Salamanca Statement - 1439 Words

The Salamanca Statement (UNESCO, 1994) says: Regular schools with this inclusive orientation are the most effective means of combating discriminatory attitudes, creating welcoming communities, building inclusive society and achieving education for all; moreover, they provide an effective education to the majority of children and improve the efficiency and ultimately the cost effectiveness of the entire education system. (Quote from the Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education at: http://inclusion.uwe.ac.uk/csie/slmca/htm) Discuss the Salamanca Statement; what are the implications for society, schools and individual pupils? The Salamanca Statement (1994) could be seen as one of the most influential policy documents on inclusion. As a†¦show more content†¦The idea of inclusion should be one of balance every time with the needs of the individuals as a central point because: â€Å"Individuals need to develop characteristics that will enable them to respond to the opportunities inherent in inclusion†. (O’Brien 2001 p.30) Additionally it should not be taken for granted that all children will automatically be able to survive in inclusive environments once they are created. â€Å"Changes in individual human behaviour cannot be assured by the prescription and engineering inherent in imposed policy changes†. (O’Brien 2001 p.30) The impact of inclusion on individuals cannot be planned out in advance and would continue to need careful consideration at all times. Inclusion is not an overnight process, to achieve â€Å"education for all† mainstream schools have to provide equal opportunities for all children regardless of what their need may be. This is achievable by providing them access to the curriculum and encouraging full participation in school life. This would then lead to developing a community that would include clear policies, provisions and values for all. In creating a welcoming community and building an inclusive society education should be able to provide access for all. Providing clear policies, to all members of the community should enable them to ascertain what provisions are available to them. Regular schools that adopt the inclusive policy shouldShow MoreRelatedHow Legislation and Policies Influence Education in Australia 1009 Words   |  5 Pagesput into place to ensure diversity is being catered for and that no student is being excluded from the education system. Some of these policies and legislation include: The Disability Discrimination Act 1992, The Salamanca Statement, Disability Standards 2005, Inclusive Education Statement, Disabilities Services Act QLD 2006 and the Melbourne Declaration. As educators, it is important to acknowledge and implement these polices when planning activities/lessons/curriculum in the classroom. This essayRead MoreTheme 1: Legislation. The Irish Constitution Enshrines1521 Words   |  7 Pagesdisabilities have witnessed considerable development. Worldwide, as people with disabilities challenged the stigmatising and limiting nature of segregated education, issues of equality of access and educational opportunity gained impetus. The Salamanca Statement and Framework for Special Needs Education was a pivotal development in special needs education policy and provision internationally which advocated schools accommodating ‘all children, regardless of their physical, intellectual, social, emotionalRead MoreThe Development Of Education During The Uk Since 19941678 Words   |  7 Pageschild’s behaviour and support their learning. The main problem of the Warnock report (1978) that came to light was that 20% of children in school could have had an SEN issue, but only 2% of these children would be getting the support they needed. Statements were introduced in the Education Act (1981) ensuring that children with SEN could be taught in special schools. The 1981 Special Educational Act followed on from The Warnock Report 1978, reaffirming some existing principles, but also introducedRead MoreDiversity, Inclusivity And Differentiation : Theory And Practice1962 Words   |  8 Pagesto high-quality schooling that is free from discrimination based on gender, language, sexual orientation, pregnancy, culture, ethnicity, religion, health or disability, socioeconomic background or geographic location (Inclusive education policy statement, 2016). Inclusive education involves embracing human diversity and welcoming all children and adults as equal members of an educational community. This involves valuing and supporting the participation of all people together within the mainstreamRead MoreThe Getting It Right For Every Child1495 Words   |  6 Pageseducational needs’ (Riddell, 2014; Cline and Frederickson 2014). The ASL Acts praises on the notion of assisting anybody at any time, and giving supplementary educational support when is it required (Riddell and Weedon, 2009; Cline et al., 2014). The Salamanca Statement 1994 (UNESCO, 1994) endorses the importance of inclusive education in respect of all abilities and/or disabilities. It argues that regular (mainstream) schools with inclusive orientation are the ‘most effective means of compacting discriminatoryRead MorePreparing Regular Education Teachers For Address The Diverse Needs Of Children With Special Needs2409 Words   |  10 Pagestraining programmes on inclusive education is critical to create a successful practice in regular schools. Therefore it is necessary to investigate to what extent an in- service teacher preparation program influnces effective inclusive practice. Statement of the problem Even though Sri Lanka accepted the concept of inclusive education there are no measures taken by the government to translate the theory into practice (Smith, 2003). In order to make inclusive practice effective it is critical toRead MoreThe Learning-Support Guidelines705 Words   |  3 Pagespolicy recommends a mainstream model where all children can learn together over segregated provision. Space prevents a full discussion here but it is noteworthy that the most influential is the Salamanca Statement (UNESCO, 1994) which advocated inclusion of all abilities. Subsequently, the Dakar Statement (UNESCO, 2000) and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Persons with Disabilities (UN 2006), (two reports which have not been adopted in all countries) along with many EU policyRead MoreWhat Does Inclusive Education Means? Essay1626 Words   |  7 Pagesof suitable training is no excuse at law to avoid this liability. The Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action on Special Needs Education (1995) was an important influence in the development of our current inclusive educational policies. As a teacher of inclusive education in 2014, we should be aware that the Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians (MCEETYA, 2008) provides the general policy statements for the Australian Curriculum (ACARA, 2012). In the Australian CurriculumRead More Sister Souljah Essay675 Words   |  3 Pages Many people have said and think Sister Souljah is a racist. She has made a statement to let people know she is not a racist. She considers herself of being a black sister with an unselfish heart and wants to be heard and will be heard. Sister Souljah has impacted and affected our society today. To some people she is a threat and some people admire her work, thoughts, and music. She has stated I am mentally, emotionally, spiritually, physically, intellectually, and academically developed and acu telyRead MoreExamples Of Realism In The Fall Of The House Of Usher733 Words   |  3 Pageshaving noticed my presence, disappeared.†(19) This proves it is Magical realism because the statement gave the illusion that she was a ghost but in reality Madeline was just so sick that she was not paying much attention to her surroundings. Therefore â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher† is a great example of magical realism considering the elements in the story that seemed unreal but were real. (Carolina Salamanca) Both Gothic Literature and Magical Realism are similar because in both stories the endings

The Satirical Transformation Of Gulliver Essay - 1154 Words

The Satirical Transformation of Gulliver Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels is difficult to come to terms with for a multitude of reasons. The most immediate problem is that of genre. How may Gulliver’s Travels be categorized? It’s a fiction; it’s written in prose; it’s a children’s tale; it’s a comedy; it’s a tragedy; however, to say this is to say very little. Clearly it’s satirical, but that is not to say it’s a satire. Arther E. Case, for example, thinks that it’s not a satire: â€Å"it would be more accurate and more illuminating to call it a politico-sociological treatise much of which is couched in the medium of satire† (Four Essays on Gulliver’s Travels p. 105). In response to Case’s classification, I offer a question: what’s the purpose of formal specification if there are numerous imprecise labels to which this work may conform? Swift’s masterpiece should be entitled to its own donnà ©e; thus, for the sa ke of this essay, I will shy from all comprehensive forms of categorization. Instead, I’ll consider Gulliver’s Travels on its own terms, sui generis, to interpret its unique presuppositions, many of which are expressed satirically. By allowing Gulliver, an uncritical lover of man, to become a hypercritical hater of man, Swift has it both ways: Gulliver functions as both the object and instrument of satire (Four Essays on Gulliver’s Travels 106). Perhaps one could reduce Gulliver’s voyage to the country of the Houyhnhnms by describing it as a carefully devised fable; however, thisShow MoreRelatedThe Quarrel Between Two Princes1590 Words   |  7 Pagesfour of Gulliver?s Travels, by Johnathon Swift, as Gulliver begins explaining the state of England to the master Houyhnhnm, and more specifically, why princes in England go to war with one another. This passage is of particular import because it marks a dramatic shift in both tone and character development in Gulliver. While much of part four of Gulliver?s Travels is a satirical portrayal of England and its institutions, this quote coalesces that satire with disdain and self-loathing on Gulliver?s partRead More Satire in the Eighteenth Century Essay790 Words   |  4 Pagesprestige, for his house had a door and several windows and his hall was actually draped in tapestry (Voltaire 19).   It is apparent that the use of the hyperbole, among other elements, played a cruc ial role in the potency of satire.    Satirical works can often be united by common themes.   Anti-feminism, governmental reform, religious dissension, peace, social perversity, duplicity, idiosyncrasy, and poverty are frequently highlighted in works of satire.   Jonathan Swifts novel Gullivers

The Fight Against Cyber Crime Free Essays

Running head: THE FIGHT AGAINST CYBER CRIME The Fight Against Cyber Crime: What Can We Do? Abstract Cyber crime is on the rise and every organization must recognize the danger and take necessary steps to help mitigate the threat. While many institutions worry more about hackers than cyber criminals, it is cyber crime that can cause the most damage. A hacker is more easily detected while a cyber criminal may already be in your network undetected. We will write a custom essay sample on The Fight Against Cyber Crime or any similar topic only for you Order Now While a hacker may try to breach a network for the thrill or to annoy, a cyber criminal will breach a network for monetary gain. This paper is intended to point out some of the risks of cyber crime and what a financial institute can do to help mitigate the threat of attack. Keywords: cyber crime, cyber attack, Information Technology Information Sharing and Analysis Center, IT-ISAC, Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center, FS-ISAC The Fight Against Cyber Crime: What Can We Do? While many institutions worry more about hackers than cyber criminals, it is cyber criminals that should make us more wary. A hacker is more easily detected while a cyber criminal may already be in your network undetected. While a hacker may try to breach a network for the thrill value or to annoy their victim, a cyber criminal will breach a network for monetary gain. This may include â€Å"data acquisition and storage, stealthy access to systems, identity collection and theft, misdirection of communications, keystroke identification, identity authentication, and botnets, among others† (Deloitte, 2010). According to a survey conducted in August 2011 by Ponemon Institute, for the 50 participating companies (see chart 1), the average time it takes an organization to resolve a cyber attack is 18 days with an average cost of $23,000 a day. An insider attack can average 45 days to contain. This does not include the value of any data lost, modified, or stolen in the process. This survey also showed the average annualized cost of cyber crime to financial institutions was $14,700,000 for 2011, up from $12,370,000 the previous year (see Chart 2). Chart 3 summarizes the types of attack methods experienced by the companies that participated in the survey (Ponemon, 2011). According to security firm Imperva, â€Å"The average large business sees 27 attacks per minute hitting its Website. Attackers can use automation technologies to generate up to seven attacks per second, or 25,000 attacks per hour† (Rashid, 2011). To build a sufficient IT security posture, it is important to assume that an unauthorized user can gain access to the network, and then structure the network to best protect the most valuable data. The valuable data can then â€Å"be tagged and monitored so that the organization knows where it is, where it is going, where it has gone, and on whose authority† (Deloitte, 2010). The organization also needs to understand that they need to not only monitor what is coming into their network but also what is leaving their network. This will help â€Å"detect activities enabled by techniques and technologies that mimic, exploit, or piggyback on the access of authorized users† (Deloitte, 2010). Using standard firewalls and anti-virus programs alone will not accomplish this. The organization must take a more proactive approach to protect its financial data. Now that we know what we need to do, how do we accomplish this? Some very basic steps include employee screening, employee training to help mitigate against social engineering, disabling account access of terminated employees, ensuring software updates and patches are properly implemented, and ensuring firewalls are properly configured. More advanced steps include, but are not limited to, setting up a demilitarized zone to help block the network from outside access, installing a honeynet system to look like an authentic part of the network to entice and trap intrusion attempts for further analysis, installing hard drive encryption and remote data wipe capability on all laptops and other mobile devices, and requiring smart card and pin number authentication (or some other form of multifactor authentication) to access sensitive data. The Ponemon survey revealed companies utilizing security information and event management (SIEM) solutions such as these average 24 percent less expense in dealing with cyber crime attacks (see chart 5). This reduction in cost is because companies that use SIEM solutions are better able to detect and contain, and therefore recover, from such attacks (see chart 6). Another important step for a financial institute to take is to become a member of the FS-ISAC (Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center). The FS-ISAC was founded in 1999 and led the way for the IT-ISAC (Information Technology Information Sharing and Analysis Center) which was founded in 2001. The purpose of these groups is for organizations to have the opportunity to share the security attacks and vulnerabilities they have experienced with other organizations in their field of industry. Given the sophistication, complexity, and evolution of cyber crime technologies and techniques, no sizable organization can plan and implement the necessary response alone. CIOs, CSOs, CROs, and cyber security rofessionals should share information, techniques, and technologies in their battle against cyber crime. (Deloitte, 2010) The importance of FS-ISAC was proven in 2000 when member companies where saved from a major denial-of-service attack that many other companies experienced (Hurley, 2001). As shown in chart 4, a denial-of-service attack can be costly. A more recent example of FS-ISAC at work is the August 23, 2011 report of the Help Net Security (International) Ramnit worm which uses Zeus Trojan tactics for banking fraud. As the FS-ISAC points out, â€Å"When attacks occur, early warning and expert advice can mean the difference between business continuity and widespread business catastrophe† (FS-ISAC, 2011). Knowing and having the chance to combat against these attacks can save an institute millions. In conclusion, financial institutions must stay vigilant to current and new cyber threats. Table 1 through 3 gives a breakdown of cyber threats and controls that can help reduce the impact if these threats become reality. It is important for an organization to enroll in its respective ISAC and to share in the lessons learned from previous attacks. While it would be almost impossible to learn about and prevent every type of attack, staying vigilant will help reduce the likelihood and the impact. References Deloitte Development LLC. (2010). Cyber Crime: A Clear and Present Danger. Retrieved December 23, 2011, from the World Wide Web: http://eclearning. excelsior. edu/webct/RelativeResourceManager/Template/pdf/M7_Deloitte_CyberCrime. pdf FS-ISAC. (2011). Current Banking and Finance Report, Retrieved 24 December, 2011, from the World Wide Web: http://www. fsisac. com/ Hurley, E. (2001, January 29). IT-ISAC: A Matter of Trust. Retrieved 24 December, 2011, from the World Wide Web: http://searchsecurity. techtarget. com/news/517824/IT-ISAC-A matter-of-trust Ponemon Institute LLC. (2011, August). Second Annual Cost of Cyber Crime Study. Retrieved December 24, 2011, from the World Wide Web: http://www. arcsight. com/collateral/whitepapers/2011_Cost_of_Cyber_Crime_Study_August. pdf Rashid, F. (2011, July 25). Cyber-Criminals Use Botnets, Automation to Launch Multiple Blended Attacks. Retrieved December 24, 2011, from the World Wide Web: http://www. week. com/c/a/Security/CyberCriminals-Use-Botnets-Automation-to-Launch-Multiple-Blended-Attacks-656032/ Chart 1. Sample of Participating Companies by Industry (Ponemon, 2011) Average annualized cost by industry sector ($1M) *Industry was not represented in the FY2010 benchmark sample. Chart 2. Average annualized cost by industry sector (Ponemon, 2011) Types of Attack Methods Experienced Chart 3. Types of Attack Methods Experienced (Ponemon , 2011) Average annualized cyber crime cost weighted by attack frequency *The FY 2010 benchmark sample did not contain a DoS attack. Chart 4. Average annualized cyber crime cost (Ponemon, 2011) Comparison of SIEM and non-SIEM sub-sample of average cost of cyber crime Chart 5. Comparison cost of SIEM and non-SIEM companies (Ponemon, 2011) Chart 6 Percentage cost for recovery, detection containment (Ponemon, 2011) categoryFinancial Impact Regulatory ComplianceIndustry Reputation 4CriticalIncrease in costs greater than $1MFines in excess of $1MSignificant, sustained negative media exposure. Significant loss of business due to blemish on public image. 3MajorIncrease in costs $100K to $1MFines between $100K and $1MNegative media exposure. Loss of business due to blemish on public image. 2ModerateIncrease in costs less than $100KFines under $100KSome negative media exposure. Slight loss of business due to blemish on public image. 1MinorNo significant cost increase expectedNo fines expectedNo media exposure or loss of business expected. Table 1. Impact 4Imminent 3Highly Likely 2Possible 1Unlikely Table 2. Probability PxI (before controls / after controls) Financial Impact Regulatory Compliance Industry Reputation Controls Denial of service1x3=3 / 1Ãâ€"2=21Ãâ€"3=3 / 1Ãâ€"1=11Ãâ€"4=4 / 1Ãâ€"2=2Implement router filters, install patches to guard against SYC flooding, disable unused services Web-based attack2x3=6 / 2Ãâ€"2=42Ãâ€"3=6 / 2Ãâ€"2=42Ãâ€"4=8 / 2Ãâ€"2=4Restrict website access to only what customer needs, disable account log-in after 3 failed log-in attempts, require multifactor authentication to access sensitive data Malicious code2x4=8 / 2Ãâ€"2=42Ãâ€"4=8 / 2Ãâ€"2=42Ãâ€"4=8 / 2Ãâ€"2=4Software updates and patches, anti-virus and anti-spam software pdates, firewall configuration, employee training Malicious insider1x4=4 / 1Ãâ€"2=21Ãâ€"4=4 / 1Ãâ€"2=21Ãâ€"4=4 / 1Ãâ€"2=2Employee screening, disable account access for terminated employees, require multifactor authentication for access to data servers, least privilege, separation of duty Phishing social engineering 2Ãâ€"3=6 / 1Ãâ€"3=32Ãâ€"3=6 / 1Ãâ€"3=32Ãâ€"3=6 / 1Ãâ€"3=3Employee training, least privilege, separation of duty Stolen devices2x4=8 / 2Ãâ€"1=22Ãâ€"4=8 / 2Ãâ€"1=22Ãâ€"4=8 / 2Ãâ€"1=2Hard drive encryption, remote data wipe capability Botnets 3Ãâ€"3=9 / 3Ãâ€"1=33Ãâ€"3=9 / 3Ãâ€"1=33Ãâ€"3=9 / 3Ãâ€"1=3Software updates and patches, anti-virus and anti-spam software updates, firewall configuration, employee training Malware3x3=9 / 3Ãâ€"1=33Ãâ€"3=9 / 3Ãâ€"1=33Ãâ€"3=9 / 3Ãâ€"1=3Software updates and patches, anti-virus and anti-spam software updates, firewall configuration, employee training Viruses, worms, trojans4x3=12 / 4Ãâ€"1=44Ãâ€"3=12 / 4Ãâ€"1=44Ãâ€"3=12 / 4Ãâ€"1=4Software updates and patches, anti-virus and anti-spam software updates, firewall configuration, employee training Table 3. Risk Analysis How to cite The Fight Against Cyber Crime, Essay examples

Judaism And Their Believe In God Samples †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Judaism And Their Believe In God. Answer: Jewish believes that there is only one God who has not only created the Universe, but he is regarded as the savior with whom a pious relationship can be created. The Jews believe in the creator, the contribution of mankind towards God and also to the land of Israel. According to Torah, the God is having a binding agreement with the Jews. God continues to act as a savior to the Jews people and in return, the Jewish always looks forward to serve God and represents the elements of his Holiness in the different aspects of their life. According to Rambans thirteen principles of faith, the religion Judaism does not constitute any dogmatism rather Jews believe in the proper implementation of their actions, than the words. Judaism not only looks forward to maintain a prudent relationship between the God and mankind, but also between the Jewish and their land of Israel. The thirteen principles further elaborate that a Jew must believe about the existence of only one God and he cannot be further subdivided into different Gods. God is above all the people living in the earth and God is present everywhere and all the time.

Perceived Physical Competence and the Physical Activity free essay sample

The Perceived Physical Competence Subscale for Children (PPCSC) (Harter, 1982) was modified to measure children’s perceptions of physical competence (26 self-efficacy questions). Children’s patterns of physical activity were measured by a modification to Sallis McKenzie’s Self Administered Physical Activity Checklist (SAPAC). Each item on the PPCSC was matched with an activity on the SAPAC scale. Modifications to both scales were made as a result of pilot testing performed with the sample population. A significant positive linear relationship was found between children’s perceptions of competence and their amount of physical activity. Significant positive correlations were also found for a number of self-efficacy measures and the amount of time children chose to engage in these specific activities. Significant gender differences were found between boys and girls in overall perceptions of competence, as well as in a number of self-efficacy measures. Boys were typically higher is self-efficacy on most physical activities with the exception of gymnastics, dance, and jump rope. We will write a custom essay sample on Perceived Physical Competence and the Physical Activity or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The 7th grade boys had the highest perceptions of competence, while 7th grade girls were the lowest of all four groups. These perceptions of competence were reflected in whether children chose to participate in an activity or not. Children generally chose to engage in activities that they perceived themselves competent . There also appear to be very powerful socio-cultural influences on the types of activities that boys and girls choose (Lirgg, 1992). Girls were significantly more active in health enhancing lifetime physical activities such as walking, jogging, and bicycling, and chose activities of a lower intensity level than boys. Contrary to the literature, this study found no significant differences in the total amount of physical activity between boys and girls. It was hypothesized that the rural setting in which this study was conducted may have influenced this outcome. No significant differences were found between grades in perceptions of competence or physical activity time. DEDICATION To my wife, Kim, and our three children, Sam, Corey, and Sierra. Without your unconditional love, enduring devotion, and tireless support I would not have been able to attain this accomplish. Kim, you have persevered through the long nights, and hard days with very little support from me, yet you were always there to keep me going. God has surely blessed me far more than I deserve. I love you. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank my committee chair, Dr. George Graham, for all that he has done for me. Who opened up a whole new world to me, and I will never be the same. He challenged, pushed, and nurtured me through one of the most challenging yet rewarding times in my life. I could not have been blessed with a better mentor. Thank you for giving part of yourself to me and my family, your guidance and friendship are cherished gifts. I would also like to thank my committee members Dr. Richard Stratton, Dr. Jerry Niles, Dr. Kusum Singh, and Dr. Andy Stremmel for all of the time that you gave out of very busy schedules. Your wisdom and guidance are greatly appreciated. Every one of you contributed significantly to this great accomplishment in my life, and I am indebted to you. A special thank you to Dr. Singh for never saying ‘no’ to my requests for statistical help. To Don and Carolyn Forsythe, who have supported me and my family throughout this entire endeavor. I cannot express my gratitude and appreciation for all that you have done. You were that piece of security that we all needed when times got tough. We knew that gramma and grampa would always be there with their love and encouragement no matter what the occasion. Sam, Corey, and Sierra my beautiful gifts from God. We made it! I always knew that I would find love and acceptance in you three. The times that we played together, fished, told stories, prayed, and just talked will always be cherished memories for me. Children are relatively inactive for a majority of time in physical education classes (McKenzie et al. , 1996; Simons-Morton et al. , 1990; Sleap Warburton, 1992). Reported in Healthy People 2000 , in 1983, students spent an average of 27% of physical education class time involved in physical activity (USDHHS, 1991). These conclusions are supported by researchers on childrens physical activity in physical education (Corbin, 1987; McKenzie et al. 1996; Simons-Morton et al. 1987). Sadly, physical education often has a negative effect on the physical activity levels of many children. Physical activity levels are gradually eroded because of unpleasant experiences caused by embarrassment, pain, and failure associated with physical education (Sleap Warburton, 1992). In one study, adult disinclination to exercise was linked to a lack of favorable physical activity during adolescence (Simons-Morton, 1987). There can be positive effects of physical education on physical activity patterns in children. Programs that make attending physical education a pleasant experience and that can explain specific benefits of exercise can influence exercise intent and can enhance students’ future exercise behavior (Ferguson et al. 1989). Sallis (1987) and others continue this line of thinking by reporting that school physical education programs must affect physical activity outside of class and over time if they are to be considered successful. Unfortunately, there is no evidence that even innovative physical education programs have been successful in improving long-term incre ases in physical activity. 55 The strongest reason for health related physical education, however, appears to be the prevention of CVD (McKenzie Sallis, 1996, p. 226). This

Babbitt essays

Babbitt essays The 1920s saw the rise of the true American consumer. For the first time in U.S. history more Americans lived in urban rather than rural areas. The nation prospered as a whole, but the wealth widened the gap between the rich and the poor. It was during this time that a great outpour of creative talent produced artists of all types who indicated the United States for being artistically barren. Authors such as Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Sinclair Lewis began to emerge and thus Babbitt was born. Sinclair Lewis, the first American to win the Nobel Prize for literature, created the true symbol of American life and values in the 1920s with his satirical character George F. Babbitt. Babbitt tells the tale of an average family living in the 1920s while accurately portraying American life and culture. With such a lively character as George Babbitt, it is hard for anyone not to enjoy this novel. Although a satire, Babbitt does deal with many real life situations which build up to Lewis thesis that no matter how hard people try they cannot change who they are. Through his use of detail, dialogue, and description Lewis is able to appeal to his readers emotionally, intellectually, and ethically. The Roaring Twenties marked a time of great prosperity. Everyone in America was trying to get a piece of the pie. Although he was well off, Babbitt did anything he could to get ahead in life, just as most people do today. Sinclair Lewis tries to create the average American by making him a middle-class, materialistic, hypocritical conformist. Lewis uses detail to make his character as real as possible; in fact detail is used throughout the novel so that the story would be believable and easy to relate to. With many mentions of jazz music, prohibition, and opinions of womens latest fashions being too short, the many details in Babbitt affect readers intellectually because they give the readers a feel for t...

Challenges ahead in running department store business in China A case Dissertation

Challenges ahead in running department store business in China A case study on GrandBuy how to achieve sustainable growth - Dissertation Example Technology, in the form of ERP, SCM and even CRM are tools that will enable the organization to store data. The data generated by these software then becomes an information that can be related to other information in order for it to become tangible knowledge. Knowledge is then use to become the basis or intelligence for a working action plan to achieve a particular goal. Each employee in a learning organization is tasked if not has the responsibility to share their tacit knowledge to contribute to the organization’s explicit knowledge to sustain growth. Creating a learning organization is not a walk in the park, the challenges faced by an organization in its transformation to a learning organization shall be explored in this paper. ... ing and Leading Fundamental Change in Organisations†, Richard Beckhard & Wendy Pritchard commented: "It is no longer true that organisations can (1) Control their own destiny (2) Operate in a stable and predictable society." Therefore to have competitive supremacy, increasing profits and maximum control over company's destiny it is essential to innovate, learn quickly and respond quickly. This must be done by managing change within the organisation (Beckhard & Pritchard, 1992). This paper shall discuss the possible challenges of Guanzhou GrandBuy Co. Ltd. or GrandBuy for brevity as it transform itself from an organization that did not worry about profit or its bottom line to a learning organization that will enable them to sustain their growth without government intervention. They understood that good strategic management only exists with a good knowledge base within the organization. Therefore, GrandBuy emphasized on the need to upgrade the knowledge quality of the whole organ ization from management to staff of all levels. They strive to transform GrandBuy into a Learning Organization. In short, by being aware of the environment and trends outside the organisation and working with those within the organisation who are keen to make â€Å"change† a strategic approach will eventually pay dividends. "If we want things to stay as they are, things will have to change". Everybody appears to understand the needs for change without too much explanation. So the next series of question are what need to be answered in order for change to set in; who needs change; where does â€Å"needs† change and then how to change. By answering all these questions, the management needs to have a robust strategic plan. The next step is about implementation in the forms of policies, guidelines,

Death penalty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Death penalty - Essay Example Even though I was too young to understand the meaning completely, the issue had a great impact on me. . After long term consideration I believe that the death penalty should be legal because it helps prevent violent crime and saves lives of innocent people. Different countries view the death penalty differently. Here what I would like to talk about is the death penalty in China, Japan and the U.S. These countries are the three largest economies in the world, and they are where I have grown up and live. . Japan and China are based on Eastern culture, and the U.S is based on Western Culture. They have similarities and differences; however, they all have the death penalty. In the U.S. there are two reasons why people support death penalty, and they are retribution and deterrence. The idea of retribution is that a murderer must sacrifice his life because he took someone’s life, and the basic idea is â€Å"an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.† The idea of deterrence i s that death penalty can prevent people from committing murder. Both Japan and China subscribe to these two reasons for the death penalty, but seem to be more supportive of the death penalty than people in the U.S. ... students were the lowest and Japanese students were in the middle (Shanhe et al.). I grew up in Japan and China, and this might contribute to the reason why I strongly agree with death penalty. The death penalty may be a factor in saving lives. People make their decisions based on their costs or benefits; therefore, a person may stop himself from killing someone if he knows he may be executed as a result (Muhlhausen). It is similar to not stealing because there will be a punishment. If the punishment is execution there will be less likelihood of stealing. The stricter the law, the less and less people commit a crime because everybody fears death, even animals. Most criminals would think twice if they knew their own lives were at stake. Second, many studies have shown that executions can lead to a decrease in murder rates; and on the other hand that abolishing the death penalty increases the incidence of murder. Professor Shepherd analyzed data from 1977 to 1999 and found that the com bination of death row sentences and executions deterred many types of murders. She estimated that each death row sentence deters approximately 4.5 murders, and each execution approximately 3 murders. A second issue Shepherd examined was the impact of delaying the execution on deterrence. The numerous appeals and stays of execution that criminals request imply that they prefer lengthy death row waits. Shepherd therefore theorized that shortening the death row wait may increase the deterrence, and estimates that for every 2.75 year reduction in the death row wait for execution one extra murder could be deterred. It means that shorter term of waiting execution can save human’s life (Muhlhausen). According to the U.S. Murder Rate and Executions, the murder rate decreases when the

Anthropocene Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Anthropocene - Essay Example uction as one of the many activities that human beings involve themselves in on earth has also contributed to the many changes that has been experienced on earth over the last 200 years. For example, in most construction, cement is always used. Studies have proved that the use of cement leads to omission of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. A single tone of cement is believed to have the ability of producing a huge amount of carbon dioxide. Carbon emission is the highest contributor to global warming (Zalasiewicz, Williams, Smith, Barry, Coe, Bown & Stone, 2008). Over the last 200 years, it can be noticed that human construction activities have highly increased. There are more people undertaking construction using cement in the modern world as compared to 200 years ago. The mining of substances such as limestone for the manufacture of cement is also believed to have interfered with the earth’s topography in the last 200 years. A look at the places where mining of limestone tak es place will surely prove the effect of the mining to the land’s topography. There has been a great transformation of the earth’s surface over the last 200 years. Most of the cities that are well known in the modern world were not there some 200 years ago. In short, it can be said that cities and human settlements are the dominants of the landscape. All these are attributed to the construction activities that human beings have involved themselves in the last 200 years. In the process of building new cities and human settlements, it is evident that human beings were doing away with the natural vegetation that was covering the earth at that moment. Apart from the natural vegetation there were also the inhabitants of the natural vegetation who had to be displaced as a result of such developments (Smith & Zeder, 2013). The displaced animals had either to adapt to a new kind of life or end up being distinct. The clearing of natural vegetation has also led to an increase in global

Self Directed Work Team (SDWT) Advantages and Disadvantages

Self Directed Work Team (SDWT) Advantages and Disadvantages A Briefing on Self Directed Work Team (SDWT) by Group 5 Self Directed Work Team is a powerful concept since the ancient Roman legion and today approximately 68% of fortune 1000 companies implement SDWT concept including Ford, GM, PG, FedEx, etc. (Lawler, Mohrman, Ledford ,1995). Definition Vecchio (2003, p.107) defined Self Directed Work Teams (SDWT) as â€Å"a highly trained group of six to eighteen employees that is fully responsible for creating a specific product†. And according to an article in Entrepreneur Connect   (Anon, 1995) â€Å"self -directed teams are small groups of employees who have responsibility for managing themselves and their work†. Success in todays challenging competitive environment is based on employee empowerment and team work (Boyett Boyett, 1998). This could be closely related to Herzbergs motivating factor which was later simply defined by Barbara (n.d.) as â€Å"what makes you work well†. Many companies are attracted to this innovation because of the prospect of flattening the organizational structure in these times when downsizing, flattening and work process reengineering are so crucial (Coates and Miller, 1995). SDWT leads to increased organizational effectiveness and employee satisfaction (Forsyth, 1999) which in todays business is being the competitive advantage (Ron Williams, n.d). Advantages of SDWT General Motors, Proctor Gamble Xerox by implementing SDWT resulted in approximately 30-40% improvement in productivity (Bruce,n.d.). In Kodak customer assistance centre SDWT resulted in 100% increase in profits (Anon, n.d.).FedEx improved their service by reducing the loss of packages and incorrect billing by 13%. Rubbermaid increased sales by 50% above projections Quality improvement. Increased productivity and reduced cost. Highly flexible. Simpler job classification and each member know every process through job rotation which will reduce dependency one person. Better innovation and creativity. Team members are motivated by job satisfaction, empowerment, trust, feel of ownership personal growth which in turn benefit the company as a whole. SDWT is being a vehicle for bringing in the Total Quality Management concept in an organization (Vecchio,2006,p.112) Following statistics based on a review of organization that transferred to SDWT (John Cotter, n.d.) well prove the positive impact. 93% reported improve productivity 86% reported decreased operating cost 86% reported improved quality 70% reported better employee attitudes Given the above advantages and success stories there are consequences and problems in challenging the success of SDWT and even driving to the opposite direction to failure. Consequences of SDWT Elimination of supervisory position. The need for shift from holding the decision making power to delegation and allowing autonomy. In other words supervisor should act as a facilitator and provide guidance to teams especially outside the teams areas of expertise. Supervisors should manage communication and monitor the effectiveness. Leaders promote team work and corporation (Brillhart, 1983). The key in supervisory role is to motivate â€Å"Self-Direction†. In an interview with Sterling Health USA, employees often quoted that â€Å"Before, the group leader made all the decisions. You didnt know why the decisions were madenow we do† (Peter, 1999). But is the team leader ready to accept the transition from holding the power to delegation? Is S/He ready to improve the skills to qualify as a facilitator? Requirement for heavy investment in training. Training needed for both supervisors and team members in building various skills. Cloke and Goldsmith ( 2002, pp 205-214 ) identified ten skills those are essential for members of the work teams to develop self management, communication, leadership, responsibility, supporting diversity, feedback and evaluation, strategic planning, shaping successful meeting, resolving conflicts and enjoyment. Williams (n.d.) mentioned â€Å"It is not uncommon for self-directed work teams to spend 20% of their time in ongoing training†. Organization willing to implement SDWT should have a clear training strategy including cross training opportunity and resources. Top management should design the training policy and budget for it. Need for more flatter and flexible organizational structure. The decision making authority is transformed to the team members to eliminate waste of time relying on approvals from managers. Self-direction, autonomy, empowerment are the key players in success of SDWT which is facilitated only on flat structures. Responsibilities assigned to workers in GM clearly indicate the need for flat structure.(William,1999,p.11) Responsibility for quality control. Responsibility for maintenance and small repairs. Responsibility for safety. Responsibility for capital budgeting and operational budgeting. Responsibility for staffing. SDWT to begin performing takes long period. As per William (1999) SDWTs cannot be created instantly; it can take 2 to 5 years to fully implement. Some companies might not have the time or resources to go through this process Stages of forming SDWT: Stage one: (Start-Up) Goal preparation, explanation of purpose, member selection and building trust (6-9months). Stage two: (State of confusion) Technical assistance, feedback, implementing procedures to support self direction, and training. (6-9months). Stage three: (Leader centered team) Encouraging leadership activity among team members. (6-12months). Stage four: (Tightly formed teams) Resolving conflicts, start managing on own, communicating resource requirement and goals.(6-12months). Stage five: (Self direction) Maintain self confidence and self esteem of others. Strong partnership with internal and external customers. Consequently, if you look at the time and training involved in SDWTs it might not be suitable for an environment with a high employee turnover. Need for greater leadership development. As the organization would no longer function in a traditional manner the leaders or managers need to build their ability to allow and encourage such a high level of empowerment, which can be tackled with specially created programs (Coates and Miller, 1995). Problems of SDWT Team members approached the saturation point of learning through job rotation and would have achieved the maximum level of earning i.e. plant rate where no more room for psychological or financial boosts (Vecchio, 2006, p.113). Again while talking about pay as a motivator does it really matter? Can rewarding and recognition be the motivator to ensure continuing performance of the employees (Vecchio, 2006, p.84).   Also the performance measurement system should not create any competition within team members which will reduce co-operation and affect the success of SDWT. Another major challenge is getting people to remain committed to the improvement of the processes when they realize that they may be working themselves out of a job. The employees involved in self-directed work teams must have a great deal of trust so that employees are not concerned about their job security (Anon, 1995). Conflict management would be another critical and sensitive issue. Again each team member has different personalities and perceptions. Here comes the importance of required skills from facilitator. A culture of knowledge sharing has to be built in. Another question is that, are employees ready to be self directed? Whether they have capacity and skills? Of course proper training would be in place but still some employees prefer managers direction on what to do rather than deciding on their own. Here comes the need for selecting appropriate team members which is again depending on the talent of facilitator. Is the organization policies and culture is supportive in transferring power and authority to team members? Other problems would be signs of overconfidence which lead to members willing to take extra ordinary risk, members ignoring the ethical consequences, collective rationalization and underestimating capabilities of other groups which may lead to failure and financial losses.(Craig, 2005, p.219) Given the fact empowerment is a key to succeed in SDWT; will all the managers support this? Foegen (1999) stated on the loss of control: If one individual makes all the decisions in a given department, for example, his or her control is all-encompassing. Focus is obvious and unequivocal. But when authority is delegated, that focus becomes blurred, decision making is diffused, and responsibilitys locus is often less certain. He also stated delegation and empowerment can decrease the self image of the managers. The other pitfalls of empowerment would be lack of clarity, managements view as shared control / loss of control etc. Finally it would require numerous changes in processes and procedures and require a lot more time to make SDWTs successful in a unionized department. Conclusion Before a company can decide to implement self directed work teams, Coates and Miller (1995) point out certain situations or job fields in which this method may not work. These include: When there is a requirement for direction or supervision. This is often needed for jobs which may be unpleasant, arduous, fast paced or risky. When minimal team interaction is required. In jobs such as these employees may find it difficult to lead each other. When a lack of professional maturity exists among team members. An unwillingness to make the effort exists. The inability to meet regularly as a team. Work groups with any of these five characteristics would find it difficult to function effectively and may have to resort to the traditional method of management. Statistics shows that empowerment has about a 50% success rate and it is found that major reason for this is lack of management commitment to the change process. One of the companies failed by using SDWT is The Airline peoples Express. (Fisher, 2000, p.26). References: Anon. (1995) Taking the Mystery Out of Self -Directed Work Teams, Entrepreneur Connect [Online]. Available from:  http://www.entrepreneur.com/tradejournals/article/17227174.html   (Accessed: 21 August 2009). Anon (n.d.) Teams, the good, the bad and the ugly [Online] Available from: http://faculty.css.edu/dswenson/web/TDlearnCo/gains-lossesofteams.html (Accessed: 22 August 2009) Boyett, J. Boyett, J. (1998) The guru guide: The best of the top management thinkers. New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc. Brillhart, J.(1983) Effective group discussion. 5th ed. Dubuque, Iowa: William Brown Co. Bruce K.Bernard (n.d) Preparing for Self-Directed Work Teams [Online] Available from: http://209.85.229.132/search?q=cache:rEhTVduzfRMJ:www.ux1.eiu.edu/~bkbarnard/preparing2.ppt+self+directed+work+teams+pptcd=7hl=enct=clnkgl=ae (Accessed: 21 August 2009). Cloke, K and Goldsmith, J (2002) The End of Management and the Rise of Organizational Democracy. Questia Online Library [Online] Available from: http://www.questia.com/read/111621737?title=The%20End%20of%20Management%20and%20the%20Rise%20of%20Organizational%20Democracy (Accessed: 21 August 2009). Coates, D. Miller, M. (1995) ‘Self Directed Teams: Lessons Learned for Local Government, Public Management, 77 (12), p. 16, Questia Online Library [Online]. Available from: http://www.questia.com/read/5001654373?title=Self-Directed%20Teams%3a%20Lessons%20Learned%20for%20Local%20Government (Accessed: 21August 2009). Craig E. Johnson. (2005) Meeting the ethical challenges of leadership. 2nd ed. USA: Sage Publications Inc. Ed Rose Steve Buckley. (1999) Self Directed work Teams, A Trainers Role in the Transition. USA: Intersil Coporation. Foegen, J.H. (1999) Why not empowerment, Business and Economic Review, Apr-Jun 1999  Ã‚  [Online]. Available from: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa5313/is_199904/ai_n21437565/  (Accessed: 22 August 2009) Forsyth, D. (1999) Group dynamics. 3rd ed. New York: Brooks/Cole-Wadsworth. Jeffrey Christopher Bauer (2002) A Longitudinal Evaluation of The Impact of Organizational Structure on Role Ambiguity and Work Group Performance [Online] Available from: http://www.ucclermont.edu/~BAUERJ/JCBauerDissertationFinal.htm (Accessed: 21 August 2009). Kimball Fisher. (2000). Leading Self Directed Work Teams, A Guide to Developing New Team Leadership Skils. USA: McGraw-Hill. Peter B.Grazier (1999) Living with a self directed work team why self-direction works: A review of Herzbergs Concepts [Online] Available from: http://www.teambuildinginc.com/article_selfdirected.htm (Accessed: 21 August 2009). Robert P. Vecchio (2006) Organizational Behavior, 6th ed. Mason, OH, USA: Thomson Corporation South-Western. Robert T.Howell (2001) Fostering Self-Directed Team Members [Online] Available from: http://www.teambuildinginc.com/article_selfdirected.htm (Accessed: 21August 2009). Williams, R. (n.d.) Self-Directed Work Teams: A Competitive Advantage [online] Available from: http://www.qualitydigest.com/nov95/html/self-dir.html (Accessed: 20 August 2009).

Oedipus and Tiresias :: Essays Papers

Oedipus and Tiresias Oedipus and Tiresias, characters of Sophocles' play "Oedipus Tyrannus," are propelled to their individual destinies by their peculiar relationships with truth. Paranoid and quick to anger Oedipus, is markedly different from the confident and self-assured Tiresias. In the dialogue between the two men, Oedipus rapidly progresses from praise of Tiresias as a champion and protector of Thebes in line 304, to blatantly accusing the blind prophet of betraying the city in line 331, to angrily insulting him in line 334. Rather than be intimidated by the protagonist's title and temperament, Tiresias draws strength from what he knows is true and is able to stand his ground. In this play, power and strength come from the knowledge of truth. Ironically, blind Tiresias, who has the ability to see the truth, becomes enslaved to his own knowledge. Knowing the truth about Oedipus enlists him in the designs of fate as the catalyst of Oedipus' destructive revelation. The prophet takes strength in knowing what he knows is true but, as he says in line 316, he is not able to profit from the knowledge. Forced into dispute with the king of Thebes, by playing off of the anxieties of the main character, the simple power of knowing what another does not know protects Tiresias. Gradually Tiresias' and Oedipus' relationships with the truth are revealed as that of knowledge and ignorance, respectively. The anxieties that plague Oedipus, making him weak and prone to paranoia, are rooted in the obscurity of his origins. In response to accusations made by Oedipus, Tiresias declares that he is neither a conspirator in a scheme concocted by Oedipus' paranoid mind, nor his supplicant. Rather, Tiresias states that he is a slave of Loxias: the ambiguous one. In whatever manner the mechanics of Tiresias' prophetic sight function, to understand the nature of truth, they must include deciphering the ambiguous. As a true slave of Loxias, he is incapable of directly telling Oedipus the truth but always speaks enigmatically. An extreme annoyance to Oedipus, such seemingly vague speech may be the only way that the truth may be expressed. Tiresias is thus fluent in the language of truth and is speaking to Oedipus, who claims to excel in deciphering riddles, in the clearest manner. Tiresias knows who Oedipus' parents are, and he knows that the revelation of Oedipus' genealogy will cause the foundations of Oedipus' identity to crumble, simultaneously destroying one man and causing another man to come into being.