Safe Schools and Emergency Actions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Safe Schools and Emergency Actions - Assignment Example 6. Classrooms need to be kept tidy. Walking areas need to be clear and there needs to be an area for the students to keep his or her belongings. Shop and lab classroom settings require students and teacher to wear well-fitted clothing to avoid knocking things over or getting caught. 7. Students must use proper eyewear and have eyewear available when needed. 8. Flammable materials and alcohol burners need to be used with care and under close supervision. Candles and other hot items need to be used with extreme caution. 9. Teachers are required to have a fully equipped first aid kit and the kit is to be purchased by the teacher with the teachers own funds. 10. Examples of emergency situations need to be posted where everyone can see. Students and teachers need to be knowledgeable of what to do in an accident situation. 11. An ABC type fire extinguisher needs to be up to date and accessible in each classroom in case of an emergency. 12. Waste that cannot be thrown in a regular trash bag must be disposed of properly and abide by the school's code of conduct for disposing of the substance. 13. All cupboards, drawers, and cabinets in the classroom need to be labeled with proper labels to ensure the ease of use. 14. Never is it acceptable for students to taste any substance created or used unless the substance has first been approved. 15. Dangerous substances such as animals, plants, chemicals or items that can be sued as a weapon are allowed to be accessed by the students. These items should be prohibited. 16. Dead animals are not allowed in the classroom or allowed to be handled by the students unless instructed. 17. Animals and other live creatures need to be handled by students with extreme caution. Students must wash after handling any animals to prevent the spreading of diseases that some animals may carry. 18. Student need to be seated in an area where large items will not be over the students heads. This prevents injury from a heavy falling object. 19. Climbing is prohibited to avoid the chance of a student falling and obtaining an injury.

On the Value of a Degree in the Philippines Essay Example for Free

On the Value of a Degree in the Philippines Essay The employment chances of a fresh college graduate is only 4 in 10, with only 1 in that 4 attaining work relevant to one’s course. Even in light of the unprecedented growth of 6. 6% in GDP over the last year, the labor sector fails to follow suit in what economists characterize as a job-shedding growth. So where does a college degree place us? With the increased pressures on the youth to attend college, many consider the existence of a higher education bubble. The concept hypothesizes, in part, that movements in factors such as tuition payments and unemployable graduates severely decrease the rate of return to a college degree up to a point where it is rendered useless. In the case of the Philippines, effective capping of tuition fees to relatively affordable rates, spaces us from a bubble as of yet. However, it is to be stressed that with everyone jumping in the college wagon all at once – as is apparent now– we will soon find college degrees as no more useful than scratch, and then the true bubble begins. There are too many college graduates. All college students should be aware that although a degree does open doors it loses much of its value as more and more people achieve this accolade. In 2012, a total of 517,425 college students graduated and entered the labor force. With another half a million expected to graduate in March this year, there is increasing concern on their place in the labor market. The number of graduates increase over the years, however jobs increase terribly less, if they increase at all – 882,000 jobs were reported to have disappeared in 2012. Since too many people compete for the same job, employers can afford to lower wages or increase qualifications as much as possible. This is apparent in the over qualification of some jobs – now supermarket baggers or janitors are expected to have had some years of college or even graduated the same, as opposed to the minimum of high school undergraduate in most other countries. College courses are insufficient or incompatible with jobs offered in the market. The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) holds job and livelihood fairs across the country, recently offering a total of 360,777 job vacancies. But on a nationwide count only 5,101 job applicants were hired on the spot. In another attempt, the government posted in its Phil. JobNet website 230,000 jobs but only 117,000 applied. Apparently, the jobs created by the government are inconsistent with what graduates believe they deserve or were trained for in those four or more years of education. To add, even once employed underemployment lingers – tainting up to about 7. 2 million job matches – with insufficient base pay as main culprit. Nearly everyone believes a college education is essential. In our society, the college degree has been stigmatized as the best and surest – and sometimes only – path to take in preparation for one’s career. This is contestable however as evidenced in European countries where entrepreneurship and technical education are much more popular and profitable paths than college. The Philippines doesn’t necessarily lack these options, (i. e. TESDA) rather we lack awareness and social approval for these said alternatives. Solutions De-emphasize the necessity of a college degree. The higher education system of countries like Germany, remain stable and un-depreciated, since non-professional or non-corporate jobs are highly popular and equally regarded with college education. Removing the stigma of a college degree can relieve pressure on prices and rates of return to higher education. Therefore, introducing and popularizing technical courses – which are actually highly demanded – can solve much of the Philippine labor problem. Redesigning colleges and curriculums to incorporate in-demand jobs. Supply may be easier adjusted to cope with the requirements of demand, rather than the other way around. Close association with firms accompanied by an overhaul of course curriculums to better suit the needs of employers can effectively reduce mismatch. Administrators and faculty should understand the factors at work in how their programs are depreciating since if the market for college degrees becomes over-saturated we will all pay the price of meaningless degrees and poor opportunity for many in the workplace. Many experts and opinions point to the government’s futile efforts at job creation (i. e. demand) as the main antagonist in this story. However, the equally policy-relevant yet rarely focused upon supply side of labour may offer other, more easily interceded directions. Solving the Philippines’ problems on labour is a tall order however attacking from all sides – both demand and supply – can better efforts towards the nationwide goal of inclusive growth. Reference: Higher Education Bubble Will Burst, May 3, 2011 http://www. usnews. com/education/blogs/the-college-solution/2011/05/03/higher-education-bubble-will-burst, Accessed February 11, 2013 The Value of a Degree, May 06, 2011 http://www. popecenter. org/commentaries/article. html? id=2517, Accessed February 11, 2013 Joblessness: How deep, what needs to be done?, February 06, 2013. http://www. bworldonline. com/content. php? section=Opiniontitle=Joblessness:-How-deep,-what-needs-to-be-done? id=65457, Accessed February 11 ,2013 For inclusive growth: Jobs with higher wages, February 9, 2013 http://www. philstar. com/opinion/2013/02/09/906642/inclusive-growth-jobs-higher-wages, Accessed February 11 ,2013 Oversupply of Unemployable Graduates, January 23, 2010 http://planetphilippines. com/migration/a-disastrous-oversupply-of-unemployable-graduates, Accessed February 11 ,2013 Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics Commission on Higher Education.

Religion and Economics in Robinson Crusoe and Protestant Ethic and the

Religion and Economics in Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe and Max Weber's Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the most recognized and influential theories in sociology appears in Max Weber's The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, which links the development of capitalism to social and cultural factors, primarily religion, instead of economic factors alone. In his theory Weber concludes that the Protestant Ethic greatly influenced the development of capitalism in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. According to Gordon Marshall, Weber argues that the two most important factors of Protestantism contributing to capitalism were "diligence in worldly callings or vocations" and the notion of predestination (71). If indeed these religious factors did influence the rise of capitalism, it would make perfect sense that other cultural elements, such as literature, would reflect both Protestant and capitalist ideology. This essay shows that in fact such Protestant notions as calling and predestination, which were present in the religion of the time, interact with capitalist ideas in Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe, who was himself a devout Protestant that used his writings to influence both the religious and economic views of his readers (Earle 31). If Weber's argument is tenable, then Robinson Crusoe may serve to represent in fiction the Protestant Ethic in early eighteenth century society and its developing spirit of capitalism. An especially interesting question that arises from this analysis is how a social structure that is traditionally considered a-moral, unfair, and materialistic (i.e., economics) can be justified by a structure that is considered moral, just, and spiritual (i.e., rel... ...ork: Scribner's, 1954. Earle, Peter. The World of Defoe. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1976. Forell, George W. The Protestant Faith. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1960. Marshall, Gordon. In Search of the Spirit of Capitalism: An Essay on Max Weber's Protestant Ethic Thesis. New York: Columbia UP, 1982. Pauck, Wilhelm. The Heritage of Reformation. New York: Oxford UP, 1950. Reshef, Yonatan. "Max Weber: The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism." n. pag. Online. Internet. 5 October 1999. Available: http://courses.bus.ualberta.ca/orga417/weber.htm Tawney, R. H. Religion and the Rise of Capitalism: A Historical Study. London: Hazell, Watson, and Viney, 1926. Weber, Max. The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. Online. 10 October 1999. Available: http://www.spc.uchicago.edu/ssrl/PRELIMS/Theory/weber.html#weber2.   

Marketing Management UBER Analysis Essay

1. Introduction Application software has been very popular as distribution platforms since 2008 due to rapid spread of smartphones all around the worldwide. According to a marketing research done by Gartner (2013), there is an increasing trend in mobile apps usage worldwide, He indicates that 21.58 billion dollars of  revenue has been made by mobile apps in 2013. Uber was established in 2009 as a digital platform that connects cab drivers and customer, by downloading the online application. Uber determines the location of customers and shows the location of the cabs nearby. Once the customer accepts to get a ride with push of a botton, the application is then authorized to take the payment based on the credit card information that has been registered under the customer’s name, without any further exchanges. Uber was established in San Francisco and has become the world’s most valuable startup in the past five years. Uber’s latest market value has been determined as 18.2 billon dollars in June 2014. However, as a disadvantage of developing markets, the entrance of Gett and Hailo in the UK market, decreased Uber’s market value. The major advantage of Gett in this compà ©titive market against Uber is charging flat fees unlike Uber. Uber has a surge pricing strategy depending on the demand, weather and distance, which is not a cost efficient way for customer. Therefore Uber it is not the cost leader in the UK e-hail market. On the other hand surge pricing has persuaded more driver to work for Uber, as it is more in their favor so that, they will not have to go through bad weather conditions or give rides in the rush hour with the usual flat fares. 2. Audit 2.a Organizational environment The increasing trend of smartphone usage especially in younger generation, technological improvements and increasing value for time perception established Uber’s increasing value. 2.b Uber’s business model Uber employs driver after they and their cars have been screened by Uber to  ensure comfort and safety of customers, Drivers are also given an iPhone once they have become a member of Uber. Uber drivers have higher income compared to traditional taxi drivers also they do not have to pay for the taxi license and the taxes that black cab driver are obligated to pay. On the consumer side, after downloading Uber, they can track the car as it approaches them on their as well as having some information about their driver before arrival such as previous reviews and ratings and their photo. Uber ‘s pricing strategy is based on the demand, distance and the car type, incase of high demands or bad weather conditions customers may have to pay a higher fee for their journey or depending and the type of car they request prices are different. Payment is done by the credit card information that the customer is registered the app with. Transactions are totally safe and secure. Uber splits the ride receipts with the driver. Uber originally used to take 20% margin of the transaction between the customer and the driver, which is now reduced to 15% due to high compà ©titions with Gett and Hailo. Uber covers its Research and technology developments, marketing and employees expenses by the percentage they take on each transaction. Another advantage is that Uber does not own a fleet of cars so they are much less costly than their competitors, This low cost business model enables Uber to keep the large percentage of it’s revenue as profits. Uber grows by reinvesting in R&D and acquisitions rather than investing in cars or expensive infrastructures. In the spotlight of this information, it is possible to say that Uber’s business model is low inventory, high transaction and high margin. Moreover, its business model is receiving the majority of funding from Google Venture. 2.c External and internal analysis of Uber Analyzing Uber from the resource-based view is crucial to understand competitive advantages of it in London taxi hailing app market. Constraints imposed by environment can have a big impact on Uber’s strategic planning and marketing. Therefore, six external conditions (Political, Environmental, Social, Technological, Economical and Legal) will be examined in relation to Uber’s business situation by using PESTEL analysis. Political factors effects transport services external environment in terms of CO2 emissions and climate change. Even though Political factors are more in favor of public transport in order to decrease CO2 emissions and help with the climate. Uber however is providing a superior service comparing to their competitors for instance Uber is offers hybrid cars, which is low in emissions and makes it easier for Uber to have some advantage when it comes to the political factors. Environmental factors such as weather conditions can affect Uber for instance higher demand due to bad weather conditions is evident. The price of the  journeys also increases when the demand is higher. Social factors including the change in lifestyle and high percentage of younger population using smartphones, indicates the customer needs, which brings them to the market. Technology developments have a major impact on Uber’s business. Increasing role of Internet in people’s life is also crucial for Uber to make innovations. Economical factors such as recessions influence directly the customer’s budget, therefore their buying power. On the other hand volatile fuel prices can have a huge impact on pricing and they are also quite unpredictable. Legal constraints also have a direct impact on Uber. Governments have the possibility to ban Uber, which is already the case in Germany, or even set new regulations for Taxi hailing apps such as Uber which can affect their performance in the market. In the next section we under take a SWOT analysis in order to analyze Uber’s Capabilities, which enables us to determine the company’s Strengths and Weaknesses as well as pointing out Threats and Opportunities. It is essential in a competitive market to be aware of the weaknesses and threats in order to be able to find solutions for them and also use the opportunities to gain more of them market share and hence increase the revenues. Figure 2: Presents SWOT analysis Strengths; which consist of internal capabilities, Uber was first in the market which creates a competitive advantage by high consumer awareness. One of the strengths of Uber is that, it has different alternatives for different customers. For example, Uber POP and UberX car alternatives are available for a cheap and fast drive, whereas if the customer is searching for quality it offers them the Uber Black Car and Uber SUV. Another strength  of Uber is that it has spread worldwide starting from USA. It has expanded through 200 cities worldwide. Moreover, the transactions are easy, safe and trustworthy. It offers a convenient way of travelling for costumers. Weaknesses indicate the areas that could be improved internally. The major point that is considered as a weakness for Uber is that they do not charge flat fees whereas Gett, which is their main competitor, offers flat and predictable prices. Moreover, Uber drivers do not have a taxi license, which can cause legal problems by time. However it operates in many cities, Uber does not operate in rural areas, which can be considered as a weakness. One of the complaints that Uber is facing is the poor consumer service. Uber offers a surge pricing for its drivers and do not hire them, but find them through agents. Analyzing the opportunities in depth we can determine that the most influential aspect in Uber’s business model is the fact that it’s a service rather than a product hence they do not have the high sunk costs that their competitors have to deal with. Moreover, being a mobile platform and not having a fleet of taxis, which is highly costly, has enabled the firm to turn most of its revenues into profits. These revenues are made from transaction costs rather than production cost. Uber does not employ drivers, which in this case allows the drivers flexibility also permit Uber to employ more drivers. The most important external threat for Uber in UK e-hail app market is the decreasing market share due to competitors such as Gett. The flat prices of Gett and some other competitors are creating a disadvantage for Uber. Not having the proper taxi license is another disadvantage for Uber. aside from that, there have been many protests by taxi companies in Germany, France, England and other nations accusing Uber to be illegal due to the fact that their driver are not paying the same tax rates as other taxi drivers, and other taxi companies accuse Uber of compromising passenger safety, and undermining legislations which exists for them. Competitors: According to the statistics of market shares of taxi hailing apps in London, Gett with 20-30% of market share is the market leader, Uber with 20% shares is the market challenger and Hailo with 10% is the follower in the market. Uber as the challenger is in a position where they can undertake some of the facilities and services that Gett is already providing for their customers in order to be able to improve their service, gain more customer and consequently gain more market share over time. Outlining the competitive landscape is important to appraise competition and indicating the strengths of the competitors can give the company objectives on what can be improved and examine weather they can be implemented by Uber. According to national statistics from department for transport, it is estimated that there are 78 thousand taxis and 153 thousand licensed private hire vehicles in England. The fÄ ±gures present that the number of PHV are twice the number of taxÄ ±s operatÄ ±ng in England. 31% of total licensed taxis and private hire vehicles in England are in London from which we can assume that private hirÄ ±ng is a popular choice for Londoners. Analyzing Gett-Taxi as the market leader we can imply that some of their most influential advantages are: Competing with flat and predictable prices: People who take taxis are not usually loyal to a specific brand and most people would choose the cheaper option and Gett has the advantage by having predictable prices without surge pricing. Enables Advance booking: Unlike Uber, Gett offers advance booking 2 weeks prior to journey whereas Uber has failed to implement this feature in their app. Offers 24 hours customer service for driver and customers: Uber has proven to be quite poor at following through with customer enquiries. On the other hand the only major advantage of Hailo that we came across is the fact that they are the only company, which has a real taxi license for all their cars. 3. Strategic Options: According to Porter, competitive advantage is derived from the value a firm  is able to create for its buyers that exceeds the firm’s cost of creating it. Utility of Uber can be increased by the following three categories: †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Service: Reducing the time to reach customers when they need the service can enhance Uber’s service. The cab and the driver have to be reliable and can provide modern and comfortable cabs for service. †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Personnel: service can be provided with professional drivers, drivers must be trained to provide personalised customer service. †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Image: Advertising, promotions on special days and to first users. Porter’s Generic Strategies: Porter called the generic strategies has three direction where the market can be segment or focused on particular path. They are 1. Cost Leadership, 2. Differentiation 3. Focus The Focus strategy has been subdivided into two parts: â€Å"Cost Focus† and â€Å"Differentiation Focus†. (Refer below figure) The Cost Leadership Strategy This strategy will help to gain competitive advantage through two main methods such as maximising profits by declining costs while selling for average price in the particular industry or growing market share through selling for lower prices, although still producing a even-handed profit on each sale as you’ve focused on lowering the cost. The Differentiation Strategy This strategy involves in creating your goods or services different from others and more eye-catching for your customers as well as to your competitors. Differentiation strategy can be achieved in a success way through good exploration about the goods or services, expansion and innovation of the goods or services, and the ability to provide superior quality products or services. This will create an inimitable image in the particular industry and alongside some scopes will lead to be valued by consumers. The Focus Strategy The Focus strategy is concentrating on specific niche markets through considerate the associations of that specific niche market and the  exceptional needs of consumers in it. This can be exclusively low-cost or well-specified goods or services on that particular industry. This will construct strong brand loyalty among consumers. This will lead the market segment to be less attractive to the competitors. Uber’s marketing strategy is to provide a premium service at premium price and have loyal customers. It aims at hip, tech-savvy customers whose time is valuable and who are willing to spend money for convenience. The campaign of Uber focuses on the service. The ice cream campaign in NYC is an example of the difference in convenience and experience. Where else could you have an on demand ice cream truck pull up in front of your house delivering ice cream for few people? The focus is on providing an extraordinary experience for the customer and let them do the talking about the brand and the unique service. Uber is having partnerships with Virgin America, which offers Uber’s points to its flyer members which increases awareness and credibility to their service. And Trulia is a real-estate company provide prospective renters a discount for up to three apartment visits as long as they registered for this promotion. Potter’s Five Forces Analysis states that business can be affected by some facts which are determine the competitive power of the business to drive in reality. The fact can be classified into five important forces. They are Supplier power, Buyer power, Threat of substitute, Threat of New Entry and Competitive Rivalry. 1. Supplier Power: the number of suppliers involved determines the supplier power in the particular business and the exclusivity of their goods or service, their business strength and power over your business, and the cost of swapping from one supplier to another. UBER’s suppliers power is high because UBER don’t employ drivers, free-lanced drivers get register with UBER and get the training and the guidelines before start their self-employment. 2. Buyer Power: the number of buyers involved determines the buyer’s power in the particular business, the cost to the buyer to swapping from your goods and services to someone else. UBER’s buyer power is high because it’s a  mobile platform and customers have different alternative services like Gett and Hailo. 3. Competitive Rivalry: the number of capability of your competitors determines the competitive rivalry. When the business has more competitors, and if the competitor can offer equally attractive products and services, then the competitive rivalry is high. UBER’s competitors are Gett and Hailo, they provide service in lower cost and they have their own drivers. 4. Threat of Substitution: the number of alternative options of your customers determines the threat of substitute. When the service or the goods has more substitute, then the threat of substitute is high. UBER’s threat of substitute is high because in London there is many substitute such as tubes, trains, buses, and black cabs. 5. Threat of New Entry: the capability of other business can enter into your market space by starting up a similar business like you is the threat of new entry. If the startup cost is low in terms of capital, time, and technology the new competitor can enter in to your market easily. Uber’s threat of new entry is very high because entering to taxi service business is very easy because the new business needs a simple mobile application and some free-lanced drivers. Alternative Market Directions for Uber Diversification strategies/path: Uber can focus on Event specific marketing like special events such as Valentine’s Day, Harvesting day, Children’s Day, Christmas and New Year days. Uber can provide special offers or promotions for its loyal customers. Personalised Car/Cab with the special trained driver for business people, celebrities and high-class tourists. Market development Strategies/Path: †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Expand the market with average pricing in nearby small cities and rural areas to attract more new customers. †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Initiating and developing new long term partnership with local hotel chains and airport local travel unit to provide transport service such as site seeing, and airport pic & drop to  their customers. †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Initiating and developing new long-term partnership with local schools to proved service for their students. †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Initiating and developing new business wing/unit for disable people to accommodate their transport need with the special features they need. †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Initiating and developing new long term partnership with courier service organisations like Royal Mail, DHL, and FedEx to provide their delivery service to their customers. †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¯ Initiating and developing new long term partnership with local manufacturing companies to support their logistic service such as transporting to shipping, delivering goods to their customers, and transporting their raw materials for their production. 4. Marketing Strategies Uber focuses on hiring local drivers in each city. They are trying to localize the company in each city in every aspect they see. The effect of that is building a trust between the company, the drivers, and the customers all together. After hiring local drivers, Uber give these drivers trainings and guidelines to teach them the â€Å"Uber Way†. They also provide their employees with a global chat room that they interact in, talk, give ideas and suggestions, and best practices are shared across the company. So by cultivating collaboration and building trust internally and externally, Uber is trying to gain a competitive advantage in order to increase their market share, therefor increasing revenue. Uber likes to surprise and delight their customers. For example they delivered kittens and ice cream in New York. This is on of Uber’s ways to allow customer actions to go viral on social media and offline to try to send their message to new markets in order to gain new opportunities. Uber uses a unique way in serving their customers. They have a special team whose mission is to make sure customers get their taxi when and where they need them in no more than 9 minutes. They created a referral program integrated in the Uber app. It gives customers the ability to share a special code between their friends, and in that way Uber can track how many shares made, which indicates the percentage  of Uber’s customer’s acquisition. Uber’s Marketing Objectives: 1. Offer Better Service. 2. More Reliability. 3. Improve Customer Support. 4. Unique Style. 5. Provide Comfort. 6. Reduce Frustration. 6. Critical Analysis: The SMART analysis indicates that Uber can have many ways to improve every aspect in the company. Their objectives are not time-oriented. On the other had, their objectives are all achievable and relevant to the company’s mission. The analyses also show that most of the strategies and suggestions given are specific, achievable, and relevant. That indicates that Uber has many opportunities that they can benefit from in order to gain more competitive advantage and to operate better in the market. 7. Conclusion: Overall market share of Uber in e-hailing market can be increased by implementing some strategies.The report shows that Uber has many opportunities to increase their market value, market share and gain a competitive advantage over their competitors. Looking at the analysis we realise that Uber has a very high potential in achieving their objective about gaining customers and eventually increase their revenue. Along the side of improving some of their services, following some of the strategies mentioned above and solutions suggested by us, proves that Uber has a high potential and can use the first mover advantage. Distribution channel of Uber can be improved by targeting other parallel industries and move customers into greater contribution. Branding image of Uber can increase its value by providing good service and the operating areas can be increased to reach a higher volume of customers. Moreover, the opportunities discovered by using the analysis might be considered as a useful w ay of taking Uber to a higher position in the e-hail market in London. 10. References: Anon, How is Uber different from a standard taxi? Available at: https://support.Uber.com/hc/en-us/articles/201968463-How-is-Uber-different-from-a-standard-taxi- [Accessed November 13, 2014a]. Anon, The Business Co-Founder. Available at: http://businesscofounder.tumblr.com/post/34572063959/lessons-from-Ubers-marketing-strategy [Accessed November 13, 2014b]. Damodaran, A., 2014. A Disruptive Cab Ride to Riches: The Uber Payoff.Forbes. Available at: http://www.forbes.com/sites/aswathdamodaran/2014/06/10/a-disruptive-cab-ride-to-riches-the-Uber-payoff/ [Accessed November 13, 2014]. Department for Transport (2013) ‘Taxi and private hire vehicle statistics: England and Wales 2013’. Taxi and private hire vehicle statistics: England and Wales 2013. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/taxi-and-private-hire-vehicle-statistics-england-and-wales-2013 (Accessed: 20 November 2014). Ferrell, O., Dibb, S. and Simkin, L. (2005) Marketing: Concepts and Strategies. United States: Houghton Mifflin Company. Ferrell, O. and Hartline, M. (2011) Marketing Strategy. United States: South-Western Cengage Learning. Winer, R. and Dhar, R. (2010) Marketing Management – 4th Edition. United States: Prentice Hall. GURLEY, B., Above the Crowd. Available at: http://abovethecrowd.com/2014/07/11/how-to-miss-by-a-mile-an-alternative-look-at-Ubers-potential-market-size/ [Accessed November 13, 2014]. Hill, H. (2009) London Chamber. Available at: http://www.londonchamber.co.uk/docimages/2519.pdf (Accessed: 20 November 2014). Kell, J., Berlin bans Uber app, citing passenger safety concerns. Available at: http://fortune.com/2014/08/14/Uber-berlin-band/ [Accessed November 13, 2014]. MACMILLAN, D., The Wall Street Journal. Available at: http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2014/03/14/Uber-and-lyft-insurance-now-covers-drivers-between-rides/ [Accessed November 13, 2014]. Mathieu, F., Francois Mathieu shared: Taxi War: Uber vs Hailo. Available at: http://quibb.com/links/taxi-war-Uber-vs-hailo [Accessed November 13, 2014]. Palmer, S., 2013. GetTaxi – Some Real Competition for Uber in NYC T. H. Post, ed.Huffington Post. Available at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/shelly-palmer/gettaxi–some-real-compet_b_3743958.html [Accessed November 13, 2014]. Think, B., 2014.How Uber Disrupted an Industry, with Karan Girotra, How Uber Disrupted an Industry, with Karan Girotra. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfA8wzWP02Q [Accessed November 13, 2014]. Uber, 2013.How Uber Moves Your City Forward with Innovation | Uber, How Uber Moves Your City Forward with Innovation | Uber. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2M0RD7bhYY [Accessed November 13, 2014]. WOHLSEN, M., Uber’s Biggest Danger Is Its Business Model, Not Bad PR. Available at: http://www.wired.com/2014/08/the-peril-to-Uber-is-its-business-model-not-bad-pr/ [Accessed November 13, 2014]. Porter, Michael E., â€Å"Competitive Advantage†. 1985, Ch. 1, pp 11-15. The Free Press. New York.

My Favorite Car Essay

On March 20th 2013, I woke up and directly drove to the Leith Honda dealership to fix my car. While it was being fixed, I noticed an Infiniti dealership. I walked there to browse some cars, just to kill time. As soon as set foot onto the dealership I found the most breath – taking and luxurious sports car. I took a peek inside the window and was astounded. Sometimes they say you can fall in love at first sight, here I found my first love the Infiniti G37 IPL. According to Twitchell objects that you own forms your identity. Meanwhile, Rosenbaum denies objects identifying who you really are. What do you think; do objects really have that kind of power to reflect people’s images? For me, the Infiniti G37 IPL is the perfect fit for my identity. The Infiniti Performance Line represents the pinnacle of the Infiniti innovation and craftsmanship. Luxury and performance are amplified the IPL G Coupe: the exclusive IPL – tuned engine and suspension augment the driving experience while aggressive styling and aerodynamics visually express the elemental strength contained within. The Infiniti G37 IPL defines my character based on its luxurious style, performance, strength, technology, safety and rejuvenating features. First, I would like to begin with the styling of The Infiniti IPL G Coupe’s style defines me in many different aspects. The Car is uniquely sculpted from and rear fascias, side sills, and rear spoiler enhance the aerodynamics of the IPL G Coupe and visually express inspired performance. Zero – lift front and rear dynamics allow the tires to grip the pavement, providing you with more confidence at higher speeds. I am type of person who really cares about style. I tend to be athletic and picky when it comes to cars. The most important detail in a car is the style because it shows other people what type of person I might be. The seating of the IPL G Coupe is sculpted, deep – bolstered seats with unique red stitching embrace the driver and front passenger in soft, sumptuous leather, as luxurious as it is stunning. The seating connects the driver to the handling of the machine with standard 12 – way power driver adjustments with memory functions that adjust the moment you start the car. The beauty of the wheels in this car is just unbelievable. They are lightweight, aluminum – alloy 19 inch wheels channel the power of the IPL G Coupe into momentum that strokes emotion. The split 7 – spoke wheels are clad in summer performance tires for unrelenting grip and finished in a graphite color for a look that radiates aggression. Next I would like to give specific details about the astonishing technology innovated into this breath – taking vehicle. The 11 – speaker Infiniti studio on Wheels by Bose was designed to help music retain its richly – authentic sound. Infiniti engineers created the first manufacturer system that delivers the music’s power from the front, with sound washing through the cabin from front to back, as in a live performance. The system is enhanced by 10 – inch subwoofers that the vehicle’s front doors were literally designed around and a unique Driver’s Audio Stage setting that optimizes the balance of sound to focus solely on the driver. Also, it has a rearview monitor when engaging in reverse mode your vehicle information system displays images from a discreetly – mounted color camera on the rear of the vehicle. Colored guidelines help give you and accurate sense of how close you are to objects behind, and they adjust as you turn, to show your path. As an added measure, the Rear Sonar System emits a beeping tone and displays an icon on the Rearview monitor display when an obstacle appears near the rear bumper. The technology inserted in this vehicle is amazing. It is a dream coming true for any young intelligent man driving one. Last but not least, I would love to talk about the performance and safety about this car. The power output of this vehicle is impressive. It is 3. 7 – liter 24 – valve V6 engine, the IPL G Coupe has been tined to produce more torque and an additional 18 horsepower. IPL enhancements intensify the feel of acceleration, delivering a more exhilarating driving experience. Advanced high – flow dual air intakes help the engine breathe more freely, reducing air resistance and improving output. Low – friction coated pistons reduce resistance, while Variable Valve Event and lift intake technology boosts performance while improving emissions and fuel efficiency. With all the interesting details about the performance of this vehicle, you might think it is unsafe to be in one of the fastest on the road, but it has safety precautions built into it to prevent any danger to all passengers. It contains advanced braking, which is the 4 – wheel anti – lock braking system, which helps apply the maximum brake force you need in order to prevent a collision. It also has an impact protection that consists of an advanced air bag system which adjusts their inflation rate depending on the crash. Basically, you have safety precautions for other safety systems. This car and I share many characteristics together. It defines who I am in many different ways. The moment I drove it, I fell in love with the start engine and exhaust sound. At first I really didn’t think objects really define who you really are, but after that incident it made me realize that objects can reflect what type of person you are. Driving this Infiniti made me see the truth of how performance, luxury, style, safety, and technology can really differentiate from other rides. Driving an Infiniti G37 IPL would give you a better status, and make you luxurious, sporty, and classy.

My Worst And Best Friend Essays - Candy, Chocolate, Cooking

My Worst And Best Friend Essays - Candy, Chocolate, Cooking My Worst And Best Friend Sales by Management Responsibilities and Geographic Area Jan.Sep. Jan.Sep. Variation Real Internal Growth 2000 1999 Jan.Sep. 2000 in CHF billion % % TOTAL 59.5 54.4 + 9.5 4.2 Food Europe 19.4 19.8 - 2.0 1.9 Americas 18.0 15.7 + 15.2 3.6 Asia, Oceania and Africa 11.6 9.7 + 18.8 6.9 Other Activities 10.5 9.2 + 14.7 7.2 Vevey, October 20, 2000 As will be announced at the press conference beginning today at 10:30 (CET), the Nestl Group's consolidated sales reached CHF 59.5 billion during the first nine months of 2000, up 9.5 percent over the period January-September 1999. This confirms the generally good perspectives for the full year 2000. At comparable structure and constant exchange rates, sales growth amounts to 4.9 percent. Cumulative real internal growth at the end of September stood at 4.2 percent, even though the comparison basis was clearly more difficult than during the first semester. As expected, exchange rates had a slightly lower positive impact of 5.7 percent, while divestitures, net of acquisitions, lowered the consolidated sales by 1.1 percent. Nestl succeeded in making the necessary price adjustments amounting to 0.7 percent of turnover. European sales were strongly affected by the divestiture of the Findus operation (with annual sales of about CHF 900 million), as well as by the weakening of 1.8 percent of the Euro against the Swiss franc. Sales in the Americas benefitted from exceptionally strong performance in Mexico and a recovery in most Latin American economies. Zone Asia, Oceania and Africa registered continuing good growth in virtually all areas. Sales by Product Group Jan.Sep. Jan.Sep. Variation Real Internal Growth 2000 1999 Jan.Sep. 2000 in CHF billion % % Beverages 16.9 15.3 + 10.9 5.4 Milk/Nutrition 16.2 14.5 + 11.4 2.9 Culinary 15.3 14.6 + 5.0 4.1 Chocolate/ Confectionery 7.6 7.0 + 7.7 1.3 Pharma 3.5 3.0 + 19.7 7.7 Most product groups performed well, with especially strong growth in soluble coffees in Eastern Europe, Asia and Latin America. The water business also grew strongly, notwithstanding adverse environmental impacts (weather conditions in Europe and forest fires in the US). In the culinary sector, chilled products and frozen prepared dishes developed satisfactorily. Milks and nutrition saw good progress, mainly as a result of infant nutrition sales in Asia and of the powdered milk business. Chocolate and confectionery showed a welcome improvement, thanks mainly to Eastern Europe. Pharmaceuticals also experienced strong growth. Based on the figures available at this time, Nestl is confident of its ability to maintain a good growth rate both in sales and in profits for the full year 2000. | Top of Page |

Animal rights essays

Animal rights essays Many humans use animals for testing each year. Animal testing is when the animals are put through something or injected to see how they react to what medical research they have been used for. There are three very important reasons why animals should not be used for testing harmful or dangerous materials. One of these is that testing and its use is trivial in the cosmetic industry. The second reason is that animals have rights and animals can feel pleasure and pain just as humans do. The third reason is that testing is cruel and unusual. Another reason is that animal testing and its use is trivial in the cosmetic industry. Testing on animals for the cosmetic industry is not necessary because they have many other ways to find out if it harms the human race. The testing that goes on is harmful to the animals and can cause serious side effects. The cosmetic companies hold down bunnies in vices and spray the cosmetics into their eyes to see if it causes them redness, stinging, or even blindness. They also have baboons strapped down with their heads in vices to do certain tests on them. Animals are also used by pharmaceutical companies to produce drugs and health supplements. They estimate that 17 to 22 million animals are used each year for medical research, and these estimates do not include rats, mice, fish, and farm animals. That means that 90% of all research animals are not included in the statistics. Too many animals are being tested and they do not even need to use the animals for these tests. They ca n use computer software materials and get the same results. One more point is that animals do have rights. The activists of the animal rights movements do not claim that animals are the moral equivalent of humans, just that their feelings deserve some consideration. Animals are just as alive as we are and they follow the course as we do, they find food, they produce offspring, they overcome challenges, theref ...

What You Need to Know About Prose

What You Need to Know About Prose Prose is ordinary writing (both fiction and nonfiction) as distinguished from verse. Most essays, compositions, reports, articles, research papers, short stories, and journal entries are types of prose writings. In his book The Establishment of Modern English Prose (1998), Ian Robinson observed that the term prose is surprisingly hard to define. . . . We shall return to the sense there may be in the old joke that prose is not verse. In 1906, English philologist Henry Cecil Wyld  suggested that the best prose is never entirely remote in form from the best corresponding conversational style of the period (The Historical Study of the Mother Tongue). Etymology From the Latin, forward turn Observations I wish our clever young poets would remember my homely definitions of prose and poetry: that is, prose words in their best order; poetry the best words in the best order.(Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Table Talk, July 12, 1827) Philosophy Teacher: All that is not prose is verse; and all that is not verse is prose.M. Jourdain: What? When I say: Nicole, bring me my slippers, and give me my night-cap, is that prose?Philosophy Teacher: Yes, sir.M. Jourdain: Good heavens! For more than 40 years I have been speaking prose without knowing it.(Molià ¨re, Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme, 1671) For me, a page of good prose is where one hears the rain and the noise of battle. It has the power to give grief or universality that lends it a youthful beauty.(John Cheever, on accepting the National Medal for Literature, 1982) Prose is when all the lines except the last go on to the end. Poetry is when some of them fall short of it.(Jeremy Bentham, quoted by M. St. J. Packe in The Life of John Stuart Mill, 1954) You campaign in poetry. You govern in prose.(Governor Mario Cuomo, New Republic, April 8, 1985) Transparency in Prose [O]ne can write nothing readable unless one constantly struggles to efface ones own personality. Good prose is like a window pane.(George Orwell, Why I Write, 1946)Our ideal prose, like our ideal typography, is transparent: if a reader doesnt notice it, if it provides a transparent window to the meaning, then the prose stylist has succeeded. But if your ideal prose is purely transparent, such transparency will be, by definition, hard to describe. You cant hit what you cant see. And what is transparent to you is often opaque to someone else. Such an ideal makes for a difficult pedagogy.(Richard Lanham, Analyzing Prose, 2nd ed. Continuum, 2003) Good Prose Prose is the ordinary form of spoken or written language: it fulfills innumerable functions, and it can attain many different kinds of excellence. A well-argued legal judgment, a lucid scientific paper, a readily grasped set of technical instructions all represent triumphs of prose after their fashion. And quantity tells. Inspired prose may be as rare as great poetrythough I am inclined to doubt even that; but good prose is unquestionably far more common than good poetry. It is something you can come across every day: in a letter, in a newspaper, almost anywhere.(John Gross, Introduction to The New Oxford Book of English Prose. Oxford Univ. Press, 1998) A Method of Prose Study Here is a method of prose study which I myself found the best critical practice I have ever had. A brilliant and courageous teacher whose lessons I enjoyed when I was a sixth-former trained me to study prose and verse critically not by setting down my comments but almost entirely by writing imitations of the style. Mere feeble imitation of the exact arrangement of words was not accepted; I had to produce passages that could be mistaken for the work of the author, that copied all the characteristics of the style but treated of some different subject. In order to do this at all it is necessary to make a very minute study of the style; I still think it was the best teaching I ever had. It has the added merit of giving an improved command of the English language and a greater variation in our own style.(Marjorie Boulton, The Anatomy of Prose. Routledge Kegan Paul, 1954) Pronunciation: PROZ

Coleman as a Lens for Parts of the Mooney Book Essay

Coleman as a Lens for Parts of the Mooney Book - Essay Example He sought out to learn how others managed to move out of and beyond such labels by buying his short bus. He then travelled across the country in search of children who held on to dreams of beautiful and magical ways of overcoming obstacles that separate them from what is otherwise referred to as ‘the normal world’. Coleman sets out to demystify the stigma surrounding the enigma of ‘normalcy’ to shed light on the inexistence of what society has labeled normal (Brown 179--192). The deviation from normative social categories created by the ones in the majority can result into a source of stigma for anyone according to Brown. Disability should not be painted or represented positively for those with shortcomings to counter the stigma experienced in society. Instead, the positive attributes and unique gifting of everyone is what makes the universe appreciate all in it and forge a sense of oneness. This is a reflection evident in Mooney’s book when he meets Brent in chapter three, ‘The hole in the door’ (Mooney 46). The interaction is one that elicits confidence and courage to face life and defines real living as finding a person’s own way to keep on. Coleman puts it that the concept of stigma places superiority on one and inferiority on another (Brown 179--192). The sense of ‘normalcy’ is just a conception of those who consider themselves ‘normal’ preying on the idea that those who lack one or two physiological functions are ‘abnormal’. The people considering their selves superior need affirmation from those they consider inferior, which in the real sense is fallacious (Link and Phelan 363--385). Mooney in relating with the story of Brent shows how the world around children with special needs can denigrate them and curtail the achievement of their full potential. The message that the world around Brent sends him is that he is broken and has to change or be fixed somehow, something

Controversy Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Controversy Analysis - Essay Example There are presently very violent military scenario games with some depicting ancient battles, a development that has led to the following thesis question: Are video games responsible for youth Violence in America? This essay will look at the two arguments on this topic; one is support and the other against, with reference to studies and relevant literature on the thesis question. Video games as we know them today, traces their origin from the start of 1950s when computer engineers and academicians began the design of simple games and artificial intelligence programs in their respective computer science studies. The popularity of video games however, hit the mainstream in the 1970s and 80s when home computers became available. From the 80s to present times, several generations of video games have been developed with Xbox One and PlayStation 4 from Sonny being the latest 8 generation games. As video games evolved, so did the technology and story lines behind them. Presently, there are games in all aspects of life from business to military combats with the latter being most popular among enthusiasts. Violence among youths on the other hand, has been around even before the invention of video games but the information age has seen new style of aggression among the youth (Levesque and Roger, 51). This has prompted analysts to establish if there could be a correlat ion between video games and contemporary youth violence given the many hours young people spend playing these games. So could there be a relationship between these two phenomena and is so, how? If not, what is the evidence of the lack of relationship? Roanna Cooper and Marc Zimmerman in their article, highlight youth violence as a significant public health issue with youth homicide among African-Americans aged between 14 and 24 years, being very high. Other than the Columbine tragedy that made headlines in 1999 when 12 people died

Individual Strategy Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Individual Strategy Assignment - Essay Example Value proposition, which states the specific benefits that a product or service provider offers the customer, is a necessity for every organization. Indeed, a company that lacks a clear and singular value proposition is similar to an individual without energy and power, and, therefore, lacks the ability to champion the occurrence of various aspects. Additionally, it is only through the value proposition that a company is able to convince the customers that indeed the products and services offered are the best among the other competitors and that the customers should only make purchase choice on their products and services. Apple is such a company with great brand and value proposition. Based on the above perspective, this paper discusses the development of Apple’s value proposition and factors supporting the value proposition including organizational task statements. One critical aspect that every company or organizations put in the minds of the consumers is that their lives will improve significantly by the purchase of the company’s brand. Such is usually the idea that centers on company’s brand building. However, in the case of Apple, the company has gone overboard by creating products that seem like consumers must have. Additionally, in building their brand, Apple works on establishing an idea in the minds of their customers that there were no products and services like any other in the market, and as such, the customers never had an alternative but to buy their products. Ideally, Apple success rests in the building of assets that distinguish them from the rest, enabling the consumers no any alternative to their products. As such, Apple has developed its value proposition with a perception on the consumers’ minds that Apple’s products and services remain the best in the industry. Whenever a customer asks for a reason as to why they should buy a particular company’s product or need their service, the company’s value proposition

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

Motivation Paper - Essay Example Fifth or the last layer of hierarchy is related to the need of self-actualization. At this stage, a person is motivated to achieve the highest degree of autonomy and comfort in life. Engagement has become very necessary in today’s business world. â€Å"Engagement may have been optional in the past, but it’s pretty much the whole game today† (Hamel). This theory will be effective in increasing employee engagement because the managers can target the first four layers of needs to increase employee motivation and engagement levels. The managers can provide employees with housing allowance to meet one of their basic physiological needs. They can also provide them with a safe and interactive work environment to meet their second and third layers of needs. Fourth layer of needs can also be met by appreciating the hard work of employees and encouraging them. If managers focus on these little things, they can definitely increase the employee engagement level. The need for achievement is the need of a person to achieve all personal and professional goals. Achievement of any type of goal makes people happy and confident. Power is another human need. People, who are motivated by power, want to dominate and shape other people’s views and behaviors. The third need is the need for affiliation. People want to make relationships with other people in order to remain active in the society. This theory cannot be very effective in increasing the employee engagement level because it focuses more on materialism, which is neither good for an employee nor for the company. For example, this theory focuses on achievement and power. People definitely struggle in their lives to achieve something but when they will always work for personal achievements, they will put their job responsibilities aside and it will not be in favor of the company. Similarly, if managers give them more power than they should get in

Public precurement and (ppt) + (ppp) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Public precurement and (ppt) + (ppp) - Essay Example The public department just makes monthly repayments for capital utilized and bears the on-going service costs. The major objective of PFI is to increase efficient delivery of public services and transfer risk to the private enterprises. But currently, it has come under lot of controversy for excessive payments, bribery, corruption and poor value for money. The paper would analyse PFI for managerial effectiveness, operational efficiency and cost effectiveness for public service delivery and asses its viability for best value for money. Analysis Public sector is showing significant shift in its operational areas towards privatization regarding public procurements of works, goods and services with emphasis on cost saving and increasing efficiency. The concept had originated in the developed nations which were getting concerned with large amounts of spending from the public funds for public utility services. It had led to frequent cases of irregularities related to public funding includi ng lack of commitment, transparency and efficiency issues (OECD, 2007). The reforms therefore had become necessary. An effective public procurement through PFI was a good option especially when relationship is forged through fair and competitive auction –bidding (Audit commission, 2001). ... PFI is improved form of public procurement system because of its unique framework as public private partnership. Moreover, private finance is sought within the realms of a public environment, processed by a series of state defined legal, administrative, political, and management networks. Like private sector, it ensures that the procurement of goods, services and works is optimally efficient and effective, and results in best value for money (Deloitte, 2009). But it differs from the private sector in the sense that it is not profit oriented. Indeed, these emerge as vital issues that require constant monitoring, regulation, and audit to keep the process corruption free. In the traditional procurement system, the spending department or body finalizes the project and budget and thereafter sends proposal to the treasury for loan (Whitfield, 2001). After approval the department gets the long term loan at very low interest rates as they are perceived to be low risk borrowers with governmen t not expecting to fail or default in its repayments (Grout, 1997). The loan sanction for the project is a long drawn process that each public department has to follow for any proposed work in the public area. Apart from the highly fractious procedures of finance, the operation, management and risks are hugely critical elements that become difficult to manage in the long run with the same efficiency and quality (Hood et al., 2006). Indeed, the changing socio-economic and political environment makes the various projects quite risky. Most importantly, getting the state treasuries to fund the various public projects would a massive burden on it and which could

BRIEFING REPORT TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR ENERGY AND CLIMATE Coursework - 2

BRIEFING REPORT TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE ON FACTORS TO CONSIDER IN THE PREPARATION OF A NEW ENERGY BILL FOR THE UK - Coursework Example The only problem is that, this perspective of price reduction fails to reach the extreme end that is expected by most people [1]. After the substantial falling of the wholesale gas prices in the course of the year 2014 as well as the oil prices in the time frame of just 6 months, they logically desired for a bigger drop with regards to their energy prices. When various suppliers however announced of the subsequent price cuts, all of them were almost at the single digit reductions. The bill prices often take time to fall to more appropriate prices due to various outstanding reasons. First and for most, the natural gas’s cost does not essentially have any link to the oil prices. The other factor is that, the gas’s wholesale price is part and parcel of the bill’s segment. For instance, the gas that most individuals are using up-to-date was probably not bought at the current wholesale prices. This is to mean that constant variations tend to occur when it comes to this matter of energy bills.   The secretary of state should also bear in mind that there are various undertakings or make ups when it comes to the aspect of energy bills (either electricity or gas bills). According to the British Gas, Around 42% of an individual’s bill is determined by the energy’s wholesale prices [3]. This is the entire gas and electricity cost that is mutually bought by the British Gas on wholesale unit.   It is also worth to bear that while gas prices falls by almost a third of the total value, electricity has rarely fallen. The next chunk of the gas bill that is approximated to be at around 27% encompasses the total network costs. They are the wires and pipes that bring the electricity and gas home. They are usually owned by a number of distribution companies including the National Grid, which often charge people a substantial amount for their usage. The charged fee is usually overseen by a body known as Ofgem, which is taken as the ultimate regulatory unit, and has

Public precurement and (ppt) + (ppp) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Public precurement and (ppt) + (ppp) - Essay Example The public department just makes monthly repayments for capital utilized and bears the on-going service costs. The major objective of PFI is to increase efficient delivery of public services and transfer risk to the private enterprises. But currently, it has come under lot of controversy for excessive payments, bribery, corruption and poor value for money. The paper would analyse PFI for managerial effectiveness, operational efficiency and cost effectiveness for public service delivery and asses its viability for best value for money. Analysis Public sector is showing significant shift in its operational areas towards privatization regarding public procurements of works, goods and services with emphasis on cost saving and increasing efficiency. The concept had originated in the developed nations which were getting concerned with large amounts of spending from the public funds for public utility services. It had led to frequent cases of irregularities related to public funding includi ng lack of commitment, transparency and efficiency issues (OECD, 2007). The reforms therefore had become necessary. An effective public procurement through PFI was a good option especially when relationship is forged through fair and competitive auction –bidding (Audit commission, 2001). ... PFI is improved form of public procurement system because of its unique framework as public private partnership. Moreover, private finance is sought within the realms of a public environment, processed by a series of state defined legal, administrative, political, and management networks. Like private sector, it ensures that the procurement of goods, services and works is optimally efficient and effective, and results in best value for money (Deloitte, 2009). But it differs from the private sector in the sense that it is not profit oriented. Indeed, these emerge as vital issues that require constant monitoring, regulation, and audit to keep the process corruption free. In the traditional procurement system, the spending department or body finalizes the project and budget and thereafter sends proposal to the treasury for loan (Whitfield, 2001). After approval the department gets the long term loan at very low interest rates as they are perceived to be low risk borrowers with governmen t not expecting to fail or default in its repayments (Grout, 1997). The loan sanction for the project is a long drawn process that each public department has to follow for any proposed work in the public area. Apart from the highly fractious procedures of finance, the operation, management and risks are hugely critical elements that become difficult to manage in the long run with the same efficiency and quality (Hood et al., 2006). Indeed, the changing socio-economic and political environment makes the various projects quite risky. Most importantly, getting the state treasuries to fund the various public projects would a massive burden on it and which could

Opinion on Philosophical Theories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Opinion on Philosophical Theories - Essay Example As the discussion stresses free will helps people to achieve desires by controlling their target environment at any given time. The people must be aware of the realties that exist in that environment in order for them to exercise free will and control. The responsibility that comes after exercise free will is used to measure the amount of control that has been achieved. It dictates the extent a person has exercised control. Responsibility and control define free will and determinism, but they are done with consciousness featured in existentialism as proposed by Jean Paul Sartre.From the study it is clear that  majority of people in the society do not interfere with private actions of certain people because of their positions in the government in fear confrontation by the rule of the law. The will of an individual should not be ignored in favor of general will, but it should not be a determinant factor for implementing particular actions. The will of a person to keep his or her priv ate affairs from the public domain does not subdue them to any rule of the law. Liberalism is meant to protect any person from tyrannical requirement based on provisions of the constitution as long as the affairs do not interfere with the interests of the public. A person is free to pursue their private affairs according to Classical Laissez Faire and limit the government or the power of the majority from any forced imposition.

Crito Analysis Essay Example for Free

Crito Analysis Essay Rhetorical Question: â€Å"But my dear Crito, why should we pay so much attention to what ‘most people’ think? The reasonable people, who have more claim to be considered, will believe that the facts are exactly as they are† (906). Personification: â€Å"’Consider then, Socrates,’ the Laws would probably continue, ‘whether it is also true for us to say that what you are trying to do to us is not right†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Ã¢â‚¬  (913). Plato’s â€Å"Crito† is one of the many tremendously influential pieces of literature produced in ancient Greece. It is a thought-provoking, philosophical discussion regarding the role of the individual within society, and how to treat injustice. As part of a series of imaginary dialogues between Socrates and other characters, â€Å"Crito† deals with the conflict Socrates is presented with, as he awaits execution. Crito, one of Socrates’ close friends, urges Socrates to escape prison while he still can. Crito offers several arguments to justify his escape, including the shame he would endure from the public for letting his friend die, and the poor example it would set for the children of Athens. However, Socrates carefully analyzes each of Crito’s arguments for escaping, and proves them invalid through logic and deductive reasoning. The passage, â€Å"But my dear Crito, why should we pay so much attention to what ‘most people’ think? The reasonable people, who have more claim to be considered, will believe that the facts are exactly as they are† (906), d emonstrates the method that Socrates uses to persuade. Socrates asks a rhetorical question to expose the silliness of the Crito’s worries. It represents the wisdom and morals of Socrates. Crito’s strongest argument is that Socrates would be promoting injustice by accepting his unfair sentence. However, Socrates disproves this point as well, by reasoning that he would be harming the Law by escaping death. Socrates, who has tried to live his life as justly and peacefully as possible, would be breaking every moral he ever lived by if he chose to turn against the law. He regards the Law higher than his own life. He sees the Law as a father to him; it has raised him, educated him, and allowed him to live a comfortable life. No matter how much he disagrees with its ways, he cannot bring himself to disobey it. Throughout Socrates’ discussions, he often has conversations with himself and the â€Å"Law†. Plato personifies the â€Å"Law† by giving it human-like qualities and speech; it is suggested that the Law can be hurt, and angry. He does this to distinguish it as a character that has feelings. For example, â€Å"’†¦you will leave this place, when you do, as the victim of a wrong done not by us, the Laws, but by your fellow men. But if you leave in that dishonorable way, returning wrong from wrong, and evil for evil, breaking your agreements with us, and injuring those whom you least ought to injure yourself, your country, and us ,- then you will face our anger†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (916), demonstrates the authority of the Law. Socrates suggests it is better to die a victim who has lived justly and killed unjustly, than to return the injustice and hurt the Laws. He states, â€Å"†¦it is never right to do a wrong or return a wrong or defend one’s sel f against injury by retaliation† (911), which exemplifies the belief that injustice cannot be treated with injustice. Socrates mentions an agreement being broken in this passage; this alludes to the belief that there is a social contract between the individual and government. Socrates reasons that when a citizen lives in Athens, he is indirectly supporting the laws and abiding them. The individual has a moral obligation to the government. While it is beneficial to challenge the government under some circumstances, one threatens the foundation of a stable society by breaking its laws. Socrates, who has lived 70 years of Athenian life, is content by living in accordance with this contract. He feels a state simply cannot exist if laws have no power. He firmly believes in the importance of strict laws, as he calls them the most precious achievement of human history. Besides, he reasons that a man of his age, with little life left to live, would lose his reputation by â€Å"clingi ng so greedily to life, at the price of violating the most stringent laws† (915). For all these reasons, â€Å"Crito† remains an influential piece that poses big questions and promotes critical thinking.

The Puerto Rican Community in Hartford :: Culture Puerto Rico Spanish Essays

The Puerto Rican Community in Hartford Social Mobility is a hard term to define because it can be interpreted in an infinite amount of ways. My group has the responsibility of reporting how the Puerto Rican community in Hartford has evolved or changed in the past eighteen years. We are using a special section produced by the Hartford Current as our starting point. From there we are suppose to document how, if at all, the idea of transnational identity and mobility for Hartford’s Puerto Ricans has changed. I am writing about social mobility because my group is interested in knowing if in fact the idea of moving up on the social ladder is a motivation for Puerto Ricans to move to Hartford. Sal Enriquez has already shown that Puerto Ricans have moved to Hartford in the hopes of attaining economic success but what about social success? Before an answer can be provided I must try and define what social mobility is. In the context of this paper social mobility is the ability or opportunity for people within a certain to move up or down. I will assume that those that we are discussing are trying to move up, and not down in social class. It might be argued that social class ascension is directly related to economic success. If one wants to move up the social ladder then they first must move up the economic ladder. Since Puerto Ricans travel to the United States to attain economic stability are they also looking for social stability or improvement? There is no clear answer to this question. There are some Puerto Ricans in Hartford who have migrated so that they can maintain their social class standing. One student here at Trinity College is a good example of such mobility. Luigi Dessy a junior, engineering major, and active participant in school activities says that he came here for a good education and new experiences. He is appreciative of the fact that he has been able to attend private schools his whole life.

Wuthering Heights :: essays research papers

Explore the role and function of the narrators in Wuthering Heights   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ellis Bell was criticised not only for the novel’s blasphemous nature and violent plot but a lack of conclusive moral. It seems freedom of expression was tolerated as long as the reader was left in no doubt of the righteous path. Bronte liberates the reader from this sense of duty and distinguishes her novel from its Victorian contemporaries. Helping to accomplish this task is her style of narration, being unusually structured in the concentric circles of Lockwood and Nelly Dean.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lockwood descends on the Yorkshire moors, like the reader unaware of the turbulence that the ‘beautiful country’ conceals. I have read that Bronte’s original purpose of the book was to show Lockwood the meaning of love and her choice of name, ‘Lockwood’, implies a depth that is not on display nor easy to withdraw. (From this respect it is an ambitious novel for Emily Bronte to attempt as her life is from all accounts barren of much romantic attachment. Perhaps her impression of love mimics Isabella Linton’s adoration for a Byronic Heathcliff, an ideal never quite within reach.) Lockwood strikes me as a character who is much astonished by his own intelligence, he dilutes his account of the Heights with Latinate words and pompous expressions, ‘relaxed a little in the laconic style of chipping off his pronouns and auxiliary verbs’. Either this is an early indication of his arrogance, later confirmed by his unlikely fear that Catherine would regret a union with Hareton on observing how ‘tolerably attractive’ he was or possibly the ‘primitive’ nature of the Heights provokes him to use language that he associates with civilised society in order to feel comfortable in an evidently uneasy situation. If this be the case Bronte mocks the established politeness of introduction showing his language to be simply a faà §ade disguising his unsettled emotions. This language helps him to preserve his detached demeanour as only once is the reader given an insight to his insecure character. He relates an amusing incident in which a ‘goddess’ he professed to be in love with hinted at a reciprocation of feeling that unfortunately caused him to flee rabbit-like, rapidly lessening the warmth of his ‘glances’. This minor incident demonstrates his inability to handle complex emotions and in comparison to the forthcoming passion of Cathy and Heathcliff, Lockwood appears all the more sheltered. It is as though a distant relative of the Lintons has come to call.

Cholera Outbreak

Haiti Jessica Ganzalez LHHS MUN 2011 WHO Cholera Outbreak Position Paper Background: Cholera is a disease that starts in the intestines, caused by the consumption of impure food or water with the bacteria Vibrio Cholera. The two most common indication of Cholera are diarrhea and excessive vomiting. Cholera is an extremely virulent disease and affects both children and adults and can kill within hours, if left untreated. During the 19th century, cholera spread across the world from its original reservoir in the Ganges delta in India.Six subsequent pandemics killed millions of people across all continents. The current (seventh) pandemic started in South Asia in 1961, and reached Africa in 1971 and the Americas in 1991. Cholera is now endemic in many countries. This disease is not a complete threat to countries that have regular access to clean water and hygiene. The more urbanized Asian nations such as China and India have developed medical treatments for this deadly disease, but the l ess developed countries have yet to find ways to be less influenced by this broad topic. UN Involvement:The World Health Organization (WHO) has greatly influenced the discontinue of Cholera by launching the WHO Global Task Force on Cholera Control in 1992 following the adoption of a resolution on cholera by the Forty-fourth World Health Assembly. The plan was to lessen death associated with the disease and to deal with the social and economic consequences of cholera. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and numerous other committees are also working on proposals and resolutions to decrease the number affected by this preventable virus with the help of the World Bank, grants given by nations, and NGOs.The United Nations have also donated thousands of medical kits and supplied countries with doctors to treat those affected. In addition the United Nations agencies and their partners today appealed for $164 million to support Haiti’s efforts to fight the deadly chol era outbreak that has already claimed several hundred lives in the small Caribbean nation. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), over 12,000 Haitians having been hospitalized so far, and over 800 people have died from the disease, which is spread by contaminated food and water.Country Policy/ Possible Solutions Haiti has been overwhelmed with famine and disease for years, but after the massive January earthquake hit, it put Haiti in even more misery then before. Recently they have had close to none clean drinking water and food. The cholera epidemic has killed 1,110 people and sickened 18,382 as of November of 2010, and has piled depression on the Caribbean country. The violence in Cap-Haitian prevented cholera patients from reaching hospitals and halted distribution of medicines and caused many injuries. Protesters blamed U.N. Nepalese peacekeepers for bringing the cholera to Haiti, a charge denied by the U. N. mission. Anti-U. N. riots in the Haitian city of Cap-Haitian have upset worldwide efforts to undertake a spreading cholera epidemic, increasing the risk of infection and death for tens of thousands of poor Haitians in the north. With the number of cases from the current cholera outbreak in Haiti in the thousands and the number of deaths in the hundreds and rising, it is only a matter of time before this treacherous disease spreads into further more severe matters.A possible solution would be to provide a large administration of sugar water, and an increase in the number of clinics and medical facilities that offer intravenous fluids. If my resolution is promoted this issue would slowly fade because oral rehydration salts and oral electrolyte solutions are a simple, cheap, and effective treatment for diarrhoea-related dehydration such as Cholera. I also believe that if there is enough evidence to guarantee widespread use of the oral cholera vaccine people in Haiti and other nations would become healthier, preven ting them from infectious diseases such as cholera.The World Bank, UN, and other organizations willing to participate in this mission would help fund the project. Not only would these solutions ensure health, but it would also bring contributor nation’s one-step closer to the millennium goals of Combating Diseases and Environmental sustainability. Before cholera spreads to the U. S. and around the world, we need to see this outbreak contained and controlled in Haiti. More than anything else, we need big infusion of sugar/electrolyte drinking water and intravenous salt solution to be sent to the countries suffering with diseases along with a program to vaccinate travelers and everyone living there. Sources http://www. reuters. com/article/2010/11/17/us-haiti-cholera-idUSTRE6AG3ZC20101117 http://www. globalsecurity. org/military/library/news/2010/11/mil-101112-unnews03. htm http://www. who. int/cholera/en/index. html http://medical-dictionary. thefreedictionary. com/cholera htt p://www. who. int. mediacentre/factsheets/fs107/en/index. html http://www. undp. org/mdg/basics. shtml

Five Types of Organization Structures

Every organization, to be effective, must have a structure. An organization structure is the setup that determines the hierarchy and reporting structure in an organization. It is often represented by a drawing known as an organizational chart. There are different types of organizational structures that companies follow, depending on a variety of factors like leadership style, type of organization, geographical regions, work flow and hierarchy. Organizations may choose from a number of common operating structures. One popular structure is the functional organization, where the company is divided into separate units based on role, such as accounting, marketing, research and development or distribution. The functional structure offers a number of potential advantages as well as disadvantages. An advantage of a functional organizational structure is that it offers a high level of specialization. Each unit operates as a type of self-contained mini-company, charged with carrying out its specific role. A worker who is an expert in his functional area can perform tasks with a high level of speed and efficiency, which enhances productivity. While specialized units within the functional structure often perform with a high level of efficiency, they may have difficulty working well with other units. Another potential disadvantage of the functional organization structure is that it can pose a challenge for top management to maintain control as the organization expands. If the company expands into new geographic areas, maintaining control of and managing the separate functions can be even more of a challenge. Kenexa, an IBM Company, provides employment and retention solutions to assist organizations in hiring and keeping workers. Kenexa is a SAAS, software as a service company, and utilizes a functional structure. Market structure is used to group employees on the basis of the specific market the company sells in. A company could have five different markets they use and according to this structure, each would be a separate division. Some merits of this structure are that employees can communicate with customers in the local language and they are available for the customers, if need is felt. Demerits include intense competition among the employees; decision-making can cause conflicts and difficulty to determining the productivity and efficiency of employees. Product-based structures allow companies to remain flexible in the business environment. This allows the company to add or remove structure sections as necessary. However, it can prohibit companies from achieving company-wide goals since each unit operates on its own. A successful company that uses a Market organizational structure as well as a Product-based structure is Microsoft. Farber, 2013) One advantage of a Matrix structure is better coordination and control: – this structure is very much suitable to coordinate and control the functional activities and project activities. Most importantly, employees from various functional areas work under the spirit of team and make the project successful. Team effort is made. On the other hand, Matrix organizational structure involves huge overhead cost, has problems of overspecialization and is difficult to balance. GE is an example of a company that uses the matrix structure approach. In a geographic structure, large organizations have offices at different places, for example, there could be a north zone, south zone, west zone and east zone. Advantages are better communication among the employees at the same location and locals are familiar with the local business environment and can cater to geographical and cultural differences. A successful company with this structure is Ports America, headquartered in the NE with operations throughout both coasts and segmented regionally. References: Farber, D. (2013, July 12). Steve Ballmer remakes Microsoft one more time. Retrieved from http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-57593289-75/steve-ballmer-remakes-microsoft-one-more-time/?part=rss&tag=feed&subj= (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.kenexa.com/ (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.portsamerica.com/about.html http://www.ge.com/pdf/company/ge_organization_chart.pdf Hill, C. (n.d.). Strategic management theory.

Is Australia an Inclusive Society Essay

Reports from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (2003a, 2003b, as cited in Ashman & Elkins, 2009, p. 7) show 25% of the Australian population is currently made up of migrants from around 200 countries. This fact demonstrates Australia, on the whole, has a tolerant and inclusive society. A society can be identified as a collection of people who live together in a relatively ordered community (Ashman & Elkins, 2009, p. 7). It could be said, Australia has one of the most inclusive societies on the planet; however, this was not always the case. Net overseas migration has doubled from 146,800 in 2005-6 to 298,900 in 2008-9 (Australian Bureau of Statistics [ABS], 2011). Migrants born overseas account for a quarter of the total population with 50% having direct links with relatives born overseas. Nearly 2. 5 million Australians speak a language other than English at home (ABS, 2003a, as cited in Ashman & Elkins, 2009, p. 7). These facts show how much multiculturalism is now an intrinsic part of Australian society. Some traditional migrant countries, such as the UK, still remain dominant in the proportion of people arriving onto Australian shores; however, more recently, a larger percentage of migrants from Asian countries have started to show in census statistics (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade [DFAT], 2008). Today migrants can be found in all levels of society and the workforce. Employers are bound by the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 not to exclude any persons on the basis of nationality, race, colour, descent or ethnic origin; however, this was not always the case. The White Australia Policy (forming the basis of the Immigration Restriction Act 1901) from 1901 to 1973 was introduced primarily to prevent Pacific Islanders from being employed as cheap labour in the vast sugar plantations in the Northern part of the country (DFAT, 2008) . The policy was gradually abolished after the Second World War, but the emphasis on European immigration remained until 1966, when the government allowed the migration of ‘distinguished’ non-Europeans. The last vestiges of the policy were discarded in 1973. From 1901 to the early 1970s, policies towards newcomers were based on assimilation. The preference for British migrants remained, and all others were expected to shed their existing cultural identities, including their native languages, to promote their rapid absorption into the host population. (DFAT, 2008, p. 2) A lively debate would ensue to decide if Australia could be seen as inclusive during this period of history. Even with the acceptance of Whites there were still racial undertones in the nicknames of migrants from certain countries. Wogs from Italy, Dagos from Spain, Poms from England (origin has not been verified, but several theories remain), to name but a few. In conclusion with such a large migrant population from so many different countries, Australia has succeeded in becoming an inclusive society. Migrants will continue to arrive onto this big brown land and play a major part in shaping the country in centuries to come. Stereotypes. Collins Cobuild English Dictionary (1995, p. 1635) defines stereotype as an â€Å"a fixed general image or set of characteristics that a lot of people believe represent a particular type of person or thing. † This is a thought that is conceived without actual basis or factual content. Stereotypes can come in many forms. Commonly it is a belief that may have been subliminally imparted by peers, parents or the media. Stereotyping can cross all groups, genders, races, religions or even animals. It is possible social interaction or experience can lead to stereotyping especially if a negative experience is involved. People may all be guilty in some form of stereotyping, although not in a derogatory sense. Some common examples are, left handed people are creative, Asians are hard workers, blondes have more fun, fat people are jolly. A negative consequence of stereotyping is what Sanderson (2010, p. 349) calls stereotype threat. Minority group members experience an apprehension that they may behave in a manner that confirms existing cultural stereotypes. Gender stereotypes are one of the most common encountered on a daily basis. The infamous ‘Glass Ceiling’ still exists in many areas of the professional world, restricting valid promotions simply based on gender. This type of concept can be verified by looking at comparative weekly wages of other professionals in a variety of industries. Most people will generally see female dominated occupations, such as nurse, teacher and secretary as requiring feminine personality traits and physical attributes for success; whereas male dominated occupations such as doctor, lawyer, and business executive are seen to require male personality traits for success (Sanderson, 2010, p. 344). Racism The Cambridge Dictionaries Online (2011) defines racism as â€Å"the belief that people’s qualities are influenced by their race and that the members of other races are not as good as the members of your own, or the resulting unfair treatment of members of other races. In recent history massive wars, resulting in countless lives lost, have been waged simply over not belonging to the ‘right’ or ‘our’ race. Most people would agree the concept of disliking someone simply because they look different and belong to another race, is pure ignorance. To say that because a person has dark skin that they will respond or behave in a certain manner is again ignorant. For most people it is hard to believe that less than twenty years ago Apartheid was still a reality in South Africa. The word ‘apartheid’ is derived from the Afrikaans language and is directly translated as ‘separateness’ (P.  Mason-Jones, pers. comm. , 1998). Its basis was racial segregation for Blacks, Whites, Coloureds and Indians. The Coloureds in South Africa are from mixed race families, predominately White males procreating with Black females. The Indians were mainly from colonial Indian descent sent to South Africa as slaves. The concept of black South Africans not allowed on the same public bus as Whites is hard to grasp. A greater issue for the Black people during apartheid was the fact they were not allowed to vote and decide on their own future in a land they had lived in for centuries beforehand. Modern racism can be described as someone’s negative feelings towards an out-group member, which is not based specifically on their group membership (e. g. , race, gender) but rather generalisations of their moral values (Sanderson, 2010, p. 337). This creates the conception that all Black people do not work hard enough and expect handouts and so are discriminated against for that instead of having dark skin. Prejudice The Concise Oxford Dictionary (1982, p. 809) defines Prejudice as a â€Å"pre-conceived opinion, bias (against, or in favour of, person or thing). The word itself can be split into two components, pre- before and jud- judging. Forming an opinion of someone before there is a chance to talk to them or even meet them for the first time is ignorant. Prejudice can come in many forms; however, it is usually associated with negative or hostile feelings about a person or persons simply based on their belonging to a group. Some popular social examples are, people who wear hats while driving are bad drivers, and, older men who have long beards and ride Harley Davidson motorbikes are dangerous. Similarly, pre-judging all the clean, well dressed and impeccably groomed students to be the most well behaved members of the group would not be substantiated. In the same vein, pre-judging the scruffy un-kempt student to be the most troublesome member of the group could be a terrible mistake for the teacher. Consider this scenario: Stephen Hawking is observed crossing the road at a busy intersection while an individual is travelling in the opposite direction. The individual will have no idea who he is or heard his name mentioned in any context. Some people may consider sympathy with his plight, some may ignore him completely, some may even offer assistance. Yet how many would come to the conclusion he is one of the greatest minds on the planet? People may be guilty of pre-judging his condition, abilities or even intellect. Educational responses to diversity Under Section 22 of the Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act 1992, an educational authority is not allowed to discriminate against a person on the grounds of the person’s disability (DD Act, 1992). Education Queensland developed a statement in response to this section of the Act, called â€Å"The Inclusive Education Statement – 2005. † This statement is now part of 11 pieces of legislation and policies (Education Queensland, 2011). These policies and legislative pieces comprise of Commonwealth and State Acts. The Commonwealth Acts include, Age Discrimination Act 2004, Disability Discrimination Act 1992, Disability Standards for Education 2005, Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Act 1986, Privacy Act 1988, Racial Discrimination Act 1975 and the Sex Discrimination Act 1984. State legislation includes the Anti-Discrimination Act 1991, Child Protection Act 1999, Disability Services Act 2006 and the Education (General Provisions) Act 2006. (Education Queensland, 2011). Education in Australia is a basic human right; however, the learning journey needs to be fair, productive and include everyone regardless of race, gender, cultural background or disability. Inclusive education is a process of responding to the uniqueness of individuals, increasing their sense of participation and achievement in a learning society (Hyde, 2010, p. 11). Education Queensland (2011) requires their staff to identify processes and procedures in the Inclusive Education Statement – 2005, to achieve learning outcomes and develop skills to work and live productively and respectfully with others from a range of backgrounds, abilities and cultures. This ideology will help to produce accepting, tolerant, co-operative and productive citizens. In the classroom teachers need to address the huge variety of differences in their students. They should be adaptable and flexible to address criteria in curriculum while still following policies and procedures that stem from individual schools up to state level. Curriculum, pedagogy and assessment are aligned and meet the needs of diverse student groups (EQIS, 2005). A teacher, or any member of an educational facility, can be prosecuted if they harass a student, or future student, who has a disability, about the disability (Disability Discrimination Act 1992 s. 37). A successful teacher is required to have a positive relationship with all of their students, while still following policy and procedure so that they can â€Å"build bridges from the knowledge and skills that students bring from their homes and communities to the knowledge and skills they need for success in schooling† (EQIS, 2005, p. ). Schools are required to provide professional learning opportunities to enhance understanding of the recognition of difference and the factors that contribute to educational disadvantage, especially an appreciation of factors such as: poverty; gender; disability; cultural and linguistic diversity; and sexuality (EQIS, 2005). Such professional development opportunities will allow teachers with many years experience to fully understand the changing environment they now live in. People with a disability have the same human rights as other members of society (Disability Discrimination Act 1992, Part 2, Division 19, s. ). Teachers must adapt their classroom planning in response to this statement. Simple methods of inclusion on a physical level will include table and chair arrangement, or repositioning of the teacher’s desk to provide easy access if required; however, it is the school’s responsibility to allow wheelchair access to classrooms. Teachers who believe that they are the most important factor in improving student outcomes are more likely to deliver a connected curriculum, with high intellectual quality and high levels of student engagement (EQIS, 2005). While such policies and statement may seem difficult to implement, the outcome of a successful student who is well versed and ready to stand up in society and enter the workforce should be the driving factor teachers strive for. Personal responses to diversity A teacher’s positive attitude towards their students can have a profound effect on their learning ability. Consideration must be taken into account if the student(s) come from a low socio economic background or disruptive domestic environments. The school community may well be the only positive aspect of their lives. Students who have this sort of background often require more support and nurturing. A teacher’s positive attitude towards this student may well release their inhibitions and personal defences. Once the teacher has broken down these barriers the student is more likely to participate, be co-operative and be more productive in the classroom. A negative attitude directed at the same student is more likely to sustain the barrier he or she has towards adults, or authority figures in general, and remain disruptive and uncooperative. An example of this negative attitude is provided by Munro. 2008, p. 99). Ted Brown saw himself as a good literacy teacher. Many of his students made great progress and achieved high-level outcomes. Each year, however, there was a small group of students in the class who did not progress as he expected. Ted noted, â€Å"These students do not get involved or stay focused. They just did not seem to be interested. I guess there will always be low achievers. Not everyone can learn to read†. His observations were accurate. In his classes, these children did not get involved or stay focused, were not interested and remained low achievers. A replacement teacher, Sally Green, taught Ted’s class for a term. She talked with the underachieving readers and noticed that they had rich imagery knowledge of the topics they discussed but often needed time to put their images into words. She helped them practice doing this. Before they began to read a narrative, she had them do this. Sally also had them talk in sentences about the pictures in the narratives and recall vocabulary. The students began to achieve as readers using their existing knowledge to read and to anticipate the ideas in a text. They learnt to paraphrase and visualise as they read, and to review each paragraph. Ted came back to school from long-service leave and noticed that the small group of students had improved in their reading. Because he did not understand the conditions under which they had improved, he was unable to scaffold their learning. Soon some of the students plateaued in their reading and Ted was sure that this was, again, because of their lack of interest. It can be seen from the above text that Ted simply could not be bothered with the small group of â€Å"low achievers†. He did not provide any inclusive activities; therefore, he was not able to obtain the most out of this group. Sally should have discussed this issue with the Head of Department or Principal during her contracted time. Bringing this issue to their attention may have directed the HOD/Principal to discuss with Ted some alternative teaching options, or offer some personal development in this area. Once the issue had been raised, discussed and acted upon it is reasonable to assume that the students and subsequent â€Å"low achievers† would have gained more out of Ted’s classes and develop their learning journey accordingly. According to Conway (2010, p. 29), beginning teachers will need to make an extra effort because his research found that the majority felt ill-prepared to teach students with ESL, disabilities or from dysfunctional backgrounds. This particular course is highlighting the need for future teachers to recognise, appreciate and implement positive strategies for a variety of students with diverse backgrounds, cultures and abilities.