Roles, Responsibilities, Learning, Development and Assessment in the Life Long Learning Sector

My roles and responsibilities as a teacher include many factors, which I will be going through in this report. As my background is a hairdresser, I am looking to teach in the hairdressing sector. My learners would ideally be 16-19 year olds aspiring hairdressers, although there could be the exception of mature adult learners, so I would need to bare this in mind when teaching to ensure I cater to all individuals. The majority of my learners would also be girls with again maybe the exception of some boys. As my group sector is very narrow, which just a few exceptions, this could be a barrier for those individuals. For example if there is only 1 boy in a classroom full of girls, he could feel uncomfortable or intimidated. Initially I would need to assess the situation myself, and then ensure in my lesson plan I include methods of inclusive learning. There could be many other barriers that learners could face for example, the environment, confidence, bullying, basic skills, and home problems. So it would be my responsibility to tackle these barriers with solutions immediately, such as setting a clear contract at the start of the lesson, making the environment comfortable for the learners, making it fun and inclusive, and even sign posting. As I have already mentioned above some group sector issues that I may encounter, there could also be other issues such as pregnancy. In situations like this I would need to offer advice to learners and sign post them to people who could help. I would need to make sure I always safeguard myself and keep to my contract of employment rules. I would need to help where I can, and offer advice, and signpost where I cant. For this I would need to assess individual needs at an early stage so that I can help, and mentor them throughout their training course. The main aim as a hairdressing teacher is to be able to pass on knowledge through practical and theory learning. There are 3 main learning styles; visual (seeing and reading), auditory (listening and speaking), and kinaesthetic (touching and doing). I believe all 3 are very important in the hairdressing sector. I would need to include all 3 learning styles because we as hairdresser’s need to see exactly what we are dealing with for example, hair colour, hair style, hair conditions. We would also need to listen to our client needs, and offer advice. And finally our role is very practical, so we are always touching hair and doing things. Overall as I teacher I would need to be able to teach using all 3 styles so that learners can get used to this. However I would need to bare in mind that some learners may learn better using one learning style to another, for example, they might learn better by watching a demonstration rather than having a theory handout. In that case I would offer them more support on the theory side of things. But in general if I use all 3 learning styles I have a better chance to cater for all individuals. As well as learning styles we also have to look at different teaching methods or activities. These could be things like lectures, group work, presentations, fieldwork, work placements, Q&A and case studies. Within the hairdressing sector what we use quite heavily are work placement, and practical work. This gives the learner a chance to gain some crucial hands-on experience of the working world. In terms of the theory side of hairdressing, we use a lecture styled method where learners can gain information, write notes etc. While using all these methods it is important to have a fun, bubbly and relaxed attitude in which learners can feel comfortable, and it allows their personality to come through. Getting everyone involved in group activities, gathering everyone around in demonstrations, all this promotes inclusive learning. It is very important for me to promote this behaviour as it demonstrates a level of good characteristics that they would later on need in the hairdressing industry. I would also make the lesson interactive by using various resources; such as you tube clips, live demonstrations, flip charts, and power point, which would all be relevant in its own matter. For example, the use of power point when going through head and face shapes, or demonstrations when showing hair colouring. Another big responsibility of mine would be dealing with legislations. The Health and safety at work act 1974 and the COSHH act 1989, play a strong role in the hairdressing sector as well as many others. Some of the things that we have to deal with daily are, hazardous chemicals, infections, skin tests, loose objects and wiring hanging around, and hair waste. I would need to make sure risk avoidance procedures are in place such as wearing gloves when dealing with hazardous chemicals, having barbercide on the salon floor so tools can be cleaned after each client to stop the spreading of infections. As well as doing that, it is also my responsibility to have a risk assessment regularly. This could just be as simple as if I can see hair waste on the floor, I would need to make sure its swept up immediately, or If there is spillage of chemicals, or colour left out in a bowl, I would have to get that cleaned up straight away. We also have to be aware of The Data protection act 1984 as we have many records that we need to keep. As teachers we always have to keep records in order to keep ourselves backed up. We would need to be able to provide evidence to governing bodies and clients, for when we have audits and even for self-development. Things such as attendance records, progress reports, assessment records and client records are all record keeping and we need to ensure its all backed up and that they are stored away safely, in either something locked up, or password protected. As we are dealing with client records like name, address, hair history, this also needs to be kept confidential, and only authorised people should be allowed to see this information. The Equality act 2010 is also very important. Equality seems to imply that everyone will be treated the same way, however when dealing with learners with different needs, abilities, backgrounds and so on, from a teachers point of view its all about providing each learner equal opportunity to achieve the goal. An example of this would be if an individual is struggling with keeping up with a detailed power point presentation maybe because he is dyslexic or visually impaired, in this case as I teacher I would need to make it fair for him by giving out handouts. In order to make sure we are treating learners equally in accordance to their needs and abilities, it is vital to do interim assessments. Such assessments could be things like observation, 121’s, monitoring, and group work. This gives me a better understanding on what learners have achieved and what more they need to learn. Within my role I would probably use observation the most, as it is a quick and reliable method to use as we do quite a lot of practical work. For example when everyone is doing a practical such as setting the hair I can easily observe them and assess who is doing well, and what learners may need extra help etc. Or when doing an interim assessment on their theory work I could have 121’s and chat about what they have achieved and what more they need to do, I could get feedback from them if they are struggling with any work etc. gain this is a valid and reliable assessment method. Once I have assessed my learner I am then able to adapt to that and work on those areas. For example if I set a task for learners to weave highlights and I can see that they are struggling with sectioning, I might bring everyone around or see them individually and go through how to section accurately. When doing summative assessments in hairdressing, they are again split in two. We have the practical as sessments where we use methods such as observation or photographic evidence for their portfolio. And on the other hand for the theory we have methods such as multiple choice, project work, and problem scenarios. Before we even begin assessing we need to make the methods we use are; fair, valid, reliable, and current. That is why we have different kinds of assessments for practical and theory, because where a photographic evidence might be valid to show that a learner can change a clients hair colour, that may not be valid or reliable to show that the learner understands the colour wheel or mixing of colour. Between an observation and a photographic I would say an observation is better. The reason is because it ticks all the boxes in terms of it being fair, valid reliable and current, because you can see for yourself whether the learner completed the assessment within the timescale, whether they struggled, or even whether that was all there own work. However the only downside of the observation assessment would be it can be very time consuming, it might cause problems being able to visit salons to assess learners at a work placement. On the other hand photographic is valid however not very reliable but its advantage is that it is very quick, easy and simple. The other method of assessment we use a lot to understand whether a learner has understood knowledge of colour is by giving them a multiple choice test. This is a fair and valid method, however I wouldn’t say it is very reliable because learners could just take a guess. At the end of each lesson for me it is important to get feedback, evaluate and reflect on the session. I encourage learners to ask any questions, or we may even have a discussion. We also share good practice for example one learner may have found it easier to do a task a particular way, and by sharing this with others it could help others achieve the same goal. We always reflect on each lesson where I revisit the objectives set at the start of the lesson, this gives the learners and myself a sense of achievement. Some learners may even want to discuss other matters such as development, or other problems that they are facing, so I need to give them that time and advise them, or signpost them to other authorities. Feedback is also valued, so that I myself could perhaps change or improve things in future lessons.

Why We Should Save Natural Resources

Why We should save natural resources because if we don’t, life will die out Have you ever wondered what would happen to the earth if we used all of the natural resources? Is it a possibility that this would happen in the near future? Well, at the current rate of resources being used it might happen. Renewable resources can Be used more than once. On the other hand non-renewable resources cannot be restored after being used once it’s used. Additionally non-renewable resources are in limited supply and be used once.Examples of these resources are Coal,oil and natural Gasses, they are known to be fossil fuels; They take millions of years to form. They have to be mined or drilled from deposits deep within the earth. And the Reason we should save them is because if we don’t what will we have left for example if we use too much paper we will end up cutting down all the tree’s on earth causing the CO2 level’s to go to high and kill us all. That is why my f amily save all paper we use and double side our work. The Future of our economy lies in how much we use natural resources.And according to the Political Economy of Natural Resources â€Å"The Development and taking of Resources leads to wars among countries and within countries†(the Political Economy of Natural Resources) And if natural resources Cost more money guess who suffers? The people do, Such as if we use up all our oil the price for a car and it’s maintenance would be very high. And Gail Tverberg believes â€Å"If the price of oil goes up the price of everything goes up† Natural resources don’t only affect the economy but the environment too. Natural resources are found throughout nature.So when we use it up the environment suffers to most. Without forests in certain areas will never have forests again. So by cutting down trees you are basically abusing the earth. And a source states â€Å"That forested area are decreasing 1% every year† s o basically in about 100 years we will die unless we stop cutting down trees and planting more of them. And half the world’s forest has already been cut down so without the trees what will stop the the soil erosion will permanently destroy the land and if that land is destroyed.And if the land is destroyed what will trap the Carbon dioxide or give oxygen. So if we take the natural resources, the bionetwork = earth abuse = no life after some amount of years. The world’s population has grown over the years, and because of this, more resources are needed. and as more people are born there is fossil fuels used because we need to heat more people’s heating bills and electricity. So the More people born then dead in a day can make the years the earth have less.And i have a some reasons why hydrogen should be our fuel until we can plant enough trees for soil erosion to go away and to get some more natural resources Reasons= It is colorless and odorless it is not a foss il fuel With the right technology using hydrogen, the sun and the wind we could get enough energy to power the whole US in 1 year. and after all the whole us is been powered stably we could store that energy and within 10 year we could have power to power the whole planet for at least 2 full years and all of the power is coming from renewable sources.And 90% of it is produced from natural gas after we make it pure it will be able to power almost everything including automobile, heat, electricity, and water Clean burning fuel It does’t emit greenhouse gasses which ruins the ozone layer Although Nonrenewable can be made from water (which has 2 part hydrogen and 1 part oxygen) and the sun. It can be made without mining from a limited supply It can be replenished through a natural processes it is the simplest element with only one proton and one eletron.

Analysis of Mrs. Dalloway by  Virginia Woolf

Analysis of Mrs Dalloway Analysis published in 1925 by the Virginia Wolf Lady Dallo Wife in the summer of 1923, five years after the end of the First World War, a place deeply psychologically closer to the city of UK society I'm waiting. Arranging a book at the Clarissa Dalloway party from the morning will be over when the guest departs at night. There are many flashbacks that you can learn of each character's past, but it will not leave that range for hours. Relationship with women in Virginia Woolf Clarissa Dalway, the wife of Daloay, the central figure of Florence wool's dull off, is a complex person and the relationship with other women represents her own contemplation. Her personality For a long time, by focusing on several roles, everyone has a connection with Clarissa. Clarissa skillfully depicts the way women interact. Mrs. Wei is a novel that explores the sex and gender world in the social structure of London through Clarissa and Septimus after the war. The title of the nove l suggests the state and assumptions about what inevitable structure Clarissa pays particular attention, what women mean. A series of special choices by Clarissa and Septimus is shocking Written in 1925 and wife Mrs. Virginia Woolf's wife Dalloway is a romantic drama, in the summer of 1923, it is a five year after the end of World War I, the English city in the international community is deep psychological It has an approach. From morning, Clarissa Darrowway will hold a party and will end when all guests come out in the evening. There we have a lot of memories that can tell the past of each character There is concern that it will not leave the scope of the wife Mrs. Virginia Woolf Mrs Florencia Virginia  · Wolf Darrowway Bloomsbury writer or thinker etc around A group of problems. Issues amenable to both problems throughout the novel, classes, insanity and myths. This is not a complete list, but these concepts seem to constitute the core of the new structure. I am in this world to confirm sanity and insanity when designing this project, trying to study suicide and madness Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway Imagination is a weapon in reality. - In particular the 1925 novel by Virginia Woolf, one of Britain's most tragedies Mrs. Dalloway It was the first World War I The upper class in London is in sharp contrast to the impact of shot impact of war veteran Septimus Smith For the upper class members the influence of war is mainly indirect, It mainly affects conversation in a luxurious social situation.The representative work of independent literary movement: modernism and postmodern.It completely defines these two movements, or these two operations are modernism It is not the purpose of this article to discuss whether or not it is truly representative of post-modern classification. Working in the context of each tradition

Compare and contrast the influences of culture and religion in Essay

Compare and contrast the influences of culture and religion in sciences in ancient Greece and the Islamic empire - Essay Example elf is quite vast and it will probably be very difficult to cover all the points which can be made about the similarities and differences of how culture and religion affected the scientific developments of the ancient Greeks or the early Muslims. In fact even a brief retelling of their combined histories can take up many pages but I shall endeavor to cover the salient points which I came across while researching this topic. To better understand the differences and common elements it would be easier if each civilization is examined in detail on an individual basis while providing links to the other. Ancient Greece is rather difficult to pinpoint in terms of historical timelines since there is little agreement on the exact dates of the existence of this culture (Bower, 1991). The historians are in general agreement that all Greek history which came before the Roman Empire is a part of Ancient Greece. There are several periods in this society which are depicted by the art and culture as it existed in those times. Pottery samples and statues have often been of use in marking timelines for various periods of ancient Greek culture. But while the start of the Greek civilization may be questioned, its end is generally taken as the death of Alexander the Great. Amongst the many achievements of this culture are wonderful advancements made in the field of science. The made many discoveries of importance particularly in the areas of mathematics, agriculture, animal husbandry, economics and (perhaps most importantly), philosophy (Magner, 2002). Greek culture itself laid a very high value on the ability to speak to an audience and motivate them to do something or the other (Goldstein, 1995). This was the fundamental art of verbal and written rhetoric which basically had someone prove something to others. This cultural influence can be clearly seen in the way the philosophy and the mathematics of the Greek culture operates where very little abstraction is used and most of the

Relationship Between Knowledge and Belief. What Role Does Experience Essay

Relationship Between Knowledge and Belief. What Role Does Experience and Reason Play in Ensuring our Beliefs Are True - Essay Example What is important to note here is the underlying significance on the shaping up of beliefs. If these beliefs are not given the room to expand within their entireties, there is little one can do in essence. Similarly, experience and reason have got a due role within the relevant scheme of knowledge and beliefs. Experience comes with an understanding that things can be learned with the passage of time. As far as knowledge is concerned, teacher can teach knowledge but he cannot force his own self to change beliefs and opinions which take a long time to change essentially. Knowledge leads to experience after a particular task is worked upon. If the knowledge is not employed in a due capacity, experience will not be deemed as fruitful. Therefore, one must understand the dictum of positive change that shall dawn upon the entirety of an individual who wants to attain knowledge. If the knowledge is acquired, then only experience is derived from the same settings. The role of the teacher is t herefore an important one but it is the guidance that shall lead a student towards deducing what is deemed as a better alternative for him, and what shall not reap any rich dividends for his personality in the coming times. In order to make sure that our beliefs turn out to be true, the role of knowledge and experience working hand in hand with one another is a significant one. This is because both these elements work alongside one another to form up our beliefs which remain quintessential for us no matter how tough the circumstances and situations turn out to be at the end. The gravity of our beliefs is directly related with how our knowledge and experience shape up. This is because the beliefs are affected by the knowledge and experience regimes which are in place and which shall be the basis of comprehension within the related realms (Bratman, Fischer & Perry, 2009). The theory of knowledge is such that it would lead to immense understanding as it paves the way for alternatives a nd options. It gives the people a sense of belongingness and understanding – a fact that has been discussed, analyzed and relearned altogether with the advent of time. The beliefs need to be covered up with experience and knowledge which remain important for an individual until the time he is alive and bringing in value for his own entirety. The manner in which inductive influence comes about is an important one. This is because there is a sense of leading into things when inductive influence comes into the relevant equations. The inductive influence within the dynamics of beliefs comes in from research which is knowledge and the practical demonstration of work that leads up to experience. The mix of the two is indeed the belief that a person acquires and would long to have within his folds. What is significant here is an understanding that things shall be done properly if there is a certain belief behind the very same dictum. This will mean long term success for all and sund ry, an aspect which has been given much emphasis in the recent times by the people who study personalities and their direct and indirect effects and consequences. Therefore philosophy asks of the individuals to manifest their truest selves through understanding, research and practical experience. All of these tenets are given a decent cover under

Transformations of the Radio Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Transformations of the Radio - Essay Example Fortanale and Mills further insisted that because of this incident in the broadcasting industry, the music producers, and music co-creators tried to branch away from the broadcasting industry since they think that this particular commerce is costing them more than it is doing them the benefits of promoting their craft to the public. As a result to this, the networks in radio broadcasting tried to fix the issue through giving particular promotional offers to assure that the producers of music get the viable value that they are worth as a partner of the broadcasting industry. Through allowing them the best chance to access public appreciation for their music through direct promotional approaches to the business the broadcasting industry was able to insist that using their services of promotion and marketing would give better chances for musicians and composers to make the society realize about their art and be appreciated for what they do while gaining the profit that they deserve for the work that they do. But as noted, the revolution of the communication systems that humans perceive to have a great impact on their lives never ceases to evolve. Later on, as the intention to listen and be served with the right music people want to hear comes into a larger public concern, the human society is now more interested in having the music they want to hear right at the click of their fingertip giving way to the chances of producing online based stations that are now flooding in the Internet.6 Likely, the advancement of communication technology aided by the Internet has opened doors for the public to have an immediate source of music choices that they ought to have. These choices are practically served through several websites where users are given better chances of choosing what

Marketing Plan Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Marketing Plan - Research Paper Example Bearing in mind that there are other strategic competitors in this market such as Ring Central, MaxEmail has to adopt strategies that would give it a competitive advantage over its rivals. To accomplish this, Brumfitt, Barnes, Norris and Jones (2001) propose finding effective ways of addressing the competitive marketplace and supporting everyday operations. Customer targets According to Armstrong and Kotler (2003), only a fraction of the entire population in an area would buy the products from a firm. The task would therefore be to identify who these people are and then targeting the marketing efforts of the business towards them. This ensures that a business only deals with the target market that would be profitable. In the case of MaxEmail, the target market includes the 3 million users drawn from the government and business enterprises with whom it enters into contracts to provide communication. All marketing efforts would therefore be directed towards this target market. The limi ted marketing budget should be a reason for such a company to market to the 3 million users as it would be more efficient than generally marketing to the whole market. Customer segments In customer segmentation, an organization would identify different groups in the market based on their traits. There is more benefit in focusing marketing efforts on a group with similar characteristics, wants and needs that would be with a group comprising of undifferentiated people (Brumfitt et al., 2001). Customers could be segmented in various ways such as according to their demography, psychograph, geography and use. Focusing marketing efforts on a segment reduces expenses and increases revenue in an organization. There are a number of services and goods on offer at MaxEmail including fax machines and services such as fax on demand, fax broadcasting and spam checker (MaxEmail, 2012). It also provides internet services like photocopying. It would be necessary for the company to identify the vario us needs by the government, business enterprises and individuals then categorize its products in a similar fashion. This would see the firm serve each of these segments differently according to their needs and capabilities. Product position MaxEmail rides on the strength of its easy to use interface and voicemail services. The company has diversified its production to not only cover a range of fax machines but also various services that go hand in hand with this. This has been furthered by desirable customer service that gives it an edge over its rivals. Serving the government market gives it a competitive edge over its rival Ring Central which depends on individual buyers and businesses enterprises. Its lean stock makes management easy for the company. Nonetheless, the company’s products are perceived to be expensive as compared to what its rivals offer. Similarly, the products lack electronic signs which its rival Ring Central offers. The company thus faces threat from Ring Central especially now that its products are considered to be less expensive and largely diversified. Closely related to segmentation is product positioning. Product positioning entails the creation of a consistent, unique and recognized perception of customers on the general image of the organization and its products. The products or services provided by a company would be positioned based on the accompanying benefits, users, price, class, application and quality level (Armstrong &

The US Patriot Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The US Patriot Act - Essay Example ng the tools by which law enforcement agencies fight crime and improves communication capabilities between these government agencies and in spite of the prevailing majority opinion, protects, not degrades civil liberties. According to the Justice Department, the PATRIOT Act gives support to and encourages enhanced sharing of information among various law enforcement agencies at the local, state and federal levels. In addition, this law assists law enforcement in their efforts to â€Å"connect the dots† from a wider scope of agencies when assembling evidence so as to â€Å"develop a complete picture† regarding possible threats from terrorists. The Act also allows law enforcement officials more latitude when attempting to intercept transmissions of suspected terrorist’s discussions via electronic surveillance. (Ward, 2002). Since the PATRIOT Act was enacted in October of 2001, it has been an essential instrument in ensuring the safety of American citizens in the ongoing ‘War on Terror.’ The more conducive sharing of information augments the same, constitutionally lawful, forms of law enforcement that had been employed to apprehend and prosecute criminals prior to 9/11. In addition, the legislation has increased the effectiveness of the U.S. Department of Justice in its efforts to interrupt terrorist actions while simultaneously and earnestly defending the civil liberties of American citizens. â€Å"America still faces dangerous enemies, and no priority is more important to the President than protecting the American people without delay† (â€Å"US PATRIOT Act†, 2006). According to President Bush, â€Å"The Patriot Act defends our liberty. The Patriot Act makes it able for those of us in positions of responsibility to defend the liberty of the American people. It’s essential law† (Allen, 2004). Paul Rosenzweig, a senior legal research fellow at Heritage is convinced that Ronald Reagan, the champion of modern-day conservatism, would support the PATRIOT

Assignment 6.1 Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Assignment 6.1 - Case Study Example There are several types of teams which you can use, namely, problem-solving teams, self-managed teams, virtual teams and cross-functional teams. A combination of these teams would be useful for the level of customer service and support Xerox wishes to generate. Given that asset management at Xerox involves a tremendous amount of work and challenge, an effective work team should maintain an informal and relaxed atmosphere. What is more, teams should be given a high level of autonomy to complete their relevant tasks. Structural accommodation is pertinent to team effectiveness due to the changing nature of the external environment and the diversity of cultures with which Xerox interacts. Although there is need for a considerable amount of networking at any Xerox location, the smaller the team, the more one is able to achieve optimum performance. Hence, each team should comprise six to nine members. The goals and objectives of the particular work location should be well understood and accepted by each member. Notwithstanding that there will be frequent conflict and disagreements everyone should be free to express their views about the task or the team. Given the number of countries in which our products are distributed it is necessary for team members to be creative, to be risk takers and to be sensitive to the needs of each member as well as the dynamic nature of the external environment. Nonetheless, mistakes will be made and these should be viewed as a basis for learning rather than causes for punishment. In our Houston ‘family’ we are not afraid to evaluate our performance on a regular basis as such we have developed a climate of trust in which we can all grow professionally and personally. As San Francisco’s manager, you will be required to be consistent, determined and to understand how to systematically build your team eventually you will find that your group has become a team. In

Impact of Human Activities on Natural Hazards Essay Example for Free

Impact of Human Activities on Natural Hazards Essay Natural hazards are naturally occurring phenomena that have disastrous impact on humanity. These phenomena had been in existence even before the advent of humanity. The hazardous dimension of these natural phenomena are in the context of the impact that such a phenomenon would have on human population in the area affected by that phenomenon. In this essay, the effect that human activity has on these natural hazards would be analyzed. Some human activities may be exacerbating the factors that cause the natural hazard, like the impact of excessive and unplanned logging on floods and droughts. In certain other cases the human activities may cause subsequent or supplementary hazards to a primary hazard event, like building dams in earthquake prone zones may lead to flash floods and landslides in the event of a rupture. A hazard can be defined as an event that has the potential to cause harm. This potential may be on account of its unexpected timing of occurrence or the actual intensity of the event itself. Human societies can withstand these events within a normal scale of occurrence. However, human societies become vulnerable when these events occur unexpectedly or are of an intensity or duration that falls beyond that normal scale (O’Hare and Rivas, 2005). Natural hazards can be broadly classified under the heads of geological, hydrological, climatic and diseases. This essay would limit its scope to analyzing causal relationships, if any, of human activities on landslides, floods and drought and the secondary hazards triggered by those activities in the event of an earthquake. Of all human activities that have a direct or indirect impact on natural hazards, deforestation is by far the most significant. Deforestation is the removal or destruction of forest cover of an area. It may occur due to unscientific logging practices without regeneration and may be accompanied by subsequent conversion to non-forest usage like agriculture, pasture, urban, mining or industrial development, fallow or wetland. At a very broad level, it has been argued that deforestation is a major cause of global climatic changes. It has been predicted that removal of forest cover will lead to violent and unpredictable environmental fluctuations. At a smaller landscape, deforestation has a direct bearing upon the climatic, hydrological, edaphic and biological aspects of that area. Deforestation is associated with higher levels of soil erosion and landslides, sedimentation in river beds and changes in fluvial geomorphology (Haigh, 1984). Quite a few of these effects of deforestation have a direct bearing on the natural hazards that will be covered in this essay. One of the major functions of a forest is to maintain the humidity level in the atmosphere. Trees withdraw groundwater through their roots and transpire the excess water through their leaves. Forests return a major part of the rainfall received by them through evapotranspiration. Annual evapotranspiration in tropical moist lowland forests ranges up to 1500 mm per year, with transpiration accounting for a maximum of 1045 mm per year (Bruijnzeel, 1990). This process of evapotranspiration in the leaves of trees takes the latent heat of evaporation from the surrounding atmosphere. Thus evapotranspiration has a cooling effect on the atmosphere that aids precipitation. Deforestation denies the atmosphere of this cooling effect and is thus a contributing factor to lowering of annual rainfall in an area. Further, the effects of deforestation generally compound the severity of drought. Lack of trees translates to the lack of root fibers that hold the topsoil. In the event of a drought, the topsoil flakes and gets blown by the wind, leading to severe dust storms. This phenomenon had devastated the American Great Plains for close to a decade in 1930s. The dust bowl covered farming areas in Colorado, Kansas, north west Oklahoma, north Texas and north east New Mexico. The fertile soil of the plains was exposed due to lack of vegetation cover and actions of the plow. These farming techniques that led to severe soil erosion, coupled with prolonged periods of extremely low rainfall, led to a series of severe dust storms that ranged up to the Atlantic coast. Much of the fertile topsoil was lost in the Atlantic (Cartensen et al. , 1999). Direct causal relationship between human activity and drought is yet to be conclusively established. However, there are studies available that point to a positive correlation between the two. For example, climate-modeling studies have indicated that the 20th century Sahel drought was caused by changing sea surface temperatures. These changes were due to a combination of natural variability and human induced atmospheric changes. The anthropogenic factors in this case were rise in greenhouse gas levels and aerosols (GFDL Climate Modeling Research Highlights, 2007). The effect of human activities like deforestation is rather more direct and pronounced in case of hydrological hazards like fluvial floods. Fluvial floods occur when the discharge of a river exceeds its bankfull capacity. Forests create deep, open textured soils that can hold large quantities of water. When the forest cover is removed through logging, the soil becomes compacted. More rainwater is converted to runoff or near surface flow and less proportion percolates as groundwater. Research has shown significant increase in monthly runoff following logging activities (Rahim and Harding, 1993). The runoff rainwater carries with it considerable amounts of loose soil particles. Removal of vegetation cover through excessive logging activities or overgrazing leaves the soil bare. In such a situation, the upper layer of the soils becomes susceptible to erosion by surface runoff. These suspended soil particles are deposited on the riverbeds. The effect of this type of soil erosion by surface runoff is even more pronounced when the deforestation happens in the riparian zones as well.

Organizational controls and structure in business

Organizational controls and structure in business Introduction Organizational structure can be defined as the formal system of task and authority relationships that control how people coordinate their actions and use resources to achieve organizational goals. (Jones, et al, 2010)  [i]   Organizational structure specifies: The firms formal reporting relationships, procedures, controls, and authority and decision-making processes; and, The work to be done and how to do it, given the firms strategy or strategies Developing an organizational structure that effectively supports the firms strategy is difficult, especially because of the uncertainty about the cause-effect relationship in the global economys rapidly changing and dynamic competitive environments.  [ii]   Organizational Controls Organization Control includes any process designed to assure that organization plans are carried out the way they were designed. Control in the organizational context can be classified as: 1. Strategic controls 2. Financial controls Strategic controls are largely subjective criteria intended to verify that the firm is using appropriate strategies for conditions in external environment and the companys competitive advantage.  [iii]  Strategic controls are concerned with examining the fit between: What the firm might do (opportunities in its external environment) What the firm can do (competitive advantages) Financial controls, on the other hand, are largely objective criteria used to measure the firms performance against previously established quantitative standards.iii Financial controls have two criteria: Accounting-based measures include: Return on investment Return on assets Market-based measures include: Economic Value Added (EVA) Relative use of controls varies by type of strategy. Large diversified firms using a cost leadership strategy emphasize financial controls. Companies and business units using a differentiation strategy emphasize strategic controls. In relation with organizational structure, organizational controls are important to measure the effect caused by a change in the structure. Relationships between Strategy and Structure Strategy and structure have a reciprocal relationship. Structure flows from or follows the selection of the firms strategy but once in place, structure can influence current strategic actions as well as choices about future strategies. Evolutionary Patterns of Strategy and Organizational Structure The relationship between organizations strategy and structure was studied extensively by Alfred D. Chandler in his legendary book Strategy and Structure: Chapters in the History of the American Industrial Enterprise. According to Chandler (1962), firms grow in predictable patterns: First by volume Then by geography Then integration (vertical, horizontal) And finally through product/business diversification Chandler also says that a firms growth patterns determine its structural form. All organizations require some form of organizational structure to implement and manage their strategies. Firms frequently alter their structure as they grow in size and complexity. The three basic structure types are: Simple structure Functional structure Multidivisional structure (M-form) Global expansion structure The following figure explains the change in organizational structure with growth and strategy. D:Chap11graphicsMultidiv_fig 11.1.jpgD:Chap11graphicsFunctional_fig 11.1.jpgD:Chap11graphicsSimple_fig 11.1.jpg Efficient implementation of formulated strategy Efficient implementation of formulated strategy D:Chap11graphicsSalesHigher_fig 11.1.jpgD:Chap11graphicsSalesLower_fig 11.1.jpg Simple Structure A simple structure is where the owner-manager makes all the major decisions and monitors all activities while the staff serves as an extension of the managers supervisory authority. (C. Levicki, 1999). This type of a structure is matched with focus strategies and business-level strategies where firms commonly compete by offering a single product line in a single geographic market. Functional Structure A functional structure is a design that groups people together on the basis of their common expertise and experiences or because they use the same resources. (Jones, et al, 2010) Functional structure supports use of business-level strategies and some corporate-level strategies single or dominant business with low levels of diversification. Multi-divisional Structure The multi-divisional structure (M-form) consists of operating divsions, each representing a separate business or profit center in which the top corporate officer delegates responsibilities for day-to-day operations and business-unit strategy to division managers. Multi-divisional structure has three major benefits: Corporate officers are able to more accurately monitor the performance of each business, which simplifies the problem of control Facilitates comparisons between divisions, which improves the resource allocation process Stimulates managers of poorly performing divisions to look for ways of improving performance International Strategies and Worldwide Structures International strategies are becoming increasingly important for long-term competitive success in what continues to become a global economy. The following framework explains how organizations proper in a global economy: Global expansion strategies Global expansion strategies can be understood in terms of local responsiveness and geographical integration within the company. On the basis of these two parameters, four strategies of global expansion have been arrived at. These are: International strategy Multi-domestic strategy Global strategy Transnational strategy International Strategy In case of international strategy, firms decentralize all value-creation functions except for RD and marketing. Multi-domestic Strategy Multi-domestic strategy is oriented towards local responsiveness by decentralizing control to subsidiaries and divisions in each country. Global expansion Strategy Global expansion strategy is oriented towards cost reduction, with all the principal value-creation functions centralized at the lowest cost global location. Transnational Strategy In a transnational strategy some functions are centralized, while others are decentralized at the global location best suited to achieving these objectives. Transnational Global Expansion International integration Multi-domestic Strategy International Strategy Local Responsiveness An observation on structure and strategy The theory developed above is only a guideline to how organizations might structure themselves in their pursuit of growth and global expansion. However, these are not universal rules and many organizations have prospered in spite of structures completely out of sync with those discussed above. Organizations can also use structures which are a hybrid of those detailed above. This study analyses the cases of two organizations, ABB and Semco, which have used contrastingly different structures to implement their strategies. ABB File:ABB logo.svg Asea Brown Boveri (ABB) is seen by more and more global business leaders as the model of the way that organizations will have to operate to thrive in the 21st century-that is, streamlined in structure, rapid in transferring information, having employees who are highly empowered, committed to continuous learning, running world-class HRD programs, and team working and networking globally.  [1]   ABB became one of the most widely admired companies in the world, not because of its products, or its innovative technology, but because of its organizational structure. ABB prided itself on being an organization that its former CEO, Percy Barnevik, saw as being simultaneously global and local, big and small, centralized and decentralized. Formation of ABB: Merger of Asea Brown Boveri ABB was created by the merger in 1987-88 of two companies whose roots lie in the nineteenth century: Asea, founded in Sweden in 1890, and Brown Boveri, established in Switzerland in 1891. The two companies were among the surge of industrial enterprises established towards the end of the 19th century to provide equipment for the rapidly expanding electrical power industry, which involved generating, transmitting, and distributing power, and using it in industrial motors. The strategic commitment to the power industry and to a global strategy was demonstrated in a rapid series of alliances and acquisitions. These moves rapidly extended ABBs international reach into North America and Eastern Europe. The speed with which these acquisitions were integrated into ABB was attributed to the flexibility of its new organization design. Strategic Context ABBs largest business is producing and servicing the equipment for generating, transmitting, and distributing electrical power. The customers in this business are electric utilities around the world, many of which are state-owned or strongly state-regulated. Because national or local governments either directly own or indirectly control the utilities, they had a strong tendency to favor suppliers with a local manufacturing presence, both because local companies are contributing to the local economy and because they can be relied upon for servicing and replacement parts for the complex power systems, any breakdown of which can have enormous costs for local business and for the reputation of the utility. But they have also pressed suppliers to lower their prices and increase the lifetime of equipment, cutting profit margins for suppliers that are unable to achieve greater efficiency in production. ABB is also a world leader in rail transportation systems, such as locomotives, light rail vehicles, and signaling. Again, this is a business in which rail networks are state-owned or state-regulated and subject to the same somewhat contradictory pressures to manufacture locally and to be locally responsive to customers, while achieving efficiency through scale economies and cost savings. A third set of products in ABB is directed to a very different type of customer. Its building systems and industrial production systems are sold to industrial companies, whose concerns are much more focused on price. ABBs businesses require the company to be locally responsive and to maintain a credible local presence in each of its major markets, and simultaneously to be efficient and cost-competitive. Moreover, operating in 140 countries in a wide variety of product lines, many of which are closely related in the eyes of the customer, the company needs to have a high degree of intra-product and cross-product coordination if the company is to capture fully the benefits of its product diversity. However, it also needs to be able to respond quickly to customers and local problems, and to encourage its managers to take responsibility for their units. Organizational Design of ABB One of the first steps taken after the merger of Asea and Brown Boveri was announced in August 1987 was the creation of a task force of five top managers from each of the two companies to generate an organizational architecture for ABB. The task force had agreed on the principal features of the new organization. The structure was to be an international matrix of business and geography. The basic organizing principle was to create highly focused local companies reporting both to a worldwide business manager, who would be responsible for achieving efficiency in that product line and growing the business on a global scale, and to a country manager responsible for coordinating the various businesses within a particular country. In drawing up the shortlists for the high level managers, emphasis was placed on identifying flexible individuals who could cooperate in multi-cultural environments and for whom innovation, risk-taking and the ability to motivate others were almost second nature. One of the goals of the new design was to push accountability, decision-making, and the responsibility for action far down the organizational hierarchy. One of the first steps taken by the new top management was the radical reduction of the company headquarters. Within a few months, the headcount at corporate HQ in Zurich went from over 1,300 professional staff to just over 100. Another crucial step in the process was the design of a company-wide information system, called ABACUS (Asea Brown Boveri Accounting and Communication System).ABACUS collected monthly performance data from each unit, put it into a standard currency (US dollars), and transmitted the information to its main data processing center in Sweden, which compiled the data and passed it to the top managers at the Swiss headquarters and to the designated managers at each level of the company. The basic unit on which performance data are collected for ABACUS is the profit center, the smallest organizational unit in the new organization. Each month they report their performance data to the next highest level of the organization, the local operating company/Business Unit (BU) , which in turn put the data into the ABACUS system. The local operating company composed of two or more profit centers and focused on single business and market. ABBs strategy was to concentrate on radically reducing costs in each site, reducing throughput times, maximizing design and production flexibility, and focusing on local customer needs. The local operating company president had CEO responsibilities for his operations. However, the heads of the local operating companies report to two bosses one was the Business Area manager; the other was the country manager for the country in which the operating company was located. The Business Side of the Matrix: The Business Area The Business Area (BA) manager was responsible for the worldwide strategy and performance of a business.BA management tasks include coordinating technology development, deciding on transfer prices among local operating companies in the BA, transferring expertise within the BA, capturing economies of scale in purchasing, and, perhaps most important, allocation of markets and production to local operating companies. The fact that the BA manager was also the head of a local operating company increased his or her motivation to push responsibility and decision-making down to the local operating companies, on the basis of time pressure, if not personal management philosophy. In addition, they were supported by a BA Board, which assisted the BA manager in setting strategy, reviewing performance, and identifying and addressing key problem areas. The BA Manager selected the members of the Board, and membership varied considerably depending on the nature of the business. The BA Board was an international group, and usually met in a different location for each of its meetings over the course of a year. In addition to the BA Board, the BA had a number of functional councils that brought together key managers in a function for quarterly meetings to assess and exchange internal best practices and to identify and propose solutions for key problems in their area of expertise. For particular problems, the BA Board also formed task forces from among the high-potential younger managers in the BA. The BA manager received monthly reports through ABACUS on the performance of each of the profit centers and operating companies in the BA. The BA manager decided how to disseminate this kind of information across the local operating companies. One of the most important roles of the BA was the dissemination of best practice. Sharing information about performance and exposing managers to different ways of operating, through transfers and through travel help in achieving this. The combination of strict performance requirements with the resources for performance improvement was a powerful driver of change in ABB. The Business Segment The BA managers in turn reported to Business Segment Managers. Business segments were groupings of related BAs. Each segment was headed by a member of the Executive Committee, the highest-level organizational unit in the company. The Country Level The local operating company managers also reported to the country manager of the nation in which it is located. The country manager had profit-and-loss responsibilities for all ABB activities within that country. The country managers task was to realize the potential synergies across the various ABB local operating companies, to present a local face for major projects within that country, to provide the legal and political infrastructure for operations, to coordinate certain personnel development programs, and to make sure that the local political and social environment was understood and considered appropriately in business decisions. The country manager received monthly reports through ABACUS on the performance of each of the local operating companies in the country, and could use these data to identify common problems they faced. The heads of the local operating companies were supported in their contrasting duties to the country manager and the BA manager by a Steering Committee, with representatives from the national company, the BA, and other closely-related local operating companies in the same company. Performance evaluations of the president of the local operating companies were conducted by both the BA head and the country manager. Each share the same basic performance metrics, but each has somewhat different expectations. Managing the Matrix: The Top Management At the top of the company the two dimensions of the matrix met at the level of the Executive Committee, which was chaired by the CEO. The CEO chaired the Committee, and each of the ten Executive VPs had responsibility for one or more of the segments and countries. The extent of their individual responsibilities varied by the scope of their tasks. Each BA manager and each country manager reported directly to a member of the Executive Committee. With ABBs acquisitions, the individual responsibilities assigned to Executive Committee members changed over time, especially in terms of geographies. The major change was on geography: instead of having different members responsible for a portfolio of different national companies, geographic responsibilities were clustered into three regions: Europe, the Americas, and Asia Pacific. Each member was assigned either one of the four industrial segments or one of three geographical regions.The move to make the geography side of the matrix report to Committee members with regional rather than individual country responsibilities also reflected ABBs global strategy. Each Executive Committee member was involved in the annual planning process of each of the BAs and geographic units reporting to him. But as important were their collective responsibilities in charting the overall strategic direction for the company. Extensive communication in a company that operates in 140 countries required a common language, which in ABBs case was English. Communication also took place on a more individual level, between the Executive Committee and their direct reports, and even between the Executive Committee and the heads of the local operating companies. Executive Committee members had access to monthly performance data for all the operating companies, national companies, and business areas for which they were responsible. The ABACUS system provided rapid feedback on changes in the performance of any of these units, and the monthly data were routinely scrutinized carefully at the top of the company. Alignment: Developing the Global Manager One of the key challenges which faced ABB was developing managers who could work effectively in the demanding system. The development of the global managers who could occupy key positions in the Business Areas and at the top of the company on the Executive Committee was the most important task. The global managers should be capable of balancing the often contradictory pulls of being locally responsive and globally efficient, pushing decision-making and responsibility for action down while enforcing accountability and control, and simultaneously encouraging local operating companies to be entrepreneurial while making sure that ABB does not lose the competitive advantage of being a multi-business global company. Keeping this philosophy in mind, such people were developed through the training programs, experience on cross-national teams, and rotation across locations. One of the hallmarks of the cadre of global managers was that they spent a lot of their time travelling internationally. Region Business SegmentExecutive Committee Region Local Operating Company Profit Centers Ce Business Segment Figure 1. ABBs Organizational Structure from 1988-1998 (note: ABB has now moved on from a matrix organizational structure to a more customer-centric organizational structure). Learning from the ABB organizational structure and its impact on its strategy and performance ABBs example clearly shows the example of an organization which can successfully compete on a global level by being both locally responsive as well as paying attention to its global integration strategy. Each local operating company head was given the freedom to operate as the CEO of his business and was free to make his own decisions. By fixing dual responsibility, both to the country manager as well as to the product manager on a global level, ABB was successful in achieving its strategic aim of becoming the leader in the electrical systems and the power generation and distribution business. ABB successfully demonstrated how successful matrix organizations can be. Matrix organizations always had been an important theoretical concept but even other very large organizations with a global presence had failed in implementing it. Matrix organizations were widely touted to be as the organizations of the future in the 1970s and organizations such as Citibank and IBM tried to model their organizations around the matrix structures, but failed, as they found the model too complicated. In fact, ABB was the first company on a global level to implement the matrix organizational model so efficiently. Seeing the success of ABB, many organizations around the world also adopted the matrix structure successfully. The various performance indicators of ABB during the 1988-1996 period clearly showed that when the organizational structure is in sync with strategy of the organization and vice-versa, it results in achieving great results. ABB achieved the co-ordination of 210,000 employees, 310 business units and 5000 profit centers in 140 countries through the matrix structure. This demonstrated the crucial role of linking mechanisms in turning a complex kaleidoscope of grouping patterns into a smoothly functioning organization. ABB simultaneously achieved the goal of acting as a global powerhouse amassing resources know-how on a global scale and responding swiftly to meet the demand of local markets and customers. ABBs net income rose to $1.3 billion in 1996 and its stock price doubled between 1992 and 1996, reinforcing the choice of its organization structure. The SEMCO Model What makes the SEMCO model so interesting is that it for the first 20years it was in operation its structure and culture were autocratic and relied heavily on command and control management styles. However, for the last 20years it has been run democratically. SEMCO is a mode lf how companies who have not yet evolved into democratic cultures can make the transition with credible success. What is also unique about the SEMCO model of democratic organization is how effectively it works in Brazil-a country that is still developing, often unstable and known for economic boons and busts. One could reason that in highly unpredictable environment, command and control corporate structures are even more inadequate for dealing with a dynamic socio-economic climate. Perhaps this is why the SEMCOs adaptive model has been a highly effective model of company Introduction Semco a Brazilian company which manufactures over two thousand different products including industrial pumps, cooling towers etc. and also provides environmental and internet services, saw its revenues growing from $32 million in 1990 to $212 million in 2003.It achieved this growth rate in an economic environment characterized by staggering inflation, and chaotic national economic policy in Brazil. Between 1982 and 1998, Semcos productivity increased nearly sevenfold and profits rose fivefold. Semco was also one of the most sought after Brazilian companies as far as employment was concerned. Turnover among its 3,000 employees was about 1% during the period 1994 to 2004. Repeat customers accounted for around 80% of Semcos 2003 annual revenues. The culture at Semco was unique in the sense that there were no power-packed job titles; employees including top managers themselves did the photocopying, sent faxes, typed letters, and made and received phone calls. There were no executive din ing rooms, and parking was strictly first-come, first-served. Organizational profits were shared with the employees and the salaries were set by the employees themselves. Behind this maverick organization was Ricardo Semler (Semler), the CEO of the company who referred to himself as the Chief Enzyme Officer Wrote Semler, If you ask me to describe it in conventional business terms, Id have to admit I have no idea what business Semco is in. For years, I have resisted defining Semco for a simple reason: once you say what business youre in, you create boundaries for your employees, you restrict their thinking and give them a reason to ignore new opportunities. Semlers way of thinking resulted in an organisation which had no conventional structure, no organisational chart; no fixed CEO, no VPs, CFOs, COOs or CIOs. There was no long term strategic business plans, no career plans, no job descriptions or dress codes for the employees. Some of the important organisational decisions like relocating a unit or acquiring a company were taken on the basis of employees votes. History Semlers father, Antionio Curt Semler, an Austrian-born engineer, migrated to Argentina in1937. A visit to Brazil in 1952 prompted him to think about the prospects a vast, undeveloped country like Brazil presented. During this time, he was working on a centrifuge technology capable of separating oil from vegetables. With an urge to start his own business, he selected the city of Sao Paulo to start his venture, Semco, a contraction of Semler Co, in 1953. Soon after, he obtained a patent for his technology. Through the 1960s and 1970s, Semco was mainly a manufacturer of marine pumps. In the late1960s, ninety percent of the sales of Semco were to the Brazilian shipbuilding industry. Semco was a hierarchical organization with twelve layers of management. According to a Fortune article, Fear was the governing principle. Guards patrolled the factory floor, timed peoples trips to the bathroom, and frisked workers as they left the plant. Anyone unlucky enough to break a piece of equipment wo uld replace it out of his own pocket.According to Semler it was a company with a pyramidal structure and a rule for every contingency. Enter Semler In 1980, at the age of 21, Semler took over as the CEO of Semco. Semlers views on running the company were completely different from those of his father. He felt that the company in its existing form was too rigid. He wanted to replace the old way of doing business and planning with a participatory style of management. But the old guard at Semco was not open to this, with the result that Semler fired two thirds of the top management. Semler started out with a functional organizational structure at Semco. Under this structure, decision-making took a long time and each department took independent decisions that sometimes were not in the interests of other departments. Then, the company shifted to a matrix structure. But, unhappy with its effectiveness, Semler changed the structure of the organization once again. New Organization Structure: From Pyramid to circle Though the company worked on the principle of no Organization structure but it actually had was a very flexible organization structure in the form of 3 concentric circles and few triangles floated in it. The smaller innermost circle would include team of a dozen people the eqivalent of VPs and above Second circle would include the 7- 1o leaders of SEMCOs business units and be called partners. Last immense circles would hold virtually everyone else at Semco machine operators, cafeteria workers, janitors, salesman, security guards and so on. They will be called associates The triangles- They will be distributed around the big circle each enclosing a single person we would call a coordinator. These people would comprise the first crucial level of Management A the marketing,sales and production supervisors, the engineering and assembly area foreman, anyone who had a basic leadership role in our old system. Organizational Culture The replication of business units into smaller units as and when the need arose created units small enough to operate with a commonly shared set of values, philosophy and culture. The organization was bound together by the three interdependent core values: Employee Participation, Profit Sharing and Free Flow of Information. These three values stemmed from the belief that participation in design and implementation of work procedures would give employees control over their work; profit sharing would bring in a sense of ownership; and the availability of information as and when needed would help the employees understand to improve their work practices continuously Leadership and Change Management Semler can be credited with sustaining the radical changes at Semco. He nurtured changes that might have been viewed as taking away his power and authority. He created an empowered environment where employees could innovate continuously. An idea he generated would later permeate to the whole work force. For example, after seeing a company order file cabinets worth $50,000, which were meant only to keep documents which were hardly ever referred to, Semler said that every person in the company should clear his own file cabinets of documen

Is Cobol Dead :: Essays Papers

Is Cobol Dead There is common question being asked by many in the programming world. That question is â€Å"Is COBOL dead?† In spite of the years of criticism and all the predictions that some new language will soon replace COBOL, COBOL continues as a language of business data processing. Although C and Java have become significant languages over the past seven years, there is no question that COBOL is still a language of business data processing. COBOL has been an integral part of the market for nearly thirty years. There are an estimated 20 billion lines of COBOL code currently in use and a vast range of experienced COBOL programmers. There is no question that COBOL should remain as the central language in curriculum designed to prepare students for entry-level jobs in data processing. This assertion contradicts an unfortunate trend. Recent surveys have shown that the number of schools teaching COBOL is declining Colleges, educators, and others with an interest in data processing education must take advantage of every opportunity available to make the case for continued COBOL education. Certainly the newer software development tools will grow in their importance, but they will not cause COBOL to vanish in the foreseeable future. There is another side of the question that you also must look at; there is no growth in COBOL careers. Companies are no longer undertaking any kind of new development using COBOL, but still have a need for maintenance programmers. Insurance companies, banks, and large firms that have legal reporting requirements that change every time the Government's mind changes about what data it wants, still need their COBOL people to keep their legacy systems humming. And, having invested hundreds of millions of dollars into that legacy code, they have a hard time cost justifying throwing it all away now. COBOL is still used in many companies that reside here in Buffalo. The company that I work for uses COBOL in order to keep track of shipping, jobs that are still in process, and the also use it for it quality assurance for when they are audited. While they do use COBOL, there are no future plans to expand their COBOL database to handle other parts of their company. This is true for many companies all through out the world. They have invested much time and money into their COBOL systems that will remain but not expand.

The Dangers of Censorship in High School Essay -- Argumentative Persua

The Dangers of Censorship in High School Every day well meaning parents, concerned members of society, and Christian activist groups across the country fight to censor the literature that is being taught in high school classrooms. The word censorship carries all types of implications and angles; it involve s a denial of an author's right to guaranteed freedoms of expression. However, as it relates to education, this issue goes a great deal deeper than the standard First Amendment argument. In attempting to ban certain types of literature from the classroom, censors are taking away the rights of teachers to prepare students for a reality that their parents do not seem to think will ever affect them. They likewise deny students the chance to learn how to rationally make their own decisions and instead try to keep that control for themselves. Censorship is preventing intelligent, thoughtful teachers from pushing students to reach past what is just on the page. Whatever their motives may be, those who seek to repress the use of certain materials are doing more harm than good. Those who actively fight to censor, ban, or restrict the kinds of literature that can be taught in America's classrooms are convinced that anyone who truly believes pornography and obscenity are problems must be in favor of censorship. Kristol (1972) points out that students are being corrupted by books and that anyone who doubts this need only look at the lives of the teachers who oppose him to find adequate proof of the damage they do. He finds that it is the responsibility of the educated in society to regulate censorship, but that these are the very people who are convinced that what is being taught by sensitive educators is indeed appropriate and ev... ...our schools--Censorship of classroom books in the last ten years. English Journal, 86 (2), 21-23. Gardner, R. (1997). A new fashioned book burning. English Journal, 86 (2), 63-64. Greenbaum, V. (1997). Censorship and the myth of appropriateness: Reflections on teaching reading in high school. English Journal, 86 (2), 16-19. Kochman, S. M. (1997). What happens when a high school censors. English Journal 86 (2), 58-60. Kristol, I. (1972). Pornography, obscenity, and the case for censorship. Current issues and enduring questions. (1993). Boston: St. Martin's Press. Lacks, C. (1997). The teacher's nightmare: Getting fired for good teaching. English Journal, 86 (2), 29-32. Rossuck, J. (1997). Banned Books: A study of censorship. English Journal, 86 (2), 67-69. Suhor, C. (1997). Censorship--When things get hazy. English Journal, 86 (2), 26-27.

Napoleon Essay -- essays research papers

During rough times in France in the late 1700’s, an anarchy was being formed. A revolution turned into civil war and the people were unhappy and needed a leader. At this time, General Napoleon Bonaparte took an opportunity. Napoleon’s fame for winning battles in the Middle East and Egypt and crushing royalist uprisings back at home allowed him to take over the Directory with ease. Recognized for his great military skills and outstanding leadership, Napoleon easily won over the hearts of the people.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Napoleon’s first move was to obtain leadership. With the help of Pope Pius VII Napoleon was named First Consul of France. Though France was now declared an empire, it was technically a Republic because of the set Constitution. Through this Constitution, Napoleon set up a system of government that helped settle the disputes of France. Napoleon’s career was arranged into a series of both accomplishments and defeats. He demonstrated his accomplishments during battle as well as in government. By setting up the Napoleonic code, Napoleon unified the old Feudal Law and Royal Laws. Many of the laws set up, were based on his knowledge of the Enlightenment. He simplified the laws of old as well as new, and allowed freedom of speech and press. His main idea with these laws was to give all men equal rights. Women were also included into several laws. Another accomplishment was shown through religion. Though he supported Cat...

La Lodge and Entr’acte

I think that the poem entr'acte describes the painting very well. It brings across the feelings of the two people in it in a very good and sensitive way. Firstly the title of the poem -‘entr'acte' makes the poem sound elegant and impressive, or even sophisticated. The title means in between acts which describes the painting very well because she is just sitting there and he has his eyes on things completely away from the stage. Entr'acte also sounds a bit like ‘attract' so maybe that has something to do with it. At the start of the poem it says ‘the cuff links whispers to the glove, such elegance and all for love' I think in These lines the man speaking and he is saying to himself how elegant he is in his suit, (maybe he is being vain) and he how has done it all for love, maybe the love of the woman sitting in front of him or maybe the women he is looking at through his binoculars. Then in the second stanza ‘the glove confesses to the glass, oh how slowly five acts pass.' I think that it is the woman speaking about herself and how slowly five acts pass. Maybe the five acts pass slowly because she is not interested in the performance and is bored or maybe it is because she is waiting for the end so she can get away and do something else. In the first line of the third stanza, ‘the glass is lifted to the eye' I think this maybe the poet speaking, doing a running commentary of what is going on. On the second line of the stanza,' Show me a tear I cannot dry' I think this is the glass speaking about how the woman might be crying inside. She might be crying in the inside because the man is horrible to her or maybe because she just does not want to be there. Its like she's crying inside but is holding herself together so she doesn't show it. In the first line of the forth stanza ‘The eye shows nothing to the eye' I think this means that if you look at someone you cant judge them by what they look like because you cant see what they are like inside. In the second line ‘such elegance and all for art' I think It could be the man talking and saying that she was there displayed in the front of the box just for show. To say to the other people there that yes he could have a beautiful woman, or she could be there to make other woman jealous. Maybe the line means something completely different and the poet is saying ‘such elegance'- because they are all dressed up in beautiful clothes, and ‘all for art'- because In the end the people in the picture were probably there just to pose for the artist to paint them. In the painting it has the woman at the front of the picture- is this just so the man can show her off or is it because he is being a gentleman and letting her sit in front so she can see better. He is sitting at the back his could because if he looks up at other woman in the audience she won't be able to see. She is also wearing flowers by her face and breast as if to draw attention to these features. Her face is fixed, and her eyes especially make her look sad inside as if she is trying to put on a show, to hide her emotions in public. Her lips are bright red maybe for love, anger, passion or lust. Her dress is black and white stripes like a prisoners clothes, maybe she's trapped by the man behind her from freedom. Overall I think that the man behind her is using her to show of to the woman he is maybe looking at in the audience. He has dressed her and himself up in very exquisite and elegant clothes just for the show and to make him look wealthy. I think she is sad and upset that she is trapped as a model for him and is bored by the whole performance; she not very interested in it and probably wants to be somewhere else.

Steinberg Analysis

The Accordion Family: Boomerang Kids, Anxious Parents, and the private toll of Global Competition (83-92) The model family is only a myth, nothing more. There is no such thing as a perfect family where there is no problem, no disputes and fights. As I read through â€Å"The Accordion Family', I actually feel as if the model family can only break family down and cause more disappointment in reality. In the accordion family, the kids come back to live, usually temporarily, with their parents because of financial problems or they are trying to pursue an interest that requires he help of their family.Well then, society might view the kid who is trying to pursue his own interest with the help of his family as a slob and that he/she is ruining his family by staying around doing nothing. But the only reason society would even be thinking that is because they are comparing it to a model set forth 5 decades ago. They are still basing that today's â€Å"perfect† family will still be ex actly the same as it was back then. I think that as the social, political, and economic situation of a culture and society change, the standard for a â€Å"perfect† family also change.I also put the word perfect in quotation mark, as I want to show that the word perfect has high amount of flexibility. There is no one defining perfection. The model family was a model that was set forth in the 1950 where economy was booming; optimism is high in the air. This is not the case for the 21st century, we have only recover from the great recession and maybe due to the circumstances that is provided, a family where everyone stick together, pit their effort and wealth together is actually the best solution right now.Also the model family is created for the American Culture, but hat about the Chinese culture, the Indian Culture, and the Middle Eastern Culture. Some of these cultures have the parents and the children and the children's spouse and the children's children all living togethe r. This is their definition of a perfect family. Maybe the accordion family, the boomerang kid is Just another model of the perfect family that is used by another culture. Chapter 1 â€Å"Quality Time Redefined† (93-99) I think the hidden implication of the model family is that the family supposes to spend time together.Such as playing board games after dinner, attending church on Sunday, and simply interact with each other Just that much more. The only problem with this is that these all seem to be forced. Playing board games after dinner would kind of be like playing video game together after dinner speaking on today's term. Well the model family is suppose to be the perfect happy family, but how can a family be happy if one or more member of the family is force to do stuff they do not want to be doing.Let's say I want to play Madden 08 but my mom wanted to play Dance Dance Revolution, then whatever game we play, one of us will be stuck playing a game that we did not wanted to play. I believe that a family usually knows each other well enough to know what each other's interests are. Then when there is an activity that comes up where every single-family member's interest is met, they can all Just go and enjoy the event together. I don't agree that the advancement in technology is lowering the quality of family time. If anything I think it is improving the quality of family time in a different way.Usually when my family spends family time together, it always ends in an argument or dispute because there is always someone in the group that do not want to be doing whatever we are doing. So as a matter of fact for my family, the traditional way of spending family time is actually decreasing the quality of family time. When my family Just all gathered together in a big room and do our own stuff, we all tend to go to bed happier and with out an argument. We were able to do what we wanted to do and we are still able to be around each other.On the other hand we would have been around each other but we would not have been able to do what we wanted to do. Also I think that the title of this article is completely correct on what quality time should be. I honestly believe that quality mime should be redefined. We are a nation that is constantly changing socially, politically, and technologically. The reason that families spend time playing board game 5 decades ago were because they do not have the technology we have to do other stuff together. The model of the perfect family is a model that needs to be updated for the people of the current era.Chapter 2†³Learning Power: The Myth of Education and Empowerment†(103-109) Education is a powerful tool. With it we can change those around us, modify the culture of others and push our self further than those around us. Also the education hat we have give us a sense of authority over other there we are defined by what we learn and where we go for school. Because education is highly value, th e demands for education has rise which in turn raise the price for an education with it. Since Education can be used to change the way a culture think, it can be used to control the way that a population will be.The myth of empowerment is that with education it can shaped us to be more educated and more qualified to make decisions. But the other side of the story is that with education will are only focus on a single point, the acts and the material that we have learned is so embedded in our mind that we are not flexible to changes and new ideas. In this 21st century, there has been a new rise to what determines our identity and that is education, but the myth dispute whether what we know and learn in school defines the kind of people we are.The myth of education and empowerment also say that it is a chance to provide people with a chance for equality and a decent life. The motto is that you will get rewarded for the hard work you do. This is the American dream that everyone is afte r; if you have the education, you have the empowerment to do what is beyond what you are currently doing. Chapter 2 â€Å"Idiot Nation† (121-136) To answer the chapter's first question, â€Å"NO, I do not feel like I live in a nation of idiots. † Maybe the reason I feel this way is because I'm on a campus surrounded by some of the most educated and informed people I will meet in my life. DRP.Moor's repeated used of sarcasm shows that he is angry and irritated with how uninformed the American public is. I think he is Justify in how quickly people believe what they hear especially from someone with authority. The myth said that those with higher education usually feel more empowerment to make opinion and other also perceived them with more empowerment to make opinion. This is true with a terrible side effect as DRP. Moore show here. DRP. Moore demonstrates that the public will blindly follow those with higher education even though those with higher education may not be e ducated in the field they are making an opinion about.Also those with higher education want to maintain their status of empowerment therefore they are not willing to admit when their position are in the dark. Even when they do not know what is going on they will try their best to BBS their way out of it. The myth of the education is a caving effect. The uneducated blindly follow the educated that makes uneducated opinion for the uneducated to follow. Then when the next generation come up the uneducated are making opinion that is not correct. DRP. Moore in his example demonstrated someone with prestigious education that is leading the nation, George W. Bush. George W.Bush went to Harvard and Yale therefore he must be educated, right? Well according to the myth, George W. Bush is one of the most educated and empowered to make decision, but DRP. Moore showed that even though George W. Bush had an upper education, his education might have only been Seibel because of his families influen ce. This shows that Just because someone has education does not necessarily empower him or her to make decisions. Just because someone has education does not necessarily make his or her opinion more valid. America believes that education is power, yet they do nothing to fix up the condition that their future is studying in.The myth said that America believe that a proper education is one of the most important aspect of a good future, but it is ironic how they are not even willing to turn their attention to fix up the most important tool to a DOD future. This in a way goes to show how educated the â€Å"educated† leader we have leading us is really are. The educated leader that we have in our society does not solve the problems, instead they let the problem pile up and then point finger at the one that is actually trying to make a difference. Maybe this sense of empowerment is just severely overrated.Chapter 2 â€Å"l Just Want Be Average† (151-162) The myth of educatio n and empowerment is that if we work hard, we will have a fair chance at the life that we are working hard for. If we work hard, our hard work will be repaid back to us. Well in Mike Rose's situation that is not the case, his education did not even start out by being fair. He was given an identity base on how he scored on a test and it was not even his test ironically. The myth of education and empowerment is false as not everyone get a fair chance at life despite how hard they work.The myth of empowerment is what leads to the abuse of the power of education. Education can be use to empower people with the ability to make decision or it can be a formula that is entrench into people's mind so that they are following a guideline that they are taught when they are young. This was happening in Mike Rose's vocational school. The education system did not give the kids a chance to do well in life and school. The kids are taught life skill so that when they come out they will be better to s erve society.And when it comes time to teach what really matter, it seems as if education has Just abandon them and left them behind. The myth of education and empowerment is the belief that everyone has an equal chance to empower himself or herself and further their ability to go beyond what they are currently capable of doing. Yet this is not true as the education system is the exact opposite of that. The education system tries to create ridges so that there will be those to work the lower end Jobs and those to work the managerial position. It seems as if the idea that education is fair is only a myth.Education is also the idea that it empowers us to make educated decision. Well that is Just simply Just a myth, as in Mike Rose's case, our educated leader would hire â€Å"empowered† teachers to teach the vocational class; the teachers usually would Just not care. ON the other hand McFarland, someone who is â€Å"unqualified† to teach is actually making an attempt to e ducate the kids. This really shakes the foundation that education empowered us the ability to do stuff. I think that instead of education empowering us to make decision and do stuff, it should be our action and our intent that be our empowerment.Chapter 2 â€Å"Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work† (163-179) The myth of education is that it should provide a fair chance for everyone to be accomplish in life. The idea is that if we simply work hard, we will be rewarded with for our hard work. This is not true in the American system and I can speak from personal experience. As Anyone demonstrated all of these school are separated into class by their possessed wealth, not by their capability and potential. As soon as the child of a poor family steps into school, his education will be to teach him to serve and obey order.This is not a fair chance for the child to be accomplish in life. It ironic how education is supposable to be the only way for those who are at the bott om to become those who are at the top, but in reality education is a way to push them further down and entrench a guideline so deep in their minds they will never come out of their pit. Education also empowers people to make the best decision. The teachers in the lower end school are empowered to make decision. But it seems as if their decision re harmful to those who the decision are being made for.This bring into question, are those who are educated really empower to make decision. Education is a powerful tool, but I believe that it's entanglement with empowerment corrupt the pure intent that education should truly be. When people see education as a way to power themselves with authority, then education is not use in the way it should be. This can be prove the opposite too. People with education want to maintain their authority so they use education to squash those who they believe should stay at the low end to serve them.

Morality and Power Essay

Thucydides’ written history of the Mytilenian Debate and the Melian Dialogue reflects the reality of a period where morality is dependent on the exercise of power and those who possess it. The main theme running through the course of these two debates is that those with the power to act as they wish inherently have the power to dictate morality. The arguments that decide the fate of the Mytilene are made not strictly on the basis of morality but on how their power allows them to exercise the moral course they choose. The Melian dialogue reveals how those in power can dictate morality in terms of self-interest. Both cases also demonstrate how morality is also a function of self-interest. The question of the relationship between power and morality also hinges on the definition of these two vague terms. Morality, in the broader sense of moral order, has been defined as â€Å"a set of rules which define what is right and wrong. † (Outka and Reeder, p. 5) Who decides what is right and wrong often depends, as with Thucydides’ history, on who has the power in a given situation. Power can broadly be defined, as the capacity to achieve what one wants. (Dickerson and Flanagan, p. 24) In the case of these two debates, the Athenians were the party who possessed the power. They had the coercive ability to decide the fates of both the Melians and the Mytilenians. This power was derived strictly from the military might their empire was able to build up. In both cases, power allowed them to dictate morality to the inferior parties. Thucydides’ history of the Mytilenian debate details the discussion of a council deciding on how to punish the citizens of Mytilene for a failed revolt. The two options on the table are to either slaughter all the inhabitants, as had been previously agreed upon, or to leave them without severe punishment. Cleon, the Athenian responsible of initially deciding to slaughter Mytilene, argued that it was necessary to take his brutal course of action for the safety of the empire. He stated succinctly that â€Å"leadership depends on superior strength and not on goodwill. † (Thucydides, p. 213) He believed that killing the Mytilenians was a question of safety for the empire; If you are going to give the same punishment to those who are forced to revolt by your enemies and those who do so of their own accord, can you not see that they will all revolt upon the slightest pretext, when success means freedom and failure brings no very dreadful consequences. (Thucydides, p. 216) In this statement, Cleon argues that Athens has a moral duty to put down this revolt in the harshest way. He makes it a moral argument because it is in the self-interest of Athens, and any state, to protect its citizens. It is their moral duty. The Mytilenians, in their own self-interest, would argue that it is immoral to slaughter a whole population. They are both right. Subsequently, the council decides not to slaughter the inhabitants of Mytilene. They are convinced to â€Å"look for a method by which, employing moderation in our punishments, we can in future secure for ourselves the full use of those cities which bring us important contributions. † (Thucydides, p. 221) They do this not the sake of the Mytilenians, but for one of pure self-interest. Morality, in this situation, is dictated by the party in power. The Melian Dialogue concerns the history of the island of Melos. Melis, a colony of Sparta, had refused to join the Athenian empire and side against Sparta; they instead chose neutrality. Athens had brought a force to the island to take Melos by force. Before the siege, the two sides met to discuss the surrender of the Melians. (Thucydides, p. 401) Athens does not argue the morality of what they intend to do, they say strongly that † the standard of justice depends on the equality of power to compel and that in fact the strong do what they have the power to do and the weak accept what they have to accept. † (Thucydides, p. 402) In this situation, power does not dictate morality; it completely voids it. The Melians ask repeatedly if the Athenians â€Å"would not agree to ? being friends instead of enemies. † The Athenians reply by saying that â€Å"if we were on friendly terms with you, our subjects would regard that as a sign of weakness. † (Thucydides, p. 402) The Melians question the Athenian’s morality by saying that this is not â€Å"fair play† since they have not posed any direct threat to the Empire. Athens responds by saying â€Å"that by conquering you we shall increase not only the size but the security of our empire? this is no fair fight? it is rather a question of saving your lives and not resisting those who are far too strong for you. † (Thucydides, p. 403) In the end, the Melians do not surrender and the Athenian army slaughters them. In Thucydides’ history, those in power decide morality. In both of the aforementioned cases, both sides have had morality on their side. The Mytilenians and Melians believed the moral precept of saving their own lives. The Athenians believed in the morality of preserving their empire. Neither side was right or wrong, neither side acted immorally. They both acted in their own self-interest. What decided the moral outcome was that Athenians had the power to impose their moral right on their powerless, but equally moral opponents. Works Cited Dickerson, Mark and Flanagan, Thomas â€Å"Government and Politics† Scarbourough, Ontario: ITP Nelson, 1998 Outka, Gene and Reeeder, John â€Å"Religion and Morality† New York: Anchor Books ,1973 Thucydides â€Å"History of the Peloponnesian War† Toronto: Penguin Books, 1972Ã'Ž

How policies/laws may affect family life Essay

In this essay I will be writing about what changes state policies and laws have made to the society and how they may affect family life by doing so. There are many policies/laws out there that have had an effect on family life and one of these was the ‘Child Support Act’ which led to the formation of the ‘Child Support Agency’. Other policies/laws include the Family Law Act of 1996, Rewarding marriages with tax breaks, Working Families Tax Credit, and the attempt of the removal of child poverty. Among this I will be talking about the new right theory and their points and views on the family and what laws should be put in place. One of the Conservatives policies that were passed in 1991 was the Child Support Act which then led to the formation of the Child Support Agency. What this policy aimed to do was reduce the amount of fatherless families by forcing absent fathers to pay a certain amount of money for their children that they’ve left behind. The government thought of this as a good idea as it would reduce the amount of welfare payments being giving to lone mothers therefore helping the economy. However this didn’t really benefit love mothers as the money paid in from the father would be deducted from the mother’s benefits so she would be receiving exactly the same amount. As a result, this policy didn’t have a major effect on family life although it may reduce the amount of fathers that walk out on their families. Another one of the Conservatives policies this time introduced in 1996 brought about a period of wait that a couple had to undergo before they could officially get divorced. The main purpose of this proposal was to try and reduce the amount of divorces by encouraging the couple with as much time as possible to save their marriage. This policy would affect the family life by keeping more families together and happy however the act was never finalised as judges deemed it as unworkable. Labour introduced one of their policies to do with the Working Families Tax Credit that was designed to help people find paid employment. This one was specifically aimed mostly at lone parents as since April 2001, they were required to attend an annual interview about  job opportunities. The Working Families Tax Credit would help lone parents move benefits to low paid jobs by topping up their wages. This policy may affect family life as it pushes lone parents into work and although they may be earning similar money as they would’ve if they were on benefits, it provides them with a starting point to hopefully earn more money as they climb up the ranks. One of Labours aims was to remove children out of poverty and one of the ways that they’ve attempted to do so is by increasing the amount of Child Benefits being provided. From 1997 to 2001, Child benefits have increased by 26 per cent and by doing so it has lifted 600,000 children out of poverty as stated by the children’s secretary Ed Balls. This may have a positive effect on family life as it provides the children with a positive childhood and helps the family to be financially stable. However, according to the Guardian in 2007 the number of children that are living in poverty rose for the first time in six years by 200,000 to 3.8 million in 2005 to 2006. More recently, the conservatives proposed a policy that provides married couples with a tax break. This clearly shows that David Cameron clearly favours the ‘married family’ as his policy does not apply to cohabiting couples with children. This tax break is worth around one thousand pounds and it may affect family life as it would encourage people to not only get married but stay married which would create or maintain stability in the family. The New Right leans towards the same views of the Conservatives as they clearly support the idea of the Nuclear Family as they think that Nuclear Families should be encouraged and family diversity should be discouraged. In 1999 and 2000, Morgan and Saunders wrote that The New Right believe the government should favour married parenthood by rewarding them and providing them with special legal rights and safeguards. They also believe that the increase in Lone-parent families is due to over generous welfare benefits and that they should be reduced to tempt people out of this decision. Another way in which they want to discourage family diversity is by denying unmarried couples the rights and privileges given to married couples and by making divorce much more difficult. There has recently been a cap on benefits introduced. This means that the  amount of money claimed by a family cannot exceed the average wage for a working family. It was introduced to keep things ‘fair’ although some people saw it as unlawful. This new policy could encourage more parents to get into work in the attempt to earn more money. All of this is the government’s way of saving money and therefore keeping the economy running. In conclusion most of these state policies/laws introduced have a positive effect on family life, others could be deemed as unfair however all in all they try to create a stable society as the family is a key factor in the make-up of a good society.