The Placement Of Fibre Post Health And Social Care Essay

The arrangement of fiber station is a good pick for root treated teeth non merely because it strengthens the tooth but because it helps us to construct a probationary or unequivocal Restoration. The fibre stations can be a stuff of pick where aesthetic is the demand. They have high tensile strength and a modulus of snap similar to that of dentine. The fiber station is a inactive station which does non actively prosecute with dentine, hence adhesives and rosin cements are required to repair fibre stations in topographic point. However, adhesion of fibre stations depends on assorted factors including the features of root dentine, type of rosin cement, type of visible radiation, strength of visible radiation and the continuance of visible radiation. In an effort to get the better of these jobs, dual-cure rosin cements and adhesives are the stuffs of pick for adhering fibre stations with root dentine. However, few of the double remedy rosin cements still depend on visible radiation for t heir activation. To let the visible radiation to perforate in the internal facet of the root, glass fiber stations and quartz fiber stations are used as they allow the transmittal of visible radiation to the deepness of the root canal therefore leting the rosin cements to polymerise deep in the canal. Several surveies have been performed to measure the grade of polymerisation or transition values of rosin cements but most of these surveies used the microhardness trial instead than the more dependable Fourier transform infrared trial ( FTIR ) . Furthermore, most of these surveies were non performed in the root canals. The success of endodontic intervention non merely depends on the quality of intervention but besides on the quality of prosthetic device being placed to reconstruct the losing tooth construction. The structural loss of the tooth due to trauma, carries or both makes the tooth more prone to break. Therefore, station is placed in a prepared root canal infinite of a tooth with heavy structural loss to counterbalance for the loss of tooth construction. Some writers and clinicians suggest that the station provides strength to the tooth, while others suggest that the station makes the tooth weak due to the readying of the station infinite. However, many surveies support that the station should be placed in a tooth with heavy loss so that it can supply keeping for meantime or concluding coronal Restoration. Ideally, the station should hold the undermentioned belongingss: By and large, a station is placed into a tooth to retain a nucleus. A tooth which is to a great extent broken down frequently requires a station as the bing tooth construction is deficient and weak to retain the coronal Restoration. However, the readying of station infinite causes unneeded tooth devastation which may take to tooth break. Therefore, the arrangement of station should be considered where other options are non convenient.The determination to utilize a station depends on the staying tooth construction, place of the tooth in the dental arch and the functional demand of the tooth. A categorization described by Peroz in 2005 was formulated to measure the sum of staying tooth construction. Tooth with 1 axial wall missing is referred as category II normally known as Mesio-Occlusal or Disto-Occlusal pit, while tooth with 2 losing axial walls is described as category III normally known as Mesio-Ocluso-Distal ( MOD ) . If the staying axial walls in category II and III are greater than 1 millimeters so a station is non normally indicated as there is sufficient coronal construction nowadays to back up the Restoration. A survey performed by Steele and Johnson in 1999 showed addition in fracture opposition of category II and category III when they were restored with composite and amalgam merely. Class IV is described as a tooth holding merely 1 axial wall left. There is no addition in break opposition when a Restoration is placed. Therefore, arrangement of station is normally suggested in such scenarios. However, esthetically, non-metallic stations are preferred for anterior dentitions while for posterior dentitions either metallic or non-metallic station can be inserted. A tooth which has no staying axial wall or a tooth which is wholly decoronated is described as Class V. The interpolation of station becomes necessary in such instances as there is non adequate tooth construction which can back up the coronal Restoration. Furthermore, the collet plays an of import function in defying break in such type of instances. Ferrule is defined as a set of metal that wholly encircles 1-2 millimeter of sound tooth construction which resist longitudinal break. In 2001, Bolhuis stated that the crown collet is more of import than the station and nucleus. Metallic stations are stong and stiff, normally made of unstained steel, nickel Cr metals, Ti, Ti metals or gold plated brass.Stainless steel has a long history of use but it can do nickel sensitiveness in females due to the presence of Ni. Furthermore, Stainless steel can eat over clip. Therefore, Ti stations were introduced to get the better of corrosion. However, Ti and Ti metals have hapless compressive and flexural strength as compared to stainless steel, therefore they can non be used in thin roots. In add-on, Ti station may be hard to observe on radiogram due to similar denseness as that of gutta-percha and sealant.6.1.2. Non-Metallic PostsHistorically, during the old ages 1603 – 1867, Nipponese restored dentitions with wooden station and nucleus. However, due to hapless strength and break of wooden station, cast metal stations were introduce. In 1988, Duret came with the thought of non-metallic station and was deployed in Europe in the 1990s. Fibre stations can be smoo th or serrated depending on their surface features.6.1.2.1. Carbon fibre stationCarbon fiber stations are besides called C fiber-reinforced epoxy rosin stations. They consist of epoxy rosin which is reinforced with unidirectional C fibers parallel to the perpendicular axis of the station. The C fibers are made by the remotion of H, N and O from polyacrylonitrile by heating at 250C in air, followed by heating at 1200C in inert ambiance. The diameter of each fiber is 7-10Â µm, while harmonizing to weight, the fibers constitute upto 64 % of the entire weight of the station. Originally, C fiber stations were black in colour, but due to esthetic consciousness they are available in white colour besides. Furthermore, these stations were originally radiolucent but now they are available as radiopaque besides. Main advantage of C fiber station is the ability to successfully bond to dentine and modulus of snap similar to dentine i.e between 1- 4-106 pounds per square inch. Many Studies have shown increased strength of C fiber stations, while other surveies suggest their strength is less when compared with metal stations. Furthermore, few surveies have shown that C fiber station increase the fracture opposition of tooth, while other surveies report the opposite. In 2007, Ferrari reported 7.2 % of clinical failure rate of C fiber stations after 7-11 old ages. Failures were largely due to root break, crown debonding, periapical infection and periodontal disease. However, different surveies show different failure rates.6.1.2.2. Glass Fibre PostDue to dark colour of C fiber station, glass fiber stations were introduced. These stations are besides called fiber-reinforced epoxy rosin stations and are made up of glass or silicon oxide. Different types of glass can be use to do glass fiber station including vitreous silica fiber, electrical glass or high strength glass. However, the strength of the station depends on higher content of glass fibers. In a clinical survey, Ferrari ( 2000 ) placed 249 glass fiber station and observed 4.4 % failure rate over a period of 6 old ages. Another survey performed by Cagidiaco in 2007 showed 7.4 % failure after 2 old ages. Furthermore, Naumann ( 2007 ) placed 41 glass fiber station and found no failure during 3 old ages. Most common failure were relaxation of the stations, periapical infection, tooth break, debonding of Crown and break of stations.6.1.2.3. Zirconia stationIn 1995, mayenberg introduced zirconia station with a flexural strength of 900-1200 MPa. Zirconia stations have high break stamina, high strength and corrosion opposition and are made up of tetragonal polycrystalline zirconium oxide with 3 % mol Y oxide ( Y2O3 ) called Yttrium-stabilized tetragonal polycrystalline zirconium oxide ( Y-TPZ ) . Y-TPZ is 0.5Â µm in diameter, supplying smoothness and stamina to the joggle. However, due to smooth surface, the station does non organize a good bond with composite rosin and all ceramic Crowns. Furthermore, t here was no addition in bond strength even after the station was acid etched or salanized. Matinlinna ( 2004 ) stated that bond strength between station and composite rosin can be increased by tribochemical silicon oxide coating. The chief drawback of zirconium oxide station is that it can non be retrieved as it can non be grinded and supersonic remotion consequences in temperature rise. In 2004, Paul evaluated 145 zirconium oxide stations over a period of 9 old ages and reported no clinical failure when a direct composite Restoration with zirconium oxide station was placed, while there was 9 % failure in joggles with glass-ceramic nucleus Restorations. All failures were due to post debonding.6.2. Custom Cast PostThe most normally used stuff for usage station is cast gilded metal holding a comparable thermic enlargement and modulus of snap ( 14.5-106 ) to enamel. Furthermore, it is strong plenty to bear occlusal forces. However, arrangement of usage dramatis personae station require multiple visits and due to metal demoing from ceramic Restoration, the esthetics are compromised. Silver-palladium metals and high Pd content metals are besides used for usage dramatis personae station but they have inferior mechanical belongingss when compared with gold metals. Custom cast stations may be indicated when misaligned teeth require stations, inability to present antirotational characteristics in dentitions with less coronal construction or multiple dentitions necessitating stations.In 1989, Bergman reported 91 % success rate of usage dramatis personae station after 6 old ages.

The Importance of Psychology

Psychology is involved in almost every job field in the modern era. Marketers use psychology to figure out how to convey their product to consumers. Car designers use psychology to give their cars features that would persuade potential buyers to choose their car. Doctors use psychology to understand their patients better. My chosen profession is education, and there are an unlimited number of applications for psychology. In teaching, psychology is the basis in which teachers understand their students. The specific area that would be most pertinent to teaching would probably be social psychology. College students basically take the same courses over their 4-year tenure in the university. But only certain students want to regurgitate the knowledge that they have acquired over the years. These are the students that have chosen teaching as their profession. The ones that want to pass on what they have learned to students need to not only be knowledgeable in their subjects, but need to know how to understand the students. If a teacher can not understand their students, then there is very little hope for the professor teaching the student anything. Understanding a student is a complex process that takes a lot of training. A teacher needs to know what the child is thinking in order to fully understand them. Teachers need to be able to communicate with the students so the student can tell the teacher what he is thinking. Another way to understand a student is to study social psychology. Social psychology is the study of the effects of people on people. More specifically, social psych observes how interactions between people affect an individual. Social psychologists study how people react in groups, emotional behavior, and attitudes and opinions of people. Since there is never a time in school when a child is alone, it is imperative that a teacher understands how children act and react when they are placed in a group or classroom. A teacher needs to understand why some kids are more outgoing, while others seem to fade away in classes. It is the teacher†s job to know the reason a child is not learning to the best of his capabilities. Social psychology looks at these problems and researches solutions that will remedy a child†s abnormal behavior in the classroom. A teacher that is fluent in social psychology and understands the way a child thinks is much more equipped to take on the everyday problems of teaching. Even though a teacher is more apt to benefit through social psychology, School Psychologists specialize in clinical psychology. While a teacher may deal with problems that a child has interacting with others, a school psychologist deals with behavior problems that do not necessarily have to do with the class. School psychologists study the individual instead. They deal with all aspects of school, not just teaching. They monitor not only learning and social relation, but testing, substance abuse, neglect of the child, and violence. But in the end teachers and school psychologists have the same goal in mind, which is creating the best learning environment for all students. Teachers have a great responsibility on their hands. They are accountable for what a child does in his school career. A teacher needs to know the best way to help a child learn. Psychology is a great help to let a teacher know what is going on in the mind of his student. Psychology is the key to a teacher understanding his students. The better a teacher can understand his students, the more the student can learn. If a student can learn, then that teacher is the most successful educator in the world.

Post Freudian theorists and their theories Essay

As indicated earlier, key personality developmental theories that were developed after Freud’s psychoanalytic theory were either directly derived of it or aimed at criticizing some of its major components. a) Erik Erickson i) Stages of development Barbara (2008) and Lieberman (2007) agree that the work of Eric Erickson was a direct derivative of Freudian considerations in human development. Eric Erickson theory of psychosocial development concurred with Freudian view that life, development and challenges develop in stages. Psychosocial theory further builds the notion of the ‘ego’ which was largely brought out by Freud as external reality inculcation to one’s mind. Particularly, the stages of Erickson psychosocial development strongly cohere with Sigmund’s work. Clara et al (2008) explain that stage one of Erickson’s theory of psychosocial development is reflected through ‘trust versus mistrust’ largely because the child is entirely dependent on the caregivers. Like Freud mentioned the pleasure a child derives from oral stimulation, Erickson emphasized on the resulting intimacy as a platform in propelling the child to the next stages. Therefore, Erickson’s first stage borrows the concept of external environment in creating enough force for the next stage. In the second stage of psychosocial development, Erickson equally borrows from Freud’s ‘anal stage’ which is a critical training factor. Nelson-Jones (2005) explains that from a higher consideration, Erickson argued that learning to go to the toilet gave a strong sense of control and therefore great independence. As Freud clearly brought out the notion of the ego, Erickson’s third stage of initiative versus guilt emphasizes the assertion of power and control which plays an important role in the later stages development. Erickson indicated that many children seek to assert their superiority among others but with careful considerations of the existing repercussions (Marrie and Janneke-van, 2007). Notably, Erickson agrees with Freud that parents and caretakers must step in to facilitate the needed reassurance and therefore avoid guilt to their young ones. It is however worth noting that Erickson strongly differed with Freud on how long development persists in an individual’s life. While Freud postulated that personality development only lasted to the genital stage when an individual starts getting interested in sexual relationship with those of the opposite sex, Erickson postulated that developed progressed to the old age (Busch, 2009). However, scholars appear to be strongly divided with one group considering the latter Erickson’s work to be based on criticism of the Freud’s work and therefore its advancement (Barbara, 2008). ii) The notion of fixation One resilient notion of Freud’s work is the notion of succession between different stages. Though they do not necessary cohere on time and expected repercussions, both theorists agree that people at different stages must go through them successfully or get fixated (Hayes, 2004). Fixation as Henry (2009) point out denotes the inability to progress since latter stages are entirely dependent on the previous stages success. Erickson argued that all stages present an individual with two negating outcomes; positive and negative. For example between year five to eleven, Erickson indicated that a successful individual will become industrious while the unsuccessful ones will suffer inferiority (Laura and Pam, 2007). b) Lacanian theory In his work, largely referred to as the return of Freud, Emile Lacan’s concepts appear to be fully defined by the former (Adam, 2008). Though Lacan strongly criticized the Freud’s separation of the conscious (ego) and unconscious (id), he largely employed the same concepts in his work. Lacan argued that the conscious and unconscious considerations of the mind were not different, but operated from a highly sophisticated and complex outline compared to Freud’s consideration. Locan mirror as Brickman (2009) and Gottdiener (2008) conclusions suggest is formative and a derivative of the experience an individual gets during development. Therefore, the paradigm of the imagery to be effective during the younger years as opposed to the old age which is more subjective fits the Freudian connotation of development persisting only to the genital stage.

How does adenosine diphosphate (ADP) activate platelets Essay

How does adenosine diphosphate (ADP) activate platelets - Essay Example ADP induces platelet shape change, calcium flux, and inhibition of adenylyl cyclase, leading to aggregation. Kahner et al. (2006) also stated that rapid shape change, release of granular contents, generation of lipid mediators, and aggregation occur during platelet activation. Various surface receptors involved in platelet activation include G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), integrins and glycoprotein receptors. Adenosine diphosphate (ADP) (released from platelet granules) and thromboxane A2 (generated within platelets) are the secondary mediators that activate other resting platelets, resulting in the amplification of initial physiological haemostatic response. Adenosine nucleotides are released following platelet activation signal through the P2 purinergic receptors on the platelet membrane. The two types of P2 receptors are ligand-gated cation channels (P2X), or GPCRs (P2Y). Till date, seven different P2X receptors (P2X1)) and eight distinct P2Y receptors (P2Y1,2,4,6,11-14) hav e been identified which were cloned from mammalian tissues. P2Y1, P2Y12, andP2X1 subtypes are the P2 purinergic receptors expressed on platelets and their physiologic agonists are ADP, ADP, and adenosine triphosphate (ATP), respectively. These receptors, when activated by the agonists, initiate a complex signaling cascade that ultimately results in platelet activation and thrombus formation. The physiological agonist for the P2Y1 receptor is ADP. This receptor can also be stimulated in vitro by 2MeSADP, ADP, APDaS and ADPbS in the decreasing order of potency and is involved platelet shape change and aggregation brought about by ADP. P2Y12 is coupled to Gi2 protein. Upon stimulation, the Ga and Gbc subunits of the heterotrimeric G protein dissociate and activate various signaling pathways. The Gai2 is found to be responsible for ADP-mediated inhibition of adenylyl cyclase and subsequent reduction in cytosolic cAMP concentrations. This is one

The count of monte cristo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The count of monte cristo - Essay Example The means of revenge and the end of the story are also different in the book and the film. The book reveals Edmond’s plan to pay back to those who falsely accused him, causing him to serve a jail term of 14 years in Chateau d’If. Danglars and Fernard Mondego had falsely witnessed against him, claiming that he was a Bonapartist traitor (Dumas 10). Villefort order the imprisonment of Edmond. However, Edmond escapes from jail. He purchases an island after discovering that the treasure of Monte Cristo was in it, and he becomes the Count. He then proceeds to execute his plan of revenge by using his intellectualism and great richness to gain the social status that wittily attracts the enemies. After the three men have taken the bait, he begins to take revenge on them. He uncovers their past sins, corruption, crimes, and secrets. They get humiliated to an extent of getting insane and even committing suicide. He manipulates Danglars stocks and financial status in the bond market. Edmond lets the whole world know how, during the Greek independence war, Fernard betray ed a close friend by the name Ali Pasha, a Janina monarch. He also unearths how Ferdinand subsequently sold Ali Pasha’s wife and daughter into the system of slavery. Additionally, Edmond uncovers the old affair between Danglar’s wife and Villefort that result in the birth of a boy child. He reveals how Villefort buried the child alive because he saw him being stubborn. However, Villefort’s enemy saved the child, named him Benedetto, and took care of him. Benedetto works as a steward of Edmond’s property. Edmond humiliated Villefort by exposing the identity of the boy and circumstances of his life. However, Edmond’s pursuit of revenge in the book does not make his love for friends and family to waiver. He buys all debts of Pierre Morrel to save him from a financial crisis. He accepts Dangler’s repentance, release him from prison, and allow him his small

Characterization of Bubble Size and Gas Hold up in OBCs Thesis

Characterization of Bubble Size and Gas Hold up in OBCs - Thesis Example Then I plotted the air volume fraction and determined the overall volume of the cylinder it was in (the cylinder lies between the planes mentioned earlier). This provided me with an accurate description of how much air each cylinder between the planes contained. This I used to plot the entrainment fraction. --> Power intensity is directly related to the average sinusoidal velocity of the OBC. Anderson (2009) has not used fixed OBCs. Instead, he has relied on a moving cage and given it power to simulate power intensity. I have tackled this issue by varying the input velocity function for the inlet water. As far as the number of tanks is concerned, please see equation (2) and Hydrodynamic Characterization in Anderson (2009) for a full explanation. Simply put, the number of tanks model is connected to the overall power intensity function that can be manipulated to give an integer value. I used that with expression to give me the values in CFD Post. Can you explain how did you set up physics in cfx-pre to set up the† power intensity verses recovery for different sparger sizes†, as well as â€Å"particle size against entrainment fraction† and â€Å"power intensity versus number of tanks†? These things are obtained from the CFX Post area and not CFX Pre. Power intensity is essentially about increasing or decreasing the inlet water’s velocity to produce a certain range of power intensity. The particle size against entrainment fraction is explained above along with power intensity and number of

Tiny Little Pieces Fiction pretending to be non-firction Essay

Tiny Little Pieces Fiction pretending to be non-firction - Essay Example Another thing that should be noted is the ability of writers to think about things that could likely take place in some years to come and compile these as works of fiction. Some writers even produce science fictions that are futuristic in nature and while some of these are not happening at the moment, they could be closely related to reality in years to come. These set of science fiction writers produce works based on the scientific developments on ground and try to use their works of fiction to predict what could likely take place in the nearest future. Thus, the closeness of fiction to reality is largely dependent on the writers’ imaginative strength and their ability to think outside the box. It is really very difficult to decide whether or not to call works of literature non-fiction when they are closely related to reality. As explained above, works of fiction are borne out of the imaginative power of the writer and they are works that describe make-believe people and even ts. Non-fictional works are writings that contain facts about the events that take place in reality and are not primarily based on the imaginative ability of the writer. According to Marcus, the differences between non-fictional and fictional narratives are illogical, because â€Å"fact or reality shares the same form as fiction or narrative† (244). There are actually some works of fiction that the fictional elements are used as symbols to represent the events that take place in reality and this means that these so called, ‘works of fiction’ have some elements of reality embedded in them. Though, the people and the events in these works of fiction could be closely related to the ones in reality, this does not necessarily mean that they could be called non-fictional works. As long as these works have some elements of imagination in them and the writers have not claimed that they are based on reality, they should still be termed as works of fiction. Hence, works of literature should not be called non-fiction, even though there are some elements of reality in these messages of fiction. There are some liberty authors that have tried to convert works of fiction into non-fiction and one of them is James Frey in his Million Little Pieces work. Several critics condemned James Frey for converting a fictional work into non-fiction in his Million Little Pieces. Though, Frey has claimed that he did this in order to present a compelling account of the things that he saw around him, but the fact that Frey made it look like he was the one that experienced the things that were presented in his book leaves little to be desired. It is clear that Frey did these in order to arouse the emotions of the readers, but this is actually against the ethics of writing. Frey’s inability or refusal to acknowledge the real source represents another dimension of plagiarism, which is an abuse against writing ethics. It was even after the book had received wide acclai m that it was discovered that Frey invented the major events in the book and he never really experienced them. The fact that Frey tried to convert a work of fiction into n

Redesign project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Redesign project - Essay Example Mixing such pertinent equipment as nails and reverting materials among others may compromise the safety of the installation process. For a safer installation process, only an experienced professional and not any other person who may obtain the manual must do the installation. Warning/ Caution Never, stand or walk on the glass panel. Such actions may result in the instantaneous breakage of the panel thereby jeopardizing the equipment besides potential risk it presents to the installer. Protect the sheathing from any source of wetness at all costs. Failure of such during the installation process may cause leaks therefore do not work during stormy weather. Do not cut or attempt to modify the mounting systems. Ensure the use of the equipment provided by the company and replacing damaged equipment. The modification of such important equipment may compromise the safety of the work environment. Points to consider when selecting the installation position The point of location is one of the m ost critical contributors to the effectiveness of the solar system. The installer must therefore consider several factors that contribute to both the effectiveness and the safety of the installation process as listed below: Do not locate the systems near salt-water locations. The installer must maintain a 0.3 meters radius from such locations. Salt water corrodes the surface thus reducing the use of the systems. Inspection of the roof support system is vital and the installer must ensure that the roof is strong enough to endure the weight of the panel. In inspecting the roof support system, the installer must check to ensure that the support is durable and will therefore last as long as the panel lasts. Inspection of the roof is equally important and the installer must ensure that the roof is capable not only of supporting the panel but also expose the panel to adequate sunlight. The condition of the roof should promise the longevity of the panel any repairs to the roof must take pl ace before the installation as subsequent repairs may disrupt the use of the panel. More importantly, the roof must prove the ability to support the weight of the panel and provide ease of wiring. Please note: Install the panels at approximately twelve inches from the ridges of the roof. Additionally to ensure the effective usability of the panels, do not install the solar panels in either windy or stormy regions as such are not the best weather conditions for the use of the panels and may also pose serious risks during the installation process. PV Modules Wiring is essential during the installation process and presents potential risks to both the installer and the users of the solar panels. The installer must therefore ensure that: The wiring process is in accordance to the dictates of the National Electrical Code. In this, the government outlines the quality of wires to use and the equipment to use during wiring. Failure to comply with the provisions is a criminal offense. Note th at the solar panels produce electric current with any minimal exposure to direct sunlight at any time and thus presents potential shock risks to both the installer and anybody else. The installer must prevent any contact with naked wires during the wiring process and discourage the presence of anybody not

Ethical Issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ethical Issues - Essay Example Ethics can also constitute a framework of co-operation between individuals who depend on each other, which is referred to as a kind of symbiosis, wherein both politics and economics are advanced symbiosis. Ethics was primarily concerned with relations between individuals, like the Mosaic Decalogue, which later evolved into relation between individual and society and the Golden Rule tries to find a mean between these two. Man's relation to land has not been studied ethically, and so humans enjoy the privileges without fulfilling their obligations. In the use of natural resources is found the greatest question of ethics, since it is a resource on which all individuals can claim ownership. The conservation movement of our times is the beginning of the understanding of our relation with land. Man, on account of this communal living, is being seen as a member of the land community and thus it is binding on him to respect this individual, called land. Men have been shaped by the characteristics of the land on which they live. The Mississippi Valley would have been different if the land had not yielded bluegrass, while the pioneers in the South-west, due to livestock grazing caused land deterioration. This plant succession turned the course of history and that is why, land as community is invaluable. When humans live in ... In southern Wisconsin, in spite of the farmers being offered lucrative deals to conserve the environment, were found to apply their knowledge only in those areas, which gave them monetary gains and failed to practice those which may have profited the community. When asked to frame laws in exchange for community help, in maintaining their lands, they failed to do so, because it might impede their economic progress. They lacked the ecological conscience which alone can improve the environment. Land Ethics and the government Attempts at conservation generally fail because of their lack of economic value. Wild flowers and songbirds are tossed aside in spite of being an integral part of the biotic community. Many animals which may have been hunted down to extinction were saved by attaching economic importance to them. Trees which fail to give monetary returns are cut down, but in Europe, ecological enlightenment recognizes non-commercial trees as natives of the forest, hence guaranteeing their preservation. In America, government agencies promote conservation, but private landowners alone can bring about better land ethics. Men whose industries are land or forest based decry governmental regulations in land conservation. The other alternative would be that more obligation should be assigned to the private land owner so that improvement could be brought about in relation to ownership of land. Population and Land Health The density of population has an adverse impact on land health which results in exploitative agriculture. Wastage is rampant in many areas and the blame is placed on climatic changes. The soil that was once rich is depleted of nutrients which results later in poor

World hotels Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

World hotels - Literature review Example The location fits the expensive pockets and those who are sourced from selected categories. It is however competent when in business with other hotels and casinos (Aaker, 1997). This Resort is situated in a city space; therefore, the aspect of country or outdoorsy has been violated in the five elements of brand personality. The excitement is not exactly felt by its look as it is presented as more formal than exciting here. It is, however, sophisticated and captures the business class. Grand Macau is sincere in its setting as well as competent among others (Aaker, 1997). The Monte Carlo, Singapore boasts of a ‘classic’ attraction and is located in a large open space. Ruggedness for its outdoorsy and tough look definitely reigns here. It gives a feeling of excitement and sophistication. However, it is not sincere, and no element of down to earth is factored here. It is somehow intimidating (Aaker,

To investigate the factors that affect rate of reaction Essay Example for Free

To investigate the factors that affect rate of reaction Essay I will pour one lot into the glass phial, I will then measure out five different concentrations of acid. I will do this by using a two molar acid and will vary the ratio of water, the combinations will be: Acid Water 25 ml 0 ml = 2 molar 15 ml 5 ml = 1. 6 molar 12. 5 ml 12. 5 ml = 1. 2 molar 10 ml 15 ml = 1 molar 5 ml 10 ml = 0. 8 molar Then I will pour the two molar acid into the phial, put the cork on and start the timer as soon as the cork is in place, so we are able to start timing when gas is being collected and not before as this would make it an invalid result of the first ten seconds. I will repeat this process for each concentration. After each experiment I will rinse out the phial, to make sure the marble chips wont start reacting before I pour the acid in. I will record the measurement from the syringe every ten seconds by folding the tube over to stop the gas from escaping through, and will empty the syringe of gas after each experiment. Trial Run Below is a results table showing our first trial run of our plan of action so I can see if anything needs changing. Concentration g/dm3 Time (s) 2 molar 1. 6 molar 1. 2 molar 1 molar 0. 8 molar. These results do follow the pattern predicted so I will not change my plan of action for the real experiment. Apparatus . 5 measuring cylinders to measure out the different concentrations . Water . 2 molar acid . syringe to measure the gas produced . 5 lots of small marble chips each weighing 2. 5 grams . Electronic weighing scales to weigh out the marble chips. 5 beakers to hold the marble chips . Rubber tube with a cork attached to capture the gas produced . A phial to hold the marble chips with the acid whilst reacting . Stop clock to take readings every 10 seconds Fair Test I will make sure it is a fair test by rinsing out the phial after each reaction has taken place so the next lot of marble chips wont start reacting before the experiment begins. I will use the same bottle of 2 molar acid to make sure I dont use slightly different concentrations and will repeat the experiment three times to get a good average of the results. Also I will use the same measuring cylinders so I will be measuring to the same nearest ml each time. Method . Make sure you have all the equipment stated in apparatus list . Weigh out five lots of 2. 5g of marble chips . Measure out the five different concentrations . Pour one lot of marble chips into the phial . Pour acid in the phial with the chips and place on the cork . As soon as cork is in place start the stopwatch . Every 10 seconds record the gas measurement from the syringe . Rinse out the phial and repeat for each concentration . Record all results on a table SAFETY BOX. Wear goggles and aprons to protect from acid spillage . Keep lid on acid when not in use . Make sure bags and coats are out of the way Results Concentration g/dm3 Time (s) 2 molar 1. 6 molar 1. 2 molar 1 molar 0. 8 molar Concentration g/dm3 Time (s) 2 molar 1. 6 molar 1. 2 molar 1 molar 0. 8 molar Average Results Here is a table showing the average of the three sets of results that I have recorded: Concentration g/dm3 Time (s) 2 molar 1. 6 molar 1. 2 molar 1 molar 0. 8 molar   Results Table for Rate Of CO2 Production Concentration g/dm3 ( Rate Of CO2) Time (s) 2 molar 1. 6 molar 1. 2 molar 1 molar Evaluation Overall I think that my results are reliable but not as accurate as they could be. Reasons for this are that the measuring cylinder for measuring the acid and water was only accurate to 0. 5ml and the syringe to measure the production of CO2 gas was only accurate to 1ml, or more with the human eye reading it. The balance to weigh out the small marble chips was very accurate to 0. 01g but there was no guarantee that the surface area was the same which will have affected the results. Starting the stopwatch at exactly the same time for each experiment was impossible and will have varied each time affecting the first 10 second readings. In my theory I mentioned about temperature effecting the rate of a reaction, and the room temperature wasnt the same each day during the experiment so this will also have added inaccuracys. Due to human error the gas may have leaked out through the tube whilst we were trying to read from the syringe resulting in us reading more then what we should have. With all this taken into account I have concluded that although my results follow the patterns and trends predicted they arent very accurate. If I was to do the experiment again then I would have the same amount of marble chips as well as the same weight as this would make the surface area more accurate. I would also do the experiments all in one day so that the temperature would be roughly the same. Also I would probably use a different method of tracking the mass instead of displacement. I would do this because although displacement is very clear and simple, it can also be very inaccurate and is read through the human eye, whereas mass loss would be done with a machine and would be extremely accurate. I have found no anomalous results as each graph follows the trends and patterns expected. My graphs clearly illustrate that my theory was correct. The collision theory in particular as this was the factoral that we were changing (concentration). The higher the molarity the more particles there were in the same volume of water so the faster the reaction. As you can see from my graphs that the higher the molarity went the faster the gas was produced. Conclusion In conclusion the experiment went very well and I have proved that my theory was correct and that my results are reliable. You can see this from the graphs present. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Patterns of Behaviour section.

Utilatarian, Deontology and Virtue Ethics Essay Example for Free

Utilatarian, Deontology and Virtue Ethics Essay Utilitarianism is defined as ethic based on consequences. An act, either it is morally wrong or good is acceptable as long as the end outcome is greater. In this essay on utilitarianism, I would argue Peter Singer’s calculus preferences, equality is for all living being but sacrificing one for greater good is plausible. Counter argument of Immanuel Kant’s moral deontology claim, it is immoral to consider a human being as a means to an end. John Mills’ actions are right as long they promote happiness, wrong if they produce the opposite of happiness as the reply for the counter argument. In conclusion, I would ethically rectify my claim in supporting utilitarian argument. Singer claimed that it is wrong to choose animals as research subjects in order to benefit human beings. Both humans and animals should be considered equally in the moral calculus, if it is morally permitted to use human being in research, then only, would it be permitted to use animal. And, if we were to consider the use of humans as well as animals and the research was considered to have great overall benefit for all, then the animals might be used since the general good is the most important thing. â€Å"Moral law should be universalized†. Kant stated that concept of a good will from morally proper motive is the base for considering any action. If it is the act from some hidden motive or for personal gain it is label immoral duty even if it is otherwise appears morally good. Cruelty to animals reduces the feeling of compassion in man, an immoral duty. Therefore, researching animal to gain cure for diseases is wrong, because it is immoral action to sacrifice another living being for the personal gain of humans, although the end results appear morally good. Kant’s theory is a strict morality. Universalize moral duty is good but some situations are exceptional. The outcome of the act is the reason the act was perform and if the outcome is general happiness then it is a morally right thing to do. Mill supported this as he stated actions are right as long they promote happiness, gaining a cure for incurable disease promotes happiness overall to general public. Therefore, researching on animals for cure will provide a plausible outcome which in this case a general happiness for the entire society. According to Mill, general happiness is the foundation of standard moral deed, overruling Kant’s concept of good will. In conclusion, I have to agree on utilitarian concept on judging the consequences than the action. Although it is immoral act to achieve the morally good, the final outcome is the most important objective in life. Deontology is defined as ethics based on duty or act. Moral value lies in the action, not in the consequences of the action. In this essay on non-consequentialism, I would argue Immanuel Kant’s deontology based on categorical imperative. Counter argument from Mill, general happiness is the foundation of standard moral deed. Replies based on Kantian views and conclusion on disagreeing non-consequentialism concept. â€Å"There is no if in moral action†. An action is considered moral only if one acts out of a sense of duty alone, without bearing in mind the consequences or self-interest. To understand Kant’s imperative, we need to know his description of inclinations and duty. Inclinations are based on desires, passions and emotions, whereas duties consist of reason alone. People are different, emotionally and rationally from animals as they make decisions based upon an inclination, a duty or a combination of the two. According to Kant, the source of moral justification is the categorical imperative and it must be based on reason or duty alone. In order for an act to be categorically imperative, it must be thought to be good in itself. As a categorical imperative, it asks us whether can we universalize our actions, that is, whether it would be the case that others would act in accordance with the same rule in a similar circumstance. If categorical imperative becomes the guiding principle of morality, therefore it becomes the judge for determining an act is moral or not. Mill criticises categorical imperative, stating that it is basically the same as utilitarianism, since it involves calculating the good or bad consequences of an action to determine the morality of that action. Mill argues that we should always aim at ensuring the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people and that, for instance, telling a lie in particular situation is good if telling that lie produces good consequences. As an example, lying to a rapist or a killer the location of the victim, an immoral action but for happier consequences for all. However, a Kantian would argue against this view, pointing out that we have full control only over our motives, not the consequences of our actions, so our autonomous will can only approve or disapprove of motives. An ethics that focuses on consequences, then, is not based in the autonomy of the will. In conclusion, although Kant shaped modern thought on moral decision-making, I’ve to disagree with his deontological system. Some circumstances are different as for my opinion consequence plays a major role in evaluating moral thoughts. A duty is not being ignored but, rather, outdone by the greater need. Virtue is ethics based on character. Theory in which depends solely on the individuals themselves. In this essay on virtue ethics, I would argue Macintyre’s individuals character as the key element of ethical thinking. The two counter arguments will be cultural relativism and self-centred theory. A reply for both counter argument and a conclusion supporting virtue ethics is the best way to go. Virtue ethics identifies the central question of morality in relation with the habits and knowledge about how to live a good life. Macintyre claims that good judgment comes from good character. Being a good person is not about following formal rules. For example, a virtuous person is someone who is kind across many situations over a lifetime because that is his/her character and not because he/she wants to simply perform he/her duty. Unlike deontological and utilitarian theories, virtue ethics do not aim to identify universal principles that can be applied in any moral situation. The first counter argument of the theory is the difficulty of establishing the nature of the virtues, especially as different people, cultures and societies often have very different opinions on what creates a virtue. Second, virtue ethics is self-centred because it’s mainly concern with the individuals own character, whereas morality is supposed to be about other people, and how our actions affect other people. Theory of ethics should require us to consider others for their own sake, and not because particular actions may benefit us. A reply for first counter argument is that any character quality defined as a virtue must be universally regarded as a virtue for all people in all times, so that such cultural relativism is not relevant. Replies on self-centred, virtues in themselves are concerned with how we respond to the needs of others, and that the good of the individual and the good of others are not two separate aims, but both result from the exercise of virtue. In conclusion, virtue ethics is the way to go and is more acceptable in our current society. The decision for each action lies within the individual, and the characteristic of the individual plays a major part in it. This is because certain action may be morally good for one but not for other, and certain consequence may be morally good for one but not another. The term virtue is meant strength or power. The idea of The Golden Mean is that in our actions we must seek the right measure and proportion. Excess or defect is a departure from virtue. For these reasons, the Four Cardinal Virtues exist. The four cardinal virtues of Prudence, Justice, Fortitude and Temperance are interconnected. This means that if you do not possess one of them, all the others are spoiled, and so you do not possess virtue at all. Prudence is the most important of the four cardinal virtues with knowledge being the importance of prudence. Thomas Aquinas lists many different components of prudence, but three main ideas exist. Memory is the order to know the meaning of the present. Docility states the willingness to remain open to reality and to learn as situations change. Lastly, prudence does not mean simply knowing what to do. Justice, we give to each person what is due to him, and we do this consistently, promptly and pleasurably. It concerns right relations with others in society. Divisions of justice can be broken down into legal justice, commutative justice, and distributive justice. Fortitude synonym with courage and bravery but must be based on justice. The purpose of fortitude is to remove obstacles to justice. In its extreme form, it is the willingness and readiness to risk ones life for the sake of that which is just. Aquinas stated that perseverance is undermined by a soft life. The person who pampers in pleasure and always avoids discomfort will be unwilling to put up with the sadness he must experience if he is to stand firm in difficulty. The virtue of temperance rules our appetites for pleasure. By nature we desire the pleasure that is suitable to us. Temperance does not restrain us from the pleasures that are reasonable, but from those that are opposing to our reason. Temperance does not act against our natural human feelings, but works with them. In conclusion, Aquinas thinks the cardinal virtues provide general templates for the most outstanding forms of moral activity.

Building and Operating IT Systems Challenges

Building and Operating IT Systems Challenges Information management can be described as the collection and management of information from single or multiple sources and the dissemination of that information to one or more listeners. Often this involves people those who have a stake in, or a right to that specific information. Management involves the organization of and control over the structure, processing and delivery of information. The focus of this paper will be on distinguishing between a behavioral and a technical approach to information systems, identifying key management challenges involved in building, operating, and maintaining information systems today, and describing the capabilities of a digital firm. Additionally, I will be describing three types of information systems and explaining the four key enterprise applications for organization-wide process integration. Behavioral and Technical Approach Several viewpoints on information systems illustrate that the study of information systems is a field with multiple disciplines and therefore, no single theory or perspective governs. Generally speaking, the field can be separated into behavioral and technical approaches. The behavioral approach can be broken down even further into sub-categories to include economics, psychology, and sociology. The technical approach can also be broken down into sub-categories to include management science, computer science, and operations research. Behavioral Approach A very important element of the information systems field is involved with behavioral issues that surface in the development and preservation of information systems. Problems like strategic business design, implementation and utilization, and management cannot be fully explored with the models using a technical approach. Behavioral disciplines such as economics, psychology, and sociology can also contribute vital concepts and processes. For example, economists study information systems mainly interested in what impact systems have on cost structures within the business and within its particular market. On the other hand, Psychologists are interested in how human decision makers comprehend and use information. Finally, sociologists study information systems looking for how groups and organizations form the development of systems and also how these different systems affect individuals, groups, and organizations (Information Management, 2010). The behavioral approach does not completely ignore technology. In fact, information systems technology is frequently the reason for a specific behavioral problem or issue. But usually the heart of this approach is not normally geared toward technical solutions. Instead it centers on modification in attitudes, management and organizational policy, and behavior. Technical Approach The technical approach to information systems puts emphasis on mathematically based models to study information systems, in addition to the physical knowledge and abilities of these systems. The disciplines that play a role in the technical approach are computer science, management science, and operations research. Computer science has to do with creating theories of computability, means of computation, and approaches to effective access and storage of data. Management science highlights the growth of models for decision-making and management procedures. Lastly, operations research deals with mathematical methods for optimizing business issues such as inventory control, transportation, and transaction costs (Information Management, 2010). Key Management Challenges Building, operating, and maintaining information systems in todays fast-paced business world can be very challenging. These key management challenges are based on a multitude of problems such as information system investments, strategic business decisions, globalization, information technology infrastructure, and ethics and security. Information System Investment Challenge If managed intelligently, investments in information systems can improve employees lives and a businesss overall performance. For instance, over the past twenty years the Internet has developed form a technical innovation to a personal and business necessity. Some businesss have recognized considerable improvements in processing information by changing from mainframe computing to personal computers connected by local area networks (LAN). The ability of software applications to identify and correlate pertinent data in a data warehouse allows businesses to uncover unidentified financial or physical resource relationships and therefore make available suitable assistance where there had been none. However, along with the ability to enhance lives and organizations, some information system investments can become risky, costly, wasteful mistakes. To overcome these challenges, senior management personnel need to be able to successfully evaluate these investments to ensure the correct return on investment (ROI) (Laudon Laudon, 2006). Strategic Business Challenge You can pick up any management book and you can read about the significance of developing a strategic plan, and ideas about how to both develop and implement your plan. On the other hand, you will also find articles that you imply that strategic planning does not work because it is impossible to develop a long term plan in this ever changing business environment. In my opinion, the truth lies somewhere in between. Strategic planning can definitely help you get prepared on what you need to accomplish over the next years, what things you will need to accomplish those goals, and exactly how to go about accomplishing your goals. The trouble is that the benefits of strategic planning can be easily lost. These plans fail primarily because of what happens after the process of strategic planning. In general, a great effort goes into creating and developing a strategic plan, which is then quickly put away and forgotten, even by the people that created it. The goal of strategic planning lies not only in the development of the plan, but also in its implementation. Implementing the strategic plan will only work if you are clear about what this plan can bring to you and the organization. The strategic plan needs to have value, not only to the organization, but also to the employees. The bottom line is that the plan needs to be used by everybody. A strategic plan needs to be used as a decision-making tool from the top of the organization all the way to the bottom. Chief Executive Officers ought to be able to use it to make decisions on the direction of their business, mergers, or staffing. Managers should also be able to use it to make decisions for the priorities of their departments goals and objectives, and to align the work of their department with the overall goals of organization. Lastly, every employee must be able to use the plan to recognize his or her own goals, and where they fit in big scheme of things. When implemented correctly, a strategic plan helps to add meaning and focus to not only every individual, but the organization as a whole (Information Systems, 2010). Globalization Challenge The globalization of information technology warrants special attention by business executives, government officials and scholastic researchers for a multitude of reasons. First, is that information technology and systems are high-technology industries of considerable size and with significant potential for stimulating economic growth and jobs. The immediate growth in global trade and the surfacing of an international economy require information systems that can sustain both the production and selling of goods and services in many different countries. Second, access to the most up-to-date computer and telecommunications technology is central to competitive success in nearly all industries. Government policies which deliberately or inadvertently retard technological progress in the production and use of computers, information systems and telecommunications have important economic effects. Third, given language barriers, cultural, and political differences among dissimilar countries, th is focus often resulted in confusion and the breakdown of central management controls (Laudon Laudon, 2006). To overcome these challenges, it is imperative for organization to develop global hardware, software, and information systems standards. Additionally, organizations must be able to create global accounting and reporting methods and design worldwide business processes. Information Technology Infrastructure Challenge This particular challenge for businesses deals with how organizations can develop information technology infrastructures that can sustain their goals when business situations are changing at a rapid pace. Aging infrastructure is obviously a huge issue in many industries that only gets bigger as time goes on. Some equipment may have had external upgrades or facelifts, but in most cases, it is over 70 years old. Many organizations are left with expensive and unmanageable IT platforms that cannot readily adapt to innovation and change. Additionally, a competitive business environment and the pressures of the global financial situation weigh increasingly on companies minds (Information Systems, 2010). To battle this challenge, some organizations may be required to redesign its organization and develop a new information technology infrastructure to survive in this competitive business world. Ethics and Security Challenge Organizations must always be cognizant that their information systems are used in both an ethically and socially responsible manner. Although information systems have provided many benefits, they have also created new ethical and security issues that must be addressed. Every improvement in information technology can be tied in with at least one ethical dilemma. From Facebook to ordering merchandise online, computer users are ignorant of the delicate balance between ethical behavior and profits. Businesses, software and hardware developers, and individuals must think about what is ethically correct when using information technology on a daily basis. The primary issues essential to the world of information technology are the individuals expectation of privacy and the providers ethical duty to use its applications responsibly (Information Systems, 2010). The challenges organizations will face will be how to apply high-quality assurance standards to their information systems, as well as to their products and services. Additionally, they will have to develop information systems that are not only secure but that are still easy to use by most individuals. Digital Firms A digital firm can be described as, One in which nearly all of the organizations significant business relationships with customers, suppliers, and employees are digitally enabled and mediate (Laudon Laudon, 2006, p. 11-12). The firms primary business processes are performed through digital networks encompassing the whole organization or connecting several different organizations. A core or primary business process can be defined as the minimum single tasks to be completed to provide a certain level of reliability in output, without any thought to hardware, software, or performance. When a core process is put into practice, anything can be added to make the process more efficient, but nothing can be removed. On the other hand, a business process can be defined as, The set of logically related tasks and behaviors that organizations develop over time to produce specific business results and the unique manner in which these activities are organized and coordinated (Laudon Laudon, 2006, p. 12). Digital firms are extremely powerful because they can sense and react to their ever changing surroundings much faster those traditions organizations. Because of their quick reaction and the fact that they are more adaptable than the traditional firm, digital firms are much more able to endure in unstable times. Because these new firms are completely digital, there exist much more opportunities for them in the global business word. The Internet is quickly becoming the information system infrastructure of preference for electronic commerce. It offers organizations an easy way to connect with other business and individual at an unbelievably low cost. Additionally, it offers a complete and uncomplicated set of technologies and technology standards that can be implemented by any organization. Organizations can use Internet technology to drastically cut their transaction costs, time searching for buyers and sellers, and gathering information on products or services. This information is at the fingertips of anyone with a computer and access to the Internet. One example of a powerful digital firm has to be EBay. Following 2001, there were a high number of dotcom businesses that failed, but there were a few that held their ground, like eBay. The success of eBay is based on its capacity to transform many splintered, predominantly local markets into global ones at a comparatively low cost to its users (Simonsohn, 2010). People have always had a basic need and an appeal in buying and selling used objects and collectibles items. Prior to eBay, people would have tried to sell their unwanted items through family garage sales, classified ads, and flea markets. Nevertheless, the amount of people accessible to sell these items to was limited due to the fact that face-to-face transactions were almost always required. Another great example of a powerful digital firm would be Google. Google isnt just legendary for producing and providing useful services, but it has also acquired a few innovative businesses and integrated them. These include YouTube, Blogger, Picasa and Jaiku. Google used its digital background to take advantage of opportunities in the global business world, making them one of the most powerful businesses to date (Google, 2010). Types of Information Systems For most organizations, there are many different requirements for data or information. Senior managers continually need up-to-date information to help aide in their business decisions. Mid-level managers may need a bit more detailed information to assist them in monitoring and managing a multitude of different business dealings. Lastly, supervisors and employees with operational roles need information in order for them to perform their everyday jobs. Consequently, organizations tend to have a number of information systems operating at the same time. The three I will be discussing are the management information system (MIS), decision-support systems (DSS), and the transaction processing system (TPS). Management Information System A management information system (MIS) management information system (MIS)System used to extract data from a database and compile reports that help managers make routine decisions. obtains data from a database to compose reports, such as detail reports, summary reports, exception reports, and financial statements to assist managers in making better decisions. The different types of reports depend on the specific information a particular manager may require. A MIS is largely involved with internal sources of information. MIS generally receive data from the transaction processing systems (TPS) and reduce it into a sequence of management reports. MIS reports generally are used by mid-level managers and operational supervisors (Laudon Laudon, 2006). Decision-Support Systems A decision support system (DSS)decision support system (DSS)Interactive system that extracts, integrates, and displays data from multiple sources to help managers make nonroutine decisions. is an interactive system that gathers, displays, and combines information from various sources to help managers make non-routine decisions. DSS are explicitly designed to help management make decisions in circumstances where there is doubt about the potential results of those decisions. DSS are made up of tools and procedures to help gather pertinent information and analyze decisions and alternatives. DSS often requires the use of complex spreadsheets and databases to produce what-if models (Laudon Laudon, 2006). Transaction Processing Systems The majority of organizations day-to-day activities are documented and processed by its transaction processing system (TPS)transaction processing system (TPS)Information system used to record and process an organizations daily activities or transactions., which collect input data and changes them into output information meant for a variety of users. Input data are called transactions which are transactionsFinancial and nonfinancial events that affect a businessevents that affect a business. Transaction Processing Systems (TPS) are intended to process everyday transactions accurately and efficiently. A business may have several transaction processing systems to include; billing systems, payroll and tax payments systems, production and purchasing systems, or stock control systems to handle all movements into and out of the organization (Laudon Laudon, 2006). Challenges Posed by Information Systems Although the many different types of information systems are available to an organization and can be extremely beneficial to its growth, there are some management challenges. Some of these challenges include the tension related to designing and building the information systems, the need for training for both management and employees, and the need to establish which information systems is the most critical, therefore which system receives the majority of the funding. For an organization to overcome these challenges they need establish exactly what is needed in terms of information systems. Next, they need to schedule and provide proper training to all company personnel, so they are familiar with the systems. Finally, they need to develop a method of accounting for the cost of the systems and their priority. Key Enterprise Applications Most organizations compete in an rapidly changing, aggressive, global environment. Operating in a global environment forces an organization to concentrate on the most cost-effective implementation of its processes, customer service, and speed at which their products or services are brought to market. To achieve these lofty goals, it is essential that the organization freely exchange useful information across different functions, levels, and business departments. By incorporating all its processes, the organization can more effectively exchange information between departments, customers, and suppliers. The four key enterprise applications are enterprise systems, supply chain management systems, customer relationship management systems, and knowledge management systems. Enterprise Systems Enterprise systems incorporate the vital business processes of an organization into a separate software system. Data from a variety of functional areas are centrally housed and maintained where they can be retrieved and utilized by other functional processes. This alters an organizations work flow. Now information can effortlessly run throughout the organization, increasing synchronization, efficiency, and decision making. Enterprise systems are extremely tricky to employ successfully and once employed, are especially hard to change. Enterprise systems, also known as enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems solve problems by providing a single information system for organization-wide coordination and integration of key business processes (Laudon Laudon, 2006, p. 56). Supply Chain Management Systems Supply chain management (SCM) can be described as an overseeing of resources, information, and finances as they move form supplier to manufacturer to wholesaler to retailer and finally to the consumer. Supply chain management requires managing and integrating the information, goods, and services flow together within and amongst organizations. Supply Chain Management Systems (SCMS) are used to help an organization manage its relationship with suppliers to optimize the planning, sourcing, manufacturing, and delivery of goods and services. SCMS supply information to aide suppliers, purchasing organizations, wholesale distributors, and logistic companies coordinate, schedule, and control business processes for their products and services (Su Yang, 2010). Customer Relationship Management Systems Many businesses make more profit from ongoing relationships with their customers than from the original sale. Customer relationship management (CRM) is a term applied to processes implemented by an organization to handle its contact with its customers. Customer relationship management systems (CRMS) concentrates on the coordination all of the business processes encompassing the organizations with its customers in sales, marketing, customer satisfaction, revenue optimizing services, and customer retention (Laudon Laudon, 2006). In todays highly-competitive business surroundings, the success of an organization relies greatly upon maintaining and exceeding customer expectations for both service and value. Knowledge Management Systems Knowledge management is the specific management of essential knowledge and information acquired by individuals so that it can be is effectively shared and made use of by other personnel in the organization. Through the successful sharing of corporate intellectual assets, Organizational Knowledge must be efficiently changed into business intellect. Personal knowledge concerning a business process must be converted into corporate knowledge ensuring it applied throughout consistently, ensuring maximum benefit to the organization. The main function of a Knowledge Management System (KMS) must be to make information obtainable to all authorized users (Laudon Laudon, 2006). However, implementing a straightforward information management system, file indexing and retrieval system is only the start. Securing corporate knowledge requires more than software and technology, it requires solid document management software and cultural alteration of how information is produced, handled, stored, and distributed.

Graduation Speech -- Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

The old poet Kahlil Gibran, a long time ago, once said, "You work that you may keep pace with the soul of the earth. For to be idle is to become a stranger unto the seasons, and to step out of life's procession, that marches in majesty and proud submission toward the infinite." An interesting thought, that we work in order to keep pace with the earth. Now, I'm sure you're asking yourself, how can my near minimum wage job, where the customers treat me like a doormat and I still have to be pleasant and chipper, keep me in sync with the soul of the earth. Well I imagine there are higher rewards to part-time high school jobs, but other than the always too small pay checks, I am hard pressed to fathom them. Yet, that is not the kind of work I am speaking of. And then there is school work. Yes of course there are obvious rewards, such as these diplomas we are about to receive, to putting in a lot of time, energy and hard work into our studies. However, today I am here to talk about another aspect of work. It is work that many of us have been involved in one way or another either in sch...

The Love Poems of Rich, Marvell and Campion :: Adrienne Rich Andrew Marvell Essays

The Love Poems of Rich, Marvell and Campion Adrienne Rich’s â€Å"Twenty-One Love Poems,† which explore the nature of lesbian love, differ strikingly from classic love poems written by a man to a woman, such as Andrew Marvell’s â€Å"To His Coy Mistress† and Thomas Campion’s â€Å"There Is a Garden in Her Face.† Rich’s poems focus on the â€Å"us† aspect of love, the concept of two strong, yet imperfect women facing all oppositions together, while the love poems written by men are far more reverent, almost worshipful of their subjects. The lesbian poems have a sense of love being â€Å"real†, a connection based on far more than physical attraction, whereas the men’s poems focus on an idealized view of the woman: beautiful, pure, distant. The women in Marvell and Campion’s poems are lovely faà §ades, storybook figures without any real depth or imperfections. Perhaps the lesbian love poems could be seen as less eloquent, or less flawlessly romantic, bu t the romance in them is found in the genuine nature of the love. Rich is doubtlessly writing about experiences she has had, real people she has loved, whereas Marvell and Campion could ostensibly be writing about any beautiful, but otheriwse characterless, woman that they’ve seen. The stress that Rich places on the two members of the couple as equals is a striking contrast to Marvell’s and Campion’s poems, in which the female subject is placed on a pedestal and kept at a distance. There is little sense of a real-life relationship between the man and the woman. The men’s poems are mere descriptions of the woman and their love for her, with little discussion of how they interact, or how they may feel about her personality. Rich, however, creates an atmosphere of â€Å"us against the world†, writing â€Å"I touch you knowing we weren’t born tomorrow, / and somehow, each of us will help the other live, / and somewhere, each of us must help the other die† (Rich 237). Certainly, this discrepancy is at least partially a product of the different eras in which the poems were written; Campion and Marvell were writing in the 16th and 17th centuries, respectively, while Rich’s â€Å"Twenty-One Love Poems† was written in the mid-1970’s. Victorian and Elizabethan culture dictated that the woman be far more removed from the often vile realities of life – revered, but not seen as an equal partner in a relationship. Sexuality would not have been a topic to be openly discussed.

Abortions Shold be Limited :: abortion argumentative persuasive argument

Abortions Shold be Limited      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I believe the both pro-life and pro-choice viewpoints have valid arguments.   I believe that women should be able to have abortions, but abortions should be limited.   I think abortions should not be permitted after ten to twelve weeks of pregnancy, because at that time the fetus represents a potential life.   I believe women should be dissuaded from abortion, and more public measures should be taken to prevent unwanted pregnancies.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I believe my viewpoint is the best viewpoint is the best viewpoint because it combines both pro-life and pro-choice viewpoints unlike your viewpoint of pro-life.   You believe that women should not be able to have abortions because a life is at state.   You believe that a life is at state but you do not think about the consequences of having a child that is not wanted.   You say that women should not have the right to have an abortion and that you do not believe in abortion but by saying that you are taking away a woman's freedom of choice.   A woman should have the right to choose if she wants to have an abortion.   Your viewpoint does not acknowledge a woman's right to freedom of choice.   I agree with your opinion, that the fetus is a human and that it has a right to life and that is why I believe in early abortions.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I feel that your viewpoint would cause many problems.   One problem is that your viewpoint allows no abortions, that allows no consideration for the mother of the family that would be effected by that child.   Also, pro-lifers do not agree with sex-education in schools this would lead to more teen pregnancies which would lead to children giving birth to children.   A huge problem that would occur if there was no abortion would be illegal abortions.   Illegal abortions would cause women to become law breakers, and may even cause many women to die.   My viewpoint does not lead to all of those problem. Since we believe that there should be a way to deal with unwanted pregnancies, which is abortion it would not lead to women breaking the law to have illegal abortions.   Since my viewpoint believes in early abortion which will help mothers who cannot afford to

Personality Determinants Essay

Heredity refers to those factors that were determined at conception. Physical structure, facial attractiveness, gender, temperament, muscle composition and reflexes, energy level, and biological rhythms are characteristics that are generally considered to be either completely or substantially influenced by who your parents were, that is by their biological, physiological and inherent psychological makeup. The environmental factors that exert pressures on our personality formation are the culture in which we are raised, our early conditioning, the norms among our family, friends and social groups, and other influences that we experience. The environment to which we are exposed plays a substantial role in shaping our personalities A third factor, the situation, influences the effects of heredity and environment on personality. An individual’s personality although generally stable and consistent, does change in different situations. The varying demand of different situation calls forth different aspects of one’s personality. We should not therefore look upon personality patterns in isolation. Subconscious Programming Most of us sometimes get programmed / conditioned by a wrong messages that â€Å" do not do that†, â€Å"don’t take the risk†, â€Å"you cannot do that† you are not good in †¦and so on†¦.. You can imagine the bad effect such message can have on any person. Our Conscious Mind is like a watch man. And the Subconscious Mind is a store of all the previously programmed or conditioned information / knowledge/ believes. Now programming personality means putting positive believes/ information into the store without the knowledge of the watchman (conscious mind). Suppose you tell yourself that â€Å"you are good at Public Speaking†. And the store has stored based on peoples comments and experience that â€Å"you are poor in communication† â€Å"you cannot speak well in public†, â€Å"you don’t have an impressive body language† †¦.. The watch man sees your sentence and compares it with the knowledge in its store and says â€Å"this information is wrong†. The watchman throws the new information away. He does not allow the new positive information into the store. This is the fundamental difficulty in changing personality & behavior of a person. Now the question is how and when we could program our mind for positive personality trait without the obstruction of watchman†¦ The answer is we can program our mind for positive personality traits during the Twilight period just before sleeping and just before waking up. This is the time when the conscious mind is active enough to generate the positive traits for entering into store but inactive to judge/compare and will not obstruct to the positive traits to enter into the subconscious store house. Reinforced Programming / Conscious Programming Autosuggestion and Repetition of the positive traits despite negative response from comparison with the store house also gives success in programming for personality traits. Auto-suggestion is a statement made in the present tense, of the kind of person you want to be. Auto-suggestion are like a commercial about â€Å"Super You†, or â€Å"Future Super You† for yourself what you want to be or achieve. They influence both your conscious and subconscious mind in the long run shaping your personality and attitude. Auto-suggestions are the conscious way to programme the subconscious mind for positive traits. It is the effective method of voluntary development of positive traits and attitudes. Auto-suggestion should be mixed with emotions. All such reinforced / conscious programming which have been emotionalized (giving feeling) and mixed with applied faith, begin immediately to translate themselves into physical or real equivalent. Auto-suggestive thoughts which are mixed with any of the feeling of emotions constitute a â€Å"psycho-magnetic† force which attracts other similar or related thoughts. Our subconscious mind resembling a fertile garden spot, in which weeds will grow in abundance if you the seeds of more desirable crops are not sown therein. Auto-suggestion is the agency of control through which an individual can voluntarily feed his subconscious mind on thoughts of creative/ positive nature or by neglect permit thoughts of a destructive nature to find their way into the rich garden of mind. So Caution should be taken while programming your mind for positive traits only. Defensive Approach One of this type of approach is protest or deny the negative traits at it’s very beginning of the entering in the subconscious store. And the second is to consciously avoid this type of environment or situation. In real life situation it is very difficult because it may lead to confrontation and argument or Inaction. Another problem in this is that most of us have some negative traits previously in our store house due to our past experience and conditioning. Imaginary Anchoring or Invisible Counseling Committee While watching a picture we anchor the Hero, placing ourselves in place of hero. Similarly we can anchor Great men in imagination and let them shape our personality. Another is the Invisible Counseling Committee comprising of great personalities of your choice. We can counsel from these great minds at times or situation. What decision or action he would have been taken in my situation.. Winston Churchill the war time British Prime Minister was following this principle. He had his Imaginary Counseling Committee by the side of his Chamber. Many great decisions he used to take by following these principles. Physical Action / Body Language Approach In general it is the positive practice or experiencing desired traits whether the desired perfection achieved or not. It is generally said that our personality traits control our body language. But it is a fact that the reverse is also true. This meanswe can change our negative traits towards positive traits by consciously practicing the body language for positive traits. Domino-effect. Direct exposure to good personalities or environment Here the direct environment is the driving force in shaping the personalities. When one constantly remains in direct contact with great personalities will enriches his own to be the one. Similarly the organization culture and structure also many times influences ones personality. Sometimes it is the guiding principle for job satisfaction / recruitment.

Objectification of women Essay

Should prostitution be legalised and monitored or illegal and unmonitored? Main Arguments Primoratz â€Å"what’s wrong with prostitution?† ( Vol. 68, No. 264, Apr., 1993 ) Nussbaum â€Å"taking money for bodily services† Yolanda Estes â€Å"moral reflections on prostitution† Sources The philosophy of sex contemporary readings, Alan Soble and Nicholas.P.Power, Rowman & Littlefield, Jan 1, 2002 Prostitution and pornography: â€Å"philosophical debate about the sex industry† Charges against prostitution: an attempt at a philosophical assessment, Chicago journals, Vol. 90, No. 3, Apr., 1980 Lars.O.Ericsson Introduction and thesis I will clearly state how my argument will be structured for prostitution through the various articles and philosophers I have studied. I shall also outline how I will come to my conclusion. Body An outline of my basic arguments will be presented with supporting sub arguments, these will include all the above references. I will use both Primoratz and Nussbaum to back up my conclusion. I will then evaluate and analyse their arguments in order to further support my view for prostitution. Then I will look at views that are opposed to the legalisation of prostitution through Yolanda Estes who defends Kantian ethics. After evaluating this I will come up with various responses. Conclusion Look at objections I was unable to argue against as lack of space, also look  at my overall argument and see implications of accepting the conclusion. Essay plan Although we are sometimes justified in withdrawing or withholding life sustaining treatment for someone who is terminally ill and suffering, we could never be justified in killing such a person? Critically discuss the claim? Intro Define what passive and active euthanasia are and their basic differences, Discuss the various arguments that you will look at and show your point of view for the essay State the part of the world that you will be discussing, both the us and uk Main body Body will be split into two main arguments, my first argument will discuss the moral difference between killing and letting a person die. I will use various references and examples from the articles and books noted. My argument will attempt to show that their can be no yes or no answer to the question as each case is very specific and should be taken on its own merits and not by one law. I will then look at various examples where courts have both ruled for and against passive and active euthanasia, critically discussing the decisions and as to weather they were morally permissible. I will then attempt to add a philosophical standpoint such as utilitarianism or Kantian ethics to further prove my original argument. After this I will also add counter arguments and attempt to provide possible responses in order to strengthen my argument. Conclusion Here I will summarise my viewpoint and show various arguments that I may have added if I had more space. I will then attempt to finish my essay with a quotation from one of the various articles that both agrees with and summarises my stance. Books and articles Euthanasia and physician assisted euthanasia, (Gerald Dworkin, Cambridge University Print, August 28 1998) Euthanasia: a reference handbook Jennifer Fecio Mcdougall, Martha Gormen, 2008) Euthanasia: death with dignity and the law, Hasel Biggs, Hart publishing, jan 1, 2008) Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov (why active euthanasia should be allowed, article, 2001, navlo, Brithish medical journal)

Analyze the development and nature and assess the achievements of the movements for school and school improvement in the UK

At one level school improvement is a approach of schools achieving organizational development and growth. At another level school improvement has a moral purpose and is essentially associated to the life-chances and achievements of all students. School improvement is basically concerning building communities and instituting positive relationships within those communities. It has at its center the fundamental belief that schools can and does make a difference and that this difference can be considerably enhanced. Rutter et al. 1979:13) give one of the most encouraged statements about school improvement by highlighting that the factors that persuade school performance are ‘open to amendment by staff rather than fixed by external constraints’. In other words, schools can progress, schools can transform and school performance is not a fixed or predetermined entity. Evidence would imply that those schools engaged in improvement activities build communities that are joint and empowering. They promote positive relationships and permit all voices to be heard and accredited. In this sense, school improvement means moving from a culture of individualism to what Clarke (2000:7) calls ‘a transformed sense of social responsibility’. So, what’s in it for schools? At its most thoughtful, it is about making a difference to the lives of young people as well as at its most realistic it is about knowing how to do this most efficiently. It is obvious that schools that put in the development of their teachers also put efforts in the development of the school. While teachers are given power to act and are implicated in the development of the school there is more prospective for school growth. Hopkins (2001) concluded that â€Å"teachers' involvement is one of ten essential principles for what he calls authentic school improvement†. In a climate of collegiality rather than likability teachers are more expected to trust one another and to support innovation and change (Barth, 1990). Barth (1990:158) illustrates a school as ‘four walls surrounding a future’. This image detains the potency and prospect of school improvement. It reminds us that school improvement is much more than heaving test scores or increasing grades. Its core lies in building school communities that are joint, inclusive and eventually empowering. For it is only within such communities that the prospective of both students and teachers will be completely realized. It is this objective that lies at the heart of school improvement and make certain that schools remain places where, primarily learning matters. Schools are able of improving themselves if the conditions are right and the relations within the school are encouraging of change. It will inexorably be more difficult to form the optimum internal conditions in the face of persistent external change. Schools are presently caught between the demands of policy-makers and the desires of the students and parents in their community. Fullan (1999) argues that schools are inexorably pulled in two directions, by established and less stable forces, and that ‘the dynamics of the successful organization are of asymmetrical cycles and discontinuous trends’ (Fullan, 1999:4). Therefore, by building strong professional communities schools will be more capable to swim with the deluge of external reform and will be more skilled at coping with the pressures of external change. There are many projects that are initiated with the lap of time to attain school improvement in UK. The IQEA school improvement project provides an interesting paradigm of how a school improvement project can develop. What began as a complete school staff development initiative, ultimately transformed itself into a school improvement initiative with a total assurance to enhancing classroom practice. The overall aim of IQEA is ‘to make and appraise a model of school development and a programme of support, that supports a school's capability to provide quality education for all its pupils by building upon accessible good practice' (Hopkins et al. , 1994). In the project, approaches and methods from the development and effectiveness paradigms are mixed together; particularly, these comprise use of and work on improvement and change processes with contribution on school and classroom effectiveness and measurement of outcomes. Hopkins and Ainscow, 1993 outline five postulation on which they based later phases of the project: †¢ School improvement is a procedure that focuses on enhancing the quality of students' education. †¢ The vision of the school must be one which holds all members of the school community as both learners and providers. The school will see in exterior pressures for change significant opportunities to secure its inner priorities. †¢ The school will inquire to develop structures and make conditions which persuade collaboration and show the way to the empowerment of individuals and groups. †¢ The school will search to promote the view that monitoring and assessment quality is a job which all members o f staff share. The project, which began with just nine schools in 1991, has grown each year, and presently involves in many schools in several areas of the country. A contract is approved between school staff, the Local Education Authority and the project team. All staff of a school has to concur that the school will take part, and at least forty percent receive release time to take on specific project-related activities in their own as well as each other's classrooms, though all staff participate in certain IQEA-focused staff development events. At least two staff members are chosen as coordinators and attend ten days of training and support meetings, for which authorization is offered. The school selects its own priorities for development as well as its own methods to attain these priorities. It also participates in the assessment of the project and has to consign itself to share findings with other contributors in the project. The unique conceptualization of the project was based on the understanding that effective change strategies center not only on the implementation of central policies or chosen initiatives, but also on forming the conditions within schools that can protract the teaching-learning process. From their work on the IQEA project, there were known a series of conditions that underpinned the work of these successful schools (Hopkins and Ainscow, 1993). Broadly stated, the conditions are: †¢ Staff development †¢ Involvement †¢ Leadership †¢ Coordination †¢ Enquiry and reflection †¢ Collaborative planning. As work persistent with IQE A schools on the building of ‘capacity' in these areas, the project personnel began to observe a number of aspects influencing how particular conditions can best put in to a ‘moving school' ethos (Rosenholtz, 1989). As significance they began to expand a series of propositions concerning the relationship between the way a school approaches a particular condition and the collision of that condition on the school's capability to hold the key to the setting up of a school culture which can significantly allow all teachers within the school community (Hopkins and West, 1994). These six conditions and the interrelated propositions were the center of early work with the IQEA project schools. Consequently, the project began to center some of its research energies on to what was formerly thought to be a parallel set of conditions which linked to the idea of capacity at the classroom level. These conditions were linked to teacher development, much in the same way as the unusual set of conditions were linked to school development. As such, they were made-up to be transferable across classrooms and between teachers, and linked to a variety of teaching-learning initiatives designed to develop the achievement of students. At this stage, the project adapted a ‘Framework for School Improvement' (Hopkins et al. , 1994) to state the relationship, as it then saw it, between school and classroom conditions, and the development of development in schools. Other school improvement projects which are organic in nature are those that are based upon a partnership model with schools and the local education authority (LEA). The ‘Schools Make a Difference’ project in London and the Lewisham School Improvement project describe this type of approach. The Lewisham School Improvement Project commenced in the spring of 1993 and arose out of a partnership between Lewisham schools, Lewisham Local Education Authority (LEA) and the University Of London Institute Of Education. It has four aims: †¢ to boost pupil progress, accomplishment and development; †¢ to build up the internal capacity of schools for managing change and appraising its impact at: Whole school level; Classroom level; Student level; †¢ to develop the capability of the LEA to give data to schools that will support their ability to plan and assess change; To assimilate the above with the system's ongoing in-service and support services to figure a coherent approach to professional development. The project has some dimensions, though these overlap to some extent: Leadership development-a progression of voluntary five-day workshops (‘Leaders Together') with head teachers as well as deputy head teachers across the borough of Lewisham, who work with a par tner throughout and between sessions. Topics covered include and emphasize the significance of leadership and management of school effectiveness and school improvement. School projects-more intensive work with a preliminary pilot group of ten schools (primary, secondary and special schools are characterized), the heads and deputies of who have contributed in the initial workshops. A succeeding group of schools has consequently been involved. These schools have recognized a focus for improvement and learning, and cross-role project teams attend several sessions in which they work with Institute facilitators to process their focus areas through analysis of school-based data. They are as well introduced to the school effectiveness and school improvement research findings, with a special accent on their role as change agents within their schools. The title of the workshop series, ‘Moving Together', reflects the optimistic impact on school improvement of teachers learning together (Rosenholtz, 1989). Endorsement has been offered for course and project work. Indicators creation-a voluntary group of fifteen teachers, head-teachers, LEA advisers and officers have recognized and developed LEA and whole school indicators of change, development and achievement, with a focus on pupils through special educational needs. These indicators will be accessible to schools when evaluating their effectiveness regarding individual pupils' progress, whole school systems and worth for money. They will also give data to inform the LEA's strategic planning, comprising its resourcing and monitoring role. Monitoring and evaluation-evaluation of change is basic to the project, and the question ‘Has it made a difference? ‘ is a frequent theme. The purpose is for the project itself to represent appropriate evaluation procedures and to reveal effectiveness, as well as encouraging and supporting schools to assess their own effectiveness. The LEA collects borough-wide data on examination results, attendance and absenteeism, exclusions and staff absence data, broken down by gender along with ethnicity for each school. Pupil baseline data at age 11 also comprise the London Reading Test and a group reading test to be finished by all pupils throughout their first month in secondary school and are supplemented by a complementary test at the end of their first year. The accessible data will facilitate evaluation of the project's effectiveness in the pilot secondary schools against LEA averages, against other matched schools, and longitudinally. Some similar data subsist for primary aged pupils. At present, however, the capability for monitoring and evaluating efficiency in primary schools is limited, and pilot primary schools are being assisted to increase appropriate indicators (Stoll and Thomson, 1996). The Halton Effective Schools teacher survey (Stoll, 1992) has been modified to be completed by staff in all the pilot schools and in a group of coordinated schools. It will be repeated after two years. The schools themselves also give regular progress reports, addressing issues linking to success criteria, baseline data and development to date. An Institute researcher has carried out interviews in pilot schools, and LEA Link advisers finished questionnaires on their viewpoint of individual schools' progress. Interviews have also been carried out with key members of the LEA, together with the director. Follow-up interviews are planned. More current school progress reports reveal the increased emphasis on changing classroom practice and opportunities for student learning (Teddlie and Reynolds, 1999, 301). For instance, in an update in September 1994 the deputy head teacher of the special school observed that the first year was mainly devoted to the groundwork of staff-centered input and contribution, and teaching and appraisal strategy development. This year, with these structures in place, the focus has shifted to students in the classroom. According to Fidler’s (1997) idea that â€Å"no particular organizational structure is most effective in a given situation, for loosely coupled or even ‘fuzzy’ structures† â€Å"Increasing economic rationalism in society may be evident in schools with little value placed on whether students are happy or enjoying school. Curricula related to personal, social, and health education have become devalued, as they are not measurable quantities in the view of education authorities† (Morley & Rassool, 1999, p. 1). Schools implicated in the more detailed project work are a special school that caters for students who have rigorous learning difficulties and are between the ages of 11 and 19 years. The school has reported that ‘Leaders Together' has given them with the impulsion to work as a staff to write novel prospectus group-based schemes of work. For their project they have chosen to center on reporting and assessment so as to develop a system that will both sustain the UK's National Curriculum and permit for the marked differentiation between students that subsists in their school. Part of the cultural conditions of the school which they as well wish to integrate into the project is the contribution of their non-teaching staff. A primary school also implicated in the project has determined on students' writing, the curriculum center from the school's development plan. The staff as a whole have already spent time eloquent their vision and aims for the school, and they have explored and coordinated a diversity of strategies that comprise: analysis of the school's own statistics on attainment; using pertinent research findings to inform practice; paired classroom observations; staff development session; annual targets for individual teachers linked to the aims of the project; and the development of a usually known and agreed monitoring scheme to be used by the head teacher and languages teacher while they visit classrooms and give feedback to teachers. Governors and effectiveness-more recent corresponding work with governing bodies of numerous schools who have been introduced to school effectiveness and school improvement issues and are working through them as they relay to their own role in promoting better school effectiveness. Dissemination-dissemination within and beyond the LEA takes place. The last two yearly head and deputy head conferences have taken school improvement as their theme. Schools and their LEA partners also allocate experiences and understandings gained locally, around the country and in other LEAs, at Institute of Education conferences, and national and international research conferences. A presentation to the International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement on the work of the project integrated the three partners in the project: the Institute, the LEA and the schools. In early 1993, Hammersmith and Fulham LEA recognized the Schools Make a Difference Project to assist the borough's eight secondary schools heave student levels of attainment, achievement and morale (Myers, 1995). While association to the project was optional, all eight schools in the ability chose to participate. The project's guiding principles were based on school effectiveness research findings. These principles were: †¢ that students require to believe that schooling can be valuable and relevant; †¢ that learning should be challenging and relevant, to support students to build up their capabilities as responsible, considerate and active citizens; †¢ that students' rational, personal and technical abilities, abilities and capabilities are recognized and valued, and that expectations of development and performance are high; that good behavior is a essential condition for effective learning, and that students take accountability for their own behavior and present a high level of engagement in a well planned learning process; †¢ that parental participation is vital and must be sought; †¢ that all staff in the schools are involved in, and devoted to, the school's development; †¢ that schools as well as the community work towards a shared vision and that a professional learning community is formed within schools; †¢ that head teachers have a fundamental role to play in providing a climate where this can take place; That a ‘plan, do and review' approach is thoroughly and rigorously applied. Hammersmith and Fulham LEA had chosen a project manager to work with schools and LEA personnel to found the structures and procedures for the project. Within her role she made usual visits to the schools and took the schools' senior management teams to visit schools of interest around the country. In combination with head teachers and higher education staff, she has also organized in-service training for the coordinators, head teachers, senior management teams and various other staff members. The schools all chosen project coordinators, who were awarded thirty half days of ‘cover' by other staff so as to carry out work linked with the project in their schools, attend in-service training sessions and visit other schools. Coordinators receive authorization for their course and project work through the London Institute of Education. The coordinators recognized project working parties in their schools that integrated representation from a wide range of teaching and support staff and, in some schools, from students, parents and governors. Every school produced a project plan based on criterion agreed by the head teachers for expenditure of the project budget. The plan was developed as a consequence of wide consultation, and integrated a project focus based on the school's development plan. Numerous schools chose as a focus supple learning strategies, and engaged in a diversity of forms of staff development to help bring in new teaching and student study methods to staff. In one school, for instance, the eight voluntary members of the SMAD Development Group determined to pair up with a partner to take on in classroom observation and act as every other's ‘critical friend'. Supply cover for this has been integrated within the school's project plan. The project also funded school-based revision centers throughout the Easter vacation that have already helped raise student engagement. The project's findings, as highlighted by its external assessor (Pocklington, 1995) were that, as there was and generally rise in student achievement across all of the schools in 1993-94, differing rates of progress were attained across the eight schools. hough it is difficult to attribute improvement to particular aspects of the project, probable contributors were examination revision canters as well as coursework clinics, celebratory events, an emphasis in the majority schools on student consultation, students' responses to improvements to the physical environment, and ‘the beginnings of transforming the leading ethos in the pupil sub-culture' (Pocklington, 1995:125). Four factors emerged to bear considerably on the degree to which the project was successful in each s chool: Hiring of a practically full-time project manager; Appointment of a controller in each school; Partnership between the manager and head teacher; Establishment of a group in each school to ease and oversee project accomplishment. SMAD and Lewisham School Improvement Project Both have particularly emphasized the role of the LEA in development as well as change. The impulsion for change in these projects is locally owned, outwardly supported and school-initiated. In all of these projects external support, though often welcomed, is not completely necessary all through the project as the school searches out and forms its own support networks. Disclosure to new ideas and practices, collaboration through consortium or ‘pairing’ arrangements are common in this kind of school improvement work. Primarily, programmes of this type interface at the complete school level but provide much-needed sustain and incentive for change at the classroom level. At the other end of the school improvement range are projects which fall into the mechanistic category in the respect that they advocate or set a particular approach to school improvement. Early examples of such approaches take in the self-managing approach to school improvement developed in the mid-eighties (Caldwell and Spinks, 1988). This approach has been extensively disseminated and is based upon a management cycle that has six phases, i. e. goal-setting, policy-making, planning, groundwork, implementation and assessment. Though this cycle is now comparatively commonplace, this ‘step by step’ approach has not proved successful with all schools. It is obvious that this instrumental approach and others like it do not take into account the changeability of schools and school context. Such mechanistic approaches presuppose consistency both within the organization and across organizations. The High Reliability Schools project in the UK characterizes a school improvement project intended to make sure that there are high levels of traditionalism between schools. This project is premised upon work by Stringfield (1995) which argues that educational systems have much to learn from the organizational processes of extremely reliable organizations within the corporate as well as state-owned sectors. The characteristics of highly consistent organizations take in effective training programmes, concentration on a few goals, standard operation procedures, attention to minor detail and identifying and rectifying weak links (Reynolds et al. 1996). The research concerning High Reliability Schools (HRS) is continuing but some evaluative proof is available. The message from this work is that ‘HRS principles and technology and the emphasis upon dependability are all generative of improved student outcomes but that optimum gain requires a consistent delivery system at project and school level’ (Stringfield et al. , 2001:36). It is obvious that success with HRS relies on schools taking on the model fully without the prospect of modification. The project in its promotional material frequently utilizes aircraft analogies, arguing, for instance, that if one is in a holding pattern over Heathrow Airport, it is not reassuring to note that one has the technology to land the plane however might not use it, or that only thirty per cent of air traffic controllers are effective air traffic controllers, or that we are trying to do something by understanding the ineffective air traffic controllers but have not quite managed it thus far. Because of the cost, both human and financial, of any failure, the plane should land. Recent estimates suggest the cost of needless school failure within the United States to be the equal of a plane crash every week, yet little is done to put off school failure and much is done to avert air traffic controller failure. The characteristics of these HROs have been determined to be as follows: †¢ They train extensively, pre-service and in-service, in order to eliminate operational flaws. When training, all levels of an organization act as respondents on the effectiveness of all levels, in a process of mutual monitoring; The goals of the HROs are few and explicit (the job of the air traffic controller is to land the plane, not to relate socially to the pilot! ); †¢ There is a body of knowledge about practice that is codified into SOPs-Standard Operating Procedures-which tell people how to behave in the event of any contingency; †¢ Great attention is given to minor errors, since the belief is that these could cascade into major system failure; †¢ Simulations to identify weak links are always being run, with direct action being taken to identify the trailing edge and to make it more effective; The organizations are well resourced, and equipment is kept in good order. (Reynolds 1998, 1-4) Underlying the reasons for the existence of all the organizational procedures is the belief that system failure or unreliability would generate costs that are too heavy for a society to bear. With eight secondary schools, working in close association with Sam Stringfield of Johns Hopkins University in the United States and David Reynolds of Newcastle University's Department of Education, a programme has been developed to model schools on these highly reliable organizations from other fields outside education. The programme consists of the following: †¢ All the schools have joined a performance indicator system that generates high quality data upon student achievement, the ALIS (‘A' Level Information System) and YELLIS (Year Eleven Information System) schemes pioneered by Fitz-Gibbon and colleagues at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne (Fitz-Gibbon, 1992). These data feed back to schools their relative performance on their different public examination subjects, and relate directly to the effectiveness of their departments. †¢ All the schools are testing their intake of new pupils as they arrive from junior school. The testing will be repeated at the beginning of each school year, for these pupils plus for the new intake of pupils. Ultimately all pupils will be tested annually. These data will reveal those pupils who have unrealized potential, plus a ‘gain score' will be provided for each year that will be a baseline. †¢ The schools will be provided with the best knowledge available as their standard operating practices. Schools make available two of their five in-service days each year for ‘HRS' activities. One day will be for a formal knowledge input of school effectiveness/school improvement knowledge. The other day will be for an input of teacher effectiveness knowledge, plus in both days some skilling of whole school staffs. Both days will be oriented around background pre-reading, formal presentations and more group related activities. Schools are to adopt up to four goals to be their ‘HRS' goals. Two project-wide goals will be academic achievement (e. g. percentage of students with five or more GCSEs at grade A-C, staying on rate, percentage of students with five or more GCSEs at grade A-G, plus GNVQ outcomes as appropriate), and the unauthorized absence rate. Up to two other goals, which must permit measurement, will also be chosen by each school to reflect school needs, priorities, developmental status etc. (Reynolds 1998, 1-4) Thus, despite differences of approach, highly effective school improvement projects have been found to share certain characteristics or features. A broad comparative analysis of highly successful programmes demonstrates a number of shared principles or features (Harris, 2000c). This analysis found that effective school improvement programmes: †¢ focus closely on classroom improvement; utilize discrete instructional or pedagogical strategies, i. e. they are explicit in the models of teaching they prescribe; †¢ apply pressure at the implementation stage to ensure adherence to the programme; †¢ collect systematic evaluative evidence about the impact upon schools and classrooms; †¢ mobilize change at a numbers of levels within the organization, e. g. classroom, department, teacher level; †¢ generate cultural as well as structural change; †¢ engage teachers in professional dialogue and development; †¢ provide external agency and support. Harris, 2000c) This comparison showed that as the school improvement programmes and projects assorted in terms of content, nature and approach they imitated a similar philosophy. Central to this philosophy is an observance to the school as the centre of change and the teacher as the means for classroom change and development. Within highly effective school development programmes the non-negotiable elements are a center on teaching and learning, an obligation to professional development and diffused or devolved leadership. As new school improvement projects and initiatives appear to emerge daily, evidence concerning their collision is not always forth-coming. Critics of the school improvement field have highlighted the virtual absence of evaluative evidence concerning the impact of school improvement upon student performance and achievement. Additionally, there has been little deliberation of the relative effectiveness of different school improvement initiative in enhancing student performance. The studies that do subsist offer little evidence concerning the relative efficiency of one approach over another. Further comparative studies of school improvement are desired to assist schools in selecting development programmes that are most effectual and ‘fit’ their developmental needs. Presently, there is an accumulating knowledge base concerning school improvement arising from the numerous projects as well as programmes around the world. Moreover I believe that in order to improve and to protract improvement over time schools need to build and raise a sense of professional community. In the most effective schools, there is proof of positive relationships both within and outside the school. Barth (1990:45) portrays a professional community as ‘one where adults and students learn and each energizes and puts in the learning of the other’. A professional community is one in which there are collective norms and values amongst teachers and students. These norms and values symbolize the fundamental beliefs of those within the community and become the central purpose of the school. To build a professional community needs schools to think the type of school culture that reigns and to seek ways of changing it for the better. Learning within an organization is most favorable in an environment of shared leadership and shared power. To promote such an environment needs team work, collaboration and an assurance to enquiry. Connections are mainly important in building community. As Sergiovanni (2001:63) notes, ‘community is something most of us desire in order to experience the sense and meaning that we require in our lives. We cannot go it alone. We have to be connected somehow, somewhere. Community is a mainly important source of connection for children and young people. ’ If the needs of students to belong are not met by the school then they will get belonging outside the school. In schools that are improving there are communal norms, shared values, decided goals and common aspirations. These are schools where the social relationships are functional and where trust and deference are at the heart of all developmental work. This does not occur by possibility but results from the premeditated effort of staff and students to communicate and to work together with one another. Sergiovanni (2001) notes that such ‘communities of responsibility’ are far from easy to develop but are necessary to generate and protract school improvement over time.