Reflection On Experience

Last fall I started my Full-time MBA program. I was assigned to a group of five members, including myself. As part of our orientation, our first exercise was to take on a ropes course as a group. This exercise helped us to know more about each other and become more cohesive as we were unfamiliar with each other and meeting for the first time. We came from different backgrounds, different cultures, and different countries, but we shared similar goals.We had members that worked in operations, marketing, finance, and supply chain; some of us never worked in teams, so it was important for us to know each other’s strengths and weaknesses and address each. We agreed as a group to make the most of our experience and try to help each other in achieving our goals. There were two sets of goals that our team worked for. We, as a group, hoped not only to deliver whatever requirements were in the program’s curriculum, but also we aimed to grow as individuals and as a group.It was ev ident from day one that each member of this team was aiming to excel and becoming distinct from other groups. Our common goal of excelling made it easier for us to find a common ground, and we felt that our goals were attainable as long as we show commitment and dedication. As any group, we had our share of positive and negative experiences that I will shed some light on in this paper. Although our group was highly functional and motivated towards succeeding in achieving our goals, there were few unexplored issues that I hope we work on in the remainder of our tenure.This paper provides my personal reflection of some behaviors administered by members of my group and myself as well. Those behaviors impacted the functionality and the effectiveness of our team. The first part shall discuss the positive behaviors that I observed from other team members whom I believe had a huge impact on our team. The second part will be a self-evaluation of my behavior in the context of a study group, in particular negative behaviors and how to avoid them in future projects.One positive behavior that I observed from a couple of our team members on a regular basis is taking the initiative. In my opinion, this was a significant factor in our success as a group last quarter, and it taught me how to perceive my self and others in order to identify strengths and weaknesses and how vital it is to be proactive within a group. On several occasions throughout the last quarter, those two members launched new initiatives that led to changes in the way we tackle things as a group and the way we approach problems.This proactive behavior helped us to avoid some problems that we might have faced before they even occurred. Some problems like working under pressure when deadlines are imminent or doing repetitive work were avoided as both of those members anticipated them in advance and pointed out how to avoid such problems. Those two members’ actions were usually consistent with our goals as a group, and I believe that we helped them become proactive by allowing them to take the initiative and not squandering their efforts. Their ideas were usually listened to carefully and we allowed them to try it.Also if mistakes were made, it was never held against them so we don’t close the window on takinf the initiative in the future, whether from their side or any other group member. It is the same concept as â€Å"reward† and â€Å"punishment† that was discussed in class; as any other behavior, proactive behavior if rewarded it will flourish and if punished or blamed it will be discouraged. The difference in our case is that the â€Å"reward† was being listened to or appreciating the effort, and the â€Å"punishment† was blaming them for making mistakes.Although our team never had an assigned leader, but usually those members who took the initiative assumed the role of leadership by default. This was another enlightening moment for me as I learned in order to lead, I have to take the initiative and become more proactive. I believe that this proactive behavior from those members helped us enhance our performance and helped us to avoid being complacent or passive. Another reason, in my opinion, motivated us in embracing some of their ideas, is our sense that those ideas were for the greater benefit of our group and wasn’t seeking any personal benefit or gain.Even though at times the room for being proactive was narrow, especially when we were working on tight schedules or deadlines were approaching, such behavior was evident throughout the quarter. Another positive behavior that I noticed from one of our group members is support. Support plays an essential role in the success of any group as it not only enhances the overall performance of the group, but it makes the group more cohesive and helps building trust. Each member of our group came from a different functional area or background, so it was essential to r ecognize that each of us is stronger in certain areas and weaker in other ones.This particular member was very supportive to our group members, and by support I don’t mean only helping in solving problems. His support extended to helping completing tasks on time even if it wasn’t assigned to him, giving encouragement and feedback to our group members, and taking extra tasks when needed. This behavior helped in creating a sense of collaboration and made the group more cohesive. He also supported any ideas that were suggested, regardless whether they were approved or not, he showed real interest in every idea or suggestion.Such behavior encouraged our group members to speak more openly and allowed for more contribution. It increased our group loyalty and generated trust among our group members. On the other hand, one negative behavior that I personally need to work on is not allowing other team members to express their ideas and opinions. Sometimes I feel very strong abo ut my ideas that I shut down towards other ideas from other team members. In particular there is one team member of ours that is usually left out, so we as a team should take the responsibility for such a negative behavior.I realize that a group works best when everyone is allowed to contribute in the discussions during the meetings and benefit from the diversity in our group by bringing in different ideas; however, this one member usually chooses not to contribute and we never encouraged her to overcome this obstacle. We tend to forget that this member is not used to working in teams, and this might be the reason she is finding difficulties to contribute effectively in our team meetings and in the decision making process. I believe that we, as a group, allowed this behavior to develop throughoutthe quarter until it became a habit. According to the â€Å"Social Information Processing Model†, as part of the judgment process, Fundamental Attribution Bias is â€Å"the tendency to develop explanations that rely on the internal state of people when we focus on someone else’s behavior. † We attributed her lack of participation to her lack of skill or ability, and completely over looked the possibility that it could be attributed to other external factors. External factors such as cultural difference or unfamiliarity of working in a team could have been the reason behind her lack of contribution.Our failure to address those issues on the spot could have been the reason why those issues evolved and led to a self-limiting behavior from her side, which ultimately led to a lack in self-efficacy. This behavior affected her self-confidence in her ability of making significant contributions to the team causing her to disengage from team discussions and withhold ideas or opinions. Another negative behavior that I need to address is procrastination. I have a habit of putting off work until last minute.I do not believe I demonstrate this behavior because I am lazy or because I cannot manage my time efficiently, but because I always have a sense of ability of finishing the assigned task in less time. During earning my undergraduate bachelor degree in Civil Engineering, I was used to working in crunch time and finishing the tasks right before they are due. It was not much of my choice, but due to the enormous amount of work I was rarely able to finish those tasks ahead of schedule. Unfortunately, I carried this habit with me to my group work last quarter.I never failed to meet a deadline, but by the end of the quarter a considerable amount of work was accumulated and I had to work extremely hard in order not to miss deadlines. I could have easily avoided this issue if I had started working earlier on those projects. A huge reason for my procrastinating issue, in my opinion, is lack of self-control. Usually, I look for distractions deliberately or reasons to postpone working on the task at hand. I like to convince my self that I work be tter under pressure, using this as an excuse to postpone work.Although it might appear at first that this behavior affects only me as an individual and not the group as a whole, but my tendency to procrastinate might cause my group to miss opportunities for improvement. By submitting my task just as it is due, I didn’t leave room for improvement. My work could have needed further review or it might have shed some light on an area that we overlooked, which gives us an opportunity to further enhance our body of work and make it even better. In my opinion, for our group to advance and improve we need to set some goals in order for us to reach a higher level of understanding and collaboration.Involvement is a huge factor in the success of any group; consequently we should aim for having every member’s input in the decision making process and in the group discussions. Discussions should be managed differently to make sure every member participates. Participation from all me mbers is vital for any group because it allows different views and ideas to be shared so we need to create a decision-making environment that allows all members to share views and ideas. We should ensure that everyone understands the objectives and the task at hand.We also need to develop more trust among our team members and avoid using shortcuts to form our perception. The Social Information Processing Model talks about Self-fulfilling Prophecy or Pygmalion effect as a shortcut that influences perception, which is a â€Å"situation in which our expectations about people affect our interaction with them in such a way that helps our expectations be fulfilled. † For instance, in dealing with the group member that is having difficulties in participating, if we allowed our expectations to influence how we interact with her, we will never be able to address this issue and we will maintain status quo.Moreover, I could improve on a personal level and work on my procrastinating issu e, which will eventually improve the overall performance of the group. I believe I already took the first step towards addressing this issue by recognizing it and admitting that it’s a negative behavior that needs to be eliminated. Another step, in my opinion, in addressing this issue is identifying whether I am procrastinating due to external reasons or internal reasons. External reasons could vary from time constraint to the type of job at hand, and internal reasons could be lack of motive or laziness.I tend to believe it’s the latter, as I occasionally procrastinate some tasks that are not work related or that does not have a time constraint. Procrastination is a habit that develops over time and hence, needs time to be eliminated. Although it is true that it is not a permanent habit of mine, i. e. it comes irregularly, it still affects my performance and hinders my abilities. I started trying to reward my self upon completing tasks, in an attempt to avoid putting o ff those tasks for later.

Chinese fiction Essay

â€Å"No Longer Human† is a Japanese novel written by Osamu Dazai. It is considered as Dazai’s masterpiece and categorized as the second-best selling novel in Japan, whereas â€Å"To Live† was written by Yu Hua is a Chinese fiction. â€Å"No Longer Human† is describe as a labor of fiction, the novel is recited in the first person and have several elements which laid down an autobiographical source, such as suicide, a recurring theme in the author’s life whereas, the story of â€Å"To Live† started some time in the 1940s. The main character of this sotry is Xu Fugui who is a local rich man’s son and habitual gambler, who lose his family property to the tricky Longer, driving his father to his grave in the process. His attitude also causes his long-suffering wife Jiazhen to leave him with their daughter, Fengxia and their unborn son, Youqing, the same thing with Oba Yozo in â€Å"No Longer Human†. The novel â€Å"No Longer Human† covers the portrayal of the life of Oba Yozo, who is a trouble soul not capable of revealing his true self to others and who is instead forced to uphold an impression of worthless jocularity. This story tells the emotional and interesting story of a young man who is caught between the disintegration of the traditions of a northern Japanese aristocratic family and the impact of Western ideas. The novel is made up of three chapters which narrate the life of Oba Yozo from early childhood to late adolescence. In the first chapter of the novel, it deals on how the overcome by an extreme feeling of alienation and finding it nearly impossible to socialize with those who besiege him, Oba Yozo can but resort to buffoonery in order to ascertain an interpersonal relationships and fit into place in a vain effort to disregard the furious sexual abuse he was subjected to by a couple of servants during his childhood. In the second chapter, Oba Yozo becomes more and more troubled over the potential penetrability of his cheerful impression, which, together with the pressures of academic life, leads him into a violent cycle of drinking, smoking and harlotry, ending in a one-night stand with a married woman with whom he planned to commit double suicide. Though he survived, the woman passed away, leaving him with nothing but an unbearable feeling of guilt. In the this chapter, several years later, Oba Yozo is dropped out from High School and commits into a relationship with a destructive woman, who immediately betrays him with another man. Oba Yozo is once again driven to the edge of committing suicide, but was not able to do so because he becomes an alcoholic and a morphine addict. The story comes to a close with Oba Yozo’s confinement in a mental institution where he finally assumes he is no longer human, neither happy nor unhappy, but merely a man of excesses. The story of â€Å"To Live† is somewhat similar to the novel â€Å"No Longer Human† in a sense that both the main characters of the novels were engaged into alcoholism, drug addiction and losss of their families. However, in the novel of â€Å"No Longer Human† the main character’s story ended upon his confinement in a mental insitution, while in the story of â€Å"To Live† the main character after he loses his entire family fortune, eventually reunites with his wife and children, but is forced to start a shadow puppet troupe with partner Chunsheng to support his family. The story of â€Å"To Live† during the Chinese Civil War is in full swing, and both Fugui and Chunsheng are forcibly enlisted into the Kuomintang forces during a performance. After a heavy battle, Fugui and Chunsheng are captured by the communist side, where they quickly become entertainers for the troops. Eventually Fugui is able to return home, and once there, finds out that Fengxia has become mute due to a fever. The story of â€Å"To Live† gives emphasis to the peak of the Great Leap Forward. During this period the local town chief enlists Fugui and Jiazhen to donate all scrap iron in their possession to the national drive to produce steel and make weaponry for liberating Taiwan. As an entertainer, Fugui performs for the entire town, which has been devoted entirely over to producing steel. They enter this work with great passion, and the movie devotes some time to portraying the family’s unity and happiness. For example, the young boy Youqing defends his sisters from bullies picking on her for her muteness. Aside from the Great Leap Forward period, the novel also give attention to the period of Cultural Revolution. The village chief advises Fugui’s family to burn their shadow puppet drama props, which have been deemed as counter-revolutionary as they are traditional cultural elements. Also, Fugui’s daughter is now grown up. Her family arranges for her to meet Wan Erxi, who is a local leader of the Red Guards, a worker with a salary, and also a kind-hearted and caring man, but lame in one leg. They fall in love and marry. During Fengxia’s childbirth, her parents and husband accompany her to the county hospital, where they find out that nurses are in charge as all doctors have been sent to do hard labor for being â€Å"reactionary academic authorities†. The nurses assure the family that they have nothing to fear, but the family is skeptical, and manages to retrieve a doctor from confinement to oversee the birth, under the pretext of making the doctor â€Å"see his revolutionary mistakes†. As the doctor has not eaten for several days, the family purchases for him seven steamed buns. However, the young woman begins to hemorrhage, and the nurses panic, admitting that they are only students and do not know what to do. The frantic family and nurses seek the advice of the doctor, but it is found out that he has overeaten and is semiconscious. The family is helpless, and Jiazhen can only hold the hand of her daughter as she slowly dies. The story ends several years later, with the family now consisting of Fugui, Jiazhen, their son-in-law Erxi, and grandson Mantou. The family visits the graves of Youqing and Fengxia, where Jiazhen, as per tradition, leaves dumplings for her son. Erxi buys for his son a box full of young chicks, which they decide to keep in the puppet drama prop chest, now empty of its contents. â€Å"To Live† such is not the same as â€Å"No Longer Human† because as you can see the character of the novel â€Å"No Longer Human† is more on of being useless to the family and to the society because Oba Yozo just ended up in confinement because his woman had another man. Another distinction between the two stories was that the character of â€Å"To Live† realized and did something good for himself and for his family, whereas in the novel â€Å"No Longer Human† the main character shows no changes in his life. â€Å"No Longer Human† on the other hand is basically autobiographical, founded on events from Dazai’s own life. He was a literary rock star, but a deeply unhappy guy, attempting suicide several times before finally succeeding. There is in fact a monument at the spot where he killed himself that is, along with his mistress. The book is uncommon from what we think of as autobiography, in that the reason for writing is not so much to tell a story – there is no real employment, beginning, middle, and end in the traditional sense, but rather, the text is a sort of rambling exploration of the self. There is no forced form, instead, an effort to create a straightforward relation between author and reader, to explain a precise point of view. The book itself is very fascinating. It makes the reader want to learn Japanese, for beginners, because no matter how talented the translator, there is no getting throughout the fact that the grammatical structure of Japanese is completely different from that of English in that it is completely possible, and even ordinary, to compose a sentence in Japanese with no subject. Clearly, the entire book is written in this form, which would be particularly appropriate to the work itself. The book is the related story of a very unhappy guy who is essentially chronicling his downward spiral. Nevertheless it is hard to say if it is really a downward spiral, that is, though he does identify a moment at which he came to an end to be human, it is not totally clear that he was ever really human, through his own definition, to begin with. One question is what it means, in his eyes, to be human. . Oba Yozo’s character is raging against rationality, and the way, in which it dehumanizes people, so in a sense, though he calls himself a mouse, etc, he could be seen as claiming that he is really the only human. Dazai’s character, Oba Yozo in the novel, sees himself as inhuman, primarily, it seems, because he lacks certain fundamental human character. He maintains for instance, that he has in no way felt starving. On the other hand, there is also a certain issue of domination at play like; he is not capable to say no to anyone, to refuse permission for anything. In this sense, one could say that he is entirely determined by the outside world. Notwithstanding the fact that he has an inner life, he maintains it hidden from the outside world. As a matter of fact, his behavior is entirely, he claims, an act, he â€Å"plays the clown† for the pleasure of others, declining to let his own emotions reveal. The main characters of the novel have a clear similarity to notes from deeply unhappy men who are convinced of their own uniqueness, but there are definitely differences the way they choses to end up their stories. References: Dazai, Osamu. No Longer Human. New York: New Directions, 1973. Yu Hua. To Live: A Novel. (1993). Trans. Michael Berry. New York: Anchor-Random House, 2003.

A&P Discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

A&P Discussion - Essay Example The five-liter per minute blood flow indicates how the fatty materials have built up along the arterial walls that the volumetric blood rate becomes this low. (2) Immunosuppressive Disorder, otherwise known as immunodeficiency disorder, pertains to any condition that impairs the ability of a human body to combat infections as such disorder suppresses a natural response of the immune system to an antigen. Besides being genetically transferred, it may be acquired in the form as AIDS and one may obtain the virus responsible for it through sexual intercourse or transfusion with a contaminated blood or needles. This sensitive condition would normally require isolation of an immunosuppressive person for becoming increasing prone to infections. Health care environment may put the person to a higher risk of exposure to factors that worsen his situation since there are several other ill patients who possess contagious disease that may readily spread in the open and bring about different types of infections at varying degree. (3) G.I.

Corporate strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Corporate strategy - Essay Example The labels are demanding a revolution from their trade unions and they have dropped DRM to keep up with the changes in the contemporary world by engaging in innovative operations. The competition among the key players in this industry is not as aggressive as in other industries. Analysis of internal resources and culture Sony record label is a renowned company in the entertainment industry offering diverse products and services to its wide market as explained by Hanson et al. (2001). Their productions are highly refreshing and entertaining (Sony United 2007). This is achieved by efficiently combining and managing its resources, competencies and abilities. This results in a strong competitive advantage. Resources are the features owned and managed by a company to create value for customers as stipulated by Hill et al. (2007). The discussion below analyses the different resources owned and managed by the company. Financial resources These are described as the tangible resources that ha ve physical properties and are financial in nature (Hill et al. 2007). The company recorded an increase in sales of 10% in the year 2007 (Sony United 2007). The company owns other forms of tangible resources in form of land, buildings, machinery and equipment valued at nearly 14 million dollars (Sony United 2007). ... (2007). The company is linked to quality and is among the top enterprises globally. This reputation has led to increased sales over the years (Singh et. al. 2005). The company’s brand is recognized worldwide and it is among the most trusted music labels. Once an artiste has been signed to the record label, they are guaranteed of superstardom and this has led to increased revenues. The company employs high technology in its production processes and this offers high quality music. The record label has big stars signed to it including Pink, Shakira, Avril Lavigne, and Celine Deon among other international stars. With such talent and stardom the company has been recording high sales for many years. The company produces different genres of music through the labels that are under the main organization. These include the Columbia/Epic label group, Provident label group, RCA/Jive label group, Sony Music Latin, Sony Music Commercial Music group and Provident label (Sony Corporation of America 2011). The company activities are spread across 44 nations and this describes its vast market base. Customer loyalty has remained the main contributing factor to its success. Despite the decline in sales of CDs, a specific segment has remained loyal to buying their music. The company’s experience in the music production business has been a valuable asset since the company understands the market, the artists and the music industry. This helps the company to produce quality products and to adapt to any changes in future. Physical resources This refers to the structures, property and machinery owned by the company. The company has modern music equipment for production purposes. The company has

The social determinants of healthcare delivery service Essay

The social determinants of healthcare delivery service - Essay Example Social determinants of health can be regulated to improve the health conditions of countries. Through the adequate distribution of resources, the government can ensure that people have awareness about their health and have access to health care whenever they require it. Effective management and distribution of health care resources not only entails the treatment of a disease, but also its prevention. Preventing the occurrence of a disease can save a lot of resources not only financially, but also in terms of the staff, hospital resources and time that are spent on treating it. Obesity is becoming a serious health condition in the US and is starting to be referred to as an epidemic (Mechanic 112). Obesity is a global problem and more than 1.6 billion people all over the world are overweight. Of these figures, 300 million people are considered to be clinically obese, with a large proportion of overweight and obese people living in developed countries (Oxford Business Group 187). The obesity epidemic is at its very worst in the in the US (Plunkett). In the US, one person dies due to a health condition associated with obesity (Ayres). The US government spends $2 trillion annually on healthcare; about 76% of this sum is spent on the treatment and management of chronic diseases like diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases and strokes. All of these diseases are linked to obesity. In an article published by Why, an organization working for the elimination of hunger and poverty in the US, it was reported that two-thirds of the Americans are overweight, and one-third are obese (Ayres). The annual health care costs of obesity have doubled in the past ten years in the country. A recen t research conducted by the government documented that the costs of obesity are as much as $147 billion a year (Ayres). Moreover, it has been reported that the number of obese children have increased very rapidly and this has had profound impacts on their health. In fact, according

Assessment research assignmnet Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Assessment assignmnet - Research Paper Example This power imbalance arises at various stages of the employment relationship, commencing when they seek employment and extends even after their employment has been terminated (Hogbin, 2006, p.13). This theory was propagated by Karl Marx who argued that the bargaining table was tilted in favor of the employer, and who could, as a result, exploit their stronger bargaining position to the detriment of the employees; driving their wages to subsistence levels (Hogbin, 2006, p.1). This imbalance necessitates special regulations in the labor sector. In addition, it is a fundamental human right under the International Labor Organization (ILO). It is enshrined in two key ILO conventions; 87 and 98- 1948 Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize and Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining (1949) respectively, both of which have been ratified by Australia. Individual contracting, while it can be useful for those with strong bargaining power, it is not a solution to empl oyees without bargaining power and can be used to undermine labor standards (Cooper, Ellem & Todd, 2012, p.7). According to Sewerynski (2003, p.223) collective bargaining has a horde of benefits to both the employer and the employee. It enhances the strength and stature of employee unions. They also harmonize employment conditions across the industry and seek to eliminate chances of labor disputes. To add, it has a way of increasing the weight of employee’s dispute. This is because if a complaint is made by an individual employee, the employer can easily ignore it with minimal repercussions. Prior to 1993, there were no legal provisions for collective bargaining in Australia. Nevertheless, the system was collective in nature, with informal collective bargaining taking place in the form of negotiation over award payments, and industrial actions (ACTU, 2006, p.5). Subsequent agreements were given legal effect through consent awards subject to the approval of the commission. In addition, for almost a century, arbitration tribunals had settled industrial disputes between employer and employees, through making and awards that applied to the whole industry that applied to all employees, whether or not they were members of a union (Cooper, Ellem & Todd, 2012, p.5). Subsequently, the Howard government was determined to eliminate this collectivism from the system, instead, advocating for individual contracts (ACTU, 2006, 4). Some of the changes introduced affected collectivisms on two fronts; there were those that were designed to alter collective bargaining, and those meant to impair the effectiveness of the trade unions. This was achieved through the enactment of the Workplace Relations Act, 1996 and the Work Choices amendments of 2005(Cooper, Ellem & Todd, 2012, p.5). The former, was the first Employment relations legislation to make use of corporation power provided under section 51(XX) of the Australian Constitution rather than the conciliation and arbitrat ion power under section 51(XXXV) (IRJ, n.d. 23). With regards to bargaining, the 1996 Act introduced statutory Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs). AWAs could override both the awards and collective agreements. In fact, such agreements could form a pre-condition of employment

Current operations-based 'customer' issue of a SME in Southern England Essay

Current operations-based 'customer' issue of a SME in Southern England region - Essay Example In the year 2002, the company had launched the brand O2 for the betterment of the business. The organization operates in more than 25 countries employing 264000 employees and serving almost 287 million customers. It helps in developing the client’s business by means of international advertising or telecommunication solutions. Ronan Dunne is the existing CEO of the organization. He has managed all his responsibilities in an efficient manner from his very first day of taking over the responsibilities from the previous CEO. He has succeeded in generating as well as maintaining consistency in earning high revenues. The company offers 2G, 3G and 4G services to the customers all over the country and also, in some parts of Europe. Along with its telecommunication services, the company is also known for providing fixed line services. The organization uses its name in its logo and portrays an image of an oxygen provider to its customers. O2 is also known for its charity purpose and has a tie up with a large number of charity groups. One of the examples is its tie up with Academy Music Group. Their partnership had resulted in the establishment of O2 academy. Current Research Operational Activity Digital communication serves as one of the fundamental parts for almost all the individuals in the world. In the developing as well as developed countries, the communication facility is developing at a fast rate along with the advancement of technology. In the present scenario, the cell phones are almost indispensible for all the individuals involved in mainstream activities. It has become one of the most important reasons for increasing the value of O2 from the global perspective. In 2012, there were approximately 82 million users who had subscribed to various mobile service providers. It has also been seen that the number of internet users have increased rapidly along with increasing mobile phone subscribers. The data traffic almost doubled itself in 2013 as compared to the previous year. In United Kingdom, there are a large number of players operating in this particular segment, O2 being one among them. The international market of the telecommunication services tends to be highly competitive with passage of time. It is mainly because of the rapid technological advancements, thereby resulting in the development of modern channels of communication. Xavier and Ypsilanti (2008) have argued that in this period of varying communication tools, implemented by the consumers as well as the marketers, the consumers reflect various motivational factors behind their purchasing services from a definite mobile service provider. Therefore, the companies operating in this industry are highly engaged in the diversified process of attracting the customers and retaining them by implementation of various effective business strategies. O2 uses the benefits of its global reach for standardizing the business all across the world by improving the cost efficiency and reduc ing the time involvement in launching new products and services for the customers. It has recently collaborated with Vodafone for operating as well as managing one single network grid in United Kingdom, which would be run by two most competing mobile internet networks. The joint collaboration of both the companies would offer indoor 2G and 3G, thereby covering 98 percent of the UK population within 2015 (Vodafone Group, 2013). Service Differentiation The customers as well as the

Argument Essay Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Argument Essay - Research Paper Example a century back, death penalty was widely practiced in almost all cultures but in recent times the use of capital punishment has declined very sharply. Although it has been practiced much less than before but still every year thousands of people receive death penalties worldwide and hundreds of them get executed also. There is worldwide debate that whether the death penalty is a justified and valid form of punishment. There is a debate over the morals and effectiveness of such a harsh sentence. Many people support the death penalty while many others wish for the death penalty to be abolished. People who support the death penalty have some very strong arguments in the favor of this punishment. One of the strongest arguments in the favor is that this penalty sends strong warning to those who are planning heinous crimes. If a murderer is sentenced to death and being executed then many future potential murderers think many times before attempting such a crime. They say that if a criminal knows that he is not going to be punished severely even if he/she kills many people, then they gets encouragement from this and does not hesitate to commit those serious crimes like murder. So it’s necessary to convey a strong message to all of those potential criminals. They say that for every man who is executed, seven lives are saved. Another strong argument in the favor of death penalty is that if a criminal like murderer got death penalty and get executed then the relatives of the person being murdered are get satisfied and they don’t try to take the law in their hands. So death penalty not only helps to deter against the potential criminals but it also made the effected people to believe in law and justice and prevents them to take the law in their own hand. Moreover Opponents point to the ever-present risk of wrongful conviction (Los Angeles Times, 2009). People who oppose the death penalty argues that you could not combat violence with more violence they say that â€Å"Why

History of Biligual Education Essay Example for Free

History of Biligual Education Essay My project was to go and find out about bilingual education’s history, process, and the experts in the field of bilingual education. Bilingualism is the ability to speak two languages fluently. Bilingualists study Bilingualism and bilingual education, which is teaching all subjects in school through two different languages. Bilingual Education was first adopted in Ohio in 1839, due to the increase of German-Americans (Rethinking). By the end of the 19th century, many states had adopted bilingual education laws to meet the demands of new immigrants due to industrialization. When World War I came many Americans changed their views of bilingual education, due to the fear of German-Americans and the government’s new Americanization policies, including English-only instruction. It wasn’t until the Civil Rights Movement Era and the Bilingual Education Act of 1968, when bilingual education was reintroduced into the United States. â€Å"The courts decision in the landmark Lau v. Nichols case required schools to take affirmative steps to overcome language barriers impeding childrens access to the curriculum. Congress immediately endorsed this principle in the Equal Educational Opportunity Act of 1974.†(Rethinking). In California, bilingual education was banned until 1967. In 1967, Governor Ronald Reagan signed legislation (SB 53) that authorized bilingual education, before the Bilingual Education Act of 1968. A blow for bilingual education came in 2002, when President George Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act got rid of the Bilingual E ducation Act of 1968, changing the way people look at bilingual education. In 1998 California, under Ron Unz’s Proposition 227, reverted Ronald Reagan’s SB 53. This Proposition later confirms Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act and the country’s renewed interest in English only instruction, due to the Iraq War. Many critics of bilingual education believe that bilingual education is failed, but proponents of bilingual education feel bilingual education is a better option than English-only instruction. Critics of bilingual education believe that children who receive bilingual education will not be able to help students learn English as well as English-only students. One of the critics of bilingual education, Rosalie Pedalino Porter of the Institute for Research in English Acquisition and Development (READ), believes that â€Å"the expectations for bilingual schooling were threefold: better and more rapid learning of English; better mastery of school subjects; and higher self-esteem among students, which could lead to higher academic achievement and fewer school dropouts. Unfortunately, none of these goals was achievedThe goal [of English immersion] is threefold: early literacy development in English, subject matter instruction in English with a special curriculum, and early inclusion of LEP students in mainstream classrooms for maximum exposure to native speakers of English and for greater integration of diverse student populations(Porter). However, â€Å"controlled studies consistently show that children in such properly organized bilingual classes acquire at least as much English as those in all-English classes and usually acquire more†(Krasen). Another proponent of bilingual education, Jay Greene provided research that â€Å"the use of the native language in instructing limited English proficient children has moderate beneficial effect s and that efforts to eliminate the use of the native language in instruction harm children by denying them access to beneficial approaches†(Greene). In addition to the belief that children who receive bilingual education will not be able to help students learn English as well as English-only students, critics of bilingual education believe that the passage of Proposition 227, caused test scores to increase. Proponents of 227 from the READ Institute argue that, the test scores from 1998-2000, show that minority English language learning students in California have done better on the SAT 9 test than those in bilingual education had done before (Mora). Kenji Hakuta, shows in his article, Points on SAT-9 Performance and Proposition 227, â€Å"test scores rose in districts in California that kept bilingual education, as well as in districts that never had bilingual education† (Hakuta). In addition, â€Å" Scores increase about 1.5 to 2 points per year after a new test is introduced. Thus, test score inflation accounts for about half of the increase in grades two and three in the SAT9 reading test since 1998, and all of the inc rease in grades four through seven SAT9 reading scores in California have actually declined slightly in grades eight through eleven†(Linn et. al). Research done by these bilingualists show that Proposition 227 has not increased the minority English language-learning students in California’s English skills. Critics of bilingual education believe that poorly trained teachers and complicated bilingual education structures cause more confusion than English-only programs. Susan Headden, writing in U.S. News World Report, comments, â€Å"Poorly trained teachers further complicate the picture. . . . The paucity of qualified candidates has forced desperate superintendents to waive some credentialing requirements and recruit instructors from abroad. The result is teachers who themselves struggle with English† Advocates cite that just because bilingual education needs improvement doesn’t mean it should be eliminated. Critics of bilingual education look at the success of Canada’s French immersion policy in schools. In kindergarten and first grade native-English speakers are taught entirely in French. Then gradually, English is introduced and by the end of elementary school, most students become fluent in French and English. However, more impressive is the bilingual education of European countries. Since there are eleven different official languages of the European Union, students are taught multiple languages .The study of first foreign language begins in first year of primary school, then an additional language is added in the second year of secondary school and the fourth year of secondary school. By the time students exit college with a Baccalaureate degree, they will know at least four languages. From, my research I was able to find proponents and critics of bilingual education. I noticed that there were many more proponents of bilingual education, among them are Kenji Hakuta of Stanfor d University, Colin Baker of the University of Wales, Stephen Krashen of the University of Southern California, Wayne P. Thomas and Virginia Collier at George Mason University, and Jim Cummins of the University of Toronto. Critics of bilingual education include politicians, George Bush, Susan Headden, and Rosalie Pedalino Porter. Perhaps we should be looking to other nations to solve our educational issues, as neither English-only nor bilingual education seems to work. References *Based on an Analysis by National Association of Bilingual Education. (2002, Winter). History of Bilingual Education. Rethinking Schools. Retrieved May 10, 2007, from http://www.rethinkingschools.org/special_reports/bilingual/langhst.shtml * Greene, J. (1997). A meta-analysis of the Rossell and Baker review of bilingual education research. Bilingual Research Journal , 21(3), 103-122. *Hakuta, K. (2000). Points on SAT-9 Performance and Proposition 227. Lecture presented at Stanford University , Cubberley Hall 228, 485 Lasuen Mall Stanford, California. *Headden, S. (1995, September 25). One Nation, One Language? U.S. News World Report, 38+. Retrieved May 10, 2007, from http://faculty.ed.umuc.edu/~jmatthew/articles/onenation.html *Krasen, S. (1996). Under Attack: The Case Against Bilingual Education. Culver City, CA: Language Education Associates. *Linn, R., Graue, E., Sanders, N. (1990). Comparing state and district test results to national norms: The validity of claims that ‘everyone is above average. Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice , (9), 5-13. *Mora, J. K. (n.d.). What Do the SAT-9 Scores for Language Minority Students Really Mean? Retrieved May 10, 2007, from San Diego State University Web site: http://coe.sdsu.edu/people/jmora/SAT9analysis.htm *Porter, R. P. (1999, December). The Benefits of English Immersion. Educational Leadership, 1(57), 52-56.

Shakespeares presentation of the characters of Hal and Hotspur in Henry IV Essay Example for Free

Shakespeares presentation of the characters of Hal and Hotspur in Henry IV Essay Compare Shakespeares presentation of the characters of Hal and Hotspur in Henry IV Part 1 The two main characters in Henry IV Part 1 are named Hal and Hotspur. They are two very contrasting characters. Hal (actual name Henry Bolingbrook) is the son of the king, Henry IV. Hotspur (Harry Percy) is the son of Lord Northumberland. His family is very wealthy and powerful, and at the start of the play they are fighting for the King because they are good friends with him. Things soon turn sour though, when the short-tempered Hotspur, egged on by his scheming uncle, Lord Worcester, falls out with the King and vows to get revenge on him. This essay describes the numerous differences between the two young men. In his fathers eyes, Hal mixes with the wrong sort of people, and this is probably true. He spends a lot of his time with thieves like Gadshill, liars like Falstaff, and drunkards like Bardolph. The King is very disappointed with the way his son behaves, and he makes this clear right at the beginning of the play. Whilst I by looking on the praise of him [HOTSPUR] see riot and dishonour stain the brow of my young Harry he confides in Westmoreland. He even goes as far as wishing that Hotspur was his son instead of Hal! Oh that it could be proved that some night-tripping fairy had exchangedour children where they lay. Hotspur is an aggressive, short-tempered character. He always says what he thinks, no matter who is around, and this characteristic tends often to get him into hot water. He forbad my tongue to speak of Mortimer, but I will find him when he lies asleep and in his ear Ill holla Mortimer! he says in one of his many rants about the King. Hal is almost the exact opposite of Hotspur in this respect, he is very laid-back, and keeps his thoughts to himself rather than blurting them out like Hotspur. When asked if he was afraid of Glendower and the rebels, he replies nonchalantly Not a whit ifaith, showing his relaxed manner. Hal is not as flippant with his remarks as Hotspur. He keeps himself to himself. This is made clear to the audience when he reveals in an aside that his mixing with disreputable people is a scheming plan to eventually glorify himself when he turns over a new leaf. He reveals this quite late in the play, which is done on purpose to show that he has been keeping it to himself for quite a while, giving the audience the impression that he is a scheming and calculating person. Hotspur is obsessed with war and politics, whereas at the start of the play it seems like Hal couldnt care less. I love thee not; I care not for thee Kate when I am a-horseback I will swear that I love thee infinitely says Hotspur, who we know loves Kate very much, but when there is a battle approaching he doesnt care about anything else. Although at the start of the play Hal seems disinterested in war and politics, it later emerges that he is almost as fanatical about it as Hotspur. Hal, when he insults people, does it behind their back, and is much more subtle than Hotspur. In Act 2 Scene 4 Hal has a dig at Hotspur while laughing and joking in the tavern, whereas Hotspur criticises the King while he is just meters away from him in Act 1 Scene 3. He forbad my tongue to speak of Mortimer, but I will find him when he lies asleep and in his ear Ill holla Mortimer! he rants. Hotspur often mentions Gods name in his speeches. And God defend but still I should stand so he says at one point in the play, and Welcome, Sir Walter Blunt; and would to God you were of our determination! he says at another time. Frequent mention of Gods name was an important part of public rhetoric, in contrast to todays society where faith in God is no longer an essential part of the political or judicial process. Harry does not mention God as often, perhaps hinting at either a lack of faith or a lack of knowledge and experience of rhetoric. This comparison demonstrates how Hal has much to learn about being a successful speaker, and in a broader sense about life as a noble in general, whereas Hotspur seems to have already picked the idea up. Hotspur is very disorganised, and doesnt plan ahead. He thinks on the spot, and has a tendency to let himself down as he sometimes makes poor decisions when he is under pressure. A plague upon it! I have forgot the map he exclaims, when the whole point of the meeting he was attending was to use the map to divide up land. Hal is more of a forward-thinker, as proved with his long-term plan to make people disapprove of him and then to change his ways in the future. Hal controls events himself, whereas Hotspur lets his temper control events, and lets himself be egged on by crafty people like his uncle Worcester. An example of how easy Hotspur is to manipulate is the way he is subtly encouraged by Worcester to fall out with the king. Hotspur uses lots of expletives and exclamations, whereas Hal uses much more relaxed language most of the time. A two-faced side of Hostpur emerges in Act 4 Scene 3, where he acts very warmly towards the enemys messenger. Welcome, Sir Walter Blunt some of us love you well, and even those some envy your great deservings and good name. he says. Hal is also two-faced in a way, because he mixes with dishonourable people even though he doesnt even want to. Of course he pretends to want to when he is around them. Both Hal and Hotspur are admired by people on the opposite sides to them. In Act 4 Scene 1 Vernon compares Hal to the Gods, using lots of philosophical metaphors, much to Hotspurs displeasure. Rise from the ground like feathered Mercury he proclaims in a description of Hal. The King shows his respect for Hotspur as well by calling him Mars in swaddling clothes. They are both respected by their enemies, and both seem to be unappreciated by their own sides. So as you can see, although Hal and Hotspur at first seem like very contrasting characters, as the play progresses you begin to notice more and more similarities between them.