A Network Enterprise Management System for Shopping Malls Essay

Background GICEL Shopping Mall is just like an advanced supermarket that sells mostly home products such as home appliances and cosmetics. It provides other services like selling ice creams, beverages and most food items used at home. The Mall sells products to customers categorized from children to adults. A Brief study of an Existing System During my decision to present this project topic, I surveyed several shopping malls, studied their daily operations and realized there was a need for a more reliable and cost-effective system. Below are a few things I studied: * GICEL shopping mall is more into selling home products and other items either for eating or wearing. The mall has an automated system that keeps the daily transaction records, employees’ detail, product records i.e. prices, stock level etc. all on a spread sheet (EXCEL). * There are about five or six counters where the employees sit to key in price of products bought. After each day and week the employees make a total amount of product bought with the sum of money they collected. * During a transaction, the customer takes a product he/she wants to purchase to one of the attendant who is sitting behind a computer with Microsoft Excel installed on, keys in the product with its corresponding price the customer pays and a receipt is issued to the customer. * All products in stock are recorded, records are taken for daily transactions on the spread sheet and at the end of the week reports are drawn even when they expected an ad-hoc report. * A special employee has to visit each o f the computers in the mall to draw those reports every week. Read more: Essays About Shopping Malls Problem In the case study, there was a problem of bad record keeping. The spread sheet (Excel) platform finds it difficult to combine records since purchases made by the customer are kept separately on individual sheets and on different computers. This makes it difficult to provide ad-hoc reports to managements of the shopping mall. In situations where a single customer is buying different types of products there is a problem of data redundancy. These makes the total amount that a customer needs to pay miscalculated and this has created loss of income and low productivity. Within four (4) months managements has fired about 3 employees due to incorrect account reports made. Managements of the Mall wanted to create accounts for regular customer but are frighten of bad customer records keeping. The special employee who oversees the other employees behind the counter mostly get fatigue by moving from one computer to the other. He has to copy all excel sheet of the records to his computer tally them and make accounts of it. There is also a problem of system security since data abstraction is not invoked in the system to prevent some unauthorized persons (employee) from making changes to some records. They easily lose their data since there is no backup system in place. The Proposed System The proposed system will provide satisfying interfaces to be used basically for keeping records of all employees and regular customers, tracking the daily transactions made, tracking the daily fiscal/monetary issues of the mall and giving GICEL shopping mall the opportunity to get the best out of the system satisfactorily. With the proposed system, services will not change but method of record keepings will change. A special/particular employee (administrator) will use this system to take care of all recordings while other employees provide the actual services. There will be a network between all the computers that will enable the special employee to sit in his office and monitor the other employees. The special employee does not need to move from his desk to draw inferences from the daily and weekly sales. He/she will also provide passwords to the attendants and make sure they are limited to specific forms only. Business Need This project has been identified to better keep record of products, easily update of stock and create accounts for regular customers and provide speedy services, security, reliable and adequate reports at the end of each day. Business Requirements * The system will help cut down the time spent on tracing the Mall’s monetary issues as well as calculations. The system will help keep the records of all purchases made by the management to stock the mall in order to know how much profit the mall is spending. Payments for products sold are also going to be recorded and the system is eventually going to give a supposed picture of how much money the mall is making or losing. The system will take care of the basic accounts of the mall, thus, providing the mall with its cash analysis. * Since there is a network additional counters can be provided to reduce customers queuing to pay for their products thereby satisfying customers which will increase customer population. * The system will help in the preparation and issuing of receipt (after customers have brought product to the counter and charges have been accepted and payments have been made). * The system should be also to keep records of employees, products with their prices, update and preview of stock level and record information on regular customers with their bank details. * The system should have a backup utility. * The system will also provide special features to help GICEL Shopping Mall have an easy access to certain tasks or certain programs found/installed on their operating system, without having to close this system. These will include some various programs that they use frequently such as notepad, calculator, word, etc. * The system will eventually help the mall to operate much faster and more efficiently, thereby improving productivity and customer satisfaction. Project Plan Given thorough supervision, I look forward to completing the development of this system by the end of the academic year. Methodology The methodologies for collecting data for the development of the system include observation, conducting interviews and giving out questionnaires. Special Issues Since this is the first version of such a system, I consider it a prototype which could be built upon in the future. I therefore recommend other students to take up from where we will leave off and improve upon our work. I hope future developments will include; * Smoothly run on web (internet). * Able to use a Barcode reading system. * Ability for customers to use ATM card to pay for products. * Standalone systems at special points in the mall where the customer will search for location of product with its prices to limit customer from asking attendants were to locate products. Conclusion I hope to provide a system suitable to be used by Shopping Malls. The system will be made flexible enough to provide users the ability to use it the way they want it for their desired results.

Journal of Operation Management Essay

A critical review using P.S. Adler, Mary Benner, David James, John Paul MacDuffie, Emi Osono, Bradley R. Staats, Hirotaka Takeuchi, Michael L. Tushman and Sindey G. Winer, Journal of operation management: Perspectives on the productivity dilemma The article focuses on the critical issue in the areas of operations management, strategy, product development and international business. Taylor and Deming had operation research on an organisation that can increase efficiency by adhering strictly to the proven templates. While Abernathy and March also research how efficiency can impose cost. March and Simon suggest an organisation solve problems but acquiring knowledge that can be reused to solve similar problems in the future. Further on to say knowledge captures the essence of what worked in the past enabling organisation to take short-cuts and avoid deadens, thereby abridging the problem solving. Abernathy also suggested a firm focus on productivity gains inhibited its flexibility and ability to innovate. He observed that the automobile industry, a firm’s economic decline was directly related to its efficiency and productivity efforts. He also suggested that a firm’s ability to compete over time was rooted not only increasing efficiency. Readability Apple Company shows a greater productivity in their creativity and innovation, but has been some critical issue emerging with the new CEO of the company, which have been a mass suicide threat, posed an ethical dilemma facing Apple and its new leader and the employees. Practical application The ethnical issue hit Apple’s new leader, showing a great crisis, workers threaten recklessness in protest over their working conditions where workers can have a safe work environment free of discrimination, and they can earn competitive wages and can voice their concerns freely. Apple’s suppliers must live up to this to do business with Apple. Reflective comments – Evidence of evaluation and critical thinking, i.e. ways in which you understand the academic/practical aspects of the paper (you may use additional pages) The journal describe the different component of work with evaluates evidence. It suggests a good example with Toyota having a good appreciation of different type of evidence and what is offered. Using (Abernahty) research as an evidence measures with the increase in efficiency and (David James Brunner, Bradley R. Staata and Michael L. Tushman) with practical evidence where I think organisation often finds them undecided between contradictory and conflicting goals regarding the issue about foxcoon increasing the monthly wages of employees making it difficult for Apple to deal with then on an agree based while such issue can be resolve with (David James Brunner, Bradley R. Staata and Michael L. Tushman) evidence and will come on good term to do business. Productivity dilemma highlights the tension between a particular pair of widely held goals: efficiency and adaptability. As in the article, the nature of such tension and approaches for handling situation with the employees in Apple wi ll be a constrcutive approach for Apple to resolve conflict to attain efficiency for the growth of the company. Adler argues that the structuring, systematizing and rationalizing associated with bureaucracy can enable creativity and innovation. However creativity and innovation such a tightly coupled systems required cooperation among interdependent participants, which depends in turn on a foundation of trust. This trust is always threatened by the possibility that profit pressure may undermine this cooperation by turning the tool of enabling bureaucracy into a coercive weapon. The CEO of apple can use the official procedure to fight against the workers and also gain trust in the working conditions. The conflict between apple and Foxcoon can refine efficient routines providing the building blocks for innovation. (Brunner and Staats) prose threat organisation can reconcile exploitation with exploration by intentionally destabilising their own processes through deliberate perturbation and by ensuring that disruptions are translated into learning and knowledge creation through exploratory interpretation. These arguments may help Apple and Foxconn suggest that dynamic conservatism identified by (Tushman and Benner) may be at least in part a property of inferior administrative technologies, rather than an inevitable consequence of disciplined processes.

Human factors in the Space industry Essay

Abstract The world is in transition from Information Age to Space Age. This can be assumed by observing trends particularly those initiated by developed countries such as the US, Russia, China, Japan and the members of the European Union. The robots are programmed to be more precise in its actions compared to humans but with the humans’ capability to judge and make decisions according to unexpected circumstances, the latter are still considered a better option for space explorations. This necessitates the study for Human Factors. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the Human Factors that are associated with the Space Industry. such knowledge would give the reader an idea on the Human limitations that must be considered and which could be very critical in space explorations. Without proper consideration, space explorations would be unsuccessful and the transition to Space Age would never ascend from the state of being imaginary, to reality. Consideration of Human Factors Towards the Space Age Humanity is now in the so-called Information age when time is fast-paced and access to information can be as fast, easy and unlimited as the trend for telecommunication and global integration continue to show prospects of expansion. The prospects of expansion, however, is not limited to the â€Å"global†. Current research shows that the trend is gradually opening its way to the rudiments of transition from the Information age to the Space age. Developed countries such as the US, Russia, Japan, China, India, the members of the EU and its industries are starting to involve themselves with the space and satellite industry, spending significant amounts of their budgets to further research, interest and opportunities for the said industry (Partners in Space, 2005). According to the Sacknoff in the 2005 Report on the State of the Space Industry by the International Space Business Council, there had been a total of $103 billion turnover from commercial and government services and programs in 2004. This turnover is expected to increase to at least $158 billion in 2010. Meanwhile, the US Defense has increased its spending for Space-related investments from $15 billion in 2000 to $22 billion in 2005. It is expected to further increase to at least $28 billion in 2010. There has also been a continuous increase in the market for satellite service particularly that of GPS positioning and tracking which could lead to the development of space tourism. According to NASDAQ, the space industry is currently one of the most innovative growth sectors in the world today (Sacknoff, 2005). At present, the US President, George W. Bush has made a proclamation about his â€Å"New Space† vision that could be a challenging turning point for the space industry. The aim of this vision is to be able to return to the moon by the end of the decade and to be able to fly to Mars immediately in the following decade (President Bush Announces New Vision for Space Exploration Program, 2004). Robots vs. Humans However, in order to become successful in such endeavors, the departments in charge of the development must recognize and consider certain factors that are critical to the future of the industry. There is a huge debate on whether there is a need to send humans in space, when there would always be robots to take their place. Those for robots argue that it would limit the risks of â€Å"needless human sacrifices† in case unexpected circumstances arise. However, the NASA argues that while in fact, robots are very useful in space explorations and gathering research data, the needed knowledge about space would never be near complete without human’s ingenuity and physical experience (The Human Advantage, 2003). Applied to the current objective of the â€Å"New Space† vision as well as the objectives of the previous explorations, there are still a lot of things that even robots, and only humans, with their minds, can do. Robots, for example cannot deal with unexpected things while humans can think of creative ways to solve unexpected problems such as equipment breakdown (The Human Advantage, 2003). Installations, upgrades and detailed work in space can only be done with the finesse of human operators. While it can be tested by robots, prospects such as possible life in other planets can only be guaranteed by human exploration.

Globalization and Postmodernity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Globalization and Postmodernity - Essay Example The terminologies will be discussed at length to challenge past proposals while ensuring the final resolution is substantive. Globalization is a term that almost everyone knows because it is a buzzword. Academics, journalists, business executives, politicians, economists, and other people frequently use the term (Ritzer, 2003, p. 193). In all instances, the common meaning of the term denotes that something great is happening, including a new world economy, a new political and cultural dispensation, and a changing world overall (Robertson, 2001, p. 458). The use of the term in numerous contexts makes it lose meaning because it is difficult to know what exactly the term means, what function it serves, and how it affects contemporary politics and theory. Social theorists have lodged arguments to the effect that the contemporary world is shaped by globalization (Anangst, 2006, p. 510). Essentially, globalization is strengthening the capitalist economic system, and this supplants the sove reignty of nation states. Corporations and organizations are slowly taking over state power. Local cultures and traditions are also eroding slowly as the global culture sweeps across nations (Robertson, 2001, p. 458). Weberians, Marxists, functionalists, and other theorists have admitted that globalization is an unmatched trend in today’s world. Advocates of postmodernism have also not been left behind as they argue that changes in transnational capitalism have led to a new historical configuration of the world – postmodernism (Brandzel, 2010, p. 1). Social theories of today, therefore, consider globalization as an indispensable feature of the modern world. Nevertheless, globalization has been conceptualized differently. The term is applied in various contexts differently.  

Management, People and Organisations - Managing the United Kingdom Essay - 1

Management, People and Organisations - Managing the United Kingdom National Health Service - Essay Example Finally, the paper discusses the functions of management and the skills required to perform the managerial role and focuses on the "control" function to determine whether or not it can be performed without managers. Management is defined by Koontz and Weihrich (2004) as the process of designing and maintaining an environment in which, individuals, working in groups, efficiently accomplish selected goals. There are different definitions regarding what management precisely is. In another definition â€Å"Management is the art of getting things done through people† (Daft, 2005). According to these definitions, the key role of management is to get things done by the people, through creating a suitable environment in which they can achieve organisational goals. The case study shows that many clinicians have taken on managerial roles into their existing role, in a bid to make a difference. This involvement in management can be time consuming and actually conflicts with their clinical roles. It is obvious that many of the symptoms which the case study demonstrates can be directly linked to conflict of roles. A role is â€Å"a set of expectations and obligations to act in a specific way in a certain context† (Rollinson, 2008). In any given role, there are two aspects: The role player and his obligation toward the role, and the role setter who has expectations from the person performing the role. â€Å"Role conflict arises from inadequate role definition. The manner in which a person actually behaves may not be consistent with their expected pattern of behaviour. Such inconsistency leads to a number of results which reflect negatively on the manager’s performance and morale†. (Leicester MPO, 2007) The first result is incompatibility of role. It arises when compliance with being a clinician makes it very difficult to comply with being a manager. Middle managers often face this problem with their senior and junior managers. (Leicester MPO, 2007) As

Multinationals Act More Ethically as They Are More Successful Dissertation

Multinationals Act More Ethically as They Are More Successful - Dissertation Example The Body Shop 14 Ben & Jerry's 14 Multinational companies that are more ethical after facing 15 the repercussions of unethical behaviour Nike 15 McDonald's 16 Research on ethical trading and customers 16 The Institute of Business Ethics 17 Research on Coffee Labelling 17 Summary of findings 18 Conclusion 18 Introduction In today's ever changing business arena, there is still one constant force that drives multinational companies - profits. No matter the nature of the business, most companies still seek to maximise shareholder value as this tangible financial measure epitomizes corporate success. Nevertheless, in the last two decades, there has also been a noticeable shift in business priorities as multinational companies recognise that fulfilling shareholder value may not be sufficient to acquire the results they need. Henry Ford once said that, "business must be run at a profit, else it will die. But when everyone tries to run a business solely for profit then also the business must die, for it no longer has a reason for existence." (Roddick, 2000, p. 23) This essay examines the role ethics plays in multinational businesses and the intricate link between ethics and profits. To do this, the definitions of shareholder and stakeholder values are scrutinized in order to understand the motives behind companies acting ethically. Here, shareholders are characterized as financial investors and stakeholders are individuals or bodies of people like employees, customers, partners, and pressures groups who have emotional and long-term ties to a company. Delving further into the issue of stakeholder influence on ethics and profits in... In order to reinforce the essay's arguments, successful companies like The Body Shop and Ben & Jerry's whose competitive advantage is cemented in ethical trading from day one are contrasted with business leaders like Nike and McDonald's who have jumped on the social responsibility band wagon after suffering the repercussions of unethical behaviour. To further understand company motivation for ethical business, research and studies on the consumer's point of view are also examined. Shareholder vs. Stakeholder Before the 1990s, business success was dictated solely in financial terms. Shareholders are normally financial investors rather than individuals with emotional and long-term personal ties to a company. In short, they are profit-driven. Today, the advent of social messages tied to company mission statements prove that besides shareholders, there are stakeholders that are not interested in the financial side of businesses, but who are just as crucial in the development of almost all aspects of a business. In Appendix F, Price Waterhouse Coopers (2006) believes that in order to protect a company's reputation, there are five stakeholder groups, including shareholders (capital), employees (manpower), customers (revenue), partners (suppliers), and pressure groups (a license to operate) that need close attention. The following section examines each stakeholder group and the value they provide in addition to exploring the impact each group has on shareholder value (which provide tangible financial assets).

Qualitative and Quantitative Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Qualitative and Quantitative Research - Essay Example In one of the qualitative studies titled ‘exploring consumer engagement in an e-setting: a qualitative research of marketing executives’, the aspects described above concerning qualitative researchers is evident. This research study sought to understand the level of consumer engagement online pertaining different brands, with the increasing popularity of internet marketing. After the identification of the research question, the researchers defined the conceptual framework which would serve as the blueprint of the study. There were two hypotheses, in line with the conceptual framework described. The research relied on in-depth interviews as the preferred data collection strategy. It was highly subjective as it relied on the opinions and convictions of the 17 marketing practitioners, who described their experience in depth. The 17 marketing practitioners selected for the study were working with international organizations and were identified through LinkedIn. The interview sessions focused on two questions that required detailed responses from the respondents. Data analysis followed, with the initial steps being the compilation of data obtained from the respondents.A quantitative research titled ‘Quantitative marketing research on the behavior of the small and medium companies on financial advisory services’ used statistical deductive approaches in a bid to determine whether there was any existing correlation between the size of the firm and the number of financial advisory services outsourced.

Project 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Project 3 - Essay Example Samples are subjects chosen from a specified population for investigation purposes in statistics. A random sample has also been defined as the sample in which every component of the whole population has an equal opportunity of being selected (Black 220). Babbie describes the process of random sampling as the basic sampling method assumed in nearly all statistical computations (211). The process and steps that will be taken to collect data in such a way to actually take a random sample include: 1. Establishing a sampling framework drawn from the population. This framework is used to represents the population and findings from it will be used as an assumption of what actually takes place in the whole population. 2. Numbering the members of the population, for example if we want a random sample of three hundred people from a population of eleven thousand, we number the people from one to nine hundred and eighty. After the numbering our task shall be to select a simple random sample of 300 people out of the population totaling 11,000, A survey was undertaken to determine the attitude of undergraduate ISU students towards cheating. This section provides the summarized data and analysis. From the survey conducted seventy one out of the ninety-seven students would major if offered through the college of business. This represents 73.2% of the student population out of 26.8% who would not major if offered through the college of business. Out of the students interviewed thirty three were female and sixty four were male. This represented a ratio of 34.02% to 65.98% of female to male students. Out of this population, fifty-three students representing 55.79% admitted that they had taken at least one distance education course. The other 44.21% admitted that they had not. The analysis for questions five to seventeen is provided in the table below: From the table

Assignment 6 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Assignment 6 - Essay Example ond World War, and he declared his war against the â€Å"racial caste system† employed by contractors against soldiers in the United States during that time (653). Truman’s EO 8991 in 1948, or the executive order that created the Civil Rights Commission, paved the way for the â€Å"weaving together† of America in the 1950s. It is this particular executive order that offered equal treatment to Blacks and the cutting off of the sale of products that perpetuate the latter’s vices (653). Although Truman’s EO 8991 has not accomplished as much as Kennedy’s and Johnson’s policies, it paved the way for the â€Å"unraveling† of America in the 1960s, where the races and genders have more or less equaled. Fifteen years after Truman’s EO 8991, in 1963, certain changes in terms of social engineering activities have been implemented regarding racial and gender equality, particularly during the governance of Lyndon Johnson. One of which was the decision of the Department of Defense to prohibit soldiers from using segregated bus or rail facilities, thus whites and blacks could use transportation together (654). The greatest proof of â€Å"unraveling† of the United States in the 60s was the passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1964, and this â€Å"prohibited racial discrimination in employment, institutions like hospitals and schools†¦restaurants, hotels, and theaters† ( 922). Moreover, in 1965, under the banner of â€Å"affirmative action† used by the Kennedy administration, Johnson reiterated his vision of racial equality (Levin 656). He defended Blacks in his speech and considered them equal to whites, and through EO 11246, he required all federal contract ors to treat any employee without any regard to his â€Å"race, creed, color or national origin† (656). So far, Johnson’s greatest achievement in 1965 was the passage of the Voting Rights Act, which granted suffrage to the black southerners ( 926). In 1967, Johnson included gender equality by adding â€Å"sex† to the

Business document comparisons Essay Example for Free

Business document comparisons Essay Document name Public council letter Thank you letter for participating in a marathon for a charity Purpose of the document To inform a member of the community to put a halt to the constant barking of their dog between certain times of the night To congratulate a member who took part in the run of a marathon for charity and thank him/her for His/her efforts in participation. Also inform the participant of his/her position in the competition. Target audience Specified house owner ages 18+ Specified participant in competition. Writing style and tone. Formal language but written so that the matter is taking seriously with no use of passive language i. e. please can you stop that dog barking, but dont worry if you cant do it straight away because this takes a sense of seriousness away from the letter. A congratulating and formal passage of writing. Specified to respect the recipient and his/her efforts. Presentation style This document is not set out to attract or catch the eyes of people; it is purely to present the recipient with the purpose/problem. So a variety of colours and shades are not used as there is no reason to. This document is based as a certificate with a letter. As it was produced to congratulate someones achievement. it has lots of colours and images on the topic of sport. Layout Logo. Address of recipient and councils address. Text (the main point/purpose of the document). Signature from person who wrote the letter. Logo. Address of recipient and councils address. Text (the main point/purpose of the document). Signature from person who wrote the letter. Accuracy, clarity and consistency The letter was made for its purpose; the letter goes straight to the point and does need anything else. The writing is specific and formal, with no spelling mistakes. It is also sticking to specifics and with formal language. It is more recipient friendly, what I mean by this is that the language is congratulatory towards the person and is of less urgency, in the way that something has been done wrong and needs to be acted on. What I would improve I dont think there is any improvement needed on this invoice, it has said what it has needed to and given the appropriate details for the recipient This is a good letter but I think there is an area of improvement for the presentation style. Dean smith 11k Letter comparison Dean smith 11k Letter comparison.

Role of carbon credits and carbon footprints in the Middle East

Role of carbon credits and carbon footprints in the Middle East Introduction Many organizations across the world have improved efforts geared towards ensuring social responsibility and business ethics are followed when undertaking organizational activities. Consumers are now aware of the ethical and social responsibility which business organizations have towards society. Due to the effects of environmental destruction, consumers are inclined to associate themselves with firms which manufacture products while following environmental conservation criteria. Recently, adverse effects of environmental destruction such as climate change and global warming has increased demand for green products or firms which observe environmental regulations. In the Middle East and especially the UAE, there is a demand for products which conserve energy and which are reusable or can be recycled (Anderson et. al., 2006). This explains the increased demand in the UAE for products such as hybrid cars, green building materials, recyclable bags and others. Carbon footprints and credits are two common forms of measuring the impacts which organizations have on the environment. Carbon footprints are emissions of greenhouse gases which are attributed to a product or an organization (Wiedmann Minx, 2008). These gases are emitted due to consumption of fuel and fuel products, materials, manufactured goods and fuel sources such as coal and wood. Carbon credit on the other hand represents permits or certificates by business organizations allowing them to emit carbon dioxide or carbon equivalent to one tonne. It is a form of mitigating carbon emissions by international and national markets. Already, Qatar and the UAE implement the carbon credits as a form of reducing carbon emissions. This paper will discuss carbon footprints and emissions as far as the social responsibility and ethical role of business is concerned. The paper will also discuss how carbon footprints and credits work in order to understand their benefits. Their relevance to business planning for sustainability and environment in the Middle East will also be analyzed. The paper will restrict research to the UAE and other countries in the Middle East. The discussed issues will be summarized at the end of the paper. Carbon footprints Carbon footprints have been defined as emissions of greenhouse gases which are attributed to a product or an organization (Wiedmann Minx, 2008). Greenhouse gases arise from consumption of fuel and fuel products, materials, manufactured goods and fuel sources such as coal and wood. The term originated from ecological footprints in environmental studies. In order to measure the carbon footprints of organizations, an assessment on emissions known as the GHG is undertaken. This measurement determines the levels of carbon emitted by businesses in a region. Once this information is known, it is possible to develop a strategy aimed at mitigating carbon footprint levels (Wiedmann Minx, 2008). Such strategies include use of alternative energy sources such as wind and solar or implementation of strategies to conserve the environment such as planting trees. In the Middle East economies, there are certain factors which affect the levels of carbon footprints. These include economic output, population, carbon intensity and energy in the economy (Beaumont et. al., 2008). Businesses and regions which aim at reducing carbon footprints target these factors. Generally, in order to effectively reduce carbon footprints, countries and businesses should either strive to reduce reliance on carbon fuels or reduce energy levels used in production. Carbon credits Carbon credits have been defined as permits or certificates by business organizations allowing them to emit carbon dioxide or carbon equivalent to one tonne (Wiedmann Minx, 2008). It has been recognized that carbon emissions are some of the most harmful gases to the environment and carbon credits aim at mitigating their release into the atmosphere. Carbon trading is form of trading in emissions. In order to implement carbon credits, carbon levels in the atmosphere are measured and capped to determine the most sustainable levels which will lead to minimal damage to the environment. After this is performed, the capped levels are allocated to regulated sources in the various markets. The major objective of carbon credits is to encourage markets to emit less carbon emissions when undertaking commercial and industrial processes. Since the carbon credits are sold, the revenue generated can also be used to fund environmental conservation efforts, including carbon emission reduction indifferent parts of the world. There are many firms which have specialized in selling carbon credits. These credits are sold to businesses voluntarily and these businesses strive to reduce carbon emissions in their activities. Demand for carbon credits in the Middle East has begun to rise and there is an increase in firms selling carbon credits to businesses. This has seen positive impacts as far as reduction of carbon emissions is involved. Further analysis of the effects of carbon credits and carbon footprints in the Middle East will be discussed in the following section of the paper. Kyoto protocol and the Middle East The Kyoto protocol is an agreement amongst some countries which are members of the UN to take measures to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change. The major goal of this framework is to stabilize greenhouse gases and reduce their effects on the environment. There are over 190 states which have ratified and signed the protocol including Middle East countries such as Yemen, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait and others (Daya Carr, 2010). Various countries have undertaken to reduce these emissions by more than 5% as at the levels present in 1990. Middle East countries such as UEA, Saudi Arabia and Qatar are some of these countries. Several initiatives are taken to achieve the objectives of climate change by member countries and these include clean development mechanism and emissions trading. Each of the Middle East countries which ratified the Kyoto Protocol has some assigned units of carbon emissions which are entered in individual country registries (Daya Carr, 2010). In line with the protocol, these countries including Qatar and the UAE have assigned the allowed emissions to businesses and organizations and put quotas on the emissions which each business should release into the atmosphere. This is undertaken through the sale of carbon credits where businesses in these Middle East countries are allowed one tonne of carbon emission. Businesses which have not exhausted their quotas near the end of their financial year may sell their remaining quotas to those which are about to exhaust their limits in order to ensure that all businesses observe the allowable limit in emissions. Businesses which have exhausted their quotas are also allowed purchase extra quotas in open markets or private enterprises. Although there is an increased demand for energy from consumers, business organizations and countries such as Qatar and UAE which have ratified the Kyoto Protocol, have to ensure that the carbon emissions do not exceed the allowable limits. Business owners are therefore forced to invest in alternative energy sources in order to meet the demand for limiting emissions. Others prefer purchasing modern machinery which has lower emission rates. This will ensure that adverse effects of climate change are mitigated not only in the Middle East but across the world. Flexible mechanisms The challenges of maintaining the agreed carbon emissions by countries which have ratified the Kyoto Protocol have been recognized by member countries. There are certain countries or businesses which may be unable to retain the allowable limits and achieve their growth and development objectives and goals. There are also countries and businesses which use resources which have high level of carbon emissions and which make it difficult to remain within the allowable levels. For instance, Saudi Arabia is an oil producing country which releases high levels of carbon emissions when processing oil. Due to these challenges, the Kyoto Protocol members have introduced certain flexible mechanisms which may help these countries deal with the challenges. These are tradable credits which may be traded within countries or regions. There are three ways in which such countries may trade their carbon credits regionally (Daya Carr, 2010). The first is the joint implementation strategy where countries which are about to undertake projects which would lead to high level of carbon emissions are allowed to undertake these projects in other countries. Such an agreement allows countries with higher emission to transfer these emissions to countries with lower emission for a consideration. Both countries would mutually benefit and the global environmental conservation efforts are achieved. Few countries in the Middle East have taken advantage of this approach. The second strategy is the clean development mechanism. Under this strategy, developed countries are allowed to fund carbon emission reduction efforts in developing countries at lower costs. Countries such as Saudi Arabia may use this strategy to fund developing countries such as African countries in carbon reduction efforts. This would cost lower amounts compared to the cost of such a strategy in developed countries. However, the benefits of environmental conservation in such cases would not only be enjoyed by the developing countries but by the world at large. The developed countries would benefit from increased credits due to achievement of its emission reduction initiatives while developed countries would benefit from clean technology and capital investment. The UAE currently is developing plans to implement this strategy in developing countries. Finally, the third strategy aimed at meeting the challenges of carbon emission strategies is emission trading between countries. Just as how businesses can trade emission credits, countries are also able to trade these credits. Countries which are about to exhaust their allowable limits may trade credits with those with sufficient allocations and vice verse. In most of these cases, operators are licensed by individual countries to sell such carbon credits as opposed to direct government to government transactions Carbon footprints and credits in Middle East Due to the effects of environmental destruction including carbon emissions, climate change and global warming, consumers in the Middle East have began associating themselves with firms which manufacture products in environmentally friendly ways. There has been an increase in reusable products and energy saving products including hybrid vehicles (Daya Carr, 2010). This move has forced many manufacturers to adapt to the needs of the market in order to maximize sales revenues. Retailers who have not embraced environmentally friendly ways of producing goods have begun experiencing shrinking sales volumes and a decrease in consumer goodwill. Qatar There are many businesses in the Middle East and especially in Qatar and the UAE which have embraced the use of carbon credits to reduce their carbon footprints. One of these businesses is a renewable energy company called Masdar which is based in the UAE. Masdar has plans to acquire carbon credits for waste heat and solar projects from the UN in order to conform to the goals of the Kyoto Protocol of which the UAE is a member. Another firm which is keen on acquiring carbon credits is the Qatar Petroleum which is the national oil firm run by the Qatar government. The UAE and Qatar are the largest carbon emitters in the world per capita and their strive to join the Kyoto Protocol and apply for carbon credits makes them the first countries in the Middle East to take such initiatives. Qatar also has a project at Al-Shaheen, a natural gas manufacturing plant, and it is intending at applying for carbon credits for this plant. Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi has already been granted access to carbon credits by UN in the form of offsets which are initiatives which encourage developed countries to support carbon reduction initiatives in developing countries. This is similar to the clean development mechanism earlier discussed as one of the Kyoto Protocolà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s attempts to deal with challenges facing implementation of the carbon reduction efforts. Already, two projects commissioned in Abu Dhabi will receive 2.5 million credits between the current year and 2018. Currently, the credits which have been advanced to the UAE are valued at over 29 million euro. In addition, Abu Dhabi is in the process of constructing nuclear and solar plants which will meet power demands and by 2015, the Abu Dhabi is targeting its renewable energy sources to form over 7% of its overall energy source. Challenges of acquiring carbon credits in the Middle East Business people in the Middle East are acknowledging that a serious challenge facing many oil firms is justifying the need for carbon credits. Although most firms which manufacture oil and its products in the Middle East have high carbon footprint emissions, it is challenging to prove that oil projects require carbon credits and additional income earned from it. The UAE is among the countries making the greatest efforts to reduce carbon emissions in the Middle East and the development of carbon capture technology is a milestone towards attaining the goals of reducing emissions. Carbon capture technology is technology which captures carbon emissions and directs them underground before they are released into the atmosphere. Another challenge faced by firms in Middle East relating to acquiring carbon credit relates to cost. There is a high cost which is incurred upfront before a firm can register for carbon credits (Hansen, 2000). For small firms in the Middle East, this cost may be prohibited towards registering for carbon credits and reducing the carbon footprints. A solution to this problem lies with the bundling of many small projects to form a larger one. When many small firms bring together their projects and form a larger one, they may jointly incur the cost of carbon credits thereby reducing their overall costs. They will also be able to reduce their carbon emissions. Relevance to business planning for sustainability and environment in Middle East Carbon footprints and credits are very useful to the modern business environment not only in the Middle East but across the world. There is a move towards environmental conservation efforts and businesses which support this cause have been seen to attract goodwill form consumers. Those which do not have recorded lower sales revenues due to their inability to be in touch with causes which the market relates to. In the Middle East, it has been discussed that consumers are moving towards environmental conservation efforts by purchasing energy saving products, reusable products and supporting firms which produce goods in environmentally friendly means. It is therefore clear that for any business to meet its objectives, it has to operate within environmentally friendly ways. It also has to support causes which are similar to those supported by consumers including corporate social responsibility and ethical practices. The relevance which carbon footprints and carbon credit has on the Middl e East business environment regarding sustainability will be briefly discussed below; Consumer behavior It has been discussed that due to the adverse effects of environmental destruction, consumers are aware of the need to carry out environmental conservation. The effects of destruction of the environment including global warming, climate change, shrinking of ice caps and others have become a reality which threatens the survival of mankind (Changnon Bell, 2000). Most consumers have therefore embraced environmental conservation concerns and demand products which are produced through environmentally friendly ways. In the Middle East, there are many environmental groups which lobby for firms to embrace environmental conservation strategies which manufacturing goods. These groups which include the Global Footprint Network encourage consumers to shun products which are developed by firms which pollute the environment. As a result, firms are forced to adopt the use of clean technology and carbon emission reduction strategies such as carbon credits. Manufacturers in the Middle East and other parts of the world have therefore been forced by the changes in consumer behavior and market trends to embrace carbon credits strategy. Consumers have access to a wide variety of products due to technological change and innovation and they therefore have a bargaining power. Middle East firms which do not produce goods in environmentally friendly ways such as through use of carbon credits risk being shunned by consumers who will opt to purchase substitutes from manufacturers who support their cause for environmental conservation. Carbon credit strategies are therefore very relevant to the business environment in the Middle East for firms keen on increasing sales revenues and developing customer goodwill and loyalty. Businesses which are keen on developing long term sustainable practices should therefore develop an environmental conservation plan which may include the carbon credit strategy in order to meet their objectives. Kyoto Protocol The Kyoto Protocol is another initiative which makes carbon credit strategy relevant to the business environment in the Middle East. It has been discussed that several Middle East countries have ratified the Kyoto Protocol and these include Yemen, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait and others. These countries are bound by resolutions made to reduce their carbon emissions by more than 5% of their 1990 emission levels. Since the countries voluntarily ratified the protocol, many are keen to follow it. The most effective way of reducing these emissions is reducing emissions by firms, particularly those in the manufacturing industry. Countries such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE are some of the largest global emitters and the only way they can achieve the goals of the Kyoto Protocol is to ensure that firms and particularly those in the oil industry reduce their emissions. Businesses which operate in the Middle East are therefore forced by the government to reduce their emissions in order to ac hieve the goals of the Kyoto Protocol. The Middle East governments are bound by the ratification of the Protocol and they have begun introducing carbon credits to businesses as strategies aimed at reducing carbon emissions. Countries including Qatar and the UAE have assigned the allowed emissions to businesses and organizations and put quotas on the emissions which each business should release into the atmosphere. Many other countries in the Middle East are likely to follow the trends taken by Qatar and the UAE. Businesses therefore have no choice if they are to operate in the Middle East business environment. They are bound by any international agreements which their countries enter into. Failure to observe carbon reduction strategies such as purchase of carbon credits may be deemed as unethical practices which may be punished by the governments, environmental protection agencies or financial regulators. The Kyoto protocol has therefore made carbon credits an essential part of business operation since firms have been forced to purchase them and be in line with the desired objective of Middle East and global governments of reducing carbon emissions into the atmosphere. Corporate social responsibility Businesses have corporate social responsibility towards communities and the society at large. Any business has a social responsibility of empowering local communities through corporate responsibility programs which use different strategies to achieve this objective. Consumers are also aware of the social responsibility which firms have towards them and their local communities and they have begun associating themselves with firms which play important social roles in the community. In line with this, the business organizations which operate in the Middle East and other countries have a responsibility of socially empowering communities and operating in environmentally friendly ways (Ruddiman, 2005). This duty is not vested in the Kyoto Protocol, it is a duty expected from corporate bodies across the world. Firms are expected to operate in ways which do not pollute the environment and which socially uplift the standards of living of local communities. Due to the importance of corporate social responsibility and operating in environmentally friendly ways, many firms have strived to achieve these objectives. One of the common strategies include funding community projects, research and increasing awareness on social concerns. Other strategies include funding education, training, offering employment, sponsorships and donations. In addition, the goals of environmental conservation are achieved through use of clean technology, reducing energy use and reducing carbon and other harmful emissions to the environment. Carbon credits have gained demand for achieving the environmental conservation goals. The demand for social responsibility by consumers has therefore made carbon credits relevant to the business environment in the Middle East. Firms which do not observe this social responsibility role risk losing customers to competitors who embrace these causes. Reduction in production costs Recent research has shown that the use of clean technology can help reduce the production costs by as much as 20% in firms in the manufacturing industry. Research in developed countries such as China has shown that if used effectively, clean technology reduces the production cost by 20% for capital intensive activities (Lerner Wilmoth, 2006). Reduction of the production cost is a major goal for any business. This is because reduction in production leads to reduction in the overall product price and this attracts consumers to these relatively cheaper products. The benefits of clean technology apply to firms in the manufacturing industry. In the Middle East, there are many firms which operate in this industry and especially due to the presence of oil manufacturing firms. The use of clean technology would offer massive benefits to this industry. Although not many firms in the Middle East have realized the potential benefits of cost reduction due to embracing clean technology, there has been increased demand for this technology over recent months. Firms which have benefited from the clean technology have acted as case studies and more and more Middle East firms have begun embracing clean technology in order to reduce production costs. Such firmsd have embraced carbon credits as some forms of implementing the clean technology strategy. For instance, a renewable energy company called Masdar which is based in the UAE has plans to acquire carbon credits for waste heat and solar projects in order to reduce production costs and gain other benefits. Two projects commissioned in Abu Dhabi will receive 2.5 million credits between the current year and 2018. the potential benefits of production cost reduction will therefore make carbon credits popular clean technology strategies in the Middle East in the near future according to the cur rent trends by Middle East firms. Summary and conclusion The role of carbon credits and carbon footprints in the Middle East business environment has been discussed in detail. Carbon footprints have been defined as emissions of greenhouse gases which are attributed to a product or an organization while carbon credit on the other hand represents permits or certificates by business organizations allowing them to emit carbon dioxide or carbon equivalent to one tonne. Carbon footprints determine the levels of carbon emitted by businesses in a region. Once this information is known, it is possible to develop a strategy aimed at mitigating carbon footprint levels. Such strategies include use of alternative energy sources such as wind and solar or implementation of strategies to conserve the environment such as planting trees. Carbon credits aim at reducing carbon emissions. Carbon trading is form of trading in emissions. In order to implement carbon credits, carbon levels in the atmosphere are measured and capped to determine the most sustainabl e levels which will lead to minimal damage to the environment. After this is performed, the capped levels are allocated to regulated sources in the various markets. The carbon credit strategies are implemented under the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol. The Kyoto protocol is an agreement amongst some countries which are members of the UN to take measures to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change. The major goal of this framework is to stabilize greenhouse gases and reduce their effects on the environment. There are over 190 states which have ratified and signed the protocol including Middle East countries such as Yemen, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait and others. Each of the Middle East countries which ratified the Kyoto Protocol has some assigned units of carbon emissions which are entered in individual country registries. The challenges of maintaining the agreed carbon emissions by countries which have ratified the Kyoto Protocol have been recognized by member countries. The joint implementation strategy allows countries which are about to undertake projects which would lead to high level of carbon emissions are allowed to undertake these projects in other countries. The clean development mechanism allows developed countries to fund carbon emission reduction efforts in developing countries at lower costs while emission trading allows countries which are about to exhaust their allowable limits to trade credits with those with sufficient allocations and vice verse. Due to the effects of environmental destruction including carbon emissions, climate change and global warming, consumers in the Middle East have began associating themselves with firms which manufacture products in environmentally friendly ways. Other factors which have contributed to the increase of use of carbon credit strategies by UAE firms include the Kyoto Protocol which forces businesses to undertake carbon reduction strategies, corporate social responsibility roles which dictate for operation of firms in environmentally friendly ways and reduction in production costs attributed to use of clean technology. Although not many firms in the Middle East have realized the potential benefits of cost reduction due to embracing clean technology, there has been increased demand for this technology over recent months. It is important for UAE firms to embrace reduction of carbon emission through carbon credit strategies among other environmentally conservation strategies in order to devel op customer loyalty and reduce the global emission of carbon into the atmosphere. This will be beneficial to the businesses as well as to humanity whose survival is threatened by environmental destruction.

An Analysis of Starbucks Essay -- Business Management SWOT

An Analysis of Starbucks Company History Starbucks was opened its first coffee company in Seattle’s Pike place Market on 1971. The name was taken from the first mate in Herman Melville’s Moby Dick (Company Profile, 2005). Products Beverages: Brewed coffees, Italian-style espresso, cold blended beverages, roasted whole bean coffees, tea products, fruit juice, sodas, and coffee liqueur. Food: Sandwich, Salads, pastries and ice creams. Non food items: Mugs, Travel tumblers, coffeemakers, coffee grinders, storage containers, compact discs, games, seasonal novelty items, Starbucks card, media bar. International Business Development In order to achieve Starbucks mission to be a global company, the development strategy that Starbucks implemented to adapt with variety market and local need are: joint ventures, licenses and company owned operation (Starbucks Corporation, 2005). There are 4,666 Starbucks stores which are operated and 2,222 are licensed operation in US which are spread out in 50 states. For the international location, StarbucksÂ’ store can be found in 34 countries outside of the United States and 1,049 stores are company owned operated in Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Singapore, Thailand and the U.K. and 1,734 are joint ventures and licensed operation (Company Fact Sheet, 2005). Starbucks goes International 1996 Starbucks open in Tokyo, Japan. Nowadays, there are more than 500 retails shops in Japan. Furthermore, Starbucks also open in Hawaii and Singapore. 1997 Starbucks open in Philippines 1998 Starbucks open in U.K., Taiwan, Thailand, New Zealand and Malaysia. 1999 Starbucks open in Beijing, Kuwait, South Korea and Lebanon. 2000 Starbucks open in United... ...rieved http://www.euromonitor.com/article.asp?id=5341&print=true Miller M, P. (July-August 2004). Quick Service Hits China. The China Business Review. Retrieved August 19, 2005, from Business Source Premium database Chris B. (2004), â€Å"Chinese wake up and smell the coffee†, Retrieved fromhttp://web4.epnet.com/citation.asp. Gray J. (2005), â€Å"Economy of China†, International Economy Investigation Institution, China, Retrieved http://www.economywatch.com/world_economy/china/. Hope L. (2004), â€Å"Coffee brews a future in China†, Retrieved http://www.itmonline.org/arts/coffee.htm Kristen M. B. (2005), â€Å"Starbucks Adjusts Its Formula in China†, Retrieved http://web4.epnet.com/citation.asp. Linda Q. (2004), â€Å"Strategic Analysis for Best Coffee in China†, Faculty of Business Administration, Guangdong University, Retrieved http://web4.epnet.com/citation.asp

menopause Essay -- essays research papers

 ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Menopause is the time in a woman’s life when the function of the ovaries ceases. The ovary, or female gonad, is one of a pair of reproductive glands in women.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The process of menopause does not occur overnight, but rather is a gradual process. This so-called perimenopausal transition period is a different experience for each woman.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The average age of menopause onset is 51 years old. There is no single method to predict when a woman will experience menopause.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The age at which a woman starts having menstrual periods is not related to the age of menopause onset.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A women is in menopause when she has had no menstrual periods (menses) for 12 months and has no other medical reason for her menses to stop.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Symptoms of menopause can be divided into early and late onset symptoms. Early symptoms include abnormal vaginal bleeding, hot flashes, and mood changes. Late symptoms include vaginal dryness and irritation, osteoporosis, and heart disease.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Treatments for menopause are directed toward alleviating the symptoms present in the particular woman affected. *What is menopause? Menopause is the time in a woman’s life when the function of the ovaries ceases. The ovary, or female gonad, is one of a pair of reproductive glands in women. They are located in the pelvis, one on each side of the uterus. Each ovary is about the size and shape of an almond. The ovaries produce eggs (ova) and female hormones. During each monthly menstrual cycle, an egg is released from one ovary. The egg travels from the ovary through a fallopian tube to the uterus. The ovaries are the main source of female hormones, which control the development of female body characteristics such as the breasts, body shape, and body hair. The hormones also regulate the menstrual cycle and pregnancy. The process of menopause does not occur overnight, but rather is a gradual process. This so-called perimenopausal transition period is a different experience for each woman. Scientists are still determining all the factors that affect when this transition begins and the details of how it occurs. The average age of menopause is 51 years old. Although women tend to undergo menopause at an age simil... .... HTML1DocumentEncodingutf-8What is menopause? When does a woman know she is in menopause? Are hormone levels or other blood tests helpful in detecting menopause? What are the symptoms of menopause?  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚ ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Abnormal Vaginal Bleeding  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚ ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hot Flashes  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚ ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mood Symptoms  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚ ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Vaginal Symptoms  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚ ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Osteoporosis  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚ ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Heart disease What are the treatment options for menopause?  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚ ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Abnormal Vaginal Bleeding  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚ ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hot Flashes  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚ ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mood Symptoms  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚ ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Vaginal Symptoms  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚ ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Osteoporosis  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚ ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Heart Disease

Music Speech :: essays research papers fc

Do you sing at the top of our lungs daily in your car on the way to school, in the shower, or while cleaning your house? Music is a way of life. It is a worldwide language that we can all share in and enjoy. Music is my passion. I’ve been actively involved in choirs, musicals, private lessons, and other musical performances for almost all my life. I don’t think most people realize how important music is to education, work skills, and communication. The fundamentals of learning are instilled into a child at a very young age. Research has shown that involvement in music programs improves a child’s early cognitive development and basic math and reading abilities. There are schools attempting to eliminate teaching musical arts to our children. The board of education claims they must provide education by concentrating on the basic academic courses, but what they don't realize is that music is a major part of basic education. Music as a separate and thorough curriculum can have dramatic positive changes in the learning process of young people. They call it "musical math," in which the teacher incorporates rhythm with counting and gaining a grasp on the fundamentals of math. With the rhythm, they are able to learn basic elements of math like fraction and multiplication. American children are lagging behind in their math and science abilities as compared to their foreign counterparts and music could be just the ca talyst we need to catch up. Successful music students tend to possess the qualities and skills that are generally considered essential to employers in business, education and service organizations. Learning music takes extreme self-discipline and creativity. It has been shown to raise self-esteem and make society more confident in their abilities. It is an easy outlet to release frustrations to get rid of the burden on your shoulders. It uplifts and motivates the spirit and gives people a more positive outlook on life and situations. It is important to cut down on stress in our daily lives and any way that we can do that is beneficial to our health in some way or another. Musical groups such as choir, orchestra or band help bring people together as well as improving communication skills, group work, and forming peer groups. Music creates a higher standard of performance of people. Normal people settle for the standard 90%, but in a musical setting, a performance of only 90% would be very disappointing to t he performer and the audience.

Room 101 Speech

â€Å"Don’t Get Me Started On†¦ † Adverts. There like marmite, you either love them or hate them and I personally hate them. Whether its adverts on the television or in a magazine, they are all irritating and pointless. Its TV adverts that are the worst though. You’re sitting at home watching Titanic on ITV, when Kate Winslet whispers her lasts words to Leonardo- ‘I will never let go’, and releases him into the depths of the Atlantic. You’re sniveling becomes sobbing, the tears begin to flow and then Stacey Solomon’s voice ruins the atmosphere, advertising the latest frozen mini cheesecakes on the infamous Iceland advert.Your grief soon turns to anger and you think it can’t get any worse, until your hear the nauseating line ‘that’s why mum’s go to Iceland! ’ The emotional moment has gone and you have to sit through two to three minutes of boring adverts. There are hundreds of these irritating adver ts. From the go compare advert to the auto glass- the list goes on! It’s not just the emotional or romantic atmosphere they ruin either, it’s the suspense, drama or great sporting moment that you miss. Like when you’re watching a great episode of Midsummer Murders and you just are about to find out who murdered the teacher and the adverts appear.They are beyond annoying. More than anything, it’s the catch phrases and little jingles that are most annoying. I don’t know how many days ‘Go compare’ has been ringing in my ears for after just the first word of the famous advert. A lot of the adverts are advertising pointless things that people see so many times that they don’t care for the latest insurance comparison website and when it comes to it a lot of people just to Google for help. We all rush out, purses and wallets in hand; handing over ridiculous amounts of money for something we don’t even need and doesn’t wor k but that the advert makes look easy.How much does it say about the products that they have to use sneaky methods to sell them? Its quite sickening when you see adverts that are aimed at people’s fears and worries. The Pensions and Life Insurance that won’t actually pay you out any more money than you’ve paid in and that you took out because of the tear-jerking advert full of puppies and sickly sweet children. They seem to guilt trip you into giving over money and it’s not that I don’t feel sorry for them, it’s just in the middle of a programmes isn’t the right time.To stand out from the rest, companies enlist famous people to appear in their adverts or do voice overs. But these celebrities already earn thousands of pounds and, for example, Gary Lineker on the Walkers adverts is an ex footballer who probably wasn’t even allowed to eat the crisps when he was working is advertising a fatty food that is already famous and the mon ey only goes to contributing towards his next sports car, surely the ridiculous amount of money spent on these adverts could go to better causes, after all its probably my money that pays for it and I don’t even watch it!I’m not the only one that hates adverts also, research shows that a massive 91% of people agree with us, saying adverts ruin television programmes and a huge 79% of people asked said they wished advertisements were banned! Some people find adverts useful and say it gives them time to go to the toilet or make a cup of tea, but in an hour long programme there are four breaks. Surely people don’t need to get up four times, (every 15 minutes) to do these ‘useful’ things. Furthermore, adverts are simply to advertise different products or services.But who actually watches them? Not me, and I’m not the only one. 94% of people don’t pay any attention to the adverts, and 86% of these people change the channel over whilst these adverts are on. So, adverts, they do nothing but annoy people, they ruin programmes and people don’t even watch them. Therefore they aren’t even fulfilling the purpose of them nor are the putting money to good use and they are socially irresponsible. All of this together means room 101 is the only place for them, clearly.

Making a Hero

A hero and heroic journeys are the most important elements of Ancient mythology, and the Odyssey by Homer as an example of such epics. Joseph Campbell identifies three main stages of the hero’s journey found in monomyths: Separation, Initiation and Return. In the Odyssey, the main hero goes through these stages in order to prove and test his courage and heroism. Thesis Through physical journeys and trials, his personality changes for the better: while ‘initiation’ tests his psychical and psychological strength, separation and return reflect his personal qualities and new values. In contrast to traditional model proposed by Joseph Campbell, the Odyssey follows a parallel construction: readers know about his return and separation simultaneously. The first stage, separation, begins twenty years prior to the events depicted in the Odyssey. Readers know about Odyssey’s departure and causes of this separation through memories of Odyssey and other characters. The main difference is that Homer tells about separation through memories and isolated stories. Only in Book XVI, Homer describes the separation: â€Å"it is such a long time ago that I / can hardly say. Twenty years are come and gone since he left my / home, and went elsewhither† (Homer, Book XVI). This quote is very important because it tells readers about the past and helps Penelope to recollect events. Penelope is sure that Ulysses is â€Å"laid before her† (Homer). The most important is that the story about separation coincides with ‘return’ of the hero and his moral development. The rest of the story (the return) describes his new qualities and values developed during initiation from the psychological point of view. The second stage, initiation, consists of several trials and battles which show courage and enormous physical strength of Odyssey. The main trials include: the encounter with the Cicones, several years spent in Calypso’s cave; the battle with the Cyclops and the encounter with the Sirens show that only. The first encounters show his physical strength while the second ones test his psychological qualities. â€Å"Odysseus then you are, o great contender, of whom the glittering god with the golden wand / spoke to me ever, and foretold /the black swift ship would carry you from Troy† (Homer, Book X). This remark tells readers that his journey is not over and he needs great courage and bravery to overcome all difficult situations and eternal evil. It is possible to make certain distinctions between two stages of personal development (separation and return): for instance, fresh strong feeling in Odyssey hero is a different thing from the mass strong feeling in the people; or that some types and manifestations of feeling are gross self-indulgence and are not at all the thing they appear to be; or that an appearance of strong feeling may be only a mask hiding some weakness or other. Physical sufferings and trials have changed his personality and world views. At the stage of return, Homer does not tell about low morals of Odyssey and his habits, but describes him as a real hero who returns home. He inherits his honesty. In his love for women he shows that he has none of snobbery. At the end, the main hero is depicted as a keeper of law and traditions of the society. Also, Homer shows that it is dangerous thing to forget about human dignity and human code of ethics. â€Å"'The royal pair mingled in love again and afterward lay revelling in stories. / †¦ Odysseus told of what hard blows he had dealt to others and of what blows he had taken-all that story† (Homer, Book XXIII). This remark shows that after Initiation, Odyssey is a loving husband and father, fair ruler and son. At this stage, Odyssey combines the moral and social qualities of an ideal hero. In sum, the remarkable feature of the Odyssey is a cyclical structure of the Hero’s journey based on physical and psychological development of the main character.   Using a cyclical structure, Homer compares and contrasts the qualities of two different characters: Odyssey before and after the initiation stage. The inferences in the paper are important because they help to identify and analyze the main elements of the text, and then synthesize and summarize the main findings of the analysis. Works Cited Page Homer. The Odyssey. N.d. http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext99/dyssy10.txt

Classical Music Essay

Kerala (/ˈkeÉ ªrÉ™lÉ™/), also known as Keralam (/ˈkeÉ ªrÉ™lÉ™m/) is a state located in the south-west region of India on the Malabar coast. Thiruvananthapuram is the state capital among the 14 districts; other major cities include Kochi andKozhikode. At a population of 33,388,000 in 2011, the state has the lowest population growth rate. It also has the highest literacy rate; It is also considered as the â€Å"cleanest state in India. Production of pepper and natural rubber constitute prominent output in the total national output, as well as in the agricultural sector, coconut, tea, coffee, cashew, spices are important. Climate Kerala has a wet and maritime tropical climate influenced by the seasonal heavy rains of the southwest summer monsoon and northeast winter monsoon. Agriculture Kerala produces 97% of the national output of black pepper[180] and accounts for 85% of the area under natural rubber in the country.[181][66] Coconut, tea,coffee, cashew, and spices—including cardamom, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg—comprise a critical agricultural sector.[182][183][184][185][89][186] The key agricultural staple is rice, with varieties grown in extensive paddy fields Fisheries Kerala is one of the leading producers of fish in India. about 1.1 million people earn their livelihood from fishing and allied activities such as drying, processing, packaging, exporting and transporting fisheries. Culture-Dance The culture of Kerala is composite and cosmopolitan in nature and it’s an integral part of Indian culture. Kerala is home to a number of performance arts. These include five classical dance forms: Kathakali, Mohiniyattam, Koodiyattom, Thullal andKrishnanattam, Culture-Music: Carnatic music dominates Keralite traditional music. Development of classical music in Kerala is attributed to the contributions it received from the traditional performance arts associated with the temple culture of Kerala. Culture-Cuisine- Kerala cuisine has a multitude of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes prepared using fish, poultry and meat Elephants Elephants have been an integral part of culture of the state. Kerala is home to the largest domesticated population of elephant in India—about 700 Indian elephants, owned by temples as well as individuals.[324] These elephants are mainly employed for the processions and displays associated with festivals celebrated all around the state. Tourism Kerala is a tourist destination: the backwaters, beaches, Ayurvedic tourism, and tropical greenery are among its major attractions. Kerala’s beaches, backwaters, mountain ranges and wildlife sanctuaries are the major attractions for both domestic and international tourists. The city of Kochi ranks first in the total number of international and domestic tourists in Kerala. RÄ jasthÄ n, ) Known as â€Å"The land of kings†, is the largest state of the Republic of Indiaby area. It is located in the northwest of India. Jaipur is the capital and the largest city of the state. Eastern Rajasthan has the world famous Keoladeo National Park near Bharatpur, a World Heritage Site known for its bird life. It also has two national tiger reserves, Ranthambore and Sariska Tiger Reserve, and a famous temple in Khatu, Sikar district, Language: Rajasthani is the main spoken language of the state, although Hindi and English are used for official purposes. It is spoken by 13 million peo ple in Rajasthan and other states of India. Economy Rajasthan’s economy is primarily agricultural and pastoral. Wheat and barley are cultivated over large areas, as are pulses, sugarcane, and oilseeds.Cotton and tobacco are the state’s cash crops. Rajasthan is among the largest producers of edible oils in India and the second largest producer ofoilseeds. Rajasthan is also the biggest wool-producing state in India and the main opium producer and consumer. There are mainly two crop seasons. The water for irrigation comes from wells and tanks. The Indira Gandhi Canal irrigates northwestern Rajasthan. The main industries are mineral based, agriculture based, and textiles. Rajasthan is the second largest producer of polyester fibre in India. Rajasthan is pre-eminent in quarrying and mining in India The state is the second largest source of cement in India Tourism: Endowed with natural beauty and a great history, tourism is a flourishing industry in Rajasthan. The palaces of Jaipur and Ajmer-Pushkar, the lakes of Udaipur, the desert forts of Jodhpur, Taragarh Fort (Star Fort) in Bundi, and Bikaner and Jaisalmer rank among the most preferred destinations in India for many tourists both Indian and foreign. Culture: The Ghoomar dance from Udaipur and Kalbeliya dance of Jaisalmer have gained international recognition. Folk music is a vital part of Rajasthani culture.Kathputli, Bhopa, Chang, Teratali, Ghindr, Kachchhighori, Tejaji etc. are the examples of the traditional Rajasthani culture. Rajasthan is known for its traditional, colorful art.wall painting in bundi . The block prints, tie and dye prints, Bagaru prints, Sanganer prints, and Zariembroidery are major export products from Rajasthan. Handicraft items like wooden furniture and handicrafts, carpets, and blue pottery are some of the things commonly found here. Rajasthani clothes have a lot of mirror-work and embroidery. A Rajasthani traditional dress for females comprises an ankle length skirt and a short top, also known as a lehenga or a chaniya choli. Cuisne Rajasthani cooking was influenced by both the war-like lifestyles of its inhabitants and the availability of ingredients in this arid region.[1] Food that could last for several days and could be eaten without heating was preferred. Rajasthani cuisine is a splendid array of colorful, spicy and unique dishes. Rajasthani food is incomplete without the mention of the famedDal-Baati-Churma, a distinctive dish of the state. Amir Khusrau AmÄ «rKhusrow was an Indian musician, scholar and poet. He was an iconic figure in the cultural history of the Indian subcontinent. A Sufi mystic and a spiritual disciple of Nizamuddin Auliya of Delhi, AmÄ «r Khusrow was not only a notable poet but also a prolific and seminal musician. He wrote poetry primarily in Persian, but also in Hindavi. He compiled the oldest known printed dictionary (Khaliq-e-bari ) in 1320 which mainly dealt with Hindvi and Persian words. He is regarded as the â€Å"father of qawwali†. He is also credited with enriching Hindustani classical music by introducing Persian and Arabic elements in it, and was the originator of the khayal and tarana styles of music. The invention of the tabla is also traditionally attributed to AmÄ «r Khusrow. Early life and background AmÄ «r Khusrow was born in Patiyali in Uttar Pradesh. His father, AmÄ «r Sayf ud-DÄ «n MahmÃ… «d, was a Turkic officer and a member of the Lachin tribe of Transoxania, themselves belonging to the Kara-Khitais.[5][6][7] His mother was the daughter of Rawat Arz, the famous war minister of Balban, and belonged to the Rajput tribes of Uttar Pradesh Khusrow the royal poet Khusrow was a prolific classical poet associated with the royal courts of more than seven rulers of the Delhi Sultanate. He is popular in much of North India and Pakistan, because of many playful riddles, songs and legends attributed to him. Through his enormous literary output and the legendary folk personality, Khusrow represents one of the first (recorded) Indian personages with a true multi-cultural or pluralistic identity. Last Days I 321 Mubarak Khilji was murdered and Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq came to power. Khusro started to write theTughluqnama. 1325 Sultan Muhammad bin Tughluq came to power. Nizamuddin Auliya died, and six months later so did Khusrow . Khusrow ‘s tomb is next to that of his master in the Nizamuddin Dargah of Delhi. ————————————————- Tulsi Das TulsiDas also known as Goswami Tulsidas), was a Hindu poet-saint, reformer and philosopher renowned for his devotion to the god Rama. A composer of several popular works, he is best known as the author of the epicRamcharitmanas, a retelling of the Sanskrit Ramayana in the vernacular Awadhi. Tulsidas was acclaimed in his lifetime to be a reincarnation ofValmiki, the composer of the original Ramayana in Sanskrit.[4] He is also considered to be the composer of the Hanuman Chalisa, a popular devotional hymn dedicated to Hanuman, the divine devotee of Rama.[5] Tulsidas lived permanently and died in the city of Varanasi.[6] The Tulsi Ghat in Varnasi is named after him.[3] He founded the Sankatmochan Temple dedicated to Hanuman in Varanasi, believed to stand at the place where he had the sight of Hanuman.[7] Tulsidas started the Ramlila plays, a folk-theatre adaption of the Ramayana.[8] He has been acclaimed as one of the greatest poets in Hindi, Indian, and world literature.[9][10][11][12] The impact of Tulsidas and his works on the art, culture and society in India is widespread and is seen to date in vernacular language, Ramlila plays, Hindustani classical music, popular music, and television series. Tulsidas is believed to be a reincarnation of Valmiki Early life Birth Tulsidas was born on the seventh day of the bright half of the lunar Hindu month Shraavana (July–August). After renunciation, Tulsidas spent most of his time at Varanasi, Prayag, Ayodhya, and Chitrakuta but visited many other nearby and far-off places. He traveled across India to many places, studying different people, meeting saints and Sadhus and meditating Tulsidas died at the Assi Ghat on the bank of the river Ganga in the Shraavan (July–August) month of the year Vikram 1680 (1623 CE). Like the year of his birth, traditional accounts and biographers do not agree on the exact date of his death. Different sources give the date as the third day of the bright half, seventh day of the bright half, or the third day of the dark half.[77][78] ————————————————- Works Kamban Kambar (Kampan in casual address) was a medieval Tamil poet and the author of the Tamil Ramayanam Ramavatharam, popularly known as Kambaramayanam, the Tamil version of Ramayana. He was born in the 12th century in Tiruvaluntur in Tanjore district ————————————————- Life Kambar belonged to the Ochchan or Occhan caste, traditionally nadaswaram players in southern India.[3][4] But he was brought up in the household of a wealthy farmer in Vennai Nellur in south India. The Chola king having heard of this talented bard, summoned him to his court and honoured him with the title Kavi Chakravarthi or The Emperor of Poets. The Ramavataram or Kamba Ramayanam of Kamban is an epic of about 11,000 stanzas as opposed to Valmiki’s 24000 couplets. Kamba Ramayana is not a translation of the Sanskrit epic by Valmiki, but an original retelling of the story of the God Rama. The poetic work is well known for its similes. Many Tamil poets, statesmen, kings and common people have praised Kambar for his Kambaramayanam which has more than 10000 songs forming one of the greatest epics of Tamil. Kambaramayanam has more than 45000 lines. Thyagaraja Kakarla Tyagabrahmam (May 4, 1767–January 6, 1847), was one of the greatest composers of Carnatic music or classical South Indian music. He was a prolific composer and highly influential in the development of the South Indian classical music tradition. Tyagaraja composed thousands of devotional compositions, most in praise of Lord Rama — many of which remain popular today. Of special mention are five of his compositions called the Pancharatna Krithis (English: â€Å"five gems†), which are often sung in programs in his honor. Tyagaraja was born in 1767 in Tiruvarur, Tiruvarur district, in what is now called Tamil Nadu, to Kakarla Ramabrahmam and Sitamma in a Telugu Brahmin family of the Mulukanadu subsect He was named Tyagaraja after Lord Tyagaraja, the presiding deity of the temple at Tiruvarur. Tyagaraja began his musical training under Sri Sonthi Ramanayya, a music scholar, at an early age. He regarded music as a way to experience God’s love. His objective while practising music was purely devotional, as opposed to focusing on the technicalities of classical music. Tyagaraja, who was totally immersed in his devotion to Lord Rama and led the most spartan way of life without bothering in the least for the comforts of the world, The songs he composed were widespread in their popularity. due to the labour of love by these musicians and researchers, there is a definitive collection of Thyagaraja’s music. However out of 24,000 thousand songs said to have been composed, about 700 songs remain known. Tyagaraja Aradhana, the commemorative music festival is held every year at Thiruvaiyaru in the months of January to February in Tyagaraja’s honour. This is a week-long festival of music where various Carnatic musicians from all over the world converge at his resting place. SAROD The sarod is a stringed musical instrument, used mainly in Indian classical music. Along with the sitar, it is the most popular and prominent instrument in Hindustani (northern Indian, Bangladeshi and Pakistani) classical music. The sarod is known for a deep, weighty, introspective sound, in contrast with the sweet, overtone-rich texture of the sitar, with sympathetic strings that give it a resonant, reverberant quality. It is a fretless instrument able to produce the continuous slides between notes known as meend (glissandi), which is important to Indian music. The sarod is believed by some to have descended from the Afghan rubab, a similar instrument originating in Central Asia and Afghanistan. The nameSarod roughly translates to â€Å"beautiful sound† or â€Å"melody† in Persian . Design The design of the instrument depends on the school (gharana) of playing. There are three distinguishable types, discussed below. The conventional sarod is an 17 to 25-stringed lute-like instrument — four to five main strings used for playing the melody, one or two drone strings, twochikari strings and nine to eleven sympathetic strings. The design of this early model is generally credited to Niyamatullah Khan of the Lucknow Gharana as well as Ghulam Ali Khan of the Gwalior-Bangash Gharana. Among the contemporary sarod players, this basic design is kept intact by two streams of sarod playing Another type is that designed by Allauddin Khan and his brother Ayet Ali Khan. This instrument, referred to by David Trasoff (Trasoff, 2000) as the 1934 Maihar Prototype, is larger and longer than the conventional instrument, though the fingerboard is identical to the traditional sarod described above. This instrument has 25 strings in all. Sarod strings are made either of steel or phosphor bronze. Early sarod players used plain wire plectrums, which yield a soft, ringing tone. Playing The lack of frets and the tension of the strings make the sarod a very demanding instrument to play, as the strings must be pressed hard against the fingerboard. There are two approaches to stopping the strings of the sarod. One involves using the tip of one’s fingernails to stop the strings, and the other uses a combination of the nail and the fingertip to stop the strings against the fingerboard

Children’s Responses to Own Practice Essay

1 Reflect on own practice. Take note of children and young peoples responses to own practice.I must always take note of how children respond to me it’s important that they feel comfortable and confident and that they trust me, never make them feel intimidated by doing this the child develop more positively emotionally, physically and mentally. 1.1 Take note of children and young people’s responses to own practise When working with children and young people schools will require you to evaluate how each individual responds while they are in your charge. You may find that different teaching styles work better than others and that some prefer a softer approach whereas others may enjoy difficult challenges. Teachers often find that you may be able to spend more time with an individual and your feedback can be a useful source of information, for this reason it is often helpful if you keep a written track of each child or groups progress and how they reacted in each session. 1.2 Ask for constructive fee dback on own practise from colleagues For you to be able to provide the best possible education for children and young people you should always be pushing yourself to reach greater heights and by listening and taking on advice from your colleagues, assessor, head teacher to parents you will be able to continue to grow into a valuable team member and role model to your students. You could ask a colleague to observe you and give back any feedback they may have. If you decide after taking on feedback and assessing your own role that you are perhaps thinking of changing the way you approach a situation, then you may find that seeking advice on the best way to approach situations through your peers could be a useful way of gaining advice. Listening to others can provide you with vital information to assist you in refl ecting upon your own practice. You should aim to listen carefully to feedback, and not become defensive or take the feedback personally. The key focus is to improve practice.Being a refl ective professional requires you to take the time to consider your work, refl ect on its objectives and evaluate its outcomes. You should be learning from your experiences and applying this newfound knowledge to future situations. This is exactly the same message as the one you will be trying to send to your candidates while you support them through their award and encourage them to become refl ective practitioners too. 1.3 Take note of  responses to own practise from others. Evaluating oneself is often a difficult procedure as it means looking deep within and taking your own beliefs and actions into account. You should aim to be as professional as possible as you in essence are looking after the well-being of somebodies child. You may find that you hold different beliefs to some parents or even the school itself and it is important that you try to remain open minded when taking advice from others. All feedback should be acted on as it is given in order to help you improve even when you are given positive feedback always try to improve your own practice if you are given negative feedback take on board what has been said, try to find ways to do things better. 1.4 Evaluate all aspects of own practice. To help me evaluate my own practice I will put together a list of questions to ask myself: Did I pay attention to the needs of all, did I properly supervise and keep a safe and secure environment, did I monitor all children carefully, did I check the area and equipment properly. If anything went wrong or if an incident occurred ask myself â€Å"what could I have done to prevent it† and what can I do to prevent it happening again? 206. Be able to improve own practice. 2.1 Identify possible development opportunities relevant to improving own practice. Development opportunities can come from within the setting if you are given a mentor who will supervise and advise you on how to keep improving, You may be able to take an adult class from a secondary source, even visit the library and take advantage of the literature on offer to help you develop. 2.2: Describe the importance of continuing professional development It is important to continue your professional development throughout your career or chosen profession, as this will help your knowledge to grow and expand. There are many ways in which you can constantly keep improving on this. You could attend courses/classes at college; attend conferences and or workshops as well as the option of learning via reading books or using the internet. A teaching assistant who may feel the need to improve her knowledge on dealing with children who have behavioural problems would need to do a college course, where she would need to use the internet and books for both her resource and references and extra information. To which she would then put all this into practice and have a new knowledgeable skill that would be invaluable to her professional role. While in your chosen profession, to hear the views of what others think is also another way of developing  yourself, they see you in a different way to how you actually see yourself. They may give you advice on how you could improve on a particular way that you handled a dispute between two children, or how you had helped/or how you could help a group of children with a subject or even doing a wall display. Their advice is an invaluable way of improving one’s self development. Another way of improving on your development is to learn from yourself. Reflect on how your day has gone and what you could have improved on. 2.3 work with an appropiate person: a)identify own strengths, and areas were practice could improve There is general agreement across all interested parties that a process of working together is the best way to determine which school or educational setting is right for an individual child with autism spectrum disorder. In the UK, families and local authorities both desire a constructive working relationship and see this as the best means by which to reach an agreement to determine where a child should be educated. b) Despite this positive outcome, survey data indicated that parents found the process bureaucratic, stressful and time consuming. Parents tended to perceive alternative placement suggestions as financially motivated rather than in the best interests of the child. Interviews with local authority personnel showed an awareness of these concerns and the complex considerations involved in determining what is best for an individual child.Conclusions: This small-scale study highlights the need for more effective communication between parents of . c)Identify goals and targets The Common Core Skills and Knowledge for the children’s workforce provides a set of basic skills and knowledge that we must be aware of and practice when we are working with children and young people on a regular basis on a part-time, full-time or on a voluntary capacity. There are six areas of skills and knowledge that we must be aware of and practice. They are: Effective communication with children, young peop le and the families involves positive clear communication, listening, comprehending, questioning and catering for their needs accordingly. Children’s and young people’s development needs to be monitored as they grow up in varying speeds emotionally, physically, socially and intellectually. It is vital to understand their development stages. Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child. This is a big responsibility that requires special attention for the safety, protection and well being of the child or young person.  Supporting transitions of children and younger people is essential as they are growing up and are often expected to cope with these changes. This knowledge helps us support them through this transitional process. Multi agency working is about different services working in unity to prevent problems from occurring. They work together with mutual aims and goals. Sharing information in an accurate and timely fashion is an important part of delivering abetted service for everyone. 2.4 Take part in continuing profesional development that is relevant to own goals and targets Personal Develop ment Planning is a structured and supported process undertaken by an individual to reflect upon their own learning, performance and/or achievement and to plan for their personal, educational and career development. The primary objective for PDP is to improve the capacity of individuals to understand what and how they are learning, and to review, plan and take responsibility for their own learning. 2.5 Review one personal developmentà © Personal Development Planning is a structured and supported process undertaken by an individual to reflect upon their own learning, performance and/or achievement and to plan for their personal, educational and career development. The primary objective for PDP is to improve the capacity of individuals to understand what and how they are learning, and to review, plan and take responsibility for their own learning. 2.6 Identify new areas of skillà © and knoweledge to achieve new goals and targets This article brings together an overview of ideas about teacher learning from both teacher education and workplace learning literature, and examines what and how newly qualified secondary school teachers learn in the early years of their career. We discuss the types of knowledge new teachers encounter and present a typology of teacher learning. The article also draws on a three-year longitudinal study, presenting findings from surveys of new and more experienced teachers together with analysis of interviews with ten new teachers during the first two years of their teaching career. We present findings about how these new teachers have learned in their first two years of teaching and explore the importance of the school context and other learning factors. Outcome 3 Understand the work of the team. 3.1 Describe why team work is important in schools. It is important to work as part of a team as this benefits the school as a  whole. In lessons, team work will enable the learning program to be more successful and the children achieve higher potential. 3.2 Describe the purpose and objectives of the team in which you work The purpose and objective of the team is to promote the intellectual, social and emotional development of the children. Working under the direction of the class teacher, I am to support and assist in the lesson plan and objectives, giving additional support to children who are struggling or finding a particular subject challenging. Working as a team with the classroom teacher gives the opportunity for children who are falling behind to catch up with the rest of the class. 3.3 Describe your own role and responsibilities at school and those of the others in your team As a volunteer teaching assistant I work under the direction of the class teacher to support the lesson objectives. To be aware, or make myself aware of the lesson plan and the method of teaching the lesson topic. In certain circumstances, I am to prepare or assist in the preparation of materials and resources required for the lesson. Carrying out administration duties such as filing, photocopying etc., At all times, being a good role model to the children. The teachers role is to plan the lesson and ensure all children have the opportunity to join in the lesson. Ensuring that whilst having the assistance of a TA that the TA is directed to those who may be struggling. 3.4 describe the importance of respecting the skill and expertise of other practitioners Describe the importance of respecting the skills and expertise of others at school. It is important for me to listen and respect other peoples help and advise as they have spent there time getting qualifications and have gathered years of experience in this environment, and there knowledge is valuable and helpful to me in gaining my own qualifica tions. outcame 4 Support the work of the team 4.1 support the purpose and objectives of the team The purpose of the team is to support each other,and this will help strengthen and improve teaching. The objective is to assist the teacher to provide help and support within there class whether its helping with a display or setting up a classroom what ever the teacher needs help with. 4.2 Carry out own role and responsibilities within the team My role is to assist and support the teacher. To help with the things they ask me to do this  could include putting up displays and putting them down. It could be helping the children with reading or helping setting up a class room for a lesson. It is the teachers job in the class room to plan lessons and to decide what the children will be doing. 4.3 Communicate clearly with team members and others, making sure they have the information they need Effective active listening is a key consultancy skill in building relationships, reducing resistance and agreeing ways forward. It is the foundation of interaction and feedback. The skills of activ e listening are very different from the way we listen in everyday conversation. Active listening is not a passive process but one which demands understanding of what a person is saying and reflecting the meaning back to them. This enables people to arrive at their own conclusions and identify potential steps for improvement. 4.4 Interact with others in a way that supports good team work Adult interaction is the key to measure a child’s development. It helps understand the importance of analysing children’s progress and achievement. All children are different and unique. Interaction helps children build stable, healthy and satisfying relationship and close bonding with their family, friends, classmates and care takers (social development). They learn to cooperate and work as part of team. Interaction creates awareness of a child’s development, strengths, needs, interest and most importantly in identifying areas of improvement, on the basis of which we can decide whether the child is ready for next activity and for planning further activities. Through numerous interactions children can be helped in making connections between familiar situations and new ones.We need to ensure that games being provided are suitable per the child’s age. The environment needs to be examined and safe handling instructions are to be provided (Adventure play). Equipment provided should best support the child’s play (for some older children unable to ride a bicycle a tricycle may be used to strengthen skills). We also ensure that the children are aware of what is available and able to get their own choice of equipment and toys. Children need reassurance and support till they become confident. Support and confidence building is also linked to their language development (for children who have some language delay or who do not speak the language of the setting). Children ask questions and want proper responses. We need to be active listener as it helps the child to communicate verbally and nonverbally, express ideas and thoughts. All this  can lead to an improvement in vocabulary, knowledge skills (through nursery rhymes, words games) and children gaining confidence in their speaking abilities. 4.5 Identify and suggest ways in which the team could improve its work, challenging existing practice wgere necesary have you made any suggestions to how to deal with a challenging child, or suggested a change in routine, or made any adaptations to your setting in any way. Preparing students for teamwork focuses on those students who lack in skills of teamwork, and should learn how to enhance their collaborative skill s before the team is created. Gueldenzoph Snyder suggested offering tutorial works to those that are struggling with organisational or grammatical elements. The author also emphasised on the importance of having the instructors to provide extra instruction on the element of successful teamwork (as cited in Gueldenzoph Snyder, p. 75). The reason is that, most students will perform badly on their team projects, if they do not receive instruction regarding how to improve their collaborative skills. Gueldenzoph Snyder compared the teamwork in business communication to that of sports teams, to be a first-class sport team, the athletes often need to prepare, practice and review their performance, and teamwork in business communication is the same.Second point on practicing successful collaboration makes note on the consistency of team members in the group throughout a number of projects or assignments. The benefit of having the same members over different projects allow students to collaborate better by having a good understanding between each member on the way they work. 4.6 Respond to differences of opinion and conflict constructively As a teaching assistant I am part of the wider team of teaching staff in a school. Everyone has different roles and responsibilities and this can sometimes lead to conflicts. On one occ asion I was working with an EMA class doing role plays in a hall. It was the last lesson of the day and we were using the interactive white board. The after school film club was due to use the room straight after us and the coordinator was very annoyed that she was unable to come in and set up ahead of her class. She insisted that the EMA class use another space. While I could understand her frustration at being delayed I could also see the benefits to the EMA class of using the hall. It provided the children with opportunities to do exercises that couldn’t be done in standard classroom. I could also tell that they really enjoyed working in the space. The  discussion between the teachers became slightly heated and I could see that there was tension. In order to resolve the conflict I suggested we carry out the activities that require the white board early so that the coordinator could come in towards the end of our lesson and set up the film. This solution was accepted by all. I felt I dealt with the situation constructively. 4.7 Seek advice and support from relevant people when needed Seek advice and support from relevant people when needed. As a teaching assistant I always seek advice on issues I am unsure of. If had a difference of opinion with another member of staff I would ask the teacher I worked with or different member of st aff for advice. If was having difficulty with any of my responsibilities I would ask another member of staff to help and support me to ensure I was doing things correctly.