Human resource planningorganisational culture Essay

Human resource planningorganisational culture - Essay Example In this paper, the researcher undertakes field work on the important elements and aspects of the human resource management unit of Hunts Transport. This research includes an exegesis on the human resource management elements of the company. In doing this, the following objectives are explored: In doing this research, the writer undertook a detailed fieldwork on the important elements and factors of the company. This was done through various methods of taking information on important components of the company through direct enquiry to attain primary data for the paper. The paper also involved a critical analysis of the findings in relation to important facts and figures that relate to human resource management. This is used to interpret the data and provide a detailed analysis of the way things are done in the company. From the analysis, conclusions and inferences are draw. Data is acquired through the collection of information and important elements and aspects that relate to the company. This is done in three parts. The first part involves a structured interview with the HR manager of Hunts Transport. The interview include an acquisition of information relating to important aspects of the company that define the human resource unit of Hunts Transport and its relation to other components of the business like the strategic plan of the company. These findings are subjected to further scrutiny in the second part which involves questionnaires that would be sent to a large percentage of the people in the company. This will be questions that would inquire about important elements and aspects of the application of the HR systems and how they relate to these individual members of the organisation. Finally, the research would involve a focus group interview that would take cross-sectional information about participants chosen from different units of

Jews and Chapter Essay Example for Free

Jews and Chapter Essay 1. Elie’s first impression of the camp at Buna was that it looked empty and dead as if an epidemic had hit. 2. Elie and his father have to work in a factory where they fix electrical circuits. 3. The Jewish dentist is caught stealing the prisoner’s gold teeth and was ordered to be hung. 4. The part of Elie’s body that is aware of the passage of time is his stomach because he goes a long time without getting anything to eat. 5. Idek accused Elie’s father of being lazy and not doing his job. Elie just sits there and watches silently. 6. The dentist from Warsaw uses a rusty old spoon to extract Elie’s gold crown. 7. Elie is whipped by Idek an amount of 25 times for leaving his area of work. 8. The ones who bombed Buna were the Americans. 9. The pipel is hanged because he was found under the possession of weapons. 10. The pipel’s hanging was different from any others because everybody loved the pipel. He also suffered and died slowly. Chapter 5: 1. During the prayer being said for Rosh Hashanah, Elie refuses to fast and thinks that God has forgotten about them and since then starts to lose his faith in him. 2. Elie feels abandoned by God and imagines a world without mankind. 3. According to the veterans of Buna, they say that it is like a little paradise because there were selections every week that were very brutal. They would also suffer a lot of cold because they didn’t get the warm clothes and blankets. 4. The thing the prisoners fear the most at the camp are the selections. 5. Dr. Mengele is t one who is in charge of the selections. 6. The inheritance Elie’s father gives him just in case he doesn’t make it through the second selection is a knife and an old spoon. 7. When Elie made the statement, he meant that Hitler had kept his promise of killing all of the Jewish people, and God had not kept his promise of helping them. 8. Elie and his father decided to evacuate with the others because they thought the sick ones were going to be sent to the crematorium. Elie later found out they were liberated by the Russians. If he and his father had stayed, they would have been liberated at that time as well. 9. The wooden floor of the barrack is cleaned before they leave because the SS want the Red Army to know that men had been living there, not pigs. 10. Whether or not Elie should fast. Chapter 6: 1. The prisoners have to run for hours, and if anybody fails to keep up, they are shot. It was also very cold and windy. 2. Zalman can’t continue to march because he felt like his stomach was going to explode. 3. The presence of his father gives Elie the strength to continue the march because he feels like his father is his â€Å"soul support. † 4. The violin is so important to Juliek because it is the only thing he loves to do the most. 5. Juliek playing Beethoven’s concerto was so important because he had not been able to play it before, and there, he played out his life and a tribute to everyone. 6. When he said that, he was referring to the broken violin. Chapter 7: 1. When he woke up, he thought his dad was dead because he was not moving. 2. Elie, years later, asks a woman not to throw out money to the poor because it reminded him of the pieces of bread being thrown into the cattle car by a man. It was so bad a son killed his own father for a tiny piece of bread. 3. It is horrific because everyone is so hungry they are fighting for a little piece of bread and the men have become like beasts. It is sad because a father was killed by his own son. 4. Elie and his father end up going to Buchenwald. Chapter 8: 1. Elie is angry because his father wanted to sleep, but if he went to sleep, he would die. 2. Elie started thinking like the rabbi’s son when he had promised himself he would never do that. He thought it would be easier if his father died, that way he would only need to take care of himself. 3. While Elie’s father is sick, he tries to help him by giving him his ration of soup and bread, while he also watched him instead of going to work and stuff. 4. When Elie’s father keeps asking for water, he is struck and beat by the SS. Chapter 9: 1. After the death of his father, Elie feels that there is no longer any valid reason to keep living. 2. The Germans are concerned with liquidating the cap and evacuating the prisoners because they do not want other countries to see what they are doing to the Jewish population. 3. The thing that stops the final evacuation of the camp is the resistance movement. 4. After they are liberated, all the Jews wanted to eat since they had gone six days without food. 5. At the end of the novel, Elie’s reflection stares back at him and he describes his image as a living corpse.

Discussing Valentine and I Wouldnt Thank You for a Valentine Essay

Discussing Valentine and I Wouldn't Thank You for a Valentine For this poetry assignment I will be discussing the poems â€Å"Valentine† by Carol Ann Duffy and â€Å" I Wouldn’t Thank You for a Valentine† by Liz Lochhead. The poets have similar views about relationships but express these views in contrasting ways. In order to analyse their contrasting styles it would be beneficial to look at their backgrounds. Carol Ann Duffy was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1955 but was brought up in Stafford, England. She worked as a free-lance writer in East London, and then she moved to Manchester where she currently teaches creative writing at the Metropolitan University. Collections include â€Å"Standing Female Nude† and â€Å"Selling Manhattan†. Liz Lochhead was also born in Scotland in 1947. She is a well-known Scottish poet, dramatist and performance artist. She began as a lecturer in fine art, but became a full time writer in the 70’s. Collections include â€Å"Memo for spring† and â€Å"The Grimm Sisters†. Both these poets’ backgrounds and upbringings are represented as Liz Lochhead uses Scottish dialectal words and phrases while Carol Duffy does not. Lochhead uses words such as â€Å"auld† and â€Å"canny†. This is not reflected in Carol Ann Duffy’s poem. This is possibly because she was brought up in England so had forgotten the Scottish dialect. The structure of â€Å"Valentine† by Carol Ann Duffy is not that of a regular poem. It is written in free verse and there is no obvious rhyme scheme or rhythm. The lines and stanzas are all completely different and there seems to be no pattern. This gives the poem a more personal touch and possibly shows that the poem was heartfelt and these thoughts were written down as the poet thought them. The lines... ...ould possibly offend a female reader is she is disapproving these ideas- when another lady may love it. For example if a man bought his girlfriend a diamond ring and proposed , Liz Lochhead is rejecting this idea â€Å"If you sent me a solitaire and promises solemn†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦you’d entirely fail to charm me , in fact I’d detest it†. This may put some people off this poem if they find these things sentimental. I find that I relate with Carol Ann Duffy’s â€Å"Valentine† better than â€Å" I wouldn’t thank you for a Valentine† because it has deeper meaning and seems to be more serious and has really came from the heart. Liz Lochhead’s poem still shows true feeling but she doesn’t present it as well as Carol Ann Duffy. Some people may look at â€Å"Valentine† and laugh because the poet is comparing love to an onion but when you read the comparisons they are very true and meaningful.

Development of the Cardiovascular System in Vertebrate Embryos

The cardiovascular system is the first organ system to become fully functional in the vertebrate embryo and its development occurs in a similar way in all vertebrates. It is derived from angioblastic tissue, which arises from mesenchyme, an aggregation of mesenchymal cells derived from the mesodermal tissue of embryos. The main processes involved in the development of the embryonic cardiovascular system are Vasculogenesis, Angiogenesis, Hematopoiesis, Erythropoiesis and Heart Formation. All processes occur under the influence of stimuli from genes and paracrine factors, oligosaccharides, multifunctional cytokines and enzymes.Vasculogenesis and AngiogenesisTwo distinctive mechanisms, vasculogenesis and angiogenesis implement the formation of the vascular network in the embryo. Embryonic vasculogenesis gives rise to the heart and the primordial vascular plexus within the embryo and its surrounding membranes as the yolk sac circulation. In mammals, it occurs in parallel to hematopoiesis , the formation of blood cells. Vasculogenesis refers to the in situ differentiation and growth of new blood vessels from mesenchymal cells known as angioblasts which aggregate to form isolated angiogenic cell clusters known as blood islands (angiocysts) within the extra-embryonic and intra-embryonic mesoderm. Small cavities appear within these blood islands by the confluence of intercellular clefts.The peripheral cells within these blood islands flatten to form endothelial cells, triggered by the binding of the Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) to the first of its two receptors, the VEGF-R2 (Flk1) protein, which is responsible for the differentiation of mesodermal cells into endothelial cells and the subsequent proliferation of the endothelial cells. The core cells give rise to blood cells (haematoblasts). The newly formed endothelial cells arrange themselves around the cavities in the blood islands, forming the primitive endothelium. Cellular vacuoles within the developing endothelial cells coalesce and fuse together without cytoplasmic mixing to forma the blood vessel lumen of the initial endothelial tube.Extracellular matrix deposition by fibroblasts promotes capillary-like tube formation under the influence of the binding of VEGF to its second receptor, VEGF-R1 (Flt1). This is followed by the interaction of the endothelial blood vessel with the supporting mesodermal cells. The Angiopoietin-1 growth factor binds to the Tie2 receptor tyrosine kinase on the cell membrane of the endothelial cells, allowing the blood vessel to recruit the peri-endothelial cells that will surround it as pericytes and the smooth muscle tissue of the blood vessel, thus maintaining the stability of the blood vessels.The growth and multiplication of this primordial vascular plexus occurs through the process of angiogenesis in which new blood vessels arise from pre-existing vascularity. This process requires the combination of two signals, Angiopoietin 2 and VEGF, in order t o promote the loosening of the support cells and the ability of newly exposed endothelial cells to multiply by budding and sprouting into new vessels. Replacement of Ang1 by Ang2 on the Tie2 receptor tyrosine kinase destabilizes the vessel integrity thus facilitating vessel sprouting in response to the VEGF signal. The new endothelial tubule then interacts with the surrounding mesenchymal cells in part as a response to Ang1 which acts on the endothelial cell Tie2 in order to trigger the association of the new tubule with the periendothelial cells.Hematopoiesis and ErythropoiesisBlood develops from endothelial cells (haematoblasts) by a process known as hematopoiesis initially in various parts of the embryonic primitive mesenchyme (yolk sac and allantois), and then in the liver and later on in the spleen, bone marrow and lymph nodes. In embryonic development it is known as primitive hematopoiesis. All blood cells develop from pluripotential stem cells committed to three, two or one h emopoietic differentiation pathways but morphologically undistinguishable. These pluripotent stem cells divide infrequently to generate either more pluripotent stem cells (self-renewal) or committed progenitor cells (colony-–forming cells, CFCs) which are irreversibly determined to produce only one or a few types of blood cells.These colony-forming cells are known as Lymphocyte Forming Colony (LCFC), Megakaryocyte Forming Colony (MCFC), Erythrocyte Forming Colony (ECFC) and Monocyte Granulocyte Forming Colony (MGFC). The progenitor cells are stimulated to proliferate by specific growth factors (colony-stimulating factors, CSFs) but progressively lose their capacity for division and develop into terminally differentiated blood cells which usually live for only a few days or weeks. Erythrocytes (red blood cells) develop by the process of erythropoiesis. In embryos, erythrocytes are nucleated and express embryonic globin chains.Heart FormationIn vertebrate embryos the heart tube , the earliest formed heart structure, arises in the heart field, an embryonic clustering of cells which arises soon after gastrulation. These early stages of development are almost identical among all vertebrates unlike the subsequent septation of the chambers and of the outflow tract which varies between species.The heart field is that region of the precardiac mesoderm that contains the cardiac progenitor cells (endocardial and myocardial precursor cells) and is competent in responding to inductive signals.Precardiac cells from the epiblast lateral to the primitive streak invaginate through the streak and migrate cranio-laterally to form part of the lateral plate. This pattern is maintained in the eventual anteroposterior placement of structures in the heart, with the most cranial cells contributing to the bulbus cordis at the extreme anterior end of the heart and the most caudal cells contributing to the sinoatrial region and the extreme posterior end.As mentioned above, the cell progeny of this region contributes to all layers of the heart tube (myocardium, endocardium and parietal pericardium), as well as to the endothelial cells in the vicinity of the heart. In the lateral plate the cells maintain their anteroposterior position.The lateral plate splits to form two epithelial layers, the somatic mesoderm (which also includes migratory precursors for limb musculature) and the splachnic mesoderm which remains an epithelial sheet and includes the cardiac precursors.The embryo then folds ventrally carrying the splachnic mesoderm with it and bringing it ventral to the foregut which is generated as the lateral folds meet in the ventral midline. The precursors of the endocardium are included in the splachnic mesoderm and begin to form clusters on the foregut side of the epithelial sheet.The heart fields fuse at the midline to form a primary heart tube, the process beginning cranially and proceeding caudally. This tubular heart consists of an outer myocardial man tle and an endocardial inner lining. Between these two concentric epithelial layers an acellular matrix, the cardiac jelly, is found. As the ventricular region of the heart begins to bend to the right (â€Å"cardiac looping†), the cardiac jelly disappears from the future major chambers of the heart (atria and ventricles) and begins to accumulate in the junction between the atria and ventricles (atrioventricular junction, AVJ) and in the developing outflow tract (OFT).This results in the formation of the endocardial cushion tissues in the AVJ which later contribute to the formation of AV (atrioventricular) septal structures and valves, septation of the OFT and formation of the semilunar valves of the aorta and pulmonary artery.The vertebrate heart tube is aligned along the antero-posterior axis. Arterial flow is directed from the ventricle at the anterior end of the heart, through the ventral aortic vessel and branchial arches and subsequently travels posteriorly to the dorsal vessel. Blood flow returns to the heart through the venous system to the atrium lying at the posterior end of the heart chamber.Formation of the Mammalian Embryonic Cardiovascular System1)   Formation of the primitive cardiovascular systema)   Extra-embryonic blood vesselsThe wall of the yolk sac mesenchyme proliferates and forms isolated cell clusters known as blood islands. Peripheral cells within these islands flatten and differentiate into endothelial cells in order to form endothelial tubes. Centrally- located cells develop into primitive blood cells (hematoblasts). Endothelial tubes approach and fuse with each other forming a primitive vascular network. This primitive endothelial network appears in the chorionic membrane and body stalk and connects to the vitelline circulation.b)   Intra-embryonic blood vesselsThe endothelial tube network appears in the intraembryonic mesenchyme to  form an intraembryonic endothelial   tube network. The intraembryonic and extra  e mbryonic tube networks connect to each other forming a diffuse endothelial   tube network which either fuses or disappears to form a primitive cardiovascular  system.2) Development of the HeartThe primitive cardiovascular system consists of the primary heart tube, formed from the fusion of the two bilateral heart fields of the precardiac mesoderm. The primary heart tube gives rise to the endocardium. Blood flows through this primitive heart tube in a cranial position. The mesenchyme surrounding the tube condenses to form the myoepicardial mantle (the future myocardium). Gelatinous connective tissue, the cardiac jelly, separates the myoepicardial mantle from the endothelial heart tube (the future endocardium).A series of constrictions (sulci) divides the heart into sections: the sinus venosus, in which the common cardinal veins, the umbilical veins and the vitelline veins drain; the primitive common atrium; the primitive common ventricle; and the bulbus cordis through which blood flows to the paired dorsal aortae. The paired dorsal aortae arise when the branchial or pharyngeal arches are penetrated by six pairs of arteries called aortic arches. These arteries arise from the aortic sac and terminate in a dorsal aorta. Initially, the paired dorsal aortae run along the whole length of the embryo but soon fuse to form a single dorsal aorta just caudal to the branchial or pharyngeal arches.The arterial and venous ends of the heart tube are fixed by the branchial or pharyngeal arches and the septum transversum, respectively. At this stage the heart is beating and the contractions are of myocardial origin and likened to peristalsis.The primitive atrium loops up behind and above the primitive ventricle and behind and to the left of the bulbus cordis forming the bulboventricular loop.. This looping process brings the primitive areas of the heart into the proper spatial relationship for the further development of the heart.Embryonic venous circulation consists of thr ee pairs of veins: the vitelline veins which drain blood from the yolk sac, the umbilical veins which bring oxygenated blood from the chorion (early placenta), and the common cardinal veins which return blood to the heart from the body of the embryo. Arterial circulation consists of three paired arteries: the intersegmental arteries, which form 30-35 branches of the dorsal aortae and carry blood to the embryo, the vitelline arteries which pass to the yolk sac and later to the primitive gut, and the umbilical arteries which carry oxygen-depleted blood to the placenta.3)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Formation of the Heart ChambersAs mentioned above, during cardiac looping the cardiac jelly disappears fromthe future major chambers of the heart and begins to accumulate in the  Ã‚  Ã‚   atrioventricular junction (AVJ) and developing outflow tract (OFT). This results in the formation of the endocardial cushion tissues in the dorsal and ventral walls of the AVJ. These cushions are invaded by mese nchymal cells, approach each other and fuse, dividing the atrioventricular canal into the right and left atrioventricular canals.The primitive atrium is divided into right and left atria by the formation, modification and fusion of the septum primum and the septum secundum. The septum primum grows towards the fusing endocardial cushions from the roof of the primitive atrium creating a curtainlike septum, the foramen primum between the free edge of the septum and the endocardial cushions.This foramen becomes progressively smaller and eventually disappears when the septum primum fuses with the fused endocardial cushions (atrioventricular septum). The septum secundum grows from the ventrocranial wall of the atrium to gradually overlap the foramen secundum in the septum primum, forming an incomplete separation between the atria in the form of an oval opening, the foramen ovale.The sinus venosus initially opens into the center of the dorsal wall of the primitive atrium and its left and r ight horns are of about the same size. The right horn progressively begins to enlarge in respect to the left horn until it receives all the blood from the head and neck via the superior vena cava and the placenta and caudal regions of the body via the inferior vena cava. The left horn forms the coronary sinus.The wall of the left atrium is formed by the incorporation of the primitive pulmonary vein which develops as an outgrowth of the dorsal atrial wall. As the atrium expands, the primitive pulmonary vein and its branches are gradually incorporated into the wall of the left atrium forming four pulmonary veins with separate openings.The division of the primitive ventricle into the right and left ventricles is initially indicated by a muscular ridge with a concave free edge in the middle of the ventricular floor near its apex. Initially, most of its increase in height results from the dilation of the ventricles on its each side. Later, however there is active proliferation of myoblas ts, forming the thick muscular part of the interventricular septum.At the beginning a crescentic interventricular foramen exists between the free edge of the interventricular septum and the fused endocardial cushions allowing communication between the right and left ventricles. This foramen closes as the result of the fusion of tissue from three sources: 1) the right bulbar ridge, 2) the left bulbar ridge and 3) the endocardial ridges. The membranous part of the interventricular spetum is derived from tissue extension from the right side of the endocardial cushions. It merges with the aorticopulmonary septum and the thick muscular part of the interventricular septum. When the interventricular foramen closes, the pulmonary trunk is in communication with the right ventricle and the aorta communicates with the left ventricle.Active proliferation of mesenchymal cells in the walls of the bulbus cordis gives rise to the formation of the bulbar ridges. Similar ridges form in the truncus ar teriosus and are continuous with the bulbar ridges. Both the bulbar and the truncal ridges have a spiral orientation and result in the formation of a spiral aorticopulmonary septum when the bulbar and truncal ridges fuse. This septum divides the bulbus cordis and the truncus arteriosus into the aorta and pulmonary trunk.Due to the spiral orientation of the aorticopulmonary septum, the pulmonary trunk twists around the aorta. The bulbus cordis is incorporated into the walls of the ventricles. In the left ventricle it forms the walls of the aortic vestibule just inferior to the aortic valve. In the right ventricle it forms the infundibulum or conus arteriosus.Ventricular trabeculation begins in the apical region of the ventricles soon after  cardiac looping. The trabeculation serves primarily as a way of increasing the  oxygenation of the myocardium in the absence of   a coronary circulation. The  compactation of the trabeculae adds to the proportion and thickness of the  co mpact myocardium.

Ambitions Conflicting with Society

A characters goals and ambitions often come into conflict with those around him/her. In the story Fahrenheit 451, Montags goals definitely come into conflict with those around him. Montag is a fireman (which in the future means a book-burner), who burns books because the government tells the citizens they are not allowed to read books. In the story, many events happen that changed Montags opinion on the book-banning and he had a change of heart. The government did not approve of his views, which caused many terrible problems for Montag. The government wants the firemen to burn all books, and Montag thinks nothing of this until he meets a girl names Clarisse. This girls free-thinking ideas and liberating spirit force Montag to ask himself questions about his own life and ideas, and his own happiness. Montags ideas come into conflict with Clarisse’s ideas, because Montag went by the government’s rules until he heard about Clarisse’s ideas. Montag was so moved by how she would not ask how things were done, but why these things were done. This shows also, that Montags ideas come into conflict with Clarisse’s because Montag had always just believed in doing everything the same every day, and not asking questions, just doing what he was supposed to do like the rest of the society. Montag, while at work with the other firemen proceed to ransack a book-filled home of a woman, who refused to let her books be burned and procceded to light a match when the firemen weren’t looking and light the flammable kerosene the firemen had sprayed in the house, and burns herself alive. Montag does not understand why a woman would die for her books. This is an example of how Montags beliefs come into conflict with someone elses belifs because he does not agree with the decision that the woman has made for herself. Beatty, Montags boss, knows all about Montag and his book obsession. Beatty leads Montag and the crew on an emergency dispatch, and to Montags surprise, they lead him to his own home, ordering Montag to burn the house immediately. This shows that Montags beliefs come into conflict with beattys belifs, and Montag gets in trouble because of this. After the house is burned, Beatty proceeds to smack Montag in the head. This causes Montags earpiece to fall out. Beatty threatens to track down Faber. Montag then turns the flamethrower to Beatty, killing him. Again, Montags belifs get him in trouble with his boss, and this time, with the law. Montag never gets a break in this novel. His beliefs get come into conflict with society, no matter what they are. The government says that books are banned, but Montag finds books very educational, so he chooses to read them anyways. Clarisse, Beatty, and Faber are the main characters who influence Montags choices in this book. If it were not for them, Montag would have just continued on with his life and none of the choices he made would have come into conflict with society in any way.

autobiograpy of Black boy essays

autobiograpy of Black boy essays The novel Black Boy, written by Richard Wright takes you back in the deep south of Jackson, Mississippi where whites attempted to tame into submission blacks by hard discipline. It seemed that the more Richard had gained in life, the more he was hurt. Richard was alienated from his environment, even though he tried to distance himself from the prejudice all around him, the white people still tried to turn him into the stereotypical southern black person. Richard was always a rebel, from his boyhood to his older teenage years. From the beginning he would not subdue below the white man himself like the other black people around him did. The white people around him knew that he was different from other black men. The people were scared because he challenged the system that they had created for themselves as the super power. They feared Richard, and some of the white people felt it necessary to act out their racist feelings to order to cover up their fear. Their were many events in Richard Wrights life which may have shaped his philosophy of his life. In the novel, the principal at Richards school had asked Richard to give a speech to a large audience of white and black students, Richard refused to read the principals prepared speech. By reading the principals speech, Richard was saying what the white power wanted him to say and to Richard this would be giving in to the thing he hated so much. Richard was willing to leave school without a diploma instead of this. White people alienated Richard from his environment because he did not accept the way of life that other black people did. This even that occurred in his life, shaped his philosophy on life, extremely, this told people that he would have his mind set on one thing and concentrate on that, to achieve his goal, in other words he had a hard head and no one could persuade or change his mind o...

China India Theories of International Trade

China India Theories of International Trade Abstract This paper dwells upon a trade theory that best explains the economic growth of China and India. It is stated that the Heckscher-Ohlin theory is the most applicable in this case. Thus, China and India have entered the global arena due to their competitive advantage, comparatively cheap labor force.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on China India: Theories of International Trade specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Introduction China and India are seen as the most promising emerging markets. These countries managed to enter the global scene within decades. At present, these two states are leading exporters of apparel and textile (Kennedy, 2014). Notably, China is also becoming a serious competitor to the USA and Japan in such area as electronic products industry. Notably, the development of the countries cannot be explained by such theories as wealth accumulation or specialization as they are too broad. They do not explain the factors that contributed to the empowerment of China and India. This rapid rise can be explained with the help of the theory developed by Heckscher and Ohlin. Heckscher-Ohlin Theory The two Swedish economists developed the approach in the 1930s (Gaspar, Arreola-Risa, Bierman, Hise Kolari, 2013). The researchers stressed that the paradigms that existed were not accurate enough to explain the processes in the international trade. According to this theory, the differences â€Å"in factor endowments† cause the international specialization as well as trade (Gandolfo, 2013, p. 63). In other words, countries are characterized by different amounts of certain factors. Thus, the country exports goods that are produced with the use of the most abundant factor. China When it comes to China, this abundant element is comparatively cheap labor force. The overpopulation in the country and the lack of development in the rural area contributed to the increase in migration to cities (Gaspar et al., 2013). People had to take up low-paid jobs in the line production. Companies were able to produce goods that remain competitive in the global market due to their low prices. More so, it was cost-effective to start production facilities in China, and various multinationals used this opportunity. The country became many organizations’ platform for production. Eventually, this led to the unprecedented growth of the country’s GDP.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More India As far as India is concerned, its competitive advantage is also cheap labor force. However, unlike China, India offers numerous well-educated English-speaking workers who are able to provide services (Gaspar et al., 2013). Clearly, the wages in India are considerably lower than the ones in developed countries. For instance, Indian IT professionals tend to work for US companies. Importantly, according to the factor price equilibrium theory, which is closely linked to the Heckscher-Ohlin paradigm, the efficiency of the industry increases. Thus, salaries decreased in the US and grew in India, which contributes to the development of the sphere. At the same time, the country also produces goods (for instance, textile) that are much cheaper due to the cheap labor force available in the country. Conclusion In conclusion, it is possible to note that Heckscher-Ohlin theory explains the rapid economic growth when it comes to such countries as India and China. The globalization, as well as the demographic situation in the two states, enabled the countries to make use of their competitive advantage. Thus, cheap labor force and comparative immobility of people (as the vast majority of the population cannot leave the country) ensures production of comparatively cheap goods and services that can be exported to other nations. Reference List Gaspar, J., Arre ola-Risa, A., Bierman, L., Hise, R., Kolari, J. (2013). Introduction to global business: Understanding the international environment global business functions. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning. Gandolfo, G. (2013). International trade theory and practice. New York, NY: Springer Science Business Media. Kennedy, M.M.J. (2014). International economics. New Delhi, India: PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd.

Free sample - Economics Principles and Their Apllications. translation missing

Economics Principles and Their Apllications. Economics Principles and Their ApllicationsEconomics is defined as a study of how socities produce useful commodities fromscarce resources and share them among themselves. Economics is very broad and has many principles and their applications.scarcity is where economists study situations where the needs of people exceed rthe means of acquiring the resources and therefore have to make choices. Rationality is aconcept assumed to guide trhe decisions or choices of people. When they are deciding they are given an opportunity to gauge the benefits and cost of all alternativers that they have.preferences allows people to assign utilities to all alternatives and choose the one that maximises on utility. Restrictions puts constraints to people that they cannot change themselves and must therefore take them the way they are such as budgets. Opportunity cost which is induced by scarcity and the need to make choices, helps people in deciding against some other options. Two aspects of opportunit y cost are used, that is, static aspect and dynamic aspect. Static aspect is when utility maximization choices makes opportunity cost to be minimal. Dynamic aspect is where choices are revised if opportunity cost rises. The economic principle is where rationality to situations of scarcity   is applied. In this principle, one minimizes cost with reference to a certain goal or maximises utility for a given level of cost or input.it therefore allows efficiency   and avoids wasting valuable resources. In economic analysis, efficiency of activities, transactions and rules is a major theme. It is either assessd in terms of pareto criterion or economic principle.another principal is marginal analysis where economists look at problems however it is uncommon among non-economists. In economic analysis equilibrium is a fundamental notion. It is where economist think in terms of equilibrtia, situations where one is not capable of changing his or her behaviour. Game theory is another approach where situations of interdependence are studied and people have incentives to behave strategically.

Growth Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Growth Strategy - Essay Example Such activities include plantation drive, cleanliness drives and others. It has been observed that many students rarely realise the importance of joining student federation and avoid these societies or federations due to politics. Student organisations exist in almost all developing and developed countries (Thomas, 2002). Student societies play a significant role in shaping an individual’s career as well as overall personality. These societies are seen to support learning activities among the members through different practical approaches as students get to meet different people, develop mentors as well as often get opportunity to earn scholarship. However, every student society or federation is not meant for every student. In any renowned university, it is possible to find at least 50 different societies. One should join societies that suitably nurture their skills and interest. It is important to be part of these organisations, but over-indulgence often results in poor grades and missed semester (Hui-ling, 2003). Student federations and similar organisations are currently active in different parts of the world. These societies have various goals and are always working towards welfare of students and the society as a whole. These organisations follow outline of real organisations as they are guided by aims and objectives, have specific structure and membership programs. The members have well-defined rights and responsibilities (Thomas, 2002). In Harvard university, the club category ranges from academic to non-academic activities such as, arts, public affairs, women’s initiatives, media, religious groups, health and wellness, culture and recreation and so on and so forth, where the group size varies from five to hundred and above (Harvard College, 2014) (Harvard University, 2014). In King’s College of Cambridge

Bachalor of Commerce, Knowledge and Organisational Learning Essay

Bachalor of Commerce, Knowledge and Organisational Learning - Essay Example Knowledge management has recently emerged to be a successful management strategy that can help organizations manage the available human capital in the business (Noe and Hollenbeck, 2004, p. 1-3). People in the organization are most valuable assets and therefore recruiting and retaining knowledgeable, skilled, experienced and productive people have become highest priority of modern human resources management. This piece of research paper described knowledge management, as an HRM interdisciplinary and examines how it becomes relevant in today’s business landscape. This paper presents various elements that are relevant in the knowledge management process and examines various strategic perspectives as well as suitable technologies for fostering knowledge management in the business. Knowledge Management As Noe (2002, p. 168) noted, knowledge management is a management process that the performance of a business can be enhanced by designing, implementing and strategically aligning va rious tools, processes, systems, structure and cultures with a view to create and share knowledge among its people and to use for overall business purpose. The very basic three elements included in Knowledge management are 1) creation of the knowledge through some effective strategies, 2) sharing of the created knowledge among people and 3) making it available and useful for any business purpose. Knowledge Management has been found to be useful for the organization as it helps it get the products to the target market quicker, develop innovative ideas, serve the customer well in order to maintain customer loyalty and retention and achieve sustainable competitive advantages. As Boxall and Macky (2009, p. 10) emphasized, knowledge management helps a business achieve high performance working through various strategic processes and organizational development programs. Knowledge Management has emerged to be a management tool that focuses on data, information and knowledge among the employ ees in an organization (Awad and Ghaziri, 2007, p. 26) and encompasses the processes by which experience, skills, expertise, knowledge and abilities are gathered, then shared among the people and utilized so that these can be converted to collective organizational learning process (Foster, 2005, p. 397). Knowledge Management Models Explicit and Tacit Knowledge Knowledge management talks about creating, storing, sharing and utilizing data, information and knowledge either throughout papers, documents and database, or throughout the minds of people. This is a classification of knowledge based on where data and information are stored. When it comes to the management aspects, pure data and pure information have relatively less impact for a manager whereas structured data and information are relatively highly useful and effective measures that can be used to analyze and find solutions to issues (Noe, , 2002, p. 170). Based in the above classification, knowledge management is systematic p rocess and strategic approach for obtaining and making use of knowledge in the business throughout papers or documents or computers as commonly referred as explicit knowledge or sharing and making use of the knowledge throughout the people’s minds as commonly termed as tacit knowledge. To be more specific, KM is managing either explicit knowledge, or tacit knowledge or both together effectively. In managing

Satisfaction Nurse Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Satisfaction Nurse - Research Paper Example In such circumstances, late arrival of nurses disturbs the schedule which causes the issues of time management to surface. At the end of the day, this behavior of nurses incurs the hospital many indirect costs, which reduce the profitability of business. On the other hand, shortage of nurses when they are needed on urgent basis is very depressing for the managers and administrators and it also brings a bad name to the organization. Rewarding the employees is fundamental to help them maintain a high self-esteem at the work place and keep their motivation for work high, and the same rule applies on the nurses. Nurses need to be rewarded in order to be satisfied enough to deliver their best at the work place and improve their behaviors in terms of getting punctual and showing readiness to serve when required on urgent basis. In this context, it is obligatory upon every hospital manager to establish an efficient system of rewards for the nurses. The reward can be of any kind ranging from tangible to intangible, and monetary to non-monetary. However, â€Å"Allocating this budget successfully by establishing an acceptable, cost-effective reward system is a true challenge for every hospital manager† (Gieter et al., 2006). ... Answers of these two questions were retrieved from 10 nurses in total. The nurses were required to select one of the two options given against both the questions. In addition, the research participants were handed over a list of 5 rewards that were identified during the literature review and they were asked to rate the extent to which they found them appropriate as reward on a scale of 1 to 5 where 1 indicated least appropriate, 2 indicated, not appropriate, 3 indicated appropriate, 4 indicated very appropriate, and 5 meant most appropriate. Data 8 of the 10 research participants referred to punctuality as a more suitable criterion of rewarding the nurses, whereas 6 of the 10 research participants identified non-monetary rewards as more satisfying while the rest thought of the monetary rewards as more satisfying. The data collected for nurses’ perception regarding the relative appropriateness of the 5 types of rewards is displayed in Table 1.1 Rewards N1 N2 N3 N4 N5 N6 N7 N8 N 9 N10 Pay increment 5 5 4 5 5 5 5 3 4 3 A day off 2 2 1 1 2 2 2 3 1 1 Praise 3 3 4 4 4 2 3 3 2 3 Rise of grade 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 2 3 4 Flexibility of office timings 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 The average score of the responses received from the 10 nurses was calculated, as shown in the Table 1.2 Rewards Average Score Pay increment 4.4 A day off 1.7 Praise 3.1 Rise of grade 3.7 Flexibility of office timings 1.1 Analysis From Table 1.2, it can be assessed that rewards meant to increase the nurses’ satisfaction in the work place range from most important to least important in this order; pay increment, rise of grade, praise, a day off, and flexibility of office timings. Discussion I think that both punctuality and overstaying when required are equally important in the profession of nursing since the

Roles of Mycorrhizae Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Roles of Mycorrhizae - Research Paper Example The roots provide the microorganisms a stable access to nutrition. In return, the roots benefit from the high water and mineral absorptive capacity of mycelia resulting from its relatively small size and subsequent better ability to penetrate soil. As a result, mycorrhizal plants are more resistant to lack of water. They are more capable of colonizing barren land or unfamiliar territory than plants without mycorrhizae do. In addition, mycorrhizal fungi process demineralized phosphates such that the minerals will be available for plant use. However, as is the case in all biological interactions, not all mycorrhizae are mutualistic. In cases in which nutrients are abundant in the plant’s environment, association with microorganisms, as is what happens during mycorrhizal formation, may be more parasitic than beneficial (Bucher, 2007). However, current agricultural practices prevent the formation of these mycorrhizae. The pesticides being used have a non-discriminating adverse eff ect on the microorganisms living in the plants’ ecosystem. ... Its functions, particularly in providing nutrients and protecting the plants against salt stress and drought, are then enumerated. Its relationships with various members of its ecosystem are then discussed. Finally, the importance of these knowledge in terms of what aspects should be focused on will be suggested. DEVELOPMENT Endomycorrhizae development Figure 1 illustrates the development of endomycorrhizae. The fungal species associated with endomycorrhizae reproduce asexually. They undergo an asymbiotic phase in which spores germinate and hyphal growth are limited without the nutrients supplied by the host plant. Soon after, hyphal growth begins. This presymbiotic phase is induced by the presence of plant root exudates, which fungal hyphae penetrate to (Bucher, 2007). At the root surface, the fungal hypha develops a set of penetrating cells and is now called a hyphopodium. This now enters the root epidermis, continuing to grow into the outer, and then the inner root cortex. It then spreads intercellular along the longitudinal axis of the root. This structure of the fungus is the one called an arbuscule (Gutjahr et al., 2008). The peak of fungal development is characterized by the development of an extraradical mycelium that is able to produce and exude spores for colonization of other plants (Bucher, 2007; Frey-Klett et al., 2007). However, the development of arbuscular mycorrhizae is not synchronous, in that various colonization stages are present in one plant (Gutjahr et al., 2008). Figure 1, previous page. Development of Endomycorrhizal Development. From Bucher, Marcel, 2007. Tansley review: Functional biology of plant phosphate uptake at root and mycorrhiza

The Nature of a Worldview vs My Version of a Worldview Essay

The Nature of a Worldview vs My Version of a Worldview - Essay Example (Barna, 2001) All this has made my individual worldview pretty different to what the exact worldview of nature in essence is. God asked man to be patient for all his deeds and actions since He alone would provide him the comfort and luxury that a man deserves in this life. Yet what I see from these times is a world full of nepotism, impoliteness, hatred and hunger. Today’s society has become ill-tempered and does not give each other a second chance. Nature wanted man to succeed morally more than in the real sense of the word. (Adams, 1960) But what I gather from the present world is each one of us having a battle within our own selves – a battle to succeed and make it big in the shortest time possible. In essence, the worldview presented by nature is pretty different to what my worldview is and I believe the reason for the same is that we have distanced ourselves from God and His

Roles of Mycorrhizae Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Roles of Mycorrhizae - Research Paper Example The roots provide the microorganisms a stable access to nutrition. In return, the roots benefit from the high water and mineral absorptive capacity of mycelia resulting from its relatively small size and subsequent better ability to penetrate soil. As a result, mycorrhizal plants are more resistant to lack of water. They are more capable of colonizing barren land or unfamiliar territory than plants without mycorrhizae do. In addition, mycorrhizal fungi process demineralized phosphates such that the minerals will be available for plant use. However, as is the case in all biological interactions, not all mycorrhizae are mutualistic. In cases in which nutrients are abundant in the plant’s environment, association with microorganisms, as is what happens during mycorrhizal formation, may be more parasitic than beneficial (Bucher, 2007). However, current agricultural practices prevent the formation of these mycorrhizae. The pesticides being used have a non-discriminating adverse eff ect on the microorganisms living in the plants’ ecosystem. ... Its functions, particularly in providing nutrients and protecting the plants against salt stress and drought, are then enumerated. Its relationships with various members of its ecosystem are then discussed. Finally, the importance of these knowledge in terms of what aspects should be focused on will be suggested. DEVELOPMENT Endomycorrhizae development Figure 1 illustrates the development of endomycorrhizae. The fungal species associated with endomycorrhizae reproduce asexually. They undergo an asymbiotic phase in which spores germinate and hyphal growth are limited without the nutrients supplied by the host plant. Soon after, hyphal growth begins. This presymbiotic phase is induced by the presence of plant root exudates, which fungal hyphae penetrate to (Bucher, 2007). At the root surface, the fungal hypha develops a set of penetrating cells and is now called a hyphopodium. This now enters the root epidermis, continuing to grow into the outer, and then the inner root cortex. It then spreads intercellular along the longitudinal axis of the root. This structure of the fungus is the one called an arbuscule (Gutjahr et al., 2008). The peak of fungal development is characterized by the development of an extraradical mycelium that is able to produce and exude spores for colonization of other plants (Bucher, 2007; Frey-Klett et al., 2007). However, the development of arbuscular mycorrhizae is not synchronous, in that various colonization stages are present in one plant (Gutjahr et al., 2008). Figure 1, previous page. Development of Endomycorrhizal Development. From Bucher, Marcel, 2007. Tansley review: Functional biology of plant phosphate uptake at root and mycorrhiza

The Rape of Lucrece Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Rape of Lucrece - Essay Example The first stanzas of the poem acknowledge how poetic rhetoric is used in the work to repress praise and violence. Generally the poem highlights the rhetoric behind sexual violence especially in the American culture today which sometimes tends to be hipped with ironical praises. In the rape of Lucrece by Joel Fineman, Lucrece has the confidence to speak after the rape incidence. This incidence limits her ability to celebrate her life sacrifice by acting precisely (Fineman 170). At this juncture, we do not believe the performers. Someone who has been robbed off her innocence will be understood better if she is presented quite, worried and in a state of shock which is contrary to the rape of Lucrece by Joel Fineman. In addition, Lucrece’s suicide is cast as the only way women can intervene politically (Fineman 171). Once someone has committed suicide, she will be gone forever, how can this same person come back to enjoy the political favors sought after. The rape of Lucrece by Joel Fineman’s performance is

School Organization Essay Example for Free

School Organization Essay The school organization is the arrangement of the school in a group of people that work together to accomplish group goals. The organization refers to the form of the enterprise or institution and the arrangement of the human and material resources functioning in a manner to achieve the objectives of the enterprise. It represents two or more than two people respectively specializing in functions of each perform, working together towards a common goal as governed by formal rules of behaviour. The administration is concerned with the determination of corporate policy and the overall coordination of production, distribution and finance. The management is referring to the execution of policy within the limits which are established by administration and the employment of the organization. According to Sheldon, â€Å"Organization is the formation of an effective machine; management, of an effective executive; administration of an effective direction. Administration defines the goal; management strives towards it. Organization is the machine of management in its achievement of the ends determined by administration. † The school organization is very important to present the issue that affect the school as a whole such as the drawing up syllabus for the teachers, the locations of the rooms and the organized schedule. How a school is organized is a matter for the staff to specify, and a school’s organization should reflect the teacher’s commitment to the success of all students. Every aspect of the instructional program will convey the goals and values of the teachers towards students and their learning. A school aiming to improve the student performance must develop a reasoned approach. The high learning level of students is determined by the way of study of the students. They can choose which styles they want weather by teams or houses. If they comfortable by teams, the teacher will divide them into several groups and they will have their own peer. For those who prefer the house’s style, the teacher will cooperate with the parents to make sure that the student’s achievement increase, but the house’s style is more challenging due to the parents need to spend more time with their children. The wise deployment of the space for the students is very crucial that lead to a safe and positive environment. For example, an art class should be wider as the students need their own space to create a creative project. Furthermore, it is easy for the students to walk and if it is safe, the students will feel secure to walk alone. Based on the research done, small schools yield better result than the big one. This suggests that, the teachers at the large school can improved their teaching style by dividing their students in subunit. The numbers of the class should be increase as it helps student to understand more about the topics and the teachers can concentrate on their students within the group. The schedule should be more organized as it is the main factors that lead to the student’s achievement. As for me, the long hour learning is not very good as the students and the teachers need to have rest. The long hour learning session will lead to less focusing of the students. Then, as a result, they cannot answer the question test. The main characteristic of these approaches is that they organize instructional time into longer blocks than the traditional pattern, thus allowing teachers and students greater flexibility in how they use their time. With longer blocks of time, students can embark on projects that would be difficult to complete in only several hours. Teachers accustomed to relying on lecturing find that they need to vary their approach under block scheduling, enabling students to engage in deeper and more sustained exploration of content. There are several implications of different levels of school. The levels of school can be classified into three which are the elementary school, middle school and high school. The elementary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of academic learning known as elementary or primary education. At this point, the students are very innocent and just accept all the knowledge that has been given by the teachers. They did not think critically and just on the surface of the chapter. This organization is very crucial so that the students will not be shocked to learn and they can understand easily. Elementary school-age kids benefit from regularly hearing about persistence. So, teach them different ways to talk about problem solving such as, â€Å"I won’t quit,† and â€Å"I can do it,† and â€Å"It is always the hardest at the first, but it will get easier. † Borba also suggest that we need to maintain the families overall attitude by always support each other. That will not just build a positive thinking in the student’s mind but also tighten the bond of family relationship. Finally, we can tell the stories either from our own life or we can ask the school librarian to recommend books about the characters who manage to succeed despite the obstacles. The second level is middle school. The middle school is defines as the period in student’s life that take place after elementary school and before high school. The school organization takes places in order to shape the students attitude so that they are not easily influenced by any bad things. Students at this period in their lives experience rapid physical, emotion and intellectual growth, matched in scope only by the first three years of life; they are experiencing fast and sometimes confusing changes. Middle schools therefore, must provide both stability and stimulation, respecting the student age-related concerns. The students tend to try new things in their life. So, maybe with the additional class for the some problematic students would be better so that they will use their time wisely. Furthermore, the school also can organise a sport day once a month, so that the students will have a healthy life style. Their brain can have a good process thinking and the heart beat fast to pump the blood. The third level is high school is an institution that provides a secondary education. Scheduling is the main aspect of school organization at the high school level. The students need to manage their time wisely so that they can have a successful result as the high school is more challenging. Many high schools have by now use the form of block scheduling, in which students need to attend three to four classes rather than seven to nine. Block scheduling is advantageous because it provides longer instructional time and more opportunities for engaged learning. Block scheduling tends to improve the school climate with fewer discipline problems and greater students commitment to the work. In a nutshell, a school organization is very crucial as it enhances the students learning. The school organizational pattern improves the efficiency and qualification of work of the students and teachers. http://tweenparenting. about. com/od/educationissues/f/DefofMiddleSchool. htm (jennifer o’donnel http://www. greatschools. org/improvement/volunteering/19-easy-ways-to-help. gs http://www. greatschools. org/students/academic-skills/2430-teaching-persistence-3rd-through-5th-grade. gs http://www. ascd. org/publications/books/102109/chapters/School-Organization. aspx http://edchat. blogspot. com/2011/01/scope-and-importance-of-school. html http://www. scribd. com/doc/30705481/School-Organization-and-Classroom-Mamagement.

Virgin Atlantic SWOT, PESTLE and BCG Analysis

Virgin Atlantic SWOT, PESTLE and BCG Analysis Jump to: BCG Matrix | PESTLE Analysis of Virgin Atlantic | Porters 5 Forces Analysis | Ansoff Matrix | SWOT Analysis of Virgin Atlantic The Virgin Atlantic Airways is a UK-based private international airline that started operation in 1984.   Flying up to 35 destinations in North America, Asia and Africa, it is 51% owned by Virgin Group and 49% owned by Singapore Airlines (Wikipedia). Its fleet size is 37 (31 in order)   It competes with other local and international airlines including British Airways, the biggest and leading in UK.   In the year to February 2009, Virgin Atlantic carried 5.77 million passengers and made an annual profit of  Ã‚ £68.4 million on turnover of  £2,580 million.[2]).   With this information, it suggests firms bright future and industry fair share of the market.   However, external and industry environment analysis is a continuous process (Hitt, Hoskisson Ireland 2003) that every now and then makes prediction and preparedness an integral part of strategic actions of firms to efficiently manage opportunities and threats outside its organization.ƚ   Today, the Virgin Atlantic is one of the worlds most recognized brands and being recognized and trusted through their winning awards for their products and innovative marketing ( 2008). Internal Environment Resource Audit/Value Chain Portfolio Analysis Core competencies bCG matrix Stakeholder Analysis Organisational Culture/Structure Financial Analysis Resource Audit/Value Chain(8500 staff worldwid) The resource audit identifies the resources available to a business. Some of these can be owned (e.g. plant and machinery, trademarks, retail outlets) whereas other resources can be obtained through partnerships, joint ventures or simply supplier arrangements with other businesses whille Value Chain Analysis describes the activities that take place in a business and relates them to an analysis of the competitive strength of the business. Influential work by Michael Porter suggested that the activities of a business could be grouped under two headings: (1) Primary Activities those that are directly concerned with creating and delivering a product (e.g. component assembly); and (2) Support Activities, which whilst they are not directly involved in production, may increase effectiveness or efficiency (e.g. human resource management). It is rare for a business to undertake all primary and support activities. Value Chain Analysis is one way of identifying which activities are best undertaken by a business and which are best provided by others (outsourced) Core Competence Analysis: Core competencies are those capabilities that are critical to a business achieving competitive advantage. The starting point for analysing core competencies is recognising that competition between businesses is as much a race for competence mastery as it is for market position and market power. Senior management cannot focus on all activities of a business and the competencies required to undertake them. So the goal is for management to focus attention on competencies that really affect competitive advantage Performance Analysis The resource audit, value chain analysis and core competence analysis help to define the strategic capabilities of a business. After completing such analysis, questions that can be asked that evaluate the overall performance of the business. These questions include: How have the resources deployed in the business changed over time; this is historical analysis How do the resources and capabilities of the business compare with others in the industry -industry norm analysis How do the resources and capabilities of the business compare with best-in-class wherever that is to be found-  benchmarking How has the financial performance of the business changed over time and how does it compare with key competitors and the industry as a whole? Ratio analysis. Portfolio Analysis Portfolio analysis is defined in the Marketing Management Text as the aid to  marketing managers to help develop effective marketing plans. Portfolio models are used  to classify Strategic Business Units (SBUs) to determine the future cash contributions  that can be expected for each SBU as well as the future resource requirement that each  will require. Portfolio models generally examine the competitive position of the SBU  and the chances for improving the SBUs contribution to profitability and cash flow. The model we will be using for Virgin is the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) model.   This model is based on the relationship between relative market share and growth of the  Market The BCG model classifies products under four areas. These are stars, cash cows,  question marks and dogs. Stars are SBUs with high share or high growth market   Virgin Atlantic is clearly the cash cow of the Virgin Empire but we have undertaken a Portfolio analysis from the viewpoint of Virgin Atlantic. With regards to Virgin Atlantic Airways we believe that there is no star. The cash cow is the Upper Class section. Cash cows have high share of a low growth market and generate higher cash revenues. This high end product targets wealthy customers and business passengers. This is the highest costing ticket available, usually around $9,000, and there are 50 seats available in this class. Therefore, upper class generates much higher revenues compared to premium economy and economy. Dogs are SBUs that have low market share in low growth market. We see Virgin Atlantics economy class as a dog. Question marks are SBUs that have high potential but will require great resources to build market share. We believe that Premium Economy is a question mark as it has potential to be a cash generator. Premium economy targets cheaper flying business class passe ngers and high end couples. There are 38 seats in this class and tickets generally sell for around $3,000. Economy class focuses on families and groups flying together. Tickets for economy class are priced around $500 and there are 271 seats. BCG Matrix Virgin Culture Virgin Atlantic is a unique airline with great people and has a unique culture and it is not easy to sum up our culture in just a few words. Ours is a demanding and fast changing business and every one of our people has to have the intelligence to plan and deliver brilliant airline operations, to think on their feet and be accountable and respond to change and development. All the while, of course, we are all working hard to deliver our unique mix of product and service for which we are famous. All this creates a lively, collaborative environment where everyone knows whats expected of them and works together to achieve it. We pride ourselves on being as honest and unpretentious as we are inspired and professional everyone has a chance to voice their opinions and no ones too proud to ask questions. We embrace innovation wherever it comes from. If someone, an employee, customer or passenger has a brainwaveà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ well listen. If we like it well do it and this is another way in which our people are the driving force behind our success.Of course, it takes a certain sort of person to flourish in such a fast-paced, freethinking environment. Talented, self-motivated, enthusiastic, youll have to share in our passion for providing only the very best. Put people like this together, and you create a winning performance culture that thrives on inspirational leadership, positive attitudes, commercial flair and underpinned by solid accountability. Financial Analysis Virgin Atlantic has managed a pretax profit of 41.6 million pounds ($76.1 million) on record annual sales of 1.91 billion.The carrier shared that a rise in business class travel helped more than double its pretax, pre-exceptional performance, which stood at 20.1 million pounds for the year ago period. Sales were up 17 percent for its financial year, which ended on February 28 Carrying a record 4.9 million passengers, Virgin had a 2005-06 pre-tax, pre-exceptional items profit of  £41.6m more than double the figure for 2004-05.Virgins results announcement comes after reports that it was Virgin that blew the whistle on British Airways which is now being investigated by the UKs Office of Fair Trading (OFT) and the US Department of Justice over alleged cartel activity involving BA and other airlines. Virgin has said that it is helping the OFT and the justice department with their inquiries.Chief executive Steve Ridgway reportedly said the strong performance came on the back of a 10 per cent increase in the number of passengers using its Upper Class cabin and the grabbing of market share on the North Atlantic. According to media, Ridgway denied, however, that Virgin had used the fuel surcharge like BAs,  £70 on a round-trip ticket to bolster revenues. The fuel surcharge has not kept pace with the increased cost of fuel, he reportedly said. It has only enabled us to recover around half of our fuel costs. Whereas fuel used to be around 15-16 percent of our costs it is now nearer 30 percent.Ridgway declined to comment in detail on why Virgin had blown the whistle on alleged conversations between it and BA, which prompted an OFT probe into alleged fuel surcharge price-fixing. According to a report: BA and VA impose the same surcharge of pound stg. 35 ($87) per individual long-haul flight (pound stg. 70 for a return trip). While BA had often been among the leaders in raising the fuel surcharge, on some occasions Virgin Atlantic, its main long-haul competitor at Heathrow, had also taken the lead. On most occasions the other airlines quickly followed the lead of the first mover. Last Septembe r, VA raised the long-haul surcharge from pound stg. 24 to pound stg. 30. It was followed in the same week by BA with the same increase. Virgin lowered the surcharge again in November to pound stg. 25, but BA did not follow suit and in January Virgin returned to pound stg. 30. In March, VA raised the levy to pound stg. 35. BA followed to pound stg. 35 in April. The Office of Fair Trading said last week that the investigation was at a very early stage and that there should be no assumption that there had been any wrongdoing. The External Environment: PESTLE Analysis   PESTLE analysis if you are including legal and environmental. Airlines are a good one because so many different things affect them. Political Taxes that they get charged in different countries for landing, fuel taxation etc Economic e.g. How does interest rate movement affext their longterm debt? How as their economic performance compared to the market sector? P/E ratios etc. Oil prices increasing, is this affecting their profits from increased fuel costs? Social Safety measures they employ on board and on the ground. Polulations growth does an ageing poulation affect them i.e. baby boomers, lots of people in that lifestage have more disposable income to spend. Technological As things improve technology becomes cheaper. How does this affect them? Does this mean the entries to barrier are lower for competitors to join? Do easyjet have a big RD dept? Legal Different legalities of different countries some stricter than others   Environment carbon offsetting, what is their CSR policy?   The Industry Environment: Five Forces New entrants in the industry basically face two difficulties: barriers to entry and retaliation from present firms (2003)   In the aviation industry, particularly the service passenger-based ones like Virgin Atlantic Airways, in modern economies are privately-operated that calls for substantial financial requirements at the fore.   Since travel services are derived demand (), new entrants should be able to cut a share in the pie in the presently saturated market.   This endeavor could result to another substantial resource to be deployed.   However, with such new entrant engagement, it does not assure of intended results because competitors like Virgin already created strategic links to other country-routes including its alliance with Asian giant Singapore Airlines that makes it easy to create counter-strategy.Boeing, the largest manufacturer of jetliners and supplier of Virgins aircrafts, had recently signed long-term agreement with largest aerospace part s distributor Satair for an Integrated Materials Management ().   As a result, Boeing could reduce its inventory and minimize warehousing costs because spare parts will be provided only when needed.   A cost reduction strategy from a supplier can assure customers like Virgin of price management scheme, if not, its another supplier, Airbus (the once number one airline manufacturer) could be resorted.Competitors in the industry have the same capability in terms interactivity of their web pages like Virgin.   This is supported almost fifty percent prevalence of internet connection among UK market, not to mention other countries.   As a result, the power of buyers to gain access to prices and services of firms increase making them knowledgeable of distinction of one from the other.   Companies on their part are obliged to be more competitive especially in maintaining and updating their web sites.  The countrys sea transport industry had develope d super ferries while the 2003 recorded 17.4% increase of UK passengers who took cruise holidays that reached nearly one million in that year ().   This development would make sense to airline industry tourism and leisure market especially foreigners that like to see the national endowments.   With demand for airline transport rise at faster rate than supply for it, the airline industry is required to effectively allocate its resources in a manner that exploit this supply shortage. Other airline competitors in the likes of AMR Corp., British Airways and Lufthansa are operating in at least 150 destinations compared to Virgins 20 As a result, rivalry among these firms against Virgin is relatively insignificant although strategic actions of Virgin that directly and significantly threat their market could spark retaliation in the detriment of relatively small firm.   The firm should focus in its target market and avoid competing with these large firms. Ansoffs product / market matrix Introduction The Ansoff Growth matrix is a tool that helps businesses decide their product and market growth strategy. Ansoffs product/market growth matrix suggests that a business attempts to grow depend on whether it markets  new or existing  products in  new or existing markets. The output from the Ansoff product/market matrix is a series of suggested growth strategies that set the direction for the business strategy. What is a Critical Success Factor? Critical Success Factors  (CSFs) are the critical factors or activities required for ensuring the success your business. The term was initially used in the world of data analysis, and business analysis. (   attracting customers; managing its fleet; managing its people, and managing its finances) Most smaller and more pragmatic businesses can still use CSFs but we need to take a different, more pragmatic approach. Critical Success Factors  have been used significantly to present or identify a few key factors that organizations should focus on to be successful. As a definition, critical success factors refer to the limited number of areas in which satisfactory results will ensure successful competitive performance for the individual, department, or organization. The connection of the Virgin Airline is outrageous because of the media that serves as a huge market competency advantage. Their strategy is using the media such as television, radio, internet, and even newspaper gave the business an opportunity for promotion. KEY POINTS    Virgin Atlantic established the strategy in promotion. They need to communicate with their customers for their initiatives in offering special offers that effectively make an appeal to their customers The benefits are expected to gain the Airlines 3-month payback on their investment; can utilize the advantage of the company over the technology such as computers; lowering the costs of the promotional materials because of the interaction of the business in the different forms of media; prioritizing the communication to the customers; and having the complete control on the advertising campaigns   The Virgin Atlantic recently tested the innovation and can continuously apply this in all their system. This strategy deals with the climate change has a great impact in the internal operation of the business such as the investment in the additional technology, better flying planes, building and operating an efficient infrastructure, and positive economic arrangements.    Strategy: Is about to design a desired future and identifying ways to bring it about by stenier1979 .a strategy is the pattern or plan integrate an organisation s major goals polices and actions into a cohesive whole.   Strategic Planning Strategy is the  direction  and  scope  of an organisation over the  long-term:  which achieves advantage  for the organisation through its configuration of  resources  within a challenging environment, to meet the needs of  markets  and to fulfil  stakeholder  expectations. In other words, strategy is about: * Where is the business trying to get to in the long-term (direction) * Which markets should a business compete in and what kind of activities are involved in such markets? (markets;  scope) * How can the business perform better than the competition in those markets? (advantage)? * What resources (skills, assets, finance, relationships, technical competence, facilities) are required in order to be able to compete? (resources)? * What external, environmental factors affect the businesses ability to compete? (environment)? * What are the values and expectations of those who have power in and around the business? (stakeholders) Strategy at Different Levels of a Business (Safety,  security  and  consistent delivery  of the basics are the foundation of everything we do. The success of our three year strategy requires us to build on these foundations by focusing on the  business  and  leisure  markets and driving  efficiency  andeffectiveness.) Strategies exist at several levels in any organisation ranging from the overall business (or group of businesses) through to individuals working in it. Corporate Strategy   is concerned with the overall purpose and scope of the business to meet stakeholder expectations. This is a crucial level since it is heavily influenced by investors in the business and acts to guide strategic decision-making throughout the business. Corporate strategy is often stated explicitly in a mission statement. Business Unit Strategy   is concerned more with how a business competes successfully in a particular market. It concerns strategic decisions about choice of products, meeting needs of customers, gaining advantage over competitors, exploiting or creating new opportunities etc. Operational Strategy   is concerned with how each part of the business is organised to deliver the corporate and business-unit level strategic direction. Operational strategy therefore focuses on issues of resources, processes, people etc. How Strategy is Managed Strategic Management In its broadest sense, strategic management is about taking strategic decisions decisions that answer the questions above. In practice, a thorough strategic management process has three main components, shown in the figure below: Mission Statement To grow a profitable airline that people love to fly and where people love to Work. SWOT Analysis The next segment of reviewing a firms strategic plan is to perform a SWOT analysis. This entails identifying a firms internal strengths and weaknesses and their external opportunities and threats. After analyzing the external environment and internal resources, strategic decision makers have the information they need to formulate corporate, business, and financial strategies of the organization. A comparison of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats is normally referred to as a SWOT analysis. A SWOT analysis helps executives summarize the major facts and forecasts derived from the external and internal analysis. From this, executives can derive a series of statements that identify the primary and secondary strategic issues confronting the organization. Strategy formulation builds on SWOT analysis to utilize strengths of the organization in order to capitalize on opportunities, counteract threats, and alleviate internal weaknesses. In short, strategy formulation moves from simply analysis to devising a coherent course of action. The findings of a SWOT analysis are the basis for developing objectives and strategies that can be implemented in a companys strategic plan. Therefore, it is important for companies to continue to perform SWOT analyses, because external and internal factors affecting companies are constantly changing. New strategies need to be developed and old ones need to be revised in order to reflect the current internal and external conditions that affect a company Internal strengths and weaknesses are activities that a company performs particularly well or poorly. These internal activities stem from all departments and components of a business. After a company identifies its strengths and weaknesses, it should then develop strategies that capitalize on its strengths and minimize or improve its weaknesses External opportunities and threats are events that occur outside of the company and are events that the company has no control over. Co mpanies benefit from external opportunities and are harmed by external threats. It is important for a company to recognize its external opportunities and threats so it can formulate strategies to take advantage of future opportunities and to avoid future threats. (S)trengths: Virgin Brand recognized by 98% of British Public. Clients expect good customer service in each separate class Business/Economy. Virgin Atlantic introduced innovative technology: including in flight music, ice  cream, games, and movies. New in flight innovation is offered to gold club holders or J-class with lounges  offering quality food and comfort. Quality trained employees recruited from other airlines. Virgin Atlantic is spawned from as a private company allowing for other Virgin  brands and more control. Richard Bransons innovative entrepreneurial management. Competitive pricing for business class offers more services. Partnership with Singapore airlines because they are the minority shareholder at  49%. The reason why this partnership is beneficial is because their routes are  non-overlapping and the partnership allows the transfer of core competencies. Load factor is better than competition; therefore, returns are higher and value is  greater. Positive publicity, in regards to winning every quality award known to man. (W)eaknesses Flight delays: need to improve flight efficiency. The travel routes are limited. Hot Air magazine separate from traditional airline advertising magazines including articles and marketing advertising. Cut routes to Chicago, Toronto, and Cape in relation to the September 11 tragedy. Late getting on the Internet Missed the Boat for web site, web page, and ecommerce. Richard Branson is a one man manager being the owner and director of multiple companies. Costs associated in the overhead of keeping two five star chefs, lounge, and limo service. Virgins reliance on Trans Atlantic traffic makes them more vulnerable to the drop in demand for travel to and from the U.S. (O)pportunities Strategic Marketing above the rest utilizing by being innovative, fun, maintaining  values, caring, and produce quality. Technology adds improvements (Galileo) an advanced inventory system. In flight Internet connection. Web site needs to be improved possible weakness for e-commerce and regular  web site navigation. Generate additional routes. Virgin Galactic, we are flying into outer space. Warehouse facility -Heathrow, London. Recession may be an unexpected opportunity for investment. On-line strategy in targeting branding and ongoing ad campaigns, through on-line  media planning and buying account. (T)hreats Recession, September 11th will and has affected the entire airline industry, order cancellations, risk aversion for flying customers Brand Dilution by a rapid expanding brand image may be too global and not  focused towards the important products. Competition for routes British and United. Fuel prices are fluctuating, which accounts for 15% of total airline expense. Objectives The results that an organization seeks over a multiyear period are its long-term  objectives. Such objectives typically involve some or all of the following areas: profitability, return on investment, competitive position, technological leadership,  productivity, employee relations, public responsibility, and employee development. Eric Starks, Virgin Atlantic Regional Director, stated the following objective: To  maintain a safe customer environment through the necessary security procedures. Also to  concentrate on core competencies by consolidating routes, directly related to downsizing  workforce, to remain profitable while targeting business class passengers. Strategies Strategies are statements of how objectives are to be achieved. These are usually long- term strategies and necessitate many different approaches, such as, product development, joint ventures and strategic alliances. Generic strategies such as low cost, differentiation, or focus strategies characterize the competitive orientation of the firm in the marketplace.In order to remain profitable Virgin Atlantic has focused on its core competencies. The company is currently focusing its strategies on sustaining great quality. service and maintaining relationships with their Upper Class customers. This has resulted in the closing of routes to Toronto, Chicago, and Cape Town. The company has also reduced the amount of flights a day and personnel by 20% per route across the North Atlantic. For example, the San Francisco routes were reduced from two flights to one flight per day. Competitive Strategy Analysis Segmentation Market segmentation is defined as the process of dividing a market into groups of  similar consumer and selecting the most appropriate group(s) for the firm to serve. This  concept is achieved through the following six steps Define firms current situation. Determine consumer wants and needs. Divide markets on relevant dimensions. Develop product positioning. Decide segmentations strategy. Design marketing mix strategy. Targeting Targeting is when a firm chooses one or more market segments as a specific target markets. Virgin Atlantic is a company that considers every customer to be important and thus offers individualized services to customers. These are nine basic criteria for targeting Who buys our product? Who does not buy our product? What need or function does our product serve? What problem does our product solve? What are customers currently buying to satisfy the need or solve the problem for which our product is targeting? What price are they paying for the product they are currently buying? When is our product purchased? Where is our product purchased? Why is our product purchased? Upon evaluation of these questions the company must then assess opportunity in target markets based on segment size and growth potential, competition, companys objectives and feasibility of success in this market. Virgin Atlantic has targeted upper class customers who are primarily business passengers traveling on transatlantic routes. Positioning Positioning refers to the act of locating a brand in customers minds over and against other products in terms of product attributes and benefits that the brand does or does not offer.38 There are many different general strategies for positioning products Attribute or benefit, quality and price, use or application, competition, high-tech and high-touch, can achieve desired positioning. Most significantly, Virgin Atlantic has positioned itself as direct competitor to British Airways on all routes. Firstly, Virgin Atlantic was extremely aggressive in obtaining slots at Heathrow International Airport. Secondly, Virgin Atlantic attacked the proposed British Airways and American Airlines partnership stating that it was unhealthy for competition. Finally, Virgin Atlantic has strived to compete with British Airways on all routes into and out of London. Virgin Atlantic attracts customers by being fun and innovative. On the aircraft passengers experience spacious setting arrangements, state of the art in-flight entertainment system, and most importantly a high level of customer service. In addition,Virgin Atlantic offers a distinctive upper class service at business class prices.Furthermore, Virgin Atlantic is installing Internet capabilities and is implementing Galileos Inside Availability (R), a high-tech inventory management system. Option one low price/low added value. likely to be segment specific. Option two low price. risk of price war and low margins/need to be a cost leader. Option three Hybrid. low cost base and reinvestment in low price and differentiation. Option four Differentiation. (a)without a price premium: perceived added value by user, yielding market share benefits. (b)with a price premium: perceived added value sufficient to to bear price premium. Option five focussed differentiation. perceived added value to a particular segment warranting a premium price. Option six increased price/standard. higher margins if competitors do not value follow/risk of losing market share. Option seven increased price/low values. only feasible in a monopoly situation. Option eight low value/standard price. loss of market share. Conclusion By studying this external and industry analysis on environmental facts, it could be said that Virgin Atlantic Airways is situated in standard cycle markets wherein its competitive advantage is moderately shielded from imitation.   In general, airline industry belongs to slow cycle markets, however, due to relatively smaller capital and operations of some firms like Virgin, compa

To What Extent Did D.C. Stephenson Affect the Fall of the Ku Klux Klan

A. Plan of Investigation The focus of this investigation was to understand and determine to what extent D.C. Stephenson affected the fall of the Ku Klux Klan during the 1920s. During the 1920s the Klan had an all time high of membership across the United States and was a large part of American society. The Klan was prevalent in everyday society and in politics, and was a positive presence for many Americans. However, the Klan was pushed into a negative light due to Stephenson kidnapping and raping Madge Oberholtzer. Membership in the Klan dropped shortly after, and many blame Stephenson. In order to decide whether or not Stephenson was responsible, the Klan was examined during Stephenson’s involvement, and the aftermath of his involvement. D.C. Stephenson was also examined to better understand how he could have changed the course of the KKK. Sources that discussed the Klan and Stephenson were looked at, like They Called Themselves the KKK, and. Citizen Klansmen: The Ku Klux Klan in Indiana. Those sour ces, among others, helped give a better understanding of D.C. Stephenson and how he affected the KKK. B. Summary of Evidence The Ku Klux Klan began in Pulaski, Tennessee in 1865 (Martin). It started out as a group of men creating a social club, mainly for confederate soldiers who had fought in the war. Its name is derived from kuklos, meaning circle of friends (Martin). It was a secret society with rules and codes, and men were given special titles (Bartoletti,25). The nature of the Klan was not originally to be destructive, but as it began to grow and more white men and confederate soldiers joined, the purpose changed. Tension grew across the country as Reconstruction went under way and white southerners were unhappy. The Kl... ...." Dying Declaration of Madge Oberholtzer. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2014. "Ku Klux Klan." Civil Rights in the United States. Ed. Waldo E. Martin, Jr. and Patricia Sullivan. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2000. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 13 Apr. 2014. "Ku Klux Klan." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. Lutholtz, M. William. Grand Dragon: D.C. Stephenson and the Ku Klux Klan in Indiana. West Lafayette, IN: Purdue UP, 1991. Print. MacLean, Nancy. Behind the Mask of Chivalry: The Making of the Second Ku Klux Klan. New York: Oxford UP, 1994. Print. McDonnell, Janet, Ann Angel, and Carolyn Kott. Washburne. America in the 20th Century. North Bellmore, NY: Marshall Cavendish, 1995. Print. Moore, Leonard Joseph. Citizen Klansmen: The Ku Klux Klan in Indiana, 1921-1928. Chapel Hill: U of North Carolina, 1991. Print.

Philosophies of Learning Theory

INTRODUCTION What is theory? A theory is a way of thinking and a model of how things work, how principles are related, and what causes things to work together. Learning theories address key questions, for example, how does learning happen? How does motivation occur? What influences students’ development? A theory is not just an idea. It’s an idea that is a coherent explanation of a set of relationships that has been tested with lots of research. If the idea survives rigorous testing, that theory is said to have empirical grounding. A theory is developed from practical experience as well as research.Any given theory is usually about one aspect of the learning process. Learning theories  are  conceptual frameworks  that describe how information is absorbed, processed, and retained during  learning. Learning brings together cognitive, emotional, and environmental influences and experiences for acquiring, enhancing, or making changes in one's knowledge, skills, valu es, and world views. There are three main categories of learning theory:  behaviorism,  cognitivism, and  constructivism. Behaviorism focuses only on the objectively observable aspects of learning.Cognitive theories look beyond behavior to explain brain-based learning. And constructivism views learning as a process in which the learner actively constructs or builds new ideas or concepts. Philosophies of teaching and learning, numerous philosophers have studied what the meaning of to teach and learn, and have come up with various explanations of the process of becoming educated. Their begin to refine their own beliefs and understandings of what it means to know through examining numerous theories of knowledge and making sense of the processes of teaching and learning in their own minds.An few philosophies and examples of individuals who exemplify the concepts are worth exploring: Existentialism (Maxine Greene, Jean-Paul Sartre, Soren Kierkegaard, Simone de Beauvoir), Critical T heory (Karl Marx, Henry Geroux, Michael Apple, Paulo Friere), Behaviorism (B. F. Skinner), Cognitivism / Developmentalism (Maria Montessori, A. S. Neill, John Dewey, Knowles, Waldorf Schools, Reggio Emilia Schools), Social Constructivism (John Dewey, Lev Vygotsky, Jerome Bruner, Montessori, Reggio Emilia and Waldorf Schools). 1. 0 LEARNING THEORIESIn  psychology  and education,  learning  theories are attempts to describe how people and animals learn, thereby helping us understand the inherently complex process of learning. There are three main categories (philosophical frameworks) under which learning  theories fall: behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism. 1. 1 Behaviorism Behaviorism focuses only on the objectively observable aspects of learning and discounts the internal processing that might be associated with the activity. Learning is the acquisition of new  behavior  through conditioning. There are two types of possible conditioning: ) Classical conditionin g, where the  behavior  becomes a reflex response to stimulus as in the case of Pavlov's Dogs. 2) Operant conditioning where there is reinforcement of the  behavior  by a reward or a punishment. The theory of operant conditioning was developed by B. F. Skinner and is known as Radical Behaviorism. The word ‘operant’ refers to the way in which behavior ‘operates on the environment’. Briefly, a behavior may result either in reinforcement, which increases the likelihood of the behavior recurring, or punishment, which decreases the likelihood of the behavior recurring.It is important to note that, a punisher is not considered to be punishment if it does not result in the reduction of the behavior, and so the terms punishment and reinforcement are determined as a result of the actions. Within this framework, behaviorists are particularly interested in measurable changes in behavior. 1. 2. Cognitivism Since the Cognitive Revolution of the 1960s and 1970s, learning theory has undergone a great deal of change. Much of the empirical framework of Behaviorism was retained even though a new paradigm was begun. Cognitive theories look beyond behavior to explain brain-based learning.Cognitivists consider how human memory works to promote learning. So for example how the natural physiological processes of encoding information into short term memory and long term memory become important to educators. Once memory theories like the Atkinson-Shiffrin memory model and Baddeley's Working memory model were established as a theoretical framework in Cognitive  Psychology, new cognitive frameworks of learning began to emerge during the 1970s, 80s, and 90s. Today researchers are concentrating on topics like Cognitive load and Information Processing Theory.These theories of learning are very useful as they guide the Instructional design. 1. 3. Constructivism Constructivism views learning as a process in which the learner actively constructs or builds n ew ideas or concepts based upon current and past knowledge. In other words, â€Å"learning involves constructing one's own knowledge from one's own experiences. † Constructivist learning, therefore, is a very personal endeavor, whereby internalized concepts, rules, and general principles may consequently be applied in a practical real-world context. 1. 4. Informal and Post-Modern TheoriesInformal theories of education deal with more practical breakdown of the learning process. One of these deals with whether learning should take place as a building of concepts toward an overall idea, or the understanding of the overall idea with the details filled in later. Modern thinkers favor the latter, though without any basis in real world research. Critics believe that trying to teach an overall idea without details (facts) is like trying to build a masonry structure without bricks. Other concerns are the origins of the drive for learning.To this end, many have split off from the mains tream holding that learning is a primarily self taught thing, and that the ideal learning situation is one that is self taught. According to this dogma, learning at its basic level is all self taught, and class rooms should be eliminated since they do not fit the perfect model of self learning. However, real world results indicate that isolated students fail. Social support seems crucial for sustained learning. Informal learning theory also concerns itself with book vs real-world experience learning. Many consider most schools severely lacking in the second.Newly emerging hybrid instructional models combining traditional classroom and computer enhanced instruction promise the best of both worlds. 2. 0 PHILOSOPHY ON LEARNING THEORIES. People have been trying to understand learning for over 2000 years. Learning theorists have carried out a debate on how people learn that began at least as far back as the Greek philosophers, Socrates (469 –399 B. C. ), Plato (427 – 347 B. C. ), and Aristotle(384 – 322 B. C). The debates that have occurred through the ages reoccur today in a variety of viewpoints about the purposes of education and about how to encourage learning.To a substantial extent, the most effective strategies for learning depend on what kind of learning is desired and toward what ends. Plato and one of his students, Aristotle, were early entrants into the debate about how people learn. They asked, â€Å"Is truth and knowledge to be found within us (rationalism) or is it to be found outside of ourselves by using our senses (empiricism)? † Plato, as a rationalist, developed the belief that knowledge and truth can be discovered by self-reflection. Aristotle, the empiricist, used his senses to look for truth and knowledge in the world outside of him.From his empirical base Aristotle developed a scientific method of gathering data to study the world around him. Socrates developed the dialectic method of discovering truth through conv ersations with fellow citizens (Monroe, 1925). Inquiry methods owe much of their genesis to the thinking of Aristotle and others who followed this line of thinking. Strategies that call for discourse and reflection as tools for developing thinking owe much to Socrates and Plato. The Romans differed from the Greeks in their concept of education.The meaning of life did not intrigue them as much as developing a citizenry that could contribute to society in a practical way, for building roads and aqueducts. The Romans emphasized education as the vocational training rather than as the training of the mind for the discovery of truth. Modern vocational education and apprenticeship methods are reminiscent of the Roman approach to education. As we will see, however, strategies to encourage cognitive apprenticeships combine the modeling inherent in learning by guided doing with the discourse, reflection, and inquiry that the Greeks suggested to train the mind.When the Roman Catholic Church be came a strong force in European daily life (500 A. D. to 1500 A. D. ), learning took place through the church, through monasteries, and through their school system, which included the universities (12th century) the Church built throughout Europe. Knowledge was transmitted from the priest to the people (Monroe, 1925). Much learning was the memorization and recitation of scripture by rote and the learning of trades by apprenticeship. The primary conception of the purpose of education was transmission-based.Many classrooms today continue a transmission-based conception of learning as the passing on of information from the teacher to the student, with little interest in transforming it or using it for novel purposes. The Renaissance (15th to the 17th centuries) revived the Greek concept of liberal education, which stressed education as an exploration of the arts and humanities. Renaissance philosophers fought for freedom of thought, and thus Humanism, a study of human values that are n ot religion-based, was born.By the sixteenth century the control of the Catholic Church was being challenged on a number of fronts, from Copernicus (1473 – 1543) who suggested that the sun rather than the earth was the center of the Solar System, to Martin Luther (1483 – 1546) who sought to secularize education (Monroe,1925). The notions of individual inquiry and discovery as bases for learning were reinforced in the Renaissance. In a sense the recurring ideological debates over education for â€Å"basic† skills – the reproduction of facts and rudimentary skills – vs. ducation for thinking – the effort to understand ideas and use knowledge for broader purposes – replay the medieval vs. Renaissance conceptions of the purposes of education. Rene Descartes (1596 – 1650) revived the Platonic concept of innate knowledge. Descartes believed that ideas existed within human beings prior to experience and that God was an example of an i nnate idea. He recognized that the body could be appreciated and studied as a zoological machine, while the mind was separate and free from the body.He was one of the first to define precisely the ability of the environment and the mind to influence and initiate behavior. He also described how the body could produce unintended behaviors. Descartes’ first description of reflex action was influential in psychology for over 300 years (Hergenhahn, 1976). While these findings supported the work of behavioral psychologists seeking to understand the genesis of behaviors, his focus on the mind also supported the work of later cognitive scientists who sought to understand the thinking process itself.John Locke (1632 – 1704) revived Aristotle’s empiricism with the concept that the child’s mind is a blank tablet (tabula rasa) that gets s haped and formed by his/her own experiences. He believed the mind becomes what it experiences from the outside world. â€Å"Let u s suppose the mind to be, as we say, white paper, void of all characters, without any ideas: How comes it to be furnished? †¦ Whence has it all the materials of reason and knowledge? †¦ from experience† (Locke, quoted in Hilgard and Bower 1975).The mind gathers data through the senses and creates simple ideas from experience; these simple ideas combine to develop complex ideas. Locke believed that education should structure experiences for students and that one essential learning was the kind of discipline that could be developed through the study of mathematics (Hergenhahn, 1976). The idea that different disciplines provide qualitatively different mental experiences and means of training the mind undergirds the basis of the discipline-based liberal arts education.Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712 – 1778) was one of the first philosophers to suggest that education should be shaped to the child. He celebrated the concept of childhood and felt that children should be allowed to develop naturally. â€Å"The only habit which the child should be allowed to form is to contract no habit whatever. † (Rousseau, quoted in Hilgard and Bower, 1975) In Rousseau’s novel, Emile (Rousseau, 2000), the hero learns about life through his experiences in life. Complex ideas are built from simple ideas that are gathered from the world around him (Hilgard and Bower, 1975).The child-centered philosophies of Dewey, Montessori, Piaget and others follow in part from similar views. Kant (1724 – 1804) refined and modernized Plato’s rationalist theory with his suggestion that â€Å"a priori† knowledge was knowledge that was present before experience. For Kant, awareness of knowledge may begin with experience but knowledge existed prior to experience. Kant espoused that these ideas must be innate, and their purpose is to create an organizing structure for the data that is received by the senses.Kant was also one of the first to recognize t he cognitive processes of the mind, the idea that the mind was a part of the thinking process and capable of contributing to the thoughts that it developed. This learning theory opened the door to Piaget and others who would further develop the ideas of cognition (Monroe, 1925). Edward Thorndike (1874 – 1949) is considered by many to be the first modern education psychologist who sought to bring a scientific approach to the study of learning. Thorndike believed that learning was incremental and that people learned through a trial and error approach.His behaviorist theories of learning did not consider that learning took place as a result of mental constructs. Instead, he described how mental connections are formed through positive responses to particular stimuli. For Thorndike, learning was based on an association between sense impressions and an impulse to action. Thorndike favored students’ active learning and sought to structure the environment to ensure certain sti muli that would ‘produce’ learning. The father of modern behaviorism, B. F. Skinner (1904 – 1990), further developed Thorndike’s Stimulus-Response learning theory.Skinner was responsible for developing programmed learning which was based on his stimulus response research on rats and pigeons in experiments that provided positive reinforcement for â€Å"correct† responses. He considered learning to be the production of desired behaviors, and denied any influence of mental processes. Programmed learning gave proper reinforcement to the student, emphasized reward over punishment, moved the student by small steps through discrete skills and allowed the student to move at their own speed. â€Å"There are certain questions which have to be answered in turning to the study of any new organism.What behavior is to be set up? What reinforcers are at hand? What responses are available in embarking upon a program of progressive approximation that will lead to t he final form of the behavior? How can reinforcements be most effectively scheduled to maintain the behavior in strength? These questions are all relevant in considering the problem of the child in the lower grades. † Jean Piaget (1896 – 1980) was the first to state that learning is a developmental cognitive process, that students create knowledge rather than receive knowledge from the teacher.He recognized that students construct knowledge based on their experiences, and that how they do so is related to their biological, physical, and mental stage of development. Piaget spent years observing very young children and mapping out four stages of growth: sensorimotor (birth to about 2 years), preoperational (roughly ages 2 –7), concrete operations (encompassing about ages 7- 14) and formal operations (beginning around ages 11 – 15 and extending into adulthood.His work acknowledged the utility of some behaviorally-guided rote learningwhile also arguing that ot her activities that support students’ exploration are essential: The Russian scientist Vygotsky (1896 – 1934) extended Piaget’s developmental theory of cognitive abilities of the individual to include the notion of social-cultural cognition – that is, the idea that all learning occurs in a cultural context and involves social interactions. He emphasized the role that culture and language play in developing students’ thinking and the ways in which teachers and peers assist learners in developing new ideas and skills.Vygotsky proposed the concept of the zone of proximal development (ZPD) which suggested that students learn subjects best just beyond their range of existing experience with assistance from the teacher or another peer to bridge the distance from what they know or can do independently and what they can know or do with assistance (Schunk, 1996). John Dewey (1859 – 1952) agreed in part with Rousseau that education should not be separ ate from life itself, that education should be child-centered, guided by a welltrained teacher who is grounded in pedagogical and subject knowledge.Like Locke, he believed that structured experience matters and disciplinary modes of inquiry could allow the development of the mind, thus creating a dialectic between the child and the curriculum that the teacher must manage. The teacher’s goal is to understand both the demands of the discipline and the needs of the child and then to provide learning experiences to enable the student to uncover the curriculum. Dewey believed that the ability of a person to learn was dependent on many things, one of which was the environment. . 0 Future trends There are many changes occurring in the twenty-first century which will influence the nature of learning and learning styles being adopted. Perhaps the most significant change is that universities are now increasingly competing with a range of non-traditional education providers. This will f orce higher education into a pro-active stance in understanding how students learn best, and how teaching impacts on learning. Additional contemporary changes include globalisation, modularisation, mobility of earners, distance education/elearning/flexible learning, lifelong learning, mass education, and work-based learning. ‘The de-institutionalisation of education, in the form of open and independent learning systems, is creating a need for learners to develop appropriate skills’ (Knowles, 1975, p. 14). The impact here on learners is the gradual move away from the more traditional forms of teaching and learning, where information was transmitted to the student through physical interaction between teacher and student, to more self-directed, student-centred approaches.Problem-based learning is an example of one approach to learning where the learner needs to take responsibility for his or her own learning, with the teacher now increasingly assuming the role of facilitat or of student learning. The impact of technology and the internet will continue to increase, having economic and social implications for society. For instance people can now work from home if they have immediate access to a computer. This may facilitate the increase of distance-learning courses as students no longer have to attend a physical campus to gain qualifications.Increasing modularisation enables many students to learn at their own pace, in their own time. CONCLUSION The Philosophy of education has been shaped over centuries with certain philosophers and their thoughts directly affecting it. A good example is Plato and his  educational philosophy  that was christened Republic. He argues that the society would be holistic if children at a tender age would be raised with a system of education that natures their intellectual capabilities with facts, physical discipline, music, art and skills.The same principles can be applied to an individual institution. This can be define d as a collective approach informed by educational philosophy  to aid in teaching in a way that the objective of imparting knowledge is achieved within a reasonable time. This philosophy of education is subject to review and modification, total over haul or improvements depending on whether the constant evaluation shows whether the goals set have been achieved or not. The drastic advances in technology have also affected the educational philosophy.The world is moving towards the web 2. 0, where technological interaction between learners and teachers is emphasized. Another factor that informs education philosophy is the fact that the world is changing its educational strategies. At one point in history, education was a transit of knowledge from the tutor to student. With nationals encouraging innovations and research in various fields, students are encouraged to discover, be inquisitive and get to learn through active experiments and research.This is a way that has revolutionized t he way education policy makers and other stakeholders define philosophy of education. The relevancy of a given  philosophy of education  therefore, is determined by the educational needs of a given society. REFERENCES 1- Level3, Issue 2, June 2004, Dublin Institute of Technology, Learning Theories and Higher Education; Frank Ashworth, Gabriel Brennan, Kathy Egan, Ron Hamilton, Olalla Saenz; 2- Critique of Various Philosophies and Theories of Education; Ted Slater, Philosophy of Education / Dr.William Cox / Regent University. 3- 2007, Pearson Education, Inc. H. Douglas Brown. -5th Edition; Principles of Language Learning and Teaching. 4- Kurzweil, R. (1996) The Age of intelligent machines â€Å"Chronology†. Retrieved September 18, 2012 from http://www. kurzweiltech. com/mchron. htm. 5- 2001, Stanford University, Developed by Linda-Darling Hammond, Kim Austin, Suzanne Orcutt, and Jim Rosso; How People Learn: Introduction To Learning Theories.