A Summary of the Manager Interview Questions

With the growth of worldwide globalization systems, it could not be denied that many people are transferring from one country to another. Some for business reasons, some for educational reasons and others just transfer for tourism purposes.Whatever it is that the different races transfer places, it could not be denied that in many ways, the said progressive movement of the human society towards the future raises several points of consideration in the human identity belonging to a certain ethnic group.Along with the global development comes the exchange of culture and other aspects of racial contributions such as language has been exchanged through immigration activities. This is the reason why it is very important for people to see to it that even though there is so much diversity in the world, language is still one of the keys by which a certain race’s ethnicity could be identified amidst diversity.With regards this fact, an interview was held by the author with an assistance manager named Andy Grady. He is a personnel manager in a high end clothing store named Kenneth Cole. The said business company is known for hiring people of different ethnicity and culture.This then drives the interviewer to have an interest with regards the capability of the manager in handling conflicts that may be considered in connection with hi ability in relating to the communication and personal development needs of the people. To be able to summarize the answers of the manager with regards the issue brought up herein shall be presented in the paragraphs that follow.Summary of interviewAccording to the interviewee, cultural diversity has usually been pointed as one reason why many companies around the world fall down. The fact that the differences include diverse preferences as well as individual personalities, the companies involved in such situations are naturally subjected to challenges of keeping the peace and unity within the community existent.The said five spheres of culture are mainly referred to as the region, industry, Company, Function and Profession. These five major factors making up the cultural diverse effects of having people from around the world work within a single company, usually identifies the importance of intercultural connection existing within the organization.These spheres are the ones pointed by many organizations as core reasons of dispute between members. With the use of the said spheres, the said company had been able to learn how to deal with many people of different cultures around the world. The barriers which were preempted to ruin the organization became the key for everyone’s united understanding of society not only within the business but also with the external communities that the members need to deal with everyday (Whitehead 2002).

Barriers for Women returning to Further Education

In the last few decennaries, the schools have seen a astonishing figure of older adult females returning for farther instruction or FE ( Thomas 2001 ) . This inflow has forced the educational establishments to re-examine their purposes and plans. There is a greater growing in registration in adult females than in work forces. Womans returning for FE normally return after go forthing the instruction at a certain age to indulge in certain duties at place ( Thomas 2001 ) . One of the most ambitious barriers for the adult females returning for farther instruction is happening the balance between school and household, and adult females are frequently seen showing struggle between the two ( Thomas 2001 ) . The other barriers include cultural, attitudinal, qualificatory, situational and institutional barriers ( Evans 1995 ) . Situational barriers include household limitations and deficiency of proper support – economic or otherwise. The adult females who work are paid less than work forces in rewards ( Evans 1995 ) . Pascal and Cox ( 1993 ) stated how the adult females were certain that their employment chances were traveling to increase by instruction. Education was besides seen as an instrument to obtain independency from traditional household constructions ( Pascal and Cox, 1993 ) . Most of the adult females oculus instruction as an chance, while non all can set it to utilize in their existing callings. Those who do are successful in fostering their present callings, and some adult females advanced to direction or professional callings ( Pascal and Cox, 1993 ) . Mau ( 1990 ) has highlighted the jobs faced by adult females from different cultural groups due to many sidelong grounds. Asia/Pacific Americans are socialized into traditional functions and these adult females do non normally think about higher instruction doing it hard for the other adult females to take part in farther instruction. Redding and Dowling ( 1992 ) have indicated that adult females re-enter for farther instruction in order to achieve a grade. Womans who play different functions at the same time have specific demands that are non met by the traditional university rites and patterns of the households ( Redding and Dowling, 1992 ) . Wild ( 2003 ) suggested that there were organisational barriers for adult females to acquire publicities in FE. This can be seen as a cause for apathetic status of the assorted universities towards the re-entering adult females. If adult females could represent a applaudable portion of the senior members, conditions for adult females desiring to re-enter to finish their instruction would be more affable and friendly. This survey recognizes the assorted barriers that are faced by the re-entering college adult females. There are different barriers that have been identified, such as fiscal jobs, household duties and limitations, unequal support systems, and favoritism at the establishments. These barriers frequently lead the adult females to acquire discouraged and frequently leave halfway. The instructors have to go a portion of the procedure of mainstreaming these re-entering pupils. There is a demand to heighten the continuity of the re-entry adult females and strategise the schooling for these adult females to help them in their end of instruction and self -independence.Theoretical ModelThere has been a significant addition in the registration of female pupils in schools and colleges. This addition in the rate of female pupils may be attributed to the inflow of the older adult females re-entering for instruction ( Thomas 2001 ) . Re-entry of adult females as a construct became popular in the 197 0s, and refers to the phenomenon of adult females, who had non completed their higher instruction at an Orthodox age, returning to the schools for formal instruction ( Thomas 2001 ) . The adult females have to opt-out of instruction for assorted grounds including household duties, poorness, etc. So, the re-entry adult females have to pull off the other duties such as employment, committednesss of household, and other compulsory duties. â€Å" Womans have restraints of clip, infinite, resources and socio-economic disablements † ( Evans 1995 ) . Evans ( 1995 ) has pointed out some common barriers that the adult females face in engagement in instruction, like: Cultural, Attitudinal, Qualificatory, Situational, and Institutional. Tittle and Denker ( 1977 ) had pointed out the barriers as household limitations, fiscal jobs, attitudinal features and college limitations. Holiday ( 1985 ) besides stated Institutional and Situational barriers as the chief barriers for rhenium come ining adult females. The cultural and attitudinal barriers are societal phenomena that discriminate the function and position of adult females in the society. These barriers can be seen all over the universe, despite wholly different fortunes predominating at that place ( Evans 1995 ) . Attitudinal differences can be attributed to the deficiency of female function theoretical accounts. While the attitudinal and cultural barriers may be understood as social elements of favoritism, the situational, qualificatory and institutional barriers make it hard for the establishments every bit good as the re-entering adult females to have quality instruction. The situational barriers such as household committedness, deficiency of support form the spouse, fiscal jobs, and distance from the educational establishments come in between the adult females and instruction and at the same clip do it hard for the instructors and the organisations to educate these adult females. It ‘s been found that male spouses are non supportive for adult females to come in the traditionally male dominated sphere ( Evans 1995 ) . The attitudes towards the function of adult females in the households and economic disagreements are some of the chief grounds that discourage adult females from re-entering ( Holiday 1985 ) . The institutional barriers that exclude adult females are sex, age, fiscal assistance, policies related to admittance, rigorous course of study planning and attitudes of the staff and module ( Holiday 1985 ) . Evans ( 1995 ) has pointed out the chief elements of institutional barriers as: fixed hours of instruction, attending demands, a fixed agenda of course of study that makes it hard to catch up with the lost Sessionss, and deficiency of installations related to child attention. Furthermore, attitudes of staff and module are besides barriers to easy instruction for re-entering adult females. Discrimination in the admittance procedure, although prohibited by Torahs in about every state, relieve the private, spiritual and military academic establishments ( Holiday 1985 ) . â€Å" In add-on, the differing informations on ability degrees of male and female pupils enrolled suggest that some signifiers of age and sex favoritism still exist, peculiarly related to re-entry adult females † ( Holiday 1985 ) . The life style of the most adult females makes it hard for them to manage instruction with all the other duties. This consequences in favoritism against the adult females pupils who want to inscribe parttime as most of the establishments prefer full-time pupils ( Holiday 1985 ) . With the addition in the figure of educational establishments worldwide, the demand for the pupils has increased drastically, but, it has been observed that these establishments would instead still prefer full-time pupils over part-timers. The institutional ordinances refering the full-time classs are such that the adult females from a low-income group or adult females with kids can non run into the necessary demands ( Holiday 1985 ) . Evans ( 1995 ) besides recognizes the male laterality in certain topics as a barrier for re-entering adult females. Inflexible choice and stringent entry demands besides make it hard for re-entering adult females to acquire in the establishments for the intent of survey ( Evan s 1995 ) . The fiscal assistance available for re-entry adult females is non sufficient to run into their demands and most of the assistance is normally unavailable to them, as it is restricted to full clip pupils merely ( Holiday 1985 ) . Furthermore, information related to the fiscal assistance is non that easy available to the re-entry adult females, who thereby can non acquire to re-enter because of the fiscal issues even though there are commissariats for fiscal aid ( Holiday 1985 ) . Tittle and Denker ( 1977 ) pointed out the importance of analyzing the programming and cycling of categories for parttime pupils in order to promote instruction for re-entering adult females. Vacation ( 1985 ) , Tittle and Denker ( 1977 ) and Evans ( 1995 ) emphasized the importance of kid attention installations for the benefit of the re-entering adult females. The deficiency of kid attention installations in the educational establishments is one of the most critical jobs for the re-entering adult females ( Evans 1995 ; Tittle and Denker, 1977 ) . Most re-entering adult females argue that their educational chases are hampered by the demand for child care ( Holiday 1985 ) . Apart from these obvious issues, the attitudes of module and staff towards the re-entering adult females have besides been known to impede the uninterrupted inflow of these pupils ( Holiday 1985 ; Thomas 2001 ) . Thomas ( 2001 ) identified institutional barrier as one of the most powerful barrier for re-entering adult females. The chief barrier that the re-entering adult females face may be related to class programming, location of the establishment and â€Å" a assortment of other procedural and rele vancy jobs † ( Thomas 2001 ) . The institutional and situational barriers besides make it hard for the instructors to actuate and educate the re-entering adult females. The male oriented linguistic communication and male images in learning stuff make it hard for the re-entering adult females to associate to the course of study ( Evans 1995 ) . The domestication of adult females ‘s labour and calling aspirations is one of the grounds for the deficiency of motive in the adult females ( Evans 1995 ) , and it can be really hard for the instructors to maintain these adult females motivated to analyze and prosecute a calling. The favoritism against re-entering adult females has been seen in different communities around the universe, although non much research has been put into the barriers for adult females returning for FE in the development states. The surveies refering African American Female Students ( Thomas 2001 ) , adult females in South Africa ( Kok and Van der Westhuizen, 2003 ) , Asian/Pacific American Female ( Mau 1990 ) and Women in South Asia ( Khan et al. , 1986 ) , all point towards barriers in instruction for re-entering adult females. One of the barriers has been recognised as self-concept features ( Tittle and Denker, 1977 ) . This has been related to the calling pick adult females make, particularly the re-entry adult females. Female pupils choose humanistic disciplines, societal scientific disciplines and human surveies, instead than proficient topics, which can be perceived as a structural stereotype that is propagated by adult females themselves ( Evans 1995 ) . Due to the barriers in instruction for re-entry adult females faced by adult females and instructors likewise, the adult females should besides take involvement and duty for their ain instruction by pull offing their clip efficaciously and take parting actively in the educational procedure ( Thomas 2001 ) . Returning to the school for instruction may be hard via media for the adult females, but the adult females should be motivated and committed to dishonor educational grades ( Thomas 2001 ) . The adult females need to believe in societal support systems and use them actively and efficaciously in the chase of instruction. Certain adult females re-entering the educational establishments for farther instruction believe that it can increase their employment chances ( Pascal and Cox, 1993 ) . Merely a little group of adult females use their grades to foster the bing callings, while some adult females find it hard to happen instruction utile to foster their callings ( Pascal and Cox, 1993 ) . However, there are cases of adult females traveling to other callings and progressing to higher professional callings ( Pascal and Cox, 1993 ) . Thomas ( 2001 ) has mentioned that re-entering adult females get excited about re-entry to colleges and farther instruction. There is an immediate addition in assurance in re-entering adult females ( Killy and Borgen, 2010 ) , but there are complains of function overload and struggles ( Thomas 2001 ) . One of the grounds for the administrative defects of establishments in turn toing the jobs of the re-entering adult females seems to be the deficiency of senior adult females leaders in higher instruction and deficiency of female function theoretical accounts. Furthermore, the deficiency of adult females in the administrative places besides advocates the favoritism and sex-role stereotyping prevalent in the society and establishments. There have been surveies in line with barriers that the adult females face in re-entering educational professions ( Kok and C. Van der Westhuizen, 2003 ) and the jobs they face in acquiring promoted ( Wild 1994 ) . Many subjects emerge from the survey of barriers for re-entering adult females. Killy and Borgen ( 2010 ) identified seven subjects sing the experience of re-entering adult females in North America. Passage to maturity and assurance crisis were the two chief subjects, followed by favoritism, diverse calling forms, sex-role stereotyping, the hunt for significance, and multiple functions ( Killy and Borgen, 2010 ) . However, the bulk of the surveies ( Evans 1995 ; Tittle and Denker, 1977, Mau 1990, Thomas 2001 ) have pointed out towards three chief subjects in Institutional barriers, Situational barriers, and Cultural barriers.

Questions Essay

1. What political offices were black men elected to – and not elected to –during Reconstruction? federal office,state office and local office 2. What issues most concerned black political leaders during Reconstruction? 3.Why were so many white southerners so opposed to black and white Republications exercising political power? 4. Were black political leaders unqualified to hold office so soon after the end of slavery? 5. What did black political leaders accomplish and fail to accomplish during Reconstruction? What contributed to their successes and failures? 6. Why was the Ku Klux Klan founded, and how effective was it? It was established by anti modernists. They believed that things were better in â€Å"the good old days† before the Civil War, and not only in regard to Blacks; they also felt that a woman’s place was in the home.The Klan was effective in systematically keeping black men away from the polls, so that the ex Confederate gained political control in many states. 7. What was the Fifteenth Amendment enacted? The 15th Amendment to the Constitution granted African American men the right to vote by declaring that the â€Å"right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude 8. How and why did black and white Republicans lose control of every southern state by 1877? The old conservative democrats regained the state governments. Also, blacks, who back then unanimously voted Republican, were beginning to be disenfranchised. 9. Why did the Republican Party fail to maintain control of southern state governments during Reconstruction? 10. How and why did Reconstruction end? Reconstruction ended because of the compromise of 1877. It was an unwritten agreement that stated Hayes would win the presidency, if he were to remove troops from southern states(political).Reconstruction also failed because many people in the south did not want to accept a life different from what they were used to soical. 11. How effective was Reconstruction in assisting black people to move from slavery to freedom? How effective was it in restoring southern states to the Union?

Time Capsule Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Time Capsule - Essay Example Between 1404 and 1414, Konrad came up with a number of paintings that were a depiction of ‘The Crucifixion’. During this period of Renaissance, religious forms were widespread in the society because of a society domination of the Church of Roam and the Catholic Church (Kleiner, 2006). On the Age of Baroque, an example of a possible Caravaggio find would be one of Caravaggio’s paintings—an Italian painter who downplayed the pre-existing rules of painting and came up with a new way of doing his artwork. His paintings, such as the â€Å"Inspiration of Saint Mathew,† were a reflection of the emotional and physical aspects of a human being. His work was a true image of â€Å"The Age of Baroque† in Italy and France that used exaggerated motion to elicit drama, grandeur, and tension alike (Guisepi, 2007). Music Throughout the existence of humanity, music has existed to move the human being emotionally and pump him up physically. In both periods of Renaissance and the Age of Baroque, music could be found in the form of sheets or notes. This could be a clear reflection of an era where the humanity existed without any advancement in technology that dominates the contemporary world. Additionally, from a critical look at of some of the musicians one would show that they helped to lay a platform of establishing musical sound of then and today. One is likely to find music notes of the likes of Leonel Power, a composer of early Renaissance times and Jacopo Peri, an Italian musician of the Age of Baroque (Guisepi, 2007). Descriptions of drawings or architecture Architects of the Renaissance time wanted to transform their status of professionalism from skilled laborers to artists. The architects of this era wanted to come up with structures that would be appealing to the human being both emotionally and reason wise (Kleiner, 2006). In this regard, one would hope to find in the time capsule notes and a set of plans on marvels like the Florence Cathedral among other great structures of the time that paved way for modern architecture. In the time capsule, works by Renaissance architects like Leon Battista, Andrea Palladio, and Filipo Brunelleschi could be a possible find. A possible reflection of Baroque architecture could be through finding the works of architect like Sir Christopher Wren. Such a finding would mirror the new emphasis that Baroque architecture placed on bold massing, domes, and light and shade colonnades etcetera. A possible find in the time capsule would be a set of plans or notes that relate to the rebuilding of the churches of London following the 1666 Great Fire of London (Kleiner, 2006). Philosophy From a philosophical point of view, the age of Renaissance portrayed a transition from the mediaeval thinking of an anonymous existence to the uniqueness in man be cause of enlightenment that characterized the man of the time. While Greece could be the source of early philosophers, the age of Renaissance came up with new values while old philosophies found new meanings. Recovery of ancient documents, renewed emphasis on individual freedom, and opposition of institutional authority made the practice of education undergo a revolution. In the time capsule, one can locate a copy of Galileo’s work on the telescope. A more interesting find however would be a discovery of the telescope he used to make astronomical observations. Galileo, an Italian, helped revolutionize the scientific landscape of the era of Renaissance through his invention of the telescope and many contributions in mathematics and physics. The nature of the Age of Baroque could be reflected in the time capsule by coming across the work of a philosopher of the time like

Ashoka, Constantine and Muhammad Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ashoka, Constantine and Muhammad - Assignment Example d Constantine possessed large territorial empires, the domains they ruled over never lasted after their deaths even though they tried to recognize their territories with Constantine and the Christianity and Ashoka with Buddhism. An aspect of significant importance in the study of Constantine is that even though he never created Christianity, he contributed towards the enhancement of its prominence since he converted to it. Similarly, Ashoka since his conversion to Buddhism, he ensured that he enhanced its dominance by rallying his followers behind him. Like Ashoka and Constantine, Muhammad after his conversion to Islam, influenced followers towards converting to his new religion (Gordon and Baumann 1032). The experienced that Ashoka, Constantine, and Muhammad had during their periods of conversion ideally played a significant role in influencing their attitudes toward military expansion and conquest. In such a way, analysts have made an analysis of religion has contributed to the war. Following the process involved towards conversion, this involved active participation in the conquest, and the three have been able actively to get involved in various activities including convincing of their followers into the formation of armies. Such armies would then be used to make military expansions and conquest (Gordon and Baumann

Tesla Motors Annual Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Tesla Motors Annual Analysis - Essay Example Extraordinary events are able to affect the financial standing of any given company because they are unforeseen and unplanned expenses. Natural disasters or things outside the company’s control can cost the company without it being able to plan or cater for the expenses. In the 2013 annual report, Tesla Motors did not report any extraordinary events that affected their financial standing. However, in the notes to financial statements, the company indicated that it has subsequent events, law suits as a result of environmental liabilities and assertion of intellectual property infringement claims by third parties against them in the form of letters. This may have adverse material effects and impacts on their brand, operations, cash flows, prospects and financial standing or position.The two years presented indicates a continued growth and expansion for Tesla Motors over the period. These expansions are both globally as well as nationally as shown by the trends in the companyâ₠¬â„¢s assets and liabilities. Despite the economic hardships experienced in the past ten years, the company increase has been steady. Due to the company’s global expansion and acquisition of new-retail locations, there has been a steady increase in its assets. As the assets increases, liabilities also increase, however, the company’s assets are larger that its liabilities are hence making it to be in good financial standing. The company is therefore capable of meeting their bills and to continue in this trend.

Information about Wegener's Granulomatosis Term Paper

Information about Wegener's Granulomatosis - Term Paper Example Wicks reports that 90% or more of those affected are Caucasian. 1 The comparative rarity also makes research difficult, especially when it will benefit only small numbers, which may mean funding for possible research projects is limited. Mahr et al 2(2006) give figures of between 24 and 157 cases per million people and yearly occurrence rates of 3 to 14 cases per million. Coleman ( 2006)3 suggests a figure of 30 per million. As with many other diseases and abnormalities of the immune system, it seems probable that Wegener's Granulomatosis develops when someone who is already genetically predisposed to the condition is exposed to a particular trigger mechanism, perhaps a bacterial or viral infection The condition has a number of synonymous names:- Klinger's syndrome, Klinger-Wegener syndrome, Wegener-Churg-Klinger syndrome, and Wegener-Klinger syndrome. Also because Wegener is said to have had Nazi connections there has been some inclination to re-name the condition as ANCA associated granulomatous vasculitis. Symptoms result from extreme inflammation which that can affect many different types of body tissues. These include the blood vessels when it is described as vasculitis when the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy blood vessels. The inflammation results in a reduction in blood oxygen levels accompanied by a restriction of blood flow to affected organs, which results in a destruction of normal tissue.4 ‘Incomplete’ forms exist that only attack one part of the body.5The condition can result in failure of the kidneys or lungs.6 This condition is considered to the result of an abnormal functioning of the immune system producing an over a response to stimuli. , although there is at present no known cause. 7, but this is not a contagious disease, nor is there any compelling evidence of it being hereditary.     

Parental Involvement (chapter 4) Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 10750 words

Parental Involvement (chapter 4) - Dissertation Example Parenting may be considered as natural for everyone, as most people underwent parental care during childhood and adolescence. However, there are still programs in which the goal is to bring out the best in parenting, concerning students whose problems derail them from performing academically. Table 13a focuses on the number of respondents that were able to participate in Parental Involvement workshops. According to the survey, 58 respondents (35%) answered that there were workshops or courses for parent involvement offered by the school district. However, there are 108 respondents (64%) who answered that there were no workshops or courses that concern parent involvement. For those have had the privilege to attend and participate in Parent Involvement workshops, the number of workshops last year varied. There are 21 respondents (12%) that were able to participate in 1 workshop while there were 88 respondents (52%) who were active, attending 2-3 workshops for Parent Involvement.

Healthcare in the US Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Healthcare in the US - Essay Example Policy issues, adverse economic conditions, and other trends and practices have been cited as some of the fundamental causes of the rise in healthcare costs both in the state, federal, and local governments. The sharp increases in healthcare expenditure have had various negative consequences to other sectors of the economy and the average livelihood of the American citizens. Financial pressure on families, challenges on the part of the employers, and a reduction in spending on other important sectors of the economy are some of the negative consequences of increased healthcare spending. Recent figures show that the rate of healthcare spending is significantly higher than average economic growth. The implication, according to economists, is that the rate of spending on healthcare is much faster than the rate of economic activities in other sectors of the economy. The imbalance in economic activities and healthcare expenditure shows that the levels may not be sustainable in the end (The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation Web). Usually, economic activities are determined by the manner in which countries devote significant amounts of money to certain sectors with the intention of improving the conditions of trade and the balance of economic systems. The statistics show that healthcare spending has grown by over 3.0 percentage points higher than the nominal GDP. It is necessary to establish some of the intervention measures that the federal, state, and local governments have undertaken in order to reduce the adverse impact of expenditure on the economy. The impact of negative economic growth manifests itself in terms of the various issues that connect with the specifics of economic growth. The question regarding the need to control the healthcare industry continues to polarize the health debate in the United States due to various factors that connect with costs, protection of the citizens, affordability, and quality. Among the objectives raised by the proponents of in creased government regulation of the sector is the matter of checking of rising costs of healthcare and the laxity of employers to meet the costs of employees’ medical insurance premium (The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation Web). A related concern is the adverse impact of increased spending on healthcare on other important sectors of the economy. Projected increase in healthcare expenditure implies that the government would not be able to cater appropriately for other matters of priority. Proponents of control argue that the general intention of controlling government expenditure aligns with the need to stabilize economic growth. On the other hand, those opposed to the government’s regulatory practices argue that increased regulation would slacken private initiative and discourage investment into the healthcare industry. In line with this argument, critics of government regulation contend that the practice contravenes the letter and spirit of a free market economy for which the United States is famed (Boscheck 75). Those who hold onto this view argue in favor of uncontrolled regulation point towards the need to develop alternative structures of stability as one of the ways through which stability of the healthcare industry and other related aspects of the economy can be controlled. The common impression in the perspectives of critics who challenge the free market healthcare model is that the system has failed. Exorbitant costs of healthca

Mothers Against Drunk Driving Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mothers Against Drunk Driving - Essay Example She then went on to found MADD in May 1980. Now MADD has over 600 chapters and 2 million members and supporters (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mothers_Against_Drunk_Driving#History). This interest group, which according to the website is made up of "dads and daughters, sons and uncles, friends and neighbors, and mothers"( http://www.madd.org/) has worked very hard over the years to help reduce the number of fatalities involving people who drink and drive. Starting just two years later in 1982, MADD helped pushed for a resolution for the first national Drunk and Drugged Driving Awareness Week to become law. By the end of this second year, MADD has already expanded into over 100 chapters. By the end of their third year, the government reported that 129 new anti-drunk driving laws had been passed (http://www.madd.org/aboutus/1179). The success story for MADD only continues as The Federal Minimum Drinking Age Law was signed by Ronald Regan on July 17,1984. By the end of 1984, MADD had expanded into Canada, and now had more than 330 chapters in 47 states. Just a few years later, in 1988, MADD helped push for another law, the Omnibus Anti-Drug Abuse Act, which extended the same right of other crime victims to the victims of DWI. Also, by the end of 1988, all 50 states had signed the federal bill, making the minimum drinking age throughout the county 21. All of MADD's grass roots style of work has only continued to expand through out the years. Because of the hard work of the organization, the numbers of drinking while driving deaths has decreased from the 1980s. Following statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), alcohol related deaths per year have declined from 26,173 in 1982 to 16,885 in 2005(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mothers_Against_Drunk_Driving#History). This is a significant decrease in the number of deaths caused by drunk driving, and the numbers alone help show how much work MADD has done, and how greatly it had effected out society. By the hard work, telecommunications, and fighting for their loved ones, the people of MADD have been able to become, what they call a "non-profit grass roots organization with more than 400 entities nationwide" (http://www.madd.org/aboutus/1094). Recently, MADD has announced a new, national, campaign to end drunk driving. With a combination of new, stronger laws, and advanced technology, MADD hopes it can continue its battle against drunk driving into the future, and keep drunk drivers off the road. The new MADD campaign may seem extreme to some, but it has decided that it wants to "completely" get rid of drunk driving ( http://www.madd.org/campaign). Even thought MADD has seen its share of victories, there is some contempt for the group. The founder of MADD, Candy Lightner, left the organization in 1985 and has since then gone on to criticize what the group has become. She has called the group "new-prohibitionists", and that is worries to much about the problems of alcohol, and is not focused on specifically drunk driving, as was her original intent (Bresnahan). Writer Radley Balko says that, "In fairness, MADD deserves credit for raising awareness of the dangers of driving while intoxicated. It was almost certainly MADD's dogged efforts to spark public debate that affected the drop in fatalities since 1980, when Candy Lightner founded the group

History of education Essay Example for Free

History of education Essay Before the invention of reading and writing, people lived in an environment in which they struggled to survive against natural forces, animals, and other humans. To survive, preliterate people developed skills that grew into cultural and educational patterns. For a particular group’s culture to continue into the future, people had to transmit it, or pass it on, from adults to children. The earliest educational processes involved sharing information about gathering food and providing shelter; making weapons and other tools; learning language; and acquiring the values, behavior, and religious rites or practices of a given culture. Through direct, informal education, parents, elders, and priests taught children the skills and roles they would need as adults. These lessons eventually formed the moral codes that governed behavior. Since they lived before the invention of writing, preliterate people used an oral tradition, or story telling, to pass on their culture and history from one generation to the next. By using language, people learned to create and use symbols, words, or signs to express their ideas. When these symbols grew into pictographs and letters, human beings created a written language and made the great cultural leap to literacy. IIIEDUCATION IN ANCIENT AFRICA AND ASIA In ancient Egypt, which flourished from about 3000 BC to about 500 BC, priests in temple schools taught not only religion but also the principles of writing, the sciences, mathematics, and architecture. Similarly in India, priests conducted most of the formal education. Beginning in about 1200 BC Indian priests taught the principles of the Veda, the sacred texts of Hinduism, as well as science, grammar, and philosophy. Formal education in China dates to about 2000 BC, though it thrived particularly during the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, from 770 to 256 BC (see China: The Eastern Zhou). The curriculum stressed philosophy, poetry, and religion, in accord with the teachings of Confucius, Laozi (Lao-tzu), and other philosophers. IVEDUCATION IN ANCIENT GREECE Historians have looked to ancient Greece as one of the origins of Western formal education. The Iliad and the Odyssey, epic poems attributed to Homer and written sometime in the 8th century BC, created a cultural tradition that gave the Greeks a sense of group identity. In their dramatic account of Greek struggles, Homer’s epics served important educational purposes. The legendary Greek warriors depicted in Homer’s work, such as Agamemnon, Odysseus, and Achilles, were heroes who served as models for the young Greeks. Ancient Greece was divided into small and often competing city-states, or poleis, such as Athens, Sparta, and Thebes. Athens emphasized a humane and democratic society and education, but only about one-third of the people in Athens were free citizens. Slaves and residents from other countries or city-states made up the rest of the population. Only the sons of free citizens attended school. The Athenians believed a free man should have a liberal education in order to perform his civic duties and for his own personal development. The education of women depended upon the customs of the particular Greek city-state. In Athens, where women had no legal or economic rights, most women did not attend school. Some girls, however, were educated at home by tutors. Slaves and other noncitizens had either no formal education or very little. Sparta, the chief political enemy of Athens, was a dictatorship that used education for military training and drill. In contrast to Athens, Spartan girls received more schooling but it was almost exclusively athletic training to prepare them to be healthy mothers of future Spartan soldiers. In the 400s BC, the Sophists, a group of wandering teachers, began to teach in Athens. The Sophists claimed that they could teach any subject or skill to anyone who wished to learn it. They specialized in teaching grammar, logic, and rhetoric, subjects that eventually formed the core of the liberal arts. The Sophists were more interested in preparing their students to argue persuasively and win  arguments than in teaching principles of truth and morality. Unlike the Sophists, the Greek philosopher Socrates sought to discover and teach universal principles of truth, beauty, and goodness. Socrates, who died in 399 BC, claimed that true knowledge existed within everyone and needed to be brought to consciousness. His educational method, called the Socratic method, consisted of asking probing questions that forced his students to think deeply about the meaning of life, truth, and justice. In 387 BC Plato, who had studied under Socrates, established a school in Athens called the Academy. Plato believed in an unchanging world of perfect ideas or universal concepts. He asserted that since true knowledge is the same in every place at every time, education, like truth, should be unchanging. Plato described his educational ideal in the Republic, one of the most notable works of Western philosophy. Plato’s Republic describes a model society, or republic, ruled by highly intelligent philosopher-kings. Warriors make up the republic’s second class of people. The lowest class, the workers, provide food and the other products for all the people of the republic. In Plato’s ideal educational system, each class would receive a different kind of instruction to prepare for their various roles in society. In 335 BC Plato’s student, Aristotle, founded his own school in Athens called the Lyceum. Believing that human beings are essentially rational, Aristotle thought people could discover natural laws that governed the universe and then follow these laws in their lives. He also concluded that educated people who used reason to make decisions would lead a life of moderation in which they avoided dangerous extremes. In the 4th century BC Greek orator Isocrates developed a method of education designed to prepare students to be competent orators who could serve as government officials. Isocrates’s students studied rhetoric, politics, ethics, and history. They examined model orations and practiced public speaking. Isocrates’s methods of education directly influenced such Roman educational theorists as Cicero and Quintilian. VEDUCATION IN ANCIENT ROME While the Greeks were developing their civilization in the areas surrounding the eastern Mediterranean Sea, the Romans were gaining control of the Italian peninsula and areas of the western Mediterranean. The Greeks’ education focused on the study of philosophy. The Romans, on the other hand, were preoccupied with war, conquest, politics, and civil administration. As in Greece, only a minority of Romans attended school. Schooling was for those who had the money to pay tuition and the time to attend classes. While girls from wealthy families occasionally learned to read and write at home, boys attended a primary school, called aludus. In secondary schools boys studied Latin and Greek grammar taught by Greek slaves, called pedagogues. After primary and secondary school, wealthy young men often attended schools of rhetoric or oratory that prepared them to be leaders in government and administration. Cicero, a 1st century BC Roman senator, combined Greek and Roman ideas on how to educate orators in his book De Oratore. Like Isocrates, Cicero believed orators should be educated in liberal arts subjects such as grammar, rhetoric, logic, mathematics, and astronomy. He also asserted that they should study ethics, military science, natural science, geography, history, and law. Quintilian, an influential Roman educator who lived in the 1st century AD, wrote that education should be based on the stages of individual development from childhood to adulthood. Quintilian devised specific lessons for each stage. He also advised teachers to make their lessons suited to the student’s readiness and ability to learn new material. He urged teachers to motivate students by making learning interesting and attractive. VIANCIENT JEWISH EDUCATION Education among the Jewish people also had a profound influence on Western learning. The ancient Jews had great respect for the printed word and believed that God revealed truth to them in the Bible. Most information on ancient Jewish goals and methods of education comes from the Bible and the Talmud, a book of religious and civil law. Jewish religious leaders, known as rabbis, advised parents to teach their children religious beliefs, law, ethical practices, and vocational skills. Both boys and girls were introduced to religion by studying the Torah, the most sacred document of Judaism. Rabbis taught in schools within synagogues, places of worship and religious study. VIIMEDIEVAL EDUCATION. During the Middle Ages, or the medieval period, which lasted roughly from the 5th to the 15th century, Western society and education were heavily shaped by Christianity, particularly the Roman Catholic Church. The Church operated parish, chapel, and monastery schools at the elementary level. Schools in monasteries and cathedrals offered secondary education. Much of the teaching in these schools was directed at learning Latin, the old Roman language used by the church in its ceremonies and teachings. The church provided some limited opportunities for the education of women in religious communities or convents. Convents had libraries and schools to help prepare nuns to follow the religious rules of their communities. Merchant and craft guilds also maintained some schools that provided basic education and training in specific crafts. Knights received training in military tactics and the code of chivalry. As in the Greek and Roman eras, only a minority of people went to school during the medieval period. Schools were attended primarily by persons planning to enter religious life such as priests, monks, or nuns. The vast majority of people were serfs who served as agricultural workers on the estates of feudal lords. The serfs, who did not attend school, were generally illiterate (see Serfdom). In the 10th and early 11th centuries, Arabic learning had a pronounced influence on Western education. From contact with Arab scholars in North Africa and Spain, Western educators learned new ways of thinking about mathematics, natural science, medicine, and philosophy. The Arabic number system was especially important, and became the foundation of Western arithmetic. Arab scholars also preserved and translated into Arabic the works of such influential Greek scholars as Aristotle, Euclid, Galen, and Ptolemy. Because many of these works had disappeared from Europe by the Middle Ages, they might have been lost forever if Arab scholars such as Avicenna and Averroes had not preserved them. In the 11th century medieval scholars developed Scholasticism, a philosophical and educational movement that used both human reason and revelations from the Bible. Upon encountering the works of Aristotle and other Greek philosophers from Arab scholars, the Scholastics attempted to reconcile Christian theology with Greek philosophy. Scholasticism reached its high point in the Summa Theologiae of Saint Thomas Aquinas, a 13th century Dominican theologian who taught at the University of Paris. Aquinas reconciled the authority of religious faith, represented by the Scriptures, with Greek reason, represented by Aristotle. Aquinas described the teacher’s vocation as one that combines faith, love, and learning. The work of Aquinas and other Scholastics took place in the medieval institutions of higher education, the universities. The famous European universities of Paris, Salerno, Bologna, Oxford, Cambridge, and Padua grew out of the Scholastics-led intellectual revival of the 12th and 13th centuries. The name university comes from the Latin word universitas, or associations, in reference to the associations that students and teachers organized to discuss academic issues. Medieval universities offered degrees in the liberal arts and in professional studies such as theology, law, and medicine. VIIIEDUCATION DURING THE RENAISSANCE The Renaissance, or rebirth of learning, began in Europe in the 14th century and reached its height in the 15th century. Scholars became more interested in the humanist features—that is, the secular or worldly rather than the religious aspects—of the Greek and Latin classics. Humanist educators found their models of literary style in the classics. The Renaissance was a particularly powerful force in Italy, most notably in art, literature, and architecture. In literature, the works of such Italian writers as Dante Aleghieri, Petrarch, and Giovanni Boccaccio became especially important. Humanist educators designed teaching methods to prepare well-rounded, liberally educated persons. Dutch humanist Desiderius Erasmus was particularly influential. Erasmus believed that understanding and conversing about the meaning of literature was more important than memorizing it, as had been required at many of the medieval religious schools. He advised teachers to study such fields as archaeology, astronomy, mythology, history, and Scripture. The invention of the printing press in the mid-15th century made books more widely available and increased literacy rates (see Printing). But school attendance did not increase greatly during the Renaissance. Elementary schools educated middle-class children while lower-class children received little, if any, formal schooling. Children of the nobility and upper classes attended humanist secondary schools. Educational opportunities for women improved slightly during the Renaissance, especially for the upper classes. Some girls from wealthy families attended schools of the royal court or received private lessons at home. The curriculum studied by young women was still based on the belief that only certain subjects, such as art, music, needlework, dancing, and poetry, were suited for females. For working-class girls, especially rural peasants, education was still limited to training in household duties such as cooking and sewing. IXEDUCATION DURING THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION The religious Reformation of the 16th century marked a decline in the authority of the Catholic Church and contributed to the emergence of the middle classes in Europe. Protestant religious reformers, such as John Calvin, Martin Luther, and Huldreich Zwingli, rejected the authority of the Catholic pope and created reformed Christian, or Protestant, churches. In their ardent determination to instruct followers to read the Bible in their native language, reformers extended literacy to the masses. They established vernacular primary schools that offered a basic curriculum of reading, writing, arithmetic, and religion for children in their own language. Vernacular schools in England, for example, used English to teach their pupils. As they argued with each other and with the Roman Catholics on religious matters, Protestant educators wrote catechisms—primary books that summarized their religious doctrine—in a question and answer format. While the vernacular schools educated both boys and girls at the primary level, upper-class boys attended preparatory and secondary schools that continued to emphasize Latin and Greek. The gymnasium in Germany, the Latin grammar school in England, and the lycee in France were preparatory schools that taught young men the classical languages of Latin and Greek required to enter universities. Martin Luther believed the state, family, and school, along with the church, were leaders of the Reformation. Since the family shaped children’s character, Luther encouraged parents to teach their children reading and religion. Each family should pray together, read the Bible, study the catechism, and practice a useful trade. Luther believed that government should assist schools in educating literate, productive, and religious citizens. One of Luther’s colleagues, German religious reformer Melanchthon, wrote the school code for the German region of Wurttemberg, which became a model for other regions of Germany and influenced education throughout Europe. According to this code, the government was responsible for supervising schools and licensing teachers. The Protestant reformers retained the dual-class school system that had developed in the Renaissance. Vernacular schools provided primary instruction for the lower classes, and the various classical humanist and Latin grammar schools prepared upper-class males for higher education. XEDUCATIONAL THEORY IN THE 17TH CENTURY Educators of the 17th century developed new ways of thinking about education. Czech education reformer Jan Komensky, known as Comenius, was particularly influential. A bishop of the Moravian Church, Comenius escaped religious persecution by taking refuge in Poland, Hungary, Sweden, and The Netherlands. He created a new educational philosophy called Pansophism, or universal knowledge, designed to bring about worldwide understanding and peace. Comenius advised teachers to use children’s senses rather than memorization in instruction. To make learning interesting for children, he wrote The Gate of Tongues Unlocked (1631), a book for teaching Latin in the student’s own language. He also wrote Orbis Sensualium Pictus (1658; The Visible World in Pictures, 1659) consisting of illustrations that labeled objects in both their Latin and vernacular names. It was one of the first illustrated books written especially for children. The work of English philosopher John Locke influenced education in Britain and North America. Locke examined how people acquire ideas in An Essay Concerning Human Understanding (1690). He asserted that at birth the human mind is a blank slate, or tabula rasa, and empty of ideas. We acquire knowledge, he argued, from the information about the objects in the world that our senses bring to us. We begin with simple ideas and then combine them into more complex ones. Locke believed that individuals acquire knowledge most easily when they first consider simple ideas and then gradually combine them into more complex ones. In Some Thoughts Concerning Education (1697), Locke recommended practical learning to prepare people to manage their social, economic, and political affairs efficiently. He believed that a sound education began in early childhood and insisted that the teaching of reading, writing, and arithmetic be gradual and cumulative. Locke’s curriculum included conversational learning of foreign languages, especially French, mathematics, history, physical education, and games. XIEDUCATION DURING THE ENLIGHTENMENT The Age of Enlightenment in the 18th century produced important changes in education and educational theory. During the Enlightenment, also called the Age of Reason, educators believed people could improve their lives and society by using their reason, their powers of critical thinking. The Enlightenment’s ideas had a significant impact on the American Revolution (1775-1783) and early educational policy in the United States. In particular, American philosopher and scientist Benjamin Franklin emphasized the value of utilitarian and scientific education in American schools. Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, stressed the importance of civic education to the citizens of a democratic nation. The Enlightenment principles that considered education as an instrument of social reform and improvement remain fundamental characteristics of American education policy. XIIEDUCATION IN THE 19TH CENTURY The foundations of modern education were established in the 19th century. Swiss educator Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi, inspired by the work of French philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau, developed an educational method based on the natural world and the senses. Pestalozzi established schools in Switzerland and Germany to educate children and train teachers. He affirmed that schools should resemble secure and loving homes. Like Locke and Rousseau, Pestalozzi believed that thought began with sensation and that teaching should use the senses. Holding that children should study the objects in their natural environment, Pestalozzi developed a so-called â€Å"object lesson† that involved exercises in learning form, number, and language. Pupils determined and traced an object’s form, counted objects, and named them. Students progressed from these lessons to exercises in drawing, writing, adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing, and reading. Pestalozzi employed the following principles in teaching: (1) begin with the concrete object before introducing abstract concepts; (2) begin with the immediate environment before dealing with what is distant and remote; (3) begin with easy exercises before introducing complex ones; and (4) always proceed gradually, cumulatively, and slowly. American educator Henry Barnard, the first U. S. Commissioner of Education, introduced Pestalozzi’s ideas to the United States in the late 19th century. Barnard also worked for the establishment of free public high schools for students of all classes of American society. German philosopher Johann Herbart emphasized moral education and designed a highly structured teaching technique. Maintaining that education’s primary goal is moral development, Herbart claimed good character rested on knowledge while misconduct resulted from an inadequate education. Knowledge, he said, should create an â€Å"apperceptive mass†Ã¢â‚¬â€a network of ideas—in a person’s mind to which new ideas can be added. He wanted to include history, geography, and literature in the school curriculum as well as reading, writing, and arithmetic. Based on his work, Herbart’s followers designed a five-step teaching method: (1) prepare the pupils to be ready for the new lesson, (2) present the new lesson, (3) associate the new lesson with ideas studied earlier, (4) use examples to illustrate the lesson’s major points, and (5) test pupils to ensure they had learned the new lesson. AKindergarten German educator Friedrich Froebel created the earliest kindergarten, a form of preschool education that literally means â€Å"child’s garden† in German. Froebel, who had an unhappy childhood, urged teachers to think back to their own childhoods to find insights they could use in their teaching. Froebel studied at Pestalozzi’s institute in Yverdon, Switzerland, from 1808 to 1810. While agreeing with Pestalozzi’s emphasis on the natural world, a kindly school atmosphere, and the object lesson, Froebel felt that Pestalozzi’s method was not philosophical enough. Froebel believed that every child’s inner self contained a spiritual essence—a spark of divine energy—that enabled a child to learn independently. In 1837 Froebel opened a kindergarten in Blankenburg with a curriculum that featured songs, stories, games, gifts, and occupations. The songs and stories stimulated the imaginations of children and introduced them to folk heroes and cultural values. Games developed children’s social and physical skills. By playing with each other, children learned to participate in a group. Froebel’s gifts, including such objects as spheres, cubes, and cylinders, were designed to enable the child to understand the concept that the object represented. Occupations consisted of materials children could use in building activities. For example, clay, sand, cardboard, and sticks could be used to build castles, cities, and mountains. Immigrants from Germany brought the kindergarten concept to the United States, where it became part of the American school system. Margarethe Meyer Schurz opened a German-language kindergarten in Watertown, Wisconsin, in 1855. Elizabeth Peabody established an English-language kindergarten and a training school for kindergarten teachers in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1860. William Torrey Harris, superintendent of schools in St. Louis, Missouri, and later a U. S. commissioner of education, made the kindergarten part of the American public school system. BSocial Darwinism British sociologist Herbert Spencer strongly influenced education in the mid-19th century with social theories based on the theory of evolution developed by British naturalist Charles Darwin. Spencer revised Darwin’s biological theory into social Darwinism, a body of ideas that applied the theory of evolution to society, politics, the economy, and education. Spencer maintained that in modern industrialized societies, as in earlier simpler societies, the â€Å"fittest† individuals of each generation survived because they were intelligent and adaptable. Competition caused the brightest and strongest individuals to climb to the top of the society. Urging unlimited competition, Spencer wanted government to restrict its activities to the bare minimum. He opposed public schools, claiming that they would create a monopoly for mediocrity by catering to students of low ability. He wanted private schools to compete against each other in trying to attract the brightest students and most capable teachers. Spencer’s social Darwinism became very popular in the last half of the 19th century when industrialization was changing American and Western European societies. Spencer believed that people in industrialized society needed scientific rather than classical education. Emphasizing education in practical skills, he advocated a curriculum featuring lessons in five basic human activities: (1) those needed for self-preservation such as health, diet, and exercise; (2) those needed to perform one’s occupation so that a person can earn a living, including the basic skills of reading, writing, computation, and knowledge of the sciences; (3) those needed for parenting, to raise children properly; (4) those needed to participate in society and politics; and (5) those needed for leisure and recreation. Spencer’s ideas on education were eagerly accepted in the United States. In 1918 the Cardinal Principles of Secondary Education, a report issued by the National Education Association, used Spencer’s list of activities in its recommendations for American education. XIIINATIONAL SYSTEMS OF EDUCATION In the 19th century, governments in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, and other European countries organized national systems of public education. The United States, Canada, Argentina, Uruguay, and other countries in North and South America also established national education systems based largely on European models. In the United Kingdom The Church of England and other churches often operated primary schools in the United Kingdom, where students paid a small fee to study the Bible, catechism, reading, writing, and arithmetic. In 1833 the British Parliament passed a law that gave some government funds to these schools. In 1862 the United Kingdom established a school grant system, called payment by results, in which schools received funds based on their students’ performance on reading, writing, and arithmetic tests. The Education Act of 1870, called the Forster Act, authorized local government boards to establish public board schools. The United Kingdom then had two schools systems: board schools operated by the government and voluntary schools conducted by the churches and other private organizations. In 1878 the United Kingdom passed laws that limited child labor in factories and made it possible for more children to attend school. To make schooling available to working-class children, many schools with limited public and private funds used monitorial methods of instruction. Monitorial education, developed by British educators Joseph Lancaster and Andrew Bell, used student monitors to conduct lessons. It offered the fledgling public education system the advantage of allowing schools to hire fewer teachers to instruct the large number of new students. Schools featuring monitorial education used older boys, called monitors, who were more advanced in their studies, to teach younger children. Monitorial education concentrated on basic skills—reading, writing, and arithmetic—that were broken down into small parts or units. After a monitor had learned a unit—such as spelling words of two or three letters that began with the letter A—he would, under the master teacher’s supervision, teach this unit to a group of students. By the end of the 19th century, the monitorial system was abandoned in British schools because it provided a very limited education. BIn Russia Russian tsar Alexander II initiated education reforms leading to the Education Statute of 1864. This law created zemstvos, local government units, which operated primary schools. In addition to zemstvo schools, the Russian Orthodox Church conducted parish schools. While the number of children attending school slowly increased, most of Russia’s population remained illiterate. Peasants often refused to send their children to school so that they could work on the farms. More boys attended school than girls since many peasant parents considered female education unnecessary. Fearing that too much education would make people discontented with their lives, the tsar’s government provided only limited schooling to instill political loyalty and religious piety. CIn the United States Before the 19th century elementary and secondary education in the United States was organized on a local or regional level. Nearly all schools operated on private funds exclusively. However, beginning in the 1830s and 1840s, American educators such as Henry Barnard and Horace Mann argued for the creation of a school system operated by individual states that would provide an equal education for all American children. In 1852 Massachusetts passed the first laws calling for free public education, and by 1918 all U. S. states had passed compulsory school attendance laws. See Public Education in the United States. XIVEDUCATION IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY At the beginning of the 20th century, the writings of Swedish feminist and educator Ellen Key influenced education around the world. Key’s book Barnets arhundrade (1900; The Century of the Child,1909) was translated into many languages and inspired so-called progressive educators in various countries. Progressive education was a system of teaching that emphasized the needs and potentials of the child, rather than the needs of society or the principles of religion. Among the influential progressive educators were Hermann Lietz and Georg Michael Kerschensteiner of Germany, Bertrand Russell of England, and Maria Montessori of Italy. AMontessori. Montessori’s methods of early childhood education have become internationally popular. Trained in medicine, Montessori worked with developmentally disabled children early in her career. The results of her work were so effective that she believed her teaching methods could be used to educate all children. In 1907 Montessori established a children’s school, the Casa dei Bambini (Children’s House), for poor children from the San Lorenzo district of Rome. Here she developed a specially prepared environment that featured materials and activities based on her observations of children. She found that children enjoy mastering specific skills, prefer work to play, and can sustain concentration. She also believed that children have a power to learn independently if provided a properly stimulating environment. Montessori’s curriculum emphasized three major classes of activity: (1) practical, (2) sensory, and (3) formal skills and studies. It introduced children to such practical activities as setting the table, serving a meal, washing dishes, tying and buttoning clothing, and practicing basic social manners. Repetitive exercises developed sensory and muscular coordination. Formal skills and subjects included reading, writing, and arithmetic. Montessori designed special teaching materials to develop these skills, including laces, buttons, weights, and materials identifiable by their sound or smell. Instructors provided the materials for the children and demonstrated the lessons but allowed each child to independently learn the particular skill or behavior. In 1913 Montessori lectured in the United States on her educational method. American educators established many Montessori schools after these lectures, but they declined in popularity in the 1930s as American educators stressed greater authority and control in the classroom. A revival of Montessori education in the United States began in the 1950s, coinciding with a growing emphasis on early childhood education. BDewey The work of American philosopher and educator John Dewey was especially influential in the U. S. and other countries in the 20th century.

Use of Gender in Advertising

Use of Gender in Advertising Gender and Media Advertising. Introduction: The final dissertation will research, analyze and summarize the findings pertaining to the use of gender in advertising and the possible effects on the target market and society. The media advertising covered to include both print and electronic media and will, at minimum, encompass examples from magazines, television and Internet advertising, as they are the most pervasive within western society. A brief history of advertising and common techniques used in advertising, such as branding, to be included as background information. Methodology.   Content analysis to be done on selected major advertising campaigns in the three specified media of magazines, television and Internet. Additional quantitative analysis tools will be used, where required. Body   The research question to be addressed is: Identify and analyze the use of gender in media advertising, and its probable effects on society and summarize the findings. Provide background information on the historical and ethical use of advertising, including marketing techniques and refer to key proponents of the subject. For the purpose of the dissertation the following definitions will be applied throughout Gender  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender): â€Å"the characteristics, whether biological or socially influenced, by which people define male and female.† (Myers, 2002)Advertising (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advertising) Generally speaking, advertising is the promotion of goods, services, companies and ideas, usually by an identified sponsor. To achieve the required results, information and advertisements will be gathered from multiple sources; including magazines with different target audiences, television advertising and related articles, as well as Internet sites that promote specific products. Internet sites to include both product sites which are selected by the consumer and pop up advertising which is unsolicited. The content analysis of the data will take into consideration the techniques used, how appropriate the gender usage is related to the nature of the product being marketed and the target audience. The results to be summarized, categorized and reported based on the different media being evaluated as they use differing marketing techniques. This could result in gender content in advertising being less appropriate in certain mediums, based on the target audience and whether the target had the choice to select the specific advertisement. Printed media provides standard content for all consumers who view or purchase the magazine Television advertising is timed, niche type marketing to gain the attention of the most likely target market e.g. car related products advertised during NASCAR racing   Internet advertising is often one-on-one marketing based on the specific consumers past usage of Internet sites and information gathered by marketers on consumers from their web sites. e.g. Amazon analyze purchases made and then advertise selected products based on this history data to that individual consumer Certain products advertise using all of the above channels and are likely to prove to be good examples for inclusion in the dissertation. They will provide a total view of a product’s advertising strategy, as well as have a broad effect on society. Such products advertising could include additional channels, such as billboards and cinema advertising and this should be noted and included, where applicable. Where possible, marketing research carried out by the products marketing company will be included to validate the target markets and identify their marketing strategies.    The analysis must include the use of both men and women in advertising and the results need to identify and specify the differences and similarities in the use of both in the specific advertisements.   For this to provide a balanced comparison, the products for both sexes should be comparable, e.g. apparel. In addition to specifically looking at the effects of gender in advertising, any product that displays misleading facts, either by inclusion or omission of relevant facts, in any aspect, is to be investigated and included in the results. I believe that the dissertation will show that there are many examples of gender being included inappropriately by the media. If the introduction of a specific gender in an advertisement has no bearing on the product or the usage thereof, and is included only to engage the interest of the potential consumer, the inclusion is likely to be unnecessary and probably inappropriate. Such misuse could result in a number of negative effects on the consumer, for example Raises false expectations of the effect of the product being marketed Creates stereotypes in the minds of the general public which are erroneous Literature review As part of the analysis, identify and read up articles from key authors on the subject matter and include their findings relating to gender issues in advertising and any other appropriate sources outputs in the dissertation. Assumptions The dissertation is limited to advertising for an adult market and will not include marketing specifically aimed at children or teens. The study will only include media in English that is primarily used in the western world If specific print magazines, periodicals, companies or advertising campaigns are to be included in the study, this will be stated by the client The dissertation relates to advertising directed at the general public and therefore excludes business-to-business marketing and advertising strategies. Possible Limitations The topic will be limited to media advertising in English speaking, western society only, although I believe the use of gender in advertising could have a far greater negative impact in the Middle and Far East. The culture of consumers differs across Europe and the Americas and certain cultural groups will view advertisements differently. If the advertising has been customized by country or region to accommodate differing cultures, this could fragment some of the results. Conclusion: The choice of suitable products and the media advertising utilized is vital to the quality of the final dissertation. Tables and graphs to be included to illustrate the findings, where applicable. The dissertation will summarize the findings of the analysis carried out and document both the negative and positive aspects of gender usage as studied in media advertising. Any unethical practices identified which result in misleading the target market to be included, regardless of whether they specifically relate to the inclusion of gender bias.

Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent FMRI Psychology Essay

Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent FMRI Psychology Essay Functional magnetic resonance (fMRI) is the most widely used and powerful method of understanding the brain function and mapping neuroanatomy of the human brain. The most basic fMRI technique is blood oxygen level dependent (BLOD-fMRI). Paramagnetic deoxyhemoglobin in venous blood is a natural contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Basic principles and methodological applications of BOLD-MRI as an introduction are presented in this article, and the relationship between neural activation and a magnetic resonance signal change is represented in much detail. Introduction Functional magnetic resonance (fMRI) is a widely recognized technique for brain mapping and providing the anatomical information of brain activity. It has been demonstrated that this method bases on the local hemodynamic changes that influence deoxyhemoglobin changes in venous blood. Furthermore, susceptibility changes produced by deoxyhemoglobin changes lead to the changes of MR signal strength. This effect is called blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) contract (1). High spatial and temporal resolution brain mapping can be structured by this basic method. Currently, it has become the most powerful study of brain function techniques. Compared with the traditional neuroimaging methods, including positron emission tomography (PET) and intrinsic signal optical reflection imaging, BOLD-fMRI can provide high spatial and temporal resolution sufficiently using internal concentration of oxygenation in human bodies as a natural contrast agent. Blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) effect was firstly presented by Ogawa etc in 1990. They found that the magnetic resonance signal reduces when the concentration of oxyhemoglobin decreases. Also, their research showed that the reduction of signal not only occurs in blood, but also outside the blood vessels. Thus, they assert that this effect is caused by the property of magnetic field changes. After that, many researchers performed a large number of theoretical and experimental works to summarize the basis of BOLD-fMRI imaging. When neuron is activated, regional cerebral blood flow and oxygen consumption volume increase, but there are differences between the two increases, which is that the increase in cerebral blood flow is more than the oxygen consumption. Due to this difference, the venous oxygen concentration in active regions is significantly higher than the surrounding tissue and the concentration of deoxyhemoglobin reduces relatively. BOLD contrast has its origin in the fact that when normally diamagnetic oxyhemoglobin gives up its oxygen, the resulting deoxyhemoglobin is paramagnetic (2). Deoxyhemoglobin is a paramagnetic material which can produce local gradient magnetic field in the blood vessels and surroundings. Hence, it has effect on reducing T2. When brain areas are activated, the effect of reducing T2 decreases result from the reduction of deoxyhemoglobin. Compared with the resting state, T2 or T2* is relatively extended in local brain regions. Therefore, the signal is relatively enhanced on the T2 weighting or T2* weighting functional magnetic resonance imaging maps. Current MRI brain mapping studies all focus on off-on subtraction mode, which is the fMRI signal in active condition minus the signal under control conditions. The signal is extremely weak, and the relative increasing strength is 2%-5% generally. During imaging, the functional image of corresponding brain areas can be obtained if superimposing the high signal in different colors of active area on the high-resolution T1 weighting anatomical maps. This method is called blood oxygen level dependent contrast fMRI due to it depends on the level of oxygen in local blood vessels (1). This article reviews the basic principles and available methodological information and research on blood oxygen level dependent (BLOD-fMRI). This review begins with some basic principles on BOLD-fMRI. Furthermore, the methods for BOLD-fMRI will be described in detail including block design and event-related design. Also, the results of BOLD-fMRI studies will be presented and the advantages and limitations of the current research will be discussed as well. Finally, the key points and important aspects of the BOLD-fMRI will be summarized as a conclusion. Materials and Methods BOLD-fMRI experiment steps include: firstly, make experimental planning and determine the most optimal stimulus or task programs. Secondly, high T1 WL resolution anatomical images and a great number of original images in stimulation and rest states can be obtained by scanning. Lastly, functional active maps should be obtained by experimental data analysis. Block design bases on cognitive subtraction mode to show the stimulus task in block form. A tropical block design contains two basic tasks which are experimental tasks and control tasks, and the two intervals of blocks appear. Task-related brain activities can be understudied by the comparison of regional cerebral blood oxygen reaction through stimulation and control tasks. It is widely used in locating brain function. It is the early main method to do functional magnetic resonance imaging experiments. The advantages are simple and easy to perform tasks. However, the drawback is that the BOLD signal changes larger result in long stimulation time and the high rate of oxygen reaction. In blocked designs, regardless of stimulus presentation or task performance interdigitated with rest, observing the relationship of the time course of BOLD response to activation paradigm is possible (3). Also, more than one image can be obtained during every experimental and rest period. The signal time course should be assumed to be activated, and it can be tested. A simple example is presented in Figure 1(a). Firstly, switch on and off the visual stimulation (black and green) quickly for 10 times. It is shown that the time course of pixels follows the stimulation paradigm. However, the difference between the stimulation and time course is quite obviously (p

Analysis and Treatment of Hunter S. Thompson for Substance Use Disorder

Hunter S. Thompson once said, â€Å"I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone, but they’ve always worked for me.† There are no other words that would describe Dr. Thompson in a more accurate fashion. He lived his life like no other human being could ever imagine. He is arguably the most famous and creative writer to have lived, especially considering that he was the one who created the new style of writing that is referred to as â€Å"Gonzo† writing. He was the eye of a culture movement that left a significant impact on society’s perspective overall. Hunter was raised in a household that was below of average wealth; all while his friends were from the other side of town with considerable more wealth. His father passed away when he was at the age of 14, forcing his mother who was a heavy alcoholic to raise him and his brothers. His mother never had a grip on him allowing him to do as he pleased with no remorse. He was a child from hell that was continuously getting into mischief, whether it be vandalism, violence, pranks, theft, underage drinking, and just stirring up about anything he could. During his final days of being a senior in high school, he and two friends were arrested for theft. He was left in the jail system, while his two friends were released on the sole basis that they came from a family of wealth. He had the choice of staying in jail or joining the United States Air force, which he chose to serve his country. The one thing that Hunter really had a passion for was writing, in which he started at a young age and would continue to further develop his very own unique style of writing. His style of writing was non-traditional that went against every rule of journalism. It was a subjective form that ... ..., NSW: Centre for Parenting and Research Carter, G. & Gibney, A. (2008). Gonzo: The life and works of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson. United States: Mognolia Home Entertainment Studio. Higgins, C. (2013). Hunter S. Thompson’s daily routine. Mental_Floss, l. Hunter Stockton Thompson. (2013). The Biography Channel Website. Retreieved 6:39, Nov. 13, 2013. From Kring, M.A., Johnson, L.S., Davison, G., & Neale, J. (2012). Abnormal psychology. Danvers, MA: Wiley, John & Sons, Inc. Michael, S. (2010). The stress diathesis model of addiction. Psychneuro. Paulsen, O. & Moser, El. (1998). A model of hippocampal memory encoding and retrieval: GABAergic control of synaptic plasticity. Trends Neuroscience, 21, 273-278. Perkins, D. Lecture presented at Ball State University, Muncie, IN. (October 2013). Tucher, A. (2000). Thompson, Hunter S. American National Biography Online.

The Character of Iago in Shakespeares Othello Essay -- Othello essays

The Character of Iago in Othello      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   No one has ever failed to appreciate the skilled art with which Shakespeare has defined the characters of his plays; great and small alike, their distinctiveness, their dignity, their misery, and their integrity are captured and displayed.   In particular the depiction of certain characters in Othello have been universally acclaimed.   Identified by many scholars as one of Shakespeare "great" tragedies, along with Hamlet, Macbeth, and King Lear, Othello follows a traditional tragic pattern, tracing the central character's fall from greatness and bringing together qualities of nobility with choices that lead to inevitable suffering. Othello is also one of Shakespeare's most emotionally compelling plays. The drive, with which the devastating series of events disentangle, creates a breathless sense of muddled chaos that mesmerizes viewers almost as much as it propels the characters.   In the course of Othello, we are exposed to a dramatic concepti on of Iago.   The evil contained within Othello is by no means paranormal or mythical, yet is represented by the character Iago and his voracious desire for revenge and constant deception.   Iago is disloyal, shrewd, and egotistical.   He uses these traits to his advantage by slowly planning his own conquest while watching the demise of others.   Although Iago is a perfect example of evil, a "hellish villain" creating an internalized beastlike rage, he is in fact a human wrapped with passion suffering from a distorted image of himself and others.    Evil has nowhere else been portrayed with such mastery as in the character of Iago.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Iago is young, deceitful and a scoundrel from the start. He is keen and able to manipulat... ...ealed Through Dialogue." Readings on The Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Reprint from Literature. N. p.: Random House, 1986.    Gardner, Helen. "Othello: A Tragedy of Beauty and Fortune." Readings on The Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Reprint from "The Noble Moor." British Academy Lectures, no. 9, 1955.    Shakespeare, William. Othello. In The Electric Shakespeare. Princeton University. 1996. http://www.eiu.edu/~multilit/studyabroad/othello/othello_all.html No line nos.    Wright, Louis B. and Virginia A. LaMar. "The Engaging Qualities of Othello." Readings on The Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Reprint from Introduction to The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare. N. p.: Simon and Schuster, Inc., 1957.   

Safety Management System

By recognizing the organization's role in accident prevention, SMSs provide to both certificate holders and the national aviation authority e. g. (CAAS): A structured means of safety risk management decision making A means of demonstrating safety management capability before system failures occur Increased confidence in risk controls though structured safety assurance processes An effective interface for knowledge sharing between regulator and certificate holder A safety promotion framework to support a sound safety culture Safety begins from both the top down and the bottom up.Everyone from the receptionist, ramp worker, pilot, manager, and CAAS Inspector has a role to perform. SMS is all about decision-making. Thus it has to be a decision-maker's tool, not a traditional safety program separate and distinct from business and operational decision making. Why do we need SMS? We are now in a position where the â€Å"common cause† accidents are diminishing in number. While it's a major success story, it's not a place to rest.When we find a cause that affects all or part of a large population of operators or other aviation participants, we can address risk through rulemaking – a risk control that applies to veryone to address risks to which everyone is exposed. There will always be some of these risks and work will continue to find them and address them. Many accidents that occur, however, are due to the unique aspects of the operating environments of individual operators of narrow segments of the aviation community.The causal factors of these accidents aren't common to everyone; they must be found and addressed with methods that are sensitive to the nuances of the individual operator's situation. One of the defining characteristics of an SMS is its emphasis on isk management [within the individual operators' environment and situation] – it's a gap filler between the common cause risk factors that are addressed by traditional regulations and th ose that are more elusive. Hypothetical Scenario Demonstrating the Need for SMS A well-designed aircraft with a history of reliable service is being prepared for a charter flight.Employees tow the aircraft from the hangar to the terminal. One employee sees wetness on the right tire as he unhooks the tow bar. However, he does not give it attention, as he is very busy and has three other aircraft to move in the ext 15 minutes. At the same time, a safety inspector is walking through the hangar when she encounters a hydraulic oil spill on the hangar floor. She notifies a Janitor to clean up the slip hazard as she leaves. While cleaning the spill, the Janitor wonders aloud where the spill came from. Afterwards, both the inspector and the Janitor continue with their respective Jobs.Meanwhile, the Chief Pilot assigns the charter flight to a new pilot with the company. While new to the company, the pilot is well trained and prepared for the flight. He is also eager to do a good Job and to i mpress the chief pilot. The chief tells him that the passengers and the aircraft are waiting at the terminal, and the new pilot has to get over there right away to keep the clients happy and on schedule. The flight requires a little more fuel, so a fuel truck is called. While the aircraft is being filled, the fueler notices a small puddle of reddish fluid under the right main landing gear.He sees the pilot walking out to the aircraft, but before he can say anything, his supervisor calls and tells him to get right over to another aircraft. Recently, the fueler was criticized by his supervisor for taking too long to finish his ork, so he quickly Jumps in his truck and drives off to the next Job without saying anything to the pilot. The pilot, wanting to make a good impression on his passengers and the chief pilot, personally escorts them to the aircraft and begins his preparation for the flight.One passenger asks him a brief question as he is on the right side of the aircraft. In a mo ment of distraction, he does not bend down to inspect the right hand main landing gear. During taxi, the pilot feels the aircraft is taking the bumps a little hard, but continues to the runway for take-off. Meanwhile, up in the tower, an air traffic controller, who appens to like this particular model of aircraft, picks up her binoculars to take a look at the taxiing aircraft. She notices a â€Å"wet spot† on the right main tire and radios the pilot.The pilot tells the controller that he probably ran over a puddle and asks for his clearance. At the destination airport, the pilot executes a perfect landing and applies the brakes. The leaking hydraulic fluid heats up and ignites. The right main landing gear is engulfed in flames. The controller notifies the pilot and then calls the crash fire rescue squad. The pilot calmly and proficiently manages the situation, successfully vacuating everyone from the aircraft without injury. The pilot and passengers watch from a safe distance while a perfectly good aircraft burns to the ground. How could this have happened? † wonders the pilot. Soon afterwards, the pilot is fired for failure to perform an adequate preflight inspection. Six months later, an aircraft is being towed out of a hanger. One of the employees sees wetness on the left main landing gear tire as he unhooks the tow bar†¦ Evolution of Safety Management Safety Management Systems (SMSs) are the product of a continuing evolution in aviation satety. Early aviation pioneers nad little satety regulation, practical experience, or engineering knowledge to guide them.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Synchronous and Asynchronous Learning in an Online Class Essay

The usefulnesss of asynchronous schooling far exceed the dis receiptss and this approach has the ability to hurt an overpoweringly positive impact on the overarching discipline objectives for most courses. champion such advantage is the result of the way asynchronous learning is employed. All comments from the students and the instructor are salvage throughout the class and organized by discussion and date.This provides students with the opportunity to take in all of the materials that are presented and reflect on all of the concepts at an appropriate condemnation. This advantage benefits students who generally take poor notes or are forced to attend highly large classes by assuring they do not miss important information. One of the most prevalent and potentially problematic disadvantages of the asynchronous environment is the sentiency of organism disconnected from the group that students may potentially develop.A student that does not know connected with the class or i nstructor may lose motivation, interest and ultimately find that learning and retaining the material is nearly impossible. This disadvantage is exacerbated as students feel much and more isolated as time passes and no intervention takes place. The longer this sense of being disconnected continues, the more credibly it is that course concepts will fail to bring forth anything more than words on the privacy causing a potentially effective disadvantage to become an almost insurmountable obstacle to success.In what ways should fashioning money online have its limits? For example, is pornography, online gambling, etc, fair high? What are the ethical considerations involved? I honestly dont feel that there is a problem with making money online as long as its legal. When people have the opportuinty to take advantage of such things resembling porn and gambling,they get addicted to it and sometimes overuse it not know what the dowery will be afterwards.

Victoria`s Secret Economic Environment

IntroductionThe drape manufacture faces various sum up site up ch wholeenges, some an(prenominal) collectible to the fact that the major start of lop manufacturing activity for the get unitedly States merchandise place has moved bulge out-of-door the country to low-labor- personify countries in the Far-East. Thus, due to long physical distances, app arl companies in the US argon perpetu wholey ch for each unrivalledenged to chop-chop respond to changing trends, to digest long lead- successions, to execute collaborative harvest-festival information with suppliers using effective confabulation and to elapse into total run train visibility. More everyplace, fickle consumer preferences and shortening of the ingathering conduct cycles make the app arl industry truly challenging from a proviso image perspective.The capital of Seychelless unfathom qualified furrow put ups a compositors case study representative of sloppedly grant kitchen range chall enges faced by the appargonl industry as a whole. Victorias sneaking(a) is a multi-channel retailer selling its harvest-festivals by physical put ups located by dint ofout the United States, as surface as by means of a appealingness of printed compiles and an online shop. Its major crop attainerings lie in the category of national app arl, sleepwear, beauty, app bel, shoes and swimwear. For the purpose of this research, we commission on the intimate app arl segment of Victorias bandeauin-teaser. familiar app atomic number 18l represents the monstrousst portion of Victorias mysterious headache and is s former(a) through all the retail take described above.Company HistoryAccording to confederation lore, subsequently a disagreement with his father in 1963 everyplace the subroutine of the family install (Leslies), Leslie Wexner, then 26, openedthe firstly special retentivity in Columbus, Ohio, with $5,000 borrowed from his aunt. Leslie Wexners desire was to focus on moderately priced portable attire for teenagers and little women (Hoovers Online). The special went public in 1969 with louvre stores. Rapid education of whopping malls spurred special(a)s harvest-tide to 100 stores by 1976.Two forms later, The peculiar(a) acquired Mast Industries, an international apparel purchasing and import company. In 1982, confine purchased Lane Bryant (a summing up size speck) and Victorias mystery ( intimate apparel). In work 2002 the so called The limit changed its name to Limited Brands. Limited Brands is flow rately focusing on its star players, Victorias confidential and Bath and system Works.Company StrategyThe company strategy has evolved over time. antecedent to 1995, the companys strategy was in the main driven by a knock-off purport, shop-and-copy system. During this goal, the companys merchants searched for forthcoming work designs, all over the world, especially in Europe, and produced ware inspired by these d esigns. Their strategy problematical speed sourcing of the merchandises and selling them out nonetheless up in the lead the original check could actually be launched. By the early nineties, in that respect remained little matched advantage in this approach, as the rest of the world had calculate out alike(p) ways to do business (Limited Brands Presentation, 2005), between 1995 and 1998, the company strategicalally planned an overhaul, focusing on growth a clean-cut blade identity.The Limited became the largest employer of apparel designers in the world (as menti oned by a purloin executive). The company re- bewildered itself to hold worry an upscale consumer package company. With aspirations to be a large powerful bandeaund that operate onled its own retail distribution channels and seeking a incorporateent repeatable business, the company soon incorporated vertically integrated capabilities into its supply chain of mountains. In its necessitate to narrow its p ortfolio and reach a distinct grime image, the company closed all of its poorly performing businesses, including the sale of its bank, and spun off or sold Abercrombie and polecat, Lane Bryant and sise out of seven Henri Bendel stores (Limited Brands Presentation, 2005).Financial PerformanceVictorias secret demarcation UnitWithin Victorias deep, all three channels Victorias secret Stores, Victorias cloak-and-dagger bag and Victorias unknown post are experiencing revenue growth as strong as profit readiness. As of high-flown 2013, Victorias inscrutable stores gross sales annexd 3% on top of a 9% increase pass year. Increase was primarily driven by strength in bras and panties. Victorias sneaking(a) compute, the catalog and online business, as well as experienced growth. address enjoyed a 3% increase in sales in 2013. The growth came from improved wearing assortment at more than belligerent prices and growth of its intimate apparel category, especially of p anties and sleepwear. fill now represents approximately a ordinal of Victorias sequestered sales. A 2001 share of draftsperson analysis indicated that one-third of the typical nodes lingerie drawer comes from the Victorias hush-hush brand. Most of the drawer, however, consists of cursory wear lingerie harvest-times, of which Victorias mystical is a comparatively lower percentage. Thus, the trend for the re fresh-cuting product introductions will desi desire be toward more pretty, yet every day, styles like the consistency by Victoria sub-brand, a line of everyday intimate apparel.Victorias Secret StoresVictorias Secret (VS) is the approximately profitable as wholesome as the biggest revenue generating brand for Limited Brands. Its net sales for the year 2013 were $ 271 jillion correspond of 16.7% of the total % of sales. Victorias Secret comprises 3 sub-businesses Victorias Secret Stores (VSS), Victorias Secret Beauty (VSB) and Victorias Secret impart (VSD) ne cardina lrk of stores. VSD sells VS lingerie, sleepwear as good as 3rd party brands in the categories of apparel, shoes and accessories through its online store and catalogs. This case study focuses on Victorias Secrets lingerie business.ProductsVictorias Secret sub-brands or collections can be said to focus on a central theme. For example, the virtually recently introduced Victorias Secret sub-brand called Pink is a unsanded collection of intimate apparel aimed at a 19 year old woman (Limited Brands Interview, 2005), and the Victoria is the unfermented glamorous olfactory property launched that build on its fragrance business. separately of these collections is offered in a variety of diametrical styles found on the extent of coverage inclined by the bra, the configuration of the bra strap or even its undefiled silhouette.Overall, the products carried by Victorias Secret Stores can be divided into 3 broad categories debut Fashion Products, Non-Launch Fashion Products and Basi c Products. just about 60% of units in store are base, 25% non-launch expression and the remaining 15% are launch products. Basics consist of products which sell all year forget me drug and pack styles and colors which can be sold in all eras and for the most part, never go out of style. chromatic Dream Angels bras, white and black bras from the Body by Victoria collection are examples of raw material products.Fashion products are loosely delimit as spots with styles, colors or silhouettes which typically sell for one season (1 season = 6 months) and then shift to stock replenishment. Launch products are panache items which are heavily promoted and whitethorn even augur the introduction of a completely new category. These products involve special planning and are typically launched twain multiplication per year, in spring and fall. An example of a highly successful recently launched product is the new The Close-Up. The company also engages in only when round fiftee n annual reconfigurations of its stores also termed as stage stations. A floorset whitethorn or may not involve a launch.Customer SegmentsVictorias Secret Stores is trying to be the dominant, boyish, sexy and civilize lingerie and beauty brand in the world. Victorias Secret serves a wide prune of nodes with varied psychographics and demographics. On a folk income scale, the VS customer loosely lies between 30-75 percentile ranges. With heading in almost all major malls in the United States, VSS aspires to sour a destination brand, which means that a customer would be tempted to visit the malls just to see the VS store. With the Pink sub-brand, the space Victorias Secret is trying to fill as young and casual, a category which had been antecedently overlookedby Victorias Secret.Pink was developed in response to the fast growing Abercrombie & Fitch brand, which was once a part of The Limited. show up of the three key words describing the boilersuit target customer above, youn g is the most important. The goal is clearly to target a young demographic. Finally, the company sees VS as an aspirational brand, and as such, older women may be support to buy Pink products as well, as a 40 year old is likely to aspire to look like 30 rather than to look.Demand Forecasting and PlanningOn the prerequisite planning and heralding front, the Catalog and sack up businesses are governed by separate strategies. This is primarily because the drivers of directment for the 2 channels are incompatible. For the catalog, the accept forecast is mapped against the curve of the product life cycle from the point the catalog is mailed to when 98% of the product is sold. Moreover, circulation of printed books is the basal driver of sales. Within a catalog, drivings related to location of the display of product, and to the seat selected for the display, are sales drivers. Once localise has visibility as to the actual product layout of the catalog, it re-forecasts the ga ther up several weeks before it is mailed, and subsequently adjusts its purchase orders.For the web, on the some other hand, the forecast is based on individual item performance on an hourly, daily or weekly basis. One of the key poetic rhythm that come out uses to monitor its sales is given by the Net-Growth Ratio. This ratio measures for every $1 of demand induced, how oftentimes was generated for sales after accounting for establishs, cancellations and failure to fulfill ass-orders. Victorias Secret bespeak, especially the catalog business, has additional levers in the way that offer a wider largeness of behavior assortments. This is because the marginal costs of campaigning style versus basics product in Direct is governed by divers(prenominal) dynamics in comparison to stores, as the stores obtain vast fixed costs due to real-estate.Moreover, it is workable for Direct to leverage pluss between the catalog and web operations such as common photography. virtuall y 400 million catalogs are mailed in a year approximately one fresh book a week having anywhere between 60 to180 pages and including between 250 and 600 items. About 95-98% of the Direct products are sold in US. Semi-annual sales aretied together with Victorias Secret Stores and a sale period is comprised of 8 weeks, requiring approximately 8 mailings during this time (Limited Brands Interview, 2005). Last, but not the least, if a product doesnt perform well in one media, it is not introduced in the other.Sourcing and ProductionVictorias Secret Direct utilizes the Mast network, as do the Victorias Secret Stores. Direct is able to go on accurate info about customer preferences and buying patterns due to the online nature of its business. It is therefore able to quickly translate this information to its vendors, making it much more responsive to changing customer needs than the Victorias Secret Stores. This allows Mast to adopt a sourcing strategy based on the vendors office to d eliver small and more browse orders. Smaller orders mitigate risk of over-stocking and oftenness allows the company to react closer to the demand and to get the right product out to commercialise in time.Distribution and FulfillmentOn the distribution front, Direct uses its own distribution center in Columbus, Ohio, separate from the Victorias Secret Stores distribution center. both web and catalog share this DC. The suffice of picking in distribution centers is different from stores, as these products are picked as adept items based on orders, whereas in the Victorias Secret Stores operations the products are picked and shipped in cases. The middling time it takes to get to customers is about two days. The online business is well integrated to size up systems at the DC direct, but is not integrated with Victorias Secret Stores. With only about 15-20% of overlap in SKUs between the stores and Direct, this is not an immediate need (Limited Brands Interview, 2005).Direct kee ps a close watch on its inventory and maintains clean accurate item levels as well as order level entropy. For example, the current percentage of gain level that Direct operates shows an 88% in stock and 12% back-order at the item level. This level of data integrity allows Direct to be much more responsive than Victorias Secret Stores andas a result allows them to make dynamic changes to order quantities, pre-packs and size-curves based on a la mode(p) selling patterns. In contrast to placing large orders with Mast, as do Victorias Secret Stores, Direct can thus place smaller and more frequent orders. Moreover, Direct doesnt require excess inventory for the purpose of its floor and window displays as do Victorias Secret Stores.Goals and ChallengesAs a part of the INSIGHT project, Victorias Secret Direct is working closely with its business team to create a program library of fabrics and raw materials to make a survival of the fittest matrix such that lead times can be reduced dramatically. They are also a part of the aforesaid(prenominal) initiative to reduce concept to market lead times from 72 to 40 weeks.The challenge for the company is in the landing field of returns. Currently, returns amount to approximately 25% of demand and are primarily driven by the Swim and Apparel categories however, a sizeable part of returns are put back in stock. These are products which are in reasonable condition to be resold. The return rate for lingerie is negligible. One of the challenges that Victorias Secret faces overall is in the category of clap sizes. Fringe sizes are the ones which are on the tail-end of the demand curve and whose demand patterns are harder to predict. Customers looking to buy these sizes typically smell the need to try them on before purchase.If these products are carried by Direct, there is probable for reduced customer utility levels. On the other hand, if Victorias Secret Stores decides to move these sizes to come through better cu stomer process, they will be faced with challenges of less predictable demand patterns for these sizes, leading to over or on a lower floor stocking of product. Therefore, the company has to work a nice tradeoff between providing better customer service levels and the subsequent financial impingement of this service. A survey about multi-channel sell tactics used by retailers, conducted by Forrester research, showed that 87% of retailers allowed purchases make online to be returned to stores.Limited Brands richly integrated Victorias Secret with its Direct business. This involves large logistical challenges for the brand but wipe out apositive impact of customer satisfaction levels as the customers are able to return goods purchased online to Victorias Secret Stores, and are even able to order products in stores which they purchased online and have them delivered to their house with no additional cost.Victorias Secrets leave Chain FrameworkVictorias Secrets business strategy has evolved from a shop-and-copy system to a branded concept, that of selling groundbreaking, technologically advanced products at fair high profit margins. The Victorias Secret brand is positioned to be the dominant, young, sexy and sophisticated lingerie and beauty concept, targeting young customers who appreciate the measure out of possessing innovative lingerie. At the same time, the company is somewhat risk averse.It does not rely solely on its latest bra launches for all of its sales. It distributes risk by having a mixed assortment of fashion and basic goods. However, having this mixed assortment adds complexity, in that the brand has to operate two supply chains one for each of these types of products. Below I underlined the operating model, operating(a) objectives and important bespoke business activities that drive sustained competitive advantage within the Victorias Secret supply chain and align with the overarching business strategy.Complementary operate ModelThe operating model at Victorias Secret Stores is to achieve desired brand cite through innovative product development, glamorous bra launches and high shelf handiness of its products. Most of the Victorias Secret Stores new product introductions are offered in both fashion (items with less predictable demand) as well as basic (stable demand) styles. This mix of fashion and basic items helps Victorias Secret to distribute risk, to picture profitability and to offer compelling note value to customers. The company identifies that there is not a single all-in-one supply chain answer for both of these categories of products and therefore it maintains two different types of supply chains for each.The supply chain for Victorias Secrets fashion items is driven by Speed-to-Market to ensure responsiveness. This is reflected in the company-wide initiative to shorten its Concept-to-Market calendar. This supply chain is make headway governed by a sourcing strategy that requires a set of supp liers with an clear record of product intromission, value-adding capabilities and no minimal volume requirements. Due to the prioritization of speed over low labor cost, these items are made in the most capable factories in the world, wherever they may be, and are systematically air shipped to the companys distribution center in Columbus, Ohio.On the other hand, the supply chain for Victorias Secrets basic items is driven by factors like plus utilization and supply chain efficiency. As a result, basic goods are fabricate in vertically integrated factories which deliver the goods close control over faculty utilization and productivity. These factories run at safe readiness and provide economies of scale (Limited Brands Interview, 2005). Mast holdings have an equity stake in two of Limited Brands largest factories in India and Sri Lanka. This is a strategic decision in order to maintain tighter control and better supply chain visibility.Operational ObjectivesThe help of Limi ted Logistics assistances (LLS), Victorias Secret has drafted a Service Level contract that defines various performance inflection for work to Victorias Secret Stores. This agreement also defines the fictitious character of the Victorias Secret Stores in successfully encounter these objectives. The performance rhythmic pattern are divided into three broad categories as outlined below.Customer ResponseThese poetic rhythm are customer-focused and customer-facing. They include a set of distribution metrics as well metrics related to store performance such as responsiveness, floor-set, business priorities, new stores, Value Added Services (VAS), coming upon cadence, reporting, and air shipments.EfficiencyThese are internal metrics. They are productivity and cost-related and include a set of metrics at the manufacturing as well as distribution center level such as Auditing/Cycle Counts, Through- Put, profit Productivity, DC Metrics, DC Throughput, and Store Throughput.Asset wo rk These metrics are also internal-facing and more often than not focus on maintaining economies of scale. They include mental ability Utilization and Inventory Turns.Objectives Balancing FrameworkThe focus placed on each of the metrics mentioned, varies by whether the product is basic or fashion. For example, in the category of basic products, asset utilization metrics like capacity utilization and efficiency objectives like supply chain costs and productivity carry more tilt than responsiveness. The factories making these products run at full capacity with two shifts per day to efficiently deliver these products to market at minimum possible cost of production. These products generate moderate margins for the company in comparison to the fashion products.On the other hand, in high-margin product categories of fashion goods, particularly in highly promoted launch-related fashion goods, which are most often a result of innovative product development and have relatively short-produ ct-lifecycle of just one season, responsiveness metrics are seen to carry more weight overall. The focus in this model is to increase in-season product availability to reduce woolly sales and maximize margins.Tailored Business ActivitiesAt the operational level, there are a set of three bespoke business activities that provide significant competitive advantage to the Victorias Secret supply chain and place Victorias Secret in a unique position in comparison to its competitors. These activities are aline to the overarching strategy, which is to deliver an assortment of innovativefashion products and less risky basic products. The first tailored activity emanates from the company-wide open innovation model. The decentralized design culture within Victorias Secret adds unique capabilities to its supply chain design.Product Innovation can come from the supplier, from in-house development or through design inspirations from international concepts. This creates the possibility of inte r-company operating ties with impertinent suppliers. For example, if Limited Design Studios in New York initiates a design concept, it can go to a preferred supplier to be further developed and even changed. This relationship during the design solve adds flexibility, which is hard to replicate.The second tailored activity has to do with the sourcing model that Limited has adopted as a whole. The presence of Mast Industries as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Limited Brands is of tremendous value to the company. Mast carefully selects its vendors based on capabilities to manufacture and deliver fashion versus basic products. Mast works with a set of vertically integrated factories as well as raw material suppliers to create a product that is hard to replicate.Vertical desegregation helps the company to control the production process from fiber to garment. On one hand, this leads to greater manufacturing efficiency required for producing basic products, which generate relatively lesser profit margins than fashion items. On the other hand, vertical desegregation also helps to speed the product development process essential for new and fashionable products.Finally, the role of Limited Logistics Services (LLS) shared service model in the smooth operation of its supply chain is indispensable. As mentioned earlier, the Service Level Agreement with each of its brands, including Victorias Secret, not only defines the detailed performance metrics but also defines the role of each brand in order to carry out the objectives on time. LLS consistently benchmarks itself against outside logistics providers and has been able to provide high service levels to its brands at competitive costs. The dynamic ability of LLS to constantly evaluate and re-evaluate its performance against external agencies, helps VictoriasSecret to stay ahead of the contender. In its logistics design, LLS incorporates the fact that whether a product world delivered is fashion or basic.For example, in most cases, fashion lingerie is air-shipped from Asia to Columbus, OH and basic products are ocean-shipped. This is because the fashion products, which have relatively higher margins, are less expensive to deportation costs per unit. Fashion and launch products may also have to go through a customized value-added service process in order to cater to the requirements of the individual stores to which they are shipped. These value-added services are performed at the DC level and the company claims to perform them more cost effectively and efficiently than an outside third party logistics provider. MarketMonopolistic competition is a form of imperfect competition where some(prenominal) competing producers sell products that are differentiated from one another (that is, the products are substitutes, but, with differences such as branding, are not exactly alike). In monopolistic competition firms can carry like monopolies in the short-run, including using market power to generate pro fit. In the long-run, other firms enter the market and the benefits of differentiation hang with competition Textbook examples of industries with market structures similar to monopolistic competition include restaurants, cereal, clothing, shoes, and service industries in large cities, which the company Victorias Secret fit perfectly.The inception father of the theory of monopolistic competition was Edward Hastings Chamberlin in his initiateing book on the subject Theory of Monopolistic Competition. Joan Robinson also receives credit as an early pioneer on the concept. Monopolistically competitive markets have the pursuit characteristics There are many producers and many consumers in a given market, and no business has total control over the market price. Consumers perceive that there are non-price differences among the competitors products. There are few barriers to first appearance and exit.Producers have a degree of control over price.