Apple and Best Buy Essay Example

Apple and Best Buy Paper These factors are important because before an organization can egging strategy formulation, it must scan the internal environment for strengths and weaknesses and their external environment to identify possible opportunities and threats (Wheeled Hunger). In this paper I will describe the internal and external environments of Apple and Best Buy using an environmental scan. I will also determine what their competitive advantages and strategies are. Apples Internal and External Environments Strengths Apple is a very successful company and has many strengths. It is a geographically diverse business with a strong research and development team. Apple has an innovative culture and strong workforce. Apple has bargaining power with retailers and outstanding customer loyalty. Apple has a strong brand and reputation. Apple also makes a lot of money and dont have any debt. Weaknesses Even though Apple is a very successful company they still have some weakness. Apple products are expensive and some products lack customization. Because Apple products are so great, which makes them premium products they can be expensive for many consumers. Some Apple products are considers a distraction electronic device. Accidents such as auto-mobile crashes have been caused by people using electronic devices. Opportunities Apple has some great opportunities such as off-the-shelf military procurement. To reduce cost and increase speed to development the Military is buying off the shelf Apple software and hardware. Phone APS is another big opportunity for Apple. Apple APS produces thousands of small programs that utilize the phones unique capabilities which creates barriers to entry for the phone. We will write a custom essay sample on Apple and Best Buy specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Apple and Best Buy specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Apple and Best Buy specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer This helps increase revenue for Apple. Threats A big threat for Apple Face Time capability is Keep. Because Keep is coming available on more devices it has a negative impact On Apple Face Time capability. Googles Android smart phone is another threat for Apple because its the number one competitor in the smart phone sector. Cost of production is also a threat for Apple because it takes from Apples profit. Best Buy Internal and External Environments Best buy is another great company with many strengths. They are a global market leader with outstanding service. Best Buy Mobile and Busty. Com are also strengths. Best buy has international expansion and a unique in store marketing plan. They also have in-house brands like insignia and they have powerful customer loyalty. Best buy is engrossed on customer service and variety, also they have pricing power over their customers and suppliers. From the geek squad to sales people, there is an innovative culture at Best buy. They have exclusive brands and their brand name allows premium pricing. Weaknesses Best buy also has some weakness such as bad customer service and they need more knowledgeable employees in specific areas. They have undifferentiated products and the none commissioned based sales causes errors not to be motivated. One of Best buys main attractions are DVDs and blue ray disc, and they are becoming less popular. The large store format at Best buy dont fit all customers and their warranty programs could use improving. Opportunities Best buy have some great opportunities such as online growth potential and the State taxes on online sales may possibly spin growth. There store branded products could increase margins and new products and services could increase revenue. More innovation could help best buy because it would add alee. Threats A big threat for Best buy is strong competitors and the digital media rely on physical products and is hurting best buys profits. Some of the smaller products that Best buy sell are becoming more desirable. But, they are brought over the internet easily. Electronics are cheaper online and they have intense competition for stores like Best buy. Lastly the substitute for lower margin products could hurt best buy. Apples Competitive Advantages and Strategies One of Apples competitive advantages is that multiple products that integrate as one and the constant, never-ending change in Apples business climate. Its hard for Apple customers to tell the difference between their product apart from for the size and shape. There is no other company that has efficiently corralled customers to other seemingly different products by getting them to purchase just one. Another one of Apples competitive advantages that really stands out is in marketing. Apple recognizes what will get customers enthusiastic about its products, and then they fulfils that vision. Apple shows how the computer will make your life better, rather than liking the about features and technology. Apple has manufactured a truly sustainable competitive advantage and created value by locking in deals with big record labels such as Universal, Warner Sony, and MME. Clouds generates 30% of revenue alone.. Best Buys Competitive Advantages and Strategies Historicity Best Buy competitive advantage has been pricing. They also have competitive advantage by being the largest source for electronics in most cities. Locality is also a big plus for Best buy, they currently operates 1,347 stores across the united States. If Best Buy is the closest place to pick up a new television, computer, or Pad, its likely they will get your business because, Best Buy is convenient for the majority of American populations to shop at. Now that other specialty electronics retailers have dropped out of the market, Best Buy has that sector of the market to themselves. Another one of Best Buy competitive advantage is service installation and advice. Conclusion In conclusion SOOT analysis is the simplest way to conduct environmental scanning. SOOT important because before an organization can begin strategy ruination, it must scan the internal environment for strengths and weaknesses and their external environment to identify possible opportunities and threats (Wheeled Hunger). Apple and Best buy are two very successful companies and has many strengths, but you must consider the weaknesses, opportunities, and threats before you begin strategy formulation.

10 Misplaced Modifier Examples

10 Misplaced Modifier Examples 10 Misplaced Modifier Examples 10 Misplaced Modifier Examples By Mark Nichol Misplaced modifier is the syntactical error of misplacing nonessential but supplemental information within a sentence. It is so common among professional writers as well as those who are not paid to write (or for whom writing is not a primary job responsibility) that it is easy to find multiple examples of such a mistake during one’s casual reading of news articles, as demonstrated by the collection of sentences from such sources in this post. Examples are followed by discussion of the error and one or more revisions. 10 Examples 1. Smith said his company won’t tolerate hate groups during his congressional testimony earlier this week. The implication is that the company will limit its intolerance to the duration of the session during which he gives testimony. Here, the sentence is rephrased to clarify that the intolerance is ongoing: â€Å"Smith said during his congressional testimony earlier this week that his company won’t tolerate hate groups.† 2. That’s how many would be needed to reach a two-thirds majority of 288 votes, assuming all Democrats vote â€Å"yes,† the margin required for a veto override. The syntax implies that the assumed Democratic-bloc vote is the margin, but the 288 votes (against the remaining votes) is the margin, so the phrase â€Å"assuming all Democrats vote ‘yes’† should be isolated as a parenthetical: â€Å"That’s how many would be needed to reach a two-thirds majority of 288 votes- assuming all Democrats vote ‘yes’- the margin required for a veto override.† However, because dashes imply an emphasis, this method seems obtrusive, so placing it in actual parentheses, which suggest subordination of the additional information, is better: â€Å"That’s how many would be needed to reach a two-thirds majority of 288 votes (assuming all Democrats vote ‘yes’), the margin required for a veto override.† This approach, however, is still distracting. Best yet, the parenthetical phrase can be moved to an earlier position in the sentence: â€Å"That’s how many would be needed, assuming all Democrats vote ‘yes,’ to reach a two-thirds majority of 288 votes, the margin required for a veto override.† 3. Lessons learned from preparation of the previous year’s statements should be addressed the following year (e.g., any issues encountered in applying new policies). The recommended action â€Å"should be addressed the following year† is the point of the sentence, so it should appear at the end, following the parenthesis: â€Å"Lessons learned from preparation of the previous year’s statements (e.g., any issues encountered in applying new policies) should be addressed the following year.† 4. That is where a technology committee can be useful- a smaller, focused board group working with management on long-term digital and innovation strategy. The portion of the sentence following the dash details what is meant by â€Å"technology committee,† so it should immediately follow that term: â€Å"That is where a technology committee- a smaller, focused board group working with management on long-term digital and innovation strategy- can be useful.† 5. An attack at the synagogue left eleven people dead, many of them elderly. â€Å"Many of them elderly,† as a phrase modifying people, should immediately follow that word, which also places the sentence’s key word, dead, at the end of the sentence, where it has the most impact: â€Å"An attack at the synagogue left eleven people, many of them elderly, dead.† 6. Information on each of these activities is available online, which will help will cultivate real-world experience building, hunting, and analyzing. The activities themselves, rather than the fact that information on each of them is available online, will be helpful in the cultivation of real-world experience, so the dependent clause, which describes that benefit, should immediately follow activities, not online: â€Å"Information on each of these activities, which will help will cultivate real-world experience building, hunting, and analyzing, is available online.† 7. Such systems can only screen those messages that contain a payment instruction. Misplacement of only in a sentence is rampant, especially in conversation, but in formal writing, the word should follow the verb it modifies. In this sentence, the syntax implies that the systems can screen but can do nothing else; the meaning is that they can screen a certain category of messages but no others, as reflected in this revision: â€Å"Such systems can screen only those messages that contain a payment instruction.† 8. Jones said he assumes Smith erased the messages on his phone, not a member of Smith’s staff, and he doesn’t know whether the texts can be recovered. The placement of the parenthetical here implies that the messages were erased and a person was not erased, but the point of the sentence is that Smith, rather than a member of his staff, did the erasing, as clarified here: â€Å"Jones said he assumes Smith, not a member of Smith’s staff, erased the messages on his phone, and he doesn’t know whether the texts can be recovered.† 9. Congress controls federal spending, not the president. This sentence implies that â€Å"federal spending† and â€Å"the president† are counterpoints (suggesting that Congress controls federal spending, but it doesn’t control the president); the following revision clarifies that it is Congress and â€Å"the president† that are parallel: â€Å"Congress, not the president, controls federal spending† (which means that Congress controls federal spending and the president does not). 10. We had known since 1866 that solid objects can reflect radio waves, thanks to German physicist Heinrich Hertz. The implication here is that we have Hertz to thank for the fact that solid objects can reflect radio waves. However, he is responsible not for the phenomenon, but for our awareness of it. The parenthetical can be reinserted into the sentence in any one of several places, but whatever position it takes, the sentence should end with the key information that solid objects can reflect radio waves: â€Å"We had known since 1866, thanks to German physicist Heinrich Hertz, that solid objects can reflect radio waves.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Spelling Test 1Ten Yiddish Expressions You Should KnowDealing With A Character's Internal Thoughts

Business Opportunities in Food and Beverage Industry Essay

Business Opportunities in Food and Beverage Industry - Essay Example Food is a very defining element of a culture. Eating different kinds of foods does more than just satiating the craving for taste; it provides a greater insight into other cultures. This paper discusses a business idea of establishing a South Asian Tea Restaurant in New York. Americans generally like the South Asian foods a lot. â€Å"one should not be surprised if a seven-year-old American kid walks up and asks for aloo mater samosas and his mom is keen on having the complimentary chai† (Deccan Chronicle, 2013). Popular food items include but are not limited to samosas, pakoras, halwa poori, murgh cholay, and lassi. These foods are not only very tasty, they also have a high nutritious value since they are all made from natural products and do not include the use of any preservatives or chemicals that is a big plus point. â€Å"Everything is made right there, even the samosas(no frozen boxed samosas here), pakoras, and chutneys(not jarred like most places serve) are all made fresh here and delicious† (Justin, 2013). The fundamental purpose of establishing any business is to make money. Most of these food items are extremely cheap to make and yet sell for a very large price primarily because of their nutritional value, their exceptional taste, their exotic looks, and their cultural affiliations. Even more, when these food items are made in bulk, they become all the cheaper to make and more profitable to sell at the same time. At a famous Indian restaurant, â€Å"While Samosa and Idli Sambar are available for $5.50, one has to spend $7 for Masala dosa and $7.5 for two pieces of gulab jamun† (First Post, 2012). Considering the ingredients used in the making of a samosa, one samosa might cost the owner no more than $0.15. Comparison of this to the amount it sells or provides evidence of the profitability of the business. The other food items are similarly cheap but with a huge profit margin. It takes careful planning and strategy to establish s uch a business at the right point. The owners should look for an area where the population of South Asians is relatively higher as compared to other regions in America since the prime consumers of this business are people from such countries as Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh. Such areas are not hard to find since most of these families tend to live together in neighborhoods since they have common cultural values and find one another helpful in America. In order to have an edge over other such restaurants, the owners need to pay special attention toward ambiance. Songs of old legendary singers like Noor Jehan, Lata, Rafi, Mukesh, and Kishore can provide the place that extra boost that it requires to appeal massive in-pour of consumers. South Asians mostly like to have samosas and pakoras with tea during the lunch breaks and as snacks, so these items should be available all day long whereas other items like halwa poori and murgh cholay should be made available in the breakfast. Menu for lunch and dinner can be decided depending upon how large the owner wants the business to be. Establishment of this business successfully imparts the need to advertise it in such a way that the benefits of these food items in general and what they offer in comparison to the typical Western food, in particular, are easily noticeable for the audiences. To achieve this, the contemporary issue of diseases caused by consumption of chemicals needs.

Market, industry and company analysis for (Qatarcinemas.com) over the Term Paper

Market, industry and company analysis for (Qatarcinemas.com) over the last five years - Term Paper Example The company’s competitive theory statement is divided into five parts: vertical integration, strategic alliances, creative content, international agency and corporate diversifications. Conglomeration: Qatar Cinemas Company operates in two different fields, such as Consumer Products and studio entertainment. Horizontal integration: Qatar Cinemas Company owns many studio entertainment and consumer product franchise. This becomes horizontal integrated industry as all stake-holders act together in increasing efficiency since they act in the same business line. Globalization: Qatar Cinemas Company Services and Products are found in Arab Media and all over the world in different forms. Vertical integration:Â   Qatar Cinemas Company is made up of different sub-companies and business line, allowing the whole organization to produce, plan, distribute, and advertise all of its products on its own. Seller and Buyer Concentration: Qatar Cinemas Company is in an Oligopoly Seller Concentra tion, it is evident that there are few producers in the market and products can be either differentiated or homogenous. There are many buyers for the company’s products, ranging from different cultures, ages groups, sexuality, preferences and interests. Media synergy: Qatar Cinemas Company bought many film studios that allow making more advanced movies which are then distributed through renowned marketers. Barriers to Entry: Qatar Cinemas Company offers different barriers to entry for competitors in the market place. Qatar Cinemas Company enjoys privileges from trademarks, copyrights, and patents that prevent other entertainment companies from imitating their ideas and productions. For new companies it is difficult to compete with this established and well-known organization because of its long development period in winning known customers and protection legal barriers. Production Costs: Qatar Cinemas Company has high first copy (production) costs and low reproduction (subseq uent) costs of most of its products. Product Differentiation: Qatar Cinemas Company has a wide variety of heterogeneous products; its shows, and movies for different tastes, ages and cultures. Its products are differentiated within the company and from products from its competitors. B. INDUSTRY ANALYSIS Qatar Cinemas Company has developed services and products for different audiences, teens, children and adults of all ages. Median age: 28 (70% between 17 and 34) Men: 90% | Single: 40% Literate: 90 % Employed Full Time: 90% Average HHI: QAR. 7,200. Qatar Cinemas’ Primary Competitors Qatar Cinemas Company competition consists of diversified players that capture media networks, TV content producers, and film producers. Competition is greatest at film production and network service; premium networks like Sonymax have an advantage over film halls because of their subscriptions fees. Presence of competition between services and brands creates an environment of price wars. Market Sh are Controlled by Qatar Cinemas Company Qatar Cinemas’ Total Revenue is approximately QAR 361 million (as for 2012). In order to obtain the market share, revenues from the three major competitors in the entertainment industry are considered. Total Industry Revenue: QAR. 262.9 Millions Qatar Cinemas’ Total Revenue: QAR. 36.1 Million Qatar Cinemas’ Market Share: 13.7% of Total Revenue Industry (inclusive of major competitors share) In the studio entertainment ind

MICROECONOMICS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

MICROECONOMICS - Essay Example Economics, as stated is the study of both individual and the government and business behavior in terms of price, interest rates, jobs, poverty, employment, etc. As such, it has to deal with groups of people which is classified into categories namely households, business and government to facilitate the analysis of behavior. While individual behavior study is termed micro-economics, study of people at large is called macro-economics. Also, actual behavior of people falls under descriptive economics while advice or choices of economists comes under normative economics. It is evident that when policies and structures are to be studied in totality, individual responses can deliver highly variable results. As a result, economists have simplified individual responses by setting out average of a large number of responses and which behave in a similar fashion or towards a common goal. On the basis of this concept, assumptions emerge which turn into simplified models or theories of economics because they demonstrate a common and shared behavior of a large group of people. For instance, assumption of profit maximization relates to suppliers because in a particular situation, average response of a number of suppliers would be that of maximizing their profits. Likewise, assumption of satisfaction maximization applies to buyers as they tend to derive maximum satisfaction from their investments. Market in economics refers to the place where interaction between buyer and seller takes place. Level of scarcity in the production or delivery of a service determines its market value. Surplus product comes at lower price while scarce product is associated with higher price. When government intervention happens in the market due to price or supply concerns, it gets turned to public goods. Scholars of economics are continuously confronted with some difficult terms

Challenges for Construction Project Planning

Challenges for Construction Project Planning 2.1 Introduction This chapter will review the literature which has been used for this dissertation. A number of important aspects will be covered , including an overview of Construction Planning as well as determining what challenges are faced on a daily basis by construction planners. This chapter will also review research relating to Planning techniques used and software packages available within the Construction industry. 2.2 Construction Project Planning Project Management can be seen as the application of tools and techniques utilised to guide the use of resources towards achieving a n intricate task within the const raint s of time, cost and quality. From conception to completion, a mixture of these tools techniques is necessary to fit the task environment and project life cycle. The British Standard for project management (BS6079 1996) defined project management as, â€Å"The planning, monitoring and control of all aspects of a project and the motivation of all those involved in it to achieve the project objectives on time and to the specified cost, quality and performance.† The UK association of Project Management (APM) have produced a UK body of knowledge UK (BoK) which also provides a definition for project management as â€Å"The planning, organisation, monitoring and control of all aspects of a project and the motivation of all involved to achieve the project objectives safely and within agreed time, cost and performance criteria. The project manager is the single point of responsibility for achieving this.† Project Management as we know today has evolved in order to plan, coordinate and control the complex and diverse activities of modern industrial, commercial and management change projects. (Lock 2007) To allow for effective planning and control of projects, a requirement for systematic and logical methods should be applied along with proven techniques, thus ensuring a successful project outcome for all concerned parties, particularly the client. Without planning it is difficult to envisage the successful conclusion of any project or the effective control of time, money or resources. Planning is also essential in order to deal with construction risks and devise safe working methods. (Cooke 2008) Project Planning is defined as the establishment of a set of directions in sufficient detail to tell the project team exactly what must be done, when it must be done and what resources to use in order to produce the deliverables of the project successfully. (Zwikael 2008). Construction planning is an essential and challenging activity in the management and implementation of construction projects. It occupies the choice of technology, the description of work tasks, the estimation of the necessary resources and durations for individual tasks, and the identification of any interactions among the different work tasks. Hendrickson (1998) believes a good construction plan is the basis for developing the budget and the schedule for work. It is therefore common to adopt a conspicuous importance on either cost control or on schedule control as illustrated in Figure 2.1. Walker (2007) considers that by having a project schedule to work to and sticking to it, you will well be on your way to delivering successful projects. This would be dependant on effective communic ation and efficiency at all stages of the project and with an aim to reducing risk, time and cost. 2.3 The Construction Planner Construction project planning is receiving growing attention as the limitations of formal deterministic planning are becoming more widely recognised. (Winch, Kelsey 2004). There is growing concern over the failure of construction planning to achieve its goals in spite of the considerable resources allocated to it. Deficient planning techniques are commonly blamed for this state. (Laufer, Tucker, 1987) There has been considerable debate over the last decade or so on the effectiveness of construction project planning. However, there is remarkably little research into what construction project planners actually do. Laufer and Tucker provide a critique of construction planning. They protest that:- the planning and evaluation of planning processes are non-existent there is over-emphasis on critical path methods planners lack construction experience planners have poor information gathering methods planning is control-oriented instead of action-oriented Plans are been poorly presented with overly-complex information. In a subsequent paper (1994) Laufer and his colleagues look at the definition and allocation of planning work. They found that there was no clear system at work and planning was done in a multiplicity of ways. They call for the process to be properly co-ordinated by a single individual who will own the planning process and improve communication. Winch and Kelsey (2005) believe the specialist planner has the time to do the work but incomplete practical knowledge. The line manager has the practical knowledge but does not have the quality time to carry out the task. The specialist planner has better strategic decision-making skills than the short-term decision-making focus of the line manager. They then go on to say â€Å"Line managers see the delegation of key decision-making to another as a threat to their position†. These problems are confirmed in Laufer (1992) wider project management study and can result in: The planner preparing a plan which has incomplete information and in-adequate decision making authority. The line manager treating such plans as merely an irrelevant forecast prepared by another. Allen Smallwood (2008) believe Construction planners and the role they perform are little understood both within the construction industry and the wider environment where construction has a daily impact. Planning occupies a central position in the functions of the manager. His responsibilities may vary with organisational philosophy and contingency but planning invariably remains an essential ingredient of his duties. (Steiner, 1979). Much Research and Development effort has been made during the last three decades but progress with techniques has not removed the dissatisfaction with the application and results of construction planning (Choudhury 1981, Mason 1984, Morton 1983). Effective construction planning demands that it is carried out by competent and experienced personnel. While the estimator must remain in charge or pricing the work, most contracts, today, are too complex for the estimator to handle the technical content of pre-tender appraisal. It is here that the construction planner has a major function. 2.4 Planning Techniques Most planning techniques aim to express the work to be done, to a time-scale; some also include resources, and perhaps cost and value. In simple terms, they intend to help control time and cost. The other major factor in project control, quality, is controlled by its own family of control techniques; and quality is related to time and cost through the skill and judgement of the project management team. Neale (1989) believes the major components of planning techniques are: Activities: literally, being busy, expending energy, consuming resources, taking time; in construction planning, this means a job to be done; for example preparing a drawing, an order to be places, a hole to be dug, bricks to be laid in a wall, a flow of water to be diverted. Activity durations: the time required for the completion of each activity Project time-scale: the time structure of the project; it is usual to give each week in the project a number (this makes calculation easier), and these then have to be related to calendar dates, holidays, etc. Event: an occurrence at a specific point in time; for example, the granting of planning consent, of the start or end of a traffic diversion. Work method: the plan must be expressed in some logical way, indicating the sequence of operations, and which activities and events are interrelated; this may be implicit (as with bar charts) or exlicit (in network analysis, where work method is usually called logic.) Resources: often called the four Ms (men, machines, materials and money) but can include overheads (for example, site accommodation), and even such essentials as managerial skill. Costs: what the work has or will cost, often derived directly from the unit costs of the individual resources. Value: what has or can be earned by payment for work done derived from the bill of quantities, the estimate or an internal budget. The calculation of value-to-date can be used as an overall measure of project progress. 2.5 Four techniques are often used in construction planning Bar charts, Network analysis, Line-of-balance Linear programmes. 2.5.1 The bar chart/ Gantt Chart Drafting of a bar chart is popular because it produces results which are easy to understand and not too searching of the planner. Its use is limited to planning straightforward work with simple relationships between the activities. This graphical technique still forms the foundation for most resource scheduling. Its major drawback is that even minor deviations from it require extensive redrafting as a result making it more difficult to having to hand a contemporaneous bar chart that is a reliable indicator of future events. The main features of the bar chart are as follows: The activities are listed on the vertical axis Time is shown on the horizontal axis. This may be an appropriate time unit, such as months or days. Each bar is divided horizontally into two, with the top half representing when the activity is planned to take place, and the bottom shared in, as proportions of the activity are completed. A vertical movable marker line indicates the current time, thus enabling the observer to note if any activities are behind programme, and to what extent. Refer to Figure 2.2 for additional information. The format of the bar chart presumes that the end user (client) can involve the same judgment that was in the mind of the planner when he was compiling it. In highly repetitive or simple work it can be implied that the users will better understand the thought process of the planner. However as project complexity increases the user’s ability to monitor the project in relation to the programme is reduced unless it is understood: What work is important to progress? Of the activities currently behind programme what, if any, effect do they have on overall progress? On the contrary, if most of the actual work is ahead of programme, does this mean that the current prediction is that the project will be complete in advance of the targeted completion date? The answer is definitely not an automatic yes. To provide an informed response, an understanding of the relationships between programme activities is crucial. Neale (1989) consider these deceivingly simple questions contradict issues which are at the heart of many construction disputes, namely considerations for extension of time. 2.5.2 Network Analysis Unlike a bar chart, activities are not shown on an axis of time. What the network portrays is the logical relationship between activities. Network analysis is a powerful, logical and analytical technique. It is most effective when used for complicated projects, especially those with external constraints and complex interrelationships. The technique is based on drawing the logical relationships between construction operations, and from an analysis of the relative durations, establishing which operations have the most crucial effect on the project duration. It can be drawn in a number of ways, the most well-known in the UK being the arrow diagram. The technique is sometimes known as the critical path method (CPM), and critical path analysis (CPA). A version which incorporates a statistical method for calculating the probability that a project will be completed on a specific date is called the programme evaluation and review technique. (PERT) The identification of a â€Å"critical path† focuses the attention of the individuals managing the project and highlights to clients and their advisors the tasks that require to be particularly well managed with regard to time. The duration of critical path represents the shortest duration in which the project can be completed. Delays to activities on the critical path transmit directly through to extend the project completion date. This provides advanced warning of the pending delay to completion and enables the contractor (or employer) to invoke recovery action at a useful point in time rather than waiting until it is manifestly obvious that the completion date is threatened. If the employer or his Architect/Engineer (A/E) instructs additional work which affects the activities on the critical path then the contractor has grounds for a claim for an extension of time. The term critical path is widely used in the construction industry; what is not fully appreciated is how easily the critical path can change. Network analysis has a good and inclusive logical basis, lends itself easily to computer processing, and can be used as an effective control tool. These exceptional characteristics are also known to be its principal weakness as it is easier for the planner to be drawn into a level of planning and analysis that is much to detailed and advanced for most construction projects. 2.5.3 Line of Balance Line of balance is a specialised technique used for repetitive work. It derived from the manufacturing industry and has been found to be effective in planning work truly repetitive. Examples of success applications include planning the construction of identical floors in high rise construction, and large housing developments. Line of balance has been found to be difficult to use on projects which have a high demand for trades or operations to construct each identical unit. The problems arise not from the technique itself, but from the difficult of showing all the information on one chart, particularly when using the technique to monitor progress. When used to plan, it can be an excellent means of relating resources, activity durations and the general pace of work on site. Neale (1989). Illingworth (1993) considers the line of balance approach has largely fallen out of use in today’s industry due to the fact it was designed primarily for housing and did not readily provide clear visual appreciation of the situation at a glance. 2.5.4 Linear Programme (or time-chainage chart) Linear programming is a specialised technique for linear work. This is a basic tool of UK road contractors. Other successful applications include the construction of a large canal in a developing country, and it is especially useful in tunnelling. Illingworth (1993). Similar to line of balance, this is a simple two- dimensional graphical technique and can show clearly only a limited amount of information and limited degree of complexity. Figure 2.6 – Linear Programme (Neale 1989) Linear Programme Activities (Neale 1989) 2.6 Which technique? The experienced planner in construction needs to be aware of the techniques available, together with the value of each, both in the planning analysis role and how then can be applied to give effective control and communication to management on site. Illingworth (1993). Like any other professional, the planner has to select the right tool for the job. To make the correct decision, it is therefore a requirement to examine what is wanted in a particular situation programme. Illingworth (1993) believes the main points of this choice are as follows: Does the method aid initial analysis of the situation and especially in establishing the best sequence of events? Are deficiencies in progress shown up as the work proceeds? Can visiting management obtain and immediate view of the contract situation on arrival on site? With the preponderance of subcontractors on site today, does the programme method give assistance in cash flow control? According to Illingworth, from these questions it is unlikely to be the answer to all desires. Therefore it is said to be better to consider the situation in two stages – tender planning on the one hand and the operational planning after the contract has been won, on the other. 2.7 Planning Practice In order to explore further the reality of construction project planning semi-structured interviews were conducted between July and December 2000 with 18 experienced planners from five leading UK construction firms. Most of the planners interviewed were currently involved in planning at the tender stage including assembly and presentation of the tender documentation. About half of those were also involved at the tender/ pre-construction stage. Only a few were further involved during the site works. (Refer to figure 2.7). Generally, although a number of the interviewed planners had on-site experience the typical pattern is that a planner works either at the pre-tender, pre-execution stages or on site but not simultaneously. The exceptions tend to be where planners work for some time on a single large project. In such cases it may make sense (from the employer’s point of view) for their work to carry on to the execution stage. 2.8 Programming Considerations at the Tender Stage Upon receipt of tender documentation, the contractor will appoint human resources tasked with compiling a tender submission based upon the tender enquiry. One of the main individual in this team is the person accountable for producing the tender programme, the construction planner. Whether or not the contractual terms require a programme to be produced or not should be irrelevant at this stage. The tender programme is an important document produced by the contractor which is used for measuring many risk and cost related issues. In particular, the assessment of cost of the contractor’s time related preliminary items as drawn off the content of the tender programme. For example, the anticipated on site durations for different members of staff, periods of scaffold hire and duration for site accommodation are items that cannot be priced by the estimator without reference to the tender programme. When compiling the tender programme, the construction planner must incorporate the information supplied with the enquiry noting any specified constraints contained in either the contract bills, specification or drawings. Conflict between documents often exists and a view had to be taken on how to proceed. Clarification may be sought from the employer or his agents, assumptions made and stated along with the submission or the conflict may be ignored and the information that best suits the contractor is assumed without qualification or statement. It is accepted in the industry that many bids are won or lost on the programme duration alone. This happens frequently where a bill of quantities is being priced and the experienced contractors tend towards similar prime cost for similar items. On completion of reviewing tender documents, drawings, specification and bills, which may be typically done over a period of one or two weeks, the construction planner will establish the work scope which will be addressed in the creation of a tender programme. The main objective is to be aware of the specified period for construction. Additional to the completed programme should be a schedule of resources which corresponds with the programme and a series of method statements signifying construction techniques and equipment to be employed in carrying out the work. 2.9 Programming on Site When the contract is won, the site planning is equally important. It is usually at this point that the site manager will have his first chance to examine the methods on which the job was priced. What is important to recognise, at this point, is that planning must be seen as an addition to management. Thus the site manager must have the right to question the planning methods on which the contract was priced. To do so, site manager’s require the technical expertise to assess what has been put forward. In so doing, the manager concerned must, for his part, accept that if he wants to change the method from that in the priced tender, he must demonstrate that his alternative is obviously cheaper, or at least as cheap, as that priced in the tender submission. When final agreement has been reached, the planning function can be established on site and develop the final method to be adopted. This, in turn, will lead to the contract master programme and such subsidiary programmes as may be necessary. On completion of all methods being confirmed the construction planner continues to have a significant role on site. First, in developing control and short-term programmes for all organisations contributing to the contract under the main or managing contractor. Second, the construction planner’s cherished knowledge of how the work was originally planned makes him uniquely placed to examine the potential consequences of alterations to what has to be built. In this area he is a valuable source of information to the site quantity surveyor when assessing where possible contractural claims may arise. Today, with the ever increasing use of trade sub-contractors as well as specialist service contractors, the experienced construction planner has the option of either seeing the role as satisfying its own right, or as an essential ingredient of experience for becoming a successful site manager. Illingworth (1993). 2.10 Purpose of a Programme The values applicable to the mechanics of construction planning are similar whether you are a main contractor submitting a quotation to an employer, a sub-contractor quoting to the main contractor, or even a construction manager providing programme assist to an employer. Common principles apply when compiling a construction programme, that of methodical analysis. The contractor’s construction programme is an important common reference. It shows how the planner they have interpreted the contract documents and other information from which the statement of intent for construction is issued. As the key programme for the construction work, its content is of the utmost significance to all parties charged with handing over to the employer a building fit for purpose within the contract time stated. A well prepared programme is vital to every construction project. Many activities have to be cautiously defined and given a time scale, and it necessary not only to assemble and list the information but also to display it visually in terms of the contract’s objectives and the calendar. The working sequences and the relationships between individual activities must be clearly conveyed in this visual presentation.† The Chartered Institute of Building (2001). They consider the construction programme to be a statement of intended actions, which when properly used provides management with its plan of campaign. It should communicate with ease, providing the common reference for the timing of all activities related to the project. 2.11 Construction Planning Software An expert planner faced with the task of producing and analysing a network for a project containing only few activities will undoubtedly produce the fastest results by drawing a freehand arrow diagram and analysing it mentally. Lock (2007). He believes it is likely to take longer when using a computer because of the formalities needed to set up the new project files in the system and enter the data. David Arditi and Ann Rackas compiled a short report in May of 1986 with an aim in ascertaining the need for computer software to assist is construction planning and scheduling. This report concluded, the individual needs of a given construction company are the primary reasons for choosing a particular software package. For example, one of the participating general contractor’s basic requirements was to have a 40-character activity description field: â€Å"a particularly individual need†. They continued to suggest if a program is to survive the inevitable shakeout that occurs after the initial development and interest have peaked; it must offer the features and capacities that are required by the user. In addition, every effort should be made to make computers less mysterious and confusing as they will be dealing with the construction market. Today there are many planning software packages available to the construction industry. Asta Powerproject, Microsoft Project, Primavera, PERT Master to name a few. Each package is commonly suited to the individual needs of the planner. Some programs present a blank Gantt chart on the screen as soon as they are booted up, and it is apparent to the user that task data can be typed in immediately. Most programs allow the user/ planner to establish project durations, critical path network, allocate resources, assign costs to tasks and monitor progress throughout the project. As a result, most construction planning professionals use such packages daily. 2.12 Construction Planning Challenges Lock (2007) considers anyone planning a project of significant size will soon find out that there are a number of factors, both inside and outside the project organisation that can have an effect on the planner’s intentions. These are as follows: 2.12.1 External Factors All projects are subject to risk, many of which can have an enormous impact on plans. Lock (2007) deems the following are just four from the long catalogue of happenings that can be categorised as Acts of God: An earthquake devastates a project organisations headquarters. A hurricane and flood put a project site under a metre of water and delay the start or ruin the work in progress. An influenza epidemic puts half the project workforce out of action. (Swine flu outbreak 2008 recorded thousands of people off work for over 5 days.) The project manager (a keen golfer) is struck by lightning. The national government can play an important part on the smooth running of a project. E.g. the project could be government-funded and is cancelled or abandoned through a political decision. Lock (2007) also considers less immediate concerns which are the wider and longer-term economic consequences of government policy leading to downscaling of projects, delays and cancellations in all sectors of industry. Decisions made outside the project team can also have an affect on many characteristics of planning. E.g. a decision is made at directorate level to carry out a project in a different company within the group from that initially anticipated or a strategic decision is made to cut short all new staff recruitment resulting in a lower number of available resources formerly expected to be available for projects. 2.12.2 Working Factors Lock (2007) These are items which are likely to affect the project team on a daily basis. Examples include availability of resources, materials etc. People are believed to be a construction organisations greatest resource. â€Å"Construction operations depend on the knowledge and skills of people planning and executing the work†. Muir (2005.) Research has been carried out to reveal that the construction industry is typically viewed as being one of the least attractive industries in which to work. Safety plays an important part in the running of a project. Construction by nature is unsurprisingly dangerous with a high degree of hazard and risk. The Health Safety Executive believe each year: Over 1 million injuries and 2.3 million cases of ill-health are experienced by workers; Around 40 million working days are to lost; and Over 25000 individuals are forced to give up work because of injury or ill health. These cost British employers on average  £3.3 to  £6.5 billion each year. Most organisations are oblivious of these figures and are often astonished to find out what the actual costs are. Recent HSE Examples (2009) An injury to a worker using an unguarded drill cost a small engineering company  £45,000. And that was not all. The managing director was prosecuted from which two employees had to be made redundant to  keep the company afloat. At the other end of the scale the Piper Alpha explosion killed 167  people and incurred estimated costs of over  £2 billion. Accidents in construction can account for 3 6 % of total project costs. 2.12.3 Contribution of effective Planning Effective Planning and scheduling influences the results of a project as is promotes well-organised working. Personnel who are not trying continually to overcome crises caused by bad planning can dedicate more time to achieving high quality standards. A well-planned project stands more chance of being completed on time and on budget. 2.13 Chapter Summary Description Author Source To allow for effective planning and control of projects, a requirement for systematic and logical methods should be applied along with proven techniques. Cooke 2008 Improving Construction planning through 4d Planning Project Planning is defined as the establishment of a set of directions Zwikael 2008 Critical Planning Processes in Construction Projects A good Construction plan is the basis for developing the budget and the schedule for work Henrickson 1998 Construction Planning Techniques Having a project schedule to work to and sticking to it, you will be well on your way to delivering successful projects Walker 2007 Project Management in Construction, (5th edition) Construction Planners and the olr they perform are little understood both within the Construction industry and the wider environment Allan Smallwood 2008 Improving Construction planning through 4d Planning Major Components of planning techniques are: Activities, Activity durations, Project time-scale, Event, Work method, Resources, Costs Value Neale 1989 Engineering Management. Construction Planning Four techniques often used; Bar chart, Network analysis, Line-of-balance, Linear programmes Neale 1989 Engineering Management. Construction Planning Experienced planner in construction needs to be aware of the techniques available Illingworth 1993 Construction Methods and Planning Likely to take longer when using construction planning software Lock 2007 Project Management, 9th edition, Planning a project of significant size will soon find that there a number

Satire and Mr Collins in Pride and Prejudice :: Jane Austen

In Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen mocks 19th century â€Å"clergymen† through satire with Mr. Collins. Mr. Collins does not seem right for the job as a clergyman. He seems to be a shy character and not dedicated to help his church congregation. He is a materialistic person and things of the world by far outweigh his spiritual life (which a clergyman should make his first priority). Jane Austen scorns Mr. Collins’ kind intention of marrying a poor girl and twists it into a comedy. She does this because she is portraying clergymen in the 19th century as a stereotypical Mr. Collins. Mr. Collins, as said before, has got his priorities all wrong. Where he should be devoted to his spiritual life and his congregation, he finds money (Lady Catherine) the most important. Wherever he goes, he promotes Lady Catherine and sucks up to her. We see that when Mr. Collins dines at Mr and Mrs Bennet’s house, he is very enthusiastic about expressing his thoughts on her. Jane Austen says â€Å"The subject elevated him to more than usual solemnity of manner†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Mr. Collins thinks of Lady Catherine as he should (as a clergyman) think of God. He thinks of her superiority as immense compared to his own, â€Å"he had never witnessed in his life such behaviour in a person of rank,†, â€Å"and that the most elevated rank†, â€Å"and she often condescends to drive by my humble abode in her little phaeton and ponies† (he makes known the difference in rank between him and her). As I said, he should be acting this way to â€Å"spiritual† God, not human â€Å"materialistic† Lady Catherine. Mr.Collins also seems to think that whatever she says goes. For instance, â€Å"Lady Catherine herself says that in point of true beauty, Miss de Bourgh is far superior to the handsomest of her sex.† This is clear evidence that Lady Catherine is not what Mr. Collins says she is: â€Å"She is a most charming and young lady.†. This statements contradicts what Mr. Collins next says: â€Å"She is unfortunately of a sickly constitution, which has prevented her making that progress in many accomplishments, which she could not otherwise have failed of.† However, we can see that she is â€Å"of a sickly constitution† obviously not because she is young like Mr. Collins said before, but old. We know this because she has a daughter, and also because Lady Catherine is a widow.

Input Output Devices in Aviation Essay

Abstract Computer technologies recognized in the video presented were as follows. LCD screens for flights, operations program used for air traffic controllers, in flight routing and revision of flight plans thru the restructure of airspaces in European airports. By using these technologies, the benefits derived from these programs are, smoother flight plans, safer takeoffs and landings, less runway collisions, less communication with pilots from ATC. The challenges and risks of using CPDLC are, taking pilots attention away from the air to use system, texting while flying, not a good idea. The challenges to take away from flight time to look down to make sure you are making the correct response to ATC seems risky, especially since the safety of the souls is first priority. Not just with safety but today’s world, even the skies are not safe to travel with the conflicts that we have globally. Input Output Devices in Aviation Taking a journey around the globe today. The challenges we face, the revisions the FAA are making. How safe are the skies and what is considered the best form of piloting these days? We will take a walk thru the history of the ATC and commercial pilots. How we use to travel and communicate back then to now. What makes the friendly skies friendly? Technology constantly changes and for the friendly skies; The way we fly, how we communicate and work while travelling. The CPDLC, the major concern of passengers a pilot. The response time to the amount of space we have before leaving the ground and before touch the ground. As my flight instructor always said, a pilot should always be ahead of the plane. Staying ahead of the game is important but also keeping your eyes on all instruments while flying. For communication to ATC, it lowers the stress level for air traffic controllers. By taking this extra stress off of ATC, this will open up the  development of new technology in the near fut ure. The calculation of technology error over human error for airplanes taking off and landing. CPDLC is a wonderful tool but just as we have gone from live operators to technology via phone comes concerns. Conclusion In conclusion, our skies today are much safer than they were in the past. We have made large leaps and jumps into a safer and a better world for flying. Hungary started their upgrades of the CPDLC September 15th of this year and many countries are making their changes. Canada their monthly tally for communication before CPDLC was 7,000 monthly, by May the totals with CPDLS were 76,000. This change may be movement in the right direction but for a person that has been so use to communication, this will take some time to get use to. I am sure for the older pilots, it will eventually grow on them. The changes are being made globally and maybe the concerns will diminish into nothing. Changes in the aviation industry, verbal communication or not, that is the question. References Mark, R.P. (2014, July 21). General format. Retrieved from http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/ainsafety/2014-07-21/nav-canada-says-cpdlc-message-numbers-are-rising Croft, J. (2012, January 24). General format. Retrieved from http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/in-focus-round-two-for-controller-pilot-datalink-as-faa-contract-award-366940/

High Schools Students Essay

No Child Left Behind mandates placed tremendous pressure on schools throughout the country to succeed in helping our students achieve. School leaders are spending time and money to find ways to improve their schools. Many leaders have chosen to restructure their everyday scheduling format. Schools need to explore if this is beneficial or not. The purpose of this study is to determine if block scheduling has an effect on student achievement of high school students who are enrolled in block scheduling classes versus those enrolled in traditional classes. The block format will consist of four 90-minute classes. The traditional format will consist of six 50 minutes classes. To examine student achievement, the researcher will explore three critical areas. They are academic achievement, student discipline, and student attendance. The sample population will consist of students, teachers and administrators. The students of this population will be students enrolled at a high school that uses the block format and students enrolled at a high school that uses the traditional format. To examine academic achievement, only students who have completed their 11th grade year and taken the social studies portion of the Georgia High School Graduation Test will be used. To examine discipline and attendance, the teachers, administrators and some students will be randomly selected. The case study will consist of interview questionnaires and data from the students’ records to determine if there is a difference with block scheduling compared to traditional scheduling. The research will explain and explore if block scheduling versus traditional scheduling is a wise decision for school leaders throughout the country. CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1. 1 Statement of Problem It is no secret that schools in the United States have come under much fire lately for their failure to meet the basic educational needs of students. Globally, students in the United States lag far behind those of other countries. Education reform is a catch phrase on the lips of politicians and educational researchers alike. Dobbs reports that in a global math skills test, the United States ranked 24th out of 29 wealthy, industrialized countries. Approximately 5500 students in 262 high schools were studied; their poor performance suggests a widening gap between US students and their counterparts in Europe and Asia (Dobbs, M. , 2004). In addition an International Math & Science Study reported the high school seniors were out-performed by 90% of other tested nations in math and by 76% in science (Hodges, 2003). In reading, students are equally unprepared. The Alliance for Excellent Education reports that nearly 6 million middle and high school students do not read at grade level. In addition, over half the students entering college scored at unacceptable levels on college entrance exams in reading, and these trends seem to cross gender and racial lines (Aratani, 2006). The current debate about school reform came in response to the report, A Nation at Risk (2004) which made the above statistics and their implications public to the nation. The National Commission on Excellence in Education remarked that if a foreign power had attempted to impose our current education performance on any nation, it would have been deemed an act of war. In a nutshell, schools in America were characterized as failed systems (Finn, 1997). The No Child Left Behind Act (NCBLA) by the current Bush Administration is one of the most groundbreaking educational reforms in years. Approved by Congress in December 2001 and signed into law on January 8, 2002, this legislation expanded the federal government’s role in the operation of public schools and imposed new obligations on all school districts. The NCLBA’s basic reform principles feature stronger accountability of the schools, administrators and teachers, increased flexibility and local control of funds from the federal government, expanded options for parents in choosing schools, and an increased emphasis on successful teaching methods (No Child Left Behind Act, 2001). Policymakers are also accountable not just for the enhanced consumer satisfaction of the parents who have an active role in school choice, but also for the overall improvement of opportunity and performance for students who have only a limited role in school choice (Leckrone & Griffith, 2006). To combat these downward trends and to provide for the new obligations and standards in the NCLBA, public education reform has turned to a revision of the structure of the school day. This included changing the schedules from a traditional six or seven period day which consisted of 45 to 55 minute classes that met daily for an entire school year to a block schedule. Block schedules take many forms, but basically, the class times per period doubles to about 90 minutes each and the number of classes taken is reduced from six or seven to four per semester. 1. 2 Statement of Purpose Since the trend toward block scheduling began several years ago, and reports have been mixed as to whether block scheduling has been beneficial or deleterious in solving some of the problems of US high schools. Many factors are involved when it comes to student achievement. These include, among other things, school climate, teaching practices, familial support, motivation and resources. This study seeks to determine the effectives of block scheduling on the academic performance of high school students with regard to the discipline, attendance and test scores. 1. 3 Definitions For the purposes of this study, the following definitions will be used: †¢ 4 x 4 Block Scheduling – Four classes, approximately ninety minutes in length, every day for the first semester. Four completely different classes, again ninety minutes in length, every day for the second semester. Each class equals one credit (The Change Process and Alternative Scheduling, 1996). †¢ A/B Block Scheduling – Four classes, approximately ninety minutes in length, meeting every other day (â€Å"A† days) for an entire school year. Four completely different classes, again ninety minutes in length, meeting on alternate days (â€Å"B† days) for an entire year. Each class equals one credit (The Change Process and Alternative Scheduling, 1996). †¢ Combination Block Schedule – A combination of 4 x 4 and A/B block schedules (The Change Process and Alternative Scheduling, 1996). †¢ Flexible Schedule – A combination of 4 x 4 and A/B block schedules, but class length varies from day to day. One example: On three out of every five days throughout the school year, each class could be 90 minutes in length. On the other two days, designated as Advisement/Resource Days, each class is 75 minutes in length. An Advisement/Resource Hour is 60 minutes in length (The Change Process and Alternative Scheduling, 1996). †¢ Traditional Format – six (or more) 50-minutes classes per day †¢ FMS – the Flexible Modular System designed by J. Lloyd Trump which introduced alternative scheduling options and provided for differing times for classes depending on the needs of the student and the content of the particular course. †¢ GHSGT – The Georgia High School Graduation Test which must be passed by all seniors in public high schools in Georgia. †¢ Carnegie Unit – 120 hours of class or contact time with an instructor over the course of a year at the secondary school level †¢ No Child Left Behind Act – NCLBA, 2001 legislation which tightened federal control over the standards and processes of American public schools. 1. 4 Assumptions of the Study This study assumes that all schools and students and teachers polled are enrolled or teaching in schools that follow the typical formats discussed above, that they have no previously diagnosed mental disabilities or learning problems and that the school is not participating in any additional enrichment programs which may distort the results of the study. 1. 5 Significance of the Study This study is important for anyone interested in improving education in American high schools. This study is significant in that it provides to the body of research that determine a) if the block scheduling concept is perceived by teachers and students as efficient and advantageous and b) if the block scheduling concept is actually responsible for improved academic achievement based upon variable factors of attendance, disciplinary records, and achievement test scores. 1. 6 Limitations of the Study This study is limited by the existence of several variables which cannot be tested by these researchers or that cannot be completely controlled. First, the research obtained is limited to those participants who willingly elect to complete the surveys and questionnaires in their entirety. All personal data to be collected is limited by the veracity of the respondents. Because of the small scope of the research, it is difficult to statistically proportion the number of respondents from necessary categories such as gender, race, income level, and college plans. It can also not take into account existing problems in the schools unrelated to scheduling such as teacher turnover, violence, etc. 1. 7 Summary The problems faced by high schools in the United States are wide-ranging and diverse. No one change will provide an instant cure for all that ails the education system. The NCLBA mandates and the general demise of educational achievement has prompted several new methods of teaching, administrating and funding education in America. The issue of scheduling may hold promise as to improving some aspects of academic performance. CHAPTER TWO REVIEW of the LITERATURE 2. 1 Historical Background of Block Scheduling Students of the 20th century spent nearly all of their high school time in 45 to 55 minute class periods, six or seven classes a day. During the 1960s, some experimental ideas emerged, notable the model of J. Lloyd Trump, who proposed creating classes of varying lengths depending upon the course. Science courses with lab requirements could meet for 100 minutes while lectures could be scheduled for 40 minutes and tutorials for 20 minutes. This system was called the Flexible Modular System (FMS). Later, a similar type of scheduling was dubbed the Copernican Plan which resulted in a reported benefit of improved graduation rates (Carroll, 1995). The plan gives students an extra chance each year to pass a semester class that they may have failed. In 1984, John Goodlad warned education leaders that the traditional school structure spends way too much time on six or seven class changes and does not allow â€Å"for individualized instruction, for extended laboratory work, or for remediation and enrichment† (Queen, 2000). Eventually, the extreme flexibility of time produced discipline issues, scheduling headaches and teacher planning problems, and FMS’s popularity began to wane (Dobbs, W. , 1998) Nonetheless, the importance of this system has not been overlooked, and it is generally regarded as the precursor to the modern block scheduling system. Tradition has always played a role in high school scheduling. The Carnegie Unit became a standard for determining a students required yearly course load. Most critics of the traditional system likened the Carnegie Unit to simply amassed seat time (Canady and Rettig, 1995). This point was reiterated in the National Education Commission on Time and Learning’s publication of A Prisoner of Time. It states that Learning in America is a prisoner of time. For the past 150 years, American public schools have held time constant and let learning vary. The rule, only rarely voiced, is simple: learn what you can in the time we make available. It should surprise no one that some bright, hardworking students do reasonably well. Everyone else—from the typical student to the dropout—runs into trouble. Time is learning’s warden. (National Education Commission on Time and Learning, 1994, p. 7) â€Å"The pace is grueling† (Irmsher, 1996). A student will spend nearly seven hours a day in seven to nine locations pursuing seven to nine different lessons and activities which produces an impersonal and inefficient approach to instruction. â€Å"The pace is grueling† (Irmsher, 1996). Unfortunately, many administrators, teachers and parents resisted any type of change to the system that they had experienced themselves. This resistance was challenged with the report A Nation At Rise was published in 1983 which revealed the American educational system was not up to par with international systems. Thus, restructuring schools became a focus in improving educational achievement (Queen, 2000). 2. 2 Summary of Current Knowledge and Theory Relevant to Block Scheduling 2. 2. 1 Overview of Perceived Advantages to Block Scheduling Several researchers (Dobbs, W. , 1998; Hurley, 1997; Zepeda, 1999; Staunton, 1997; Staunton and Adams, 1997; Pisapia, and Westfall, 1997; and Eineder and Bishop, 1997) reported the following perceived strengths and advantages by both students and teachers to block scheduling: †¢ Increased teacher preparation time (in both teams and as individuals). †¢ Double the class time for certain core subjects such as language arts and math. †¢ Half as many students for teachers per semester †¢ Additional elective class choice for 9th grade students; more choices for upperclassmen, including options of Advanced Placement and other higher level coursework †¢ More time for completion of labs, incorporating technology, class trips, and other various applications of learned material †¢ Improved school climate and decreased disciplinary referrals †¢ More time to do homework and for guided practice under the direction of the teacher †¢ Improved academic achievement by students †¢ Ability of students to accumulate enough credits to graduate early. †¢ More one-on-one time between teachers and students In general, surveyed students liked the block scheduling. They claimed to be getting better grades, to have time for more in-depth study, and got more attention from the teachers. They said their lives were less stressed and they liked having a fresh start each semester. Nearly all students asked said they would not want to return to the traditional schedule. One of the greatest effects of the 4 x 4 schedule is that students report having less homework. Of the 37 students interviewed, 20 said they had less homework, 7 said they had more, and 6 said they had about the same. If you don’t like the teacher, you don’t have to deal with him all year, or if you don’t like the subject. When the semester ends, it’s like a new school year. You’re not bogged down. Clearly, these students reaped academic benefits from the change to the 4 x 4 schedule. Both college preparatory and general students reported they were learning more and receiving more individual attention (Hurley, 1997). Surveyed teachers indicated that they enjoyed lecturing less and spending more time one-on-one with students. Teachers teaching in block scheduling used more of a team approach and allowed them to experiment more in the classroom (Staunton, 1997; Staunton and Adams, 1997). Teachers also reported that their teaching methods and practices changed as block scheduling was implemented. They used a wider array of strategies and activities. In one Florida study of over forty high schools on block scheduling, â€Å"forty percent of the teachers reported less stress at school, one-third reported increased common planning time, and 80 percent noted that they preferred the block schedule to their previous schedule† (Deuel, 1999). There seem to be several perceived advantages associated with block scheduling. 2. 2. 2 Overview of Perceived Disadvantages to Block Scheduling Several researchers (Dobbs, W. , 1998; Hurley, 1997; Zepeda, 1999; Staunton, 1997; Staunton and Adams, 1997; Pisapia, and Westfall, 1997; and Eineder and Bishop, 1997) reported the following perceived weaknesses and disadvantages by both students and teachers to block scheduling: †¢ Additional costs in hiring teachers. †¢ Additional costs in adding space for teachers or the need for teachers to ‘travel’ which means he has no permanent classroom †¢ Difficulty in making up work from absences because missing one day equivalent to missing two classes †¢ Some classes clearly benefit from meeting every day (i. e. performing arts classes) †¢ Need for teachers to commit to using new teaching methods †¢ Ninety minutes is a long time to hold the attention of students †¢ Uneven schedules in which the harder classes all end up lumped into one semester making it too difficult and the next semester too easy. †¢ The possibility that there will be a long gap in between sequential courses if they are not taken in back-to-back semesters. The primary disadvantage given by surveyed students is that the classes are too long. Students particularly gave this as a weakness when their teachers lectured for nearly all of the time period. Others noted that â€Å"bad classes are really bad when they are held for 90 minutes† (Hurley, 1997). Surveyed teachers voiced concerns about interruptions of sequential material from one semester to the next and consistency issues with students. However, teacher opinion seemed to be mixed about this issue. Some foreign language teachers feared a sequential break between levels (Scheduling Foreign Languages on the Block, 1998). Other researchers found that some schools actually showed an increase in foreign language test scores because students could take level I and level II courses in back-to-back semesters (Schoenstein, 1996). Some teachers felt more comfortable with the lecture approach and had little comfort with experimentation of teaching methods (Staunton, 1997; Staunton and Adams, 1997). 2. 2. 3 Actual Advantages to Block Scheduling via Research Studies. A Temple University study found that block scheduling had distinct advantages in academic achievement. Students who made the honor roll at the three schools studied rose from 22% to 31%. SAT scores rose by an average of 14 points. In addition, the number of detentions declined while student attendance increased (Evans, Tokarczyk and Rice, 2000). Most recently, a 2006 study indicated a variety of advantages to block scheduling. Five Connecticut high schools were studied to determine what, if any, positive outcomes would result. The researchers used test scores and surveys as a means of data collection from school guidance counselors, teachers, administrators and students. The study found that gains in math rose significantly over a two year period, achievement test score averages rose in a statistically significant manner over three years, and PSAT and SAT scores increased within the first three years but then leveled off. (Wilcox, 2006). This study is one of the few longitudinal studies available. This study also stressed the importance of time as a factor in determining the success of block scheduling. â€Å"Almost all of the results which indicated significant differences were shown after two or more years† (Wilcox, 2006). Clearly some time is necessary in order for students and teachers to become accustomed to the changes. Some of the school studies Wilcox (2006) examined had been operating on a block schedule for as long as ten years. Unfortunately, not all the schools had baseline data for years before the block schedule or had opened with a block schedule. The study further stresses the level of support by the staff can be a determining factor as to the success of any type of block scheduling, which seems to correlate, at least on surface examination of the results, with training procedures and teacher confidence. 2. 2. 4 Actual Disadvantages to Block Scheduling via Research Studies A University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill study studied achievement in reading and mathematics of students in a high school which ran a tri-schedule. This schedule consisted of a traditional schedule, a 4 x 4 schedule and hybrid schedules which all operated in the same single school. The NC state mandated tests in reading, language and math were used to determine achievement. For reading and language test results, there was no statistically significant difference based on the types of schedules. There was, however, a statistically significant difference in math computation subtest. The traditional schedule saw slightly higher scores in understanding and retention of mathematical computation for tenth grade students. Thus, this study â€Å"supports the importance of daily instruction and contact time to student achievement in mathematics as distinct from other academic skills† (Veal and Shreiber, 1999). Another study tested students in the Wilmington area of North Carolina. It, too, found that students on traditional schedules scored higher on tests of algebra, English, biology and history than did students on a block schedule (Lawrence and McPherson, 2000). 2. 2. 5 Studies that were Inconclusive in Determining the Efficacy of Block Scheduling in Increasing Academic Achievement. A third North Carolina study, this one undertaken by the Department of Public Instruction, compared End-Of-Course (EOC) test scores in five areas (English I, Algebra I, Biology I, US History, and Economic, Legal and Political Systems (ELP)). It sample scores from schools that operated on block schedules and on traditional schedules for 1993 to 1996. It mentions at the outset that the first schools to adopt block schedules in NC were those that had lower achievement scores to begin with. These schools’ scores were adjusted for the purpose of this study. The overall results were inconclusive. Some blocked schools showed some improvement in some years but then lower scores in other years. â€Å"At present, there are essentially no significant differences between groups of blocked and corresponding non-blocked school groups in terms of student performance in state EOC Tests† (North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, 1997).

Negotiating Intimacy With a Partner as a Person Living With Limb Deficiency The WritePass Journal

Negotiating Intimacy With a Partner as a Person Living With Limb Deficiency Introduction: Negotiating Intimacy With a Partner as a Person Living With Limb Deficiency )

Personal Reflection Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Personal Reflection - Coursework Example Scholars argue that personal reflection for health professionals is very essential. Studies show that, personal reflection improves performance in health professionals. But the begging question would be; what is personal reflection? Personal reflection in common terms refer a situation where one reflects on what happened during a past experience and what their role was I the experience.This includes your behavior and thinking, and related emotions. Personal reflection will make a health profession have a better judgment of similar situations in future. Proponents of reflective thinking argue that if it used comprehensively and honestly, I will yield better performance for the health professionals. Reflective practice in the health profession requires you to stand back, to consciously analyse your decision making processes, drawing on theory and applying it again in practice’. (CSP, Information paper, 2005). Schon, (2009) looks at reflective practice as a way in which an individual develops a repertoire of knowledge and ability, which can be drawn upon in future situations. Reflective practice can be summarized in a cycle of six major stages; descriptive stage, Feelings stage, Evaluation stage, analysis stage, conclusion stage, and finally the action plan stage (Gibbs, 1988). These numerous stages go on the mind of health professional during a personal reflection moment. Health Professionals reflect both in the moment (reflection-in action) and after the event (reflection-on-action) (Schon, 1983). Both types of reflection inform what the health professional does in any particular situation, and also in situations that are similar in their future practice. Reflective practice among health professionals is gaining ground. It facilitates growth and development in career of a health professional. It also has a great effect on the success outcomes of health practice by a health professional. In recent studies, reflective practice is slowly being

Provide an argument for the claim that (some) mental states are not Essay - 1

Provide an argument for the claim that (some) mental states are not identical to any brain state - Essay Example Furthermore, it will discuss the relevant concepts in philosophy that will either affirm or negate these suppositions. In order to make this possible, the monist and dualist concepts are also discussed. Some mental states (beliefs) are not identical to any brain state The first argument being focused in this paper is the difference between mental and brain states. As mentioned earlier, these two are different concepts. Many people are confused and often use these two interchangeably. The mental state has a deeper context compared to that of the brain state. This is so because it refers to the state of a person’s thoughts regarding pain or happiness, what a person believes in, and also ideas and aspirations. On the other hand, the brain state refers to the literal condition of the nervous system like a brain activity. According to Adam Sennet (chap. 5), some mental states, like beliefs, are not identical or similar to any brain state. This is because beliefs are not part of any physiological activities of the body particularly inside the brain. the famous philosopher Descartes (qtd. in Carruthers 7) postulated that the mind is not spatial but has the ability to think, while the body is spatial but is unable to think; hence, the body is only capable of biological and physiological activities. ... nd Y are very similar, then they should have the very same attributes, which is not true in the concept of the mind (beliefs) and the body (brain state). Hence, if X and Y have different attributes, they can never be considered as identical. The differences in the mental and brain states include the argument of certainty (Wright). The mind can be certain about pain or desires but the brain cannot be certain about anything because it lacks a logical attribute. There is a great disparity between the mental state and the brain state as clearly stated by this Law. There are, however, some arguments by other philosophers like Carruthers that the Leibniz’ Law does not apply to mental states including beliefs, pains, and desires. He argues that if X and Y are not very similar substances, then X and Y must have the same intrinsic attributes or properties (Carruthers 8). He believes that the mental state does not have a property of belief. Thus, he sticks to his argument that the two s ubstances are very similar because they are one (Wright). The Monist Concept This concept does not hold the proposition that there are two kinds of substances. It holds that there is only one kind of substance and that the brain and the mind are just the same. There are, however, two separate views about this one substance. These are: materialism and idealism (Carruthers 6). Materialism is an idea that all that exists are material or physical, while idealism is an idea which states that all that exists are ultimately mental. These are the two ideas in the Monist concept and there are philosophers who believe on either one or another but not both. The materialist does not believe that there is such a thing as the mental state and so they are similar or identical to absolutely nothing, because