Monday, September 30, 2019

Chinese firework industry Essay

1. Introduction—Objective and structure of this report The Chinese fireworks industry has experienced significant change since China adopted â€Å"open door policy†, moreover, it has huge market share in the world’s fireworks market. But on the other hand, the Chinese fireworks industry also has fatal weaknesses. Therefore, whether to invest in this industry is still a considerable challenge to most investors. The objective of this report is to give some suggestions to Jerry Yu on his decision of the investment on Liuyang fireworks industry. Furthermore, some proposals on how to improve the attractiveness and the competitiveness of Chinese fireworks industry at a long-run level are worked out; from personal level, there are some strategic options to Jerry Yu in terms of handling an individual fireworks firm. To achieve this objective, an industry analysis and a market audit are carried out and a gross conclusion is drawn based on the analyses and suggestions. 2. Industrial analysis The aim of this industrial analysis is to outline the situation of the Chinese fireworks industry in conjunction with analyzing the rivalry within this industry through Porter’s five forces model (please refer to Appendix). 2.1 The Chinese fireworks industry overview The general belief was that China-made fireworks actually made up about 80% to 90% of the world’s fireworks market. But although Chinese fireworks account for most of the world’s market, it can be said as a relatively messy industry in terms of its quality, packaging and timing control and distribution channels. As the most popular form in Chinese fireworks industry is family-run workshop, which is usually poorly funded and lacking of R&D and managerial input, the whole industry is basically labor-intensive and the technological innovations are also restricted. The competition is intensified by the emergence of small companies. These private workshops are flexible and quick in responding to market demand. They would copy any popular product design and sell it for much less prices than  government-owned or some collectively owned factories. This fact results in price drop which has become a serious problem for the whole industry. Besides, foreign competitors such as Japanese and Korea companies also threaten the Chinese fireworks industry. 2.2 Market trend The fireworks’ market can be divided into domestic and export market. In the past years, the demand of domestic market is declining while export sales is rising. Since China opened its door in 1979, export market has become a major market of Chinese fireworks. Figure 1 indicates the growth of export market during the period of 1994-1998. Figure 1: Export sales of Chinese fireworks industry in 1994-1998 From Figure 1, it’s clear that the demand of export market is increasing stably. Undoubtedly it’s a beneficial factor for Chinese fireworks industry. Another market trend is that the demand for display fireworks is increasing at a fast speed due to the increase of public fireworks shows, whereas the demand for consumer fireworks is expected to decline owing to the more restricted regulations. 2.3 Porter’s Five Forces Model (Appendix). Porter’s five forces model aims at examining the competitive status of the whole industry. 2.3.1 Potential entrants (High) The opportunity for potential entrants of fireworks industry is high. The capital requirement for establishing a fireworks firm is very low; the economy of scale is high and the brand identification within this industry is relatively low. All these facts provide good opportunities for firms to enter this industry. 2.3.2 Bargaining power of suppliers (Low) Because of the huge number of suppliers of fireworks and little product differentiation among fireworks products, the bargaining power of suppliers is low. 2.3.3. Bargaining power of buyers (High) Owing to the large number of choices and low even zero switching costs, the fireworks buyers have high bargaining power. 2.3.4 Substitutes (Low) The threat of substitutes of fireworks is relatively low. Although there are substitutes such as make-believe â€Å"firecrackers†, due to the heritage of tradition and culture, real fireworks are still irresistible to most consumers. 2.3.5 Rivalry (High) Rivalry of fireworks industry is high. The possibility for new entrants is high, while exit barrier is low; a bulk of existing firms that have little diversity and product differentiation are competing in this industry; buyers are more powerful than suppliers†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ All these forces shape the fierce competition in fireworks industry. What is indicated through the analysis of Porter’s five forces model is that the rivalry of fireworks industry is high. Therefore, if firms were to survive in competition, they should make great effort to differentiate their strategies to achieve sustainable competitive advantages over competitors. 3. Market Audit of Liuyang fireworks industry The market audit focuses on the Liuyang fireworks market’s position through the identification of its domestic and foreign competitors and a SWOT  analysis. The goal of this market audit is to assist Jerry Yu to determine whether to invest in Liuyang fireworks industry or not. 3.1 Competitor analysis The competitors of Liuyang fireworks industry include both domestic and foreign ones. The competitors and their main competitive aspects of Liuyang fireworks industry are delivered in Table 1. Table 1: The competitors of Liuyang fireworks industry Competitors Domestic Foreign Liling Pingxiang, Wanzai Dongguan Other small establishments Japan, Korea and Spain Competitive Aspects Price competition Both price and quality, especially in low- and medium-priced markets More sophisticated management and marketing practices Copy popular design and sell much less Better quality and timing control, better packaging. From Table 1, it’s clear that the Liuyang fireworks industry has been facing fierce competition from both domestic and foreign competitors though it’s still the largest and most well known place for making fireworks in China. All of them have their own competitiveness versus Liuyang fireworks. Thus, if Liuyang fireworks industry were to sustain in the intense competition and â€Å"beat† these competitors, it’s necessary for it to modify strategy to increase its competitiveness relative to its competitors. Figure 2 shows the competitive position between Liuyang fireworks industry and its competitors on a positioning map. Figure 2: Competitive positioning map of Liuyang fireworks industry and its competitors From the positioning map, it can be demonstrated that although Liuyang fireworks industry has strong competitiveness in terms of reputation, it is seriously lacking of management capabilities compared with Dongguan and foreign competitors, which could be a disastrous factor in the future. Therefore, to improve the management of Liuyang fireworks industry is crucial for each individual investor’s success as well as the whole industry’s sustainability. 3.2 SWOT analysis of Liuyang fireworks industry Liuyang fireworks industry does share certain similar characteristics in terms of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats with other Chinese fireworks manufacturers, but it also has its own features. 3.2.1 Strengths * Long reputation and product variety Liuyang has been the most well known place for making fireworks in China for a long time. It has the strongest reputation in China and even in the world market it also occupies an influential position in terms of product variety and reputation. * Huge market share As the largest manufacture community of fireworks in China, Liuyang has been enjoying huge market share in both domestic and export market. * Liuyang government’s offensive strategy In 1997, Liuyang government adopted offensive strategy responding to the  decline of its fireworks sales. This has been proven to be very useful—one year later, Liuyang fireworks sales increased. * Low labor cost Located in Hunan province, Liuyang is a relatively small and less developed city. Furthermore, most of the manufacture factories are located in rural places, where the labor cost is very low. This is a beneficial factor for manufacturers because with low cost, they could gain more profit. 3.2.2 Weaknesses * Poor management input and capabilities As identified in competitor analysis, Liuyang fireworks industry has little management input and poor management capabilities. Since most of them are family-run workshops, they have no capital to fund management. What’s more, as most workers are farmers who are not well educated, they have no intellectual resource for marketing capabilities. * Messy distribution channels The overall distribution system of fireworks industry is rather fragmented and messy. Neither the old government-run channels nor the new distribution channels are efficient and effective. On the contrary, they are rather chaotic. 3.2.3 Opportunities * Increasing revenue and demand As shown in Figure 3, the total revenue of Liuyang fireworks industry increased substantially in 1992-1996. Now the demand is still increasing especially in display fireworks category. This represents an opportunity to investors. Figure 3: The total revenue of Liuyang fireworks industry in 1992-1996 Source: Liuyang Firecrackers and Fireworks Exhibition (refer to Exhibit 1 in this case) * Technological innovation appealing to consumers Technology development triggers the technological innovations. Fireworks can be combined with modern technologies like laser beams, computerized firing and musical accompaniment to cater for customers. * Increased safety of fireworks Actually, the fireworks are not as dangerous as usually perceived by people. Technological innovation such as smokeless fireworks makes fireworks safer and as long as people can use fireworks properly, it’s not so dangerous. This can be demonstrated from Figure 4. Figure 4: The increased consumption(millions of pounds) versus decreased injuries(per 100,000 pounds) of fireworks in 1990-98 Source: American Pyrotechnics Association (please refer to Exhibit 2 in this case) What is indicated in this chart is that within 1990-98, the consumption of fireworks increased whereas the injuries decreased. The increased safety can help to build consumers’ confidence toward fireworks. 3.2.4 Threats * Intensified competition and local protectionism As illustrated in competitor analysis, more and more competitors including existing firms and new entrants are competing with Liuyang fireworks  industry. The direct consequence is the price drop which leads to the deduction of profit margin. Some small manufacturers even copy designs and purchase inferior raw materials to gain profit in competition, which worsens the quality and reputation of Liuyang fireworks industry. In addition, some local Chinese governments tend to protect local manufacturers when purchasing fireworks. * Legal restriction As fireworks has made some tragedies among users, most countries and Chinese cities more or less inhibit the sell and use of fireworks. Some places even banned the use of fireworks. This fact is undermining the fireworks industry. * Credit crisis Due to the bad debt control and lacking of respect for business contracts in China, the transaction costs are increased while cash flow are slowed down, which is a serious issue for fireworks industry. * Poor profit margin and loss of brand identities This threat exists especially in export market. The importers buy the fireworks at very low price from Chinese manufacturers and then resell at much higher prices. This is indicated in Figure 5: the comparison between FOB import prices from China and wholesale prices of four types of Chinese display fireworks in US. There is a huge gap between them. The American importers enjoy huge profit whilst Chinese manufacturers suffer from low profit margin. Furthermore, some large western fireworks manufacturers and dealers started to outsource the making of their brand-name fireworks. The Chinese fireworks manufacturers are facing the problem of losing their brand identities. Figure 5: The comparison between FOB import prices from China and wholesale prices of four types of Chinese display fireworks in US Source: China Sunsong Fireworks Corp. and Websites of fireworks wholesalers in U.S. 4. Suggestions for Jerry Yu Chinese fireworks industry is a highly competitive industry, however, it still presents opportunities for investors. Based on the analysis of Liuyang fireworks industry, the suggestion for Jerry Yu is to take the opportunities–to invest in Liuyang fireworks industry. Nonetheless, to win in the fierce competition, it’s also recommended that Jerry Yu should integrate the advantages he has into the opportunities to create competitive advantages versus his competitors. Therefore, there are some strategic options proposed for him. Furthermore, some recommendations for Chinese fireworks industry as a whole are also worked out in order to increase its competitiveness and attractiveness. 5. Proposed strategic options 5.1 Options for Chinese fireworks industry (Options 1-4) 5.1.1 Strategic option 1: Launch an industry-wide advertising campaign to change consumers’ perception and attitude toward fireworks. As interpreted before, most consumers regard fireworks as a very dangerous product, especially for youth. But in fact, it’s not as dangerous as consumers’ perception. Figure 6 shows the comparison of the dangerousness between fireworks and other products. From the treatment quantities it’s rather manifest that the treatment for youth caused by fireworks is the least among these eleven consumer products. Furthermore, as the technology of fireworks is improving, the dangerousness will be less than before. Therefore, it’s necessary for the manufacturers within this industry to launch an advertising campaign to change consumers’ perception, attitude and to build consumers’ positive belief–fireworks is much safer than what they think. Figure 6: Estimated emergency room treatment per 100,000 youth (ages 5 to 14) Source: American Pyrotechnics Association (refer to Exhibition 3 in this case) Advantages: ââ€" º To build consumers’ confidence toward fireworks can somehow prevent the decline of demand of consumer fireworks from consumers’ perspective. If consumers know fireworks are virtually much safer than their perception, probably they will purchase fireworks more actively than before in spite of the restriction of government regulations. Disadvantages: ââ€" ª To launch an industry-wide advertising campaign requires sufficient capital. But as most fireworks manufacturers are family-run small workshop, it’s hard for them to afford the cost for this advertising campaign. 5.1.2 Strategic option 2: Build TQM at an industry-wide level. Lacking of quality control is a serious weakness of Chinese fireworks industry. Therefore, it’s necessary to build TQM (Total Quality Management) industry-wide to regulate and guarantee the quality of Chinese fireworks to compete with foreign competitors and to attain trust from consumers. Advantage: ââ€" ºThe advantage is obvious–increase Chinese fireworks industry’s competitiveness with foreign competitors and in doing so, to maintain and even increase its market share in the world’s market. Disadvantage: ââ€" ª The only problem TQM might face is the messiness of Chinese fireworks manufacturers. TQM requires fund as well as regulations, but for small  workshops, it’s difficult to achieve. 5.1.3 Strategic option 3: To absorb foreign investments actively to improve both hardware (equipment, capital, etc) and software (management capabilities, etc) of Chinese fireworks industry. Advantages: ââ€" ºForeign investment can compensate one weakness of Chinese fireworks industry—lack of capital. If Chinese manufacturers have sufficient fund, they can improve their equipment, the products’ quality and packaging and their management resource such as R&D, etc. No doubt that these facets can greatly promote Chinese fireworks competitive position, through which, Chinese fireworks industry could prosper. Disadvantages: ââ€" ª There is a latent possibility that these foreign investments might finally control the Chinese fireworks industry. If this happens, Chinese fireworks industry would lose its identity. 5.1.4 Strategic option 4: Build strong brand awareness and image of Chinese fireworks industry. This can be implemented by advertising campaign or aggressive promotional activities.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Admission Essay for Nursing School

Education has always been a great asset in my life. It happened to be the only heritage my parents were able to give me because of their income level, but I think that it was the best thing one can give a child.Opening the gateway to the professional world, education I obtained equipped me with competitive skills and knowledge that paved the way for my career as funeral director. Today, I am once again seeking the help of education to spearhead my career and to accomplish a transition to the field of nursing that has been my long-standing dream.At this point, I have set for myself distinct goals: to obtain a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing and later continue to a Master’s course, specializing in Anesthetics, Registered Nurse Practitioner or ER/trauma.I am sure †¦ school will be the right place to achieve my career goals, considering its outstanding reputation, rigorous academic standards, and Christian aspects of the program. Together with my extensive working backgro und, I believe the school can open the doors to many fields in the healthcare industry, helping me make a serious contribution to the profession.On my part, I am willing to bring my integrity, commitment, responsibility, and a hard-working spirit to the program. Given my personal maturity and a long successful career, I have arrived at the decision to switch to nursing as a result of lengthy deliberation that led me to the conviction that this is an excellent opportunity to enrich my professional life.I realize that the program will pose a challenge to my stable life, but I also know that I am convinced that I need to accomplish the transition to nursing and willing to bear the burden. I believe that my determination is what will help me to succeed in the academic courses, and my working experience and excellent reputation will help me realize my professional aspirations later on.   

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Analysing Strategy And Operations Management

Analysing Strategy And Operations Management Today’s business environment is complex, dynamic and uncertain and is influencing the strategies of modern enterprises (Beirnat, 2004). It is generally understood that there is a growing change in relationships between buyers and sellers which are impacting the way in which business is conducted (Buttle, 2007). Industry reports suggest that changes in today’s social and economic environment have had an impact on consumer spending behaviours. In such an unpredictable environment, the management of customer relationships becomes vital to the success of a business (Dyche, 2002). This realisation has prompted studies in the area of strategic management with the aim of gaining an understanding of a firm’s internal and external environment and developing strategies to exploit internal capabilities and external opportunities (Slack et al, 2006). The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the activities of John Lewis and explore its business operations in relation to Mich ael Porters generic strategies model. The paper will continue by examining Michael Porters value chain analysis and apply the theories practically to John Lewis. The paper will also discuss how the added value creates distinctive competences and lead to a competitive advantage for the business. Company Background John Lewis plc John Lewis is a UK retailer which comes under the umbrella name of John Lewis Partnership. The Group comprises of John Lewis department stores, Waitrose supermarkets, John Lewis Direct and the direct services company Greenbee. It is a public limited company owned by its employees (Partners) who influence the running the business and who benefit from a share of the company’s annual profits. The chain has an upmarket image which appeals strongly to a middle class core customer base. Chart 1: John Lewis Plc market share 2003 – 2007 (Mintel, 2007) The chart shows the market share growth for John Lewis from 2003 to 2007. The chart displays a steady g rowth pattern during this period. It would be fair to suggest that John Lewis has been performing well within the market as it market share has grown year on year. Mintel reports forecast that the retailer will continue to witness steady growth within its industry and states that John Lewis will be one of few retailers who will sustain growth despite changes in the economic climate and consumer spending behaviours. Activities John Lewis department stores offer a wide range of goods, including electrical, home playing fields and tennis courts; two large country estates with parklands; a sailing club with five cruising yachts and two country hotels offering holiday accommodation for partners. Partners are also enrolled in a pension scheme, given very generous holidays, and are part of a death in service insurance scheme. Additionally, upon completing twenty five years of service with the Partnership, they are given six month paid break.

Friday, September 27, 2019

PMI analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

PMI analysis - Essay Example Another positive aspect of Attia’s presentation is that towards the end of the presentation, he informs us that an effective team of medical researchers is already attempting to establish the true relationship between obesity and insulin resistance (TED 2013). Attia’s presentation is noted to have a number of negative aspects some of which include the fact that Attia does not make the use of visual aids to help the audience to better understand it. Another negative aspect of the presentation is that although Attia presents an alternative theory to understanding obesity and insulin resistance, he however does not have any empirical evidence to support his postulations. In the presentation, Attia informs us that a number of medical researchers are working on different theories to establish the relationship obesity and insulin he however fails to inform us of his actual position in the whole debate (TED 2013). The presentation is interesting as it provides more information on insulin resistance. It is also interesting as Attia suggests a different outlook on insulin resistance that challenges the current conventional understanding of the condition. At the end of the presentation, Attia takes time to apologize to the women that he feels that he let down at the start of his medical career (TED 2013). Attia’s presentation is quite interesting as it presents a different outlook into the question of the currently existing relationship between obesity and insulin resistance. However, I believe that the presentation would have been made more interesting if it had encompassed the use of a short PowerPoint presentation in addition to having some concrete evidence. Shawn Achor’s presentation on the happiness advantage has a number of advantages key of which is that it is generally a humorous presentation that is able to greatly engage the

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Critical analysis Journal opinion article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Critical analysis Journal opinion article - Essay Example The economies will be fully employed, allowing them to attain their potential in offering jobs and raise the income of their inhabitants. These will play a key role in helping generate high growth levels in cities, contributing to overall advancement of the entire economy (Sparshott). The latest outlooks evident in the case of American cities are optimistic, although some urban areas as well as their suburbs have populations representing about 86 percent of the regions’ population, while 88 percent are employed in nonfarm sectors. Even though more than half of the cities have attained record levels of employment, about one-third are anticipated to fail reaching this level when 2016 ends. Moreover, approximately 130 metropolitan areas are anticipated to penetrate the market in 2017, although they will be supporting few jobs unlike the case of the past decades. The areas that are recovering at the slowest rates are the older Midwestern regions, which were negatively influenced when the region lost a large number of jobs offered by the manufacturing sector. The deteriorating infrastructure and aging population will also play a role in preventing these areas from recovering, making them rank behind the top-advancing cities in the U.S. (Sparshott). In a different perspective, the boom witnessed in the oil sector, which played a key role in allowing certain cities in the U.S. boost their performance, is currently reversing progress. For instance, Midland, Texas portrayed fastest growth in 2014, but this is not the case presently. However, in 2015, the employment and economy of the metropolitan are anticipated to slow down and contract at the start of 2016. Overall, however, the cities in the U.S. are playing a key role in driving the growth of the economy, thus paving the way towards the recovery process. Moreover, even though some

TheLesson EugeneIonesco Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

TheLesson EugeneIonesco - Essay Example From the play, it is evident that the professor is also a domineering and violent person. He uses language to attack the student. HE shows his power and control in a very cruel manner (Ionesco 69). Later on in the lesson, he is also depicted as someone who easily loses his patience. It leads him into homicidal acts. The other character in the play is the pupil. The pupil is an 18 year old lady who wears a student smock with a white collar. During his first times in the class with the professor, she comes out as a very enthusiastic and hopeful person. She believes that the professor will help her pass the total â€Å"doctorate† exams. As the play progresses the pupil shows very absurd lack of common elementary knowledge (Ionesco 50). She does not know the capital city of France let alone the seasons of the year. As the lesson progresses, she surprisingly gets enough courage and equanimity to defy the professor. She does so with minimal success. The final character is the maid. She is a friendly and a loyal servant. She also comes out as considerate and caring person when she warns and advices the professor about his actions. The maid is submissive and this makes him accompany the professor even when he was going to engage in unacceptable acts. The power struggle in the Lesson by Eugene Ionesco comes out in the form of a satirized to â€Å"totalitarianism† in politics, education and language. The author sets it is a way that the professor only has one student at a time. This is itself is a demonstration of the control that the tutor was seeking over his student. He is teaching his student in a manner which is not only stifling but also very controlling. The professor talks nonsense and at the same time expects the student to be able to verbalize what he wants her to say. This theme in the play is meant to show how such practices have detrimental impact in the education settings.

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Preparing and Electronic Portfolio Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Preparing and Electronic Portfolio - Essay Example They include; 1. Definition of portfolio context and goals-this is the step whereby the purpose of the portfolio is defined. It’s important to ask oneself what is it that you are trying to show with this portfolio. For instance are there any goals, outcomes or standards that are being exhibited using this portfolio? You will realize that you are prepared for the following stage when; firstly, you have been able to identify the purpose as well as the primary addressees for your portfolio. And secondly when you have identified the standards or objectives that you will be utilizing in organizing your portfolio. And finally, you have been able to select the development software you will be making use of as well as completed the initial stage using that specific tool. 2. Classification/Collection –Some of the questions one needs to ask here include; what type of artifacts will be included in the portfolio and how are such entries going to be classified? This stage therefore involves identification of various portfolio items which may be determined by assessment context as well as the kind of evidence that is to be collected. Selection of the most suitable software development tools for the portfolio context together with available resources. This stage also involves identification of the storage together with presentation medium most suitable for the given situation. 3. Reflection-Reflection generally is the soul and heart of any portfolio. It provides the basis for why these artifacts symbolize attainment of a specific result, objective or standard. The excellence of the learning that comes out of the process of portfolio development will be directly proportional to the excellence of the self-reflection put on the work. 4. Interaction/connection/feedback/dialogue-this is the step that offers an opportunity for not only interaction but also feedback on the kind of work placed in the portfolio. Apparently, this is

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 24

Management - Essay Example Such demonstration has been in expression as a shift from transactional to strategic leadership. Good leaders have a vision. This is an aspiration as visualized in the leader’s overall plans seeking to create measurable changes in the organization. As revealed by Price (2008), leaders who have a vision are demonstrated to be more successful at guiding their followers to achieving their goals with an example of Richard Branson at the helm of Virgin Airlines, and the late Steve Jobs of Apple Inc. The ability is hinged upon the leader’s ability to constantly compare the group’s development and his vision. This activity reduces deviation from success and diminishes the chances of failure. Primarily, they care for other people’s wellbeing, appreciating that anything done by his followers’ leaves a facelift mark. Therefore, his role is to dig out the best of the ability from the followers, ensuring that each member is successful. He does not have even an ounce of jealously from the success of his counterparts, but goes a step further to support them . Good leaders are also passionate. This means they are driven to do whatever they are engaged in and achieve the highest levels of success. A passionate leader concentrates most of his energies and attention to all the processes that will guarantee the organization, or group to achieves its set objectives. With such leaders, the chances of success for a set project are elevated since they also identify points of redundancy and deviation and root them out. In addition, such leaders are able to ensure sustained positive results once success is achieved. A good example of a passionate leader whose concentrated energy has led to achievement of success is Microsoft founder and head, Bill Gates. Furthermore, they are great team builders. This trait is essential in managing the union of talent, objectives, and resources –which is essentially, what leaders oversee. The ability to oversee a group of people,

Monday, September 23, 2019

Corporate Integrity Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Corporate Integrity Management - Essay Example No matter how good an organization’s vision statement, mission statement or purpose statement could be; it would still be missing on the most vital aspect of focus, if it does not have some basic core values that it upholds and cultivates. The core values of an organization are supposed to be timeless and unchanging, always guiding the operations of the organization during the best seasons and even the worst seasons of the organization. Therefore, no matter whether the organization achieves its targeted performance, no matter if it makes the desired profits, no matter whether it meets the expectations of its stakeholders, one thing must remain constant for the organization; its core values. Thus, simply put, after removing the business the organization does and the money it generates, core values are the only things that must remain. There is a difference between an organization that pursues its vision and a visionary organization. The difference is in the alignment of the organizational core values (Collins, n.p.). While the organization pursuing its vision can do so without the backing of its core values, a truly visionary organization is led by its core values to pursue the aligned vision. Thus simply put, core values are the most important aspects and the fundamentals of any business successful business. There are various core values I consider very vital, which a business, newly established or already running, should still hold onto, even if they are not rewarded. These are the core values I deem most important for an organization, such that, they should be pursued even when they become a competitive disadvantage for the organization: Disclosure is the concept behind transparency and accountability. Accountability and transparency are some of the most important core values that drive a business towards success and steers it to the direction of achieving its missions and visions. Accountability and transparency refers to the extent of

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Eating disorders and healthy eating Essay Example for Free

Eating disorders and healthy eating Essay Men make up 10 to 15 percent of the population with anorexia and bulimia, but are the least likely to seek help due to the gender stereotypes surrounding the disorders. a. Almost half of people in the United States personally know someone with an eating disorder, that half of the people in the class room know someone that has an eating disorder. b. Packing lunch , choosing restaurants wisely and keeping nutritious snacks on hand are just a few of the ways you can still manage to eat something and stay healthy at the same time. c. I would like to tell you more about healthy eating and what eating disorders and the effects are , how you can find out if some one you know has them and recognizing the symptoms d. What are the three types of eating disorders A. Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa and over eating Anorexia is a pathological fear of gaining weight leading to bad eating patterns, malnutrition, and u sually excessive weight loss and refusal to maintain a healthy weight. 1. When the person sees them self in the mirror they see extremely fat person, and to everyone else extremely skiny Bulimia is repeated binge eating followed by behaviors followed by purging to avoid weight gain 2. Taking laxative is also one the behaviors that people will take on to be able to lose the weight and be skinny Over eating is constantly eating without boundaries and past the appropriate amour of food or eating past the point of fullness 3. Some reasons are Boredom , anxiety and stress or even to please someone. B. Effects of eating disorders Treatments of eating disorders 1. Weight loss, fatigue, fainting, thin hair and nails Dehydration, menstrual irregularly, heart problems, took damge The worst one of all death Some therapy to talk about why the eating disorders is present and help the patient though it. 1. Most of the times eating disorders are issues that have gone untreated; and a way for people to feel like they have control over their lives. Medication that increases hunger for some and suppresses hunger for others

Friday, September 20, 2019

Impact of Human Activities on Earth

Impact of Human Activities on Earth Some people believe that the Earth is being harmed (damaged) by human  activity. Others feel that human activity makes the Earth a better place to live. What is your opinion? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer. â€Å"Earth gives enough to fulfil each mans necessities, not every mans covetousness.† We all realize that people in the ancient period needed to battle common environment keeping in mind the end goal which was to make livings. They needed to chase preys and assemble food for their survival, even chop down trees to construct their houses. Nonetheless, as innovation enhanced, numerous individuals are now familiar with human exercises have a very bad impact on our living earth and has raised an argument on the issue on the impacts caused by the human activities on the earth. Some people guarantee that human exercises harms our planet earth, at the same time as, other individuals say that human action makes the earth an improved place to live. As I would like to think, I consider that human exercises deteriorate our earth genuinely. In the accompanying sections, I will attempt to detail why I think Earth is continuously hurt by human action. Our living earth is constantly hurt by human action on the grounds that individuals abuse characteristic asset in the present time. As everyone knows, the population on our earth nowadays increases rapidly so that more people than before have to consume more food provision and daily commodities. To expand the above statement, regular assets will get less and less when populace keep developing. In all honesty talking, the measure of petroleum declines rapidly on the grounds that numerous individuals drive their autos which require gas. As per the master’s sign, individuals who live on the earth today can utilize gas for just thirty years and will sink into vigor emergency later on. Besides, our earth is constantly being hurt by human movement since human action additionally prompts various types of deadly contamination. As we know, to profit, numerous production lines and undertakings empty off harmful waste water into waterways moreover, air contamination has as of recently harmed natures domain of earth and us who additionally live on the earth. To detail the above contention, the fumes rage which is emit ted by numerous manufacturing plants and autos can demolish ozonosphere of the earth and reason nursery impact. That is to say, a surfeit of ultraviolet beams will blanket the surface of our living earth, not just will human have a tendency to have skin malignancy, yet numerous sorts of species living on the earth may experience annihilation. Thirdly, our living earth is, no doubt hurt by human movement since human action dependably devastates the biological equalization of the earth. Case in point, chasing whales to fulfill their insatiability. As everyone knows, each species has its prey. Hence, if human over chase a few creatures or over devour a few plants, numerous animal types which eat the above creatures or plants will be on the verge of elimination. Substantial movement, air contamination, long of timberland, boundless chase of creatures are the most genuine issues that our planet confront these days. Considering those issues is important to inquire as to whether human movement has been harm the earth. I imagine that human action unmistakably is blameworthy of the harm that our planet endures. Also I think this, situated in the boundless abuse of the regular assets, and the consistent longing of people to adjust the earth to their requirements. Before all else, Deeping in the thought that boundless misuse of the common assets is the greatest harsh of harm in the earth simply believe that consistently are since a long time ago hundred sections of land of timberland. Case in point the Amazonas woodlands is the most harm area and as a result many creatures have been douse. This is a weight motivation to feel that exercises are hurting our planet. Also, an alternate enormous issue that face our planet is the yearning of people to adjust the earth to their necessities, for instance building businesses, constructing huge urban areas that transform overwhelming activity, over populace and air contamination. Enough motivations to surmise that our exercises are the essential foes of our planet. As a matter of first importance, human exercises crush characteristic assets. With improvement of engineering and modernization of urban areas, many old green backwoods are bit by bit displaced by various processing plants and high rises. Furthermore, harmful gases dispensed with from manufacturing plants contaminate air and water assets close-by. It influences natural territory, as well as we ourselves are subjected to mechanical wastes. Deforestation prompts common calamities, for example, surge, disintegration, elevated amount ocean, torrent which have happened commonly as of late. It is a cautioning for people to stop their oblivious conducts. There are numerous proclamations supporting my concept. Furthermore, in spite of the fact that the United Nation speak to everybody for living in peace, wars are even now occurring in a few nations. Individuals need to live between life and demise. Youngsters, rather than set to class, are dependably hesitant to be stuck one day. Besides, wars influence the country that is in war as well as different nations. Case in point, worldwide investment have numerous changes after war between US and Iraq. It appears to be clear to me that the insatiable of people bring about wretchedness for that are numerous individuals and genuine outcomes for the planet. At last, as a conclusion and considering the plans expressed above, according to me, it is important to adjust our life style rather than changing the earth, and attempt to stay away from the boundless misuse of regular assets. Life appears to be more agreeable than before with progressed machines, we have less opportunities to approach the nature. The urban areas get greater and when we need to go outing, we need to drive a long separation to discover a characteristic spot. There is no doubt that we are destroying what nature provides us. The earth is constantly being hurt by human exercises. We need to gratitude and secure it, because there is no other place for the human beings to live except the earth. To entirety up, in understanding of the above contentions, I can concoct my decision that earth is, no doubt harmed by human movement. Numerous researchers and natural aggregations as of recently extra no exertion in proclaiming the essentialness of environment assurance. Also, the administrations of numerous nations additionally make laws to deny human action structure squandering regular assets, making different sorts of contamination and pulverizing biological system. Obviously, perhaps some person hold diverse perspective of this issue. All things considered, for the explanations that I have displayed above, I consider my point of view is the most legitimate.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Prohibition of Religious Ambiguity Essay -- Philosphical Lawfulness, Ag

William James’s Argument William James argues that agnosticism is not a valid choice to make. He opens his argument with the conjecture that â€Å"voluntarily adopted faith† abides by philosophical lawfulness (74). He builds from this by defining a hypothesis as â€Å"anything that may be proposed to...belief† and it may be either live or dead in quality. A life hypothesis is one that appeals as a real possibility. The quality of being live or dead is not an â€Å"intrinsic property.† Instead, they are â€Å"relations to the individual thinker; measured by...willingness to act.† James defines an option as a decision between two hypotheses which may be 1) living or dead, 2) forced or avoidable, and 3) momentous or trivial (75). An option may be genuine if it is live, forced, and momentous. James’s next move is to show that scientific questions are â€Å"trivial options† with dead hypotheses and are avoidable, unlike the religious question. He shows this by questioning whether or not it matters if we have particular scientific theories or scientific beliefs. He conjectures that it â€Å"makes no difference† in these instances. James summarizes: Science says things are; morality says some things are better than other things; and religion says...1) the best things are the more eternal things,...and 2) we are better off even now if we believe [1] (76). James suggests that the religious hypothesis is forced and momentous; therefore, for those who religion is a live hypothesis, it is a genuine option. Hence, James concludes that he cannot accept â€Å"the agnostic rules for truthseeking† because any â€Å"rule of thinking which would absolutely prevent [us] from acknowledging certain kinds of truth if those kinds of truth were really there, would be an irrational rule† (77). U... ...onal decision; --just like deciding yes or no,-- and is attended with the same risk of losing the truth† (75). Hence, every individual’s hand is forced in making a decision regarding the religious hypothesis. One must either believe in the eternal or believe in the temporal because there is no in between option. According to James, if and when someone identifies with an agnostic philosophy, he or she is not choosing ambiguity, he or she is ultimately choosing disbelief of the religious hypothesis and will be subject to the same consequences of disbelief if the religious hypothesis is sound. Therefore, according to James’s argument, agnosticism is not philosophically lawful. Works Cited James, W. (1896). â€Å"The Will to Believe.† In G. L. Bowie, M. W. Michaels, and R. C. Solomon (Eds.), Twenty Questions: An Introduction to Philosophy (74-78). Boston, MA: Wadsworth.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Cancer: The Costs, Causes, And Cures Essay -- essays research papers

Cancer: The Costs, Causes, and Cures Cancer is a major killer of people all around the globe. We do not have a definite cure, but the amount of research done on this one disease costs on the average of $1.2 billion dollars annually, and $20 billion annually in care of cancer patients. What is Cancer? Cancer is a broad ranging term that is used by many people, including medical professionals such as doctors. Cancer, in its most fatal and aggressive form, is of a larger class of diseases known as neoplasms. There are two forms of a neoplasm: benign or malignant. A benign neoplasm is encapsulated, or surrounded, so that it's growth is restricted, whereas a malignant neoplasm is not closed in. Malignant tumors grow much more quickly than benign forms and spread into the surrounding normal tissue, and virtually destroy it, (Grolier Electronic Encyclopedia, Cancer). The question is, what exactly is cancer? Cancer, is the break down and mutation of the cells of the body, when the DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) sequences in those molecules are disrupted and errors form in the structures, (Grolier, Genetic Code). This mutation spreads through surrounding tissue until it disrupts major systems in the body (such as respiratory, digestive and waste management) cause that system to fail. What causes Cancer to become active? Since it is believed that almost all people have some type of cancer in their body, (although benign), any person that comes in contact with a carcinogen, (any cancer-causing agent), will cause these benign cells to become malignant. It is when the cells become malignant, that cancer actually occurs. Cancer, in this context, can be caused by many different agents; chemical, biological or physical. Chemical Agents Chemicals that can cause a benign cell to become active include things such as complex hydrocarbons, aromatic amines, certain metals, drugs, hormones, and naturally occurring chemicals in plants and molds. Hydrocarbons and nitrosamines can be found in cigarette smoke and may contribute to the condition called "lung cancer". Other chemicals that seem to cause incidents of "bladder cancer", such as 2-naphthylamine, were used in the dye industry for dyeing cloth, but when a number of cases of cancer turned up, its use was discontinued. Vinyl Chloride, a chemical gas, has also appeared, seeming to cause "liver can... ...ct the end of most major diseases early in the next century. Once we are able to read and modify the data and instructions found in our own DNA, we can directly access the way we as living beings will grow and evolve. However, we will have another problem, and that is of population. If there are no diseases to disrupt the growth of our population on this planet, we will soon overcrowd, and we may not yet have the technology to leave this world. However, I think we will still be better off without cancer. References Tetzeli, R. (1990). Can Power Lines Give You Cancer? FORTLINE Magazine, 49, 80- 85 Pitot, H.C. M.D. et al. (1992) Cancer. Grolier Electronic Encyclopedia,1992 ed. Search phrases: CANCER, GENETIC CODE, DNA, RNA Clarke, D. & Dartford, M. ( 1992). Cancer Treatment. How It Works: The New Illustrated Science and Invention Encyclopedia, 414-418 Abeloff, M.D. et al (1991) Cancer. Encyclopedia Britannica: Macropedia, 534-542 Drill, V.A. et al (1991) Drugs and Drug Action - Chemotherapy. Encyclopedia Britannica: Macropedia, 553-560 American Cancer Society et al (1992) Cancer. Compton's Multimedia Encyclopedia,1992 ed. Search phrases: CANCER, CHEMOTHERAPY, GENETICS

The United States Coast Guard and National Defense Essay -- Missions o

The Coast Guard (CG) is the nation’s smallest armed service and most misunderstood armed service. Most Americans know the Coast Guard is the nation’s premiere lifesaving service. Some may even know that the Coast Guard is the nation’s oldest continuing sea going service. While the Coast Guard falls under the UCMJ just like the other four branches, and often works side by side with them especially the Navy; The Coast Guard is usually trained for a very different mission than their DOD counterparts in times of peace. This paper will shed light on the Coast Guard’s accomplishments and its sacrifices in its National Defense mission. The legal basis for the Coast Guard to operate as a military force is Title 14 of the United States Code, which states: "The Coast Guard as established January 28, 1915, shall be a military service and a branch of the armed forces of the United States at all times." Upon the declaration of war or when the President directs, the Coast Guard operates under the authority of the Department of the Navy.† The Coast Guard can trace its beginnings back August 4th 1790. On this date president George Washington, at the urging of Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, ordered the building of ten ships. Those ten ships would be called the Revenue Cutter Service (RCS). The purpose of these ships was to enforce tariff regulations and bolster the coffers of the newly formed United States. It is the nation’s oldest continuing sea going service. These ships would be used to â€Å"cut off† smuggling in and out of the U.S. The term â€Å"cutter† is still used tod ay to describe any Coast Guard vessel 65’ or longer. The RCS was first pressed into service during the undeclared Quasi War with France in 1798-99. In 17... ...less and when it is called upon to fight it will transform from a law enforcement and humanitarian service to a fighting force to be reckoned with. Works Cited Cutler, Thomas J. Brown water, black berets: Coastal and riverine warfare in Vietnam. Naval Institute Press, 2000 Demographics of Active Duty U.S. Military http://www.statisticbrain.com/demographics-of-active-duty-u-s- military Kroll, C. Douglas. A Coast Guardsman’s History of the U.S. Coast Guard. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press 2010 Lagan, Christopher http://coastguard.dodlive.mil/2010/06/remembering-uscgc-escanaba-wpg-77/ Puller, Lewis B. Fortunate Son: The Autobiography of Lewis B. Puller, Jr. Grove Press, 2000 U.S. Army Center of Military History http://www.history.army.mil/moh/wwII-m-s.html#MUNRO U.S. Coast Guard’s Historian’s Office http://www.uscg.mil/history

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Effect Of Violent Television Programs On Children In The U.S Essay

In 1996, the federal government of the United States passed a law demanding that every television set from the size of 13 inches and above to be installed with a V chip to control content being watched by children. This move was inspired by the recognition of the impact that violent television programs were causing on the children (Centerwall 69). More recently, some senators in US lead the drive to the enactment of laws that would control broadcast of sex ad violence on TV. TV violence has been a matter of greater concern since it occupies much of the TV content programmed in the US today. Research shows that concern for behavioral effects began as early as the 1950s and 60s following the introduction and popularity of televisions in US. Currently, TV broadcasting has evolved a lot in US such that content is being broadcast without much concern for age rating, especially following increased access to TV the children. Violence can be from news programs or fictional entertainment programs. A 1995 article in the Journal of American Medical Association points out that television has detrimental impacts on the normal development of children due to the increase in physical aggressiveness and health concerns (Centerwall 644). Later, the American Psychological Association published a policy statement urging pediatricians to advise their clients to control TV viewing among their children to not more than 1 or 2 hours. Effects of physical aggressiveness have also been confirmed by the US National Institute of Mental Health. This has especially impacted negatively on the religious foundations of children since aggressiveness contrasts the fundamental principles of most religions. Children usually learn by imitating what they observe, hence if exposed to violent programs they tend to emulate the violent behaviors shown on the program. Two separate studies conducted among young inmates convicted of violent crime cases including rape, assault and homicide indicates that between 22 % and 34 % confessed to have been consciously inspired by the crime techniques leant from TV programs they used to watch (Nathanson 141). A number of these were from a strong religious background. Some 1990 data shows that children in US between the age of 2 and 5 years of age were spent about 27 hours of their time every week watching television most of which were had violent content. Although religious principles may guide behaviour to some extent, psychologists argue that children of such age are usually unable to differentiate fantasy ad facts when it comes to television and hence end up accepting and believing what they watch, this erodes their moral and religious believes with time. A study conducted for close to 22 years among US children of age 8 and addressing the correlation of this group to the severity of crime committed by the same at age 30, found out that viewing of violent content correlated highly positively to the nature and seriousness of crime most were convicted of at age 30: at a probability of 0. 05% (Brandon 1). This number is inclusive of religious children implying that violent programs introduce them gradually to crime. A study on 100 male crime convicts, whereby 65 of them had no past association with crime; were of same age, residence background and race and aged between age 10 and 14, shows that there was significant statistical relation between exposure to TV violence and violent behaviour in adults. This proves the finding that violence has great potential to shape the behavior of a child irrespective of religion. A poll conducted among adult Americans show that about 43 percent of Americans believe that contribution of TV violence to increasing violence in the society is high than any other factors. Given that most Americans are religious people and so are their children, it is apparent homicide is against their principles. However, there is the data that states that the per annum rate of white homicides in US increased by 92 recent from 1945’s 1. 3 homicides/ 100000 US white citizens to 2. 5 / 100000 in 1974 (Centerwall 646). TV violence has been the leading cause of religious negligence among most young US people as they are inspired by the reality of TV the set of religious principles. This is regarded as the effect of high market competitiveness driving TV companies to broadcast violence in a â€Å"fantasy† manner to generate mass audiences for advertising purposes. There is less concern for responsibility. Religious children have been victims of juvenile crime as pointed out by senators Kefauwer and Dodd regarding relation of TV programs to the increases in juvenile crime. A study by The Centre of Research on the Effect of Television indicates that young people usually become insensitive to pain or other activity that inflicts suffering on others especially in real life. This has been noted more specifically by church leaders as the most basic factor driving religious children used to violent TV shows to try out violent activity. This is because they tend to believe what they see is the real world. Children, including the religious as well perceive violence in such program as fantasy since they lack the ability to differentiate fantasy and reality at below age 8 (Wood, et al. 375). In this regard, most children also tend to believe that violence is the most appropriate means of getting what one wants as is depicted by their heroes. Children also grow fear of the world that they live in. This affects their self drive and may make them to apply the violent activity in self defense on being made to perceive the real world as bad. This is in contrast to what religion advocates for. This rate of influence is even more alarming given the fact that about 54% of children in America have access to a TV set in their bedroom with 44% (religious children included) confirming that they watch totally different subjects when not with their parents. Research from Michigan University notes that TV contributes to abut 10% of the violent witnessed among religious children. The American Psychological Association notes that children who watch a lot of violent TV shows have more tendency to show violent behaviors such as disobedience, arguing and striking out at playmates irrespective of religious background (Harrison and Joanne 93). The Kaiser Family Foundation argues that most religious children as well as the non-religious ones have come to accept violence as an alternative to solving life problems due to prolonged exposure to programs depicting the same on TV. According to the Center for Disease Control, US, violence among children who watch a lot of television is the topmost public health challenge with the influence of the same on murder rates increasing at rates more than population growth (American Academy of Pediatrics 1119). Violent television has also been associated with increased levels of blood pressure which is a contributing factor to aggressiveness. It is undeniable that TV affects negatively the behaviour f children and it is even worth noting that religious children are not spared unless with the intervention of seniors. Works Cited Centerwall, B. S. â€Å"Television and violent crime. † The Public Interest 111(1993): 56-77. Harrison, Karin, and Joanne Cantor. â€Å"Tales from the Screen: Enduring Fright Reactions to Scary Media. † Media Psychology 1. 2 (1999): 97–116. Nathanson, Amy J. , and Joanne, Cantor. â€Å"Children’s Fright Reactions to Television News. † Journal of Communication 46. 4 (1996): 139–152. Centerwall, B. S. â€Å"Exposure to television as a risk factor for violence. † American Journal of Epidemiology 129 (1989): 643-652. Wood, W, Wong, F. Y. , and Chachere, J. G. â€Å"Effects of media violence on viewers’ aggression in unconstrained social interaction. † Psychological Bulletin 109 (1991): 371-383. American Academy of Pediatrics. â€Å"Committee on Communications: Children, adolescents, and television. † Pediatrics 85(1990):1119-1120. Brandon, Centerwall S. â€Å"Television and Violence: The Scale of the Problem and Where to Go From Here† JAMA 267. 22 (1992). Retrieved August 3, 2010 from http://cursor. org/stories/television_and_violence. htm.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Effective teachers Essay

I. The Power of an Effective Teacher and Why We Should Assess It This is the value of the teacher, who looks at a face and says there’s something behind that and I want to reach that person, I want to influence that person, I want to encourage that person, I want to enrich, I want to call out that person who is behind that face, behind that colour, behind that language, behind that tradition, behind that culture. I believe you can do it. I know what was done for me. The transformative power of an effective teacher is something almost all of us have experienced and understand on a personal level. If we were particularly fortunate, we had numerous exceptional teachers who made school an exciting and interesting place. Those teachers possessed a passion for the subjects that they taught and genuine care for the students with whom they worked. They inspired us to play with ideas, think deeply about the subject matter, take on more challenging work, and even pursue careers in a particular field of study. Some exceptional teachers achieve celebrity status, such as Jaime Escalante, the math teacher who inspired the film Stand and Deliver, but thousands of unsung heroes go unrecognized in their remarkable work with students on a daily basis. ? II. Qualities of an Effective teacher Think back to when you were in school. Who was your favourite teacher? Who was the teacher you dreaded having? Almost everyone will instantly be able to answer these two questions. We’ve all had terrific teachers and, unfortunately, most of us have had teachers that were not effective. So what qualities does an effective teacher have that an ineffective teacher does not? The answer is that it takes a perfect blend of several qualities to create a truly effective teacher who can have a lasting impact on virtually every student. In this article, we examine ten qualities that virtually every effective teacher will possess. a)An effective teacher loves to teach. The single most important quality that every teacher should possess is a love and passion for teaching young people. Unfortunately, there are teachers who do not love what they do. This  single factor can destroy a teacher’s effectiveness quicker than anything else. Teachers who do not enjoy their job cannot possibly be effective day in and day out. There are too many discouraging factors associated with teaching that is difficult enough on a teacher who absolutely loves what they do, much less on one who doesn’t have the drive, passion, or enthusiasm for it. On top of that, kids are smarter than what we give them credit for. They will spot a phony quicker than anyone and thus destroy any credibility that the teacher may have. b)An effective teacher demonstrates a caring attitude. Even teachers who love their job can struggle in this area, not because they don’t care, but because they get caught up so much in the day to day routine of teaching that they can forget that their students have lives outside of school. Taking the time to get to know a student on a personal level takes a lot of time and dedication. There is also a line that no teacher wants to cross where their relationship becomes too personal. Elite teachers know how to balance this without crossing that line and once a student believes the teacher truly cares for them, then there is no limit to what that student can achieve. c)An effective teacher can relate to his or her students. The best teachers work hard to figure out how to relate to each of their students. Common interest can be hard to find, but exceptional teachers will find a way to connect with their students even if they have to fake it. For instance, you may have a student who is a Lego fanatic. You can relate to that student if you do something as simple as ordering a Lego catalogue and then going through it and discussing it with that student. Even if you have no actual interest in Lego’s, the student will think you do and thus naturally create a connection. d)An effective teacher is willing to think outside the box. There is no one set cookie cutter way to teach. A cookie cutter approach would likely be boring for both teachers and students. What makes teaching so exciting is that kids learn differently, and we have to find and utilize different strategies and differentiated learning to reach every student. What works for one student, will not work for every student. Teachers have to be willing to be creative and adaptive in their lessons, thinking outside the box on a continual basis. If you try to teach every concept in the same manner, there will be students who miss out on key factors because they aren’t wired to learn that way. e)An effective teacher is an excellent communicator. To be the best possible teacher you must be an effective communicator. However, in this area you are not just limited to being a skilled communicator to your students although that is a must. You must also be a strong communicator with parents of your students as well as your faculty/staff team within in your building. If you have a difficulty communicating with any of these three groups, then you limit your overall effectiveness as a teacher. f)An effective teacher is proactive rather than reactive. This can be one of most difficult aspects for a teacher to conquer. Intense planning and organization can ultimately make your job all the more less difficult. Teachers who plan ahead, looking for aspects that they might have issues with, and proactively looking for solutions to solve those problems will have less stress on them, than those teachers who wait until a problem arises and then tries to address it. Being proactive does not replace being adaptive. No matter how well you plan, there will be surprises. However, being proactive can cut down on these surprises tremendously, thus making you more effective overall. g)An effective teacher strives to be better. A teacher who has grown complacent in what they do is the most ineffective kind of teacher. Any teacher who is not looking for new and better teaching strategies isn’t being an effective teacher. No matter how long you have taught, you should always want to grow as a teacher. Every year there is new research, new technology, and new educational tools that could make you a better teacher. Seek out professional development opportunities and try to apply something new to your class every year. h)An effective teacher uses a variety of media in their lessons. Like it or not we are in the 21st century, and this generation of students was born in the digital age. These students have been bombarded by technological advances unlike any other generation. They have embraced it, and if we as teachers do not, then we are falling behind. This is not to say that we should eliminate textbooks and worksheets completely, but effective teachers are not afraid to implement other forms of media within their lessons. i)An effective teacher challenges their students. The most effective teachers, are often the ones that many students think are the most difficult. This is because they challenge their students and push them harder than the average teacher does. These are the teachers who are often students’ least favourite teachers at the time, but then later on in life they are the ones that we all remember and want to thank, because of how well they prepared us for life after our time with them. Being an effective teacher does not mean you are easy. It means that you challenge every one of your students and maximize your time with them so that they learn more than they ever thought they could learn. j)An effective teacher understands the content that they teach and knows how to explain that content in a manner that their students understand. There are teachers who do not know the content well enough to effectively teach it. There are teachers who are truly experts on the content, but struggle to effectively explain it to their students. The highly effective teacher both understands the content and explains it on level. This can be a difficult skill to accomplish, but the teachers who can, maximize their effectiveness as a teacher. III. Effective teaching strategies Six keys to classroom Excel a) Interest and explanation – â€Å"When our interest is aroused in something, whether it is an academic subject or a hobby, we enjoy working hard at it. We come to feel that we can in some way own it and use it to make sense of the world around us. † (p. 98). Coupled with the need to establish the relevance of content, instructors need to craft explanations that enable students to understand the material. This involves knowing what students understand and then forging connections between what is known and what is new. b) Concern and respect for students and student learning – Rams den starts with the negative about which he is assertive and unequivocal. â€Å"Truly awful teaching in higher education is most often revealed by a sheer lack of interest in and compassion for students and student learning. It repeatedly displays the classic symptom of making a subject seem more demanding than it actually is. Some people may get pleasure from this kind of masquerade. They are teaching very badly if they do. Good teaching is nothing to do with making things hard. It is nothing to do with frightening students. It is everything to do with benevolence and humility; it always tries to help students feel that a subject can be mastered; it encourages them to try things out for themselves and succeed at something quickly. † (p. 98) c) Appropriate assessment and feedback – This principle involves using a variety of assessment techniques and allowing students to demonstrate their mastery of the material in different ways. It avoids those assessment methods that encourage students to memorize and regurgitate. It recognizes the power of feedback to motivate more effort to learn. d)Clear goals and intellectual challenge – Effective teachers set high standards for students. They also articulate clear goals. Students should know up front what they will learn and what they will be expected to do with what they know. e)Independence, control and active engagement – â€Å"Good teaching fosters [a] sense of student control over learning and interest in the subject matter. † (p. 100). Good teachers create learning tasks appropriate to the student’s level of understanding. They also recognize the uniqueness of individual learners and avoid the temptation to impose â€Å"mass production† standards that treat all learners as if they were exactly the same. â€Å"It is worth stressing that we know that students who experience teaching of the kind that permits control by the learner not only learn better, but that they enjoy learning more. † (p. 102. ) f)Learning from students – â€Å"Effective teaching refuses to take its effect on students for granted. It sees the relation between teaching and learning as problematic, uncertain and relative. Good teaching is open to change: it involves constantly trying to find out what the effects of instruction are on learning, and modifying the instruction in the light of the evidence collected. † ?

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Civil War and Reconstruction

The America we know today is a very different place than the America this country once knew during the Reconstruction period. In today’s society everybody has equal rights and opportunities to do as they please. People today have a right to do basically anything there heart desires, but years ago it was a different story. African Americans didn’t have many rights at all. The people and groups involved in Reconstruction had many different ideas for freedom and equality. In 1861 the Civil War broke out and became and on going battle for the next four years. At the end of the war 600,000 people were dead and four million slaves were freed. After the war Abraham Lincoln’s plan for Reconstruction began. With this plan Lincoln’s main goal was to bring the North and South together and bring the South back into the Union. The Civil War ended in 1865 and that same year on April 15th Lincoln was assassinated. After Lincoln’s death the 13th amendment was ratified on December 6th 1865. This amendment abolished slavery in the United States, but at the same time it still didn’t make it easy for African Americans to succeed in America. This struggle for African Americans was told in an interview of Felix Haywood a former slave from San Antonio, Texas. The slaves at that time believed that when they became free that they would become wealthier than the white people and all their worries would disappear. â€Å"We thought we was going to be richer than the white folks, ‘cause we was stronger and knowed how to work, and the whites didn’t, and they didn’t have us to work with them anymore. But it didn’t turn out that way. We soon found out that freedom could make folks proud, but it didn’t make ‘em rich. 1 Another interview with Warren McKinney a former slave from Hazen, Arkansas McKinney explains how tough it was for his people to cope with freedom. â€Å"The government gave out rations there. My ma washed and ironed. People died in piles. I don’t know till yet what was the matter. They said it was the change of living. †2 African Americans were now free from slave ry, but in a sense it was even tougher for them to survive because they were on there own. They had no money for food or a house, no education, and there were many restrictions on what African Americans could do. Many White people during Reconstruction had intentions of controlling and restricting African Americans. In many southern states â€Å"black codes† were enforced. These codes did just that. The Louisiana black codes Section 8 â€Å"No freedman shall sell, barter, or exchange any articles of merchandise or traffic within the limits of Opelousas without special permission of his employer, in writing, and approved by the mayor or president of the board. †3 It was almost like Louisiana and several other southern states with black codes treated African American people like children. Another example of a black code, Section 3 â€Å"No negro or freedman shall be permitted to rent or keep a house within the limits of the town under any circumstances, and any one thus offending shall be ejected and compelled to find an employer or leave the town within twenty four hours. †4 Anytime African Americans wanted to do something they always needed permission from the mayor or president of the board. The White people wanted to seclude them from white society, but at the same time still wanted to control there every move. Whether it was the location of where they wanted to buy a house, or the time and reason in which they were in the local town, there were always restrictions and severe punishments. After Lincoln’s assassination Andrew Johnson was appointed president. Johnson was a former democrat turned republican. He was born in the northern part of Tennessee. Growing up he was poor and didn’t get a great education so he could barley read or write. He was a racist tailor who hated rich people. While in office Johnson’s main intention was to keep black people oppressed. His Restoration plan pardons restored property, granted pardons to rich and confederate officials, gave no provisions or protections for freedmen, and the southern whites started voting again and gained control of local governments. Johnson would do anything to keep the blacks down, he vetoed the Civil Rights Act which gave African Americans citizenship and guarantee of equal rights. He then vetoed the Freemen’s Bureau which wanted to provide aid to African Americans who needed medicine, food, housing, and a right to an education. At this time the Radical Republicans had enough and in 1866 became the majority in Congress. The Congress eventually overrides Johnson’s vetos. The Radicals wanted equality for the black people and in 1867 Radical Reconstruction began. Congressman Thaddeus Stevens states â€Å"everyman, no matter what his race or color; every earthly being who has an immortal soul, has an equal right to justice, honesty, and fair play with every other man; and the law should secure him those rights. †1 Stevens is basically saying all men are created equally, but at the same time he also suggests that it is up to the white man to decide for himself whether or not to associate himself with African Americans and it isn’t in the hands of the law. After Steven’s doctrine in 1867 the Radicals had control of Congress and they were soon able to impeach President Johnson. Being that Johnson was impeached and the Radical Republicans were the majority in Congress it still didn’t seem like the future was any brighter for African Americans. Wide spread Anti-Black violence began. Groups like the Ku Klux Klan formed. They began lynching blacks, raping their women, burning down there schools and churches. Elias Hill, an African American man, recounts a nighttime visit from the Ku Klux Klan in 1871. â€Å"He had a horsewhip, and he told me to pull up my shirt, and he hit me. He told me at every lick, â€Å"Hold up your shirt. † I made a moan every time he cut with the horsewhip. I reckon he struck me eight cuts right on the hip bone. †1 For Elias the KKK was always a threat to him and his family, just as they were to all African Americans. The people and groups involved in Reconstruction had many different ideas for freedom and equality. There were presidents like Lincoln who wanted to help African Americans and on the other hand there was Johnson who wanted nothing more then to keep them as slaves and did everything in his power to keep it that way. Then there were political parties like the Radical Republicans who also wanted to see threw with slavery and lend aid to African Americans and then you had organizations like the KKK causing extreme violent acts towards African Americans. There is no question that the Reconstruction period was a chaotic time where people had to struggle with freedom and equality and today in the United States of America people might be free, but I still think that there are some forms of inequality.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

HR Training Class

Organizations are continuously seeking to improve quality in which there is more focus on their customer service and relations. In most organizations the customer service skills contribute to the success of the organization. Individuals with good people skills are the foundation to excellent customer service. The skills associated with good customer service are problem solving, team work, leadership selection is not an effective way to improve productivity in situations where only a few applicants compete for a large number of openings, or a business involves only easily learned tasks (Brown, 1996).Employees have many options to improving their performance In the event an organization encounters these situations, selection techniques would not be used but training would be used. In any organization, when employees have interactions with customers it represents the organization. The perception held by the customers experience will influence how they will perceive the organization and its products. When determining the training needs of organizations employees and filling positions are important factors in the HR management processes.Having the right number of people with the right training in the right jobs to meet its sales goals for the new product is essential in a viable organization (Kusluvan, 2003). A job analysis needs to be completed to know the skills needed for each position. The job description will lay out the skills and abilities of an individual needed to fill a job will come from the job analysis. The needs assessment role is to give answers to such commonly asked questions such as the when, who, and why.Conducting needs assessment protects the assets of an organization and facilitates conservation and proper utilization of resources set aside for training. A needs assessment helps to know whether training is the ideal solution to a performance deficiency (Barbazette, 2006). If training does not help resolve a deficiency in skills and knowledge, t here would be no need for the training. Organizations should know the reason training to avoid wasting resources in training materials. Needs Assessment PurposeAltschuld and White (2010) point out training needs assessment serves several multiple purposes only if proper implementation takes place. The needs of the organization is the most important when it comes to the training offered. Serving the business needs with training adds value only when it is  needed. Lastly, it will help correct the issues that the clients may present. The clients know what they want but do not know the way to correct issues concerning human performance. A needs assessment can communicate distinctive information given by the client, also give other reason on the clients original feeling.The other reason for the assessment is to match up with the employee’s performance needs ultimately meeting the needs of the organization. A major role of the assessment is to gather the information that will bac k the design of the training, which best fits the needs of the employee’s job description. Also, it results in recommendations regarding non-training issues that are affecting the achievement of the desired organization and employee performance goals (Barbazette, 2006). It is equally as important for the individual assessor to know the issues and give suggestions as to how these issues could be addressed. In addition, training needs assessment helps protect the continuance of the training functions in an organization.During hard times the risk will not be so high if the training provided adds value to the organization. In the process of a needs assessment one should consider the needs of the business, employee performance, and individual learning. The evaluation methods consist of different factors such as organization needs, learner reaction, job performances and learning. The goal in training is to be able to identify positive changes in each of the four needs assessment pr e-measures when post-measured during evaluation (Lenan & Bailey, 2006). The evaluation measurement can cause the organization to begin a new needs assessment. A needs assessment uncovers the existing performance deficiencies. The assessment will address the following questions: Need of training?Organizations need to compare the deficiency to the business needs and confirm that the positive outcome of training employees outweighs the problems inherent in performance deficiency (Tobey, 2005). In order to answer this question, one will have to complete an alternative analysis along with a feasibility analysis. Individual training?Individuals that can provide a solution to the deficiency should be involved in the training. The targeted population should be analyzed to acquire the knowledge of their deficiency. The analysis will also help design the  training program needed and that would be of interest. Unstable Performance ResolvedThe best way to solve performance issues is by offeri ng training or if training is not feasible offer was to solve the issues. A performance analysis will identify the deficiency of skills; this can be solved by training. Best Performance Ways?To achieve the best results there is a better way to accomplish the task. Job performance standards such as Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) should be set by the organization (Tobey, 1987). Government regulations should also be considered when completing the task in a required manner. Conduct task analysis to identify the best way to perform. Training Timing?Organizations have to consider the best time to complete the training due to the holiday schedules and business cycles will impact the employee attendance.Improvement of the organizations performance is done through the performance and commitment of the employees as well as training. Training will aid employees in their current roles and help develop them for possible future added responsibilities. Some of the purposes of training are to update employee skills, preparation for promotion, and success in management while satisfying the employee needs. Some organizations provide apprentice training.The implementation of a training program being successful depends on more than the organizations ability to identify the needs. The success depends on the ability to obtain information to design a training program to fit the need. Some experts think that the design of the training programs should be focused on objectives of the instructional training’s willingness of employees, instructor’s characteristics and principles of learning. There are many methods of training employees, these methods consist of presentations, role play, on the job training, case study, online web base seminars and simulations.The method of training chosen is online web- based training because it is very convenient to use. If ones company is not  already using it, then there should be plans to implement online training as a part of th e overall plan for education. Web-based training has several advantages. †¢Provides employees access to training materials twenty four hours a day so, they can learn and complete on their own schedule †¢Management can track employees progress†¢Expenses are cut due to not having to provide instructors, venue or materials †¢It enables staff members from various geographical settings to take the training at their convenience without the time or expense of traveling. Since the introduction of the internet, organizations now have virtual online training. This is a way that the company can offer training on various subjects in an online environment. Some organizations offer certificate programs for the completion of the courses employees complete. Ways to motivate employeesThe most indisputable way to motivate employees into attending a training session is to make it a requirement to attend training on scheduled work hours. There are ways to motivate employees that are not interested in attending training sessions are as follows (Tobey, 2005; Rossett, 1987).Provide incentivesThe most common incentives for employees to attend training will include opportunities for promotion, college credits, certificates and monetary compensation. Relate the training to an employee’s immediate jobEmployees are more willing to attend training when the material covered will be directly related to their immediate job performance. Employees would be more motivated to attend a training session on a computer program that the organization will be using in two months than a training session on â€Å"Future Trends on Office Automation† (Rosset, 1987). Therefore, training should be provided before the implementation of the product instead of with the thought of we may use it. Make the training interestingEmployees are more interested and willing to go to training if the session are interesting and they gain useful information associated with their position. I ncrease employee buy-in in the trainingIf the employee has a say in the information covered and the type of training given they will be more likely to attend these sessions. Provide the food.The organization provides lunch during the training session for the employees as the presentation is carried out. This would be the highest possibility that the employees would attend this training. Reduce the stress of attending the trainingOften times, employees are willing to attend training but their schedule constraints keep them from taking the time away from their schedules. The organization can assist employees with attending training by reducing their workload or giving assistance with workload. Customer feedback is significant to respond to customer needs and issues to ensure satisfaction of the Company’s products and services (Brown, 1996). Feedback in training is important in helping make improvements for future training sessions. Sample of survey used to collect feedback.1. O verall how would you rate the training class? ExcellentGoodFairPoor*2. Please rate the following aspects of the training classExcellentGoodFairPoorn/a Did your trainer actively ask questionsDid your trainer have a professional demeanorPlease rate the qualifications of the instructor3. Based on your experience at this training class, how likely are you to attend future training class with this instructor? Very likelySomewhat likelyNot likely4. What did you learn from the training?ExcellentGoodFairPoorn/a5. What do you think about the quality of training?ExcellentGoodFairPoorn/a6. Were the training materials enough?7.Suggest other methods of training8.What did you learn from the training?In conclusion, all organizations should place training employees on customer service at the top of their priorities. Customers will continue to come back when they receive good service and back service will drive customers away. Therefore all organizations need to continue to enhance the customer serv ice skills of their employees through customer service training.

Friday, September 13, 2019

Describe the roles of amino acid R-groups to the transmembrane Essay

Describe the roles of amino acid R-groups to the transmembrane channels that allow passage of molecules and ions across lipid bilayers - Essay Example On the other hand, the hydrophilic amino acids are usually established on the outside of proteins and in the lively cores of enzymatically lively proteins. This means that the natural world of some amino acid R-groups permits enzyme reactions to take place. The imidazole ring of histidine permits it to function as either a proton contributor or acceptor at physiological PH. Therefore, it is mostly discovered in the hasty heart of enzymes. Hemoglobin is the best example of membrane channel that plays a vital role in movement of molecules and ions. The aptitude of histidines in hemoglobin is responsible for cushioning the H+ ions ionization of carbonic acid in red blood cells (Berg, Tymoczko and Stryer 55). This is the main factor of hemoglobin that that permits it to swap over O2 and CO2 at the tissues or lungs respectively. The most influential alcohol of serine and threonine in addition to the thiol (-SH) of cysteine, permit these amino acids to take action as nucleophiles throughou t enzymatic catalysis. Moreover, the cysteine thiol is capable of developing a disulfide union with other cysteines: From the chain above, the easy disulfide is recognized as cystine. The development of disulfide unions between cysteines available within proteins is significant to the development of lively structural spheres of influence in a huge number of proteins (Berg, Tymoczko and Stryer 60). The process of disfulfied union between cysteines of distinct polypeptide chains of oligomeric proteins performs a significant function in commanding the structure of complicated proteins such as the insulin receptor. All the above mentioned processes takes place in membranes and the fact that certain little molecules go through easily while others find it hard to go through makes the membranes of the R groups to be considered selectively permeable (Berg, Tymoczko and Stryer 67). This is because when several sugars of equal molecular size are available both

Thursday, September 12, 2019

The Story of an Hour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

The Story of an Hour - Essay Example He later informed -Josephine- Mrs. Mallard’s sister. She is now tasked with the duty to inform her ailing sister that her beloved husband passed away in the ill-fated accident. This must have been a herculean task since it was not easy to break such news to her sister and she did not know how to do it without causing more harm than the situation had already presented. Thousands of thoughts must have been crisscrossing Josephine’s mind. She must have wondered how her sister will take the news, the effect the news would have on her heart. She even wondered what if she broke the news and her sister could not take it that she also dies. The kind of dilemma that Josephine went through was not easy but also required her to be strong for the sake of her sister. Her falling into a grieving mood was not an option because she was to be her sister’s pillar during such trying times. When Josephine finally breaks the news to Mrs. Mallard, she is stricken by grief and she sobs at her sisters’ arm. She is greatly affected by the loss of her husband. When she could not take it anymore, she went into her room and locked herself. Mary Chopin explains the extent of the grief when she says â€Å"She sat with her head thrown back upon the cushion of the chair, quite motionless, except when a sob came up into her throat and shook her, as a child who has cried itself to sleep continues to sob in its dreams† (The Story of an Hour, 476). The writing clearly depicts the extent of the grief. Locking herself in her and shutting everyone else out shows how at the moment she saw her world ending due to the loss of her husband. She was still young and yet at this tender age suffers such a great blow. This seclusion must have worried the sister as well. As much as she wanted to give, her space to grieve she also wanted to be by her side and comfort her. This worried Josephine that she went and knocked at the door of Mrs. Mallard’s room

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Investments class (Measure for t-bond & funds historical data) Assignment - 2

Investments class (Measure for t-bond & funds historical data) - Assignment Example Funds can be described as the vehicles upon which investor pool their monetary resources to initiate a joint investment (Bodie 56). The beauty of this approach is normally aligned to the fact that possible losses are shared across the group, with little impact on individual investors. On the other hand, the profits registered are also shared in a similar manner; thus proposing this model for consideration in a significant number of investment approaches. A focus on the dynamics exhibited on the common funds based investment channels leads to the development of a perception that has been registered in this field. A reflection on mutual funds indicates a rather reluctant nature in the preference accorded to this model of investment by potential investors. May be an evaluation of the aspects that involves in the realization of a mutual fund investment can lead to the development of a deeper insight on this dynamic. Mutual funds focus on pooling together risks in terms of investment. Small investors pool their monetary value under one basket, thus aligning themselves for a strengthened investment. The caption point that is routinely developed via this approach is the fact that the investment is modeled along with an intelligent platform (Kent 97). The flow of monetary investments under mutual funds has posted significant adjustments across the twenty year period. A reflection on the annular performance of a mutual fund based investor, such as Cohen & Steers Realty Shares (CSRSX), reflects the indicated trend. This organization has been posting mixed adjustments in its annular revenue overview. The implication that may be coined to these mixed results may be fetched from the listed examples. Others include the dynamics experienced in small scale investments across the lapse of time. The contemporary world has provided numerous, and safe

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

I don't have one Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

I don't have one - Essay Example Diageo financial reports for the year ended 30 June 2012 reveals the strength of the business. In summary, the business increased net sales by 6%, 9% in net operating profit, and 4% points of positive price/mix. Emerging markets played a big role in improving Diageo business, which amounted to about 40%. These emerging markets increased sales by 15% and operating profits by 23%. In addition, the business has free cash flow available for investment amounting to Euros one point six billion. Earnings per share went up by 13 % increasing final divided by 8%. The most important tool to an investor interested in stocks of Diageo is the income statement. From this statement earning per share in the year 2010 was at 72 pence and rose to 83.6 pence in the year 2011. Profits went up too by 292 million Euros. Operating profit went up by 133 euros. The margins are also at 29.4, which is higher than the previous year.This is a good indicator that of how company’s stocks are fairing in the market. The balance sheet of Diageo will help an investor see the extent of expansion of the company and diversification of its markets. A balance sheet gives the information on the value of the assets of the company and their growth over the last few years. From Diageo’s balance sheet, an investor can see there is a big growth in assets of the company from emerging markets. In addition, the balance sheet of Diageo reveals that 2% volume growth is driven by growth in strategic brands, emerging markets, premium plus products, innovation, and acquis itions. The stocks of Diageo earn good dividends and present great growth over the last few years. Thus, I would advice an investor to take up the shares. Stocks of international companies are a bit tricky to analyse. One reason is that hey are affected by issues like dramatic change in market value, politics, reliance on foreign legal remedies, and poor

Monday, September 9, 2019

Anything about marine biology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Anything about marine biology - Essay Example nt manmade and natural calamities have caused serious damage to the coral reef structures and as a result many reef formations have been lost over the years. Hence environmentalists and especially those in the field of marine biology are relentlessly trying to put an end to the destruction of coral reefs (Weir, 2001; Shah, 2010; Skoloff, 2010 Skoloff, 2010). All corals have a simple basic structure which is referred to as a polyp that consists of three layers of tissue: an outer epidermis, an inner cell layer surrounding the gastrovascular cavity and a middle layer of mesoglea. The gastrovascular cavity opens only at one end which facilitates food intake by the organism and also waste products are expelled through the same. Corals also possess tentacles which project as extensions of the body wall in the regions surrounding the mouth which mainly help to capture and ingest food as well as a source of defense when needed. In addition to this the presence of a unique type of cell called the cnidocyte that includes organelles such as nematocysts secrete lethal toxins which are helpful in prey capture. Additionally most corals contain a symbiotic alga, zooxanthellea, within their gastrodermal cells and both the algae and the coral share a mutually beneficial relationship by supplying resources required for photosynthesis, organic products o f photosynthesis and facilitating waste removal. This mutual exchange is vital for coral productivity as well as limestone-secreting capacity of the coral reefs using the photosynthetic produce of the algae. In addition, the presence of the algae is responsible for the color of the polyp and if the algae are expelled by the corals, which may occur during periods of prolonged stress, the coral reefs become while in color, a process which is referred to as coral bleaching. Using the photosynthetic products released by the algae the corals produce calcium carbonate. Of the 6000 known species of anthozoans, stony corals make up the