Reverend Henry Ward Essay

Reverend Henry Ward is best known for changing the Jamaican school system. Up until Reverend Henry Ward got involved with the government to change it, the system was a flawed, failing system, with hundreds, if not thousands of children unable to get educated because of the lack of facilities. Although churches and infant centres tried their best to cater for as many children as possible, there was simply too much demand. That was until Reverend Henry Ward got involved in the schooling system. In 1938, Reverend Henry Ward started researching primary education for young children and began to campaign for children in Jamaica. The campaign was a hard task to take on, as there very little education services back then, and not a lot of money was put aside by the government to place into building and creating schools and education centres. In 1938, after alerting the government of the desperate need for primary schools, Reverend Henry Ward developed a number of community schools that later became known as â€Å"basic schools†. He then went on to create schools in areas that needed critical help. He once said in an interview that he created a school for 3-6 year olds after seeing them unprotected, running about the streets unattended. In 1941, Reverend Henry Ward held a presentation to the Jamaican Board of Education calling for the creation of ‘play centres’. These centres were to include play stories, action songs, lessons on pets, the caring of a garden, the teaching of reading, writing, numeracy, craft and handy work. This was dropped by the government, sadly, although they did then create more â€Å"basic schools† in Ward’s name. Without Reverend Henry Ward fighting every step of the way for basic, primary education, Jamaican schools would still now be very far and few between.

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Expansion of ideas – No Pains, No Gains No Pains, No Gains We cannot achieve real success in any field without great efffors and plenty of sacrifice. No pain, no gains is very true in case of education. Those who aspire to reach the top of the academic ladder must work very hard. Scholars are not born scholars but made with hard work and perseverance. What a student needs the most is concentration and perseverance. We must always imbibe into us the three D's – Devotion, Dedication and Determination. These three D's have help cricketers, painters, writers, actors,  scholars, dramatists and world leaders.These three D's will help us to  succeed in our  life. ————————————————- ————————————————- No Pain, No Gain Families everywhere deal with great challenges. With each obstacle they face generally the outcome will make each individual a little bit stronger. With these experiences our perspective in life changes and we become more knowledgeable. â€Å"Girl† and â€Å"Tiger Mending† are two stories that I believe reflect this in two very different ways.Jamaica Kincaid’s â€Å"Girl† is a story about reflection. It is about a girl reflecting back upon the past. Maybe she just lost her mother or maybe she is grown and finally realizes why her mother told her all of these things. At the time, I’m sure she thought her mother was always on her and barking orders at her. She grew up in a different era. Times were different obviously then based on the way they washed their clothes. â€Å"Wash the white clothes on Monday and put them on the stone heap,† and â€Å"soak your little clothes right after you take them off. All of the things the mother said were to mold her daughter into a good stron g woman. The reference the mother makes to the daughter on not becoming a slut is kind of odd and disturbing. â€Å"On Sundays try to walk like a lady and not like the slut you are so bent on becoming,† and â€Å"this is how to behave in the presence of men who don’t know you very well, and this way they won’t recognize immediately the slut I have warned you against becoming. † This maybe the mother’s way of reverse psychology. By putting hese thoughts and references in the girl’s head, she will think twice about things she does. The girl will not want to give the wrong impression and will strive to rise above her mother’s expectations. This story refers to growth and even though it seems to be somewhat harsh, the mother is really striving for a smart productive daughter. A daughter she is proud to have raised and one who will also set a good example for her own children. Aimee Bender’s â€Å"Tiger Mending† is a story ab out change and growth. This story is about two sisters who have lost their parents and†¦ [continues]

Business Economics for De-Unionization

In the entire Article, the author discusses about the increasing disparity between the upper- and lower-half of the society. The major narrator of the piece is Robert Reich who is primary illustrating the America’s social classes. The metaphor is utilized in explicating how the economy of America is fluctuating for the rich and poor. It is alluded to a boat that everyone is in whereby 1 is rapidly sinking 2 nd one sinking more gradually while the 3 rd steadily rising. The three social classes are referred to here including lower-, middle- and upper-class. The lower-class keeps going poorer due to job loss, increase automation alongside petition from other economies which are enthusiastic to work for less money. The middle-class is somewhat staying unchanged but remain still diminishing economically. This is due to machinery that is substituting employees, lower wages due to the surged social security drawn by the government from the retirees, alongside the stiff petition from immigrant searching for jobs. The upper-class does well and ascending past everyone else since they are the people who are thinking regarding selling their notions to overseas nations who could never think of them independently. The topic is anchored on the Robert Reich as both eye opener and simultaneously a cautionary for the society about the unemployment which the society shall be facing and is presently facing as a result of the lack of education and technology. It precisely enunciates that routine producers’ jobs and in-person servers have extinguished wholly as the contemporary techniques have substituted them. Reich posited that strictly individuals whose jobs remain on the upsurge are symbol analysts. The symbol analysts remain the actual problem solvers. The symbol analysts’ skills remain extremely in the demand globally since they are the people who initially examine the problem and subsequently solve the problem (Reich 15). The same unemployment problem alongside the global recession that has left workers focusing on workers not solely with skills of specialist but further a vaster array of knowledge and skills. The report remains a clear reflection of what is required by the modern day employers, but the question remains whether it is universities or learners individually that fail to cope with the needs of modern world that is marred with advancement in technology alongside critical thinking. The modern day generation alongside reasons for huge drop in employment are truly missing something critical. The opposition holds that the job losses in America is caused not by the immigrants into America but due to technological development and globalization. The opposition acknowledges that the main challenge is the employment crisis that the millennials shall be facing as a result of educational challenges, either in schools or in learners, and the similar period the ascending symbol analysts demand (Spangler 472). This is an eye-openers for millennials since the opposition has precisely illustrated all the challenges facing millennials and shall be facing in the ing years about employment. The main strength in my opponent claim is that it is true that globalization and technological advancement have greatly led to a laying off of many workers. On the other hand, the opponent fails to appreciate that as technology is advancing, many jobs are destroyed and through innovation, many new jobs are created and many firms upskill their old employees rather than retrenching which would indeed retain workers and even employ new ones. The Robert Reich Article remains wholly true. There is a widening gap between the rich and the poor. This disparity/gap is increasing blooming visibly as months turn to years. The rich are increasingly b ing richer since they are the people taking over the lower-class jobs and doing whatever they wish with them. Often, the upper-class fire all the employees and place in automatic machinery since it is increasingly effective and cost really less. The upper-class have further put a surge on immigrants over the previous ten years and it is still ascending today. The immigrants e to America and require jobs to support both families and themselves. This is the reason there is increasing jobs less in the US. If the American economy keeps up with this declining trend, there will people trapped in absolute poverty and those who are filthy rich. Accordingly many of the rich individuals shall refute to assist the poor, even where they are increasingly capable of helping the poor.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Based on my claim, the millennials’ future is analyzed with respect to unemployment problems the millennials will face as a result of globalization. The advancement in technology and entire world â€Å"going global† remains significant.   Unlike my claim, that I hold also contributes to the American job losses, I see sense in the opponent claim that attributes the job loss to the shift of jobs from the developed to developing economies established by the huge recession in the developed-economies to have triggered by the advancement in technology and globalization.    It is true that both claims remain cognizant that the main challenge is the unemployment. Whereas I attributed the lack of employment among the Americans to the petition arising from the immigrants who seek the same jobs to support themselves and families, I am in agreement with my opponent’s claim that globalization and advancement in technology have also played a significant role (Stiglitz 133). It is true that advancement in technology has made workers stay in touch with the entire globe with the assistance of certain optical wires alongside satellites and hence began hiring employees who were willing and ready to work for the lower salaries. In the same manner, introduction of novel labor-saving machineries like ATMs and robotized vending accounts for job losses. Both opposing claims have a sense in arguments and hence there is a mon ground. Both technological advancement and globalization have indeed led to job loses while at the same time Americans have lost jobs due to influx of immigrants. Reich, Robert B. "Why the rich are getting richer and the poor, poorer." The way class works: Readings on school, family, and the economy (2008): 13-24. Spangler, Eve. "When Good Jobs Go Bad: Globalization, De-Unionization, and Declining Job Quality in the North American Auto Industry." (2017): 471-473. Stiglitz, Joseph E. "The overselling of globalization." Business Economics 52.3 (2017): 129-137.

The Ethical Theories of Punishment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Ethical Theories of Punishment - Essay Example These ethical theories of punishment, based on principles of reciprocity, the potential of human transformation and grace come into conflict with one another because of the differences in the intentions in imposing punishment as well as the effects of the punishment. Ethical considerations regarding punishment are of major consequence since its policies infiltrate into and guide all the systems of government: legislative, judicial and executive. The primary objective of punishment is to preserve law and order in society. It is a method implemented and harnessed by an authority to keep a level of stability in society. The moral barometer of society is most often directed according to the decisions taken by legislators and interpreted by the judiciary. Legally, punishment governs the justice and penal systems in which persons offending the law are brought to justice. The justice and penal systems are integral since human rights must be protected and maintained within these institutions , not only by men, but also by a divine figure. The administration of retributive justice by deity is a concept as old as time immemorial and  has been corroborated by our modern justice system. In classical Greece, retributive judgment had religious significance so that the Greeks even had a goddess, Nemesis, which personified and delivered retribution to her followers (Littleton 960). Nemesis is often depicted carrying a pair of scales to demonstrate fairness and inflicted punishment based on the indignation of the gods at particular crime or hubris. Not only in Greek religion but in every religion, there is a mandated form of justice or vengeance for contraventions of the law. Indeed, the goddess Lady Justice stands before major courthouses  and  Departments of Justice as the dispenser of punishment. Retributive punishment is the brand of punishment retaliatory in nature. Retribution dictates that offenders of the law must face a penalty for their attack on another. The pur pose of retribution is to have the guilty party suffer for a wrong committed and â€Å"provides limits that the punishment fit the crime† (Natarajan 75). The letter of the law imposes a cost on the part of the transgressor of the law in which the ancient retributive principle of â€Å"an eye for an eye† comes into effect. Retributive punishment places the fault of the crime squarely on the shoulders of the offender. In other words, you do the crime, you do the time. Society has instituted and leaned on a penal system for ages as a means of restraining offenders from threatening law-abiding citizens. Retributive punishment constitutes â€Å"one of those infringements of the holy will of God in society which can claim a formal legitimacy† (Bedau 439). Hence, one sees that present-day punishment is derived from a legacy of retributive justice. Retributive punishment follows the ethical principle of â€Å"an eye for an eye†¦- the amount of punishment is propor tioned to the degree of his responsibility† (Wood 635). In other words, punishment has to be tantamount to the offense. Taken from the Mosaic law, this law signifies that in penal law, offenders’ punishment has to be weighed alongside the crime. The penal system is to a large extent governed by this rule because of religious history and transferred values. Also, the natural reactive attitudes inherent to man compel him to reciprocate an injury done. Standards are set so that judge and jury sentence miscreants

MTV The Leading Multimedia Youth Brand Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

MTV The Leading Multimedia Youth Brand - Essay Example The work environment provides its employees the ability to contribute, be heard and be successful. MTV was named the world's most valuable media brand for an uninterrupted six years by Business week and Intebrands world's most valuable brands study. Its portfolio of media and entertainment can be broadly classified into online and television channel brands. Some of MTV Networks online, online interactive and web based entertainment brands include Harmonix, AtomFilms, GameTrailers (GT), Xfire, AddictingGames and Shockwave, GoCityKids, Neopets, ParentsConnect and Quizilla. CMT, Logo, MTV, MTV2's, mtvU, MTV Tr3s, MHD, VH1,VH1 Classic,VH1 Soul, COMEDY CENTRAL,Spike TV,TV Land,Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, NOGGIN and The N are the television channel brands under the networks portfolio. The programming content of the MTV channel laid emphasis on reality shows The Real World and Road Rules during the mid- to late 1990s and early 2000s. The years 2005 and 2006 witnessed the channel returning its focus on reality television content with the debuts of popular shows such as 8th and ocean, Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County, Parental Control and the like. To attract and retain the teen and young adult viewer segment, the channel has also airing movies made for that particular age group. Several productions of its own film producing division is also being broadcast. In 2009 it added scripted comedy programs to its pprogramming portfolio With the recent downslide in the networks ratings, MTV stepped into 2009 with a massive shift in programming. It broadcast content focuses more on reality programming. "You get an intense sense of reality that you haven't seen on television before," Graden says. "These are (techniques) that are interesting that I don't see anyone else doing." Brian Graden is the President of Programming, MTV and VH1. Revenues And Profits The following excerpt taken from www.smartbrief.com gives an account of the Third Quarter 2008 financial Results of Viacom of which MTV is a unit. "Revenues grew 4% to $3.41 billion in the third quarter 2008 led by a 6% increase in Media Networks revenues with Filmed Entertainment revenues relatively flat versus the prior year's results. Operating income declined 15% in the quarter, primarily reflecting a $91 million decrease in the Filmed Entertainment segment as it lapped the strong performance of Transformers in the third quarter of 2007. Third Quarter 2008 operating income decreased 15% to $689 million versus $815 million in the third quarter of 2007. Operating income for the Media Networks segment declined 4%, reflecting the impact of lower advertising and consumer products revenues as well as higher expenses primarily related to programming.Business Outlook For the full year 2008, Viacom expects to deliver mid-single to low double-digit growth in adjusted diluted earnings per share from continuing operations.Stock Repurchase ProgramFor the quarter ended September 30, 2008, 7.6 million shares were repurchased for an aggregate purchase price of $215 million. As of October 31, 2008, the Company has $1.4 billion remaining in its existing $4 billion share repurchase program.

Alcoholism is a Disease Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Alcoholism is a Disease - Research Proposal Example This paper will attempt to provide a comprehensive alternative account of the hesitance of the alcoholism therapeutic circles to abandon the disease framework through applying Kuhn’s (1996) approach of scientific development in an historical investigation of the disease framework. To substantiate this standpoint, evidence of the surfacing of the disease framework as a model, assumptions about the causes of alcoholism, the elaborate definition of alcoholism by Jellinek in his book entitled ‘The Disease Concept of Alcoholism, and lastly the surfacing of inconsistency followed by difficulty in the alcoholism study and treatment community are included. The disease framework of alcoholism can be traced back more than two centuries ago, and is regarded by many to be the prevailing framework governing scientific investigation and therapeutic models for the greater part of the 20th century. Nevertheless, in the sixties, the disease framework came under assault because of the surfacing of inconsistent scientific and therapeutic findings. Aside from the United States, the disease framework is regarded by countless to have been questioned, and has traditionally been left out in support of alternative frameworks, such as social-learning assumption. However, in the United States, the disease framework and its main treatment objective of self-discipline persist to tremendously prevail over the treatment of alcoholism. Between other accounts, the financial and political interests of the treatment of alcoholism society in the U.S. have been presented to elaborate the reason why U.S. persists to be left out by other nations in moving further t he disease framework. Nevertheless, an alternative justification for the unwillingness of the alcoholism treatment society to give up the disease framework is exposed by applying Kuhn’s approach of scientific development in an historical investigation of the

Why is bureaucracys relationship to democracy so conflicted Essay

Why is bureaucracys relationship to democracy so conflicted - Essay Example Bureaucracy and democracy are independent in their application to governance but are closely interconnected in a distinctive way. They operate alongside each other but in different directions, with democracy being associated with values such as equality, involvement and independence while bureaucracy supports hierarchy, division of labour and objectivity. This paper discusses why bureaucracy’s relationship to democracy is conflicted. Managerial excellence and participation in governance are significant backgrounds of public perception with regards to bureaucracy and democracy. The people’s view of the accomplishments of the public sector influences their democratic ideals for instance confidence in government and its agencies as well as their effective participation in public affairs. Managerial excellence is influenced by human resource characteristics and is interpreted differently by stakeholders among them the public who are the major clients of the government. Bureaucracy is focused on attaining managerial excellence in the public domain to enhance the accomplishments of democratically elected governments (DuGay, 2000). In this view, the two concepts have a strong interplay because the power to elect governments is vested in the people while on the other hand the elected government needs to establish an efficient bureaucratic system to offer services to the public. It requires effective and competent decisions and leadership qualities for the goals of a bureaucratic system to be realised. This includes maintaining high quality workforce established through meritocracy and professionalism. Managers in the bureaucratic system must promote the ideals of the elected government that represents the people. The public expects transparency and accountability in government that is reflected by its employees. Employees are also expected to maintain innovativeness and creativity to effectively solve problems affecting the

Ohio Prison's Reform Plans and Recidivism Research Paper

Ohio Prison's Reform Plans and Recidivism - Research Paper Example Ohio has a record of being the highest state having a huge number of prisoners and maintaining a larger number of people who are into the prisons. The state has been effectively planning their reform programs and maintaining a proper system of taking reformative programs but it has been a failure at large. The reformative measures are highly affected by the increasing rate of recidivism among the prisoners. Review of the available structures reflects on the failure of the reformative actions that are being taken within the jurisdiction of Ohio. However, the changing needs of the society maintaining an effective system is one of the major needs of development and enhancing the overall approach of jurisdiction. Commendably, the state has incorporate effective measures to enhance the prominence of the same and develop the overall security that is prominent. Notably, with the effective enhancement of the different needs of developing a proper plan has in turn enhanced the value of the overall need for development of prisoners. Furthermore, to reduce the chances of recidivism the jurisdiction system that is prominent in Ohio is enhancing its individual capacity to perform and develop the overall system of jurisdiction. Prison Reform plans acts as a sole development that could be incorporated within the system, ensuring a prospective projection of different social development initiated by any state or secular republic to develop the transparency of the jurisdiction and ensures that larger number of people are incorporated within the society. Reform programs are most important for a country to ensure that more people are able to lead a normal life by developing their ability to work and live as normal citizens. Mostly all the countries of the nations are inclined towards developing a pilot plan that would successfully meet the essentials to get back to the mainstream society. With the effective development of

Prince Among Slaves Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Prince Among Slaves - Movie Review Example He later married an American born enslaved woman whom they had nine children. Abdul Rahman strongly believed in his right for freedom. During his enslavement, Rahman met an Irish ship surgeon whose life had been saved by his father when he was marooned in Africa thus making him the only white man who owed Abdul debt. The Irish’s several attempts to purchase Abdul Rahman’s freedom but the bond of slavery proved strong and Foster refused to sell the man he referred to as Prince. According to â€Å"IslamiCity† , after two more decades and 40 years of enslavement, Abdul met a local printer who had a friend in US Embassy in Morocco led to communication between the Moroccan Sultan and president John Quincy that eventually led to his freedom (Web). After the successful appeal by the president to Foster, Rahman was released to go on a condition that he goes to Africa directly without being granted rights of a free man in America. Rahman decided to work hard to get enough money to purchase his family freedom because he did not like the idea of going back to Africa immediately, which he succeeded early with his wife. He got a setback from the higher prices of his children and grandchildren, which proved too high to raise thus prompting him to give lectures and solicit for donations. He then faced President Adams whom he revealed to that he was not a Moroccan and the President refused to pay any money to assist him (â€Å"IslamiCity† Web). Nevertheless, sickness and the risk of being returned to Foster drove him to leave without his children in Africa where he further pressed for his children’s freedom but he unfortunately died barely four months after his return. Some of his children were however, purchased ultimately while others remained enslaved and to this date, Abdul Rahman legacy is alive amongst his descendants. Prince Among Slaves is a coherent story that fits together well and pays attention to the notions such as dates and the reality of enslavement which boosts the viewer’s confidence that it is true. Information received from the documentary is a true story that is received from a reliable source and the on our account there is a strong belief to believe that the account is very true. The period of enslavement actually took place in the 1770s and prince Rahman was captured as the history tells it. Professor Terry Alford found the document from Henry Clay’s that documented the life of Abdul Rahman that prompted him to write a full account of the Prince. Main character is Abdul Rahman who is an African prince that remained enslaved in America for 40 years before he regained his freedom and return to Africa. He falls from a life of power and privileges into enslavement in a foreign land where he endures unimaginable indignities but marries an enslaved woman and has children. It is interesting when he regains freedom after his royal status recognized in the very land he was enslaved. He manag es to rescue his wife and some of his children after making several attempts of buying freedom. Rahman is represented as a man who lived in extraordinary times but did extraordinary things such as purchasing his freedom and other aspects that interweave the theme of bondage and deliverance. He is

The Process Of Cell Division In Animals Coursework

The Process Of Cell Division In Animals - Coursework Example The cell cycle comprises of four important stages. S stage is for synthesis and DNA replication occurs in this stage. G2 comes after and S phase and is the phase of DNA repair and correction of any mistakes made during DNA replication. Only the cells with repaired DNA are allowed to enter the M phase. M phase or mitosis is when nuclear and cytoplasmic division occurs culminating in the formation of daughter cells. Cytokinesis is the cytoplasmic division of the parent cells. When a fibrin ring called actin contracts around the center of the cell, it leads to pinching of the cell into two daughter cells, each containing one nucleus. Interphase is not technically a part of mitosis as it is the phase in which the cell is metabolically prepared for mitosis. Chromosomes are not clearly distinguished and the pair of centrioles starts appearing. 5. Suppose someone presented data from their research that showed the DNA of a newly discovered species was composed of: 30% adenine, 30% guanine, 2 0% thymine, 20% cytosine. Based on what you know about DNA structure, explain why these data do not make sense. The Chargaff’s rules indicate that the amount of adenosine equals the amount of Thymine and the amount of Guanine equals the amount of Cytosine. Therefore, the total purines equal the total pyrimidines. However, the rules only apply on double-stranded DNA or double stranded RNA and single stranded nucleic acids such as in viruses do not follow the Chargaff’s rule. The data presented shows 30% adenosine and 20% thymine, and 30% guanine in comparison to 20% cytosine. This data contradicts the Chargaff’s rule, indicating that it is not a double-stranded nucleic acid and most likely represents the base pairing of single-stranded nucleic acid, maybe in viruses. 6. What are the differences between a covalent bond and an ionic bond? In a covalent bond, the atoms are bound by the sharing of electrons. The electrons are shared either equally or unequally betwee n the two atoms. If the electrons are shared equally between the two atoms, the covalent bond is said to be non-polar. If the electron is attracted more towards one atom than another, it leads to the formation of a polar covalent bond, for example the molecule of water H2O. In contrast, the ionic bond of two atoms is formed by the forces of attraction between oppositely charged ions. For example, NaCl is formed by the positively charged Sodium (Na) atom and the negatively charged Chloride (Cl) atom. 7. Water is crucial for life as we know it. One of the most important characteristics of water is its ability to act as a solvent. Explain why water is such a good solvent for polar and charged molecules. The physical and chemical composition of water makes it a very good solvent for polar and charged molecules. Water molecule is made up of positive electrical charge of Hydrogen atoms and the negative charge of Oxygen atom. This forms a very strong polar covalent bond and contributes it a property of being a good solvent, by disrupting the attractive forced between other charged molecules. The polar molecules are easily dissolved in water because the forces of attraction are disrupted between the solute. The positive charges are attracted towards the negative Oxygen pole of water and the negative charges of the solute are attracted towards the positive Hydrogen pole of water. The atoms of solute are then surrounded by water molecules, making it a good solvent for charged and polar molecules. 8. Suppose you are taking a cruise from California to Hawaii. About halfway there, the ship begins to sink. You are able to board a lifeboat, but now you are floating in the ocean waiting to be rescued. After several days, you are so thirsty that you bend over the side of the boat and drink

‘Strategic Hrm and Performance Essay Example for Free

‘Strategic Hrm and Performance Essay The people in an organization are considered to be one of the most valuable resources of today’s firms. Other resources such as brands, products, processes, technological advancement, economies of scale can still provide a competitive advantage but an organisation’s human capital are more vital for its sustainability. The idea that an organisation’s Human Resource can play a strategic role in determining its success has led to the development of a field of research commonly referred to as Strategic Human Resource Management. The understanding of the causal relationship between HR and organisational performance helps HR managers to design policies that will bring forth better operational efficiency to achieve higher organizational performance. The emergence of ‘strategic’ HRM represents a paradigm shift from the traditional HRM models. It is concerned more specifically with the relationship between HRM and the strategic context. (Wood, Holman and Stride, 2006: 100) HR practices are the main tool which an organisation can use to change the pool of human capital as well as an attempt to shift and align organisational behaviours which leads to organisational success. The skills, behaviour and attitudes of employees must fit the strategic needs of the firm in order for it to develop a competitive advantage. However, the singular focus on the strategic interests of an organisation have been criticised by some who suggest that this may be to the detriment of the employees (Van Buren, Greenwood and Sheehan, 2011: 209) There has been a steady growth over the last two decades of research literature around  strategic HRM and according to Gooderham, Parry and Ringdal (2008: 2042), this can be broadly divided into three main kinds of theories Universalistic, Contingency and Configurational. Universalistic theories have an underlying assumption that there is a direct link between some human resource practices and organisational performance across all organisations and under all conditions (Lengnick-Hall, Lengnick-Hall, Andrade, and Drake, 2009: 68) and are concerned with ‘best practice’. Contingency theories reject the universal applicability of human resource practices, therefore supposing that the relationship between them and performance will differ depending on various external and internal factors and influences. Configurational theories suggest that the impact of strategic HRM on organisational performance is dependent on the use of an effective combination of interconnected human resource practices. This provides a useful framework for closer examination of the link between theory and practice. Universalistic Theory: In relation to the universalistic theory, the current literature provides much empirical evidence for a direct and linear link between strategic HRM and a positive impact on organisational performance (Boselie, Dietz and Boon, 2005: 67; Combs, Liu, Hall and Ketchen, 2006: 501; Katou and Budhwar, 2006: 1248; Stavrou, Brewster and Charalambous, 2010: 952). In their study of the retail industry, Chuang and Liao (2010: 185) concluded there was a clear link between strategic HRM and performance. They found that human resource practices can facilitate a â€Å"climate of concern† for both customers and employees which subsequently encourages employees to work well with their customers and co-workers which is essential in achieving higher levels of market performance. However the specific ways in which human resource practices impact on organisational outcomes are not always clear and their level of impact has been subject to criticism. Whilst there is strong  evidence to support the view that universal ‘best practices’ provide a strong foundation for strategic HRM, other factors need to be considered in order to achieve a higher level of performance. (Lengnick-Hall, Lengnick-Hall, Andrade, and Drake, 2009: 68). Despite the volume of evidence to suggest the contrary, there is also an increasing consensus in the current literature amongst researchers that human resource practices themselves do not directly impact on performance. Instead, it is suggested that they merely influence resources, such as the human capital, or how employees behave, and it is these, rather than the practices themselves, that subsequently lead to performance. (Katou and Budhwar, 2006: 1224). The ability to influence through strong leadership plays an important role in helping employees to be aware of the sets of HR best practices. These best practices need the support of top-level managers to adopt them in the first place, which in turn will greatly influence the buy-in from the rest of the employees in the organization. If these so called ‘best practices’ are mainly from the perspective of top management and shareholders, while there is no room for employees’ voices to be heard, the theoretical aspect of strategic HRM will not work. In their study of performance and strategic HRM in Call Centres across the UK, Wood, Holman and Stride (2006: 120) found very limited support for the human resource-performance relationship and identified inconsistent results across practices and performance. Furthermore, in other research conducted by Hesketh and Fleetwood (2006: 678), they conclude that â€Å"the empirical evidence for the existence of an HRM–performance link is inconclusive†. In real life, companies may need to respond to external pressures which creates problems of treating employees with consistency of treatment, especially over time and may cause problems of retaining good and loyal staff. Simply developing the appropriate HR practices in theory will not be enough because HR advantages also depend on how these practices are implemented on the ground. For example, an organisation that focuses on the well-being of their employees in an economic recession or times of increased competition may be forced to decide between commitment to employees and a need to cut costs, restructure or lay-offs in order to stay solvent. Therefore, looking for a link between HR practices and performance is a futile effort because the main focus needs to be on the relationship between policy, practices, processes, implementation  and performance. This is a huge effort that is not easily and practically achieved in many organisations today. Contingency Theory: In relation to the contingency theory described by Gooderham, Parry and Ringdal (2008: 2042), whereby the relationship between strategic HRM practices and performance is said to vary according to different external and internal factors and contextual variables, there is some support. Internal influences identified in the literature include factors such as technology, structure and size of the organisation and business strategy, and external influences include factors such as the legal, social and political environment (Lengnick-Hall, Lengnick-Hall, Andrade, and Drake, 2009: 66). For instance, within Wal-Mart, those in charge of logistics have extremely valuable and unique skills, much more so than the average sales associate. On the other hand, at Nordstrom’s, because customer service is important, sales associate skills are more critical to the strategy than those of the logistics employees. Indeed Godard (2010: 466) argues that a key criticism of the current research around strategic HRM practices is its failure to pay sufficient systematic attention to these variables and to the impact that historical, institutional and socioeconomic conditions may have had on human resource practices over time. Similarly, Hueslid and Becker (2001: 427) suggest that whilst the nature of work and organisations has undergone considerable change over the past two decades, the practice of strategic HRM has changed much less and this failure to adapt and be flexible has a direct impact on how well it works in practice and how much influence it has on organisational performance. Relating to this, Kim (2010: 42) asserts that understanding employees’ expectations for their work environment is fundamental to developing successful human resource practices including expectations around merit awards, promotion and career development opportunities and organisational rules. Critics of the contingency theory approach, however, suggest that whilst the arguments surrounding it build a theoretical foundation that is more solid that that of the universalistic approach, the evidence of its effectiveness in practice does not reach the same level of statistical validity. (Martin-Alcazar, Romero-Fernandez and Sanchez-Gardey, 2005: 636). Configurational Theory: Finally, with regard to the third theory proposed by Gooderham, Parry and Ringdal (2008: 2042), there appears to be a strong evidence base of support in the current literature for configurational theory. This theory suggests that the impact of strategic HRM is dependent on the effective combination of a range of interrelated and multi-dimensional practices that must work well with one another in order to achieve positive performance outcomes. In their study of strategic HRM and organisational development in British manufacturing firms, De Menezes, Wood and Gelade (2010: 468), concur with this and argue that strategic HRM only has the ability to achieve multiple goals and higher organisational performance, when it is fully integrated with other practices. Similarly, Boxall and Purcell (2000: 186) note that too often there remains a marked tendency in organisations to view human resource practices as an end in themselves, rather than as integral to the organisation and they are therefore are not appropriately linked in to one another and to other management practices, which subsequently impacts on how effectively they operate. The role and skills of human resource practitioners has also been the subject of much research in relation to what impact they have in making strategic HRM work in practice. Some commentators suggest that in order for practices to be effective, practitioners need to possess key strategic skills and core abilities including a high level of knowledge about the business and the environment in which it operates, organisational effectiveness skills, and conflict management skills (Ingham, 2010: 32). Furthermore, Van Buren, Greenwood and Sheehan (2011: 210) propose that the duality of roles that human resource practitioners have historically played, as both employer representatives and as employee advocates, has led to complications and may impact on how effective human resource management is in practice. They go on to suggest that human resource managers face pressures to emphasise employer goals, and often this impacts negatively on their role of advocating for employee welfare, and that they are constrained by demands of their managers and the organisational cultures in which they operate. (2011: 211). Related to this, another feature of the current literature is how  human resource practices are implemented and by whom within organisations. The evidence suggests that rather than being seen as a ‘specialist’ role, much of the work around human resource practice is increasingly being delegated to middle managers to implement. Critics of this approach suggest that these managers are not equipped with the essential skills and time needed to effectively implement strategic HRM. Growing workloads and rising expectations of their roles have increased tensions within their position as middle managers, with their perception that they do not have the time or resources to effectively manage their staff (McConville and Holden, 1999: 406). In a study of line manager involvement in human resource practice in the NHS, Currie and Proctor (2001: 53) found that line managers are important to strategic change within the organisation when given discretion to implement human resource strategies within their own teams. However, managers may not place the same value on strategic HRM, and managers are much more reactive than proactive, and are not likely to prioritise human resource issues unless any problems associated with them become critical. Many managers in today’s organisations are more task oriented because of the demands of multi-tasking, while ideally they should be spending most of their time really managing their staff and departments. This may not be entirely their fault because many organisations today are often dominated by cost-benefit analysis and talk a lot about trade-offs rather than the emotional and mental well-being of their employees. Another key feature of the literature is associated with the methodological challenges that exist in assessing to what extent strategic HRM theory works in practice. These challenges arise from the lack of a single agreed definition or list of human resource practices or systems to measure the relationship between strategic HRM and organisational performance (Paauwe, 2009: 136). The absence of this means that performance may only be ascribed to the specific effects of single interventions rather than measured as a whole. It has been recognised that the development and evaluation of a more comprehensive model demonstrating a causal link between strategic HRM and performance is needed. (Huselid and Becker, 2011: 422). Wright and McMahan (2011: 95) propose that there are three key measures that exist whereby the effectiveness of human capital and therefore human resource practices can be  measured. These include: subjective measures such as employee perceptions; proxy measures which are used as alternatives where aspects of practice are difficult to quantify; and direct assessments which involves measuring tangible factors such as levels of academic attainment of employees or productivity. However, they acknowledge that these measures are not necessarily easy to implement and that all pose challenges for those wanting to research and measure the effectiveness of human resource practices. Others argue that any measures of the impact of strategic HRM and human resource practices are at high risk of bias and misinterpretation and any results relating to this should therefore be treated with caution (Gardner and Wright, 2009: 68). Conclusion: The purpose of this paper is not to ignore the importance of Strategic Human Resource Management theories and the benefits it brings to organisations’ competitive advantage. The studies put in by many renowned theorists seemed to show that there is indeed a link between well executed Human Resource policies and strategies with organizational performance: Table 1: Outcomes of research on the link between HR and organizational performance. Source: Michael Armstrong (2006). Strategic Human Resource Management: A Guide to Action. Kogan Page. London. p. 73-74 The current research literature provides a very mixed view of how well the theory of strategic HRM works in practice. Whilst some studies provide convincing evidence to point to a direct causal link with strategic HRM and high organisational performance, others provide equally compelling evidence to suggest that there is no link and in some cases, even a negative correlation with good performance. In addition, many studies suggest that there are a wide range of variables which impact on how effectively the theory of strategic HRM translates into practice, and which make it difficult to differentiate the impact of strategic HRM from other management activities, and other factors including internal and external organisational pressures and drivers, the type and size of the organisation, and the skill base and strategic placement of human resource management related roles  within the organisation. It also depends on whether the organisation has the capability and the skilled resources to communicate and implement the HR strategies across all level in the organisation. For example, from top management to department heads or from line managers to service staff as well as interactions between departments and employees. The issue is additionally problematic when combined with the lack of consensus on the measures to be used to assess the impact of strategic HRM on performance. A major challenge for Strategic Human Resource Management in the near future is to is to establish a clear and consistent construct for organisational performance. Despite the strong theoretical grounds for believing that strategic HRM should be beneficial for organisational performance, the evidence in practice is ambiguous. Strategic HRM is a complex and ever evolving process and given the contesting evidence and the lack of agreed metrics, the debate around whether or not strategic HRM works in practice will continue on. One aspect of this debate, however, where there does seem to be consensus, is around the need for further research in this area, and perhaps only with this, can the debate ever be truly settled. Reference List Boselie, P., Dietz, G., and Boon, C. (2005) â€Å"Commonalities and contradictions in HRM and performance†, Human Resource Management Journal, Vol. 15 (1), pp. 67–94. Boxall, P. and Purcell, J. (2000) â€Å"Strategic Human Resource Management: where have we come from and where should we be going?† International Journal of Management Reviews, Vol. 2 (2), pp. 183-203. Chuang, C.H. and Liao, H. (2010) â€Å"Strategic Human Resource Management in Service Context: Taking Care of Business by Taking Care of Employees and Customers†, Personnel Psychology, Vol. 63, pp. 153-196. Currie, G. and Procter, S. (2001) â€Å"Exploring the Relationship between HR and Middle Managers†, Personnel Review, Vol. 11 (3), pp. 53-69. De Menezes, L.M., Wood, S. and Gelade, G. (2010) â€Å"The integration of human resource and operation management practices and its link with performance: A longitudinal latent class study†, Journal of Operations Management, Vol. 28, pp. 455-471. Edgar, F. and Geare, A. (2005). â€Å"HRM practice and employee attitudes: Different measures – different results†, Personnel Review, Vol. 34 (5), pp. 534-549. Godard, J. (2010) â€Å"What Is Best for Workers? â€Å"The Implications of Workplace  and Human Resource Management Practices Revisited†, Industrial Relations, Vol. 49 (3), pp. 466-488. Gooderham, P., Parry, E. and Ringdal, K. (2008) â€Å"The impact of bundles of strategic human resource management practices on the performance of European firms†, The International Journal of Human Resource Management†, Vol. 19 (11), pp. 2041-2056. Gould-Williams, J. and Davies, F. (2005). â€Å"Using social exchange theory to predict the effects of HRM practice on employee outcomes†, Public Management Review, Vol. 7 (1), pp. 1-24. Hathorn, M. (2012) Human Capital Challenges and Priorities, Optimis Human Capital Management: Switzerland. Katou, A.A. and Budhwar, P.S. (2006) â€Å"Human resource management systems and organizational performance: a test of a mediating model in the Greek manufacturing context†, International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 17 (7), pp.1223-1253. Lengnick-Hall, M.L., Lengnick-Hall, C.A., Andrade, L.S. and Drake, B. (2009) â€Å"Strategic human resource management: The evolution of the field†, Human Resource Management Review, Vol. 19, pp. 64-85. Marescaux, E., De Winne, S. and Sels, L. (2010) HRM practices and work outcomes: The role of basic need satisfaction, Research Centre for Organisation Studies: Belgium. Martin-Alcazar, F., Romero-Fernandez, P.M. and Sanchez-Gardey, G. (2005) â€Å"Strategic human resource management: integrating the universalistic, contingent, configurational and contextual perspectives†, The International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 16 (5), pp. 633-659. McConville, T. and Holden, L. (1999) The filling in the sandwich: HRM and middle managers in the health sector, Personnel Review, Vol. 28 (5/6), pp.406–424. Stavrou, E.T., Brewster, C. and Charalambous, C. (2010) â€Å"Human resource management and firm performance in Europe through the lens of business systems: best fit, best practice or both?†, The International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 21 (7), pp. 933-962. Van Buren III, H.J., Greenwood, M. and Sheehan, C. (2011) â€Å"Strategic human resource management and the decline of the employee focus†, Human Resource Management Review, Vol. 21, pp. 209-219. Wood, S., Holman, D. and Stride, C. (2006) â€Å"Human Resource Management and Performance in UK Call Centres†, British Journal of Industrial Relations, Vol. 44 (1), pp. 99-124. Wright, P.M. and McMahan, G.C. (2011) â€Å"Exploring human capital: putting human back into strategic human resource management†, Human Resource Management Journal, Vol. 21 (2), pp. 93-104.

History Of Ordnance Corps Essay Example for Free

History Of Ordnance Corps Essay The Ordnance Corp is one of the oldest branches of the Army, established May 14, 1812. The U. S. Army Ordnance Department established from The Revolutionary War. General George Washington, the commander of the Continental Army, appointed Ezekiel Cheever to provide ordnance support to army in July 1775. Until 1779, all the armies had Ordnance personnel moving with them. They were civilians and Soldiers, served as conductors for maintenance ammunition wagon and arms. Each conductor led five to six armorers who repaired small arms. In 1776, Board of War and Ordnance was created. In 1777, the first Ordnance facilities were established at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and the first arsenal and armory operations at Springfield, Massachusetts. Other arsenals and armories were also established at Harpers Ferry, Philadelphia, and Watertown. On May 14, 1812, the Ordnance Department was organized by Congress. The Ordnance Department was responsibility for arms and ammunition production, acquisition, distribution, and storage for the war. In 1832, the Ordnance Corps had new responsibilities for researching and development of field services. Good work of the Ordnance Department continully to developed and tested during the Mexican War. The Mexican War became the foundation for the massive logistics. During the American War, the Ordnance Corps was really tested and developed. The Ordnance Corps brought massive procurement of weapons and supplies, and providing field support for fast moving armies. In 1898, Spain War, the Ordnance Corps first deployed overseas and provided close-combat support. During World War I, the Ordnance Corps mobilized and developed weapons systems, organized Ordnance training facilities, and established overseas supply depots. In World War II saw dramatic expansion of the Ordnance mission of production, maintenance and training. In both Korea War and Vietnam War, the Ordnance Corps provided supplies and maintenance, and was active in the development of rockets, guided missiles and satellites. In modern U. S. Army Regimental System, the Ordnance Corps is organized under the whole branch concept. The Chief of Ordnance serves as the Regimental  Commander, and the Office Chief of Ordnance serves as Headquarters Ordnance Corps. The Ordnance Corps will be always supporting the development, production, acquisition and sustainment of weapons, ammunitions, missiles, electronics, and mobility to supporting combat power to the U. S. Army. The insignia of the Ordnance Corps is yellow color metal shell and flame. The Shell and Flame is considered the oldest branch insignia in the U. S. army. The Shell and Flame had been used by European armies before its adoption by the U. S. army. In fact, it is still used by European armies. This insignia was assigned to the Ordnance Corps in 1832. The branch colors are crimson and yellow. At first, the Ordnance Corps had a red trail, like Artillery. In 1851, Crimson was assigned to the Ordnance Corps. Then in 1902, it was changed to black and scarlet color. Then finally, in 1921, crimson and yellow were assigned to the Ordnance Corps again. The Act of May 14, 1812, recognized the Ordnance Corps. In 1936, the army Institute of Heraldry redesigned and standardized version of the Shell and Flame. Redesigned Shell and Flame remains the current version.

Reflection Paper: Socialization and Self-Identity

Reflection Paper: Socialization and Self-Identity Introduction I grew up in an average middle class family, whereby I attended a public primary school during early years of my life. Life was quite simple in primary school because almost all pupils were friendly and there were no social divisions both in class and outside. However, life was different when I went to high school, with the existence of a caste system that drew distinct boundaries between the middle class students who were well behaved and the lower class students associated with rudeness and truancy. Socialization in Relation to Self Identity According to Styker (1980), sociological approach to self identity is based on assumption of an existence of a relationship between oneself and the society, whereby the self influences the society through individual actions thus creating groups, networks and institutions. Likewise, the society influences self through shared meanings and language that enable someone to engage in social interactions and reflect upon himself/herself as an object. My primary school life was greatly shaped by society within a conducive environment that never encouraged social divisions among pupils but embraced a unified community, where everyone seemed to conform to norms and regulations of the school. This is further supported by social identity theory that emphasizes on identity as being embedded in a social group or category rather than role behavior (Turner, Hogg, Oakes, Reicher, Wetherell 1987). Life in high school was quite different from that of primary school as I had to identify with either the middle class students who conformed to school regulations or identify with the lower class students, who were truant, rude and cared less about school rules and regulations. This called for need to reflect, evaluate and plan accordingly in order to bring out my future state and achieve consciousness with respect to my own existence in school. Initially, I was torn between the two cliques of students because much as I desired to perform well in school, I also wanted to drink, smoke and do the crazy things that teenagers do. After critical self evaluation, I found myself striking a balance between the two sets of students and had two different sets of social lives. I could occasionally identify with the middle class students who were well behaved when I needed to study and equally strike a balance in being popular with the truant group, especially when I needed to smoke, drink and m isbehave. Such decision came after some crisis (Mercia 2008). According to Marcias identity status theory, ones sense of identity is largely determined by choices and commitments made in respect to personal and social traits. Focusing on adolescent development, Mercia (2008) points out that adolescent stage consists neither of identity resolution nor identity confusion, but rather the degree to which one has explored and committed to an identity in a variety of life domains from education, religion, relational choices and gender roles among others. Marcias theory of identity achievement argues that two distinct parts form an adolescents identity, namely; crisis and commitment. He defined a crisis as a time of upheaval where old values or choices are being reexamined and further argues that the end outcome of a crisis leads to a commitment made to a certain role or value. Living comfortably with the two sets of students explains the notion that there are as many different selves as there are different positions that one holds in society as well as to different groups responding to self (James 1890). This brings out my overall self that has multiple identities, with each identity being tied to aspects of the social structure (Burke 1980). When associating with the truant group of students, the only things we did and discussed were those relevant to the group such as planning how to misbehave, where to drink, smoke and do other things that were against school rules. On the other hand, identifying with disciplined group of students restricted me to discuss and do things that were relevant to identity of the group such as class assignments and group discussions. This boosted my psychological well being as well as social skills that enabled me to fit well in school society as supported by Thoits (2001), who argues that greater psychological well- being all ows individuals to actively acquire multiple role identities over time. Furthermore research has proved that making roles and accumulating role identities equally fosters greater psychological well being. Being able to identify and associate with two sets of students in high school can be attributed to identity theory. Stryker (1980) describes identity theory as a micro- sociological theory that links self attitudes or identities to the role- related behavior of individuals. It takes into account individual role relationships and identity variability, motivation and differentiation. This implies that my behavior in any of the two groups was dependant on shared responses and behavioral expectations emerging from social interactions. Exchange theory further supports my interaction with two sets of students as it views commitment as being influenced by repeated exchange agreement, which generate emotional connection among group members in the form of satisfaction (Lawler Yoon 1996). Socialization in Relation to Academic Performance Ability to identify with the disciplined set of students gave me satisfaction, both academically and psychologically as learning requires diligence and obedience, qualities that are widely associated with feminists. On the other hand, associating with truant group of students gave me the excitement and drive to enjoy my teenage life as well as performance of masculinity, which is associated with the highest social status in state schooling environment, a status that I could only achieve through identifying with truant group of students (Fine 2003 Renold 2006). I was an extrovert, popular with my peers and a high academic achiever. Friends were my most enjoyable aspect of school and I accentuated communication and relationships with friends, while maintaining good heterosexual relationships that invested more in emotional instead of physical aspects of the relationships within the two sets of friends. Research has shown that high achievement in class does not necessarily constitute classroom isolation and unpopularity, thus students identified as high achieving are equally popular. Based on this observation, it can be argued that high academic achievement is not impending the popularity of a student and the sociability of a student may indicate that strong social skills contribute to high academic achievement as was my case (Jackson, 2006). Francis, Skelton Read (2010) indicate in their research that sociability of students results to increased levels of confidence for boys and girls regardless of their social class, pointing out that high performing students are often highly aware of their high academic achievement and this achievement awareness preoccupation delineates the notion of giftedness. I was able to excel academically because I was comfortable with my perceived high academic ability and I never underestimated my achievement in relation to my peers, unlike what most girls do. Being vividly aware of my own authenticity, I managed to construct my popularity based on my intrinsic merit factors such as friendliness, sociability and kindness. I was actively engaged in class work and worked hard, completing all assignments even in challenging conditions. Furthermore, I was an enthusiastic participant in class and was always ready to execute given tasks during classes. I was in good terms with teachers and this added value to my performance of attitude. My talks and actions frequently dominated during my days in high school as I was loud, assertive and at the center of events, unlike my low achieving and less popular peers, who were more extrinsic and obsessed with factors such as good looks. I however considered myself good looking and fashionable in appearance during those days. My physical attractiveness and stylish clothing enhanced my classroom relationships and contributed greatly in bringing a balance between my popularity and academic achievement. This i s in agreement with Butler (1993) and Kehily (2006) who indicate that physical appearance facilitates and contributes to sociability, confidence and sometimes academic excellence. My performance enhancing qualities are in agreement with self categorization theory that describes how people define themselves at group level as well as at an individual level, considering group and individual identities to be different levels of self categorization and more distinct from each other as opposed to social identity theory (Hogg and Terry 2000). Employing this theory gave me an opportunity to have unlimited range of identities based on context and convenience to achieve desired objectives based on targeted achievement with any particular kind of behavior. In their contribution to social identity theories, Lucey and Reay (2002) observe that academic success and excellence cannot exist without failure, supporting the fact that some students must be marked as failures for others to be identified as successful. This explains my academic excellence and equally explains poor performance for some of my peers. Conclusion Human beings are social beings and need each other to coexist, a fact supported by the existence of social theories of identity, which explain personal, interpersonal as well as group relationships. As a teenager and a student, social theories of identity worked to my advantage as I managed to strike a balance between different categories of social groups in favor of my performance and social life. I lived well in high school because I could use social theories to manipulate situations for the sake of a peaceful and harmonious existence, while at the same time quenching my curiosity for exciting teenage experience. If well used, social theories can bring success to ones academic performance and fruitful relationships that support peaceful coexistence within a given society.

Clock Arithmetic :: essays research papers

Clock Arithmetic The topic of time has always been one of interest to me at least on a philosophical basis. Through the works of Einstein, ancient timepieces and calendars such as Stonehenge, and even theories on past and present, time is everywhere. I chose this topic to perhaps explore further the relevance of clocks and timepieces in mathematics and arithmetic. To gain a better understanding of the mathematical features of time would be rewarding knowing that philosophy and mathematics are closely related. Through what I’ve seen in clock arithmetic the concepts could be taught and applied as early as first grade due to the nature of addition and subtraction involved. Clock Arithmetic is also used for technological reasons. Computer games are manufactured using clock arithmetic to base a character’s position due to the resolution of the screen on a certain axis. Example: Suppose you are playing a video game and the character in the game (let's call him Max) is walking from the left side of the screen to the right side. Max gets to the right side of the screen and keeps walking; he disappears and reappears on the left side of the screen again. If the screen is 12 inches wide and we are keeping track of how far Max is from the left side of the screen, then as soon as he is 12 inches from the left side it's as if he was back at the beginning again. If you put it pictorially, against a clock you’d find that Max would start and end up at the same point. Now I’d like to downgrade and put things in an elementary perspective. If it is 3 o'clock and we add 5 hours to the time that will put us at 8 o'clock, so we could write 3 + 5 = 8. But if it is 11 o'clock and we add 5 hours the time will be 4 o'clock, so we should write 11 + 5 = 4. Now everyone knows that 11 + 5 =16, but there is no 16 on the clock (unless you're on military time). Every time we go past 12 on the clock we start counting the hours at 1 again. If we add numbers the way we add hours on the clock, we say that we are doing clock arithmetic. So, in clock arithmetic 8 + 6 = 2, because 6 hours after 8 o'clock is 2 o'clock.

sport marketing :: essays research papers

Sport Marketing The notion of "marketing myopia" has haunted marketers since Theodore Levitt published his famous article "Marketing Myopia" in Harvard Business Review in 1960. Levitt argues that companies which narrowly focus on the product to the detriment of customer requirements (i.e., dispensing with the marketing concept) suffer from marketing myopia. Myopia or shortsightedness is often apparent within organizations. Several types of marketing myopia can be identified including classic myopia, competitive myopia and efficiency myopia. Companies displaying one of these three elements are clearly distinguishable from innovative firms which embrace the marketing concept in practice and which have a much broader scope than is required for a single business sector. In order to overcome myopia and become innovative, the following is recommended:  Companies should hold a generic view of themselves and of the industry in which they operate  Companies should also take the crucial step to monitor other industries  Benchmarking should be conducted  Marketing staff should be recruited but not necessarily from the same sector  Companies should be flexible and seek unique solutions. The biggest reason for market myopia is the lack of research or the inefficiency of that research. Almost all of the myopia could be avoided if research and the researchers were trained and the thought process was developed in a good fashion. All of marketing whether it is in sports or out of sports all revolves around the same basic principles the four P’s. In all of marketing the P’s are: Product, Price, Place and Promotion, however in sport there is an added principle and that is Public relations. Even the best marketers can come up short according to these principles because it does not matter how much you know but rather in a service business such as sport it most important to be able to interact with the consumers. A great example of a lack of interaction is here at Merrimack College. Our sport programs do not get enough marketing coverage both on and off campus. Our Sports Information Director does not place flyers in the student union and also he does not advertise on the college television channel. Here at Merrimack, they lack the Promotion aspect of their sports, which includes our division one hockey program. A great example of this lack of communication was the fact that when the hockey team was playing against then #1 Maine, the campus was not informed of this huge game.

Themes in Silas Marner :: Silas Marner Essays

Themes in Silas Marner Silas Marner, written by George Eliot in 1861, attempts to prove that love of others is ultimately more fulfilling than love of money. This theme shows throughout the book, though the manner in which it is revealed leaves a bit to be desired. Often Silas Marner is criticized for being such a simple, unrealistic story. It does seem odd that after fifteen years of almost solitary confinement, Silas can trade his love of gold for his love of a daughter overnight. Despite Eliot’s attempt to portray Silas’s reawakening to society as a slow transition, the reader interprets his change of heart as a direct and immediate result of Eppie’s arrival. Despite these flaws in the story, the overall theme that man cannot live in a vacuum is portrayed by Eliot very well. Though Silas finds some satisfaction in his tenacious weaving and hoarding of gold, he only discovers true happiness after he dedicates himself to inter-personal relationships. Though his exile from Lantern Yard proves devastating to his self confidence and trust in others and God, fifteen years later Silas makes a full recovery, adopting Eppie to replace his love of money with love of a daughter. The fact that Lantern Yard has disappeared years later when Silas and Eppie go to visit it suggests that this town is no longer dear to Silas. In fact the removal of the town serves as a metaphor for Silas’s ability to find happiness outside his past. Also, near the conclusion of the story, the "fits" of Silas seem to have subsided. This makes sense because since the bachelor weaver has recovered and Eppie has opened his eyes to the reality of the world again, his soul is no longer separate from his body. While before, his soul was exiled and held in a purgatory of sorts before he found Eppie, now his spirit is alive and well, living in the present. Yet he still has relapses, suggesting that the fifteen years of self-torture have left permanent scars on his troubled soul. One lesser theme of the book is in regards to the Cass family. Eliot, through her portrayal of Godfrey and Dunstan as wealthy, selfish scoundrels who try to use one another and others to their personal advantage, asserts that the upper class has damaged society. While the Cass family, thinking that their wealth gives them undue privilege and rights to property (Godfrey’s attempt to seize Eppie from Silas), seems incredibly egocentric, Silas, representing the lower class, is seen as a humble victim of class bias.

Homeostasis Essay

What is homeostasis? Homeostasis is the mechanism in our body that regulates and maintains a stable and constant environment. This enables our body to respond to changes in the environment around us as. The homeostatic mechanisms in our body, observe and monitor conditions and will then make a judgment whether to change the way the body functions is order to adapt to the outside surroundings better. The main organs involved in homeostasis are; the brain, liver, skin and kidney’s. The skin is involved as its acts as a protective layer and also regulates body temperature. The liver breaks down harmful substances and the kidneys regulate water levels and waste products. In the brain the hypothalamus controls everything and changing them to fit into the outside surroundings. Negative feedback is also linked in as it is the process of homeostasis. It is negative because it is in a negative situation and will not kick it unless there’s something wrong. Body temperature When we exercise the body has to work harder, the body temperature would increase this is due to organs having to work harder to get oxygen to muscles. The metabolic rate that produces more energy has to increase in order for more energy to be released. The heart has to pump more blood around the body in order to deliver oxygen to the working muscles so they can carry on working at that capacity. What mechanisms are there to cool the body down? Sweating-glands are stimulated to release sweat Liquid turn into gas Vasodilation-your body carries most of the heat energy around your body There are capillaries underneath your skin that can be filled with blood if you get too hot This brings the blood closer to the surface of the skin so more heat can be lost, this is why we look red when we’re hot. What mechanisms are there to warm the body up? Vasoconstriction-this is the opposite of vasodilation The capillaries underneath your skin get constricted (shut off) so less heat is lost Piloerection- this is when the hairs on your skin stand up The hairs trap a layer of air next to the skin which is then warmed by the body heat. Heart rate The heart rate is controlled by the autonomic nervous system. This system however, is split into two, the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic system. The sympathetic system is in charge of speeding up the heart rate when it’s needed and the parasympathetic system is there to slow the heart rate down. There are many reasons why heart rate could increase; the main and obvious reasons are fear, stress and exercise. Exercise is one of the main reasons why heart rate would increase as when we exercise we need more oxygen to travel to our working muscles. Oxygen is only carried in the blood and the main organ for the blood pumping around the body is the heart. This is when the sympathetic nervous system comes in; the receptors tell the brain that we are doing exercise and then the brains sends a message to the heart to pump faster, in order for more oxygen to be transported in the blood to the working muscles. When we are not doing exercise we have a ‘pace maker ’ of the heart. This ‘pace maker’ called the Sino atrial node keeps a regular heart beat. We have tested our Sino atrial node by first of all doing exercise to see our risen heart rate, mine was 13. After 5 minutes of rest our Sino atrial node should have kicked in and our regular heart beat will be taking place, mine was now 11. The negative feedback system Change in the body’s external environment, the brain receives a message – exercise Change in body’s internal system Receptors detect change and send messages to the brain The brain organises internal and external body changes to bring the environment back to normal Breathing rate Breathing rate is determined by the amount of breaths taken during a certain  period of time. This can increase during exercise or any physical activity or trauma. The way in which the body recognises this is by the chemo-receptors. They send a message to the brain, which then sends a message to the heart to pump more blood by beating faster, this is because they have detected a change in the amount of carbon dioxide that is circulating the body. When the chemo-receptors detect a high level of carbon dioxide, they send a message to the brain to increase or decrease breathing rate in order to get rid of carbon dioxide or to replenish the amount of oxygen in the body. What happens next is very clever in the fact that the body recognises that during exercise we need more oxygen. Therefore messages in the form of nerve impulses are sent to the diaphragm causing it to contract. When the diaphragm contracts it lowers itself in order for the ribs to expand and move upwards so there is inc reased space for the lungs to inflate. The muscle that allows the ribs to move up and out is called the inter costal muscle. This process of breathing rate is called inspiration. When we exhale the reverse happens to what has just been explained. The diaphragm relaxes and returns to its original position. The inter costal muscle that allows the ribs to move up and out also relaxes and returns the ribs to their stationary position. This process is known as expiration. Blood glucose Blood glucose is simply the control of sugar levels in the body, and determines when the body needs more glucose (sugar) or when it needs less. The part of the body that controls the glucose is the pancreas. The pancreas releases insulin which is made to lower blood sugar levels when it gets too high but can also create glucagon that brings the blood sugar levels up when they are too low. Blood sugar levels mainly are affected and altered by the food we eat. Before a meal our blood sugar levels will be running low but after we’re eaten our blood sugar levels will be a lot higher, and in many cases will need the help of insulin to bring them down to the normal level, between 4 and 8ml, if we have consumed too much. The process of how we get the sugar is from the food we eat, mainly by the carbohydrates we consume. Carbohydrates are taken into the body by the food, and are then digested and changed into glucose that the body can use for energy. During exercise blood sugar levels will fall below our normal, so our body receptors say ‘level of glucose in the body is too low’ and therefore will tell the pancreas to produce glycogen to bring our sugar levels back up.

Definition of Some Symbols

near people mind to come back that the exit sucker which is physical exercised as a symbol by the American inflamed surmount and International violent penetrate is a Christian symbol and thereof that these organizations be Christian in char f argonr. I dont know wherefore, hardly these people dont passm to realize that bobble ar and get refine been use as symbols outside of Christianity. Media Matters reports According to the American tearing Cross website, it was in honor of the Swiss that the symbol of a going away loan-blend on a white footing (the reverse of the Swiss lurch) was identified as a protective emblem in conflict areas. While the stick on the Swiss masthead originated in the 1200s from a symbol of the Christian opinion, according to the Swiss Embassy in the United States, the rubicund Cross occupys no mention of Christianity as a reason for adopting the symbol. In addition to stating that its symbol was chosen as the reverse of the Swi ss gladiola, the American blushful Cross website adds that the Red Cross idea was born in 1859, when Henry Dunant, a young Swiss man, came upon the scene of a bloody combat in Solferino, Italy, and that the emblem was adopted at this prime(prenominal) International Conference as a symbol of neutrality at the first-ever Geneva Convention at Geneva, Switzerland, in 1864. Media Matters put up this information to excuse how Bill OReilly was incorrect to use this as an example for why its wrong to remove the giant Christian cross from Mt. Soledad in San Diego. OReilly isnt the plainly person who thinks that the carmine cross is a Christian cross, though that appears to be a belief held by almost Islamics and why Muslim organizations use a cherry- florid rounded-shaped-shaped. Vehicles with a scarletdish cross on them might be targeted as a Christian vehicle in wrong place. Thus, Christians identical Bill OReilly who are trying to defend Christianity are m equivalentg th e same mistakes as non-Christian terrorists who would like to attack Christianity. The irony of this is truly astounding.It is misidentify because most people think of a cross as the Christian symbol, the pip weapon. The cross or accession signal on the Swiss flag is truly a symbol of the Christian c trickel as head so the red cross flag, a symbol which is derivative of the Swiss flag, is besides a Christian symbol. The plus sign is in tout ensemble aspects a cross in the emotional stateual sense and does counterbalance a specialised faith on the Swiss flag as well as the red cross symbol. I might as well be in the order of the murder weapon itself more tradition all(prenominal)y presented by religious people. there is a red semilunar flag and a red corpus of David flag as well, cl earliest religious symbols which were made as alternatives it the Christian cross or plus sign on these flags. Identification * The red cross symbol is a four-armed cross that resemble s two perfect rectangles placed to look like a cross. There is no lettering, and the symbol usually appears on a white jeopardizeground. Significance * The symbol is the global sign for medic. It is associated in the U. S. with the American Red Cross, a nonprofit aid sureness that avails those in need, regardless of their ability to pay. floor * The cross was wiz of some(prenominal) symbols utilize to signify medic until the introduction of firearms to employment and the increase in casualties. Henri Durant knowing the red cross as we know it like a shot after witnessing tens of thousands of soldiers left dying on the battlefield with no angiotensin-converting enzyme to help them. As I understand it, the red cross was a symbol designed to identify medical personal during wartime it was meant to be a symbol of protection. It is a shock of the Swiss flag, in honour of the Red Cross gear uper, Henry Dunant, who was swiss.So nurses and separate medical personal wore a red cross to identify themselves. Nursing was at the core of the Red Cross safari from its inception. Nowadays, the Red Cross has come to be associated with disaster relief and separate improver efforts. the red cross represents some(prenominal) things such as unity, peace, hope, and the color of our blood The lunate-shaped lunation and star is an internationally-recognized symbol of the assent of Islam. The symbol is featured on the flags of some(prenominal) Muslim countries, and is even part of the ex officio emblem for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.The Christians bring in the cross, the Jews take over the star of David, and the Muslims have the semilunar woolgather, right? What is the history behind the crescent moon symbol? What does it symbolize or mean? How and when did it become associated with the faith of Islam? Is it a valid symbol for the faith? The crescent moon and star symbol in truth pre-dates Islam by some(prenomina l) thousand years. cultivation on the origins of the symbol are uncontrollable to ascertain, but most sources agree that these antiquated heavenly symbols were in use by the peoples of Central Asia and Siberia in their worship of sun, moon, and throw out gods.There are also reports that the crescent moon and star were utilize to represent the Carthaginian goddess Tanit or the Greek goddess Diana. The metropolis of Byzantium ( youthfulr cognize as Constantinople and Istanbul) adopted the crescent moon as its symbol. According to some reports, they chose it in honor of the goddess Diana. Others indicate that it dates back to a battle in which the Romans defeated the Goths on the first day of a lunar month. In any event, the crescent moon was featured on the citys flag even before the birth of Christ. The early Muslim community did non real have a symbol.During the time of the seer Muhammad (peace be upon him), Islamic armies and caravans flew simple solid-colored flags (gen erally black, green, or white) for identification solves. In youngr generations, the Muslim leaders continued to use a simple black, white, or green flag with no markings, writing, or symbolism on it. It wasnt until the Ottoman pudding stone that the crescent moon and star became affiliated with the Muslim instauration. When the Turks conquered Constantinople (Istanbul) in 1453, they adopted the citys existing flag and symbol. apologue holds that the founder of the Ottoman Empire, Osman, had a dream in which the crescent moon stretched from one end of the earth to the other. Taking this as a good omen, he chose to clutches the crescent and make it the symbol of his dynasty. There is speculation that the five points on the star represent the five pillars of Islam, but this is minute conjecture. The five points were non standard on the Ottoman flags, and as you allow see on the following page, it is still not standard on flags used in the Muslim gentlemans gentlemanness toda y. For hundreds of years, the Ottoman Empire ruled over the Muslim world. after(prenominal) centuries of battle with Christian europium, it is understandable how the symbols of this imperium became linked in peoples minds with the faith of Islam as a solid. Based on this history, some Muslims reject using the crescent moon as a symbol of Islam. The faith of Islam has historically had no symbol, and many eliminate to accept what is essentially an ancient pagan icon. It is certainly not in kindred use among Muslims. Why We Look Up Lascaux is a World Heritage direct and late swiftness palaeolithic undermine complex in southwestern France that belongs to the Magdalenian nuance.Lascauxs sabotage depictions were made c. 1518,000 B. C. The sophistication of the Lascaux counter constitute paintings is extraordinary when considered against their corking antiquity. Their subtlety, complexity of proficiency and metaphor are qualities we can presently relate to. The full artic ulation of this weaken art reveals a mind akin to our own. If time and language barriers could be redress aside, it is very contingent that Magdalenian people of the late Upper palaeolithic would understand us, and that in return we could understand them. What do these great paintings antitheticiate us?Aurochs and other large sensuals portrayed in palaeolithic sabotage art were practically hunt for food. The act of painting them in a sacrosanct hollow out has often been construe as an important element in a ritual that invoked exculpatedhearted catch magic. The act of a painting the sentient being sends a message to its inspirit, that great heed is think and that altogether those individuals essential for tribal natural selection will be track down and killed. The spirit world and the gods are asked to understand and not penalize the human sphere. The act of painting, the actions and protocol by which these paintings are executed, is the ritual.The finished painting is a record of the ceremony. It is a tranquil varan of the bond between the spirit world and humankind and of the obligations each world owes to the other. We do not know if these great animal paintings were prayed to. We do not know if palaeolithic religion venerated and prayed to icons. Read more at http//www. environmentalgraffiti. com/sciencetech/what-the-lascaux- undermine-paintings-tell-us- just about-how-our-ancestors- understood-the-stars/15506r9dA81UrDttvubS6. 99 What do these great paintings tell us? Aurochs and other large animals portrayed in Paleolithic cave art were often hunted for food.The act of painting them in a sacred cave has often been interpreted as an important element in a ritual that invoked sympathetic hunting magic. The act of a painting the animal sends a message to its spirit, that great respect is intended and that scarcely those individuals essential for tribal survival will be hunted and killed. The spirit world and the gods are asked to understand and not penalize the human sphere. The act of painting, the actions and protocol by which these paintings are executed, is the ritual. The finished painting is a record of the ceremony.It is a static reminder of the bond between the spirit world and humankind and of the obligations each world owes to the other. We do not know if these great animal paintings were prayed to. We do not know if Paleolithic religion venerated and prayed to icons. At the beginning and end of time, all the worlds are integrated and melded into an indescribable whole and oneness. This final and beginning state of macrocosm is the adamantine bliss of yoga and Buddhistic cosmogeny as typified by the god Brahma. It is often created by the cosmic dance of the multi-armed Shiva.It is everything and nothing, unceasing and beyond words. Read more at http//www. environmentalgraffiti. com/sciencetech/what-the-lascaux-cave-paintings-tell-us-about-how-our-ancestors-understood-the-stars/15506r9dA81UrDtt vubS6. 99 Lascaux Hall of Bulls / panorama Norbert Aujolat CNP/MCC This is the dense stage of meaning in many Paleolithic cave paintings that goes beyond sympathetic hunting magic. This is a multidimensional, mythological layer whose journey in the millennia to follow will connect with Stonehenge as a approaching article shall discuss.This deeper layer is also metaphysical and mathematical, and relates to the adamantine oneness of Vedic, Hindu and Buddhist cosmology. The complexity of mind revealed in late Upper Paleolithic cave art is akin to that expressed much afterward in history by ancient Vedic philosophers whose art form was Sanskrit poetry. numeral aspects in late Upper Paleolithic mythopoetics derived from observational astronomy. Some cave paintings save an understanding of the path the moon takes just about the sun the ecliptic. An understanding of the ecliptic leads to the discovery of the zodiac, the yearly path of the sun through the celestial sphere.A constr uct for the zodiac then follows, in which it is divided into twelve sections later known as houses. Stars, moons and planets in Upper Paleolithic culture are not the stars, moons and planets of new-fangled astrophysics that we know. They are deities whose habitat is the Milky musical mode and the celestial sphere. Mathematics is art, as Plato knew well. If the yearly journey of the sun, moon, visible planets and some very bright stars can be track and recorded with enough precision to change accurate prediction, then the human world has understood a great deal about the gods.We are no longer peaceful because we know where these celestial entities go during their years sojourn and what those journeys portend for life on earth. The gods do not travel alone, nor are they detached about human welfare. We are their acolytes and worshipers, and the only beings that can nourish the gods. We are the only sentient beings beside the gods themselves. This is not a childs gage where Paleo lithic astronomer-shaman-priests looked into the night put away to go through the silhouettes of familiar animals in the geometrical constitution of stars in the night sky.We can be fairly confident that star gazing at night was not frivolous. It was a hunting for realities that were believed to exist. What might be those truths? These early artifacts and cave paintings reveal a deep sentence that there was a spirit world inhabited by deities, and that some or all of that universe was above us and was celestial. some other portion of the universe was below, an underworld that was the antithesis of the celestial. The world of the gods was not chaotic. Observational astronomy was the premier verifiable science of the time.Astronomer-priests discovered that the world of the gods was multidimensional and just organized by number and time. physique through time, provides consistency, a belief in structure and the possibility for prediction down the time track of the future. Look up, think and perhaps the manifestations of several deities can be seen, if they wish that to be seen by humans. When the young Paleolithic astronomer-priests found the gods in the heavens, they sustain that the gods do wish to be seen by us, that their celestial form is recognizable and stable, and does not change from night to night. Dr.Michael Rappengluck of the University of Munich has long believed that Magdalenian Culture of the late Upper Paleolithic in Europe looked at the night sky and saw the Milky style. They also discerned several bright, prominent arrangements of stars which could be described and integrated into a mythology. These arrangements of stars were the first conformations to intrude into human culture. Organized into a celestial grace that winds its way through the Milky Way and upon which the Sun will travel, the earliest Zodiac had been found and mapped. As Plato said about mathematics, it is not an invention of human genius.It has always been there, ti me lag to be discovered. Lascaux Two Aurochs / fuzz, Scorpio impression Prof saxx / Wikipedia The two aurochs that tone each other were aligned with arrangements for the constellations of copper and Scorpio. They also correspond to the rising and range opposition of two fixed stars a) Aldebaran, which is the mettle of the bull in the constellation strapper and b) Antares which is in Scorpio. Understand that there are several aurochs depicted on the cave walls in the Hall of the Bulls, but only one depiction of the constellation Taurus the Bull.Why do the Bulls predominate, why is Taurus the dominant constellation? Taurus is not the Solar God unless we make him so. The eye of the auroch that is Taurus is the supergiant star Aldebaran in the center of the constellation. The open star constellate Hyades encircles, and the Pleiades is above, the shoulder of Taurus. Culture would be the doings context would be anything else eg climate, geography, raw materials and engineerin g science available. So smoke signals would reflect a culture and the fact that on open plains you can see such signalling.. cave paintings are the root of traditional illustration, one the earliest of which has been in recent news, a faint red dot dated to more than 40,000 years ago. These were discovered in 11 caves in Spain, and results show that they are at least 15,000 years older than we first thought. It raises many questions What are they trying to pronounce? Who made it? Is it symbolic? Who was it made for? No matter what the answers are, illustration is a path for people to convey information, a pith of ocular communication.The purpose of these cave paintings are unknown, and we can only speculate as to their actual purpose. A time well before printing press, but the take account of visual communication has lasted through the ages. mavin thing that is for sure is it was some crystalise of communication via visual aids, they had a purpose and had something to say. A s you understand from the title, this blog is going to be about the History of optical Communication Design, that actually had started many many years ago First of all, visual communication means, the communication of ideas throufh the visual ostentation of information.Primarily associated with two dimensional images, it includes art, signs, photography, typography, draft copy fundamentals, colour and electronic resources. Recent seek in the field has focused on web design and graphically lie usability. It is part of what a graphic spring does to communicate visually with the audience. (from http//www. citrinitas. com) History of opthalmic Communication Design has actually started with the paintings on rocks and caves in Europe with Cro-Magnons, who form the earliest known European examples of Homo-sapiens.It is known that they are descending from populations of the Middle-East and lived from about 40,000 to 10,000 years ago in the Paleolithic period of the ice age epoch. Cr o-Magnons were anatomically modern. They are only different with their partly stronger physiology and brains that have larger readiness than that of modern humans. After they arrived in Europe (about 40,000 years ago), they brought sculpture, painting, body ornamentation, engraving, music and medallion of utilitarian objects, there.Tools that were survived by Cro-Magnons comprise of huts (small dwelling), carvings, cave paintings and antler-tipped spears (weapons). By the way, antler means horn of animals in the deer family, so we know that they used to hunt animal not only for food, but to make weapons, too. The remains also suggest that these people knew how to make interweave clothing. More over their huts were constructed of rocks, bones, clay, branches and animal fur. It is possible that Cro-Magnons have created the first calender around 15. 000 years ago, with their knowledge of painting pictures with manganese and iron oxides.Cave Paintings Cave or rock paintings are pai ntings painted on cave or rockwalls and ceilings, usually dating to prhistoric times. Rock paintings are made since the Upper Paleolithic, 40,000 years ago. It is widely believed that the paintings are the invent of respected elders or shamans. They mostly used to draw/paint large unquiet animals, like bisons, aurochs, horses, deers and tracing of human hands. Of caurse they have depicted abstract forms, too. (from http//www. citrinitas. com) Researchers think that cave art may have

Learning and development Essay

Learning evict be handle as either a product or as a process, with the latter giving derail to legion(predicate) competing erudition theories virtu anyy how it may move out place. On the early(a) hand, when visualize is treated as a product, it is nuzzleed as an outcome or an quit product of a process, which can be seen or recognised. This approach highlights a critical aspect of learnedness, which is win over (Bruner, 1977). Many questions defend arisen as regards the product theoretical model of learning. Some have questi iodind if it is re each(prenominal)y demand to perform for learning to have taken place.Further more, others have asked if there atomic number 18 other factors that may provide to behaviour reposition other than the product approach to learning, with more wondering if the change talked slightly overly includes the potential for change. Questions like those driven us to qualification, with few looking to identify relatively permanent change in behaviour due to screws. Conversely, not all behaviour change due to experiences involves learning since instruct may withal achieve similar results, although that from experience could generate any(prenominal)(a) new association.It is no wonder therefore that many theorists have not touch on themselves with overt behaviour, just rather with changes in how battalion conceptualise, experience and understand the world around them. To them the pore is about attainment of ability or knowledge using experience. For instance, a man who knows nothing about medicine cannot be a good surgeon, pull d aver though being good in cognitive operation is not the same as having knowledge in medicine. Even though the surgeon learns from instructions, observations or his own inductions, he similarly learns by practicing numerous other aptitudes.Improving or learning an ability is unlike from acquiring information in that facts can be imparted unlike procedures which can only be inculca ted. Moreover, spot imparting knowledge is fairly abrupt, inculcation is a slow and continuing process. The difference between the two learning models is that one(a) focuses on knowing that magic spell the other on knowing how, according to gigabyte Ryle (1949). Learning as a process In this approach, one is commonly concerned with whatever happens later learning has taken place. Learning is considered as a process by which behaviour changes due to experiences. atomic number 53 of the most outstanding questions arising is the extent to which those involved are aware of what is happening. More questions have also been asked as to whether the learners know that they are engaged in learning, and if so, what entailment it has to them. Questions such as these have featured in numerous guises for a long time, especially in debates around the controversial inlump education notion. A useful way of approaching this area was coiffe together by Allan Rogers (2003), mainly drawing on what was earlier done by those studying the learning of language.Rodgers contributed by setting out two diverging approaches namely formalized learning also cognize as the learning-witting approach, and the acquisition learning approach also know as labor- certain learning. Acquisition learning or task-conscious approach This role of learning is considered as on-going all the time and does not concern itself with general principles, but is rather restricted to a specific activity, is immediate and concrete (Rodgers, 2003). Examples of this type of learning include that apply in parenting or running a home, with well-nigh referring to it as implicit or unconscious learning.Nevertheless, Rogers (2003) is of the innuendo that it may be better to consider this considerate of learning as containing a consciousness of the task as strange to lacking consciousness. He argues that in time though the learner is not usually conscious of the learning, he or she is usually fully consci ous of the particular undertaking at hand. Formalised or learning-conscious learning This kind of learning is as a result of learning of a facilitation process, and is commonly known as educative learning as remote to accumulation of experience.Here, the learners are fully aware that they are engaged in the task of learning, and therefore strain to enhance it. It engages the use of channelled learning chapters with a specify scope and depth of coverage. The two models are considered as supplementing each other rather than contrasting. These dissimilar learning models are can be observed in both families and schools. At one end is an unknowing and normally accidental learning occurring as one walks with life.The other end has an incidental type of learning, which is usually unconscious and takes place during the performance of some other activity. Then there are numerous experimental activities resulting from instantaneous concerns of life, although the focus remains on the resp onsibility at hand. There are also more dedicated activities where one is out to learn more systematically, making use of whatever is available to achieve this objective, but quite often ignoring amour of teachers and official learning establishments.Further along the business are self-directed learning ventures with so frequently literature about them. There is also duration learning and open learning programs that are more generalised, where some aspects of acquisition learning are usually transformed into the designed education program. As one approaches towards a the extreme, he encounters a more formal education programme of extremely de-contextualized learning that uses materials public to all students, disregarding their personal preferences, needs or agendas.It is important to note that there are no distinct boundaries separating these categories (Roger, 2003). Learning theories By treating learning as a process, we encounter various learning theories about how or why change takes place. These theories try to pardon various orientations to learning and include the behaviourist, the cognitive, the humanistic, and the social or situational orientations to learning. Just like any categorisation, these orientations are roughly arbitrary since there may be some more additions and subdivisions, and these categories could also overlap.Behaviourist orientation to learning This approach to learning is based on ternary key assumptions that distinctly characterize it. They include reflexion of learning by a change in behaviour an observable behaviour as opposed to an internal thought process, the view that the environment helps in shaping ones behaviour and their principles of contiguity and pay backment are important for one to develop a learning process (Merriam and Caffarella, 1991). According to this orientation, the responses can either be weakened or built by the outcomes of behaviour.This notion is better referred to as operative conditionin g because it reinforces what one wants race to do repeatedly and ignores or punishes what one does not want people to do. With regard to learning, James Hartley (1998) identified four important principles coming to the forefront. These principles include a stressing on the vastness of activity learning improves when the learner is active, the importance of generalisation, repeating and discrimination skills can only be acquired through practising frequently, the importance of clear objectives in learning, and use of motivators to reinforce learning.