English-language films Essay

My favorite theme park is Hershey Park, with excitement your heart start racing as soon you make pass the gates wanting to see what is beyond that point. As I walked inside I saw the most spectacular rides that I have properly never seen. Just as you pass the gates you see corn popping, cutting candy being spun, and lemonade gently squeezed to perfection. Your eyes widen with excitement knowing that you finally made it to Hershey Park. just pass the gate the park covers a large area, In the distance you see rides, water parks, and much other activity just waiting for you to jump right in. excitement you run along to reach one of the ride, that you want to get on because of it Fahrenheit, along with the steepest roller coaster you have never seen before. You wait in line with hundreds of people excited and horrified to ride the steppes roller coaster under the blazing sun. Then the time comes when I moved up the line just a second of me getting in the ride, my heart started pounding as I walk inside the ride fated my seat belt waiting to be sent off. Then we were sent off the steep hill and on with the rest of the ride with twist and turns. When it was over I could feel the adrenalin run down my blood want me to go for another ride on the coaster. Then I moved to the next roller coast the storm runner but time the line way shorter it was not dreadful as the last roller coaster. I had to sit I front of many people waiting for the ride to take off, like bolt of lightning we took off as the countdown gets to zero. There are many roller coasters like the bear hanger, in this roller coaster that actually roars like a bear while its moves it has twist and turns that makes you feel like letting everything out you had for lunch. The is the kissing tower were you could spent time with your loved one, the tower goes up in the sky then turns around in the sky, and then back down. After an exciting day you had in the park it’s time to go home. Hershey was fun because I had to go on all the roller coasters, most all had their tasteful candy.

Rosa Lee Story

The Rosa lee story Rosa Lee gave dash full access to her and her family life for four years, because she thought someone could learn from it. Rosa was born in Washington and was living a low class life, and often looked down up on for it . Rosa lee was brought up in a single parent house hold and when she entered jr. high her dad died. Rosa mom often struggled to take care of her and her siblings. Her mother gave birth to twenty-two kids, but only eleven survived. Rosa and her mom never saw eye to eye and when she got pregnant at the age of thirteen it didn’t make their relationship any better.At the age of fourteen she had her first prostitution experience for five dollars, she told her customers at work that if they were going to have sex with her, they had to pay because she had eight kids at home. After Rosa third child she married into an abusive relationship with a man who was twenty one which made her sixteen she couldn’t take anymore so she moved back in with he r mom. Rosa and her mom relationship was filled with conflict. At a very young age Rosa started stealing from people. She stole to basically buy her some friends, she would take her friends to the movies and buy them candy.At the age of twenty Rosa had moved to the North East with her six kids and was on welfare by the time she was twenty one she had two more kids. Rosa just wanted to make sure her family was ok and that they had some of the things they needed. Rosa also did other jobs that paid under the table so she could still get her welfare check. So she became a dancer at night clubs and got paid for sex. Being brought up in a neighborhood like Rosa had several down falls. Her and her sibling didn’t really have anyone to motivate them to do the right thing. The girls were supposed to be domestic but Rosa rebelled against it.Rosa started selling drugs in the seventies and in fifteen years she was in jail a dozen times. Until Rosa was twenty-nine she got away with stealin g, she tried to steal a fur coat and had to do eight months in jail. Most of Rosa lee brother and sisters made it out of poverty and became middle class. They had honest jobs like bus driving and had their own cab services. Her brother and sister choose a different path because they seen and knew the struggle that their mom and sister Rosa had to deal with. Seeing Rosa life its self made you want to do right.Eight kids, having to steal, selling and using drugs and being back and forth in jail made you want to do right. Rosa didn’t start selling drugs with the intent to use them, it just happened, she thought selling marijuana and heroin was a quick way to get money and keep her welfare, but when she started she couldn’t quit she was using two fourty dollar bags a day. She said that when she used the drug it gave her courage. Rosa could do and say anything when she was high. Rosa and her siblings used drugs and broke the law because they were not taught any right from w rong .They had such a rough childhood and at this time they didn’t know any better, they were young when they started. Even Rosa kids started taking different paths at very young ages. They didn’t go to school because she didn’t make them. Rosa did drugs in front of her kids and it made them want it. Her one and only daughter Patty started using drugs at the age of thirteen and was rapped several times by relatives while Rosa was incarcerated, which is why she said she hated males and on top of that she was prostituted by her mom.Her son Ronnie started using drugs at the age of fifteen, she told him if he wanted to drugs he had to support his own habit, so he started selling marijuana with his mom. Her oldest son Bobby died of aids cause they all shared needles. At a very young age Rosa stopped going to church and didn’t start going back until she was about forty. She didn’t seek for religious ways to help her in her situation she thought that what she was doing was right for her and her kids.Even with Rosa taking the path she did she could have taught her kids the right from wrong. I think that Rosa had a choice to do well she just choose a different path. She lived in a single parent household, where drugs were being sold and welfare was the way to live. She wasn’t getting the attention that she needed so she explored and ended up finding out the hard way that wasn’t the life she wanted to live. If Rosa stayed in school and maybe had a better a male figure in her life she probably wouldn’t have been in all the trouble she was in.

Sociological Approach to Literature Essay

The study of literature within the discipline of sociology, integrates a concern for meaning and the unique properties inherent in literary texts, reflecting the economics, attitudes, morals and religion of the society that produced the texts.1Each society inter-connected and independent, yet distinct and diverse is influenced by the literature, for there are innumerable instances exemplifying the co-relation of life and literature. The impact of literature is influential on man’s behavior and outlook, moreover, governing the minds of the populace, as proved in the realms of the history, either reinforcing the social system or invalidating it.2From the reserves of the product of a creative and selective process that spanned centuries of historical and religious change, â€Å"Jahili†3 poetry administer the transvaluation of the cultured atmosphere of the Near East and the religious vision of a nascent Muslim doctrine in the pastoral-nomadic societies of the Early Arabs. Projecting the synonymous notion, in the contemporary world, with addition to the eloquent and artistic value, the literature delineates sociological aspects in reality, for instance, the Palestinian poet Ibrahim Tuqan cast an increasingly angry eye on the exacerbating situation of his homeland: You people, your foes are not such as to be gentle and merciful. You people, before you is nothing but exile, so get ready.4 Literature has the efficacy to enlighten the intellectual understanding of the human race, transforming history, conjointly demolishing the hurdles obstructing the growth of society hence ‘each society would develop when the literature flourishes from within’,5 with the assistance of effectuating the ideologies and the postulates registered in the expositions. This paper suggests that the quintessential book of ‘Raudat-Hidayat’6, the stacked selection of hundred conclusive ‘ahaadeeth shareefah and akaaleem muneefah’ by His Holiness. Dr. Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin TUS, as being the truest form of literature, reflects the structure and culture of Dawoodi Bohras, meanwhile inculcates the ingenuity for the satisfactory living in this adversary world. The indispensable collaborator, embodying the reflections and descriptions, despite of being sterile from a sociological point at the first sight, genuinely penetrates into the private and discreet sou rces of  individual life. The inferences for the relationship between literature and sociology have been broached and opted for, such as Emile Durkheim rejected the idea that education could be the force to transform society by concluding that education ‘can be reformed only if society itself is reformed’7. The precept of literature being a mirror to the society is ancient; however it is said, the idea of the systematic application appeared as an inception in Madame de Stael’s â€Å"De la litterature consideree dans ses rapports†8, exhibiting a social and historical interpretation of literature of several nations. To further the accessibility of sociological concepts, Lewis Loser proposed to use the literature in the classrooms, in order to deepen the understanding of various social issues. In the neoteric times, Wendy Griswold professed that the â€Å"sociology of literature was a non-field, like an amoeba -lacking firm structure†.9 The ambiance of literature awakens the consciousness of the mankind, generating the idea of utopia, a distinguished world10, established on humanization, which has been suppressed and eliminated, making the wealthiest societies on the Earth uninhabitable11. In the second half of the twentieth century, crime and social disorder began to rise, reckoning to the weakening of human ties, accelerating sharply approaching the decline of trust and confidence. The technological change which brought the â€Å"creative destruction†12 in the metropolis evoked reciprocal catastrophe in the world of social relationships, as registered by the statics of fatherless child, broken trust and deindustrialization. When the perseverance of the universe is close to humiliation, the eminence of this book is irreproachable, affirming the significance of eloquently presented words of wisdom, out of which one hadees, supplementing the cause of humanization, is as follows: â€Å"Do good to the worthy an d the unworthy. If a person is worthy, then he is deserving of that good. If a person is unworthy, then you are one who does good regardless.†13 The message of literature, elucidating the mark of greatest value of human being is humanism, embodied with the intellect which overshadows instinct, to differentiate purified from the contaminated, limiting the access to the beneficial over the hazardous matter. A society build around the technology has covered the grounds of diplomacy, granting in return freedom and equality, which has been claimed and modified, without taking any effect, for inequality of recognition, respect, love, care and  solidarity are found in the recent years14, whereas, this piece of advice deals with the equality on the main scale, which in turn envelopes the social structure with the fabric of love. Thus, the individual attains the best diversion from tension, anxiety, worries and fear for masses towards achieving a sense of relief and freedom, moving forward to the goal of perfection and liberation, which is rightly divulged by the culture of Dawoodi Bohras, as acknowledged by Mathew Arnold15: ‘ Harmonious human perfection can be achieved only by culture, since culture is nothing but the love for the study of perfection in thoughts, words and deeds.’ The aspiration of disembarkation of spiritual satisfaction stem in human efforts in the field of science and technology, literary and religious services, in this manner, it is crucial to reveal such cultural knowledge, to generation after generation. Robert Browning16 visualized the gaining of power by acquiring highest knowledge as the aim of life and with the passage of time realized that the highest goals and ideals shouldn’t be relinquished for earthly desires or trivial things, as failure to achieve perfection is not substantial, which can be spoiled by the efforts of forces, than care and devotion involved for the contrivance of lofty and noble ideals. All of this literary content seems to be imprisoned in the texts, for it is rarely seen that the vision Robert presented is acted upon, the intellectual concepts have been confined to materialism, leaving behind the refinement of spirituality. The theory and practice have the natural affinity to each other, which will be reconciled from the impact of the practitioners, just as His HolinessTUS enlightens the pathway towards good cause by demonstrating His deeds and thoughts. Making theory and methods relevant to real problems of the society and issues would end the tedi um but the question raised is not â€Å"what should we do† but rather â€Å"do we have the will to do it?†17 The dilemma is the courage to carry out the enforced task, however, describing its complex nature, linking the attributes of spirituality along with the dignified body, as W.B. Yeats symbolically expresses the mortal life of man as the broad base of the spiraling cone and the apex representing the spiritual life of man. The clarification of concepts in order to make efforts for the cleansing of the souls, is magnified in the literature represented by His Holiness TUS, like it can be seen in this advice that the doer is sprinkled with the peace and  satisfaction by the revelation of him being towards the positive way, in all the aspects of life, as proclaimed by Syedi Yusuf Bhaisaheb NajmuddinRA in the eloquence of the literature of Syedna Taher SaifuddinRA : â€Å"He served by his noble self in detecting the meanings of eternal kind, and in between those meanings, were factual explanations and eternal concealments, glorifying the aspects of life and the exposures of the universe, with the eternal benefits, explaining all the themes which will emerge continually, appointing its principle and its assets.†18 The idiosyncrasy of Fatemi literature in the combination of this world and here-after, the utter projection of the truth, surmounts the relation between literature and sociology, and grant s the reader this perspective: â€Å"Everything that was bestowed on him, led him to a clear straight path, the view became distinctive, collecting the thoughts in its scope†19 Thus it has been collected that the literature shows the correct path of light, illuminating the human’s mind and soul in the process, which makes him tackle the hardships of life, and evolve personal satisfaction, augmenting the desired perfection, proven by the literary statistics of the Dawoodi Bohra’s society, piously devoted to the welfare of the humanity, and abiding by the laws of humanization, in the guidance of their spiritual father, emanating the theories into practice. The prayers of the Mumineen sect are always for their Moula, before the Almighty to bestow him with a long life, and his descendant till the Day of Judgment. Ameen.

Company law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Company law - Essay Example Rangers Ltd can proceed with the proposed alteration if Muna continues to express interest with the rival company. However, Kumar illegally helped his cousin acquire shares in the company posing a threat to the legal procedure; this is also another legal issue, which is actionable in a court of law, but it is unfortunate that mark is not aware of the issue. This is because nepotism is illegal according to the law and parties should not favour their relatives over other partners. Kumar abused his position as the managing director to promote his relatives. By telling his cousin to support his decisions, he corrupts the process of decision making for the company. This means that all decisions were in his favour but not for the well-being of the company and other shareholders. It is evident that proceedings Rangers Ltd in the have been for the interest of the Kumar as there are only three directors in the company. This is a serious offence and Kumar should as well be terminated from the company. It is evident that the two want to attain full ownership of the company under majority shares. The third shareholder is a determinant where the party he supports attain the majority opinion, which is considered in ruling out their case by voting. The majority rule favours Kumar who has the support of Mark, such a situation reduces the chances of Muna succeeding in his accusations. They should follow the procedure outlined in the business ethics. It illustrates that liaising with another company with an aim of combining shares is against the law. The initial Article of Association is significant in showing the duties and responsibilities of individual. All directors are subject to the article and thus Muna should be answerable in a court of law action as far as is actions are concerned. This adds to why the company is justified to take legal charges against Muna (Geltzer & Trainor, 2010). According to the previous case laws, the company should be the complainant and not indi vidual shareholders. Therefore, the three should all support each other in filling the case against certain decisions. This points out that the proposed alterations cannot be made until the final ruling is done. The statute in the Company’s Directors Disqualification Act of 1986 states that if the director goes against the rules of the company then disqualification is a disciplinary measure. Under the companies Act of 2006, any member is prevented by law from selling any shares from the company without an agreement from other members and shareholders. In addition, the agreement for sale or shifts of shares must be by all the members. The proper claimant principle helps in ruling a case where the company is the sole complainant. However, in this scenario, there is a tag of two members against one thus the common law that protect the minorities is enforced based on the argument presented. Some of the members’ rights have been infringed, and thus the exceptions are applic able for this case (Aiman, 2008). All occurrences must be considered to achieve a fair ruling on all parties. For the two shareholders to add clauses to the current article all members must be present to avoid fraud. This ensures that they are both heard and a base for their argument established. Muna is not justified in assuming more control for the company since he is a director and Kumar is above him as the managing director; his actions are against all ethics of company law thus should face

The Effect of Price Elasticity of Toyota on Consumer Consumption Essay

The Effect of Price Elasticity of Toyota on Consumer Consumption - Essay Example 5 contains results, discussion, and conclusion but these three documents are still subject to major modifications depending on document 2 and level of analysis required. Background to Research Problem The automotive industry is among the most competitive industries in the world. Consumer decisions to purchase vehicles are often influenced by a wide array of factors that impact the industry. These include, safety, comfort, fuel efficiency, and price (Jeihani and Sibdari, 2010:1). Though factors such as fuel efficiency are certainly critical in consumers buying decisions in the current economic environment where gas prices frequently fluctuate, research shows that though the demand for gas efficient cars such as the hybrid cars have been high, sales have not picked up as expected (Read, 2012; Tuttle, 2012). This is mainly attributed to the high prices at which these vehicles are purchased, and therefore implies that price is a core contributor to demand and consumer purchase decisions when it comes to purchasing a car. Understanding how price changes alter the quantity demanded is crucial to decision makers as they can be able to understand how responsive consumers would be to certain price changes (Jazayeri and Jazayeri, 2011: 102; Rossi, 1995: 17; Bernstein Research, 2007). Price elasticity is an important element when introducing products in a competitive market (Hauser, 1998). As quoted from the book Principles of Economics by Alfred Marshall (1920), â€Å"the elasticity (or receptiveness) of demand in a market is significant according as the amount demanded increases much or little for a given fall in price, and diminishes much or little for a given rise in price" (pp. 15). Parkin, Powell, and Matthews (2002) noted that the following affect the elasticity of price for... This research will begin with the statement that the automotive industry is among the most competitive industries in the world. Consumer decisions to purchase vehicles are often influenced by a wide array of factors that impact the industry. These include, safety, comfort, fuel efficiency, and price. Though factors such as fuel efficiency are certainly critical in consumers buying decisions in the current economic environment where gas prices frequently fluctuate, research shows that though the demand for gas efficient cars such as the hybrid cars have been high, sales have not picked up as expected. This is mainly attributed to the high prices at which these vehicles are purchased, and therefore implies that price is a core contributor to demand and consumer purchase decisions when it comes to purchasing a car. Understanding how price changes alter the quantity demanded is crucial to decision makers as they can be able to understand how responsive consumers would be to certain price changes. Price elasticity is an important element when introducing products in a competitive market. As quoted from the book Principles of Economics by Alfred Marshall, â€Å"the elasticity of demand in a market is significant according as the amount demanded increases much or little for a given fall in price, and diminishes much or little for a given rise in price". Parkin, Powell, and Matthews noted that the following affect the elasticity of price for a certain commodity: availability of substitute goods; percentage of income; necessity; duration; brand loyalty; and who pays.

International Labor Organization (ILO) Child Labor and The UAE Essay

International Labor Organization (ILO) Child Labor and The UAE Legislation - Essay Example ILO is an international organization that tends to evince concern for the international labor issues and aims at setting such labor standards at an international level that assure optimal and good working conditions for all labor at a global level and lead to the elimination of bad labor practices. In the current context almost 189 countries happen to be a member of ILO and UAE became its member in 1972. ILO has recognized 190 conventions that are sincerely affiliated to the labor matters. Of these 190 conventions, ILO has recognized about eight conventions as fundamental conventions that deal with the quintessential principles and rights at the work place. Of these eight conventions, two conventions that are Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138), and Worst Forms of Child Labor Convention, 1999 (No. 182) tend to focus on child labor and aim to abolish child labor (How the ILO works, 2013) What is child labor? The term child labor is the full time employment of children who are under a minimum legal age that is set by the Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) to be 15 years. In International Labor Organization conventions that are Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) and Worst Forms of Child Labor Convention, 1999 (No. 182), the child labor is work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity, and that is harmful to physical and mental development (Child Labor, 2013). When a child is employed for work leaving his normal way of life is called a child laborer (Child Labor, 2013). ... 138), and Worst Forms of Child Labor Convention, 1999 (No. 182) tend to focus on child labor and aim to abolish child labor (How the ILO works, 2013) What is child labor? The term child labor is the full time employment of children who are under a minimum legal age that is set by the Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) to be 15 years. In International Labor Organization conventions that are Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) and Worst Forms of Child Labor Convention, 1999 (No. 182), the child labor is work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity, and that is harmful to physical and mental development (Child Labor, 2013). When a child is employed for work leaving his normal way of life is called a child laborer (Child Labor, 2013). As mentioned in the ILO Conventions the work can be called child labor depends on the age of the child, the type and hours of work. Children who considered child labor who is enslaved, separated from their familie s, exposed to serious hazards and illnesses at early of their age. Child labor is a phenomenon that is globally ubiquitous. At a global level, children do get employed in a range of jobs and professions are they agriculture, mining, manufacturing, scavenging, begging or organized crime (Child Labor, 2013). Many a times children get embroiled in the circumstances like deployment in armed conflicts, engaging in debt bondage to compensate for the debts incurred by their parents or grandparents and in multiple facets of the organized crime like human trafficking, as sex workers, drug trafficking, etc (Child Labor, 2013). There is no denying the fact that many of these activities are indeed abominable in the

Fallout 1 and 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Fallout 1 and 2 - Essay Example It all started in 2052, when the Resource Wars erupted. The ravages of war, spawned by the famines in Africa and India, pollution in Asia, the rise of extremism in the Middle East, and the unquenching thirst for oil threatened to annihilate the world forever. No one knows whether China declared war on America, or vice versa, but the oil-hungry Chinese attack of 2066 on Alaska was the point of no return, when the genesis of a new terrifying, Great war, was on the horizon. Weeks turned into moths and moths turned into years, as the Alaskan trench warfare yielded nothing but blood and an unusable wasteland. America eventually won the war, but the plains of Alaska were never the same. A smoking ruin was all that was left of the Alaskan frontier. What was to follow was something far more horrific than anything man has faced before. The nuclear armageddon began in the morning on October 23 2077, resulting in the destruction of all major cities, polluting the oceans and creating changes tha t even dr. Moreau wouldn't imagine. Some scientists and artisans, soldiers and men of wealth managed to survive the holocaust by taking refuge in the massive shelters called Vaults, built before the war by a company called Vault-tec. These three-stories underground structures built deep inside the mountains shielded the survivors from the effects of radiation, disease, and other catastrophes. Equipped with G.E.C.K.'s, or the Garden of Eden Creation Kit, devices capable of creating a new life for the inhabitants of the Vault's after they returned to the surface, some of the Vaults managed to survive the earthquakes, attacks by the Raiders, and other disasters. People living in the Vaults survived the immediate destruction, but their descendants would face far greater challenges in a changed and desolate world. In Fallout 1, the events occur some 80 years later, in the year 2161. One of the shelters called Vault 13, located in Southern California, faces a serious difficulty- the Water Chip, a computer chip responsible for the water recycling and pumping machinery has stopped working. The Vault Overseer of Vault 13 has no choice but to assign the protagonist, an inhabitant of Vault 13, to the task of finding a new Water chip, therefore sending our hero into the harsh outside wasteland, armed with nothing but the PIPboy 2000 as a bookkeeping apparatus and bottle caps as currency. Our hero enters into a new world, fractured more by the various organizations and beliefs, than the unspeakable number on nuclear weapons that have scorched Earth's surface. One prominent organization is the Brotherhood of Steel, a quasi-political and religious group, which is strongly dedicated to the preservation of technology. Although the 3 classes within the organization are knights, paladins and scribes, the me mbers are not adhering to the rules of chivalry at all, since they are not concerned with the ones less fortunate than them. The New California Republic is also an important group in the new desolate world. Located in South California with its capital Shady Sands, it is probably the closest thing to states that existed before the war. It has a

What are the Psychological effects of the amount of violence portrayed Research Proposal

What are the Psychological effects of the amount of violence portrayed in movies - Research Proposal Example The case of violence against a specific ethnic group shows some psychological variance with movies such as Catch a Fire or Munich since they may shift the observers political viewpoint towards the individuals against which violence is perpetrated even if such a shift is short lived (Koopman and Butler, 2007). The researchers also note that â€Å"Research to date indicates that political films have a variety of discernible short-term effects on political beliefs and attitudes, behavior and behavioral intentions, emotions, and other psychological variables (Koopman and Butler, 2007, Pg. 1)†. However, when dealing with violence and the problem of violent films, it may be possible that the effect measured is less than the effect which actually takes place. For example, if a person has existing viewpoints about a certain political thought, violence for or against that political thought may only go to heighten and reinforce the political ideas rather than weaken them (Koopman and Butler, 2007). In essence, if a violent person sees violent behavior being rewarded in a film, it may go to reinforce their ideas about violence in general whether it is sexual violence or physical violence (Malamuth and Briere, 1986). The psychological effects of watching violent films become clear when we understand that individuals who habitually watch violent movies may be more likely to be violent with their peers and exhibit the same the kinds of behaviors even when their social conflicts could be resolved without violence (Bandura et. al., 1963). The same can be said to be true of sexual aggression since a viewer who sees violent sexual portrayals repeatedly may be more likely to enact them in his/her real life. The association between sexual arousal and violence may become a cue for some individuals to readily make violence a part of sexual arousal (Malamuth and Briere, 1986). Of course,

A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah (Book Report) Essay

A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah (Book Report) - Essay Example Beah’s demeanor is that of a man who has experienced wide growth from a childhood of war. The book promises to be a story of triumph and victory. When first reading the chronology in the back of the book, it leads the reader through a political maelstrom full of a twisting tale of governmental breakdowns and churning disruption of leadership. Power is transferred back and forth between factions creating an instability that will lead to a rebellion beginning in March of 1991 that would set the stage for Beah‘s story. That rebellion is manifested in the Revolutionary United Front lead by Charles Taylor and is more infamously known by its acronym, the RUF. Those letters become a source of terror in Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone’s history is full of struggle. The country was occupied and colonized by Britain. The famous story of the Amistad, a slave ship where a rebellion by the slaves occurred the story of which was later immortalized on film, was lived out by slaves who were taken from Sierra Leone. During the colonization a hut tax was created in 1898 by the British that taxed the citizens according to hut size. This act resulted in two rebellions. In 1951 the beginning of decolonization began as a constitution was enacted by the British for local citizens. In reading the chronology it is initially apparent that the RUF was created for an altruistic cause. The RUF seeks to abolish the corruption of the All Peoples Congress, or the APC. They have begun a rebellion to overturn a government that they do not believe serves the needs of its people. Seeing this history before reading the book brings into question of how such turmoil in government could directly affect a childhood. Beah begins his story with an exchange between himself and other teenagers after he has been relocated to New York. â€Å"Why did you leave Sierra Leone?† â€Å"Because there is war.† â€Å"Did you witness some of the

Price Discrimination Revised Essay Example for Free

Price Discrimination Revised Essay Jane, thinking that a vacation in San Francisco to visit her parents would provide her with a much-needed rest, bought a ticket two weeks in advance for a weekend flight.   She would be sitting in 11A.   On the day before Janes flight, Freya gets a call from her boss, instructing her to attend the companys meeting in San Francisco.   She booked a flight for the next day immediately upon getting the call.   Freya sat in 11B   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Freya paid $500 more than Jane for basically the same service, occupying adjacent seats. And this is a prime example of price discrimination. * *   *   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Price discrimination is simply the charging of different prices to different customers (Stavins, 1996, p. 3).   It is characterized as price discrimination when the difference in prices are not due to difference in costs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Scott Woolley writing for Forbes.Com simplified it further, saying that price discrimination is when an airline charge some customers more than other customers for the same (or almost the same) thing (Woolley, 1998.)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Tricia Ellis-Christensen stated that price discrimination is a widespread practice, and it doesnt necessarily imply negative discrimination.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Price discrimination is categorized into degrees depending on the market segmentation, the customers ability to pay or demand elasiticity. (Ellis-Christensen, undated).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   First-degree price discrimination occurs when identical goods are sold at different prices.   This is most evident in the sale of both new and used cars wherein the salesperson gauges the maximum price at which the car can be sold.   This type often includes bargaining, or negotiating for a lower price (Ellis-Christensen, undated).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Second-degree price discrimination is when lower prices are charged for bulk or higher quantities (Ellis-Christensen, undated).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Third degree price discrimination requires understanding the market, and is more prevalent.   This type often plays on segments of the target market.   An example is discounts offered to students. (Ellis-Christensen, undated).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Conditions for Price Discrimination.   Joanna Stavins further explains that for an airline or company to successfully discriminate on price, it must have some market power, to be able to charge prices above the marginal cost. Typically it has monopolized that business.   Another condition is the heterogeneousity of its consumers.   Lastly, product resale should be costly and impossible, to prevent arbitrage. (Stavins, 1996, p. 3)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Stavins also explained that the monopolistically competitive: conditions in air transportation business allows for price discrimination.   (Stavins, 1996, p. 3)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Stavins stated that   airlines differentiate between each other by offering different flight schedules and routes.   Stavins also wrote that airlines attach various restrictions to cheaper tickets, making them more unattractive to consumers who give more importance to time and convenience.   Meaning, a business traveler wouldnt mind paying more to ensure that he arrives on time, as opposed to a passenger on a budget.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Advantages.    In some cases, price discrimination can implement efficient prices (Armstrong, 2006 p. 6).   Arvind Sahay writes that pricing products differently can increase revneues and profits by 8% and 25% (Sahay, 2007, p. 54).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Price discrimination also opens markets, as in offering ones goods at a high value market at a certain price, while giving it at a lower price at a lower value market.   (Armstrong, 2006 p. 8)  Ã‚  Ã‚   This way, a business owner can reallocate demand to more suitable times while supply is limited (Sahay, 2007, p. 54).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On a more practical level, price discrimination will enable more firms to increase revenue, which can then be used for research and development.   Consumers, on the other hand, will be able to benefit from lower fares (economicshelp.org, undated).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Disadvantages. On the other hand, some consumers will end up paying higher prices.   Price discrimination will also cause a decline in consumer surplus.   There maybe costs associated with segmenting market.   Price discrimination also opens the field for predatory pricing (economicshelp.org, undated). Price Discrimination in Airlines   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The increasing use of price discrimination, in all industries, is due to the new and affordable technology that most companies can install and use.   Recent studies have also shown that consumers will pay different prices if the companies use the right approach (Sahay, 2007, p. 53).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In short, these days, airlines are pulling off price discrimination easily.   On a purely technical level, Airlines are able to practice the third degree of price discrimination (segmentation-based), and even to some respects, the second degree of price discrimination by employing yield management tools.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Cunningham and Brady explains that airlines have been dividing their customers into groups: government vs. business vs. leisure travellers, first or economy class, etc.   With the advent of the computer and I.T., airlines have gained more ability to match fares with their customers demands. (Cunningham and Brady, 2001, p. 10).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Yield Management tools allows the airline to sell the right seat to the right passenger at the right time and price, basically charging various rates for the perceived service benefit (Cunningham and Brady, 2001, p. 11).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Also, yield management allows for Ramsey pricing, which involves varying the prices for fare based on demand elasticity in relation to the marginal cost.   Meaning, the more sensitive the market is to its price, the closer its price will be to the marginal cost.   This explains why business market fares are higher than those who are on vacation (Cunningham and Brady, 2001, p. 11).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Since it is not easy to explain various yield management techniques of airlines, it would be best to look at practical scenarios for airline companies.   Empirically, here are some examples of airline price discrimination.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Joseph Turow, writing for the Washington Posts, cites an example regarding airline Web sites that offer lower fares for first-time customers (Turrow, 2005).   Technology has also made it easier for businesses such as airlines to do customer profiling.   Turrow (2005) and Wooley (1998) insinuates that since businesses can now use computers and databases to store more information about a customer, it can create profiles on that customers and price accordingly. Turrow cited the case when Amazon.Com came under fire for selling the same compact disc album to different customers at varying discounts.   Wooley, on the other hand, says that catalogs sent to somebody who lives in a high-end neighborhood include only one price, while the another version of the catalogs featuring the same products sent to other less-glitzy neighborhoods have discount information on them.   With more and more information about the customer being easily made available, the more airlines know how to push the correct buttons and learn their ability to pay, and their willingness to pay.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Airlines also give early-bird discounts wherein those who book early get lower prices.   This type of price discrimination plays on demand inelasticity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   People who book late are usually those who needs to be on the plane, and thus would be willing to pay any price just to get to where one wants to be. (Riley, 2006).   Differences in ticket pricing is most reliant on supply and demand (Devlin, 2002).   Fredrik Wallenberg explains that to get an advance purchase discount, one will have to book from one to three weeks in advance. (2000, p. 7)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On the other hand, SoYouWanna.Com advises that some of the cheapest plane tickets become available at the last minute.   This is due to the fact that airlines typically want to fly with a full plane.   Also, airline seats are seen as a perishable product, in the event that they are not used before expiration it becomes worthless (Sahay, 2007, p. 55)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Other airlines also use Saturday night stay-over as a mechanism for price discrimination.   Airlines set a higher rate for business travelers who are unwilling to spend the weekend away from home (Wallenberg, 2000).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For some, airlines often reward loyal customers with a lower price on premium tickets if theyve reached a certain number of mile on their frequent-fliers programs.   Keith Devlin said that he was able to buy a round trip ticket from San Francisco to Milan for a bargain price of $1000.   Devlin upgraded it to business class at no cost.   Devlin got the bargain beceause he has earned enough miles on Uniteds Mileage Plus.   Devlin adds that a colleague who will be on the same flight at the same time, was not able to upgrade (Devlin, 2002).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   US Airways has the EZ Savers Club, which is actually an automated mailing list where subscribers can get mails detailing reduced rates on specified travel dates (Bringing market discipline, 1998).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Other programs are age-dependent.   Students and seniors typically get a discount on airlines.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another form of price discrimination employed by airlines is temporary seasonal discounts for airfares that are meant to increase business. (Ellis-Christensen, undated).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Airlines have a big market with a large number of heterogenous customers, the more disparate their customers are and their behaviors, the more willing their customers would be to pay different prices (Sahay, 2007, p. 56).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Is Price Discrimination Illegal? Price discrimination may be illegal in some cases.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, for it to be deemed illegal, it has to be seen in light of anti-competitiveness.   Carl Person said that the Robinson-Patman Act protects victims of unlawful price discrimination.   Persons provided the following example where in a retail store purchases the same thing from the same supplier for a much higher price.   The store who bought the merchandise at a higher price would be unable to compete on price and usually loses business to its competitor (Persons, 1997).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Federal Trade Commission clarifies that price discrimination may be used as a predatory pricing tactic to harm competition at the supplier’s level (Federal Trade Commission, undated).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This whole scenario doesnt apply to airline tickets. Imperfect Information   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In a perfect world or market situation, each consumer should have perfect information about the price of services and goods.   However, information problems are highly ostentatious in complex and opaque markets, where there is infrequent patronage.   Markets with intermediaries or those with a time lag between the time of purchase and the expected benefits are also susceptible to the problem.   The airline industry is also a primary industry for imperfect information due to its complex pricing structures (Lindley, 2007, p. 74).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Imperfect information could harm a customer because it would effectively prevent him from turning to certain potential substitutes (Lande, 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Moreover, some customers might not know of the existence of an option.   Some customers might not even realize that best cost-saving option (Lande, 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In short, as Dominic Lindley writes, the customer may not buy the cheapest or even the most appropriate product or service; may buy a service or product that does not perform as well as planned; or may be unaware of their rights and remedies if something goes wrong (Lindley, 2007, p. 74). Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It all boils down to the fact that imperfect information could hinder a customer from making a more informed decision about what hes purchasing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Determining the cost of an airline ticket is a complicated task.   With price discrimination, it really just an interplay of demand and the customers ability to pay.   Price discrimination allows businesses to optimize their operations for maximum benefits and income on their marginal costs.   Airlines, among other businesses, are in a position to exploit that advantage because they satisfy all conditions needed for price discrimination.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For consumers and passengers to get the optimum value for their money, they must be vigilant.   They must know their options, and choose accordingly. References    Armstrong, Mark. (2006). Price Discrimination. University College London. Retrieved on 3 April 2008. http://else.econ.ucl.ac.uk/papers/uploaded/222.pdf Brady, Stephen P. and Cunningham, William A . (2001). Exploring predatory pricing in the airline industry. Transportation Journal, 41(1), 5-15.   Retrieved 21 April 2008 from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 124411971). Bringing market discipline to pricing. (1998, January). Businessline,1.   21 Retrieved April   2008, from ProQuest Asian Business and Reference database. (Document ID: 25422269). Devlin, Keith. (2002). The crazy math of airline ticket pricing. Retrieved on 3 April 2008. http://www.maa.org/devlin/devlin_09_02.html Ellis-Christensen Tricia. What is Price Discrimination? Retrieved on 3 April 2008. http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-price-discrimination.htm Lande, Robert. (2007). Market Power Without A Large Market Share: The Role of Imperfect Information and other Consumer Protection Market Failures. Retrieved on 3 April 2008. http://www.justice.gov/atr/public/hearings/single_firm/docs/222102.htm Lindley, Dominic. (2007). Imperfect information for consumers. Consumer Policy Review, 17(3), 74-79.   Retrieved 21 April 2008, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 1328552571). Persons, Carl E. (1997). Do You Have an RPA Price Discrimination Claim?   Retrieved on 3 April http://www.lawmall.com/rpa/rpaclaim.html Riley, Geoff. (2006) Price Discrimination. Eton College.   Retrieved on 3 April 2008. http://www.tutor2u.net/economics/revision-notes/a2-micro-price-discrimination.html Stavins, Joanna. (1996). Price Discrimination in the Airline Market: The Effect of Market Concentration. Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. Retrieved on 3 April 2008. http://bosfed.org/economic/wp/wp1996/wp96_7.pdf SOYOUWANNA FIND A CHEAP PLANE TICKET? Retrieved on 3 April 2008. http://www.soyouwanna.com/site/syws/planetix/planetix.html Sahay, Arvind. (2007). How Dynamic Pricing Leads to Higher Profits. MIT Sloan Management Review, 48(4), 53.   Retrieved 21 April 2008, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 1360146151). Turow, Joseph. (2005). Have they got a deal for you. Washington Post. Retrieved on 3 April http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/18/AR2005061800070_pf.html Wallenberg, Fredrik. (2000). A study of airline pricing.   School of Information Management Systems, University of California at Berkeley. Retrieved on 3 April 2008. http://people.ischool.berkeley.edu/~fredrik/research/papers/InternetTravel.pdf Wooley, Scott. (1998). Mine was cheaper! Forbes.Com. Retrieved on 3 April 2008. http://www.forbes.com/global/1998/1102/0116058a.html

Teaching Creativity in Primary Schools

Teaching Creativity in Primary Schools Creativity Arts Primary â€Å"The philosophical foundation for teaching integrated arts in the primary school is based on the belief that aesthetic and creative education is the entitlement of every child and that the nature and quality of the provisions determines the distinctiveness of cultural life and academic performance in school.†(Bloomfield,2000,pg1). For this essay I am going to be talking about why teaching creativity in the arts in primary school is an essential part of children’s learning and what children gain from the lessons. I will be reflecting on my own learning experiences in this module as I feel this justifies why creative arts should be taught. I will be explaining how I can use what I have learnt, from this module, in school and talk about the creative lessons I have planned for in school. â€Å"Children’s natural enthusiasm for the arts, as major and valid sources of knowledge, is nurtured from the first day at school and their motivation and commitment is maintained throughout their primary years.† (Bloomfield,2000,pg1). Creative arts is an essential part of school life as it includes practical engagement of all children as they learn how to paint, compose music, write or to dance, and as they progress through the school year their knowledge of each art form deepens. When children discover social, cultural or historical aspects of the arts they are able to increase their knowledge of the topic by referring to books, articles, artefacts, CDs, recordings and videos. This also gives the children a deeper understanding of their work. (Bloomfield,2000). Creative arts also develop the use of children’s imagination, the way that they respond to their own life experiences and the way they express and communicate their ideas. This can also help their physical development which includes performing confidently, imaginably and good use of space for themselves and others while performing. (Moyles,2002). Creative arts also involves children with different learning needs, audio, visual and kinaesthetic. The lessons are designed to include all children and allow children to achieve their goals. Each creative area helps develop different skills for learning. I am going to talk about how drama, music and art can aid children’s learning in school. â€Å"Art and design stimulates creativity and imagination. It provides visual tactile and sensory experiences and a unique way of understanding the world.†(DfEE,1999,pg116). Art artefacts can be found anywhere, all that is needed is imagination to use these artefacts effectively and this can then bring any classroom activity to life. All artefacts that are found can be used to teach the programmes of study in the National Curriculum. â€Å"Art is fashioned from world resources, and the natural environment has provided the stimulus for wide ranging art activities both as the stimulus for the design and in the way in which the properties of its material has determined the form of the art object†. (Bloomfield,2000,pg88). During art sessions children acquire a range of skills which include visual and manual skills, skills to use a wide range of materials and media and problem solving skills. These skills then enable children to formulate their ideas and use materials and artefacts to create their own artefacts in 2D and 3D form. The use of these skills enhance children’s practical knowledge of art making. Children become critically aware during art sessions. They are able to discuss and write about their experiences of art making and develop a metalanguage to discuss their experiences of visual art and design. (Bloomfield,2000). â€Å"Children build up their powers of discussion; they incorporate a vocabulary that has meaning for them from their own creative participation as well as in critical discussion.† (Moyles,2002,pg40). During a school topic where art is a key focus it is essential to present children’s work either in a portfolio or a class display as this allows the class to reflect on the work they have produced and the value of the process and allows children to comment constructively on each others work. (Bloomfield,2000). â€Å"Music is a powerful, unique form of communication that can change the way pupils feel, think and act. It brings together intellect and feeling and enables personal expression, reflection and emotional development.† (DfEE,1999,pg122). Music sessions in school provide vital skills for children to progress through their primary and secondary years. Music lessons enhance children’s listening skills. â€Å"Listening is fundamental both in forms of the sounds independently produced and also the collective responses of groups.† Music also enhances group work as it aids inclusion because children, whatever their background or aptitude, have the ability to express themselves successfully in the classroom. Mutual respect and self-discipline is acquired during these sessions as children develop good relationships with each other. (Bloomfield,2000). â€Å"Participation in music and its integration with other art forms provides a rich social environment for children. Performance and presentational work develops a close working relationship within the peer group.† (Bloomfield,2000,pg76). Music is also looked at as a form of communication. Many professional song writers write songs to deploy meaning and get messages out to the greater world. Musical understanding through singing songs helps children use their voices in an eloquent and effective manner. Children in school are encouraged to adapt music as a form of communication asmusic offers a unique mode of experience where children can receive and express ideas and feelings. This also encourages children to use descriptive language to describe why they have chosen a particular sound to represent their emotions mood or feelings. Music also develops children’s speech as children with musical training have a greater capability to process all sounds, including speech. (Bloomfield,2000). â€Å"ICT is a powerful and necessary tool for the children which both enhances and informs their music, whether as creators, performers, or as investigators.† (Bloomfield,2000,pg87). Children can use music to find out about the world. There are many links that can be made with music and the celebration of diversity. Children can be encouraged to make music CDs to share with different schools in different communities and countries. Music which the children relate to or which is related to the topic may create different feelings. These feelings can be compared within the group or between different schools. As with music there is no right or wrong answer and it would be interesting to see how other people interpret their ideas and this celebrates diversity. (Bloomfield,2000). When children have recorded their piece it is possible for them to use it as backing music to a performance associated with their topic, this then uses music to enhance and intensify the other creative arts. Drama can be split into two sections, drama and dance. â€Å"Dance education provides children with an artistic language of actions which, linked with their intellectual and physical growth, is transformed into a significant and meaningful mode of communication.† (Bloomfield,2000,pg46). Dance sessions gain children techniques in coordinating movements, inventing movements, remembering movements and then transferring the movements into a dance routine. During these sessions children are encouraged to use their whole body to do this. Dance can be linked to Literacy sessions as children are â€Å"using their bodies to express metaphors and symbols through the formulation and organisation of movement patterns that capture and convey meaning.† (Bloomfield,2000,pg 45). This is also a good way to introduce poetry to children, as they are comparing themselves to something different. Children may be encouraged to show how they are feeling as dance has a semantic structure which provides the basis of how children can think, feel and express ideas through movement. Drama and dance can be used to enhance descriptive work of characters the children are portraying. Drama links with literacy development and understanding as it enables children with the pronunciation of words and recitation from stories and poems. (Bloomfield,2000). Pie Corbett believes that children should story map to remember plots in their stories. This is to help them when they are reciting stories to the class. He believes that this way helps develop a child’s memory as they only need their own interpretation of a picture to tell a story. Dance and music linked together is a way for children to express their understanding of themselves and the world as they perceive it. This can encourage children to research different dances and music from different countries of the world. When children participate in these lessons they are including themselves in the coordination of the group. Once children have been given an initial stimulus they are in control of their group. This then develops their skills in working collectively and harmoniously together because a group who can not function this way will have no hope in producing a final piece of work. Drama can be linked with music as this can provide an effective atmosphere matching the mood for a production. Art can be used to create wall displays, props and set designs for a drama production. During this module I can honestly say I have felt lost at times. The reason for this was due to my own experiences that involved creative arts at school. During art lessons I was always under the impression that I could not draw. I would always feel embarrassed about my work. The art teacher gave me no confidence in the lessons. It was a case of turning up, doing the work and then be given no constructive feedback. I took this negativity into my first art seminar. I did not feel comfortable doing the tasks that were set but I carried on. I then had a very long discussion with Catherine about my finished products. She then told me that I was concentrating on the negatives factors of my art work and I should look closely at the positives. Even though I believe she was cross with my attitude towards art, she took the time to teach me a valuable lesson. This I will never forget and I can use effectively in my own art lesson. By making me see the positives in my work I was able to achieve more because I felt confident in what I was doing. I was praised effectively but not over praised as I would have thought she was patronising me. This is the correct attitude to have in the classroom whilst teaching. Children know when they have been given false or too much praise and then the praise is not effective. â€Å"Praise can alienate pupils because every response is being judged by the praise it receives.†(Cockburn,2006,pg105). During my time in school I have planned individual drama and music lessons. For the music lesson the class was split into three groups. Each group was given a number of instruments that made sounds related to Christmas. I gave each group a starting point and this was Christmas Eve, Christmas day morning and Christmas day afternoon. I asked each group to compile a composition relating to the starting point. The children knew that this was their first draft of a composition and they would have time to â€Å"practise, rehearse and perform† ,(DfEE,1999,pg126), as the teacher was going to use my idea in further music lessons. The children had to note the pattern of their music using symbols; this was going to make it easier for them to improve the composition. The children were left in control of their own compositions as I did not want any of my own personal input involved in their work. Children are far more creative and adventurous when they are left to their own devices and the y will learn more about their work. (Bloomfield,2000). â€Å"Tell me and I forget, show me and I may remember, let me do it and I will learn.†(DfEE,1999,pg90). It is important when using the creative arts that the children have an end product to show for their work. It was therefore essential that our group was able to show off our work on the ‘Railway lines through the snow’ painting. This gave us a sense of achievement and finalised all our hard work. As a group we all developed through the module especially our concert performance. I had to listen to my peers and they had to listen to me. We had to stay harmonised and focused otherwise the concert would have been a disaster. Each member of the group had different personal strengths and we had to use each others strengths to aid our concert performance. I developed all the skills that I have spoken about which children develop during creative arts sessions and I understand if we did not have these skills we would not progress, and achieve our end goal. â€Å"The creative arts permit individual children to conceptualise and understand their strength areas to compensate or overcome weakness in other areas. It also has the impact of motivating children, sustaining their interest and improving their self-esteem. It provides in-depth study and develops all round skills.†(Bloomfield,2000,pg108). Experience in the creative arts is therefore an essential part of a child’s learning. References Bloomfield. A. (2000). Teaching Integrated Arts in the Primary School. London:David Fulton Publishers. Cockburn A. Handscomb G. (2006). Teaching children 3-11, a students guide. 2nd ed. London: Paul Chapman Publishing. DfES., (1999). The National Curriculum. London:DfES Moyes, J. (2002). Beginning Teaching:Beginning Learning in Primary Education. Second edition. Buckingham: Open University. Palmer, S.(2003) Literacy: What works? London: Nelson Thornes.

Contributing factors of airline industry globalistion

Contributing factors of airline industry globalistion This report vividly covers the factors which drive airline industry to globalization. Critical analysis of external and internal environment using strategy tools has also been considered. For internal environment a particular firm, i.e., British airways has been taken into consideration on which the assignment task is based. Research for the report includes a review of academic books, journals, articles and websites. It also covers the critical account of globalization on British Airways stating its strengths and weaknesses .The concept of core competencies is also explained briefly and applied on the chosen firm. Airline industry is a large and growing industry. It facilitates economic growth, international investment and world trade and is therefore central to other industries as well for globalisation. There are various forces which lead to globalisation in airline industry. Yip provided some major key drivers of change. Key drivers of change are forces likely to affect the structure of an industry; sector or market (Johnson, G et al 2005).Yips model provides a good example of the drivers that are increasing the globalisation of industries. Market globalisation Similar customer needs Global customers Transferable marketing Cost globalisation Scale economies Sourcing efficiencies High Product development costs Country-specific costs Globalisation of government policies Trade policies Technical standards Host government policies Global Strategies Globalisation of competition Interdependence Competitors global High exports/imports (Source: Johnson, G et al 2005) Market globalisation in airline industry is a increasing trend because of various reasons of customer needs and preferences as globally they are becoming similar (Johnson et al 2005).For business or leisure customers do move outside their origin. In past decade, air travel has grown by 7% per year. Travel for both business and leisure purpose grew strongly worldwide. Scheduled airlines carried 1.5 billion passengers last year. In the leisure market, the availability of large aircraft such as the Boeing 747 made it convenient and affordable for people to travel (adg.stanford.edu).As market globalise, those operating in such markets become global customers and may search for suppliers who operates on global basis (Johnson et al 2005).Business travel has grown as companies are becoming increasingly global in terms of their investments, their supply and production chains and their customers. The rapid growth of world trade in goods and services and international direct investment are als o main drivers of globalisation in airline industry (www.scribd.com). The development of global communication and distribution channel may also drive globalisation-the obvious example being the impact of internet.(Johnson et al 2005).Online booking of tickets and advertising may all be developed globally. This further generates global demand and expectations from customers. Airline industries are subject to similar trends. Cost globalisation gives potential for competitive advantage through economies of scale. There might be cost advantages from the experience built through wider scale operations. It can be achieved by central sourcing efficiencies from lowest cost suppliers across the world (Johnson et al 2005). The activities and policies of government have also tended to drive the globalization of industry. Changes in macro environment due to government policies are increasing global competition which in turn encourages further globalization. Technology innovations in industry li ke the invention of Jumbo jet in 1950 for commercial use also gave a push to globalization. Although there are various enabler of globalisation in airline industry, paradoxically the airline industry itself remains subject to highly restrictive national controls on cross border competition and investment. Government to government bilateral agreements often limit the routes that international air carriers can fly, the number of flights they can schedule and the fares they can charge.(Hamilton and Quinlan 2005).The global airline industry operates in an international regulatory environment that ranges from strict regulation and protectionism in some countries or region to almost complete deregulation in others. The long-term trend would seem to be in the direction of further deregulation and liberalization, with the unified market created by the EU and the proliferation of bilateral and multilateral open skies agreements marking major advances in this direction since the early 1990s.National ownership requirements, even in the economically developed regions on the world, pers ist an important barrier to a full globalization of the industry. There is also a strong trend toward privatizing the many Government-owned national carriers that had long dominated air travel outside the boundaries. There has also been concern expressed that the airline industry is moving from a being highly regulated one to one dominated by global alliances and co-operation amongst airlines, both of which are a priori anti-competitive structures.( Belobaba et al 2009 ) Answer 2: In todays contemporary organisational environment, the external marketplace is dynamic and rapidly evolving. PESTLE analysis, which provides a framework from which to consider the political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental factors which influence an organisation (Worthington and Britton, 2006) has been undertaken. In addition, Porters five forces model analyses the structure of the industry and the relative attractiveness of a particular industry in terms of its potential to generate superior economic returns and its framework considers the impact of the power of buyers and suppliers, the threat of substitutes, barriers to entry and the degree of competitive rivalry (Porter, 1980; 1995; Barney and Hesterly, 2008). The airline industry has been subject to a number of changes and dynamic forces in the external environment. In recent times, the airline industry has undergone a turbulent history which has led to bankruptcies, mergers and acquisitions and an increase in costs and therefore a reduction in the profit margins (Berry and Jia, 2008). Over the past five years, the rising cost of fuel, which saw oil prices reach around $100 a barrel is one of the major reasons why airlines are filing for bankruptcy. In 2005, Delta Airlines and North West Airlines, the third and fourth largest US carriers filed for bankruptcy (CNN, 2005). The US Airport Transport Association estimated that between 2001 and 2004, the US airline industry faced losses of over $30 billion. In addition, in 2008, the UK airline carrier, XL collapsed leaving 85,000 holiday makers stranded (BBC News, 2008). This occurred because the rising costs make it unviable for smaller carriers to operate efficiently. As a result, industry an alysts predict a period of consolidation will occur within the industry (BBC News, 2008). Social factors include changes in consumer behaviour. This is largely attributable to technological changes, which includes the emergence of airline websites and multiple price comparison websites, which provides consumers with increased availability of prices and therefore reduces information asymmetry. This therefore, increases the power of buyers (Porter, 1985; Barney and Hesterly, 2008). In addition, the global downturn in the economy has placed an increased financial strain on the industry. This is especially the case amongst business travellers who are less willing to pay premium prices for business and first class travel. This has placed a strain on the financial viability of airline operators within the industry. An additional change amongst consumer behaviour is the decline in customer loyalty. This is partly due to the spread of information and the increased price sensitivity of consumers, which means that the most important factor when making a purchasing decision is price and has little to do with the differentiation strategies implemented by any given airline (Porter, 1980; 1986; Barney and Hesterly, 2008). In terms of political factors, post 9/11 a number of security measures and regulations has been implemented in an attempt to avert any future threats from terrorism. This has added increased the costs of airline operators in terms of training and providing the necessary training and personnel to deal with these rules and regulations. In addition, the initial period following 9/11 saw a decrease in passenger and consumer demand which had a negative effect on the profitability of the airline industry. The degree of rivalry within the airline industry is high. Since the 1980s the industry has undergone a period of deregulation and privatisation which has increased competition within the industry and reduced the barriers to entry. Privatisation is essentially involves changing the structure of the industry from public to private ownership. This has had a negative effect on market incumbents, such as British Airways, which has undergone periods of financial turmoil as a result of deregulation, privatisation, reduced barriers to entry and increased competition (Barney and Hesterly, 2008). ). Deregulation is the removal of government rules and regulations, which are said to constrain an industry. In the past decade, the industry has seen the emergence of low cost airline carriers (Cho et al., 2007; Centro, 2008). These include companies such as easyJet and Ryanair, which operate low-cost flights to a wide variety of European destinations. Low cost airline carriers have had a significant impact on changing the structure of the industry, which has meant that consumers are increasingly price sensitive when it comes to airline travel (Cho et al., 2007; Centro, 2008). ). The low cost sector appears to bucking industry trends and is expanding at a rapid rate. Low cost airlines focus on short-haul flights and try and pack in as many passengers as possible to increase turnover. These companies also generate savings, which are passed on to the consumer by providing customers the ability to book their flights directly over the Internet. As a result, the degree of rivalry within the industry is high (Porter, 1980 1985; Barney and Hesterly, 2008). Despite the deregulation which has occurred and the opening up of the market, barriers to entry are still relatively high. This is because the capital, skills and expertise required to set up an airline company are relatively high (Porter, 1980; 1985; Berry and Jia, 2008; Barney and Hesterly, 2008). As such, airline operators need to be able to compete both in terms of cost leadership and differentiation in order to incentivise consumer purchasing behaviour (Cho et al., 2007; Centro, 2008). Airline operators also need to operate a delicate balance between maintaining a tight control over costs and implementing cost saving measures whilst maintaining high standards of customer service and safety (Cho et al., 2007; Berry and Jia, 2008). Overall, there exists opportunities and threats in the external market environment, which affects the overall profitability and industry attractiveness of firms operating within the airline industry. Therefore, the level of profits that firms can earn a re based on these factors, nonetheless, the internal management of a firm is also critical to organisational performance, which will be discussed in further depth in the next section. Answer 3: The airline which has been chosen in order to address the key themes and issues highlighted in this section is British Airways (BA). BA is the largest airline operator in the UK, flying to over 150 destinations across the globe. BA started out life in 1975 and was the national airline for the UK, as such, the company operated a monopolistic structure before it was privatised in the 1980s. The purpose of the privatisation was to make the industry more competitive by exposing the company to completion and external industry forces to improve the operational efficiency of the company as well as improving the overall customer experience. However, since changes such as privatisation and industry deregulation, BA has had undergone periods of turbulence, which has been characterised by major successes and major weaknesses. During the 1990s, BA was hailed as one of the most admired and most profitable airlines in the world. However, by the late 1990s BA experienced a massive reduction in prof its as a result of decreased demand, increased economic pressures and employee disputes and poor relations. In the period between 2008 and 2008, BAs turnover was  £9 billion. However, overall, the company made losses of  £401 million. This is the greatest loss ever reported by the company and represented a massive loss compared to the previous year when the company made a profit of  £922 million. The airlines major hub is situated at London, Heathrow, the busiest airport in the world in terms of the number of passengers, which pass through daily. BA operates around 220 aircraft. Within the last few months, BA made a preliminary announcement that it was to merge with Spains largest airline, Iberia (Rothwell, 2009). The purpose of this merger is to mitigate weaknesses within the internal operations at BA and develop its strengths through capitalising on synergies which can be obtained through the merger with Iberia airlines (Barney and Hesterly, 2008; Rothwell, 2009). In order to address the current issues facing BA, including the highest ever reported losses, the company has been forced to undertake significant cost cutting measures, which includes reducing the salaries of existing employees as well as reducing the overall firm headcount. However, this has resulted in a number of problems for the company. One of the major weaknesses of BA is its history of industrial disputes and tentative history in terms of employee relations. In December, 2009 cabin crew announced a 12 day strike over the Christmas and New Year period, however, this was postponed as it was found to be an illegal strike as the ballot system implemented by the trade union was not considered to be fair. At the time of writing, the industrial dispute is still an ongoing issue which represents a major weakness to the airline (Milmo and Webb, 2009). The cost of such a strike would run into hundreds of millions, as well as the impact on the damage on customer and employee relations. This represents a critical weakness for the company. Nonetheless, BA has a strong brand and is renowned for safety and customer service. The brand is also trusted across the globe and is a popular choice with business travellers. The heritage of the brand has a strong resonance in the mindset of the British and indeed global consumer. This represents a unique strength, which is difficult for competitors to imitate. Therefore, this represents a source of sustainable competitive advantage for the company (Barney and Hesterly, 2008). This is based on the notion of core competences and how an organisation is able to deploy its resources to develop a distinct set of core competences and strategic capabilities (Barney and Hesterly, 2008). If these resources are distinct, rare and difficult to imitate then this will lead to a source of sustainable competitive advantage (Barney and Hesterly, 2008). As a result, these core competences will translate into superior economic performance when co mpared with rivals. In the case of BA, external market conditions, as well as internal weaknesses have contributed to recent poor financial performance. However, in the long run, the company will be able to leverage its strengths and core competences to remain competitive within the industry and obtain a source of sustainable competitive advantage.

Affirmative Action Essay -- Affirmative Action Essays

What can be done about the majority of higher paying jobs going to the white males, and the issue of racial/sexual discrimination in both the workplace and in education? To this, the government already has its so-called solution†¦ affirmative action. Affirmative action forces businesses and colleges to hire a certain number of minorities including women, so as to fill a government assessed quota. The solution is not to get even with the white males by disregarding either their hard work through high school to achieve the grade to get into their desired college or their superiority over a competitor for a job position just because the competitor happens to belong to a minority group. Affirmative Action was created to make up for past prejudices in an effort to create more equality between majorities and minorities. It requires businesses to hire a certain number of blacks, Asian, Latin-American, and women so that it will create more opportunities for people of minorities. Colleges also require a less severe requirement for those of a minority party because the number of the people that did fit the requirement would not fit the quota. Thus, many more deserving majority Americans were denied jobs and acceptance to college because the quota had to be met. Firstly, Affirmative Action promotes the hiring of less skilled workers, thus creating reverse discrimination. It upsets employers, forcing them to choose the best employee from a limited pool of minorities, not just si...

Plato Essay -- essays research papers

Today many people regard Plato as the first genuine political philosopher and Aristotle as the first political scientist. They were both great thinkers in regards to, in part with Socrates, being the foundation of the great western philosophers. Plato and Aristotle each had ideas in how to proceed with improving the society in which they were part of during their existence. It is necessary therefore to analyze their different theoretical approaches regarding their philosophical perspectives, such as ethics and psychology. This paper however will mainly concentrate on Aristotle’s views on friendship and how it impacts today’s society. The main objective in Plato’s philosophy is a creation of a perfect society. He constructs a foundation for a utopian society in his book â€Å"The Republic†. The purpose of his thought process was to cleanse his society of the woes he felt plagued it and construct a new one. Plato lived during the Peloponnesian War, which consequently lead to the end of the Athenian democracy. He had eyewitness account of his mentor’s (Socrates) trial and execution. Bitter and angered by the political corruption that gripped the Athenian democratic government, he disengaged from participating in politics. He strongly felt that neither a moral individual nor a state that is rational could be established in a democratic environment. Plato felt that the common man wasn’t intelligent or capable of dealing with concepts that influence the state such as economics, policy of foreign affairs and other relative matters. He viewed political incumbents in Athens government as being elected for matters that were irrelevant to main factors that affected the state. Another danger was that excessive liberty for the people of the democratic society could potentially lead to anarchy. In Plato’s perfect society, he forged ahead to eliminate the disease (pluralism of f riendship) that plagued the human character and society (Class Notes). Essentially, Plato wanted to establish the perfect form of society, linked by one single entity. Aristotle, unlike Plato, was not focused or concerned about the idea of a perfect society, instead he wanted to improve upon the one that he was part of during his existence. Rather than develop a framework for a society that is perfect, he suggested that society should, in it self, strive to utilize the best system it can attain. He f... ...l truth. Aristotle was more concerned with citizenship and institutional politics. They both had developed ideas and concepts to improve society as a whole. Aristotle and Plato have had a tremendous impact on political scientists of today. In Aristotle case, he was responsible for developing various democratic ideas. Even in modern democracies like our own Aristotle’s ideas hold true. When we vote in the election of the ruler of our country we, theoretically, are voting for the single most â€Å"excellent† citizen of our nation. That is we are voting for that citizen who can do the best job of working toward our common interest. The citizen of a state who has the greatest ability to work towards the salvation of the constitution has a great gift that can benefit all citizens. It only makes sense to allow that particular individual to lead the rest of the citizens in working towards the common interests of the state. In conclusion, these men were great thinkers. Their opinions on society and its function were quite different, but they both had the same concern, to build a better way of life for their societies they in lived in and for the societies that would come to be in the future.

Analysis of Data Mining

ITKM Analysis of Data Mining The article Data Mining by Christopher Clifton analyzed how different types of data mining techniques have been applied in crime detection and different outcomes. Moreover, the analysis proposed how the different data mining techniques can be used in detection of different form of frauds. The analysis gave the advantages and disadvantages of using data mining in different operation. The major advantage was that data mining enables analysis of large quantities of data. This is important since such data cannot be analyzed manually since the data is often complex for humans to understand.However, data mining techniques have been used for deceitful purposes such as inappropriate disclosure of private information. The article analyzed different data mining techniques. Predictive modeling is one such technique used in estimation of particular target attribute. Descriptive modeling was another technique, which entails dividing data into groups. The other techniq ues described include pattern mining used in identification of rules relating to different data pattern and anomaly detection, which entails determining the unusual instances that, may arise when using the different data-mining model. ) What is the title and what was the objective of the study/analysis) The title of the article was data mining. The article focused on skills in knowledge discovery can be used in analysis of large volumes of data sets. According to the article, data mining was invented about one and a half decades ago due to the advances in artificial intelligence. Discovery of expert system, genetic algorithms, neural networks, and machine leaning led to develop ways to adapt these schemes and use them for data mining purposes. Related article: What Business Can Learn From Text MiningThe objective of the article was to give a history of data mining, the different types of data mining and the application of data mining in different fields such as business, scientific research, as well as by security agents in detection of crimes and terrorist activities (Clifton Web). Regarding the history of data mining, the article stated that data mining was first implemented in credit card fraud detection. The 2) What data mining algorithm was used (i. e. cluster analysis, decision tree, neural network, other) and describe the algorithm?The analysis used both decision tree algorithm and clustering algorithm. By using decision tree algorithm, the information regarding data mining techniques was grouped by making use of predefined knowledge. The analysis entails description of different crime detection techniques. Moreover, the most appropriate technique for detection of different types of crimes was suggested based on the profitability of using any single technique. Using clustering technique, the data was divided into different groups to obtain certain patterns. Such pattern included classification to data mining techniques based on their uses.This was used to develop ways in which the different techniques can be applied in business (Clifton Web). 3) What was the outcome of the analysis, and how did it benefit the business, if there was a benefit? The analysis identified the various data mining techniques, their applications, strengths and weaknesses. The analysis was important to the business world. For example, the analysis on use of data mining in detection of credit card fraud identified the challenges involved on the process. This was crucial since it gave insights on how different techniques can be developed to make data mining more effective in credit card fraud detection.Another reason why the analysis was important to the business world was that it analyzed the different data mining approa ches such as predictive modeling, descriptive modeling, pattern mining, and anomaly detection. The analysis explained how the different techniques work. Moreover, the analysis was crucial since it provided insights on how different techniques can be used in detection of fraud crime in different types of business transaction. Moreover, it highlighted the shortcoming on the different techniques. This is crucial since it provided intuitions on areas that can be improved to make the techniques more effective (Clifton Web).An additional reason why the analysis was important is that it pinpointed the issues that arise when using data mining techniques in fraud detection. One such issue is privacy concern. This was crucial since it gave insights on how the business world can continue using data mining techniques to combat crime without risking loss of reputation. Moreover, the companies can use data mining for fraud detection crimes while making less error such as those of biasness (Clifto n Web). Conclusion Data mining has undergone modification with technological advancement. Data mining play a great role in enabling detection of problems such as frauds.This is because it enables analysis of large and complex quantities of data. In the article about data mining, Clifton used both decision tree and cluster analysis to assess the different types of data mining. By using decision tree, the author group data mining based on the techniques used. By using clustering, the data was grouped to obtain certain patterns. The analysis was important to business world since it provided insights on how the different data mining techniques work. Works Cited Clifton, Christopher. â€Å"data mining . † Encyclopedia Bratanicca (n. d. ): 1-3. Web. .

How Does the Writer Tell the Story in the Road Pages 24-7 Essay

The narrative in Pages 24-7 is based on the main character taking his son to see the old house he lived in. It consists of generally a sad tone because he is reminiscing his past and how he has lost it all. This part of the novel begins neutrally, but with an apocalyptic atmosphere to it, which is demonstrated through the use of no punctuation. McCarthy also uses short sentences through these pages, which gives a robotic sense – ‘The man stopped.’ This idea is also reflected in the title ‘The Road’; almost as if the journey is just on one set path. This takes us away from the blur of the novel and brings us to a stark reality, The climax in this part of the novel is when McCarthy describes the character’s bedroom, in which he uses detailed description – ‘In the nights in their thousands to dream the dreams of a child’s imaginings’, and then goes on to open the closet door. Again, we are brought back to reality when he expects to see his childhood things and instead is faced with ‘raw cold daylight’. The page ends circling back to the beginning ‘We shouldn’t have come’, which is what the b oy said at the beginning. Therefore, there is a sense of resolution. The form of these pages is retrospective narrative punctuated by flashbacks over a period of 40 years. As the narrative is from 3rd person perspective, the anonymity of ‘the man’ prevents a connection being made between the reader and the character. This also suggests that, because his name is never mentioned, a sense of being lost is portrayed. Additionally, the constant flashbacks used contribute to the idea that the days are blurring together. Again, this adds to the apocalyptic theme because there is no sense of prediction due to the only clear parts of the novel are the moments of reality when we are brought back from the flashbacks. McCarthy does this as an effective way of showing the character’s thought process. The main use of language McCarthy uses is to set the negative tone of being in a lost, almost sad and lonely world. Again, he does this by using short, snappy sentences and a lot of the dialogue used includes questioning. This could refer to the boy’s confusion of the situation, as he seems quite young and naà ¯ve – ‘We should go Papa, can we go?’ Moreover, this suggests that he needs reassurance, and perhaps that there is a glimmer of hope in the situation, which perhaps could foreshadow to what could happen later on in the novel. We can also learn that the man doesn’t want to return from his old home as he agrees to leave but then doesn’t, which connotes that he misses how things used to be in his old home. The rhythm in this part of the novel goes on and on through McCarthy’s use of short sentences and questions, which almost leaves the reader feeling out of breath and as if ‘The Road’ and its journey is ongoing. In conclusion, McCarthy uses a range of techniques to tell the story from Pages 24-27 to generally contribute to the main themes within the novel, such as death and the ‘end of the world’.

Bom Paper

STUDENT IDENTIFICATION NO MULTIMEDIA UNIVERSITY SECOND TRIMESTER FINAL EXAMINATION, 2009/2010 SESSION BOM 2O64 – QUALITY AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT (All Sections / Groups) DECEMBER 2009 a. m. – a. m. (2 Hours) INSTRUCTIONS TO STUDENT 1. This Question paper consists of 9 pages with TWO SECTIONS. 2. Attempt ALL questions in Section A and B. The marks for each question are given. 3. Answer Section A in the OMR Form provided, and answer Section B in the Answer Booklet provided. BOM 2064 QUALITY AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT DECEMBER 2009 SECTION A Answer ALL questions in this section. 40 Marks) 1. Manufacturing work sent to other countries is called: __________________. A) downsized B) outsourced C) internationalization D) vertical integration E) entrepreneurial ship 2. Production systems with customized outputs typically have relatively: ____________. A) high volumes of output B) low unit costs C) high amount of specialized equipment D) fast work movement E) skilled workers 3. Which of the following is not emphasized in a lean production system? A) falling prices B) high quality C) worker involvement D) continual improvement E) customer satisfaction 4.Which of the following is not a benefit of using models in decision making? A) They provide a standardized format for analyzing a problem. B) They serve as a consistent tool for evaluation. C) They are easy to use and less expensive than dealing with the actual situation. D) All of the above are benefits. E) None of the above is a benefit. 5. Which of the following is not an ongoing trend in manufacturing competition? A) globalization B) quality improvement C) flexibility and agility D) mass production for economies of scale E) technological advances . Product design and choice of location are examples of ______________ decisions. A) strategic B) tactical C) operational D) customer focused E) design Continued†¦ TPK page 1 of 9 BOM 2064 QUALITY AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT DECEMBER 2009 7. A productivity in crease in one operation that doesn’t improve overall productivity of the business isn’t:__________________. A) effective B) efficient C) politically justified D) productive E) financially justified 8. Which of the following is true? A) Corporate strategy is shaped by functional strategies.B) Corporate mission is shaped by corporate strategy. C) Functional strategies are shaped by corporate strategy. D) External conditions are shaped by corporate mission. E) Corporate mission is shaped by functional strategies. 9. The external elements of SWOT analysis are: ___________________. A) strengths and weaknesses B) strengths and threats C) opportunities and threats D) weaknesses and opportunities E) strengths and opportunities 10. For an organization to grow their market share, they must: _______________.A) advertise using multi-media B) lower their prices C) meet minimum standards of acceptability for their products or services D) establish an internet website E) broaden thei r mission statement 11. A disadvantage of global teams for product design is that:_______________. A) Customers may have different needs in different countries B) The product designed may have increased marketability and utility C) The diversity of an international team may be a detriment D) Ease of face to face meetings is absent since members are located everywhere E) Technology allows constant contact with team members 12. One step that isn’t part of service lueprinting is: _______________. A) Eliminate boundaries for the service and decide on the level of interaction needed B) Identify and determine the sequence of customer and service actions and interactions C) Develop time estimates for each phase of the process D) Understand the time variability involved E) Identify potential failure points and develop a plan to minimize them Continued†¦ TPK page 2 of 9 BOM 2064 QUALITY AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT DECEMBER 2009 13. The process of dismantling and inspecting a compet itor's new or revised product for the purpose of gleaning design ideas is called: ____________________.A) design by imitation B) product analysis C) reverse engineering D) benchmarking E) disassembly 14. Which of the following is an issue that designers must take into account in product and service design? A) legal, environmental, and ethical issues B) reliability C) standardization D) range of operating conditions E) all of the above 15. A formal way to document customer requirements is: __________________. A) consumer surveys B) quality function deployment (QFD) C) focus groups D) Delphi technique E) sales/marketing matrix 16. Which of the following is not a goal of supply chain management?A) fewer suppliers and long-term relationship B) small lot sizes C) on time deliveries D) lowest possible transportation costs E) delivery often to the place of use 17. Vendor analysis has the greatest potential for savings for items which have: ____________________. A) low cost per unit B) low annual cost-volume C) high cost per unit D) high annual usage E) high annual cost-volume Continued†¦ TPK page 3 of 9 BOM 2064 QUALITY AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT DECEMBER 2009 18. Which of the following is not true of vendor analysis? A) It involves an examination of the function of purchased parts or raw materials.B) Its purpose is to reduce costs and/or improve performance of purchased goods or services. C) It is usually performed only periodically. D) Representatives from design and operations may work with purchasing. E) If improvements are identified, purchasing implements those that purchasing agrees are justified. 19. Which of the following would not usually be a main factor in selecting a vendor? A) location B) price C) quality D) inventory turnover E) vendor services 20. Which of the following is part of the purchasing cycle? (I) Purchasing selects a supplier. II) Orders from vendors are received. (III) Purchasing receives a requisition. A) B) C) D) E) II and III I, II, and III I only I and II I and III 21. An operations strategy for inventory management should work towards: _________. A) increasing lot sizes B) decreasing lot sizes C) increasing safety stocks D) decreasing service levels E) increasing order quantities 22. Which one of the following is not generally a determinant of the reorder point? A) rate of demand B) length of lead time C) lead time variability D) stockout risk E) purchase costContinued†¦ TPK page 4 of 9 BOM 2064 QUALITY AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT DECEMBER 2009 23. The fixed order interval model would be most likely to be used for this situation: A) A company has switched from mass production to lean production. B) Production is done in batches. C) Spare parts are ordered when a new machine is purchased. D) Grouping orders can save shipping costs. E) none of these 24. All of the following are possible reasons for using the fixed order interval model except: ___________________. A) Supplier policy encourages use.B) Grouping orders can save in shipping costs. C) The required safety stock is lower than with an EOQ/ROP model. D) It is suited to periodic checks of inventory levels rather than continuous monitoring. E) Continuous monitoring is not practical. 25. The need for safety stocks can be reduced by an operations strategy which: A) increases lead time B) increases lead time variability C) increases lot sizes D) decreases ordering costs E) decreases lead time variability 26. The comprehensive approach used in JIT systems to deal with quality includes: ________________.A) designing quality into products and processes B) insisting vendors provide high quality materials C) making workers responsible for producing high quality D) A, B and C E) 100% inspection of raw materials, work-in-process and finished goods 27. Which of the following is not a benefit of small lot sizes in JIT systems? A) In-process inventory is considerably less. B) Each product is produced less frequently. C) Carrying costs are redu ced. D) There is less clutter in the workplace. E) Inspection and rework costs are less. Continued†¦ TPK page 5 of 9 BOM 2064 QUALITY AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT DECEMBER 2009 28.Which of the following is not characteristic of preventive maintenance in JIT systems? A) maintaining equipment in good operating condition B) replacing parts when they are worn but before they fail C) workers maintaining their own equipment D) eliminating supplies of spare parts to reduce capital investment E) perceiving breakdowns as an opportunity for improvement 29. The Kaizen Philosophy applies to: _______________. A) Employee development B) Safety stock C) Waste D) Supply Chain Management E) MRP III 30. An operations strategy toward the JIT philosophy of production should recognize that JIT: __________________.A) is most suited for non-repetitive manufacturing B) cannot be implemented sequentially C) requires a wholesale commitment from the outset D) may provide a competitive advantage E) all of th e above SECTION B Essay and Calculation Questions: Answer ALL THREE questions. (60 Marks) QUESTION 1 The general manager of a building materials production plant feels that the demand for plasterboard shipments may be related to the number of construction permits issued in the country during the previous quarter. The manager has collected the data shown in Table 1. 1. a) Review the scatter diagram (Figure 1. ) to see whether the data can be satisfactorily described by a linear equation. b) Determine the linear regression equation for the data [2 marks] [15 marks] c) Determine a point estimate for plasterboard shipments when the number of construction permits is 30. [3 marks] [Total Marks = 20] Continued†¦ TPK page 6 of 9 BOM 2064 QUALITY AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT DECEMBER 2009 Table 1. 1 Construction Permits (X) 15 9 40 20 25 25 15 35 Plasterboard Shipments (Y) Shipments Y 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 0 10 20 30 40 50 Permits X 6 4 16 6 13 9 10 16 igure 1. 1 QUESTION 2 a) What are the principles underlying TQM? 10 marks] b) Discuss the long-run effects of quality improvement on a firm's profitability. [10 marks] [Total marks = 20] QUESTION 3 The Goliaq Tool Company produces slip – ring bearings, which look like flat doughnuts or washers. They fit around shafts or rods, such as drive shafts in machinery or motors. At an early stage in the production process for a particular slip – ring bearing, the outside diameter of the bearing is measured. The company has taken 10 samples (during a 10 – day period) of 5 slip – ring bearings (i. e. , n = 5) and measured the diameter of the bearing.The individual observations from each sample are shown as follows: TPK page 7 of 9 BOM 2064 QUALITY AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT DECEMBER 2009 Continued†¦ Sample k 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 5. 02 5. 01 4. 99 5. 03 4. 95 4. 97 5. 05 5. 09 5. 14 5. 01 Observations (Slip – Ring Diameter, cm) 2 3 4 5. 01 4. 94 4. 99 5. 03 5. 07 4. 95 5. 00 4. 93 4. 92 4. 91 5. 01 4. 98 4. 92 5. 03 5. 05 5. 06 5. 06 4. 96 5. 01 5. 10 4. 96 5. 10 5. 00 4. 99 5. 10 4. 99 5. 08 4. 98 5. 08 5. 07 5 4. 96 4. 96 4. 99 4. 89 5. 01 5. 03 4. 99 5. 08 5. 09 4. 99 [6 marks] [10 marks] [4 marks] a) Determine all sample means and the mean of all sample means. ) Calculate upper and lower control limits. c) Is this process in control? [Total marks = 20] Relevant Equations 1) CL = X UCL, LCL (X – bar) = X ? A2 R UCL ( R) = D4 R LCL ( R) = D3 R Table for X – bar & R Charts No of Observation In sub group n 2 3 4 5 6 2) UCL ? = c + 3v c LCL ? = c – 3v c Continued†¦ TPK page 8 of 9 A2 1. 88 1. 02 0. 73 0. 58 0. 48 D3 0 0 0 0 0 D4 3. 27 2. 57 2. 28 2. 11 2 BOM 2064 QUALITY AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT DECEMBER 2009 3) p = Total No of Defective from All Samples/ (No of Samples X Sample Size) Sp = v [ p (1 – p )/n] CL = p LCL = p – 3 Sp UCL = p + 3 Sp ) Capacity Utilization = Capacity Used / Best Operating Level 5) r ? n ? XY ? X ? Y ? ?n ? X 2 ? X ? 2 ? ?n ? Y 2 ? Y ? 2 ? ? ? ? ? a ? Y ? bX b= ? XY ? n X Y ? X 2 ? nX 2 6) Exponential smoothing Forecast for the month t: Ft = Ft – 1 + ? (At – 1 – Ft – 1) 7) Exponential smoothing with trend adjustment Forecast for the month t: Ft = ? (At – 1) + (1 – ? )(Ft – 1 + Tt – 1) Trend for the month t: Tt = ? (Ft – Ft – 1) + (1 – ? )Tt – 1 FIT = Ft + Tt 8) Inventory Management: EOQ = Q * ? 2 DS H 2 DS H p p ? u TC ? Q D H? S 2 Q EPQ = Q0 ? I max ? Q ( p ? u) P TC= I m ax D H? S 2 Q End of Page TPK page 9 of 9