Littlefield Technologies Simulation Game 2 strategy Share Essay

Littlefield Simulation 2 strategy: Littlefield Technologies Simulation Game 2 strategy Share 1 More Next Blog » Create Blog Sign In Littlefield Simulation 2 strategy Sunday, July 17, 2011 Littlefield Technologies Simulation Game 2 strategy Followers Join this site with Google Friend Connect Just went through this last semester. We ended up in first place even though we made a few minor mistakes. First a few links that helped us: There are no members yet. Be the first! http://archive.ite.journal.informs.org/Vol5No2/Miyaoka/ http://wordpress.shetgar.com/blog/?p=59 http://www.scribd.com/doc/51139499/Littlefield ­Simulation ­2 ­Report Already a member? Sign in Here is what we did: Pre ­Game Activities: The team met the Tuesday before class to examine the data  and discuss strategies. It was apparent that both Stations 1 and 3 were operating at full capacity, frequently hitting 100% utilization. Station 3 seemed more strained since it had higher queues (Mean=506, STD=498) than Station 1(Mean=187, STD=175). Since the average job lead time exceeded 2 days during days 43 through 46, inclusive, we thought it would be unprofitable to attempt to move to the $1,000 contracts. We discussed the options of altering the lot sizes, but decided that the extra setup time would only create more bottlenecks downstream. About Me Blog Archive HB ââ€" ¼ 2011 (1) View my complete profile ââ€" ¼ July (1) Littlefield Technologi es Simulation Game 2 strateg†¦ Stage 1: As a result of our analysis, the team’s initial actions included: 1. Leave the contracts at $750. 2. Change the reorder point to 3000 (possibly risking running out of stock). 3. Change the reorder quantity to 3600 kits. 4. Purchase a second machine for Station 3 as soon as our cash balance reached $137,000 ($100K + 37K). This strategy proved successful and after the second machine for Station 3 was purchased on Day 56 and the queue cleared, we were able to switch to the $1,000 contracts. We occasionally lost a few dollars for being a little late, but we always made more than we would have under the $750 contracts. Stage 2: The next goal was to save enough cash to purchase a machine for Station 1 so that we could switch to the $1,250 contracts. During the cash building stage, we made the inventory order quantity as high as we could afford, which was 6,900 kits at a purchase price of $70,000. When the 6,900 kits were delivered, we switched the order quantity back to 3,600 so that we could purchase a Station 1 machine as soon as our cash balance reached $127,000 ($90K + 37K). After 21 factory days, we were able to purchase the fourth machine for Station 1 and immediately moved to the $1,250 contracts. The average lead time declined to under a half a day during factory days 69 through 76. There was a substantial decline in arriving orders during the same time period. The team noticed the drop in lead time and regrets not having moved to the $1,250 contracts sooner. We lost $22,750 of potential revenue for not moving on the information sooner. On the other hand, orders are random and an early move could have backfired on us. Stage 3: During our preliminary meeting, the team discussed the possibility of purchasing a fifth machine for Station 1. We decided to wait and see if the loss of potential ea  rnings was sufficient to justify a $90 K purchase. We knew that if we were going to buy a fifth machine we should do it as soon as possible to maximize the return on investment. We calculated the loss of potential revenue as ($1,250 – actual average revenues * jobs completed). Our initial estimates showed a potential revenue loss of $266 per day, but within a few factory days the rate of potential loss rose to $419 per day. There is another consideration in the decision to purchase a fifth machine for Station 1. The title of the Littlefield Technologies game 2 is Customer Responsiveness. The title implies that we should be concerned about the consistency with which we deliver on our service level agreements (SLAs). The potential loss of $419 per day barely covers the $90,000 machine purchaseÍ ¾ however we were missing our SLAs 13 out of 15 days and the percent of potential revenues lost due to missing SLAs was 3%. We decided to purchase the fifth machine on Day 94 primarily to improve our customer responsiveness. This strategy did not perform as well as we had hoped. While our potential revenues lost declined to 1%, we were still missing our SLAs six out of seven days. Stage 4. During Stage 4, we explored job splitting as a solution to the SLA problem. First, we split jobs into two batch of 30 kits each. This strategy worked so well that we wondered why we hadn’t explored job splitting during Stage 2 or 3. We met our SLAs 12 out of 16 days and our percent of potential revenues lost declined to 0.4%. We calculated the setup times as a proportion of a

Political Dynasty Essay

The Philippine Constitution is a Social Contract which embodies the fundamental principles and policies, according to which the Filipino people are governed by the State. The fundamental principles are abstract and as such they cover every aspect of the life of the Filipino people; while the fundamental policies cover specific areas of application of those principles. The fundamental principles remain fixed and permanent, but the policies built upon those principles can be modified or repealed by legislation to suit the needs of the times. The title is product of my out of the box philosophizing about the provisions of Section 1 and Section 26 taken together of Article II of our Constitution. I must say that philosophizing does not tell us my conclusions and/or thoughts are right or wrong, true or false, but it has certainly given me the basis upon which to present my meta-understanding of Section 1 and Section 26: Article II, Section 1 says: â€Å"The Philippines is a democratic and republican state. Sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them. † This is the most basic principle of the Constitution, and it refers to a natural law as formulated and accepted in the mind; it refers also to essential truth upon which other truths are based. Article II, Section 26: â€Å"The State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service, and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law. † This is a policy built upon the principle of Section 1, and it refers to a planned line of conduct in the light of which individual decisions on political dynasties are made and coordination is achieved. Moreover, political dynasties refer to the line of politicians of the same families. Every coin has two inseparable opposite sides – the head and the tail – yet they complement each other as they are opposed to each other to constitute only one coin. Similarly, the political issue on dynasty has two opposite yet complementary sides (a) â€Å"the principle of political dynasty† of Section 1 and (b) the â€Å"the policy of political dynasty† of Section 26. Both Sections constitute one Article II. The policy of Section 26 names the specific area of application of the principle of Section 1 of the same Article II. The policy of Section 26 is built upon the basic principle of Section 1. Moreover, the fundamental principle of Section 1 remain fixed and permanent, but policies of Section 3 can be are modified or repealed by legislation to suit the needs and demands of the times. The People: The Creators and Masters of Political Dynasties The phrase – â€Å"sovereignty resides in the people, and all government authority emanates from them† – clearly shows that the people are the habitat of the sovereignty. However, â€Å"people† have two distinct yet mutually complementary meanings, namely, â€Å"people as electorate† which is the source of political power of elected politicians and â€Å"people as corporate nation† which is the reason for being of elected politicians. These â€Å"dual meanings of people† effectively signify that the elected politicians are â€Å"public servants† of the people; hence the people are their â€Å"boss and master† in our democratic and republican state, not the way around By virtue of their sovereign power, the people are superior to any and all existing political dynasties, whose reason for being is service to their masters, the people. On moral grounds, the people must be awakened to the reality that they are the boss of political dynasties, and therefore they have no reason to fear the, before, during, and after political elections. Centrality of Morality in the Constitution The centrality of morality to our Constitution is evident in the Preamble, in the imploration to Almighty God for aid to build a just and humane society and to establish a Government that shall embody the Filipino ideals and aspirations and promote their common good under a regime of truth, justice, freedom, love, equality, and peace. The rest of the Constitution revolves around these moral ideals and moral values. These are the moral foundations of the Social Ethics Society. There are socio-economic phenomena in many areas of the country where the life-style and the exercise of political power by political dynasties is betrayal of public trust, because it is not in accord with the following moral imperatives and criteria of right and wrong in public service: â€Å"Public office is a public trust. Public officers and employees must at all times accountable to the people, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency; act with patriotism and justice, and lead modest life†. (Article X on Accountability) Every elected politician in the public service is bound to abide by those mandates. Congress had passed anti-graft and anti-corruption laws, e. g. RA No. 6713, also known as Code of Ethics for Government Officials and Employees, in the public service. However, it appears that many of our elected politicians pay only â€Å"lip service† to anti-Graft and Anti-Corruptions laws. For instance, there are widespread phenomena of bribery and corruption in the public service, reportedly perpetuated by corrupt politician, many of whom are allegedly members of political dynasties. Centrality of Morality to Legality The Preamble provides the moral grounds and the foundation of ethical politics of several Articles of the Constitution. No statutory law is enforceable if it is unconstitutional; and the Constitution cannot be enforced if it is immoral. The bottom line – any enabling law on political dynasty is legally binding upon the Filipinos, only if it is constitutional and moral. A law that is moral is always constitutional, but a law that is constitutional is not necessarily moral. A Moral and Ethical Proposal I believe the policy of Section 26 which â€Å"prohibits political dynasties as may be defined by law† has two distinct opposite sides, (1) â€Å"the letter of the Constitution† which is the legalistic side, and (2) the â€Å"spirit of the Constitution† which is the ethical side. The pro-political dynasty advocates and promoters behave in accord with legal politics. Their action is legal so long as there is no law defining and enabling the constitutional prohibition against political dynasties. Therefore, the anti-dynasty advocates and promoters should stand on moral and ethical grounds against political dynasties. It is my proposal on moral and ethical grounds that the anti-dynasty advocates should develop and promote the concept of â€Å"political dynasty of the people† based on the principle of Section 1 face-to-face the â€Å"political dynasties of oligarchs† based on the policy of Section 26 but built upon the principle of Section 1. When there is a conflict between a principle and its policy, the principle should prevail over its policy. Moral, Ethical, and Legal Practices in Politics Moral and ethical are similar in meaning in that they both have to do with the difference between right and wrong. They are dissimilar in meaning in that ethical tends to refer to a code, system, theory, or standard of judging rightness or wrongness of moral behavior; whereas moral tends to refer to more concrete choices and issues that arouse strong feelings. In other words, moral refers to good and evil, while ethical refers to right and wrong. Because of the untruthful disclosure of his SALN per Code of Ethics, former SC Chief Justice Renato Corona was found ethically wanting for which he was impeached, despite his superior legalistic knowledge of law; Hence, we could say that â€Å"what is moral is always ethical, but what is ethical is not necessarily moral. † Hence, when an elected politician acts according to RA 6714, his behavior is ethical as well as legal – â€Å"what is ethical is always legal, but what is legal is not necessarily ethical†. The Pursuit of Ethical Politics Our major problem in the pursuit of ethical politics is the lack of political will on the part of the people as electorate. Let us awaken and educate their political consciousness, and empower their political will by making them conscious of their being the political dynasty that is superior over all existing political dynasties of oligarchs† per mandate of Article II, Section 1 that the people are the habitat of sovereign power, but the exercise of such pwer is delegated and vested upon elected politicians. Assume that Congress would never pass the law enabling the policy against political dynasties; let us then resort to the principle of Section 1 in Article II. This principle does not require any enabling law because it is precisely the ultimate basis of all enabling laws. This is the principle why the political candidates try to win the votes of the people during political campaigns. We have indeed laws prescribing the requirements of the policy to vote. The Social Ethics Society can start the movement to marginalize the political dynasties,, if not altogether eliminate them eventually from the political landscape of the Philippine.

Getting Back to Basics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Getting Back to Basics - Essay Example Proper attention to the personnel function helps improve the efficiency of the labor force and the level of organizational performance. For instance, when planning a change (quality improvements) the manager should consider the type of resources necessary for each activity, equipment or skill groups. The tasks of the managers are to select resources and systems used in quality control. Also, the manager may consider not just the skill types necessary but particular individuals (Cope, 2000). All systems (machines, procedures, processes, equipment, communications) depend upon managerial decisions. For instance, if quality management has some constraints, the activities need to be assessed so that additional resources can be used on the project to reduce poor quality. It is important not to overestimate their efficiency. A manager may not have time to check everything others do, so there is an element of risk here. Further prerequisites are the ability to hold the objectives clearly in mind regardless of the setbacks that the quality management may encounter and, above all, a consistent optimism about the outcome of the project and the team's ability to succeed. The case of Canbide illustrates that quality management cannot be effectively implemented without good managers and their control.

Without modern technology, what did European people of all ages and Research Paper

Without modern technology, what did European people of all ages and class do for fun and entertainment during the Renaissance period - Research Paper Example It was believed that good health promotes learning, as the body and the soul is indivisible. This theory called for recreation and play to go hand-in-hand with studying and working. Recreation does not only mean playtime. Using the popular theory of the body and soul during the Renaissance, it can be assumed that recreation gives the soul and the body its strength as the exercises toughens the body and studying expands one’s knowledge. One cannot learn if all one does is work or study. The mind and the body may be nourished with wisdom and knowledge but the body is not prepared to face the battles and challenges that the everyday life gives. How can one study then if the body is weak? Thus, the need for a physically fit body and sound mind is important in living well during the Renaissance. This belief goes hand-in-hand with the importance of human life and the value placed on dignity and individuality. During the Renaissance, the distinction between children and adults were blurred. Children were believed to have no importance in the society because of their lack of strength and knowledge (Hughes p.9). Only the elite members of the society has the chance to take on their education at a young age, the rest were off to work. Just the same with work, recreation, playing games and chanting nursery rhymes were done by everyone, children and adults alike. Recreation was not only part of the people’s way of living, as part of their relaxation and spiritual renewal. Recreation became a part of education, too (Hinds p.60). Since it was believed that recreation is a way to nourish one’s spirit and body, it was included in the study program of young children. Recreation and pastime during the Renaissance ranged from animal sports to celebrating feasts. Though their activities differ, the period has shown many types of recreation and pastimes that were to strengthen the body, as well as, nourish the soul.

LEGAL ASPECTS OF HOTEL MANAGEMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

LEGAL ASPECTS OF HOTEL MANAGEMENT - Essay Example Modern players in the hospitality industry need to be aware that administering hotel includes the likelihood for the managers, supervisors and owners to be subject to several legal liabilities when it comes to handling the employees. Hence, the aim of this paper is to offer an open treatise that covers the relationship between the hotels and their employees, and based on common law contracts, tort claims, non-discrimination laws, casualness and antitrust laws. Discussion Most employee-relation laws in the hospitality industry are designed to restrict, control and even prohibit certain actions in which the firms could be willingly or unwillingly be non-complying with labor-related ethical plus social standards (Hayes & Ninemeier, 2009). In particular, the hospitality industry has become highly sensitive to both economic factors and competitive marketplace condition, such that the workplace conditions placed on the industry are significant due to the myriad labor risks and employment-r elated disputes (Barth, 2006). The laws range from recruitment standards, to workplace training requirements, remunerations, to environmental and health concerns. This entails a range of issues such as labor disputes, wage and hour compliance, obligation to immigration laws, labor-force authorization regulations as well as observance of nondiscrimination practices. In addition, there is the requirement for the employee’s welfare to be based on OSHA and environmental laws. Firstly, companies in the hospitality industry are now increasingly being held responsible for their employees out of worksite deeds. In particular, firms are now experiencing liability for accidents or injuries caused by their employees to third parties, with damages comprising loss of property, pain, physical and emotional suffering, legal fees, lost wages and medical expenses.. The hospitality firms are now required by law to avoid any unreasonable acts or roles by their employees that can present possibl e risks to third parties. This became apparent in the case of Faverty vs. McDonald, whereby a hospitality industry employee was involved in a serious road accident that injured another motorist. Hence, the court ruled that McDonald was liable to the damages since it forced the worker to operate so many hours nonstop even as they were aware that the employee drove himself home thus a serious risk not just to himself but also to other people and motorists (Barth, 2006). This case set a precedent for other lawsuits in the industry, and which reveals that hospitality companies are not just required to have reasonable policies regarding their employees working hours and wages, but also have a legal duty to enforce the offsite personnel wellbeing in order not to harm other persons wellbeing. As such, The Fair Credit Reporting Act calls for the management to have well-documented structures in which their employees will use to identify, report, and react to both real and probable hazards (B arth, 2006). They are also required to have handbooks and guidelines on safe practices, processes and controls which are particular to a given hazards, and that such guidelines attains or exceed the requirements stipulated under the Act. Moreover, the hospitality compa

Employment law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Employment law - Essay Example Under this act, employers are only allowed to hire persons who are permitted legally to work in the United States of America. They include citizens of the country and legally permitted aliens. An employer can suffer civil penalties if found hiring or continuing to employ an unauthorized alien. They will be required to stop the unlawful behavior and pay a fine. They can be fined in a range of between $250 and $2000 per unauthorized foreign worker depending on the extent that they breach the act. Employers who fail to prepare and present Forms I-9 as required by the act will be liable for civil penalties that range between $100 and $1000.Extent of violation and size of the business are factors that will be considered in deciding the penalty ( Holland and Burnett, 2007). Employers can also suffer criminal penalties from violating the act. Such penalties include a fine of up to $3000 and/or imprisonment of up to 5 years. In my opinion these consequences are enforced by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and failure to comply with them will lead to legal enforcement. Such consequences would tarnish the public image for the restaurant. Reforms and procedures that should be followed to comply with the act include; employment of aliens to be in accordance with the US Immigration Act, completing form I-9 to verify employment eligibility, and procedures for paying international employees

Mistake On Contract Law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Mistake On Contract Law - Case Study Example As a landmark decision, Great Peace has been observed by various other sources as the final arbiter of the confusion that arose out of the Solle case. The essay will cite various sources that share a common observation of the impact that Great Peace has on contractual law, particularly on the disposition of issues relating to mutual mistake. Before proceeding to establish a position relative to the statement under scrutiny, it is essential to first understand, in the proper context, the "mistake" being alluded to as the core of the case in point. When parties enter into a contract, it is with the understanding that both sides understood what they were contracting about. However, there are instances when an incorrect belief as to a matter relevant to that contract gives rise to a situation wherein one party was mistaken but the other was not. This is referred to as unilateral mistakes and generally will not void a contract in the absence of vitiation of consent through fraud or delibe rate misrepresentation. Nevertheless, there are situations where the mistake is suffered by both contracting parties. In this situation, there are 2 types of mistakes recognized, common mistake and mutual mistake, although the two can sometimes be used interchangeably. Strictly speaking, there is the common mistake when both parties essentially make the same false and fundamental assumption of a fact. It is the opinion of some commentators that this does not necessarily render the contract void. However, if the common mistake relates to the existence of the subject matter of the contract such that it either does not exist or has ceased to exist without the knowledge of the parties, then the contract is void. Even under these circumstances, the contract will not be automatically voided if a) there was a warranty by one party, b) misrepresentation of the existence of the subject matter by one party, c) if one party assumed the risk of the existence of the subject matter and d) when th ere exists an overlap between the doctrine of mistake and the doctrine of implied terms.1 The mutual mistake happens when both parties misunderstand each other's intentions and are at cross-purposes. Compared to common mistake, here the parties do not actually make the same mistake but are proceeding on different assumptions. Ordinarily, this mistake will void a contract because it negatives consent. However, it has been argued that if by the behaviour or conduct of one party the other party is led to believe that the former was agreeing to the terms proposed by the latter, then the mistake will not necessarily be a ground to void the contract despite their obvious disagreement as to the purposes for such contract. Applying the above considerations to the Great Peace case, there was a common mistake which related to the misapprehension by both parties of the close proximity of their respective ships to one another on the basis of the information that was relayed to them by a third p arty. Consequential to this erroneous information, both parties proceeded to perfect the contract to avail of the service of Great Peace for a minimum of 5 days to stand-post for assistance in case of any untoward incident that was then most likely to occur to the casualty ship Cape Providence.

Racial and Ethnic Differentials in Obese Children Thesis

Racial and Ethnic Differentials in Obese Children - Thesis Example As the discussion highlights no research has been able to prove clearly that racial and ethnic background of a person is a factor that causes overweight and obesity in people. Even though some researches have concluded that it is the racial and ethnic background of a person that causes obesity in him, the deeper look at those studies show that it is not the racial and the ethnic background, but the socioeconomic factors ‘associated’ with those racial and ethnic communities that lead to development of obesity in people. Hence, it can be concluded that it is the ‘socioeconomic status’ (SES) and the social factors related to minor races and ethnic communities in the US that causes the prevalence of obesity among people.This essay stresses that  the research conducted to study the role of racial and ethnic background on obesity trend among children has revealed that children from ‘all’ the races and ethnic background showed a trend of increase in weight with growing years.  In a research conducted to study the effect of family income on the development of overweight and obesity in children, it was found that income of family and biological and social factors in the environment play an important role in the development of obesity.  At the same time, this study revealed a very interesting thing about the racial and ethnic aspect of obesity.... Effect of SES The research conducted to study the role of racial and ethnic background on obesity trend among children has revealed that children from ‘all’ the races and ethnic background showed a trend of increase in weight with growing years (Freedman et al. 301). The only difference is that children from some ethnic background show more increase in obesity than children from other ethnic background. For example, over 30-year period, children belonging to White ethnic background showed an increase in prevalence of overweight from 4% to 13%, while children from Black ethnic background showed an increase from 4% to 30% (Freedman et al. 301). This shows that not only children and adults from Hispanic ethnic background but also children and adults from White ethnic background have a tendency towards overweight and obesity. Hence, it does not clearly prove the effect of race and ethnicity on obesity and overweight. Moreover, other studies have revealed that it is not the r ace and ethnicity of a child that causes obesity, but it is the SES factors ‘associated’ with certain race and ethnic backgrounds that causes obesity. In a research conducted to study the effect of family income on the development of overweight and obesity in children, it was found that income of family and biological and social factors in the environment play an important role in the development of obesity (â€Å"Childhood Overweight..† para.35). At the same time, this study revealed a very interesting thing about the racial and ethnic aspect of obesity. The study found that the BMI levels in the second generation of Mexican-American adults is high among those living in the US than among those living in Mexico (â€Å"Childhood Overweight..† para.33). Moreover, the prevalence and the

Journal Entry Essay Example for Free

Journal Entry Essay The ability of change to become manifested in both man and environment gives each one the opportunity to create meaning in each action and scenario. Such idea can be taken either in a positive or negative manner and is dependent on the mindset and the relevant impact in can contribute to man and the environment. Seeing this, it change is inevitable however it has brought about different dimensions in understanding how it influences man’s actions or the formation of a scenario. Reflecting on the works of Faulkner, Capote and Weschler, one theme may circumvent in their reading – change. However their main difference is the way it was addressed and embodied by the characters in the story. I argue that these manifestations are necessarily generated by the choices we constantly make in our life. These in turn affect our environment as a whole as we try our best to adhere to the trends and standards of societal life. This in turn results in the transformation of customary beliefs, values and ideals of an individual to suit such need. Furthermore, it is with these decisions that we gain contentment and satisfaction in our ways. With the different challenges and distractions happening in our lives today, one may find it difficult to look for the appropriate ways that can make them happy. However, like the character of the old woman in Faulkner’s story, the path towards this may seem simple her eyes. For my part, I feel that by removing and distancing myself to these norms, I can get a glimpse of what I want and generate ideas that can provide satisfaction or contentment on my part. Such can contribute to the creation of meaning as I find ways to answer the questions and issues of my life.

Cultural evolution Essay Example for Free

Cultural evolution Essay In his article â€Å"Where Do Social Relations Come From? †, Michael Grossetti discusses the ways that human relationships are studied by sociologists, citing that often the methodology begins by starting with the relationship ad working backward to define it (Grossetti,p. 289). The most lasting relationships are the ones that come from organizations, he concludes, especially those related to family and friends. When we related this conclusion back to cultural evolution theory, we can argue that the lasting relationships of this generation because at this point in time most relationships are forged out of organizations or via our families. However, we can clearly argue that once this may not have been true as people had longer term relationships with people in their neighborhoods and those with whom they had a physical proximity. Grossetti argues that neighborhoods do not provide a basis for lasting relationships as they do not necessarily share life values or interests which draw people together (p. 292). When discussing this assertion in relation to cultural evolution, we can argue that in the recent past, neighborhoods did share a commonality that is now missing – immigrants would tend to settle in neighborhoods, neighborhoods would be divided by racial or religious lines, or at the most tangential neighborhoods would be reflective of a certain socio-economic status. Now, according to Grossetti’s study, relationships have evolved to the point that people develop relationships based primarily on organizations which they belong to –church groups, work groups, or interest organizations. When this is combined with the use of social networks, it can be observed that people are then creating a new means to segregate themselves via their interests. People have developed a new means to identify people with like interests and create new association groups. The interesting aspect of this evolving form of meeting may be that it creates relationships among people who in previous generations may never even have met. Because social networking allows people with common interests to meet without the traditional introduction of a mutual friend, they may completely change the way relationship develop in the future, dovetailing nicely with the theory of cultural evolution.

Role of ICE in Tourism Industry

Role of ICE in Tourism Industry The Tourism industry today is highly competitive and generates considerable income for every destination of interest, and has arguably become economically indispensable. In the last decade, the structure and operational aspects of the industry have been undergoing significant changes in an attempt to keep up with Social and Economic developments as a result of the fast dispersal of the Internet and increasing E-Business; all of which have impacted on the demand for tourism products and the manner in which they can be obtained. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is being used in a multitude of overlapping activities within the Tourism sector, ranging from internal organisational functions to external communication between different parts of the industry, as well as facilitating how employees of the industry perform their jobs and how consumers experiences are enhanced. In other words the application of ICT is affecting the entire Tourism Value Chain (Buhalis, 2003). Its fair to say that in light of this, the continuous development of ICT has profound implications in the way the industry managed. With the implementation of new forms of ICT, an innovative type of E-Tourism has emerged that is radically transforming the Tourism industry on a world wide scale; the effects of which are discussed in more detail on the pages that follow. Since the early 1960’s when the first Computer Reservation Systems (CRS) was introduced, which according to Fesenmaier (2000) changed the way Tourism Operators conducted business in the sector; four interrelated eras can been identified (Frangialli, 1998). The Data Processing era in the 1960s; Management Information Systems era in the 1970s; Strategic Information Systems era in the 1980s and the Emerging Network era in the 1990s. Since their introduction many of these systems have been changed from their original appearance, new tools have emerged to take advantage of the benefits introduced by these systems, not least of all the Emerging Network era where the internet has significantly enhanced the operational aspects of the sector in general. It is fair to argue that the Internet has had considerable impact on the application of Tourism management, as people are able to obtain all their travel information and services at home via the Internet. The distribution of travel and tourism products using the Internet has bought about significant cost advantages for providers of Tourism services, and increased customer satisfaction as they provide a full service to their consumers. It is unquestionable, this revolutionary development is accountable for much of the technological developments at the heart of the industry today (Poon, 1993) which has evolved as a result of the Network era, identified above, and has led to further developments in the form of Mobile Commerce (M-Commerce). Keen and Macintosh (2001) stress that M-Commerce is marking the start of a fifth era of innovation and will continue to extend the way Tourism organisations conduct business. Moreover, according to Keen and Macintosh (2001), those who adopt new ICT and those who manage partner relationships more dynamically, will expand their market share even further by taking advantage of new developments. Just as CRS changed the way Travel Operators conducted their business, technologies, such as WiFi and WiMax [same as Wi-Fi only on much larger scale] are now changing the way Operators communicate with consumers. Academics such as Kalakota, (2001) suggest that Wi-Fi and M-Commerce, are key technological developments with wide-ranging benefits to the tourism industry. Wi-Fi stands for wireless fidelity and in simple terms means that computers, peripherals and connectivity to the Internet no longer need to be connected physically, creating a completely wire free system. The benefits of such a system include the costs of setting up are reduced as cabling is expensive, disruptive and not always possible. Wi-Fi allows wider networks, because it does not need to be limited to those machines which are physically linked, fostering greater mobility as people are no-longer restricted to working only at their desks. As a result of these reasons, the cost of creating Wi-Fi networks in places like coffee shops for example are low, which has lead to the creation of many new â€Å"Wi-Fi hotspots† encouraging visitors to linger and spend more on refreshments for example. Hotels are also taking advantage of the benefits and offering Wi-Fi services to all its guests at next to nothing. Furthermore, the implications for major visitor attractions are equally exciting. For example visitors to museums could use along their own Wi-Fi enabled device and access the museum website in their own language and obtain information on exhibits and so on. Service providers are building nationwide networks of Wi-Fi hotspots that can be accessed for a fee, and it is this partner relationship within the Tourist sector which needs to be managed more dynamically, and Tourism organisations need to nurture this relationship in order to provide the services consumers are expecting. A key example of this partner relationship can be witnessed at Heathrow Terminal 1, Paddington station, selected Hilton Hotels, as well as many pubs, as examples of Organisations who have paired up with Wi-Fi service providers, and taking advantage of this Technology. According to Aramberri (2001), these developments have changed the way Tourism Organisations operate, as these developments have led to consumers demanding more services, and changed the end to end process that restricted the services provided by organisations before the Network Era. In other words new ICT has both facilitated more demanding consumers, but also enabled Operators to heighten the travelling experience. Thus, in order to compete for market share Travel operators need to find new and innovative ways in applying ICT to the services they are offering. A key example of this can be illustrated with location-based services (LBS) which refers to information services accessible through a mobile handset, based on geographical location. According to Kpper, (2005) Tourism is among the first industries taking advantage of LBS, despite some doubt concerning the compatibility of some devices, with regards to operating systems, data formats, and limitations in user interfaces. In other words at present there is no generic LBS that could run on any device. In addition with regards to the application of ICT across the industry, it is now faced with a number of challenges. The Internet allows consumers to obtain information concerning their choices, it is still difficult to judge the credibility of this information, and in the absence of sufficient regulation, consumers still are concerned with the risks. Furthermore, there are still some areas in the Tourism industry that are not actively involved in the utilisation of ICT, and one the key developments through the eras identified above has been the complete utilisation of that system across the entire sector, and there is a risk given the pace of technological development that some aspects of the industry may get left behind. This would reduce the competitiveness of the industry and remove one of the key drivers for change within the sector. In summary ICT, particularly in the form of M-Commerce as a result of Wi-Fi enabled services has had profound implications for the operation of the tourism industry in three main areas. Firstly it has radically altered the way in which information is transmitted throughout the industry. Hence, it changes and challenges the way in which Tourism services are delivered and requires that Operators find new ways to satisfy tourists’ needs and that the needs are satisfied on demand. Secondly, the use of ICT is driven by the development of complex demands, as well as by the rapid expansion and sophistication of new products, such as the development of LBS, which as a result has enhanced the need for a wider network of Operators to include other businesses which traditionally do not form part of the Tourism sector such as service providers and mobile handset producers. Finally ICT has gone some way to bridge the distance between consumers and suppliers. It changes the best operational practices in the industry and enables innovative Operators to take advantage of the emerging tools and get closer to consumers. In conclusion ICT is a strategic tool used to enhance profitability and competitiveness of the Tourism sector and the future destination and competitiveness of the sector depends upon the successful implementation and management of this fifth technological era. References Abowd, G. D., et al. (1997): Cyberguide: A mobile context-aware tour guide, ACM Wireless Networks, vol. 3, no. 3, pp. 421-433. Aramberri, J. (2001): The host should get lost: paradigms in tourism theory, Annals of Tourism Research, vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 738-761. Buhalis, D., 2003, eTourism: Information Technology for strategic tourism management, Pearson. Fesenmaier, D., et al., Eds. (2000): Information and communication technologies in tourism, Springer. Fodness, D. and B. Murry (1997): Tourist information search, Annals of Tourism Research, vol. 24, no. 3, pp. 503-523. Guerley, W. (2000), â€Å"Making Sense of the Wireless Web†, Fortune, August 15. Available at: www.fortune.com Kalakota, R., and Robinson, M. (2001), M-Business: The Race to Mobility. New York: McGraw-Hill. Keen, P., and Mackintosh, R. (2001), The Freedom Economy: Gaining the M-commerce Edge in the Era of the Wireless Internet. Berkeley, CA: Osborne/McGraw-Hill. Kpper, A (2005), Location-Based Services: Fundamentals and Operation: Fundamentals and Application. John Wiley and Sons Ltd. 2nd Edition Laudon, K., Traver, C., 2002, eCommerce: Business, technology, society, Addison Wesley, Boston. Moore, K., et al. (1995): Behavioural conceptualization of tourism and leisure, Annals of Tourism Research, vol. 22, no. 3, pp. 67-85. Snepenger, D. J., et al. (1990): Information search strategies by destination-naive tourists, Journal of Travel Research, vol. 29, no. 3, pp. 13-16. Tribe, J. (1999): Economics of Leisure and Tourism, Butterworth-Heinemann, London. V.K. (2002), Global M-commerce – Business Opportunities for Wireless Data Services; in World Market Series

Skills and Requirements of Professional Educators Essay -- Education

Introduction: An educator is an individual whose work is to pass the required information to the students. A professional educator is effective in all they do and is responsible for the creation of an interactive learning environment. To do this, an educator should understand the requirements needed to satisfy the goals and objectives of their curriculums as well as the content. As much as the work of an educator is to disseminate the required information to the students, they also ensure that all the expectations of these students are met and if possible exceeded. An educator uses a variety of teaching strategies which includes classroom management to ensure that the purpose of education is achieved. In this paper, I will demonstrate the responsibilities, knowledge and skill required of an effective professional educator. Review of literature: A professional educator creates a positive learning environment that is conducive for all the students in the school. To do this, an educator must understand the principles of classroom management and employ these strategies as they interact with the students. The educator applies classroom organization skills to monitor the students mental, physical and social growth. Effective classroom organization skills include planning, communicating and scheduling. Planning helps an educator determine the day to day activities that needs to be carried out. Through communication, an educator tells the students exactly what will be requires of them. Effective communication allows the students to understand the goals and objectives of the curriculums that they are undertaking. Scheduling help in the proper allocation of all the available resources. Effective scheduling helps the educator to fully us... ...Five ways to encourage participation in the classroom. (2009, September 18). Retrieved from The Learning Generalist: http://www.learninggeneralist.com/2009/09/five-ways-to-encourage-participation-in.html Hannaford, A. N. (2009, December 11). INTASC Principles. Retrieved from http://audreymerrell.net/INTASC/principles.html Increasing Student Participation. (2009). Retrieved from The Teaching Center, Washington University in St. Louis: http://teachingcenter.wustl.edu/increasing-student-participation School of education. (n.d.). Intrinsic Motivation. Retrieved from Purdue University Calumet: http://education.calumet.purdue.edu/vockell/edPsybook/Edpsy5/edpsy5_intrinsic.htm The Education Division. (2008, March 11). Demonstrating Skills as an Educational Facilitator. Retrieved from Lewis-Clark State College: http://www.lcsc.edu/education/teacherprep/standards/ef/shtml

Mother-Daughter Relationships in Amy Tan’s Joy Luck Club Essay

Mother-Daughter Relationships in Amy Tan’s Joy Luck Club      In the Joy Luck Club, the author Amy Tan, focuses on mother-daughter relationships. She examines the lives of four women who emigrated from China, and the lives of four of their American-born daughters. The mothers: Suyuan Woo, An-Mei Hsu, Lindo Jong, and Ying-Ying St. Clair had all experienced some life-changing horror before coming to America, and this has forever tainted their perspective on how they want their children raised. The four daughters: Waverly, Lena, Rose, and Jing-Mei are all Americans. Even though they absorb some of the traditions of Chinese culture they are raised in America and American ideals and values.   This inability to communicate and the clash between cultures create rifts between mothers and daughters.      The hardest problem communicating emerges between Suyuan and Jing-Mei.   Suyuan is a very strong woman who lost everything she ever had in China: "her mother and father, her family home, her first husband, and two daughters, twin baby girls" (141). Yet she finds the strength to move on and still retains her traditional values.   She remarries and has Jing-Mei and creates a new life for herself in America.   She is the one who brings together three other women to form the Joy Luck Club. The rift is the greatest between Suyuan and June.   Suyuan tries to force her daughter to be everything she could ever be. She sees the opportunities that America has to offer, and does not want to see her daughter throw those opportunities away.   She wants the best for her daughter, and does not want Jing-Mei to ever let go of something she wants because it is too hard to achieve.   "America is where all my mother's hopes lay. . .There were so many ways for ... ...ght to America" (31).   The trip she makes finally helps her to understand just where her mother was coming from, why she was the way she was, and she began to forgive her for all the misunderstandings they had. The rifts between mothers and daughters continue to separate them, but as the daughters get older they become more tolerant of their mothers.   They learn they do not know everything about their mothers, and the courage their mothers showed during their lives is astounding.   As they get older they learn they do not know everything, and that their mothers can still teach them much about life.   They grow closer to their mothers and learn to be proud of their heritage and their culture.   They acquire the wisdom of understanding, and that is the finest feeling to have in the world. WORKS CITED    Tan, Amy. The Joy Luck Club. New York: Random House, 1989.

Classroom’s learning environment Essay

1.1 Many things combine to create a classroom’s learning environment. This can be on an individual or environmental factor impacting positive or negative on learning, efficient or inefficient. Much of this depends on the plans you have in place to deal with situations that affect this environment. The list below looks at each of these things in order to help teachers better understand how to ensure that they are creating a positive learning environment for all students and eliminate negativity. Teacher Behaviors The first factor a teacher should set is his tone for the classroom setting. As a teacher you should be even-tempered, fair with your students, and have a rule enforcement that which will set a high standard for your classroom. Another example is, Are you humorous? Are you able to take a joke? Are you sarcastic? Are you an optimist or a pessimist? All of these and other personal characteristics will shine through in your classroom and affect the learning environment. Student Ownership The second factor is when displaying of essays, poems, projects, and exams dominate the walls, there is student ownership of the room. When they look around and see their own writing and thinking, or posters they certainly experience a higher level of comfort because they see that they as students created them. Classroom Setup The first environmental factor here is the room layout. A ‘ Horseshoe’ or ‘U’ shape environment allows eye contact with the teacher and participate amongst the students and room layout should not just be set up by the number of people required, but by the event. The key factors is where is the centre of attention. Do people need to interact with each other. Do you want people in groups without having to move them around. The teacher is able to move easily with learners, the students are able to the demonstration. However, interaction and teamwork are much easier in a learning environment where students sit together. Aspects of Aging on Learning Adult learners have already been partly educated through life experiences. Adults have more experiences, different kinds of experiences, and that these experiences are organized differently. . According to Knowles (1980), 1 adults derive much of their self- identity from their past experiences. In that respect, they are much different from youths who tend to view themselves largely from external sources. Because of this factor, adult learners place a great deal of value on their experiences and if they cannot use those experiences, or, if those experiences are rejected, it may feel similar to being rejected as an individual. Related to this is the fear of failure that an adult learner may bring to the classroom, particularly if this is a new environment where they might fear further rejection from their peer group (Kennedy, 2003) 2 or their teacher. 1.2 Create a positive learning environment Build self-esteem and self-efficacy Students’ determination and belief that they can achieve their goals are important factors in their persistence in ongoing learning. Adult learners may have negative feelings about themselves due to failure experienced in their lives, due to dropping out of school, losing a job, or not being able to read or write well enough to complete a job application or read to their children . Ensure that students experience success at their first meeting so the first experience is a positive one. It may be appropriate to start with material that is slightly below the student’s level. Be patient! Patience is an extremely important characteristic for any teacher or tutor of adults. Adults can often take a longer time in the learning process because of various learning barriers, but this does not mean they aren’t motivated to learn. Accept your student as he/she is and respect his/her values even if they differ from yours. Believe in your student and he/she will begin to believe in him/herself. Memorize the names of all your students within the first week of instruction. Use students’ names frequently. If your students are English learners, learn a few key phrases in their native languages to model that it is acceptable to struggle with pronunciation and language learning Identified need A lesson plan is the teacher’s road map of what students need to learn and how it will be done effectively during the class time. Before you plan your lesson, you will first need to identify the learning objectives for the class meeting. Then, you can design appropriate learning activities and develop strategies to obtain feedback on student learning. A successful lesson plan addresses and integrates these three key components: Objectives for student learning Teaching/learning activities Strategies to check student understanding Specifying concrete for student learning will help you determine the kinds of teaching and learning activities you will use in class, while those activities will define how you will check whether the learning objectives have been met. Principles of adult learning The Manual of Learning Styles, by Peter Honey and Alan Mumford (1992). Provides an introduction to learning styles with advice on how to administer and interpret ‘The Learning Styles Questionnaire. Learning styles can be influenced by past experiences, education, work and the learning situation. It is important to recognise that they are not fixed but may be adapted according to context and what is being learned. Nevertheless most people still favour one style of learning. Knowles identified the six principles of adult learning outlined below. Adults are internally motivated and self-directed Adults bring life experiences and knowledge to learning experiences Adults are goal oriented Adults are relevancy oriented Adults are practical Adult learners like to be respected Part of being an effective educator involves understanding how adults learn  best (Lieb,1991). Andragogy (adult learning) is a theory that holds a set of assumptions about how adults learn. Andragogy emphasises the value of the process of learning. It uses approaches to learning that are problem-based and collaborative rather than didactic, and also emphasises more equality between the teacher and learner. Andragogy as a study of adult learning originated in Europe in 1950’s and was then pioneered as a theory and model of adult learning from the 1970’s by Malcolm Knowles an American practitioner and theorist of adult education, who defined andragogy as â€Å"the art and science of helping adults learn† (Zmeyov 1998; Fidishun 2000). Resource availability Equipment/Materials:Whiteboard, Smart board, PowerPoint, Flip chart, Laptop, Marker pens, OHP, previously created resources, and hand outs Appropriate assessment methods. Defining Formative and Summative Assessments The terms â€Å"formative† and â€Å"summative† do not have to be difficult, yet the definitions have become confusing in the past few years. This is especially true for formative assessment. In a balanced assessment system, both summative and formative assessments are an integral part of information gathering. Depend too much on one or the other and the reality of student achievement in your classroom becomes unclear. Steps for preparing a lesson plan Outlining learning objectives The first step is to determine what I needed the students to learn and be able to do at the end of class. To specify my objectives for student learning I questioned myself. Firstly what is the topic of the lesson? Secondly what do I want them to understand and be able to do at the end of class? Thirdly what do I want them to take away from this particular lesson? Managing class time and accomplishing the more important learning objectives in case I am pressed for time. I considered these questions. What are the most important concepts, ideas, or skills I want students to be able to  grasp and apply? Why are they important? If I ran out of time, which ones could not be omitted? And conversely, which ones could I skip if pressed for time? The second step is to develop the introduction in order of importance, using specific activities so that students can gain the knowledge and apply what they have learned. There will be a diverse body of students with different academic and personal experience, they may be already familiar with the topic. Presenting the lesson plan, to let my students know what they will be learning and doing in class I engaged with them and on track. Shared my lesson plan by writing a brief agenda on the board telling students explicitly what they will be learning and doing in class. Outlined on the board and gave out hand outs as their learning objectives for the class. Time can help students not only remember better but also follow the presentation and class activities. Visible agenda on the board will also help me and students stay on track. The first thing you can do is ask a question to gauge students’ knowledge of the subject or possibly, their preconceived ideas. For Example: How many of you have heard of Meditation? What can you share or experienced. If there was enough time prior to presentation date I would have had a chance to gather background information from the students via electronic survey or asking them to write comments, this additional information allows one to deliver, shape the introduction, learning activities and familiarise with the topic and I can then have a sense of what to focus on. The introduction topic must be stimulating, interesting and encourage thinking. To engage students I used a variety of approaches. Whilst introducing the topic mentally I began to check whether students know anything about the topic or have any preconceived ideas about it. What are some of the commonly held ideas or misconceptions about this topic meditation that students might be familiar with. What will I do to introduce  the topic? Planning the specific learning activities in the main body of the lesson. I prepared several different ways of explaining the material to catch the attention of more students and appeal to different learning styles, by giving out the hand outs, For Example: I talked about a personal incident in Meditation, an historical event, thought provoking dilemma, real world examples, a short music play, pictures to visualise, a statue to show posture in Mediation, a candle lit, quotes to probe questions. I began mentally estimating how much time I will spend on each examples and activities. Built in time for extended explanation or discussion, but quickly moved on to different applications or problems. I thought of questions such as What will I do to illustrate the topic in a different way? How can I engage students in the topic? What are some relevant real life examples, analogies or situations that can help students gain knowledge on the topic? What will students need to do to help them understand the topic better? Plan to check for understanding, check to see student understanding, how do I know the students are learning. Writing them down, paraphrasing them so that you can ask the question in a different style. Deciding on whether you want students to respond orally or writing. As a conclusion I should go over the material covered in class by summarizing the main points of the lesson. This can be done in a number of ways. For Example by saying, Today we talked about†¦.? as a student to summarize them or get them to write down on a piece of paper the main points covered. Reflecting on my lesson plan I found that after delivering my lesson plan it came across I could have been outstanding at delivering my plan if I had arranged most of my plan with a beginners, intermediate and advanced levels and the group did not get much time to do a group exercise. However this did not discourage me but instead it has encouraged me to reflect on what worked well and why, what I could  have done differently, identifying successful and less successful class time. I thought I shall use more resources such as students feedback, peer observation, viewing a videotape of my teaching and consultation with my tutor. As a reflection this assignment provided me with a general outline of my teaching goals learning objectives and means to accomplish them. It has become a reminder of what I want to do and how I want to do it. In my opinion a productive lesson is not one in which everything goes exactly as planned, but one in which both students and the teacher learn from each other.

Alcohol Abuse in the Restaurant Industry

Alcohol Abuse in the Restaurant Industry Shelsie Ann Lawrence University of West Florida Alcohol Abuse in the Restaurant Industry The purpose of this paper is to look at the high incidence of alcohol abuse in the restaurant industry and the possible causes. I will use studies done, but also incidences from my own personal experience of 15 years in the restaurant industry. Background The American Psychological Association defines alcohol abuse as, â€Å"a drinking pattern that results in significant and recurrent adverse consequences. † (http://www. apa. org/helpcenter/alcohol-disorders. spx). These consequences can be lost work days, vehicle accidents, the breakdown and loss of relationships, serious illnesses. Alcohol abuse is extremely high in the restaurant industry. It is readily available and consistently used as a reward for good behavior. The consequences of alcohol abuse are much more tolerated. I worked for a chef that would come in to work hung over and late. She wou ld clock in, and then sit down to have a beer to help the hangover. After the beer was consumed, it was time to make something to eat, all of this eating up the first 30 minutes of her work day.She would not be punished for this behavior, because chances are, she was out drinking with one of our owners the night before. This scene would play itself out at least once a week. I also had a co-worker that was allowed to go home, due to a hangover. We will call her Sue. Sue was not much of a drinker. I would say, she probably went out once a month. Sue gets off work, and almost all her co-workers are at the bar drinking. At this particular restaurant, the kitchen and servers would close down the restaurant between the hours of 10:00pm and 11:00 pm, this would put the time staff gets off work around 11:00pm or midnight.The bar would then stay open until 2:00 am. To set the stage a bit more, it is also important to note a few other things about this particular restaurant. Staff was allowed to start drinking for free, any beer on tap and any wine sold by the glass, one hour prior to closing. Any other drinks, i. e. : cocktails, wine by the bottle, and bottled beers, were discounted half off. This restaurant did very well, and had minimal staff turnover, so they could afford to allow this. The staff dinner was served after the kitchen was cleaned and the wait staff done with all their tables.Staff meal is also called â€Å"Family Meal†, in the restaurant world. Family is what your co-workers become, in a restaurant. You spend more of your time with your co-workers, then anyone else. Restaurants are open on the days other people are off spending time with their families. You work every weekend together. You work every holiday together. You work every night together. Together you build contempt for those with â€Å"normal jobs† This is all shared together. These are things that only your co-workers and other â€Å"industry† people can understand. Mos t bars, in Seattle, when I cooked there, even offered â€Å"industry† discounts.Even if you aren’t drinking at the place you work, you still get a discount. You are still awarded with alcohol. So, on this night, Sue gets off work to find all her co-workers finishing up dinner and pouring more rounds of drinks. She had a particularly good night and made a hundred dollars in tips. She has been working at this restaurant for six months and hasn’t found herself fitting in yet. Fitting in, becoming friends with her co-workers, can afford many benefits. Servers are more likely to switch a shift with someone they like and know. They are more likely to help you out, by delivering food to your table, if you are someone they like.She usually eats her dinner, than goes home, while the rest of the staff stays drinking and talking about their work night. They stay because the drinks are free; they stay because when they go home, if there is someone at home, they won’t be awake to hear the stories of their work day. Sue decides to stay and have a drink, maybe get her co-workers to warm up to her a bit more. As soon as everyone see’s that Sue is staying they cheer. Everyone has wanted to get to know her more, but feels that since she never stays after work, that she is probably stuck up.Her manager buys her a shot, for a job well done that night at work. She pours a beer and immediately feels comfortable with everyone, partly because of the cheer, but also because she is now sitting down to her second drink of the evening. The evening progresses similarly to how it started. As more staff gets off work, more shots are bought. Other restaurant workers, friends of the staff are getting off work, and showing up. Pretty soon, the bar is filled with mainly employees and other restaurant workers. Before anyone notices, it is closing time. Now, if the owner of the restaurant was round, and chances are he was, he would allow the bartender to go home , or have a seat at the bar, and he would continue to serve the staff, with the front door locked, well after closing time. Tonight, the staff all drank until 4:00 am. Sue stayed right along with everyone. Sue comes to work the next day, green and doubled over. Everyone is setting up the dining room for dinner service later. Her co-workers look their normal tired selves, but keep in mind, they drink heavily and often, this is just another day for them. Everyone see Sue and immediately cheers.One server comments on how great it was that Sue hung out with everyone the night before. Sue runs straight for the bathroom. After some discussion, they decide that it is going to be a slow night, and everyone could probably pull together to cover Sues section. They send someone in to the bathroom to tell Sue she can go home. No one chastises her. She is not written up. She will miss getting paid for the evening, but it was going to be a slow night anyway. She goes home, goes back to bed, and w akes up the next day to go back to work, back to everything being normal.This is a perfect example of the lack of consequences, in the restaurant industry, for alcohol abuse. Sue is practically rewarded for her bad behavior. By staying and drinking, she formed a bond with her co-workers. All her drinks were either free or heavily discounted, so she didn’t feel any financial burden. When she showed up for work, unable to perform her duties, her co-workers pulled together to allow her to go home. According to them, they had been there before. One reason for such a high rate of alcohol abuse, in the restaurant industry is the high rate of young adults employed.In a study done on young adult restaurant workers, 41% reported problem drinking. Young adults make up the majority of restaurant workers. Restaurant jobs offer the most pay, for the least amount of skill and time. Some restaurants require a degree to work in the kitchen, but no education is required to work as a server. I f you are a student, and need a part time job, chances are you have worked, or do work as a server. College students consume large amounts of alcohol, with 31% meeting the criteria for alcohol abuse. (http://www. ollegedrinkingprevention. gov/statssummaries/snapshot. aspx) Serving positions allow for the flexibility needed for college students. You make the most pay, for the least amount of hours worked. The schedule is very flexible. If you need a night off to finish up homework, you can always call a co-worker to cover your shift. Chances are there is someone who needs money and can cover your shift. Even if you can’t get someone to cover your shift, you can be sure that if you do have to work, you can get off work early if the restaurant is slow that night.Less servers equal more tips for the rest of the staff, and like most servers, they always need more money. Restaurant workers live paycheck to paycheck. Most have no benefits, no health insurance, and are just one misse d paycheck away from being completely broke. Out of the 10 restaurants I have worked in, only two offered health insurance. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median hourly wage of a food sever in 2008, including tips, was $8. 01. The median yearly salary of a restaurant cook, in 2008 was $21,990. There are exceptions to the rule, but the majority live at the poverty line.When no vacations can be afforded, one can take a mini vacation at the bar. With no health insurance, no one is getting annual checkups. You can stay in denial about any health problems that might arise from alcohol abuse, because chances are you haven’t been to a doctor in years. I had a co-worker that couldn’t afford to go to the dentist to get a much needed filling. We can call him Bob. Bob had been complaining of an aching tooth for weeks. He just kept taking aspirin and upping his nightly alcohol intake to allow him to sleep through the night.He knew eventually he would have to see a dentist, but he just didn’t have the money to go see one at this point. In the end, he had to go to an emergency clinic to have his tooth pulled. He was put on pain killers and antibiotics. This all ended up costing him five hundred dollars. This was more than a week of pay for him. Bob was trying to save up to go on a vacation with his girlfriend. He hadn’t taken a single day off of work in over a year. Now his prospects seemed even dimmer. He gets off work, pours a drink, and sits down to complain to his other co-workers.They all understand. Only a few of them have taken time off that year. At the very least, they can all sit around, and have a few drinks together to ease the pain. They are depressed and find solace in each other. This is the point when alcohol abuse can become cyclical. Alcohol is a depressant. When a depressed person self medicates with alcohol they are only making the problem worse. Method The method used for this paper was through personal expe rience in the restaurant industry backed by research in journals and studies on alcohol abuse and restaurant workers. FindingsThere are many causes for alcohol abuse; some of those being depression, the availability of alcohol, peer pressure and social factors, impulsiveness and low self esteem. Restaurants workers have alcohol readily available. They have discounts, and free drinks. They are awarded for good behavior with alcohol. The social factors that are prevalent in restaurant workers also play a role in alcohol abuse. Drinking becomes social with restaurant workers. It becomes their outlet. It is their way of bonding. They can definitely feel the peer pressure from co-workers to drink.In my story of Sue, she felt that drinking with her co-workers was the only way she would be able to fit in. She wanted to be friends with everyone; she wanted the benefits of that friendship. They wanted her to drink with them. She knew that the only way to penetrate the group was by drinking w ith them after work. After a few times of hanging out, after work with everyone, it can easily become a habit. I would see people actually get upset and offended when someone that usually stayed for drinks, just went home after their shift. Results There is definitely a high rate of alcohol abuse amongst restaurant workers or many reasons; ranging from the social aspects, the availability of alcohol, the high stress work environment, the prevalence of poverty amongst the workers, the late hours and just the acceptance of heavy drinking among the staff and management. I don’t see a change in the behaviors and attitudes of restaurant staff. I think this is a problem that will continue until stricter laws and rules are enforced. References ARTHUR H. FRIEDLANDER, D. , & STEPHEN. (2003). Alcohol abuse and dependence:Psychopathology, medical management and dental implications. J Am Dent Assoc. Peter E. Nathan, P. John Wallace, P. , Joan Zweben, P. , & and A. Thomas Horvath, P. (201 0). Understanding Alcohol Use Disorders and Their Treatment. American Psychological Association . Rachel R. Doern, S. M. (2008). THE SOCIAL MEANINGS OF DRINKING: STRENGTHENING THE SOCIAL BONDS OF RESTAURANT EMPLOYEES. Advances in Consumer Research Volume 25 , 481-485. Roland S. Moore, P. C. (2009). Dimensions of Problem Drinking among Young Adult Restaurant Workers. AM J Drug Alcohol Abuse , 329-333. http://www. bls. gov/oco/ocos162. htm http://www. ohsrep. org. au/hazards/fatigue-impairment/alcohol-and-work/index. cfm

The Structure of Education from Early Years to Post-Compulsory Education

The structure of education from early years to post-compulsory education Entitlement & provision for early years education. As part of the every child matters agenda and the Childcare Act 2006 every child aged 3 & 4 is entitled to receive part time early years education of up to 12. 5 hours per week for 38 weeks of the year to ensure that they receive up to 2 years free education before reaching school age. The characteristics of schools & school governance. All schools are seeking to enforce expectations in terms of meeting the national curriculum. Under the National Curriculum there are four Key Stages to education: Foundation4 year olds Key Stage 15 to 7 year olds Key Stage 27 to 11 year olds Key Stage 311 to 14 year olds Key Stage 414 to 16 year olds Mainstream State Schools All children in England aged 5 to 16 are entitled to free education at a state school, most go to state schools. Nursery school: 3 to 4 year olds Reception: 4 year olds Primary: 5 to 11 year olds (Key Stage 1 & 2) Secondary: 11 to 16 (Key Stage 3 & 4) There are 4 main types of state school: Community schools, Foundation & Trust schools, Voluntary aided schools, Voluntary Controlled schools. Community schools These are run & owned by the local authority & cover all 4 Key Stages. Foundation & Trust schools Foundation schools are run by a governing body which employs the staff and sets the entrance criteria. Land and buildings are owned either by the governing body or by a charitable foundation. Trust schools are similar, but are run together with an outside body – usually a business or charity – which has formed an educational trust. Voluntary aided schools Voluntary-aided schools are religious or faith schools. Just like foundation schools, the governing body employs the staff and sets the entrance criteria. School buildings and land are usually owned by a charity, often a church. Voluntary Controlled schools Voluntary-controlled schools are a cross between community and voluntary-aided schools. The local authority employs the staff and sets the entrance criteria, like a community school, but the school land and buildings are owned by a charity, often a church, which also appoints some members of the governing body. Specialist schools State secondaries often specialise, which means they have an extra emphasis in one or two subjects. Schools can specialise in: the arts, maths and computing, business and enterprise, music, engineering, science, humanities, sports, languages, and technology. Special schools Special schools are for the education of students with special needs that addresses the students' individual differences and needs. This could involve the individually planned and systematically monitored arrangement of teaching procedures, adapted equipment and materials, accessible settings designed to help learners with special needs achieve a higher level of success in school and community than would be available if the student were only given access to a typical classroom education. State schools with particular characteristics There are a number of schools within the state schools system with particular characteristics, some may have different admission criteria or funding arrangements but as with other state schools admissions are coordinated by the local authority. Academies Academies are independently managed schools set up by sponsors from business, faith or voluntary groups in partnership with the local authority and the government Department for Children, Schools and Families. City Technology Colleges These are urban-based, independently managed secondary schools geared towards science, technology and the world of work. They offer a range of vocational qualifications as well as GCSEs and A levels. Community and foundation special schools Pupils at a special school have usually been assessed and given a statement of special educational needs (SEN). These may include learning disabilities or physical disabilities. Some special schools are funded by the local education authority. These could be community, voluntary-aided or controlled, or foundation special schools. Some special schools are independent. Faith schools Faith schools are mostly run in the same way as other state schools. However, their faith status may be reflected in their religious education curriculum, admissions criteria ; staffing policies. Grammar schools Grammar schools select all or most of their pupils based on academic ability. Maintained boarding schools Maintained boarding schools offer free tuition, but charge fees for board ; lodging. Independent schools An independent school (also referred to as a private school, or in England as a public school) is a school that is not financed through the taxation system by local or national government and is instead funded by private sources, predominantly in the form of tuition charges, gifts and long-term charitable endowments, and so is not subject to the conditions imposed by accepting state financing. Free schools Free Schools are normally brand-new schools set up by teachers, charities, community or faith groups, universities and groups of parents where there is parental demand. They will be set up as Academies and will be funded in the same way, directly from central government. They also share with Academies a greater control over their finances, the curriculum, and teachers' pay and conditions. Post 16 options for young people & adults. There are more opportunities now than ever before when it comes to post 16 education, previously pupils aged 16 or over either left school and started employment or stayed on to continue their studies. There has been an increase in government funding of education for 14-19 year olds and in particular a focus on reducing the number of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) post 16. Just under an estimated one million 16 to 24-year-olds (979,000 in total) are considered NEET, according to official figures published in August, of these, around 186,000 are aged 16-18. If you are aged 16 or 17 and coming towards the end of a school or college course, the â€Å"September Guarantee† means that you’ll definitely be able to continue learning. The September Guarantee Under the last Labour government the guarantee was as follows: * Full or part-time education in school, sixth form college, independent learning provider or further education (FE) college * An Apprenticeship or programme-led Apprenticeship, which must include both the training element and a job or work placement * Entry to Employment (E2E) * Employment with training to NVQ level 2 By 2013 all pupils will be required to continue in education or training to at least 17 years of age although under new governments this could change.

Principles of Management Essay

This has become a very popular definition of management for several reasons. Firstly, this definition is very simple and easy to understand. Secondly, it highlights the indirect nature of a manager’s job. A manager does not operate a machine or sell a product himself. Rather he guides others in producing and selling goods and services. Thirdly, this definition reveals that a manager is the leader of people working under him. Fourthly, it states that management is basically an art or practice of achieving results. The above definition is, however, inadequate for the present day concept of management. It suffers from the following drawbacks. (i) This definition does not reveal that management is a science. The modern concept of management is much wider than simply a skill in getting things done through other people. Since the days of F.W. Taylor management has become a science based on certain fundamental principles. (ii) The above definition does not highlight how does management get things done through people. It fails to reveal the functions of a manager and the skills used for getting things done. (iii) This definition does not recognize the role of human beings. It treats people as mere tools forgetting results and does not consider their feelings, emotions and needs. People are inanimate objects and cannot be treated as mere tools. People have their aspirations and are not mere commodities or means to achieve certain ends. Management is certainly much more than just getting things done through others. (iv)The above definition gives an impression that management gets things done by hook or crook. Results alone are not significant. The means employed to achieve results are equally important. This definition is of man’s putative character. (v) This definition does not reveal that a formal organizational set up is needed for getting things done. A careful analysis of the above mentioned definitions reveal the following important characteristic feature of a Joint Stock Company. 1. An artificial person: – The company enjoys all the rights as a citizen of a country would enjoy. It ‘can own properties, enter into contracts etc. 2. Legal formation: – The formation of a Joint Stock Company is governed by the rules and regulations laid down in the Companies Act, 1956. 3. Voluntary organisation: – It is formed by members voluntarily joining the organisation and contributing money or money’s worth for the business. 4. Separate legal entity: – The Company has a separate legal existence. The owners are different from the people who manage the business. The management is however headed by owners who are elected directors. The company is separate from the persons who own it. The company cannot be held responsible for any misdeeds of the members. 5. Perpetual succession: – Unlike Sole proprietorship and Partnership, the Company has continuous existence. The continuity of the business is not affected by the death, insolvency or insanity of any member. â€Å"Men may come and men may go, but a company will go until it is wound up.† 6. Limit to liability: – The liability of the members of a company is restricted to the extent of the unpaid value of the shares held by him. The personal asset of a shareholder cannot be used to pay the company’s liabilities. 7. Large capital: – A Joint Stock Company can generate huge amount of money towards capital, because the number of persons contributing towards capital are more in number when compared to Sole Proprietorship or Partnership organisation. 8. Large scale operation: – Since huge amounts are collected as capital, the operation of the business will generally be on a large scale basis. 9. Transferability of shares: – The shares of a Joint Stock Company are easily transferable from one person to another, since it is a Public Limited Company. The shares of a Private Limited Company or Government Company are not transferable. 10. Common seal: – The company, being an artificial being, cannot affix its signature on the documents on its own. The common seal is used in place of a signature. Joint Hindu Family Business is a distinct type of organisation which is unique to India. Even within India its existence is restricted to only certain parts of the country. In this form of business ownership, all members of a Hindu undivided family do business jointly under the control of the head of the family who is known as the ‘Karta’. The members of the family are known as ‘Co-parceners’. Thus, the Joint Hindu Family firm is a business owned by co-parceners of a Hindu undivided estate. Its main features are :- * It comes into existence by the operation of Hindu law and not out of contract. The rights and liabilities of co-parceners are determined by the general rules of the Hindu law. * The membership of this form of business is the result of status arising from the birth in the family and its legality is not affected by the minority. Originally, only three successive generations in the male line ( grandfather, father and son) constituted the membership of this organisation. By the Hindu Succession Act, a female relative of a deceased member or a male relative of such a female member was made eligible for a share in the interest of the related member ( called co-parcener) at the time of his death. There is no legal limit to the maximum number of members. * Registration is unnecessary, but the rights of its members to sue third parties for claims of debt remains unaffected. * It is managed generally by the Karta. He has the authority to obtain loans against the family property or in other ways. Other members have no right of management nor to contract loans binding on the joint-family property. * The manager or the Karta has the last word in the formulation of all policies and in their execution. He has unquestioned authority in the conduct of the family business. * The Karta has unlimited liability while the liability of the other members is limited to the value of their individual interests in the joint family. * The firm enjoys continuity of operations as its existence is not subject to the death or insolvency of a co-parcener or even of the Karta himself. Thus, it has a perpetual life like the public limited company.Advantages * Ease of formation * Continuity of operationsDisadvantages * Confined to Joint  Hindu families * Relatively limited capital * Limited managerial talents * Unlimited liability of the Karta| The concept of management is universal and very old. That is why different views have been expressed about its nature by different writers from time to time. The continuous and rapid development of management principles and practices in organization has changed the nature of management. The main points of view about the nature of management are given below: Management as an Inborn or Acquired Ability In the pre-scientific management period, i.e., prior to 1880 there has been a leading concept that management is an inborn ability. It is a traditional approach. The supporters of this concept believe that the hereditary characteristics, inborn talents and natural aptitudes of a man make him an efficient manager. Some people are so efficient and talented since their birth that they lead and get success in the field of business. To our mind, this concept was used when the ownership and management were not separated. But later on the researches and development in the field of science, technology and training etc. changed this old concept. Today management is considered not only as an inborn ability but also as an acquired ability. In the words of Ordway Tead, â€Å"Managers are both born and made.† Today, in large-sized business organizations, ownership and management are separate identities. The management lies in the hands of professional managers who are educated and trained. Thus, now the management can be considered as an acquired ability. Management as an Art, Science or Both A lot of controversy arises whether management is an art or science or both. It is said that the management is the oldest of arts and youngest of science. This explains the changing nature of management. But to have an exact answer to this question, it is necessary to understand both these aspects separately and combinedly, as given below: Management as an Art: Art refers to the way of doing specific things; it indicates how an object can be achieved. In the words of George R. Terry, â€Å"Art is bringing about of  a desired result through the application of skill.† Art is, thus, skilful application of knowledge which entirely depends on the inherent capacity of a person which comes from within a person and is learned from practice and experience. In this sense, management is certainly an art as a manager uses his skill, knowledge and experience in solving various problems, both complicated and non-complicated that arise in the working of his enterprise successful. In the words of Ernest Dale, â€Å"Management is considered as an art rather than science mainly because managerial skill is a personnel possession and is intuitive.† Management as a Science: Science may be described as a systematized body of knowledge based on proper findings and exact principles and is capable of verification. It is a reservoir of fundamental truths and its findings apply safely in all the situations. In this sense, management is a science as it has also developed some systematized knowledge. Like other sciences, management has also developed certain principles, laws, generalization, which are universal in nature and are applicable wherever the efforts of the people are to be coordinated. But management is not as exact science as other physical sciences like physic, chemistry, biology, astronomy etc. The main reason for the inexactness of science of management is that it deals with the people and it is very difficult to predict their behavior accurately. In this way, management falls in the area of ‘social sciences’. Thus, it is a social science. Conclusion- Management is an Art and Science Both From the above study, we conclude that management is an art and science both. According to American Society of Mechanical Engineers. â€Å"Management is the art and science of preparing, organizing and directing human efforts to control the forces and utilize the material of nature for the benefit of men. â€Å"Thus, it has now been accepted that management is an art as well as science. It has the elements of both arts and science. In the words of Dean Stanley, â€Å"Management is a mixture of an art an science – the present ratio is about 80% art and 20% science.† Man is known by company he keeps, and OfficeBOX is no exception. OfficeBOX team is made up of experienced professionals with vast experience in software solutions development and servicing to SMB sector. Through our Business Partnership program, we want to expand thisteam and work with entities that are driven by challenges of SMB sector. The only pre-requisites of becoming an OfficeBOX Business Partner is passion for driving change and willing to work as a team. We envision our Partnership program to create a team of change agents in SMB sector, and hence any prior exposure of working in SMB domain, especially around IT services, will certainly be useful. That gives both OfficeBOX and Partners a head-start in the partnership effort. OfficeBOX wants to include everyone in this revolution, but to name a few categories which relate immediately are: * Financial Account Writers & Chartered Accountants: OfficeBOX is the most advanced accounting software which enables Account Writers and Chartered Accountants maximize the value they offer to their customers. OfficeBOX becomes the most ideal partner for all the book-keeping and reporting needs of enterprises. * Hardware Vendors/Resellers: OfficeBOX understands the needs and challenges of SMB around application of IT to their businesses, and would like to partner with like-minded people in this area. Hardware Vendors/Resellers have been serving the SMBs for years for their IT requirements, making them an ideal choice for the partnership program. * Telecom/Internet Service Providers: OfficeBOX becomes the best add-on that Telecom/Internet Service Providers can offer to the SMB community. It enhances the value that SMB can derive out of the computerization and automation of their business processes. * Trade Associations: What’s good for one brother, is good for whole of the brethren. Who better knows this than the associations toiling day and night for maximizing the good of their members. Partnering with such associations allows OfficeBOX to reach out to the community and include them in the revolution. * Vocational Education Providers: OfficeBOX is the most appropriate platform to make the budding talent ready for their job of optimizing the business processes using the latest technology. Vocational Education Providers imparting such training to students becomes a good partner for OfficeBOX. In the commercial and legal parlance of most countries, a general  partnership (the basic form of partnership under common law), refers to an association of persons or an unincorporated company with the following major features: * Created by agreement, proof of existence and estoppel. * Formed by two or more persons * The owners are all personally liable for any legal actions and debts the company may face It is a partnership in which partners share equally in both responsibility and liability.[1] A partnership is an arrangement where parties agree to cooperate to advance their mutual interests. A ‘sole proprietorship, also known as the sole trader or simply a proprietorship, is a type of business entity that is owned and run by one individual and in which there is no legal distinction between the owner and the business. The owner receives all profits (subject to taxation specific to the business) and has unlimited responsibility for all losses and debts. Every asset of the business is owned by the proprietor and all debts of the business are the proprietor’s. It is a â€Å"sole† proprietorship in contrast with partnerships. Glos and Baker write that â€Å"A sole proprietorship is a business owned by one person who is entitled to all of its profits,† Reed and Conover say â€Å"The single or the sole proprietorship is a business owned and controlled by one man even though he may have many other persons working for him. A sole proprietor may use a trade name or business name other than his or her legal name.

Black People and Larger Racial Minorities

Associate Program Material Racial Diversity: Historical Worksheet Answer the following questions in 100 to 250 words each. Provide citations for all the sources you use. * Throughout most of U. S. history, in most locations, what race has been in the majority? What is the common ancestral background of most members of this group? White people have been the majority of the population. The common ancestral background of most of the members in this group are Europeans. * What are some of the larger racial minorities in U. S. history? What have been the common ancestral backgrounds of each of these groups? When did each become a significant or notable minority group? Whites and blacks are a larger race in us. Europeans are the common ancestral background of whites and African American common ancestral background was from the west. The whites became a significant minority group in the 1600’s and blacks became a significant minority group in the 1800’s * In what ways have laws been used to enforce discrimination? Provide examples. These laws were intended against which racial minorities? Laws have been enforcing discrimination by making sure that all races have the same opportunity at a job. This is the civil rights act and it was made so that blacks and other races could all have a fair chance at a job and could not be rejected because of their race. If a black person would try to get a job and not get hired but a white person goes in and has everything the same as the black person but gets hired the black person can take that company to court for discrimination. These laws where intended for all racial minorities so everyone has the same opportunity. * In what ways have laws been used to eliminate discrimination? Provide examples. Did the laws work to eliminate discrimination? Allowing blacks and white to attend the same schools and allowing them to sit anywhere on a bus. Back years ago blacks had to sit in the back of the bus and if a white person needed a seat they had to give up theirs, as far as the schooling goes now black and whites can go to the same schools. I think the laws worked to eliminate discrimination because you do not see anyone making a black person move for a white person or having a school with only white kids. They laws have helped us become one country instead of 2 and everyone has a better look at each other now that we can combine races.

15 topics about sociology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

15 topics about sociology - Essay Example At present, a majority of the world’s population has or is living in a city; and yet, it was only about 100 years ago when there were only about 12 cities in existence. This speaks much of the pace and speed by which urbanization has taken place in various towns and rural areas. The growth in the population in these cities has also exceeded expected numbers for regular cities. These cities are called megacities because the rate of population growth and of development has increased and risen to unprecedented levels. And â€Å"we now live in an urban world where the mega-metropolises: Tokyo-Yokohama and greater Mexico City have populations of over 20 million† (Palen, p. 2). The rapidity of change from rural to urban life is at least as important as the amount of urbanization because the success or failure of the transition from rural to urban life is very much dependent on the pace of the development and the reception of the people to the development. And the megacities now cater to more advancement in industry and technology. The pace of these advancements is fast and is manifesting on a massive scale. But a large proportion of the world’s population is still based in the rural areas and in most Western nations. And the pace of transition from rural to urban life has been a dramatic transition as most population growths have been seen in the cities. Much of the population growth and transitions from rural to urban areas have been exhibited in developing countries. And these third world nations have managed to experience an expansion of their cities because many of the citizens seek greener pastures in these cities. As a result, today, â€Å"th e number of people living in developing world cities outnumbers the entire population of the world only 100 years ago† (Palen, p. 3). These numbers indicate that the pace of transition from rural to urban life has as much impact and importance as the amount of