Ujjain 2016.Purushartha: A Journal of Management Ethics and Spirituality,10(1). Sen, C., Adury, S. T. (2017). Challenges and Opportunities for Shared Economies.Global Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation in the Sharing Economy, 1.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

World Trade Organization Regulations and Contracts between Countries

Table of Contents Introduction Roles of WTO and their success Reasons for success of WTO Developed vs. developing countries The Cancun Agreement Conclusion References Introduction World trade organization can be analyzed from two perspectives. First of all, it is considered as a way of negotiating the trade dispute or as a way of opening trade. Governments, the participants of the world trade organization, use this avenue to settle trading disputes between member countries using the rules that were established among them and signed to all of them.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on World Trade Organization: Regulations and Contracts between Countries specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The organization was established after negotiations had been held and agreement had been signed. Thus, all actions taken by an organization are guided by the rules provided in the agreement and negotiations among the major countries . Its current operations are largely guided by the agreements of the 1986-1984 in Uruguay and the other rules that guided General Agreement on Tariff and Trade (GATT) which the WTO replaced. WTO is the product of the new agreements inaugurated in the year 2001 through the â€Å"Doha Development Agenda†. The WTO negotiations helped countries that faced trade barriers to operate in open market environments. At times, the rules also support trade barriers to block out non member countries, as well as protect consumers. This helps control the spread of unethical rules and procedures. The success of the organization is a result of the agreement signed by over 27 countries trading together. The organization ensures free trade among the operating countries through regulation of the international trade and it has succeeded in meeting its objectives as it will be described in this paper (Haerens 2010). Before WTO was introduced, GATT had been operating between 1947 and 1986, the perio d within which it made several achievements. Its last achievement in 1974 was a successful agreement regarding international trade in textiles, it rebranded the Multifibre Arrangement (MFA) and it came into operation. It was formed to control the growth of exports in textile and clothing strictly at 6% per year. Several negotiations took place in 1977 and 1982 with an extension in 1986 and 1991 and lastly in 1992 which led to the sister organization the WTO. In 1986, World Trade Organization was brought into inception during the Uruguay Launch in the city of Punta del Este. The final law which established the WTO was signed by the member countries in April 1994 to round up the outcomes of the Uruguay round.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More On January 1st , it entered into full operation, after successfully operating for 4 years a new round was signed in Seattle but failed in the ministerial meeting. As a result, a new round of talks was scheduled for Doha, Qatar branded the Doha Development Agenda. Each of the results of the meetings resulted into rules and procedures geared to support international trade. It was agreed and signed that there was a minimum which each country could inject into the world trade. Developing countries are set for quotas given their 2/3 share in the quota. The contracts signed bind member countries to adhere and keep the policies agreed upon and follow them to the limits prescribed. The main objective to be achieved by the rule regulations and contracts is creation of an enabling environment for countries producing both, goods and services, as well as importers and exporters so that they are able to do business successfully. The rules also guide on ethical practices which are geared towards helping the said countries to meet their environmentally, as well as socially acceptable aims and goals (Haerens 2010). Roles of WTO and their success the WTO has enormously succeeded in bulk of the roles accorded to it. The organization has since developed a framework and structures to support its work through formed treaties. WTO has combining roles and responsibilities one of which is to be an overseer of a signed treaty that is over thirty thousand pages. The other treaties that it is to look at and safeguard, is that involving agreement with regards to safety of goods and services to both the producer and consumer countries respectively. The strength and effectiveness of the WTO was seen at the start but has since recorded a decline in strength and how viable it is especially after the failure of the ministerial conference which happened in Seattle. Trade dispute settlement is a key identity of the WTO through it is a well established dispute settlement procedures. The organization officers have great pride in the manner in which they are always up to the task of settling any dispute that entangles their members , through this the WTO had a very big impact on the world trade systems and alongside the diplomacy between countries resulting into trade propelled.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on World Trade Organization: Regulations and Contracts between Countries specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The treaties efficacy is dully supported by international laws hence efficiency. The treaties are also highly supported since they support free trade flow and free trade flow is responsible for massive economic development and growth mostly realized with developing countries (Macrory, Appleton, Plummer 2005). Reasons for success of WTO The reasons that have ensured that success is achieved are by ensuring that individuals, firm and organizations and member countries are aware of the trade rules and regulations. The stakeholders must also be assured of the stability and how long lasting the laws is likely to be so that their confide nce is worn. The rules must advocate for transparency and accountability not forgetting that they should be predictable so that they enhance the planning of the member countries (Macrory, Appleton, Plummer 2005). The underlying base of the dispute settlement process of the WTO is the normal agreement on the basis of a strong legal framework which ensures that conflicting interests are always laid to rest and the interpretation of agreements, whenever there is some form of misunderstanding among the member countries. Through its strong dispute settling framework, WTO has been a success in solving trade disputes since its inception; this has acted as its strong pillar. Members have witnessed and agreed that this dispute settling pillar has been beneficial to most of the members if not all, since it has facilitated members in solving their trade wrangles at fast speed in a fair and just manner and at a highly predictable way. The achievement of the organization in achieving settlements of international disputes due to its automatic nature of action has enhanced world security, peace, stability and certainty of its international trade regulations. While it is true that there is never success without challenges, it is of no doubt that the ads override the disadvantages in the procedure of conducting and resolving international trade disputes, the appellate body has also contributed significantly to ensuring that members get clarification on vague issues as indicated by the contract documents (Qureshi 2006).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Developed vs. developing countries It is true that policies of the WTO are shaped majorly by the developed countries due to the vast challenges that the developing countries face. The ever growing problem that is that of economic disparity between the developed and developing countries. WTO deals with facilitation for condition of trade and investment. The challenge that is faced by the WTO is how to integrate the developing country given their specific concerns about the organization. The developing countries cannot be neglected given that their quota in the organization is allocated 2/3 of the membership classification. This is despite the fact that they actively attend the meetings and listen to the speakers, while they do not comment on anything. In this manner, they constitute a part of the decisions arrived, without contributing anything to the resolutions. This may be favorable or unfavorable. The silence may be because they may not be feeling that the decisions arrived affec t them directly, they may as well not understand the content of discussion hence fear being irrelevant. They may also be afraid of providing opposing decisions since opposing a major developed country may act as a slap on their face, politically or economically. The strategy may also be relevant in the case where a country does not participate thinking that another stronger country will speak for them. Far from the mentioned above, the slow development of trade of developing countries, as compared to those of developed is a major issue with the WTO. This is because their power is political due to their voting power in the block is of immense importance to economic development. Trade liberalization that is majorly influenced by the developing nations through their votiong facilitates the development of the promotion of increased trade and investment (Macrory, Appleton, Plummer 2005). The General Agreement for Trade in Services (GATS) as a binding contract is used to enhance and suppo rt business of services which are never well developed in developing countries. This agreement is to enable developing countries to have the capability of exporting services and also form partnerships with the foreign service firms so that they are able to share in their technology. When it comes to dispute resolution, developed countries are the major participants led by the US and the EU, but recently the developing countries have been witnessed to participate in equal measure. It has been evidenced that developing countries have shown success in dispute resolution systems not only developed country members but to extremely larger trading nations (WTO analytical index 2003). The Cancun Agreement The agreement was established prominently to help in addressing long term environmental set backs, especially climatic change. The policies are set to help in cutting down the emission of green house gases. Its fundamental objective was to help save developing nations from vast effects of the gases. The agreements were to help reduce production of green house gases through enhanced participation of all countries. It advocated for transparency and timeliness in the way the actions were taken among many other agreements (Krolll 2007). Conclusion The agreement have lead to a success in the forms that it has ensured that the world countries are able to come together to agree in a way to reduce green house effect, it has come at a time when the developing countries needed help to deal with climate change, hence the agreement provided it with the relevant package for the same. It has also resulted into the pieces of agreement being done within the required schedule. The world trade organization has since played a fundamental role in shaping how countries relate depending on whether they are developed, developing or less developed. This body has facilitated the spread of resources in almost an equal measure to create a balance. The formulated ideas are thus very essential f or the development of the world orders. References Haerens, M. (2010). The World Trade Organization. Detroit: Greenhaven Press/gale, Cengage Learning. Krolll, D. (2007). Toward multilateral competition law?: after Cancun: reevaluating the case for additional international competition rules under special consideration of the WTO agreement. Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang. Macrory, P. F., Appleton, A. E., Plummer, M. G. (2005). The World Trade Organization legal, economic and political analysis. New York: Springer. Qureshi, A. H. (2006). Interpreting WTO agreements: problems and perspectives. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. WTO analytical index: guide to WTO law and practice. (2003). Geneva: WTO Publications. This report on World Trade Organization: Regulations and Contracts between Countries was written and submitted by user J0nah to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Building a Marketing Budget How much is too much or too little

Building a Marketing Budget How much is too much or too little Often, I’m asked The reason behind the research is two-fold. One, it allows you to know the cost needed to reach your intended audience. Two, should you need to cut your budget, you can make an informed decision. One marketing piece every writer should have is a website. It’s a must! Aside from a website and the costs for keeping it reliably hosted, you may also want to consider researching the costs for the following: Advertisement placement (print, digital, or both) Advertisement creation Listing in BookBub, if book is free or discounted. Contest prizes for readers Author photos Travel Book Trailers Book release parties Freelance publicity (publicist) services Virtual assistant fees Promotional items (bookmarks, pens, giveaways, et al) Social Media (boosting posts, sponsored tweets, advertising) Fan club/ Street team rewards and supplies Mailing/Shipping A rule of thumb when building a budget is to research all of the costs for the above items you intend to use. Add them together. Then add an additional 20 percent to the total. The added percentage will allow for and offset unexpected expenditures. Researching any and all free places to promote is to your advantage and can help you defer money to other line items in your marketing budget. Some ideas for free promotion are: Create a hashtag on Twitter for your book Upload a chapter of your book to Wattpad Encourage friends, fans and readers to post reviews online Leave your book name/website address on all voicemail and email messages Offer to   meet with book clubs via Skype Solicit radio show interviews Create and submit press releases to local newspapers Celebrate your release with a Facebook party (ask fellow authors to join in) Submit articles to writers’ associations Submit for a listing on addictedtoebooks.com If this book is currently available for free, submit the book to be featured on Free Book Friday and/ or fill out the submission form for a free listing on Digital Book Today. No matter which promotional efforts you choose to promote your book, try to focus on discoverability rather than sales. When readers discover you, read your work and like it, they are more apt to tell their friends there

Saturday, November 23, 2019

What Is the PARCC Test Do You Have to Take It

What Is the PARCC Test Do You Have to Take It SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips PARCC exams are relatively new and not particularly widespread, which means that finding reliable information on what they are and what they mean can be tough. In this guide, I’ll go over everything you need to know about these exams, including where they’re administered, what they test, and how to prepare. What's the PARCC Test? If you're researching PARCC tests, you're probably a bit familiar withstate exams and how they work. Stateexams are tests that are written and managed at the state level - they're administered, often on a yearly basis, at public schools within that state to monitor student progress. They also set expectations for what students should know at each grade level. Performance is considered at a large scale (e.g. state education departments may look into school districts with particularly low scores) and at an individual level (e.g. a school may provide extra resources to an individual student who isn't at grade level). PARCC (or thePartnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers) is a group of several states that work together to develop and administer state exams. Each state that participates in PARCC uses these tests to monitor student progress in lieu of individual state tests - the ultimate goal is to standardize Common Core expectations across states. These tests are designed to better replacements for old versions of state tests because (as PARCC claims) they provide better information about students' skills and development to teachers and parents. In a nutshell, these examinations are meant to evaluate college and career readiness starting at a young age. By evaluating readiness early and often (i.e. on a yearly basis), teachers and parents should be better able to help children prepare for the future. For example, teachers may use information about exam performance to identify where students may need extra help. One of PARCC’s advisory committees is dedicated to working with college and universities to accept test results as an â€Å"indicator of readiness† for first-time freshmen, so it looks like they’re also making moves to replace the SAT and ACT. There’s no indication that any colleges accept PARCC results in lieu of SAT/ACT scores, however, so this isn’t somethingyou have to worry about at the moment. Test Logistics There are actually many tests and assessments that are administered through PARCC. Annual Year-end Tests - English/language arts and math tests are administered every year in grades 3-11. I'll be focusing primarily on these exams for the rest of the article. Instructional Tools and Tasks - These may be used throughout the school year, and are meant mostly for teachers. Like other state tests, the PARCC exam is supposed to align with what students are actually learning in the classroom for each grade level. As such, the actual content and the level of difficulty of the exams will vary depending on students’ grade level. I’ll go into more detail shortly. WhatStates Require the PARCC Test? In 2010, 24 states (plus Washington DC) belonged to PARCC, but the number of states participating in the program has dropped significantly since then. As of2015-2016 school year, there are11 states fully active in administering the PARCC tests: Colorado Washington DC Illinois Maryland Massachusetts New Jersey New Mexico Rhode Island What's on the PARCC Test? These examinations are relatively new - they’ve been updated quite often over the past several years, and will surely be updated in the future. That being said, a few important things have remained consistent: The two core content areas tested are English/language arts and math. The tests strive to be modern assessments of competency in higher-level critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The exams don't just test content - theytest the development of skills that (presumably) help students succeed. When you’re trying to gauge whether students are developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills - things that are essential for doing well in college and in the workplace - the way that questions are asked on the exam will be just as important as testcontent. I’ll address both of these important factors here. Tests are a lot less intimdating when you know what's going to be on them. Test Content PARCC test content aligns most closely with what students learn based on Common Core standards. These standards may vary slightly, but remember that the PARCC exams will be standardized across all participating states - as such, you can expect the exams to test content that’s shared by all those states. Content will also depend on grade level, of course. There are a couple of ways you can figure out what you can expect to see on the test: Check out Common Core standards by state. Talk with your teacher (or your child’s teacher) about the content he/she plans on covering for the year, and what he/she expects to see on the year-end PARCC exam. Check out PARCC practice tests. The PARCC website does provide some very basic information about what’s expected of both elementary and middle school students in both English and Math: English expectations for all grade levels (3-11): Students read one or more texts (and sometimes watch a video), write about what they read and/or viewed, and provide evidence drawn from the reading. English expectations for middle school and high school: Students are expected to read several passages and integrate ideas from all of them into their written responses. Math expectations for all grade levels (3-11): Students must reason mathematically, make sense of quantities and their relationships to solve real-world problems, and show their understanding. Math expectations for middle school and high school: Students are expected to develop procedural skills, conceptual understanding, and modeling and application skills with a focus on broadening number sense into ratios, rational numbers, and proportions while transitioning to algebraic skills (including working with expressions, equations, and graphs). Question Format This is where the PARCC tests really claim to stand out when compared to other, older state exams. Testing critical-thinking and problem-solving skills is tougher than testing just straight-up content knowledge - this modern test format reflects these efforts. Here are a couple of examples from the PARCC site to show you what I mean: EXAMPLE 1 The old English test item asks students to simply write a persuasive essay. The new test item asks students to consider the perspectives of multiple authors before responding (using textual evidence) with their own argument. This is quite similar - in concept, if not in difficulty level - to what students will see on the writing sections of the ACT and SAT. ELA/Literacy example questions: old test items versus PARCC test items EXAMPLE 2 The old math test item is a word problem - students have to use basic reading comprehension skills to work through the question - but it essentially is asking students to count days on a calendar. The new math test item requires students to utilize more sophisticated data analysis skills - namelythey'll have to interpret information instead of just performing mathematical calculations. PARCC exams also asks studentsto explain their reasoning. Math example questions: old test items vs. PARCC test items Preparing for the PARCC Much of the work that you’ll need to do to prepare for the PARCC happens in school. State tests are used to assess instructor, school, district, and state performance, so the pressure to do well isn’t really on the student - it’s on everyone who’s responsible for preparing the student for his or her future. With that being said, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to prepare for the test! Students should want to perform to the best of their ability because that will best inform teachers about their needs. If nothing else, preparing for a PARCC exam is good practice for other future standardized tests. There isn’t a ton of official prep material out there, but PARCC has released official practice tests for each grade level. You shouldapproach PARCC practice in the same way you’d approach ACT/SAT prep: by starting off with a full diagnostic test and then carefully analyzing your mistakes. If you find that you have any weak areas, you can use class notes and/or assistance from your teacher to close up any content gaps. What Your Scores Mean for You Students aren’t penalized or rewarded based on how they perform on PARCC exams. Their results are used to inform teachers, parents, and administrators whether they’re learning everything they’re supposed to be learning - particularly low or high scores should help teachers customize instruction for individual students. What these scores are: A measure of how familiar you are with the test content. To some degree, a measure of how familiar you are with the test format and general test-taking strategy. PERHAPS a measure of whether you’re on track for college and a career. The tests are still very new - we don’t have any hard evidence to suggest that high scores on the test in any way predict success in college and beyond (although there is ongoing research on this question). What these score are not: A measure of your intelligence. A measure of how successful you’ll be in the future. Now that you have a better idea of what your PARCC scores actually mean, we can talk in more detail about the test scoring system. How the PARCC Scoring System Works The tests’ scoring system is based on what they call â€Å"performance levels.† These different levels are: Level 1: Did not yet meet expectations Level 2: Partially met expectations Level 3: Approached expectations Level 4: Met expectations Level 5: Exceeded expectations If you are at level 4 or 5, you’re good to go. Level 3 indicates that you’re almost there - you might just need a little extra help. Levels 1-2 indicate that more significant help from instructors might be necessary to bring scores up to grade level standards. As with other state tests, you’ll receive a score report with your raw score and corresponding performance level after the exam. Here’s an example of what that might look like: An example of a PARCC score report At the bottom of the report, you can see that you’re given a bit more context for your scores - you have access to the school, district, state, and overall score average. If you'd like to learn more, PARCC has set up a site where parents can accessinformation about score results and improving performance. Summary To wrap up, PARCC exams shouldn’t be a source of stress for students or parents. Like most other state tests, these exams arecheck-in assessments that help instructors (and schools, and school districts) understand whether students are on the right track for college or for a career. Unlike other outdated tests, PARCC exams are moving towards assessing higher-level cognitive skills rather than just straight-up content. High school students might recognize that the questions they see on these tests are similar to the ones they might see on the ACT or SAT. It’s unclear whether PARCC tests truly measure college-readiness, but they’re certainly similar to other college entrance exams. Perhaps these year-end tests will help prepare students (starting in 3rd grade!) for future exams where more is at stake. What's Next? PARCC content is based on Common Core standards. If you want to do well on a PARCC exam, you may want to read more about the Common Core and why it matters. Looking at tests similar to the PARCC? Read more about ACT Aspireand check out available practice tests. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Geo Thermal Energy - Extra Credit Assignment Essay

Geo Thermal Energy - Extra Credit Assignment - Essay Example First of all more and more people are moving into the cities all around the world. This urban movement is bringing more and more people to the mechanized life. Moreover governments all around the world are introducing new technologies to less developed areas of their countries. These factors would increase the demand of energy many times over. The people living in village have a very low demand when it comes to energy. The mostly do all their work by hand or animal. Their basic energy demands are fulfilled by burning firewood etc. By bring these people into cities or by taking technology to them the demand of energy would be increased as their life styles would be totally changes. Moreover the entire human race is becoming more technology dependent day by day. There was once a time when cars were considered to a luxury. Today however keeping a car has become a necessity. This shows how the number cars over the years have dramatically increased. Moreover the technology is becoming cheaper day by day. Therefore more and more people can afford to buy and use it, thus increasing the demand for energy. The sources of energy on the other hand are totally limited. The main energy source currently being used by the world is fossil fuel. These fuels are expected to run out in a few decades. Therefore the discovery of alternative sources of energy is not a luxury but a necessity. Moreover non renewable resources create a lot of population which is very dangerous for the atmosphere. A solution to world energy problems is geothermal energy. Geothermal as the word implies means the energy of the earth. There are many different sources of geothermal energy. The most common and powerful sources is using the energy stored up under the earth’s surface. The energy form radioactive decay of minerals and sun’s energy absorbed on the earth’s surface is also used as geothermal energy. Currently 10715 megawatts of geothermal power is being generated in almost

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Management, People and Organisations - Managing the United Kingdom Essay

Management, People and Organisations - Managing the United Kingdom National Health Service - Essay Example The management of NHS has been faced with challenges from the government, public and within its own organization. The government and public requires the organization to deliver more and build trust however provisional support not sufficient. The essay analyzes symptoms in order to recognize problems and provide alternatives solutions. It deliberates the organizational issues underlying these difficulties and suggests vicissitudes believed conducive to making a high performance organization. In addition, it explores NHS organizational administration methods, structure and culture morals from a conjectural background (MARTIN, 2005). It summarizes the prominence of managing these issues communally in an unstable atmosphere to accomplish goals. It discloses internal and external factors that encourage change in organizations. The problems faced by United Kingdom National Health Service are not unique to any organization offering service. Management requires designing and maintaining an atmosphere that individuals, working as teams, efficiently achieve selected goals. The key objective of management is to ensure things are done by the people, through generating a suitable setting in which they can attain organizational goals. The case study reveals that many clinicians have indulged in managerial duties besides their existing role, in an attempt to bring a difference. This engrossment in management can be time overwhelming and actually clashes with their professional roles. It is understandable that many of the indications which the case study proves can be directly linked to conflict of roles or better say conflict of interest. This proves lack of professionalism since each player in an organization should adhere to their duties and do them to their best. Organization should define each role of players and governing principles to ensure quality. It is evident that role issue is a major management problem for the NHS. In any specified role, there

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Job stress to job performance Essay Example for Free

Job stress to job performance Essay The thesis selected for my critique which is called â€Å"A Study on Job Stress to Job Performance: Counseling as a Moderator† was written by Tseng, Yu-man in 2013. The thesis was done by a partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Human Resource Management. It can be discovered on the Electronic Thesis Harvestable and Extensible System of National Sun Yat-Sen University. In this article, the overview of the thesis will be simply described followed by the critique on the research design and data analysis. A terse paragraph on the overall impressions will also be comprised with possible suggestions made in the conclusion part. Overview of the research thesis: In the thesis, the author intended to understand the relationship between job stress and job performance. According to the relationship, she explored â€Å"Is consultant a moderator between job stress and job performance. † She also examined â€Å"Is the personal demographic information as an obvious difference between job stress and job performance. † Quantitative method was applied and data was collected from the questionnaire survey. Furthermore, the thesis used some statistic method in this research, such as conducting the poll through questionnaires, factor analysis, descriptive statistic, T test, ANOVA, correlation analysis, regression analysis. However, unfortunately, there is no information to demonstrate if the consultant as a moderator between job stress and job performance. The author suggested backward researcher can apply ink to paper or depth interview more when doing questionnaire design. The results indicated that: 1. Job stress and job performance have statistically negative relationship. 2. There is no answer about if the consultant as a moderator between job stress and job performance. No one has the experience of seeking the consultant in the retrieved questionnaire materials. Therefore, it is unable to learn if the consultant as a moderator between job stress and job performance. 3. Marriage has an influential effect in the relationship between job stress and job performance. Other personal demographic information, such as gender, age, schooling record, seniority and current position within company, do not have significant difference in the relationship between job stress and job performance. Critique of the research design: (a) Problem statement/ introduction part: The introduction part consists of the pressures among our daily life and how it affects us to become stressful that threaten our lives. This is because there are differences between pressures and stresses. Pressures come from external, but stresses generate from internal. The author states particularly and precisely the causal relationships of pressures and stresses. First, she brought out a concept that suicide is a serious philosophic problem. It leads out another concept that â€Å"Should we struggle to survive? † Then, she used lots of instances for demonstration. Lastly, she said there will be less ill effects if we have moderate ways to relax when we have pressures and stresses. The author seems to have missed out specifying what the right behaviors are for releasing our pressures and stresses. This is noteworthy to tell the readers that some people relax in bad behaviors such as smoking which can produce a more aggravated problem than pressures and stresses. (b) Literature review of the study: In the literature review section of this thesis, the content is discussed systematically in the following arrangement: stress; job stress; job performance; the relationship between job stress and job performance; and consultative. The literatures represented exhaustive and related to the themes of study. The literature reviews have a few strengths that help the readers understand the contents easily. The contents described deeply with different types of diagrams appropriately. For example, it mentioned the scholars have lots of views in different years, it shows there are frequent changes in the definitions of the terms each year. Moreover, it used descriptive statistic to analyze the factors precisely. However, there are some improvements needed in the areas. It seems to be a little bit unbalanced in defining all the terms. Here are some suggestions for improvement. First, it depicted a lot in each factor of stress, job stress and job performance. The thesis is mainly focused on the relationship between job stress and job performance, but the literature reviews depicted the relationship in a very simple manner. There should be more information with instances to analyze the relationship. Therefore, the reliability of the investigation will be increased and the persuasiveness will also be enhanced. (c) Methodology of the study: The research was to investigate the practical states of the variables among the research subjects. The research subjects are the employees of manufacturing and service industry. Therefore, the author used a questionnaires method to handle the research. Firstly, she constructed the research frameworks. Secondly, she set up the research assumptions after the research frameworks. She also confirms the operational definitions and ponders what should be used as the instrument. In the first phrase, the research frameworks set up a framework of the relation between job stress and job performance, also with the other factor of counseling. Then, the research assumptions set up two assumptions as the relativity assumption and diverseness assumption. For the relativity assumption, the author assumed that there is an obvious correlation and consultant as a moderator has an influential effect in the relationship between job stress and job performance. For the diverseness assumption, the author assumed that sex, age, marriage, level of education, years of service and current duty have variant effect in the relationship between job stress and job performance. In the second phrase, the research design has used factor analysis, correlation analysis and regression analysis in operational definition, job stress measurement table and job performance measurement table among job stress, job performance and counseling. For job stress, the author used Strees’s theory (1988) which believes a person will have job stress when facing some threats from job. Also, she used the measurement table with 32 questions in 5-point likert scale: always, often, sometimes, seldom and never, published by Institute of Occupational Safety and Health in Council of Labor Affairs in 1995 to measure. For job performance, the author used Campbell’s theory (1987) which believes that job performance related to the process when a person who has the willingness to help the organization to accomplish the goals. Moreover, she used the measurement table with 24 questions in 5-point likert scale: very agree, agree, no opinion, disagree and very disagree, adopted from Yu Dak Shing’s translation with minor amendments that published by Motowidlo Van Scotter (1994) Task Performance Questionnaire the Task Performance Questionnaire (TPQ) and contextual performance questionnaire (Contextual Performance Questionnaire, CPQ) to measure. For counseling, the author defined it in a psychological perspective that a person will use the personal information to understand himself or herself and make improvements in adapting to the new environments. In addition, she used a revised measurement table with reference to Taiwan Tobacco Liquor Corporation. However, it is a doubt whether the research design can obtain the results clearly and reliably. This is because the measurement tables do not show an obvious correlation between job stress and job performance. This will make up some errors. Moreover, the author does not mention the amounts of research subjects. To increase the reliability and preciseness, the author should mention the amounts of research subjects and its responsiveness. Also, she should find more references for making the measurement table in an obvious relationship. (d) Discussion and Conclusion of the Study: In the discussion section, results were interpreted and possible explanations were given. The significance of the investigations is very low because the sample size is restricted. This has been substantiated by the researcher’s discussion that most of the factors (job stress and job performance) do not consist of any correlation with counseling. The researcher should ameliorate the methodology especially sampling. The conclusion was highly dwelt as the researcher defined it into 6 parts of different data. However, most of them did not show any correlation with each other. Therefore, the researcher’s efforts were useless. Conclusion: Overall, this research study gives us a good view on the current situation of the extent on â€Å"Job Stress to Job Performance: Counseling as a Moderator† in Taiwan. It provides extended review on both international and local literatures. The data and analysis were represented in a systematic and intelligible way so that readers can effortlessly comprehend. However, the collected data involved a broad range of different factors for examining the effects in the relationship. It should be expressed more clearly in some definitions. Otherwise, the meaning of the sentence may sometimes confuse people‘s understanding. Reference: Tseng, Yu-man (2009). A Study on Job Stress to Job Performance:Counseling as a Moderator. Taiwan: National Sun Yat-sen University, Retrieved April 1, 2013, from eThesys: http://etd. lib. nsysu. edu. tw/ETD-db/ETD-search-c/view_etd? URN=etd-1103109-054940 Cooper, C. L. , Sloan, S. J. S. Williams, (1988). Occupational stress indicator management guide, Windsor, NFER-Nelson. Brian Seaward, Job stress

Thursday, November 14, 2019

The Many Signs of Dance :: essays research papers

The many signs of Dance "To learn the language of dance, one must perform." That quote is taken from C. Nicholas Johnson, director of dance. In the following paper, I will review the Wichita Contemporary Dance Theater performance that took place April 8-9 at 7:30. I will be reviewing Friday nights performance. As C. Nicholas Johnson said, "In doing so, we hope to encourage personal growth beyond the art itself. Ever since I heard about the Spring Dance Concert, I was very excited to go and be part of that. For some reason that night I thought I was going to be seeing a Ballet concert. So when the first piece came on "Dear Me" choreographed by Cheyla Cabrales, I was in for a real shock. Soloist Stephanie Davis started the show out with a very modern dance, by doing all her moves by simply sitting in a chair. The audience was then surprised with a outburst of dancers right beside them. All over the room there were breaths that were taken at the same time and complete surround dancing. I enjoyed this piece not just for the uniqueness, but for the music and the openness affect it had on me and the audience. The second piece, "Warfaring" choreographed by Janice Garrett, was much more different from the first piece. It was much more brighter, the girls wore green dresses, and the music was fiddles and guitars. It involved 4 dancers, but it seemed like more because they were doing so much work throughout the movement. I liked this piece, it made me smile, because the girls had smiles on their faces as they were dancing. They looked as if they could have danced all day and be completely satisfied. The third piece "Inside Out" choreographed by Nick Johnson, was one of my favorites. "To all my female dance majors...I understand!" That was the quote that was under the piece's title. In my head I was thinking that this was probably going to be a slow emotional dance with soft music. But instead it was very humorous. Nick Johnson was half a women and half a man. The costume was perfect, it was literally haft women and half man. I thought of the act as a "dating" scene. The man being all nervous and wanting the women, but the women showing that she likes him, but making sure he knows that she is in charge.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Lexus challenges Mercedes Essay

A. Introduction. Toyota offers luxury and quality setting the trend through its new model, Lexus, giving the same almost privileges to the buyer as the ones that a Mercedes owner enjoys at a half price. B.The problem. Extremely high competition on behalf of Toyota towards a multinational car industry like Mercedes whose name is synonym to luxury and status that offers if somebody owns one. Unknown expectations and responds from the part of the candidate buyers. C.Internal issues. (strengths) Toyota was offering a car that had the same performance with Mercedes at a reasonable price. Toyota made the public believe that he or she is a smart buyer since they could have a luxurious car, which in order to have it, they wouldn’t throw their money just to gain more status. Toyota was planning to market the new model with a multiple warhead attack. Lexus had a luxurious interior, and a sculptured look with fine fit and finish. Also the engine was smooth as well as the ride. Lexus cost 50% less than a Mercedes model with the same engine and standard equipment. Toyota paid much attention to the designing of the showrooms and to the professional salespeople that was planning to hire. Cheaper spare parts than Mercedes. Toyota was offering a 12-minute videotape to the buyers with which outweighed the advantages over Mercedes. Lower taxes. According to the magazine Car and Driver issued on April 1997, the annual token for Toyota Lexus GS 300 is 16.250.000 drachmas, where the annual token for Mercedes SEL 300 is approximately 20 million. C. Internal issues.(weaknesses) Not the same status that Mercedes has set up decades ago. Cheaper spare parts might also be problematic ones. Inexperienced personnel in case something could go wrong with the launched cars. Many Toyota agents might not be able to represent Lexus because of financial reasons since this model would be the flagship of the car industry. On the other hand, most Mercedes agents are able to represent a luxury models like the SEL500. Mercedes produces cars whose engines are above 2000cc. and doesn’t produce any models with an engine less than the above. Lexus is the only Toyota’s model that exceeded the limit of 2000cc. That’s why Mercedes has the kind of status nowadays and is difficult to be taken down.  · Toyota is a Japanese car industry and many Europeans might prefer to buy a European car since Mercedes is a German industry. C. External issues. (threats) Mercedes might maintain or raise its prices and add generous guarantees and services like for example free repairs for six years. Other car industries like Toyota might follow the same strategy of producing luxurious cars and so Mercedes would not be the unique competitor in this category. C. External issues. (opportunities) People who bought Lexus were delighted and the buyers raved to their friends and became the best salespeople for the new Lexus. The Mercedes power system in wealth offered, and other car industries like Jaguar, Rolls-Royce, and BMW was beginning to collapse. D. Alternatives. Toyota could keep on advertising Lexus as much as possible and should try to develop the specific model more, in parts of technology, safety, engine, and look. Also, Toyota could spend more money in order to make its showrooms and service provided the same and even better than those that Mercedes has. E. Recommendations. For many years Mercedes-Benz is producing cars with big engines and endless hulls adjusting its equipment to the world standards of safety and technology. If Toyota is powerful enough to pass through all the stages that Mercedes went in order to become one of the best industries of luxury cars worldwide, then maybe sometime in the future Toyota will be able to compete Mercedes with the only difference that the last would be one step ahead. According to my opinion, in Mercedes reigns one dictum: Only the best is good enough†¦

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Debate over globalisation Essay

Currently in international circles there is a great debate over globalisation and whether it is a force for good or bad. The statement oversimplifies the matter, of course. But the issue of globalisation and our collective response to it promises to define who prospers and who does not well into the 21st century. Globalisation has positive and negative aspects. On top of its positive aspects comes the tremendous development of new information and communication technology, triggers in economic growth through increased trade and job creation around the world. This economical growth can be illustrated by the fact that the world real GDP grew from US$2 trillion to US$28 trillion, which means an increase of 1400%. On a per capita basis, this means an increase of US$614 to US$4908, an increase of about 800%. The quality of life in developed countries has increased However, anti-globalisation supporters affirm that although there was an economical growth, this was not well distributed throu ghout society, and that over the past 150 years, the rich countries are developing at a faster rate than the poor countries, increasing the difference between them. This happens because dealing with globalisation in a capitalist society, there will always be winners and losers. The winners will be the nations which have more skill, technology, information, power and money, whilst the losers will be the poor countries, which export primarily goods and rely on the rich countries to obtain technology and manufactured goods. As a term, globalisation means different things to different people. To some, it is a purely economic trend, the result of the market system unleashed on a worldwide scale, a century-long process that has now been vastly accelerated by the fall of Communism and the relaxation of other restrictive economic practices. As has the impact and growth of globalisation changed, so has its meaning during the last decades. But what is certain is that globalisation is not something of today or yesterday. Among the so many given definitions, Martin Wolf defines globalisation as a â€Å"journey, but toward an unreachable destination, the globalised world. A globalised economy in which, neither distance nor national borders impede economic transactions. A world where the cost of transport and communication were zero and the barriers created by differing national jurisdictions had vanished†. (Wolf, 2001: 178). But globalisation is a very wide notion, which embraces the social, cultural, and political interdependency of states. Globalisation refers also to the integration and interaction between different people and nations. Take the European Union as an example, where the member states share the same democratic values and norms, or the convergence and similarities of the constitutions of the member states, which could lead to a European law or constitution. To others, it defines the ever widening process of international interchange and interconnection that can be witnessed in so many aspects of life, whether the casual observation that top musical artists draw increasingly on other cultures for their melodies and rhythms, the news that former enemies are now participating in joint peacekeeping missions, or the realisation that there are suddenly many more foreign faces and accents in your hometown than before. No matter what the definition, globalisation is dynamic and real, causing numerous and often radical changes in all but the most remote places. Depending on your point of view, circumstance and prospects, the process can be seen as hugely positive or grossly negative. Those who defend globalisation say it is bringing prosperity to untold millions around the world, breaking down national and cultural barriers, and helping to speed the general process of peace-building. Critics say that the chaotic manner in which market forces have scaled up to the global level has unleashed a destructive whirlwind that treats workers callously, serves too often to further impoverish the poor at the expense of the rich, and wreaks vast amounts of environmental destruction. They say that its side effects are equally horrific, ranging from the spread of AIDS and drug abuse to the creation of a world monoculture that destroys local traditions and squelches diversity. At the 1995 World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen, nations of the world took note of this dualism: â€Å"Globalization, which is a consequence of increased human mobility, enhanced communications, greatly increased trade and capital flows, and technological developments, opens new opportunities for sustained economic growth and development of the world economy, particularly in developing countries. Globalization also permits countries to share experiences and to learn from one another’s achievements and difficulties, and promotes a cross-fertilization of ideals, cultural values and aspirations. At the same time, the rapid processes of change and adjustment have been accompanied by intensified poverty, unemployment and social disintegration. Threats to human well-being, such as environmental risks, have also been globalized.† Inasmuch as the pain caused by some aspects of globalisation is undeniable, the real issue is whether the negative effects of its sweeping processes can be ameliorated and the positive effects enhanced. Because in the opinions of some, the forward march of globalisation is unstoppable. The notion concept of sovereignty refers to the three-fold capacity of a state, which is the â€Å"absolute supremacy over internal affairs within its territory, absolute right to govern its people, and freedom from any external interference in the above matters† (Wang, 2004: 473). So a state is sovereign if it has the ability to make and implement laws within its territory, and can function without any external power and assistance, and doesn’t acknowledges any higher authority above itself in the world of independent states. From the above definition one can draw the conclusion that either a stat e can be sovereign or not, since sovereignty is defined as the absolute supremacy and right of the government in a given state. A realist like Steven D.Krasner agrees on the collapsing autonomy of states but deny the impact of globalisation on nation state, which could possibly lead to the death of state sovereignty. He argues, â€Å"Those who proclaim the death of sovereignty misread the history. The nation state has a keen instinct for survival and has so far adapted to new challenges, even the challenge of globalization† (Krasner, 2001: 20). He also argues that globalisation is not a new challenge or phenomena. Viewed from a criminological point, â€Å"the perceived normality of high crime rates, together with thee widely acknowledged limitations of criminal justice agencies, have begun to erode one of the foundational myths of modern societies: namely, the myth that the sovereign state is capable of providing security, law and order, crime control within its territorial boundaries† (Garland, 1996: 448). The notion of legitimate organized violence monopoly, which is of great importance for the internal order as well as for the foreign accountability of a state, is challenged by the international criminality. Since states cannot provide security for their citizens and are not capa ble of guaranteeing internal order, one of the fundamental elements of state sovereignty is undermined and questioned. The negative effects of globalisation can be softened only through new and higher levels of international cooperation and consultation, filtered through a new system of moral values that puts human welfare and social justice ahead of the predominantly materialistic paradigm currently in vogue. Call this global governance. Call it world government. But one way or the other, the forces of globalisation will require the creation of some sort of international super authority, one that can ensure that human rights and workers’ prerogatives are upheld, and that the environment is protected, as globalisation proceeds. Another factor that is observed is that the number of poor people (people living with less than US$1 per day) has increased, and reached almost 1.2 billion people, which is almost one fifth of the world’s total population. This is partly caused by the increase in global population, but also due to the distribution of the money. The ratio of income between the wor lds twenty percent richest and twenty percent poorest has increased from 30:1 to 78:1. Many people also question the issue of globalisation creating more jobs when multinationals establish new factories in foreign countries. Their argument is that although more jobs are created, and that this reduces the unemployment, these jobs don’t require any skill and workers have very bad working conditions, working long hours and receiving little money. And as the workers have no other working options, and working in these factories is their only source of income, they can’t do anything else, but work to try to survive. Besides this, the unemployment levels are very high, which means that there is always someone available to substitute workers that aren’t happy with what they are being offered. These facts make us think in a way of making globalisation fairer, and giving developing countries the chance of benefiting more from it. So that this can happen, there are many things that need to be changed. First of all the development needs to be more focused on the people, and not only in financial reasons. Fairer rules and deeper partnerships should be done between developed and developing countries so they can have a mutually beneficial relationship. Also one of the most important things to ensure that nations can benefit the most from globalisation is that a powerful, democratic and more effective UN helps to control the spread and paths of globalisation. From this we can conclude that globalisation is one of the most important factors of the new century, and that it will continue spreading and growing all around the world, reaching the furthest corners of the planet. The question of whether it is good or bad can never be answered completely, and there isn’t a right or wrong answer, because there will always be good and bad sides to it. At present globalisation seems to be beneficial for some and detrimental to others. For globalisation to be beneficial to the majority depends on how it is treated and controlled. Globalisation could be very beneficial to society as a whole if managed correctly.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Free Essays on Pop Art Movement

Pop Art was a visual arts movement of the 1950’s and 1960’s in Britain and the United States of America. The term Pop Art referred to the interest of a number of artists in the images of mass media, advertising, comics and consumer products. Pop Art is an abbreviation of Popular Art, the images used in Pop Art were taken from popular or ‘pop’ culture. Pop art was â€Å"a dazzling celebration of life in a world recovering from war.†# Pop art is in some ways hard to define. Pop art does not describe a style but rather a collective term for an artistic phenomena where the works have a sense of being in a particular era. There are however essential characteristics which make artworks part of the Pop Art Movement. These characteristics are the subject matter, forms and media of Pop Art. Pop art was entirely a Western phenomenon, born under capitalist, technological conditions in an industrial society. The epicentre of Pop art was America and as a result the entire western world have become Americanised.# Pop art thrived in big cities. The cities of its birth were New York and London. These two places became the new art centres of the Western World.# In the post war world of the 1950’s both Britain and America were places of optimism. After the War there was a consumer boom. Exciting new products were pouring out of factories on a massive scale. Mass production meant lower prices so more people could afford these new products. People were enjoying fast cars, fast food, colour television, film, fashion and pop music for the first time. There was a whole range of new products to brighten up these peoples lives. This was the birth of Popular culture. Stores, burger bars and cinemas wanted to draw big crowds. To do this they advertised their products on giant billboards, television screens and magazines. The Pop artists liked these bright images that they saw in the advertisements and realised that by using these i... Free Essays on Pop Art Movement Free Essays on Pop Art Movement Pop Art was a visual arts movement of the 1950’s and 1960’s in Britain and the United States of America. The term Pop Art referred to the interest of a number of artists in the images of mass media, advertising, comics and consumer products. Pop Art is an abbreviation of Popular Art, the images used in Pop Art were taken from popular or ‘pop’ culture. Pop art was â€Å"a dazzling celebration of life in a world recovering from war.†# Pop art is in some ways hard to define. Pop art does not describe a style but rather a collective term for an artistic phenomena where the works have a sense of being in a particular era. There are however essential characteristics which make artworks part of the Pop Art Movement. These characteristics are the subject matter, forms and media of Pop Art. Pop art was entirely a Western phenomenon, born under capitalist, technological conditions in an industrial society. The epicentre of Pop art was America and as a result the entire western world have become Americanised.# Pop art thrived in big cities. The cities of its birth were New York and London. These two places became the new art centres of the Western World.# In the post war world of the 1950’s both Britain and America were places of optimism. After the War there was a consumer boom. Exciting new products were pouring out of factories on a massive scale. Mass production meant lower prices so more people could afford these new products. People were enjoying fast cars, fast food, colour television, film, fashion and pop music for the first time. There was a whole range of new products to brighten up these peoples lives. This was the birth of Popular culture. Stores, burger bars and cinemas wanted to draw big crowds. To do this they advertised their products on giant billboards, television screens and magazines. The Pop artists liked these bright images that they saw in the advertisements and realised that by using these i...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

The Terror of the French Revolution - 1793-1794

The Terror of the French Revolution - 1793-1794 1793 January February February 1: France declares war on Great Britain and the Dutch Republic. February 15: Monaco annexed by France. February 21: Volunteer and Line regiments in the French army merged together. February 24: Levà ©e of 300,000 men to defend the Republic. February 25-27: Riots in Paris over food. March March 7: France declares war on Spain. March 9: Representatives en mission are created: these are deputies who will travel to the French departments to organise the war effort and quell rebellion. March 10: The Revolutionary Tribunal is created to try those suspected of counter revolutionary activity. March 11: The Vendà ©e region of France revolts, partly in reaction to the demands of the levee of Feb 24. March: Decree ordering French rebels captured with arms to be executed without appeal. March 21: Revolutionary armies and committees created. Committee of Surveillance established in Paris to monitor strangers. March 28: Émigrà ©s now considered legally dead. April April 5: French General Dumouriez defects. April 6: Committee of Public Safety created. April 13: Marat stands trial. April 24: Marat is found not guilty. April 29: The Federalist uprising in Marseilles. May May 4: First Maximum on grain prices passed. May 20: Forced loan on the rich. May 31: Journee of May 31: the Paris sections rise demanding the Girondins be purged. June June 2: Journee of June 2: Girodins purged from the Convention. June 7: Bordeaux and Caen rise in the Federalist revolt. June 9: Saumur is captured by rebelling Vendà ©ans. June 24: Constitution of 1793 voted on and passed. July July 13: Marat assassinated by Charlotte Corday. July 17: Chalier executed by Federalists. Final feudal dues removed. July 26: Hoarding made a capital offence. July 27: Robespirre elected to the Committee of Public Safety. August August 1: The Convention implements a scorched earth policy in the Vendà ©e. August 23: Decree of levee en masse. August 25: Marseille is recaptured. August 27: Toulon invites the British in; they occupy the town two days later. September September 5: Prompted by the Journee of September 5 government by Terror begins. September 8: Battle of Hondschoote; first French military success of the year. September 11: Grain Maximum introduced. September 17: Laws of Suspects passed, definition of suspect widened. September 22: Start of Year II. September 29: General Maximum begins. October October 3: The Girondins go to trial. October 5: The Revolutionary Calendar is adopted. October 10: Introduction of the Constitution of 1793 halted and Revolutionary Government declared by the Convention. October 16: Marie Antoinette executed. October 17: Battle of Cholet; the Vendà ©ans are defeated. October 31: 20 leading Girondins are executed. November November 10: Festival of Reason. November 22: All churches closed in Paris. December December 4: Law of Revolutionary Government / Law of 14 Frimaire passed, centralising power in the Committee of Public Safety. December 12: Battle of Le Mans; the Vendà ©ans are defeated. December 19: Toulon recaptured by the French. December 23: Battle of Savenay; the Vendà ©ans are defeated. 1794 January February February 4: Slavery abolished. February 26: First Law of Ventà ´se, spreading seized property among the poor. March March 3: Second Law of Ventà ´se, spreading seized property among the poor. March 13: Hà ©rbertist/Cordelier faction arrested. March 24: Hà ©rbertists executed. March 27: Disbanding of the Parisian Revolutionary Army. March 29-30: Arrest of the Indulgents/Dantonists. April April5: Execution of the Dantonists. April-May: The power of the Sansculottes, Paris Commune and sectional societies broken. May May 7: Decree starting the Cult of the Supreme Being. May 8: Provincial Revolutionary Tribunals closed, all suspects must now be tried in Paris. June June 8: Festival of the Supreme Being. June 10: Law of 22 Prairial: designed to make convictions easier, start of the Great Terror. July July 23: Wage limits introduced in Paris. July 27: Journee of 9 Thermidor overthrows Robespierre. July 28: Robespierre executed, many of his supporters are purged and follow him over the next few days. August August 1: Law of 22 Prairial repealed. August 10: Revolutionary Tribunal re-organised so as to cause fewer executions. August 24: The Law on Revolutionary Government reorganises the control of the republic away from the highly centralised structure of the Terror. August 31: Decree limiting the powers of the Paris commune. September September 8: Nantes Federalists tried. September 18: All payments, subsidies to religions halted. September 22: Year III starts. November November 12: The Jacobin Club closed. November 24: Carrier placed on trial for his crimes in Nantes. December December - July 1795: The White Terror, a violent reaction against supporters and facilitators of the Terror. December 8: Surviving Girondins allowed back into the Convention. December 16: Carrier, the butcher of Nantes, executed. December 24: The maximum is scrapped. Invasion of Holland. Back to Index Page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Business Foundation Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business Foundation Management - Assignment Example It jacked up it prices by 60% because of the deal they made with Hollywood (Sandoval 1). The deal was that Netflix was to pay a specific amount of money for every user per month for any user who had the right of connecting to the Hollywood content. This was regardless of whether they Netflix consumers viewed that content or not. Therefore, Netflix could not afford the luxury of paying for the digital content for individuals who were not watching it. The organisation argued that it was not cost of living increase and nor was it inflation. Regardless of the fact the analysts argued that the new hike in prices by Netflix was because of the new studio contracts, Netflix maintained the contracts had nothing to do with it. It also maintained that neither was it the high costs of doing business had caused it to hike the prices. In the Netflix’s blog, they say that when they launched their $7.99 unlimited streaming plan, whereby DVDs by mail were treated as a two dollar adds on to their unlimited streaming plan (Sandoval 1). In that previous year, the management had not anticipated offering DVD-only plans. Thereafter, they realised that there was still a very large continuing demand for DVDS. This was from both their existing member and the non-members. They continue to argue that, given the long life they thought that DVDs by mail were going to have, treating DVDs a two dollar add on their unlimited streaming plan was neither making great financial sense not satisfies the individuals who just want DVDs. Netflix mana gement argued that creating an unlimited DVDs by mail plan whereby it did not include streaming at their normal prices, which were very low, $7.99, it did not make any sense (Sandoval 1). In addition, they stated that it would not ensure a long life for their DVDS by mail offering. The most argument that comes regarding this decision was that the price hike was mostly to force the millions of Netflix’s members and non-members to go for

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Project 5 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Project 5 - Assignment Example The tax revenue of the company amount to 12.3 billion dollars plus the excise duty of 2.6 Billion. The ashtray and cigarette indicators for the company indicate that the high-income group will use the product. The competitors for ashtray products are Altadis and Tabacalera. The economic sales of Altadis stood at 1938 million in the first quarter of last years with 50 euros as its market share. The previous year disposals affected negatively the economic sales of the company, whereas the dollar has an average of 8.1% below the previous year, thus the organic growth for the company’s economic sales recorded a 2.2% increase (Pampel, 75). Conversely, Tabacalera recorded an economic sale of 881 million. This was a 7.7% increase from the sales recorded in 2012. The country provided a remarkable growth to the Division sales. The marketing share of the company stands at the market share for the company is 55 Euros as of last year (Hirschfelder,  86). With a view to create an additional value to the customer, the launched company will deliver superior return and growth to its customers. The group target for Earnings before Interest and Tax will be 1 Billion at a fixed consolidation scope (Brown,  64). The group expected sales is anticipated to 5 per cent per annum, with EBITDA growth expectation of 15% annually. The trends will have a positive influence on the launch of my

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Define Spirituality using the Peer-Reviewed Article An Emerging Essay

Define Spirituality using the Peer-Reviewed Article An Emerging Paradigm for the Investigation of Spirituality in Nursing by Pamela G. Reed - Essay Example In this feeling of connectedness, she was able to transcend the mundane dimensions of her ordinary life and transcend into a higher dimension, thereby elevating herself as an individual. Spirituality has been defined by some experts as engaging in four patterns of connectedness, intrapersonally - within oneself, or interpersonally - with others or interaction with the environment and lastly, transpersonally, or by relating with an unseen power – God (Brewer 1979). In her response to Brewer’s views, the woman was able to confirm that she had also come to the clinic seeking such a network of connectedness. She was able to interactbetter within herself, with the nurses at the clinic, with the environment of the care facility and also connect with God by praying with the nurses. The result of this feeling of connectedness the woman felt to other people and to God was that she felt healthier and experienced a feeling of well being and peace. The feeling of connectedness made her feel less alone, and therefore and whole. This is also the view expressed by Hungleman, who directly related the state of a person’s human spirit to their state of health (Hungleman et al 1985). Therefore, one aspect of spirituality as revealed in the woman’s view and corroborated by Hungleman’s views is the interconnection between spirituality and health and how one impacts positively upon the other. Newman (1989) has emphasized the importance of nurses praying with the patients (Shelley and Fish 1988) and allowing them to express their spirituality as a means to promote their health and well being, reiterating the views of Hungleman that there is a positive relation between the human spirit and a person’s health.. This woman, when questioned on this aspect, also responded that she felt soothed and happy by praying with the nurses, because she was able to ascend into a higher dimension through the feeling

Sunday, October 27, 2019

The Montessori Method early childhood

The Montessori Method early childhood Introduction The Montessori Method was conceived in the early 1900s by Dr Maria Montessori, and was developed as an alternative method of early childhood learning. (Stevens, (n.d.) Montessori centres became established and recognised internationally including within Aotearoa NZ. Basic to Montessori is the premise that children are deemed individuals and need to be understood and given the freedom to be guided or directed through the system as opposed to being instructed. Learning should be determined by, and adapt to the needs, as they change through childhood. (Chattin-McNichols, 1992) Emphasis is placed on the use of specific equipment and other designated resources. The whole environment of a Montessori centre is designed to capture interest and lead to self learning, self discipline and fulfilment of a childs potential. (Montessori, 1912) As with other countries, a sociocultural aspect has been introduced here, and along with the introduction of Te WhÄ riki, brings modifications to the original dogma. Although long controversial, the method is in demand as a valid means of alternative education and a wide variety of literature presents a valuable source of theoretical and practical knowledge. (Shuker, 2004) Background Early years Maria Montessori (1870 1953). She graduated as a doctor of medicine with honours in 1896 from the University of Rome. Her CV in the following few years included research work at a psychiatric clinic where her interest in children was sparked. She studied the works of academics and practitioners such as Seguin, Rousseau, and Froebel and undertook courses in anthropology, philosophy and psychology. Tests and experiments in the 1900s at a school for the retarded children successfully helped develop her theories. This was followed in 1907 with the successful application of her methods at a new school in the slums of Rome. With success came global fame and acclaim for her and her system, followed by the establishment of centres globally. (Hainstock, 1997) Montessori in NZ In Aotearoa New Zealand, Montessori started in 1912, continuing till the 1950s when there was a decline. A revival started in 1975 continuing to this day. (Shuker, 2004) Montessori terminology A few examples of Montessori terminology integral to the system are as follows: didactic materials, discovery of the child, liberty, normalised child, order, prepared environment and sensorial exercises. (Hainstock, 1997) Overview Purpose The essence and essential purpose of Montessori is well encapsulated in the following statement. If young people are to meet the challenge of survival that faces them today, it is imperative that their education develop to the fullest extent possible for their potential for creativity, initiative, independence, inner discipline and self confidence. (Lillard, (1972) p. 138) Written in the 1970s, the statement is timeless in concept, being just as applicable today as it was then. Environment Montessori believed that the most important factors in achieving her ideal concept were the environment and the teachers. Apart from being organised and free from clutter, the environment had to be supporting, encouraging and foster a self belief in the child that would reveal his personal attributes and interests. The indoor and outdoor environments provided activities that were meaningful learning experiences. This environment contained only resources and materials that were specifically made to Montessoris standards; chairs, tables, equipment, all made in regard to the childs size and strength. (Lillard, 1972) Two very important pieces of furniture that could not be done without were a long low cupboard for the resources, and a set of colourful drawers for the child to put their belongings in. (Montessori (1912) as cited in Shuker, 2004) Teachers role The role of the teacher is to be able to understand from observation, the childs individual learning needs and the changes in those needs as they occur. This leads to directing or facilitating, the childs interest in and use of the didactic materials, exercises and games. The teacher is simply a link and therefore needs to be Montessori trained so as to be knowledgeable in the use of all the materials, techniques and processes to be used. (Montessori, 1988) Curriculum delivery and content The delivery of the curriculum is fed through observations to five essential stages: practical life, sensorial education, language education, mathematics and the cultural area. The materials used in these areas all helped the childs perception using size, shape, volume, colour, pattern, odour, sound and texture. Later materials help the children in discoveries relating to mathematics, language and literacy, art, music, science, and social studies (Chisnall, 2008, web-based) The practical life experiences cover all the everyday routines and how to cope with them; tying shoelaces and opening and closing drawers. Sensorial education covers the use of the five senses: smell, touch, taste, sight and hearing. Language development encompasses reading and writing and learning how to use good speech. This area is closely attuned to the sensory training, for without knowing how to feel and hold a pencil; a child cannot learn how to write. The mathematics stage teaches the child the fundamental decimal system of counting up to and in groups of 10. The cultural aspect is shown through pictorial material, along with a globe of the world, puzzles and similar resources. (Hainstock, E.G. (1968) Discussion There are few similarities between a Montessori Method and a traditional mainstream approach while the differences are many. Some examples of both are as follows: Similarities Montessori believed that each child is unique with a potential that needs releasing. (Montessori, 1912) The Te WhÄ riki Curriculum takes this approach and states that children learn through individual exploration and reflecting. (Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 9) Montessori encouraged parents and caregivers to visit the classroom at any time; however, they were not allowed to distract the children or the teacher. (Montessori, 1912) Parents and caregivers are encouraged to visit the mainstream classroom and take an interest in their children. Parental involvement and understanding are necessary ingredients to realising the full potential of a Montessori education. (Hainstock, 1997, preface) Montessori believed that every child had a right to an education regardless of class, culture, race and ability. (Montessori, 1912) Te WhÄ riki states the curriculum assumes that their care and education will be encompassed within the principles, strands and goals set out for all children in early childhood settings. (Ministry of Education, 1996) Differences Montessoris method was to stand back, observe, and let the child solve the problem themselves regardless of time taken. (Montessori, 1912) Education is different today. Teachers have to use the New Zealand curriculum which dictates what and when they have to teach. (Ministry of Education, 2007) There is still a certain amount of flexibility; however, the teachers are unable to leave children for a long time. Montessori grouped children into three age groups which they stayed in until they were old enough to progress to the next group. She did not have a new entrance class. (Montessori, 1912) Our education system insists that children are put into aged related classrooms. (Ministry of Education, 2007) Montessori was a great believer in children working individually or in small groups. (Montessori, 1912) Todays children are taught in classroom group situations. (Hainstock, 1997) Influences Controversy and confusion, mainly through misunderstanding, misinterpretation, and partial application of the method were common over the years. Other influences impacting include: mainstream resistance, political and philosophical vagaries, and funding problems, statutory and regulatory impositions. Cultural elements have also been introduced into the curriculum and modifications have occurred. The shortage of Montessori trained teachers had a detrimental effect as well. (Shuker, 2004) Contribution to educational setting The whole concept, philosophy and application of the Montessori Method obviously confine it to an alternative role in the field of education in Aotearoa New Zealand. Enthusiastic pioneers of the system such as Martha Simpson and Binda Goldsbrough have been followed by equally enthusiastic and committed parents. The formation of a Montessori movement, teacher training standards, and the evolution to higher education levels shows there is an enduring and well supported demand for the Montessori approach. The survival of Montessori for over 100 years is due in some part to its portability, culture sensitivity to its resident country and adaptability. (Shuker, 2004) Conclusion Personal reflection by Catherine Mitchell Maria Montessori was ahead of her time. She had the childrens best interests at heart. However I feel had she been able to accept criticism in a constructive way then her methods would have had more of an influence in society today. Montessoris methods were built on her observations of the children and were adapted to meet their needs. I will use a lot of Montessoris methods in my teaching, as I agree with her approach. Each child is an individual; we should be embracing this and allow the child to develop at their own pace. It is important as a teacher that you do what is best for the children in your care. My own attitudes have not changed; instead they have enforced my beliefs that each child is unique. Personal reflection by Faye Winter What to make of Montessori? With no real previous knowledge, apart from being aware that is was an alternative education centre, this study has been extremely interesting and revealing. The credibility of the method is well supported by the founders wide academic background allied with her actual experience and observations with both special needs and mainstream children. In this regard, the method is well founded. Although there is a wide range of literature on the subject, acceptance or otherwise of the approach invites further in-depth study, preferably along with hands on experience. As a staff member at an early childhood centre, I can see the potential for the introduction of certain elements, in particular, the use of Montessori didactic materials. Montessori once said she had discovered the child. This may well be the key to her method.