Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Due Process Model

I believe that the due process model (which puts emphasis on an individuals rights) is essential and should constantly be our primary focus of this criminal justice system, although under the due process model there is a probability of criminals being set free or acquitted due to some technicality where individuals rights had been violated. As humans, we make mistakes and as we grow, we will learn from such mistakes. To affirm that those rights would not be violated again, but to allow a persons to be wrongfully convicted and sent to prison is a mistake that is unforgivable, one that can not be held to the standard â€Å"we live and we learn† and in my opinion, shows our justice system at it’s weakest. The Fourth Amendment posses the right against unreasonable search and seizure and probable cause is set forth so that law enforcement cannot conduct searches without proper evidence. The combination of the due process model and the right against illegal search and seizures will allow for authorities to rightfully obtain the information and evidence required for a conviction without the problem of the direct violation of an individuals rights. The Fifth Amendment declares that, †¦nor shall any person†¦ be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself†¦ â€Å"The right to remain silent. † The accused should not have to testify or say anything that would incriminate them. Under the due process model the accused is â€Å"innocent until proven guilty. If believed to be â€Å"in fact† guilty of a crime, it is law enforcement duty to collect any evidence that would affirm that belief. No person should be forced to self incriminate or to the confession of guild. The Sixth Amendment allows the right to a speedy trial. Unfortunately, this is not usually the case. The system is often under very heavy workloads and the proper preparation of cases. Therefore the accused is unfairly made to wait weeks sometimes months for their trial. Meanwhile the suffering of that individual and their family member increases by the day. With the due process model, those individuals would immediately be brought to trial. The Eighth Amendment apposes the use of cruel and unusual punishment. Once again, and individual is innocent until proven guilty. However, once accused of a crime the stigma is imposed and one will be â€Å"guilty† in some eyes regardless of what has or has not been proven and sometimes, I fear, one would be treated in a cruel and unusual manner. With the due process model, no persons accused would ever be harmed, physical or otherwise in any way.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

The Secret of Ella and Micha Chapter 11

Ella The next morning Lila is feeling much better. It's like last night never happened, but I wonder if it's an act. â€Å"I have a feeling that today is going to be full of rainbows and sunshine,† Lila says cheerily as she applies her lipstick, using the mirror on the closet door. Against my protest, she took down some of my sketches, so she could see her reflection. â€Å"See what, though?† I'd asked and she laughed, totally confused. â€Å"Are you high?† I tease as I twist my hair onto the back of my head and secure it with a clip. She pauses, looking at me over her shoulder. â€Å"Why do you always ask questions like that?† I slip on my boots and tie up the laces. â€Å"What kinds of questions?† She blots her lips. â€Å"Every time I'm happy, you always ask if I'm drunk or on something. People can be happy without substances.† I clasp a watch around my wrist. â€Å"Most people can, but not all.† Lila clips a diamond earring in. â€Å"You look really nice today.† I glance down at the black and purple dress I have on and the boots on my feet. â€Å"I forgot to do laundry so I had to wear some of my old clothes, which don't match any of my new shoes.† â€Å"Well you look nice.† She gives an elongated pause. â€Å"So what's on the agenda for today?† â€Å"It depends on what you're doing?† I ask. â€Å"Are you†¦ where are you planning on staying?† She shuts off her phone and then discards it onto the bed. â€Å"I'd like to stick around with you for a while, if you don't mind. We could hang out. I don't have anything scheduled for the summer and I'm not going back home.† â€Å"Do you want to tell me what happened?† â€Å"No, not really.† â€Å"Okay†¦ well, I need to find a job,† I say. â€Å"I have to save up for the rest of my tuition since it doesn't look like I'll be getting that internship.† She puts a headband in her hair. â€Å"The one at that art museum.† â€Å"That's the one and it doesn't start until mid-June,† I explain. â€Å"But that's only five weeks away, so I figured they'd have notified me if I got it.† â€Å"You never know. Sometimes things like that move slow.† She folds up a shirt and packs it into her bag, then ties a ribbon on the back of her shirt. â€Å"Although, if you get it that'd mean you'd have to go back to Vegas, right?† Nodding, I head for the door. Two weeks ago the idea of returning to the desert would make me happy, but something's changed. I still want to go, though leaving will be a little bit harder. I collect my phone off the dresser, noting the flashing voicemail on the screen – Micha's unread message. My finger hovers above the button as I step into the hall. He told me I wasn't ready for what was on it? But am I ready for it now? â€Å"I don't know why you think it's so bad here.† Lila follows me. â€Å"Yeah, people are a little rough, but they're not all bad and everywhere has bad stuff. You can't hide from it.† â€Å"That's very insightful.† I close my phone and put it away. â€Å"Bad comes in different forms,† Lila continues. â€Å"Whether it's drug dealers on the corner or if it's corrupt rich people or just your run-of-the-mill douche bag.† I don't know much about Lila, other than she's rich, her dad works as a lawyer and her mom stays home. She likes clothes, is great with numbers and was the only reason I passed pre-calculus. My brother's door is open and he walks out as we're passing by. He has a black and red polo shirt on and a pair of cargo pants. There's some kind of gel in his hair and it looks shiny. â€Å"Hey, have you seen dad?† he asks, giving an acknowledging glance at Lila. I point at the shut door at the end of the hall. â€Å"I thought I heard him come in late last night and go into his room.† â€Å"He did, but he got up this morning.† He leans against the doorframe and crosses his arms. â€Å"I heard him stumbling around in that bathroom and crying all night, but now I can't find him and I didn't hear him leave. His work called the house, saying he didn't show up, so he's not there.† My fists clench so that my nails dig into my palms. â€Å"Did you check in the bathroom?† Dean's eyes travel down the hall to the bathroom door and he shakes his head. â€Å"I haven't and I don't want to.† â€Å"Hi, I'm Lila,† she introduces herself and offers her hand. â€Å"You must be Ella's brother, Dean.† Dean is vaguely amused and shakes her hand. â€Å"Yeah†¦ how do you know Ella?† â€Å"I was her roommate,† she responds, pressing her hand to her chest, faking being offended. â€Å"Didn't she ever mention me?† â€Å"We don't talk that much.† I eye the bathroom door again and my stomach twists. â€Å"We need to find Dad.† â€Å"I'm not looking in that bathroom, Ella, but if you want to, go ahead.† With legs flimsier than wet noodles, I walk down the dark hallway and stop in front of the door, having a flashback of the day my mom died. The door was closed and the house was soundless, except for the running of water. My hands tremble as I open the door. The room is bare, the tub empty, and the tile floor is clean, except for a small stain. There are no towels on the hooks and the mirror on the wall across from me shows my reflection. My auburn hair is curled perfectly in place, my lips are lined with gloss, and my green eyes are immense and reveal everything. â€Å"Dad isn't in here,† I tell him, unable to look away from the mirror. â€Å"Are you sure you didn't hear him leave the house?† â€Å"He could have left and I just didn't hear him,† he answers. â€Å"But when has he ever left the house quietly before?† I quickly slam the bathroom door, like I'm trying to put out a fire, and race back down the hall. â€Å"Someone needs to find him. Did you try and call him?† â€Å"Of course. I'm not a moron.† He rolls his eyes and nods. â€Å"And he didn't answer.† Lila shifts her weight and forces the uncomfortable conversation elsewhere. â€Å"So you play the drums, Dean?† He motions to his drum set in the middle of his small room with dark blue walls. The floor and bed are cluttered with boxes and the curtain is pulled back, letting the sunlight spill in. â€Å"I used to, but I don't much anymore. I have work and a fiance.† â€Å"Fiance?† Lila and I say simultaneously. â€Å"Yeah, as in we're engaged.† Dean rolls his eyes and goes back into his room. â€Å"It's what happens when two people date for a really long time.† â€Å"Why didn't you tell me?† I ask, following him into his room. He picks up a small box and drops it onto the floor. â€Å"Do you really care that I am?† I carefully nudge the box out of the way with my foot. â€Å"You're my brother. Of course I care.† â€Å"But it's not like we've ever really gotten along,† he points out. â€Å"I haven't even talked to you for a year. God, I didn't even know you went to college until a week ago.† He's right, which is sad. I barely know him, he barely knows me, and I'm starting to think I barely know me, too. â€Å"Does Dad know you're engaged?† I ask. â€Å"Were you at least planning on telling him?† â€Å"Even if I told him, he'd just forget the next day.† He empties a dresser drawer into a large open box and then aligns the drawer back into place. â€Å"You know how he is. Christ, I don't even think half the time he knows that you and I don't live here anymore.† â€Å"He still deserves to be told,† I say. â€Å"He's not a bad guy and you know it. He just has problems.† â€Å"Problems that fucked up our childhood.† He kicks a box out of the way with force and it crashes into the wall. â€Å"You do realize that how we grew up wasn't normal. God, even Micha had it easier and his dad bailed out on him, but at least he had a stable mom to take care of him.† â€Å"Umm†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Lila pokes her head in the room. â€Å"I think I'm going to wait outside for you, Ella.† God, I'd forgotten she was even there and she just heard all of that. â€Å"Okay, I'll be down in a second,† I tell her and she leaves readily. I wander around Dean's room, taking in the photos he has up. â€Å"I think we may have just scared her to death.† Dean picks up his drumsticks and places them into a large duffel bag. â€Å"Okay, I have to ask. How did you end up being friends with her?† â€Å"She was my roommate and we just sort of bonded.† I shrug, picking up a photo of Dean and his friends on a sunny beach. It was taken during his Senior Field Trip and he looks happy. â€Å"You bonded,† he accuses. â€Å"The girl looks like a spoiled princess.† I eye his preppy clothes. â€Å"So do you.† â€Å"First off, I'm not a princess and I've earned what I have,† he says. â€Å"It wasn't just handed to me.† â€Å"Maybe she did, too.† â€Å"Did she?† I hate to give him the benefit of being right. â€Å"No, her parents are pretty well off.† He looks at me with that stupid arrogant expression he gets when I admit he's right. â€Å"Well, there you have it then.† â€Å"She's nice,† I protest. â€Å"And she doesn't ask a lot of questions.† â€Å"It may seem like you need to keep things to yourself,† he says, putting a blanket into a box. â€Å"But it's not healthy. You need to find someone you can let it all out to. Otherwise you're going to lose it.† My eyes roam to the window where the edge of Micha's house is visible. â€Å"I think I already did.† Dean's forehead creases as he drops a handful of guitar picks into a trunk. â€Å"Lose it? Or talk to someone about it?† â€Å"Both.† I back toward the door. â€Å"When are you heading back to Chicago?† â€Å"Hopefully by tonight. No offense or anything, but this place brings back way too many unpleasant memories.† â€Å"Try to say good-bye before you leave.† He doesn't respond and I don't wait around for an answer. That was probably the longest conversation that we've ever had and I have a feeling it may be our last for a very long time.

Seeking Jobs for Ftuers!!

TOPIC 1: what jobs are suitable for FTUers? Provide job description for the ones you recommend. What is the advice for today’s job seekers? Hi everyone! Thank you very much for coming here today. I’m Linh. I’m a first year student of Foreign Trade University. As you all know seeking a suitable job is very important for everyone after graduating, and FTUers are not exceptions. So I’m here today to talk to you about that â€Å"hot† topic: Seeking jobs! My presentation’s not gonna take too long so I hope you’ll find it interesting.I have divided my presentation into three main parts. First of all, I’ll start with the advantage of FTUers. Second, I’ll show you what jobs are suitable for FTUers and provide a description for sales and marketing manager. And third, I’ll offer some advice for today’s job-seekers. Don’t worry! There’ll be plenty of time left over for questions at the end. Before startin g, let me explain that I use â€Å"FTU† to stand for â€Å"Foreign Trade University† and â€Å"FTUers† are students of FTU. OK, let me go back to my first point: The advantage of FTUers.FTU is one of the most highly prestigious universities in Vietnam. FTU has gained enormous achievements in providing talented and high quality human resources to the economy and thus made great contribution to the cause of industrialization, modernization and global economic integration of the country. FTU is now offering a wide range of majors and specializations in economics, business, business administration, finance and banking and foreign languages. Students from FTU are recognized as being active and well-qualified.Most graduates from our university are likely to get the top priority of selection when they apply for jobs in companies and organizations in Vietnam. In some areas, FTUers are more needed by employers than the students majoring in the area itself (for example: i n banking, FTU candidates are said to be more competitive than ones from Banking Institution). What I mean is that being an FTUers, you have more chance to get a nice job than anyone else in any other university. (yes, anyone else! Now, let me turn to the next point. First, I’d like to recap the question â€Å"what jobs are suitable for FTUers? † As I said before, FTU graduates are so active and could apply for many kinds of job positions. They tend to find a job which has high salary, professional and active working environment, many opportunities to get ahead a promotion. If you’re a student specializing in economy, namely you can work for the leading import-export business, joint-venture companies, International co-operation agency in commercial field.Or if you major in banking and financial, you can work in the sale division or the credit department for the banks such as: ANZ, Agribank, BIDV†¦ or securities companies. There are so many jobs being suitab le for FTUers and choosing a job depends on many different factors. I believe that FTU graduates will get the best suitable job for themselves. We ARE the best, right? Well, as I promised before, now I’d like to provide a description for sales and marketing manager.As a sales and marketing manager, you’ll be involved in many different roles depending on whom you work for. Job duties include: assisting Marketing Manager in coordinating various integrated communication and marketing activities, coordinating in production of a wide range of marketing communications, providing product positioning materials as well as training for customer service and sales, working with customers in developing case studies, references, and testimonials, etc.And to become a good manager, you should have computer proficiency skills; plan decisions and practice good judgment; effective project management skills and ability to operate under solid pressure and meet tight deadlines. And of cours e, you have to be a self-motivated, confident, energetic, and creative person not only to get this job but also many other jobs. And now, let me move on to the final point of my presentation. Getting a job nowadays becomes harder and harder. So I’d like to offer some advice for today’s job seekers to help them get a good job.Before I talk about my advice, I want you to know that there are quite a lot of things you need to prepare to get a job so now I just give you some basic tips. The very first thing that you need to do is before an interview, please do research carefully (really carefully) about the company. You should be able to cite data you've learned about them. And remember: you have to be constantly positive and convinced (constantly positive and convinced) within your heart that you really want to work for this company.Even a slight lack of enthusiasm can affect the outcome. (Yes, I said even a slight lack of enthusiasm) The second thing is finding an experie nced friend to rehearse an interview. Better yet, make a video! You need to be rigorously critical about your performance and never give up improving that performance. And the last but not the least is being prepared for rejections, and don’t waste your time getting angry at the perceived unfairness of them. Just get better at your interview skills for the next time.Well, that final tip brings me to the end of my presentation. I’d like to run through my three main parts again: The first part is the advantage of FTUers, the second part is what jobs are suitable for FTUers and a job description for sales and marketing manager, and the last part is some basic tips for today’s job seekers. I hope my presentation is comprehensible and useful for you guys. Thank you very much for listening. And now if you have any question, please feel free to ask me.

Monday, July 29, 2019

The Principal Object of Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 5

The Principal Object of Management - Essay Example Most scholars have proposed different models of organization management as well as different models of choosing the model that best fits an organization. He is fast to note the interests of both the employer and employee are the same, and one cannot prosper without the other. Both the employer and the employee should train each individual to produce at his highest possible level of efficiency In his book, â€Å"The Sociology of Organization: Classical, Critical and Contemporary Reading, Handel, Michael (2003) provides a collection of several scholarly articles on Organizational Theories. I will examine some of the models in the collection, highlighting their weaknesses and their strengths. Weber, (2009, pg 50) classifies authority basing on the allegiance pledged by the subjects to their leaders. He identifies three types of authority. In Rational Authority, the subjects submit to authority by virtue of legal issues. They don’t have any intimate relational issues with the senior. This system is common in firms which have established themselves over time such that the subjects submit to the leader by virtue of submitting to the firm. A good example is in today’s modern states, whereby the citizens are not directly loyal to the president, or the government, but the legal system of the nation. Traditional authority, in its part, features subjects who submit to traditions surrounding the authority. For instance, the subjects of a kingdom pledge their allegiance to the king’s son simply because he is of a certain bloodline. He contrasts both of these to Charismatic Authority, in which subjects devote themselves to an individual based on her expertise an d exceptional character. He argues that the most superior form of administration in any organization is bureaucracy, which in its part implies individual domination by knowledge. This attributes to the precision of decision making,  clarity and consistency of knowledge.  

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Law of Evidence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 3

Law of Evidence - Essay Example This is often done to preserve some fundamental elements of the constitutional conventions and legal traditions that have been preserved for generations in English law. This paper will examine the circumstances under which the burden of proof is reversed from the accuser to the accused. It will also identify how the court rationalise their decisions in these circumstances and situations. A tradition upheld in English legal tradition is that an individual is innocent until proven guilty in criminal proceedings. This is the concept of the presumption of innocence which means that the burden of proof will be on the prosecution rather than the accused. This was made in the landmark ruling of Woolmington V DPP2 where the precedence was set for prosecutors to prove that a person had broken the law before any proceeding could commence in criminal law. The case of Woolmington V DPP indicated that the prosecution has two burdens of proof, evidential burden of proof and legal burden of proof3. The evidential burden of proof is the sensible proposition to assert there is a matter fit for the accused person to be prosecuted. However, that does not prevent the prosecution from presenting evidence during the actual trial. The evidential burden of proof is to ensure that a person arrested on a given charge is actually in breach of a valid law of the land. Evidential burden is meant to ensure that there is a compelling reason for the prosecution to go ahead. It is about the ability to link the accused to what s/he is actually being accused for. During the hearings, the prosecution must present evidence to support the claims on the basis of the points of law, presented by the judge. In other words, when examining the English legal system, it is apparent that cases are presented to judges who present the facts to the jury who in turn scrutinize the facts and come up with a verdict. Thus, evidential proof and

Saturday, July 27, 2019

The obstacles to work at home and telecommuting programs Essay

The obstacles to work at home and telecommuting programs - Essay Example Most employees would of course want to hire people they see in person to make sure they are capable for the job and that, they are trustworthy. Trust is an issue in telecommuting programs. In relation to the aforementioned problem, employers are also concerned about collaboration among employees. Since they are not able to see the employees, employers are worried that in times of troubles, as it is a natural thing that arise in companies, the employees could collaborate against the company. This is a difficult situation for telecommuting in contrast to the traditional work programs wherein employers can easily settle issues that arise and control further damage to the company because they can easily determine the cause of the problems and the solutions to them. Whereas, in telecommuting, the resolution can prove to be difficult because the employees who caused troubles are difficult to determine and deal with. Despite these obstacles, the modern world demands more telecommuters so that most employers can do nothing but take the risks and find out more remedies to at least limit the negative consequences of

Friday, July 26, 2019

Policing and Crime Reduction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Policing and Crime Reduction - Essay Example It became necessary for the police force to use criminal intelligence the crime analysts to find out the criminals and all information about them to solve the problem. Both the models have got its own distinctive features and the present essay is intended to analyse these features in an effort to see whether both the models are compatible with each other. There was wide spread criticism of the way of policing adopted through 1970's to 1980. During this period policing was more concentrated on crimes and paid little attention to the problems that created a situation for such cases. Their activities were mainly divided into two. Preventive patrol and patrol in response to emergency calls. These activities could not bring crime control. Police was using random patrol, follow up of criminal investigations and sudden actions as the basis of their investigation. It was found that such a system was less efficient because there were many community problems, which did not have a criminal background and arrests and prosecutions did not solve most of the problems. The number of arrests did not increase as the crime increased, mainly because of the lack of infrastructure to keep and prosecute these people. Moreover, it was felt that most of the community problems without a criminal nature could be solved without any arrest through mere police in volvement to address those problems. According to Goldstein, the police were more concentrated on their own internal politics and management and they were little concerned about their actual duties (Goldstein, 1979). He initiated a change in the usual policing by urging them to concentrate on the problems that lead to most of the crimes and to solve these problems so as to take out crime from its roots. He called it problem-oriented policing and this drive was internationally accepted and has been very effective in crime control (Weisburd et. al., 2007). Problem oriented policing involves analysis of similar incidents by the crime analysts as well as experienced police officials in a effort to understand something new from these problems so as to device strategy to deal with those problems (Weisburd et. al., 2007). The system has a preventive nature, which incorporates the use of public and private agencies and community for crime reduction or its prevention. Once a strategy is developed it would be implemented and evaluated and this would be reported so that it would form the basis for developing a pool of knowledge that would help police in their profession (Goldstein, 2001). So there would not be any secrecy in dealing with each and every case. The problems would be openly discussed and the strategy developed would be published in the community. Cooperation of community and other government agencies were sought to implement strategies and to solve the problems so as to reduce incidents of crimes. Based on this idea Eck And Spelman (1987) developed SARA model of problem oriented policing. SARA denoted four steps in its operation namely, Scanning, Analysis, Response and Assessment. Scanning in the process in which police identify problems in their area that are leading to crimes. The next step "Analysis" involves, analysis of these problems so

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Reflection of Slingshot Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Reflection of Slingshot - Essay Example All the elements to make faster cars were present including the know how to build one. It all begun in Southern California in the 1940s coming from depression with children coming out of age. In addition, United States just came from war where most of its youngsters came from the military who received education from the military on how to create hot rods. Through this education from the military, they were able to incorporate better techniques to make faster cars such as hot rods which eventually evolve to drag race cars. And of course given with a strong economy and know how about motors (cars were invented in the United States) these youths with plenty of energy, spare cash and ingenuity created fast cars which were known as slingshots. Of course, it was first built to be crude just like the Ford’s T-Model and others resembles a sedan only that they ran faster. The races were first done in the street (and therefore illegal) until it evolved to an activity in the 1950s. It further evolved where regulatory bodies were established as well the support of big companies that made the sport not only a successful spectator sport but also a successful commercial sport. The evolution of drag racing to become a spectator sport can be likened to any other endeavor be it in sport, organization or companies. It started as a hobby or a recreation and engaged by few enthusiasts. Over time and with energy and support, it eventually grew and embraced by everybody to become a successful sport. Reflecting on this development gives one an idea that anything really is possible given the talent, inclination, energy and resources. As a student, it inspires us that given the know-how, drive and resources, we can also achieve the same feat albeit at a lesser extent. The knowledge learned by those who started the sport came from the military in the same manner

International Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

International - Essay Example The strategy of the company is easy and simple to follow that is to allow the continuous growth of the product by continuous revolution and invention at the same time maintain equilibrium between the activities of different region and product lines. The short term performances are more preferred and long term performances are not neglected at the cost of short term performance. Nestle gives priority to providing quality products to everyone, irrespective of their location, needs and throughout their lives. Nestle runs on the decentralized system which means each country is responsible for the sale of products individually and does not depend on the main headquarters The motto of Nestle is to â€Å"Think globally- acting locally† which means that their products are made by keeping the whole world in mind but also interacts with the consumers at regional level (G, 2009). Corporate social responsibility is a concept of management in which companies incorporate societal and environmental apprehension when dealing with stakeholders and the operations of the business. Corporate social responsibility also known as CSR is the method with which the company achieves equilibrium between the environmental and economical sectors, in other words this is known as the Triple Bottom Line Approach. Along with this the company also responds to the stake holders and share holders expectations. If one wishes to promote the CSR within a company it is also important to review the company’s needs and their capacity to incorporate CSR in the company so that it does not affect their economic feasibility. If CSR is properly incorporated within a company then it gives the ability to the company to gain several advantages like increased in flow of investments, higher sales and profit ratio, systematic human resource base, a better and much improved image of the brand a nd development of good reputation, the ability to make good decision

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Research Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Research Proposal - Essay Example More specifically, the primary activities of the proposed studio will include services for Commercial, Portrait, Studio and Street photography. The project shall be made up of two (2) parts. The first part being the identification of the main consumer groups and target market segments, an evaluation of the photo industry, and the conduct of a brief Political, Economic, Social, and Technological (PEST) and Porter Five Points analyses. The second part, on the other hand, shall be aimed at monitoring the performance of the proposed studio against industry competitors and market averages and improving this performance based on the results of the evaluation process. It shall likewise endeavor to determine which of the industry’s niches the proposed photographic studio can successfully tackle to enable the company to maximize its revenues and make it competitive. The rationale behind this project is to confirm that the proposed photo studio is indeed an economically viable business given the industry’s vast market and growth potentials. This project will enable the tracking, investigation and monitoring of existing variables such as relevant competitors and potential market, before and during the initial process of business development including sales monitoring during the early stages of actual business operations. Sales monitoring will involve the process of sales benchmarking via an assessment of verifiable sales of competitors and vis-Ã  -vis relevant market standards. These approaches will cover a complete monitoring and analytical process over a wider spectrum of the company’s existence while at the same time allowing a differentiated approach to the use of different monitoring instruments and research tools. Both phases will require the collection and processing of data from the market and consumers in order to draw relevant conclusions. The

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Internet Marketing Management Assignment about Breitling watches Essay

Internet Marketing Management Assignment about Breitling watches (httpwww.breitling.com) 3000 Words - Essay Example In1914 the founder passed away and son, Gaston, took over the company. Aeronautics had made spectacular developments after 1914. In the year 1923 Breitling developed the independent chronograph push piece with automatic start and return-to-zero functions. Significant progress was made in the aviation industry between 1923 and 1942. Breitling launched the chronomat, first of its kind chronograph fitted with circular slide rule. American armed forces also became the clients of Breitling Instruments. The aviation industry was growing with leaps and bounds. Jet aircrafts had been developed and the first International passenger jet flight had been launched. Breitling achieved a major mile stone in 1962 when Astronaut Scott Carpenter wore the COSMONAUTE during his orbital flight. Breitling reached a major mile stone in 1969 with the launch of self winding chronograph. In 1979 Ernest Schneider a Pilot, watch manufacturer took over the reigns of Breitling from Willy Breitling. Chronomat was launched in 1984 and it becomes the best selling chronograph in Breitling collection. The military aviation industry was growing with leaps and bounds. Aircrafts like Stealth bombers were being developed. In 1999 after completing 100 years in Chronograph making Breitling submits its entire collection to Swiss official chronometer testing institute. Breitling Products: Breitling manufactures and sells Chronographs onl... Apart from this they have very high end product which is the "Breitling for Bentley" collection. This collection focuses on high end customers who value tradition, performance and novelty value of the product being purchased. What is a chronograph A watch with two independent time systems: one indicates the time of day, and the other measures brief intervals of time. Counters registering seconds, minutes and even hours can be started and stopped as desired, thus enabling the exact timing of an event. Internet Marketing Strategies: While developing a marketing strategy, it is important to consider the environment in which the business functions. Porter (Kotler, 282) has identified five forces to determine profit attractiveness. These are: Competitors: Consider the web sites that offer the same products. New Entrants: Offsite competitors and new people in the business. Customers: The people visiting the site. Suppliers: Companies offering parts of products, web hosting software firms. Substitutes: Other media used for product promotion. Besides this, "SWOT" Analysis could also be used. Strength and weakness is dependent on the marketers internal environment Opportunity and Threats are dependent on the external environment. Strength: How is your product/service better than the competition Why should a customer feel delighted by using your product or service Weakness: What are the opportunity areas in your product /service and how they can be over-come Opportunity: The marketer should strike at the right opportunity and the right time and should target the right people (Customer). Threats: The Marketer should know exactly what are the hurdles in Marketing the product(Technology , Competitors) Internet Marketing strategy gives you a

Monday, July 22, 2019

Privatization in India Essay Example for Free

Privatization in India Essay Ram Mohan Visiting Faculty, Finance and Accounting Area Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, India Abstract The proposed research is intended to survey the process of privatization in India and assess its impact on the Indian economy. The central issue we will address is the impact of privatization that has taken place so far on profitability and performance of PSUs. Going beyond this, we will attempt to understand what explains the impact of privatization on performance. Is it the use of market power by oligopolistic firms whose pricing power had been constrained under government ownership ? Is performance bought at the expense of labour through extensive layoffs so that what we see is essentially a transfer from workers to shareholders ? Or are we confusing the impact of privatization with the more generalised impact of deregulation in the economy, which in itself could spur efficiency ? The research output will comprise the following: 1. A survey of the literature on privatization, particularly with respect to less developed countries. 2. A review of the role of the public sector in the Indian economy, and the process of economic liberalization and privatization in India upto this point. 3. Impact of privatization on firm performance. 4. Explanation for the impact of privatization 5. Assessment of mechanisms of corporate governance in India. -2- I. Background: privatization in theory and practice A great wave of privatization has swept the world in the past two decades, embracing the industrial economies, the transition economies of East Europe and large parts of the less developed world, and it continues to roll on. It is interesting, however, that its basis in theory was somewhat shaky to start with. Moreover, a sizable enough body of empirical evidence, on which hypotheses about its impact could be tested, became available only several years down the road. So much of the initial impetus to privatization entailed a leap in faith, and, as happens all too often in the development of knowledge, attempts to explain its impact have followed on the heels of widespread existing practice.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Health Organization Case Study

Health Organization Case Study Introduction Banner Health has its headquarters at Phoenix, AZ and drives 25 hospital branches, related health services in seven states of United States. Banner Health has grown from hospital system to an integrated system including services that are provided through Banner Medical Group and Banner Health Network. Banner Health is considered as a top system in providing stable quality health to the patients. It offers physician services, home care, comprehensive services and hospice. Specialized services are offered by the organization at Western States Burn Center, Banner Alzheimer’s Institute, Banner Heart Hospital and Banner Concussion Center. The organization runs in seven states of Colorado, Nebraska, Alaska, California, Arizona, Wyoming and Nevada (Banner health at a glance, 2014). Healthcare strategies for future Banner health offers simulation education program for healthcare professionals, which is considered as a largest program in the country. This program makes use of simulators, mannequins and virtual reality programs to provide new generation method of learning. Banner health employees can perfect their medical techniques prior to attending the real patients at the facility (Simulation education at Banner health, nd). The medical director of Banner health simulation medical center, Dr. Mark Smith says that he was convinced with the fact that innovation in the current activities would definitely throw light on showing efficient and high quality care towards the patients. He reminds that demand for health services are increasing, while the resources are becoming scarce with the aging population, evolving technology and uncertainty in the health system of the country. With the help of cutting edge technologies, Banner Health is improving the services and minimizing the errors (Banner Inno vation, 2011). Simulation training is a training method that gives an opportunity for the clinical experts to practice and do mistakes in the activities which have no consequences. Therefore, the trainers can easily estimate the cognitive and psychomotor skills of the clinicians. Training also includes examining the procedural knowledge of clinician, documenting capacity, decision-making capacity, communicating with the care team and patients, and time management skills of the person (Banner Innovation, 2011). The areas considered to be improved to buildup existing health network are enhancing patient care through skills in emergency care, surgical skills, common procedures, team work, labor and delivery skills. The cardiac life support training courses of Banner health were also restored. Preparedness to handle Ebola Cases Though there are no reported Ebola virus cases in any of the places where Banner health services are present, the organization is taking necessary steps to address the Ebola virus cases, if there is any need in the community. All the branches of Banner health have policies and procedures sufficiently in form to isolate the patient who is suspected to be infected with Ebola virus. It has been an important endeavor on the part of Banner health during the past seven months to conduct special training sessions for the hospital staff with the help of infection prevention specialists. These sessions focused on preventing the virus spread (Ebola virus, nd). Large hospital rooms in various facilities of Banner health are designed to isolate the Ebola patients or patients with infectious diseases, and treat them effectively. These isolation rooms are equipped with integral infection control precautions, specific equipment and airflow. As there is a constant practice of treating various contagious diseases here, these specific rooms are always engaged in accommodating patients regularly with the same precautionary measures. The guidelines provided by the Center for disease control and prevention for the safety of the staff and other patients at Banner health facilities are considered for preparing and planning the necessary activities (Ebola virus, nd). RN Case Manager Banner Health RN case managers help in providing right care to the patients at the right time. The resources are utilized to the maximum extent to augment the quality of health services and to coordinate healthcare with RN case managers. The case management teams differ based on diverse work settings. These teams comprise of RN case manager, case management technician and social worker. The specific needs of the patient are evaluated by the case management team. The roles of RN case managers in banner health are communicating with insurance companies and acute care setting. The roles of them in banner health network are home health visits, telephonic support service, planning long term care, coordinating communication within the network and communicating with insurance companies (RN Case Manager Careers, nd). Resource management Banner health offers nurse practitioner courses to introduce leading-edge technology tools such as electronic medical records, simulation learning centers and remote intensive care monitoring. Medical innovation at banner health is considered as good as healthcare professionals treating the patients. Banner health trains the nurses to confidently and safely deliver patient care. Employing nurses here opens options for nurses to continue clinical education, tuition reimbursement, scholarships and so on (Registered nurse careers, nd). Banner medical group comprises of more than 1300 practitioners across more than 65 specialities to deliver safer and quality patient care. The medical staff is transforming patient care delivery, which can be observed in patient-centered medical home implementation (PCMH). Care planning for patients is done through PCMH by coordination, tracking and working in teams. This results in efficient and quality delivery of healthcare (Healthcare careers at Banner health, nd). Banner health provides sufficient training in business through an advanced simulation center. Competitive compensation, private housing, electronic medical records, attractive bonuses, travel allowance and stability offered by Banner health are enjoyed by the employees of the organization (Banner staffing services Banner health travelers, nd). Patient satisfaction It is the policy of Banner health to resolve complaints related to the services, healthcare or any alleged actions. Several centers of the Banner health ensure care departments that can be contacted to give any complaint regarding the patient care. Banner health centers provide certain rights for the patient, offer pastoral care, have complaint policy, provide living will, healthcare power of attorney and mental healthcare power of attorney as advanced directive, provide communication assistance for the patients, and provide access to the hospital ethics committee (Patient satisfaction, nd). Advance directives and written statements generated by the patients can help the healthcare practitioners and family members to understand what the patient actually desires (Advance directives, nd). There is a notice of privacy practices prepared in the form of a fact sheet by Banner Health to protect the confidentiality of patient information. The notice explains the way patient information is used by the organization inside and outside the campus. The notice also explains the patient’s rights towards their own health information (Privacy practices for banner health, nd). References Advance Directives. (nd). Patients Visitors. Banner Health, retrieved from http://www.bannerhealth.com/_Patients+and+Visitors/Advance+Directives/_Advance+Directive.htm Banner health at a glance. (2014). About banner health, Banner Health,Retrieved from http://www.bannerhealth.com/About+Us/Banner+At+A+Glance.htm Banner Innovation. (2011). Banner Health Innovation: Welcome to the future, Focus on Innovation, About Banner Health, Banner Health, Retrieved from http://www.bannerhealth.com/About+Us/Innovations/Focus+on+Innovation/_focus.htm Banner Health. Patient satisfaction. (nd). Retrieved from http://www.bannerhealth.com/NR/rdonlyres/16F5B8E2-5E22-4ECA-ABDF-92E62F879E01/25868/PatientSatisfactionEnglSpan.pdf Banner staffing services Banner health travelers. (nd). Banner health careers, Banner health, Retrieved from http://www.bannerhealth.com/Careers/Careers+in+Demand/Staffing+and+Travel/_BPR+BSS+Travel.htm Ebola virus. (nd). Banner Health Services. Banner health, Retrieved from http://www.bannerhealth.com/Services/Health+And+Wellness/Ebola/_Ebola+Virus.htm Healthcare careers at Banner Health. (nd). Physician careers, banner Health, Retrieved from http://www.bannerhealth.com/Careers/Careers+in+Demand/Physician+Careers/_Physician+Careers.htm Privacy practices for banner health. (nd). Patients Visitors, Banner Health, Retrieved fromhttp://www.bannerhealth.com/_Patients+and+Visitors/Patient+Privacy/_Privacy+Practices.htm Registered nurse careers. (nd). Banner health careers, Banner Health, Retrieved from http://www.bannerhealth.com/Careers/Careers+in+Demand/Registered+Nurse+Careers.htm RN Case Manager Careers. (nd). Banner Health Careers, Banner Health, Retrieved from http://www.bannerhealth.com/Careers/_RN+Case+Manager+Careers.htm?utm_source=careers-infocus-rncasemgrutm_medium=infocusclickutm_campaign=careers-infocus-rncasemgr Simulation education at banner health. (nd). Courses/Applications, Banner Health. Retrieved from http://www.bannerhealth.com/About+Us/Innovations/Simulation+Education/_Simulation+Education.htm

Inclusive Education In Malaysia

Inclusive Education In Malaysia Malaysias move toward inclusion was given impetus by its participation in workshops and conferences set up under the auspices of the United Nations. Inclusive education was introduced in the Education Act (1998) as part of the continuum of services available for children with special needs. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the interpretation of policy pertaining to inclusion, its contradictions and its translation into practice within the Malaysian context; and to share experiences on how the national context explains and constrains inclusive practices. This paper also reviews the extent inclusion has brought benefits to children with special needs and their families; as well as examine the problematic issues associated with the interpretation and implementation of inclusive practices at community and school levels. Introduction In line with the global trend toward inclusive education, Malaysia officially began its efforts to include students with special needs in mainstream education through its involvement in workshops and activities initiated by the United Nations (UN) and United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). Standards of several UN policies affirm the right of all children to equal education without discrimination within the mainstream education system. These include the UN Convention on the rights of the Child (1989), the UN Standard Rules on the Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (1993), the UNESCO Salamanca Statement (1994) and the UNESCAP Biwako Millennium Framework (2002). The Salamanca Statement on Principles, Policy and Practice in Special Needs Education (UNESCO 1994) has stressed the importance to develop national capacities for policymaking and systems management in support of inclusive education and the need to address equal educati onal opportunity and access to all children including those with special educational needs. Subsequently, inclusive education was introduced in the Malaysian Education Act 1996 (1998) together with provisions for children with learning difficulties. Although huge strides have been taken in the provisions and allocations for special needs education in Malaysia, inclusive education seems elusive to many children who need it. The purpose of this article is to examine and analyse the current policy and practices pertaining to inclusive education within the parallel system of general and special education, and to share experiences on how the national context explains and constrains inclusive practices. Concepts and principles in inclusive education will be discussed against the backdrop of Malaysian general education system and school culture. Inclusive education in Malaysia originated from the special education agenda as defined in the Education Act 1996 (1998) and its approach is referred to this tradition. The discussion begins with an introduction to the development of special needs education as a discipline and as a profession in Malaysia, and its influence on the development of policy and practice toward inclusive education. The Evolutionary Phases of Special Needs Education The history of special needs education in Malaysia parallels developments seen in other helping professions in developing countries worldwide (Azuma, 1984). Foreign experts are initially relied upon to provide the knowledge and to encourage its development prior to the emergence of a profession within a country. The first professionals to provide services are usually trained abroad. The second stage followed this first stage, in which colleges and universities established programs and departments to teach the discipline and prepare the professionals. The second stage leads to the third stage, in which colleges and universities import developed from abroad to achieve standards that characterised the discipline in more developed nations. During this stage, the concepts, theories and models of implementation found in the more developed countries are taught, applied and tested; some of which may transfer more successfully than others. The fourth stage sees research initiated in the country to develop the concepts, theories and practices and technologies essential to enhance practice. The fifth and last stage is reached when this new body of knowledge developed in one country is integrated into the larger body of knowledge available internationally. As professions and disciplines of knowledge evolve from one stage to the next, they gain strength and improve qualities associated with the earlier stages of the development. Malaysia embarked on the first stage when the first school for the blind was opened in 1929, followed by a school for the deaf very much later in 1954. These schools were initiated under the programs of the Ministry of Social Welfare with the help of religious missionaries. Malaysia entered its second stage when professional preparation programs for special education were formally established by the Ministry of Education in 1961. Lacking its own expertise and technology, Malaysia entered its third stage when it began importing knowledge and expertise by sending its education professionals abroad for research degrees and in-service attachments in special needs education in the 1980s and 1990s, and attempting to customize what was learned to its national conditions. Malaysias participation in international workshops and activities of the UN and UNESCO and subsequent reforms as reflected in the Education Act (1998) describes the active development of policy and changes in practices duri ng this period. In 1993, the first preservice teacher preparation leading to a Bachelor of Education degree program in special needs education was initiated in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. The program was developed alongside a collaborative project in curriculum development with three universities in the United Kingdom, namely, the Universities of Manchester, Birmingham and Cambridge (Jelas, 1996; 1999). Special needs education in Malaysia is currently in its fourth stage with research being initiated in the local universities with funding from the government to indigenise special needs education as a discipline. The establishment of research degree programs in special needs education has generated interest among students and academics and attempts to integrate local knowledge with the larger body of knowledge internationally have started (Jelas, 1996, 1999, 2000; Azman et al., 2003; Ali et al, 2006). Development of policy: A force for or against inclusion Education for children and youth with special needs is provided for by two government agencies: The Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (MWFCD). The MWFCD through its Welfare Department, provides learning and skills training services for children and youths with i) severe physical disabilities, ii) severe and profound intellectual disabilities; and iii) multiple disabilities. These learning and skills training services are implemented in collaboration with non-governmental bodies and community-based rehabilitation centres. The Special Education Department of the MOE is responsible for coordinating all special educations programmes in the regular schools and the administration of all special education schools which cater only to students with hearing and visual impairments. Children who are identified with i) downs syndrome, ii) mild autism, iii) developmental delays, iv) attention deficit hyperactivity disorders, and v) specific learning disabilities, are placed in self-contained special classes in the Learning Disability Programmes in regular schools. The terms special needs introduced in the Education Act 1996 (1998) are defined as follows: Pupils with special needs means pupils with visual impairment or hearing impairment or with learning disabilities And inclusive education is introduced as part of the continuum of services available for children with special needs: Special education programme means A programme which is provided in special schools for pupils with visual impairment or hearing impairment; An integrated programme in general schools for pupils with visual impairment or hearing impairment or with learning disabilities; and An inclusive education programme for pupils with special needs and who are able to attend normal classes together with normal pupils (Education Act 1996, 1998, p. 341) However, the eligibility for special education placement is based on the educability of children as assessed by a team of professionals. This is documented in the Act, which states: (1) For government and government-aided schools, pupils with special needs who are educable are eligible to attend the special education programme except for the following pupils: physically handicapped pupils with the mental ability to learn like normal pupils; and pupils with multiple disabilities or with profound physical handicap or severe mental retardation. A pupil with special needs is educable if he is able to manage himself without help and is confirmed by a panel consisting of a medical practitioner, an officer from the MOE and an officer from the Welfare Department of the MWFCD, as capable of undergoing the national educational programme (Education Act 1996, 1998, p. 342) The eligibility dilemma A number of issues and contradictions arise when we analyse policies that explicitly state a criterion for eligibility. While the current public policy for children with special educational needs, particularly those categories of children classified as experiencing learning disabilities have access to regular schools as stated in the Act, the educability criteria contradicts the goals of providing equal education opportunities as stipulated in the United Nations Standard Rules on the Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (1993), The Salamanca Statement (1994) and the Biwako Millenium Framework for Action (UNESCAP, 2002). These mandates are intended to promote equal rights and access to education for persons with disabilities. The educability criterion assumes that there are children who are uneducable within the public school system and thus these children are catered to within community-based rehabilitation (CBR) settings (MOE, 2006). CBR programmes are government-initiated, centre-based programmes at the community level aimed to provide education that emphasises therapy and rehabilitation to children with learning disabilities (Kuno, 2007). CBR programmes are quite detached from the mainstream school system. However, in practice, the division between both provisions is less definite, and students who should benefit from them become victims of bureaucratic procedures (Adnan Hafiz, 2001). The true meaning of equal rights and access is still evolving in the Malaysian context, as policy makers and the schools put into practice their interpretation of what they perceive those rights to be. Deciding on who does or does not have a special educational need, or who is educable and who is not poses a major problem. Before special programmes were available, students with special needs were described by their characteristics and by the instructional challenges they presented to teachers. When the education system began to respond to the needs of each emerging group of special needs students, services were established and eligibility criteria determined. From that point on, a child was identified (for school and placement purposes) as having or experiencing a special educational need and if he or she is able to manage him or herself without help (Education Act 1996, 1998), the child will be eligible for a given programme or service. This process was repeated as each new group of special needs students emerged for example, children with visual and hearing impairments in the 1960s, children with mild intellectual in the 1980s and 1990s, and more recently, children with attentio n deficit hyperactivity disorders and children with dyslexia. Thus it is regulated in the Education Act 1996 (1998) that the perspectives of professionals (a medical practitioner, an officer from the MOE and an officer from the Welfare Department of the MWFCD p. 342) have the most power in determining the way children are categorised and whether these children are capable of undergoing the national educational programme (Education Act 1996, 1998). In this context, policy makers and professionals continue to see special schools and classes as well as categories as having an important place in provisions. Responses at the Ministerial level revealed an emphasis on diversity and acceptance of human characteristics as problematic and that learning difficulties are technical problems that require specialised discipline knowledge that cannot be dealt with in the normal classes with normal children (Education Act 1996, 1998 p. 341). In this context, the MOE sees segregation as the right to be educated in a separate environment from the mainstream and i nclusion is implemented on the principle that integrate and include children with special needs where possible, and retain the right to segregate where necessary (Booth Ainscow, 1998). Within the Malaysian context, the belief that the child must be educable to be educated reflects a rigid and narrow interpretation of the concept of inclusion. The requirement reinforced what Peters (2004) referred to as the continuum of placements paradigm; where inclusion is conceptualised as a place that one needs to be eligible and not as a service delivered. Such a narrow and limited interpretation results in the exclusion of SEN students from within the school system. Jelas (2000a) summarised the interpretation of the process of inclusion in the Malaysian context in Figure 1. INCLUSION: MEETING OUR COMMITMENTS Salamanca Statement 1994 Malaysian Education Act 1996 Responses to human diversity Responses to categories Commitment to change Commitment to existing demands Rejection of medical model of disability Coexistence of medical social model perubatan sosial Equity PROCESS OF INCLUSION Educability PROCESS OF EXCLUSION Figure 1. Inclusion: Its interpretaion in the Malaysian context Rationalising exclusion While the literature on inclusive education would be in agreement over the basic philosophical stance of inclusion as it relates to issues of social justice and equity of educational opportunities, its interpretation and translation into practice remains unclear in Malaysia. The National Report on the development of education states: Inclusion in Malaysia subscribed to the concept of placing SEN students into mainstream classes to be educated alongside their peers, either with or without additional support, and within the present school system. This concept of IE (inclusive education) might not be in line with the ideal concept based on acceptance, belonging and about providing school settings in which all disadvantaged children can be valued equally and be provided with equal educational opportunities à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (MOE, 2004, p. 28), While the philosophical basis of including SEN students into mainstream schools is accepted as a policy, the continued legitimization of paradigms that exclude SEN students is also acknowledged by rationalising between the ideal and the not-so-ideal concept of inclusive education. This ambivalence is reinforced by the following statements: Prior to inclusion, especially in the early part of their formal education, SEN students are equipped with relevant basic skills and knowledge to enable them to cope with mainstream learning. Only those who are diagnosed capable to cope with mainstream learning would be included fully or partially. (MOE, 2004, p. 29) The emphasis on the ability to cope with mainstream learning seemed consistent with the integration models that came about in the 1980s. Integration models mainly focused on placing students with mild disabilities, identified and diagnosed as having special needs in mainstream schools. In such models, students must adapt to the norms, expectations, styles, routines and practices of the education system instead of the education system adapting to the learner (UNESCO, 2008). The integrated programme is the dominant format for delivering services to special needs students in Malaysia, then and now. Students typically were referred to a medical practitioner to determine their eligibility and to confirm their disability, and if they met the eligibility criteria, they were placed in a special class in a regular school. Once placed, few special education students returned to the regular education class on full-time basis. Although the special classroom and special schools continued as optio ns, integrated programmes (placement in regular classrooms) for students with visual and hearing impairments are available with support from the resource teacher. Within this model, students were pulled out for part-time placement in resource rooms, or a special education teacher comes to the regular education classroom to provide remedial assistance to the student or to assist the classroom teacher. By the mid -1980s special education in the developed countries, specifically in the United States and United Kingdom, no longer relied on segregated special classes to serve students with SEN. Historically, the disenchantment of many special educators and the concern of the efficacy of the prevailing approach (Ainscow, 1994; Meyen Skrtic, 1995; Sorrells, Rieth Sindelar, 2004; Stainback Stainback, 1992) raised questions about how best to assure a quality and equitable education for students with disabilities and spawned the push for a more inclusive approach to special education programming. While these reforms were mandated in the United Nations Declarations and UNESCOs Framework of Actions on special needs education of which Malaysias policy on inclusive education subscribes to, the focus on diagnosis, prescription, and intervention continued to be central to determining eligibility and making placement decisions. Thus, although special education practices had changed, the ground ing assumptions of human pathology and organisational rationality (Biklen, 2000; Oliver, 1996; Skrtic, 1991) have not been critically examined. In this context, special education is used to maintain and legitimise exclusion of students with disabilities within a school culture and system characterised by competition and selection (Skrtic, 1995; Corbett, 1999; Slee, 2001; Kearney Kane, 2006). Inclusive education is seen as problematic; educators and policymakers have serious reservations about the widespread placement of SEN students in mainstream schools because systemic problems in the current provisions and school culture remain unresolved. Malaysia needs to recognise that integration models are not inclusion and that inclusive practices do not just mean placing SEN students into mainstream schools. The pathway to inclusion is fraught with foundational assumptions that support exclusionary processes and practices. Challenges in policy and practice Even though inclusive education was implemented at the policy level more than 10 years ago and school participation has rapidly increased quantitatively, Malaysia is far from reaching its goal of providing a responsive education path for every child and youth with SEN (MOE, 2004). Policy statements and procedural processes and requirements that are seen as safeguarding the normality of the school population (Slee, 1996, p. 25), and that which rest on the basic philosophy of exclusion and segregation as the best way to educate students with disabilities will obviously make inclusion efforts very difficult and counterproductive. There is a need to formulate policies to ensure that segregation is not practiced within the education system. The barriers created by the current policies may have many sources but three of the most critical are: (1) the non-acceptance that all children can learn; (2) the need for a reconceptualisation of special educational needs; and (3) the culture of eliti sm. The acceptance that all children can learn and have a right to education Malaysians in general and educators specifically need to acknowledge that inclusive education is part of the human rights agenda that argues that all children, irrespective of their characteristics, can learn and have access to education. Although special education is seen as a right and as an access to education, school exclusion of children who do not meet the eligibility criteria is made legal and therefore, not the responsibility of the MOE. Labeling children who do not meet the criteria for placement in schools as uneducable and denying them the opportunity to education would be an irony of the education system. Under these circumstances, they are the ones that have the greatest need for education, are the least likely to receive it. Further, denying these children of the opportunity to learn within the public school system is a violation of the childs basic rights (United Nations, 1989; United Nations, 1993). The question of whether all children with disabilities have an unqual ified right to the education system must be addressed. Opportunities for schooling should be extended to all disabled children without specifying any eligibility criteria; the MOE needs to implement a paradigm shift from a charity-based approach to the development of persons with disabilities and to accept responsibility for education for all children. In principle, Malaysia is committed to providing education for all with the implementation of compulsory education in 2003 as evident by a high participation rate of 98.49 per cent (MOE, 2004). This statement of intent towards compulsory education for all which was an amendment of the Education Act 1996, however, did not include children with disabilities: The MOE has reviewed the Education Act 1996 that regulates the provision of preschool, primary and secondary education. The review was to enable the implementation of compulsory education at primary school level. In 2002, the Education Act 1996 was amended and the compulsory education took effect in 2003. This policy ensures that every child in Malaysia beginning at age six, regardless of sex, social and economic background, and residential locality has the right to primary education. Accordingly, every Malaysian parent must ensure that their child has access to primary education when the child reaches the age of six or on the first day of the current school year when the child would be six years old. (MOE, 2004, p.4) International mandates have declared that education is a basic right for all children and have called for the inclusion of all children in primary education by 2015 (UNESCAP, 2002). Malaysia needs to include disability dimensions in all new and existing laws, policy plans, programmes and schemes. In this context, we need to strengthen our national capacity in data collection and analysis concerning disability statistics to support policy formulation and programme implementation. The exclusion of children and youth with disabilities from the broader framework of education results in their being deprived from further opportunities, thereby diminishing their access to vocational training, employment, and preventing them from achieving economic and social independence. This increases their vulnerability to marginalisation in what can become a self-perpetuating, inter-generational cycle. Conceptualisation of special educational needs The current interpretation of special educational needs in Malaysia emanates from a traditional special education framework and knowledge base that emphasise the pathological/medical model of special needs (Skrtic, 1991). The continued emphasis on explaining educational difficulties in terms of child-centered characteristics has the effect of preventing progress in creating policies and provisions for SEN students. Dyson (1990) aptly summarises the argument by saying: The fact remains that the education system as a whole, and the vast majority of institutions and teachers within it, are approaching the twenty-first century with a view of special needs the same as that with which their counterparts approached the present century. That view, for all its avowed concern for the individual child, promotes injustice on a massive scale. It demands to be changed (Dyson, 1990, p. 60-1) The radical perspective that leads to a reconceptualisation of special educational needs have been well documented for the past twenty years (Barton, 1988; Lipsky Gartner, 1989; Ainscow, 1991; Fuchs Fuchs, 1994; Clark et. al., 1998; Donoghue, 2003) and critiques argued and showed evidence how the education system creates rather than remediate disabilities (Skrtic, 1991; Corbett, 1999; Vlachou, 2004; Carrington Robinson, 2006). The new perspective on special educational needs is based on the view that the way forward must be to reform schools in ways that will make them respond positively to pupil diversity, seeing individual differences as something to be nurtured. But, as cautioned by Ainscow (1994): This kind of approach is only possible in schools where there exist a respect for individuality and a culture of collaboration that encourages and supports problem-solving. Such cultures are likely to facilitate the learning of all pupils and, alongside them, the professional learning of all teachers. Ultimately, therefore, this line of argument makes the case that increasing equity is the key to improvements in schooling for all. (Ainscow, 1994, p12) The assessment of the characteristics of the child and the childs total environment call for methods of assessment that build on the positive qualities while recognising areas of weaknesses. The interactionist perspective (Cline, 1992) adopts an ecological approach which recognises that features of the learning context, such as the curriculum, the teaching process, the management of the classroom and other variables are essential factors that influence learning. By accepting the interactionist approach to special needs, Malaysian educators would be able to look at the learning needs of students and how school policies, culture and practices enable or disable, not only students with disabilities, but all students. In identifying educational needs, Noddings (2005) emphasises that it is crucial for educators to balance the inferred needs and the expressed needs of all students, in saying that by ignoring expressed needs, we sacrifice opportunities to develop individual talents, intrinsi c motivation, and the joys of learning (p 147). The human side of education is more than just an ethics of justice issue but an ethics of care which is needs-based. This is of particular importance because it is this grounding principle of care that creates understandings, values, and beliefs that formulate policies and subsequently the practices. The culture of elitism Education in Malaysia is driven largely by an examination-oriented system characterised by curriculum rigidity and rote learning rather than critical and independent thinking. Like schools in Singapore and Hong Kong (Poon-McBrayer, 2004), school leadership are in great pressure to compete for the best examination results in terms of the percentages of passes and the number of As acquired by students in public school examinations. The competitiveness has resulted in students to enroll as many subjects they can in the Malaysian Certificate of Education with the expectations of getting the highest number of As as possible. The culture of elitism compels parents to prepare their children to be accepted into high ranking or fully residential schools which usually achieve high scores in examination results. The introduction of the Tuition Voucher Scheme (MOE, 2004) for students in Year 4, 5 and 6 with poor academic performance exemplifies the need for students to perform academically in the Year 6 Open Certification Examinations. Within the School Cluster Program (MOE, 2007), schools are encouraged to compete to strive for excellence and to be a cluster school that promises, among others, a special status. To be eligible for selection, schools need to fulfill two requirements: (1) certified excellent by the Malaysian Education Quality Standards and (2) three continuous years of excellent examination results at the Primary School Assessment, the Lower Secondary School Assessment and the end of school Open Certificate Examination. Although the intertwining of the standards and inclusion agenda can lead to p ositive consequences (Ainscow et al, 2006), the emphasis on the preparation and drill for the public examinations therefore, left little or no time for teachers to accommodate individual learning needs of students in general. Media reports on schools and students performance intensify competition and further marginalise SEN students, who, to a large extent are not expected to compete. Competing priorities make it more difficult for schools to fully include children with SEN. Conclusion Opportunities for change The Malaysian approach to inclusive education this far has been intertwined and limited to the domain of special needs education. The conception of policy provides the basis for analysing policy implications in relation to critical issues. In this paper it is argued that the current policy and practice toward inclusive education for SEN students are exclusionary and discriminatory. The concept of educability as an eligibility requirement for educational placement is a major issue that needs to be reviewed. Continued advancement of special needs education in Malaysia will require bifocal perspectives. One focus has an international perspective and requires Malaysians awareness of the international body of literature and trends in practice that enables them to take advantage of the knowledge and experience gained by those in other countries. Malaysia may also profit especially from knowledge provided by its Asian neighbours namely Japan, India and China, or other countries that seems to be struggling with many of the same issues. However, effective special needs education services require awareness of social and educational traditions, social philosophies that manifest in schooling and school culture and ways of resolving conflict that may be unique to one country and the impact these qualities have on general and special needs education services (Peters, 2003). The second perspective, thus, takes a more narrow view, one that enables the evolution of special needs education services that reflect the needs and characteristics of Malaysians. The first perspective may identify as viable goals the extension of services to students with learning difficulties, inclusion, garnering additional political support for special needs education through parent advocacy and supporting the further employment of people with disabilities. However, a more narrow focus on issues directly important to Malaysia is likely to clarify more viable future directions for students with disabilities in Malaysia. Further initiatives critical to Azumas (1984) Stage 5 will require considerable research and policy debate among Malaysians.

Saturday, July 20, 2019

The Clean Air Act Amendments Essay -- Environmental Protection Agency

The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (CAAA) address 189 hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) believed to be detrimental to human health and the environment and found that mercury and its compounds are one of the highest priority pollutants to investigate. The CAAA required the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to conduct a mercury emissions study, including those from electric utility steam generating units. In 1997, EPA released the Mercury Study Report to Congress which analyzed mercury emissions from power plants and investigated control technologies. In 1998, EPA released the Utility Air Toxics Study which also showed mercury as a top priority pollutant due to its multi-pathway exposure potential and its ability to bio-accumulate and persist in the environment as methyl mercury. [1, 2] Mercury control in combustion flue gas is highly dependent on speciation. Oxidized mercury is removed relatively easily by particulate control equipment as well as wet scrubbers used to control sulfur dioxide. However, elemental mercury is highly volatile and has very low water solubility allowing it to escape through most pollution control equipment. The objective of this project is to understand the importance of and the contribution of gas-phase coal constituents in the mercury oxidation reactions. The project involves experimental efforts. The objective is to determine the experimental parameters of importance in the homogeneous oxidation reactions; effect of each of these parameters on the mercury oxidation for various concentration and temperatures. The objective of this project was to test the performance of Bromine and Chlorine (Cl2) on homogeneous mercury oxidation in the presence of common flue gas components such as Nitric Oxide ... ...constituents or it self before it could oxidize mercury at the required temperature. A fundamental understanding of the mercury flue gas chemistry is needed to develop effective control technologies for mercury. Since the reactions of atomic and molecular chlorine with other flue gas constituents determine the concentration of reactive chlorine species remaining in the cooled gas, the effects of specific gas constituents on the chlorine-mercury have been extensively investigated. Experimental data indicate a negative effect of SO2 and NO mercury chlorination in the presence of H2O [13]. Recent experimental data by the EERC indicate that bromine species have a high potential in mercury control applications [12]. In the proposed study the emphasis is on the homogeneous reactions of mercury in flue gas with Br2 and Cl2 in the presence of other flue gas constituents.

Friday, July 19, 2019

Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods Essays -- Qualitative R

In this paper, I will define quantitative and qualitative research methods and provide examples in the context of social issues which will hopefully provide insight into how this methods are properly applied. Social issues are very broad and diverse and are usually made up of factors or consequences which directly or indirectly affect a person or many members of a society and are considered to be problems, controversies or both and are related to moral values, therefore their immediate social environment may become vulnerable in some respect which may also effect several individuals environment and in turn society. There are two methods of approaching study of the world; deductive and inductive (L. Osburn, personal communication, August 11, 2011). Quantitative research uses a deductive reasoning also known as top to bottom or (top down approach) starting with a theory, then the hypothesis, followed by observation and finally confirmation , going from the general to the more specific. Quantitative methods use numbers and statistics to show the results of the research exercise and mainly are concerned with mathematics and statistics. In quantitative research there are levels of measurement being firstly nominal which are names of things followed by ordinal sequence of things, interval where the sequence has equal distance between each item, and ratio where there is a true zero (Alston & Bowles, 2003, p. 7-9). Quantitative research is the oldest form of research; it is incredibly formal, stemming from positivism paradigm, or the outside looking in approach. The method is about trying to establish cause and affect relationships between variables. This method can be considered non biased as the researcher isn’t us... ...or hindrance? Outcomes of social work student placements. Australian Social Work, 58(3), 301–312. doi:10.1111/j.1447-0748.2005.00222.x Barria, L., & Roper, S. (2010). The Development of institutions of human rights: A comparative stud. Palgrave Macmillan: New York. Faherty, V. (2008) Compassionate Statistics applied quantitative analysis for social services. Sage Publications: California. Research methods knowledge base, deduction and induction the web centre for social research methods. Retrieved from: http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/dedind.php Coster, P., & Woolf, A. (Eds.).(2011). World book: South Africa’s Anti-Apartheid Movement, (pp. 56-57). Arcturus Publishers: Chicago. Stevenson, H. (1995). Relationship of Adolescent Perceptions of Racial Socialisation to Racial Identity. Journal of Black Psychology. DOI: 10.1177/00957984950211005

Thursday, July 18, 2019

Breast Implants in Teenagers Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The trend for a number of young girls is to get breast augmentation. They think that by changing their bodies, they’re going to change their lives. They think they will be happy, and they will be completely satisfied with their implants. Their expectation is that their self-confidence will skyrocket, and they will be attractive girls. Many young girls get implants to make themselves stand out more and to have a great appearance, but there are many reasons that they should comprehend the long-term effect of surgery.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  First of all, teenagers expect that plastic surgery will improve their self-confidence, but does it? Teenagers think that their new appearance will be great, but they may get different looks from their friends. For example, when they’re talking, their friends may look at their chest instead of looking at their faces and their friends may feel uncomfortable and awkward about their new breasts. One study found that teenager’s body-image may occur in the late teens because their bodies were still changing. The average girl gains weight between the ages of 18 and 21, and that is likely to change her desire or need for breast augmentation. This indicates that many young girls who are very dissatisfied with their appearance will feel more satisfied a few years later, whether or not they undergo surgery.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Second, will teenagers who want to have breast implants understand the risks of surgery? Some girls may be completely satisfied with their implants, but...

Big Data Architecture, Goals and Challenges

Big Data Architecture, Goals and Challenges Coupons Jose Christianity Dakota State University Abstract Big Data inspired data analysis is matured from proof of concept projects to an influential tool for decision makers to make informed decisions. More and more organizations are utilizing their internally and externally available data with more complex analysis techniques to derive meaningful insights. This paper addresses some of the architectural goals and challenges for Big Data architecture in a typical organization.Overview In this fast paced information age, there are many different sources on corporate outworks and internet is collecting massive amounts of data, but there is a significant difference in this data compared to the conventional data, much of this data is semi- structured or unstructured and not residing in conventional databases. â€Å"Big data† is essentially a huge data set that scales to multiple potables of capacity; it can be created, collected, collab orated, and stored in real-time or any other way. However, the challenge with big data is that it is not easily handled using traditional database management tools.It typically consists of unstructured data, which includes text, audio and video files, photographs and other data (Kavas, 2012). The aim of this paper is to examine the concepts associated with the big data architecture, as well as how to handle, process, and effectively utilize big data internally and externally to obtain meaningful and actionable insights. How Big Data is Different? Big data is the latest buzzword in the tech industry, but what exactly makes it different from traditional Bal or data analysis?According to MIT Sloan Management Review, big data is described as â€Å"data that is either too voluminous or too unstructured to be managed and analyzed through traditional meaner† (Davenport, Thomas, Berth, & Bean, 2012). Big data is unlike conventional mathematical intelligence, where a simple sum of a k nown value yields a result, such as order sales becoming year-to-date sales. With big data, the value is discovered through a complex, refined modeling process as follows: make a hypothesis, create statistical models, validate, and then make a new hypothesis (Oracle, 2012).Additionally, data sources are another challenging and differentiating factor within big data analytics. Conventional, structured data sources like relational databases, spreadsheets, and yogis are further extended into social media applications (tweets, blobs, Faceable, linked posts, etc. ), web logs, sensors, RIFF tags, photos/videos, information-sensing mobile devices, geographical location information, and other documents. In addition to the unstructured data problem, there are other notable complexities for big data architecture.First, due to sheer volume, the present system cannot move raw data directly to a data warehouse. Whereas, processing systems such as Unprepared, can further refine information by mov ing it to data warehouse environment, where invitational and familiar Bal reporting, statistical, semantic, and correlation applications can effectively implemented. Traditional data flow in Business Intelligence Systems can depict like this, (Oracle. (2012). An Oracle white paper in enterprise architecture) Architectural Goals The preeminent goal of architecture big data solutions is to create reliable, scalable and capable infrastructure.At the same time, the analytics, algorithms, tools and user interfaces will need to facilitate interactions with users, specifically those in executive-level. Enterprise architecture should ensure that the business objectives remain clear throughout big data technology implementation. It is all about the effective utilization of big data, rather than big architecture. Traditional IT architecture is accustomed to having applications within its own space and performs tasks without exposing internal data to the outside world.Big data on other hand, w ill consider any possible piece of information from any other application to be instated for analysis. This is aligned with big data's overall philosophy: the more data, the better. Big Data Architecture Big data architecture is similar to any other architecture that originates or has a inundation from a reference architecture. Understanding the complex hierarchal structure of reference architecture provides a good background for understanding big data and how it complements existing analytics, 81, databases and other systems.Organizations usually start with a subset of existing reference architecture and carefully evaluate each and every component. Each component may require modifications or alternative solutions based on the particular data set or enterprise environment. Moreover, a successful big data architecture will include many open- source software components; however, this may present challenges for typical enterprise architecture, where specialized licensed software system s are typically used.To further examine big data's overall architecture, it is important to note that the data being captured is unpredictable and continuously changing. Underlying architecture should be capable enough to handle this dynamic nature. Big data architecture is inefficient when it is not being integrated with existing enterprise data; the same way an analysis cannot be completed until big data correlates it with other structured and enterprise-De data. One of the primary obstacles observed in a Hoodoo adoption f enterprise is the lack of integration with an existing Bal echo-system.Presently, the traditional Bal and big data ecosystems are separate entities and both using different technologies and ecosystems. As a result, the integrated data analyses are not effective to a typical business user or executive. As you can see that how the data architecture mentioned in the traditional systems is different from big data. Big data architectures taking advantage of many inpu ts compared to traditional systems. (Oracle. (2012). An Oracle white paper in enterprise architecture) Architectural Cornerstones Source In big data systems, data can come from heterogeneous data sources.Typical data stores (SQL or Nouns) can give structured data. Any other enterprise or outside data coming through different application Apish can be semi-structured or unstructured. Storage The main organizational challenge in big data architecture is data storage: how and where the data can be stored. There is no one particular place for storage; a few options that currently available are HATS, Relation databases, Nouns databases, and In-memory databases. Processing Map-Reduce, the De facto standard in big data analysis for processing data, is one of any available options.Architecture should consider other viable options that are available in the market, such as in-memory analytics. Data Integration Big data generates a vast amount of data by combining both structured and unstructur ed data from variety of sources (either real-time or incremental loading). Likewise, big data architecture should be capable of integrating various applications within the big data infrastructure. Various Hoodoo tools (Scoop, Flume, etc. ) mitigates this problem, to some extent. Analysis Incorporating various analytical, algorithmic applications will effectively process this cast amount of data.Big data architecture should be capable to incorporate any type of analysis for business intelligence requirements. However, different types of analyses require varying types of data formats and requirements. Architectural Challenges Proliferation of Tools The market has bombarded with array of new tools designed to effectively and seamlessly organize big data. They include open source platforms such as Hoodoo. But most importantly, relational databases have also been transformed: New products have increased query performance by a factor of 1,000 and are capable of managing a wide variety of big data sources.Likewise, statistical analysis packages are also evolving to work with these new data platforms, data types, and algorithms. Cloud-friendly Architecture Although not yet broadly adopted in large corporations, cloud-based computing is well-suited to work with big data. This will break the existing IT policies, enterprise data will move from its existing premise to third-party elastic clouds. However, there are expected to be challenges, such as educating management about the consequences and realities associated with this type of data movement. Nonparametric DataTraditional systems only consider the data unique to its own system; public data never becomes a source for traditional analytics. This paradigm is changing, though. Many big data applications use external information that is not proprietary, such as social network modeling and sentiment analysis. Massive Storage Requirements Moreover, big data analytics are dependent on extensive storage capacity and process ing power, requiring a flexible and scalable infrastructure that can be reconfigured for different needs. Even though Hoodoo-based systems work well with commodity hardware, there is huge investment involved on the part of management.Data Forms Traditional systems have typically enjoyed their intrinsic data within their own vicinity; meaning that all intrinsic data is moved in a specified format to data warehouse for further analysis. However, this will not be the case with big data. Each application and service data will stay in its associated format according to what the specific application requires, as opposed to the preferred format of the data analysis application. This will leave the data in its original format and allow data scientists to share existing data without unnecessarily replicating it.Privacy Without a doubt, privacy is a big concern with big data. Consumers, for example, often want to know what data an organization collects. Big data is making it more challenging to have secrets and conceal information. Because of this, there are expected to be privacy concerns and conflicts with its users. Alternative Approaches Hybrid Big Data Architecture As explained earlier, traditional Bal tools and infrastructure will seamlessly integrate with the new set of tools and technologies brought by a Hoodoo ecosystem.It is expected that both systems can mutually work together. To further illustrate this incept, the detailed chart below provides an effective analysis (Arden, 2012): Relational Database, Data Warehouse Enterprises reporting of internal and external information for a broad cross section of stakeholders, both inside and beyond the firewall with extensive security, load balancing, dynamic workload management, and scalability to hundreds of terabytes. Hoodoo Capturing large amounts of data in native format (without schema) for storage and staging for analysis.Batch processing is primarily reserved for data transformations as well as the investigati on of novel, internal and external (though mostly external) ATA via data scientists that are skilled in programming, analytical methods, and data management with sufficient domain expertise to accordingly communicate the findings. Hybrid System, SQL-Unprepared Deep data discovery and investigative analytics via data scientists and business users with SQL skills, integrating typical enterprise data with novel, multi-structured data from web logs, sensors, social networks, etc. (Arden, N. (2012).Big data analytics architecture) In-memory Analytics In-memory analytics, as its name suggests, performs all analysis in memory without enlisting much of its secondary memory, and is a relatively familiar concept. Procuring the advantages of RAM speed has been around for many years. Only recently; however, has this notion become a practical reality when the mainstream adoption of 64-bit architectures enabled a larger, more addressable memory space. Also noteworthy, were the rapid decline in me mory prices. As a result, it is now very realistic to analyze extremely large data sets entirely in-memory.The Benefits of In-memory Analytics One of the best incentives for in-memory analytics are the dramatic performance improvements. Users are constantly querying and interacting with data in-memory, which is significantly faster than accessing data from disk. Therefore, achieving real- time business intelligence presents many challenges; one of the main hurdles to overcome is slow query performance due to limitations of traditional Bal infrastructure, and in-memory analytics has the capacity to mitigate these limitations.An additional incentive of in-memory analytics is that it is a cost effective alternative to data warehouses. SMB companies that lack the expertise and resources to build n appropriate data warehouse can take advantage of the in-memory approach, which provides a sustainable ability to analyze very large data sets (Yellowing, 2010). Conclusion Hoodoo Challenges Ho odoo may replace some of the analytic environment such as data integration and TTL in some cases, but Hoodoo does not replace relational databases.Hoodoo is a poor choice when the work can be done with SQL and through the capabilities of a relational database. But when there is no existing schema or mapping for the data source into the existing schema, as well as very large volumes of unstructured or MME-structured data, then Hoodoo is the obvious choice. Moreover, a hybrid, relational database system that offers all the advantages of a relational database, but is also able to process Unprepared requests would appear to be ideal.