Strategy Formulation

Yeo’s compete directly with one another at what is called the business level of strategic management. Competitors may be individual business units of a larger corporation or they may be stand- alone businesses. Because competition takes place at the business level, strategic management here is crucial to the overall success for Yeo’s . Accordingly, the concept of competitive advantage is both the focus of the three subsequent on strategy formulation. There is three parts that reflect the three major considerations in formulating a business- level strategy.The first part is to discuss alternative competitive advantages (Overall cost leadership, differentiation and focus group) and the strength and limitation of each. Yeo’s company has competitive advantage whenever it can attract customers and defend against competitive force better than its rivals. Successful competitive strategies usually involve building uniquely strong or distinctive edge over rivals. Some exa mple of distinctive competencies are superior technology and product features, better manufacturing technology and skills, superior sales and distribution capabilities and better customer service and convenience.Competitive strategy is about being different. It means deliberately choosing to perform activities differently or to perform different activities than rivals to deliver an unique mix of value. (Michael E. Porter). The essence of strategy lies in creating tomorrow competitive advantages faster than competitor mimic the one you possess today. (Gary Hamel & C. K. Prahalad). Overall cost leadership strategy The classic cost leadership strategy involves offering a no-frills product aimed at the most typical customer in a large target market.Anything to do with cost which related to money example raw material is cheap, workers salary is low facilities that Yeo’s can bite with the competitor. Because cost can usually be lowered as a product become more standardized, low-cos t manufacturing strive for long production runs and low- cost uniform packages. By targeting broadly defined markets with standard products, production technique can be used to create the greatest possible benefits from economies of scale and experience curve effect. Such as price sensitive customer do not mind about the price but customer care about the taste and uality like Maggie and Kraft. In this case Yeo’s should apply leadership strategy low- cost producers are protected from customer pressure to lower prices. Competitors cannot consistently price below what is known as their survival price, that which allow profit margins just adequate to maintain a business. The low- cost leader has a lower survival price than other competitor does, so customer will not be able to play one competing supplier against another to force prices below a level at which the cost leader can still make profit.Yeo’s would force less efficient suppliers out business, leaving the low-cost supplier with a monopoly. New entrants competing on the basic of price must face the low-cost leader without having the experience necessary to become efficient. Yeo’s company cumulative volume of production increase and the company gains experience in providing a particular good or service, production costs tend to decrease the experience curve effect. To the extent that experience affects costs in a particular industry, the low-cost leader is likely to have already moved far down its experience curve.New entrants lacking this experience will not enjoy a comparable cost reduction benefit and may be forced to enter market using some of the competitive advantages not related to low pricing. Holding the low-cost position may convince rivals not to enter a price war. Price wars can be ruinous to all competitor involved. Customer do not mind of the price whether is cheap or expensive, they only care about good quality and good taste which they trust on Yeo’s product. Diffe rentiation Differentiation strategies can help the company to differentiation their products offering by customizing product to suit consumer specific requirements.Appealing to broad cross- section of the market through offering differentiating features that make customer willing to pay premium price. Example quality, prestige, special features, service and convenience. Success with this type of strategy requires differentiation features that are hard or expensive for competitor to duplicate. Sustainable differentiation usually comes from advantages in core competencies, unique company resources or capabilities and superior management of value chain activities. Some condition that tend to favor differentiation strategies by Yeo’s company: * There are multiple ways to differentiate the product and ervice that buyers think have substantial value. * Buyers have different need or uses of the product and service * Product innovations and technological change are rapid and competit ion emphases the latest product features. Corporate Level Strategy In this aspect of strategy, we are concerned with broad decision about the total organization scope and direction. Basically, we consider what changes should be made in growth objective and strategy for achieving it, the lines of business we are in, and how these lines of business fit together.It is useful to think of three components of corporate strategy a) growth strategy b) portfolio strategy and c) parenting strategy. Growth strategy All growth strategies can be classified into one of two fundamental categories: concentration within existing industries or diversification into other line of business. When Yeo’s company current industries are attractive, have a good growth potential and do not face with serious threats, concentrating resources in the existing industries make good sense.Diversification tends to have a greater risk but is an appropriate option when a company current industries have little gro wth potential or are unattractive in other way. When an industry consolidates and becomes mature, unless there are other markets to seek, a company may have no choice for growth but diversification. Portfolio Analysis The experience curve is based on the concept that costs are a direct function of accumulated market share. Market share equates to profitability and cash flow.Market share equates to profitability and cash flow. Yeo’s company that successful in sub business unit and product lines will generate large cash flow as the sub business or products move toward maturity as contrasted to large cash requirement of sub business units and product lines in Yeo’s growth and development stages. As sub business units and products lines decline, cash flow will diminish and fade away. Effective utilization of cash flows and the nurturing of the most productive units requires management constant surveillance.The diversified company with multiple product lines has the opportu nity to balance cash flows and channel investment into the most promising areas of its portfolio. Diversified portfolio enables a company to control its internal allocation of resources. The ability to utilize tax losses from one units as an offset against a profitable one is an important advantages. Investing funds from a profitable maturing unit and product into the growing and cash- demanding part of Yeo’s, which show a tax loss, effectively lower the cost of the capital and provides an avenue for future growth through internally generated funds.The basis for portfolio analysis and the channeling of available investment funds into the most promising and productive units of the firms is based on the structure and philosophy of management. Its approach to control sub business unit and product lines, its attitude toward risk and growth and its interpretation of its life- cycle position are factors which have an impact on the effective use of portfolio management.Yeo’s which structure its diversified units into separate independent profit center entities with each area depending on its own resource may factors out the flexibility and advantages inherent in its diversification. Concentration on short-run profit and ignoring the potential growth sectors of the portfolio because of the initial lack of cash flow and profitability can lead to cash-draining in the defensive stage of the company Yeo’s life cycle and eventual movement into the decline. International strategy Mergers The threat of takeover was management of companies targeted for acquisition.The threat of takeover was more likely for companies which had low price and earnings ratios. The relatively low prices of the stock of Yeo’s company in relation to earning was attractive to aggressive expanding enterprises, particular the conglomerates. These predicated Yeo’s growth mainly on effecting financial synergy by trading the stock, which had high multiple of price to ear nings, for the stock of Yeo’s company with significantly lower price. Many effective strategies were developed by vulnerable companies to prevent unwanted takeover.Compatible mergers in such instances may provide an increase in the economies of scale and an increase in market share for the combined unit without the fear of cutthroat competition. The nature of the industry is an important factor determining the likelihood of acquisition and mergers. The mature industries which are generally dominated by large companies are less likely to have industry acquisitions and mergers. The new industries, which still lack dominant size in individual companies and are technologically oriented and most likely to have industry acquisitions and mergers.

Alexander the Great: The Invisible Enemy Essay

Alexander the Great Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Fighting has been an unavoidable part of human history since humans evolved. Regardless of the aim, no battle can be successful without a good leader. In history, among the best military leaders was Alexander the Great. He was born in Pella, 20th July 356BC. As a young person, Alexander was a strong and fearless boy and brought up as a warrior (Farmer, 216).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Alexander fought for twelve years in the Pearsian Gulf, Egypt and in the Middle East whereby his conquests left a legacy that had a positive and lasting impacts in the way of life of the peoples. Besides his conquests, Alexander inherited his father’skingdom of Macedonia at the age of twenty years, becoming one of the youngest king ever to be in the world. He worn many wars because of his ability to inspire, lead and motivate his armies. His intention was on constructing a united kingdom, which was not easy during his time, but he succeeded in building a united kingdom. It is for this reason that the development of ancient Macedonia is associated with Alexander the Great because he built cities along the trade routes through the wealth he obtained from the Persian treasury, whereby the economic system remained unchanged till the industrial revolution.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Being a great leader, his legacy is still remembered for his ability to conquer many empires. He started his fighting campaign with 37000 men, of which 5000 were calvary. He used this army to fight his first war against the Persian Empire, which almost cost his life. After winning this war, he was able to control half of western Asia. Afterward, he also attacked Syria, Palestine and Egypt and conquered them and acquired the title of Pharaoh of Egypt. He was such a strong leader in the world history who never turned back against his enemies. His conquests still remain in the world history as the most successful leader in fighting and winning wars.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Moreover, regardless of his motives, ideas or views, Alexander enabled the extension of the Greek ideas and language to the non-Greek world of Asia. His destruction of the Persian created chances for Greek authorities, intellectuals, soldiers, engineers, merchants and his successors participate in the new political unity grounded on the principle of the monarch. His successors utilized force to introduce military monarchies, which dominated the Hellenistic monarchies world after his death. Furthermore, Autocratic authority became a regular characteristic of the Hellenistic monarchies, which was a section of Alexander’s political legacy (Heckel, 89). Nevertheless, it is clear that the Romans were inspired by Alexander’s vision because they were the real inheritors of his legacy. Not only did Alexander left a political legacy, but a cultural legacy that ended up in the Greek Language, architecture, literature and art that sprea ds into other regions of Asia. Moreover, the new cities that were created by Alexander becamethe spring board for the spread of the Greek culture. His legacy built the clash and fusion of distinct cultures that formed the basic features of the Hellenistic world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As a king, Alexander proved his leadership qualities through obtaining massive empires and leaving behind a legacy that had a lasting impact in future evolutions. Though his empires disintegrated after his death, he had already built a multi-cultural empire, which would ultimately have a significant effect on the Roman civilization. Besides, from the period of antiquity till to the present, he is demonstrated as a military genius. His achievements in the art of war are still shocking. Peoples such as Napoleon, Caesar, and Hannibal studied about Alexander military approaches and acknowledged that without the knowledge they acquired from Alexander, they would have not been capable of achieving what they did (Shecter, 410). It is clear that his achievement was a base for others to follow his footsteps. His armies usually counted on him to lead them in times of battle and he never failed them. As a matter of fact, he had a unique character whe reby when he usually arrived before his enemies anticipated.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In conclusion, Alexander the Great was a great leader and still one of the most bewildering great figures in history. Most of the historical figures do not stand out in similar level as Alexander. He was a warrior at the age of sixteen, a commander in chief at the age of eighteen and a king at the age of twenty. He solely handily altered the ancient world in just over a decade and looking at his childhood in the acquiring of the throne, conquests, marriage and death, it is clear that as the name great suggest, Alexander the Great was and is still one of the greatest historical and political figures of the world. Moreover, as a leader, he showed uncommon resourcefulness both in the combination of using distinct arms and acclimating a tactic to meet the problems of his powerful and strong adversaries. Besides, though he had a short time in authority, he marks an important period in world history. References Farmer, Henry George. â€Å"â€Å" The Horn of Alexander the Great †.† Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain & Ireland: 500-03. Print. Heckel, Waldemar. â€Å"Alexander the Great: The Invisible Enemy.† Canadian Journal of History 1 Aug. 1993. Print. Shecter, Vicky Alvear. Alexander the Great Rocks the World. Plain City, OH: Darby Creek Pub., 2006. Print. Source document

Non Biodegradable Wastes

Turning biodegradable waste such as food scraps and yard trimmings into compost or recycling them through your local yard waste collection facility, eliminates a large portion of any household or business’s waste stream. However, the bulk of waste does not biodegrade quickly or ever. By thinking ahead, you can reduce your waste generation and reuse packaging rather than throwing it away. Consider Packaging When buying food or consumer goods, the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends you choose products with recyclable or reusable packaging, such as plastic or glass jars. If that’s not possible, choose the product with the least packaging. For example, if one set of headphones comes in a plastic shell and another comes in a cardboard box with a plastic window, choose the latter. At the office or at home, buy reams of paper packaged in paper and cardboard, not plastic. Plastic Product Manufacturing Great Quality Great Value 24h Quote UK Owned and Managed in China Star-Prototype. com/Tooling Sponsored Links Use Cloth Items The CalRecycle website recommends using cloth towels, napkins and rags for cleaning and eating and reusable bags—particularly cloth bags, for shopping, picnicking and transporting items. To reduce waste even more, cut up old clothes for rags and napkins and cut raggedy beach and bath towels into hand towels rather than buying new ones. You can even sew your own reusable bags from jeans or canvas. Cover and Store Leftovers in Reusable Containers Don’t buy aluminum foil, plastic wrap or waxed paper. Use glass or plastic containers with lids to store leftovers. Rather than transferring food from serving dishes into storage containers when you’ll eat it within the next day or two, place a plate over the top of the plate or bowl and put it right into the refrigerator. Buy in Bulk CalRecycle recommends buying items like cereals and grains in the largest available packages to reduce packaging waste. Many grocery stores have a bulk items section where you can buy the exact amounts of grains, cereals, pasta, rice, dry beans and spices you need. Bring your own reusable bags to the store to buy bulk goods. Reuse Food Jars for Dry Storage When you get your bulk purchases home, protect them for long-term storage by transferring them to plastic or glass food containers that you have saved. Put items you’ll use within the next few weeks, such as cereal, in plastic containers like large dairy containers. Store spices in baby food or other small jars. Pasta, rice, flour and beans can go into old spaghetti sauce or pickle jars. To remove odors from jars you plan on reusing, â€Å"Natural Home† recommends washing them with hot water and white vinegar or even letting them sit overnight with the mixture before rinsing. Recharge and Recycle Batteries Instead of buying alkaline batteries, buy rechargeable batteries and a charger. You can charge these batteries up to several hundred times before they are spent. When alkaline or rechargeable batteries are completely spent, recycle them through your local hazardous waste facility or a business that recycles batteries. Drugstores, hardware stores and electronics retailers are some examples of businesses that may have battery recycling programs. Read more: http://www. livestrong. com/article/158892-effective-ways-of-recycling-reducing-non-biodegradable-waste/#ixzz1j0iEADCx

Discussion Board Reply Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Discussion Board Reply - Coursework Example It is clear from the study that employees not only look for organizations that care for their current welfare but also those that are concerned about the employees even after they leave the organization upon retirement. As such, establishing firm health insurance and retirement plans would attract more competitive and committed employees to the organization (Sharar, 2009). The study has helped me in understanding the various discretionary benefits that I can input within the organization’s compensation plan and merge with the pay policies towards ensuring that employees are not just retained within the organization but also motivated towards achieving high productivity. For instance, the employee assistance programs (EAP) would be effective in helping the employees solve any personal issues that they may have away from the workplace, which may negatively affect their performance (Martocchio, 2015). This would ensure that their focus and attention is fully directed towards their work. The study has helped me understand through creating a family setting within the organization, where the employee problems involving family, health, and education are effectively solved, the employees take up the ownership of the organization and thus ensure utmost commitment towards achieving both short-term and long-term goals of the organization. Courtois, P., Hajek, M., Kennish, R., Paul, R., Seward, K., Stockert, T. J., & Thompson, C. (2004). Performance Measures in the Employee Assistance Program. ,. Employee Assistance Quarterly, 19(3),

Chief Security Officer Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Chief Security Officer - Assignment Example Computer crime cab be described as any unlawful activity involving a combination of a network and a computer. Some examples of computer crimes include hacking, pornography, copyright infringement and many others. In essence, the issue of computer crime has elicited heightened debates among heads of various institutions of higher learning. As a chief security officer in the institution I have to establish effective strategies that prevent the occurrence of computer crimes and mitigate any losses that might be suffered in case a cyber-crime occurs. The neighboring institutions of higher learning have established various measures to curb the problem of computer crime. In essence, from the available studies, it can be affirmed that the challenge of cyber-crimes affects  many  institutions of higher learning  across the  US. In this regard, the ministry of education in conjunction with the various institutions of higher learning have initiated several strategies to handle the problem of cyber-crime. In essence, most institutions have established backup information systems to ensure that important information is not lost to cyber-crime. Maintaining an information backup system has proved to be one of the effective strategies for handling the problem of computer crime. Essential a backup system ensure that the stored information is not lost through computer viruses or other computer related malfunctions. Essentially, it is imperative to identify that the problem of computer crime is quite diverse. For instance, one of the m echanisms employed to execute computer crime is the use of viruses. The viruses are spread through the various websites found on the internet including emails. Apparently, the people who conduct computer crimes share some links on the websites and send some random links containing viruses to people’s email. Following such links transfers the virus

Ferguson's article Diglossia, is his prognosis for Arabic accurate Essay

Ferguson's article Diglossia, is his prognosis for Arabic accurate today (50 years later) Is Arabic on its way to becom - Essay Example Since Arabic does not use Roman alphabet, there will be a lot of difficulties along the way. Ferguson (1963) said that Arabic alphabet is even less feasible than the Greek. He identified two most serious and obvious problems in Arabic diglossia. The first problem is transliteration of Arabic spelling and the next is the phenomic transcription of Arabic (Ferguson, 1963). Transcription is not a very easy process. Thus, this possesses a difficulty in Arabic diglossia. But even if diglossia is said to be unstable and have lots of problems, Ferguson said that it is not the case. Evidences show that it can last over the years. According to Ferguson, the use of relatively uncodified, unstable, intermediate forms of languages and repeated vocabulary items from H to L can resolve the issues of diglossia. Constant use of the language can help resolve the problem of instability. When people use the language as often as they can or even every day, they will surely keep up and get used to new wor ds and will eventually fully understand the language.

Impact of EU membership on UK Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Impact of EU membership on UK Law - Essay Example European Union was formed to create an environment where all European nations could benefit from efficient use of factors of production to provide cost effective products and services for the European people.This entails all member nations to agree to common economic policies. This has far reaching effect not only on the economic policy making of the member countries but also on their political and legal systems. Common policy implementation requires great political integration of the various member states. For the above stated purpose, a European Community was formed which consisted of council of ministers and a setup of various institutions like European Parliament, The Council of European Union, European Commission, the Court of Justice and so on (actrav.itcilo.org). Among the various institutes, the European Commission plays the most important role in the process of policy making. Its main function includes the introduction or origination of the various legislations. It then acts as a â€Å"guardian of Treaties† as well as executes and manages the various Union policies along with those of â€Å"international trade relations† (actrav.itcilo.org). Thus, through the various institutes, the EC ensures that various legislations are created and followed throughout the European Union community. This has implications for the member states as the laws passed by the EU are binding on all the member countries (blurtit.com).... in were to consent to a particular treaty of the EU in conjunction with the other member states, the MPs of Britain will have no powers to overthrow it. The European Court has powers to overrule any motion passed by the British parliament to defeat any such treaty. The only way UK could then implement the motion of the British parliamentarians is to withdraw its membership from the EU. How much has been the influence of the EU membership on the laws of UK can be adjudged by looking at the number of legislations or directives that have been passed on account of EU regulations as compared to those initiated locally. It has been estimated that 50% of the UK laws are EU-originated (Johnston 2009). The research also showed that of the 2000 regulatory proposals studied, 72% of the cost of regulations was on account of EU regulations (Johnston 2009). The major worrisome feature of this is that the country is being run more by EU laws than by the local ones and topping on this is the fact th at these laws are not very well scrutinized and cannot be easily changed by the elected representatives of the British parliament. Delegated legislation brings another aspect into the UK law scene. Delegated legislation means that the government can make finer changes to a law without having to go through the parliamentary process (parliament.uk). The major advantages of this legislation are that it saves the time of the parliament especially where the MPs do not have specific technical knowledge about the field of the Act, it allows quick decision making especially in situations of national security or health and helps in enabling small changes (sixthformlaw.info). However, the major disadvantages lie in the fact that it is usually passed by the civil servants who are not the elected

Undertake an examination of the Marketing Environment of the UK book Essay

Undertake an examination of the Marketing Environment of the UK book retailing market - Essay Example y, being a highly competitive sector, also seems to have taken the cues and is bracing itself up in order to comply with the phenomenal rate of globalisation. According to the findings of Miyamoto and Whittaker (2005), â€Å"major UK publishers have been absorbed to huge media conglomerates, for instance, which pursue strategies to maximise profit through leveraging synergy effects of the publishing business and other media businesses on a global scale† (Miyamoto & Whittaker, 2005, P. 1). Owing to the basic fact that most business interests are centred on the need to maximise stakeholders’ value as well as corporate profit, British publishers are inclined towards inculcating this philosophy into their corporate goals. It is interesting to note that the UK market has gradually transformed from being cooperative to one that is predominantly free and competitive (Miyamoto & Whittaker, 2005, P. 3), and as a result the market characteristics have also changed. In the present business context, the British publishing industry is driven by corporate philosophy, its primary objective being the pursuit of individual profit. The British publishing industry has been observed to have a rich heritage as â€Å"publishing guilds were formed in London by the 14th century, and developed with the progress of the printing techniques in the middle of the 15th century† (Miyamoto & Whittaker, 2005, P. 3). London plays an important role in shaping the course of business for this industry as far as the UK is concerned as most of the functions that are associated with this industry are concentrated in this area. The UK also precedes most other economies in terms of crucial developments that were made to this profitable industry and this may be justified by the fact that â€Å"the division of firms in the value chain of the publishing industry was formed in the UK by the middle of the 19th century† (Miyamoto & Whittaker, 2005, P. 4). The UK publishing as well as book retail industry has gone

Reflective Journal-Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Reflective Journal-Ethics - Essay Example By adopting the responsibilities of this one person, I began to imagine the worldview of this person. Focusing on my own responsibilities, as I understood them helped me to see that one of the greatest challenges in making ethical decisions lies in the ability to recognize when a decision actually needs to be made. Following established procedures and adopting a view of the world that is equipped with blinders can lead to unethical decisions. It is easy to say that you faithfully did your job and still act in an unethical manner. Unfortunately, this is all too easy to do when all a person cares about is holding the party line and doing their duties in a way that does not question the outcome of their decision. Another aspect of the simulation game that was especially powerful was the understanding of motivation and perception of others. I felt that the activity where the impact of my decision on all of the other participants was graded from high to low as a very insightful activity. It helped me to see that individuals that have the most to lose from a decision will seek to influence the decision making process the most. They will use whatever power and influence they have to maintain their positions. This is not something that I ever thought about quite in this way. I can see how information that each individual provides might be tainted by their own biases that are coming from the fact that they are trying to maintain their positions. Weighing the impact of a decision on all of the players helped me to identify when I might be open to influence from someone that might lead to an unethical decision. I found the game to be a good teaching tool for creative thinking as well. In most situations involving ethics, the answer or decision cannot be made in a vacuum and there is rarely a black or white answer. Some things are clearly unethical, such as withholding information about a product that has

Economics for Business and Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Economics for Business and Management - Essay Example At price P2, buyers are willing to buy thus creating excess demand in the market which in turn pushes the prices up to P where quantity demanded is equal to quantity supplied thus clearing the market. . Excess demand Fig. 1.0 Price Mechanism by Adams and Periton 2009 Resource Allocation The allocation of resources in a country is determined by the economic system in place. The pure market system has many sellers and buyers and sellers act as price takers. The consumers and producers act based on self interest and have perfect knowledge of the market conditions. The products sold are homogenous thus there is no non-price competition or control over market prices. Firms enter freely in the market and the factors of production are privately owned (Anderton, 2000). Profits act as a sign for producers to increase supply and in effect they employ the best combination of resources that can give them maximum profits (Myers, 2004). Low prices acts as a signal for consumers to buy. Lipsey and Chrystal (2007) argue that when demand is more than supply, the prices rises and falls when supply is more than demand. Allocation of resources is though supply and demand forces. The pure command market is run by one producer selling unique products. There is no competition hence the producer determines the price. The producer can decide whether to raise prices by decreasing the supply in the market or operate at supernormal profits. Entrance to the market is restricted by scarcity of resources, government regulations, and monopolist anti competitive behaviour. The consumer choice is restricted as the government provides what it deems fit for the population. The factors of production are owned by the state hence resource allocation is the duty of the state through a planning process (Anderton, 2000). Arguments in Favour of Free Market The free market economy is considered as the most efficient in allocation of resources. The welfare of the society is maximised when demand equals su pply or social marginal benefits equals social marginal costs (Gillespie, 2007). All individuals are driven by self interest and thus the consumers determine the demand for products, the sellers produce the goods to satisfy the demand driven by profit motive and thus combine factors of production in an efficient way to achieve the goal or be pushed out of the market. This results in low cost production and provision of high quality goods at a low price to the consumer. There are no barriers to entry in a free market thereby allowing competition between sellers. If the sellers earn abnormal profits, this acts as an incentive for competitors to enter the market thus sharing the profit and pushing the prices down (Baumol, 2002). As supply becomes more than demand and the many sellers have to attract customers by selling at low price since consumers are guided by the law of demand; the lower the price, the higher the demand. The consumers also have a variety of alternatives to choose fr om due to presence of many sellers. Baumol (2002) argues that a free market is engaged in a continuous process of innovation. Competition leads sellers to engage in research and development so as to come up with new ways of producing a product which are efficient and differentiate it from other competitors. This leads to innovations of technology and more advanced

Guide Wavelength Measurements Essay Example for Free

Guide Wavelength Measurements Essay The relationship between the wavelength in free space and the guide wavelength. Furthermore, this experiment will be a way in which to gain experience in using different types of laboratory communications equipment. Introduction What is wavelength? Wavelength of a sinusoidal wave is the distance between identical points in the adjacent cycles of a waveform signal. Wavelength is commonly designated by the Greek letter lambda (? )Wavelength is inversely correlated to frequency (figure 1. 1), therefore the higher the frequency of the signal, the shorter the wavelength. vp Is the phase velocity f is the frequency vp Is the phase velocity f is the frequency ?=vpf Figure 1. 1 What is a wave guide? Figure 1. 2 A waveguide is a special form of transmission line consisting of a rectangular (figure 1. 2) or cylindrical metal tube or pipe, through which electromagnetic waves are propagated in microwave and RF communications. It s commonly used in microwave communications, broadcasting, and radar installations. A waveguide must have a certain minimum diameter relative to the wavelength of the signal and therefore are practical only for signals of extremely high frequency. Consequently below such frequencies, waveguides are useless as electrical transmission lines. â€Å"An electromagnetic field can propagate along a waveguide in various ways. Two common modes are known as transverse-magnetic (TM) and transverse-electric (TE). In TM mode, the magnetic lines of flux are perpendicular to the axis of the waveguide. In TE mode, the electric lines of flux are perpendicular to the axis of the waveguide. Either mode can provide low loss and high efficiency as long as the interior of the waveguide is kept clean and dry. † Some disadvantages are: * The high cost, since the material used is special alloy (copper and silver). * It is not possible to pass DC currents along with your RF signal. * The volume and mass particularly are at lower frequencies. Although there is quite a few disadvantages the fact that you can transmit extremely high peak powers and very low loss outweighs it. Furthermore the Silver plating used on the inside walls of the waveguide decreases the resistance loss making the copper and aluminium waveguides even more efficient. Experimental notes The experiment needs to be conducted to obtain the value of the guide wavelength and thereafter calculate the wave dimension and observe whether it matches the initial result that was measured. The initial result measured was the value. Cut-off wavelength for the wave guide mode being propagate ? o = Wavelength in free space g = Guide wavelength, known as delta g The equation to measure ? o is already present as it is given by free-space. Although the cut-off wavelength can be calculated by rearranging the formula in figure 1. 1, the experiment will be used to further confirm this mathematical formula. What we will acquire is a range of guide wavelengths throughout the experiment in order to find the Cut-off wavelength. Where is the cut-off wavelength for the waveguide mode being propagated? The dominant mode is being propagated in the rectangular waveguide (figure 1. 2) which means where (a) is the internal broad dimension of the rectangular waveguide. Block diagram Microwave signal source Isolator Preset attenuator Wave meter Short circuit Calibrated attenuator Tuned SWR amplifier + meter Standing wave detector Microwave signal source Isolator Preset attenuator Wave meter Short circuit Calibrated attenuator Tuned SWR amplifier + meter Standing wave detector Microwave signal source This device is the signal generator where you get 8 to 12 GHz. It is extremely expensive equipment and costs in the region of ? 20,000. This is due to the fact that we are dealing with high frequency signals and not with normal radio waves. Isolator By terminating one port, a circulator becomes an isolator, which contains the property for energy to flow in one direction only. It samples some of the forward wave power and couples it to a calibrated cavity wave meter for measuring the oscillator frequency. Preset attenuator â€Å"Attenuators are essential building blocks when developing test stations for applications† Attenuators are devices used to adjust signal levels which helps to stop the reflected power from reaching the oscillator, control impedance mismatch and to isolate circuit stages. Wave meter Any device for measuring the free-space wavelengths (or frequencies) of microwaves; usually made of a cavity resonator whose dimensions can be varied until resonance with the microwaves is achieved. The determination is often made indirectly, by measuring the frequency of the wave. Calibrated attenuator The calibrator changes the value if it gets too high. Attenuators are manufactured with high-accuracy calibration, and for utmost precision. They available in standard waveguide were each attenuator is calibrated at the frequency specified at the time of order. Standing wave detector Standing wave detector detects radio frequency signals along a transmission line or in a waveguide and changes it into a DC voltage for the reason that the waveguide cannot transmit DC currents along with the RF signal. Tuned SWR amplifier + meter The  standing wave ratio  meter  measures the  SWR (standing-wave-ratio)  which is the ratio of the amplitude of a partial standing wave at a maximum to the amplitude at a minimum in a transmission line. This is an item of  radio  equipment used to check the quality of the match between the  antenna  and the  transmission line. Procedure 1. Set up the microwave bench, as indicated. 2. Read the basic instructions for the microwave bench and then obtain oscillations at 8. 5 GHz from the microwave signal source. 3. If it is possible, maximize the deflection on the SWR-meter by using the method outlined in the basic instructions. 4. Measure the frequency, f, using the wave meter. Calculate the free space wavelength, ? o , by using ? o = c/f where c = 2. 997? 1010 cm s-1. 5. Move the standing wave detector (SWD) probe along the slotted line and watch the SWR-meter.

A Leader in On-Line Travel Services Essay Example for Free

A Leader in On-Line Travel Services Essay The travel industry is billion dollar a year business. Year round people from all walks fill the roads and departing plane seats in search of travel success. There is no doubt that the travel industry will continue to be in demand, however, while vacationers, business travelers and everyone in between anticipate spending a good chunk of change to get from point a to point b, no person wants to part with their hard earned money. Thankfully, some genius out there understood this. Along with the evolution of the technological advances came a miraculous source for locating the best deals in travel, from flights to hotels to car rental. Based on the number of travel websites available, no longer do discounted travel options belong solely to commissioned travel agents. Today, everyone from housewives to grandpas to beer-guzzling football fanatics have the capability of obtaining their own travel deals. Parented by Expedia, Inc and based in Washington State, Expedia. com revolutionized the way people travel the world, and as time continues, its services only get better. With a bit of research, a pen and some paper, soon-to-be travelers are able to decide what airline or hotel best suits their needs (and their wallets) all with just a few clicks of the mouse. While competitors such as Travelocity and Priceline offer much of the same services, Expedia. com continues to be a leader in the travel industry (PR Newswire, p. 1). Thousands of hotels, airlines and other travel accommodators have joined in to vie for the traveler’s business, and the wooing has resulted in deep discounts and sometimes little extras, such as free hotel nights. Expedia. om’s early days were a bit primitive, but as the demand for travel options increased, the business flourished. Expedia. com has become a household name among travelers and will continue to be a source for deal seekers around the world. Expedia. com’s big break came in 1996 when Richard Barton, who, at the time, was responsible for creating CD-ROMS for Microsoft, presented the idea of offering travel options on-line (NetIndustries, p. 1). Microsoft Network1 reluctantly began assisting in web exposure in order to generate business for the experimental company (NetIndustries, p. ). While discounted airline tickets were the only product Expedia was offering at the time, the investment Microsoft placed in technological innovations for the company greatly expanded the number of people coming across Expedia. com’s website. A few short years would prove that Expedia. com was not just some fly-by-night ‘dot-com’. In 1999, Microsoft Network spun off a portion of their interest in Expedia for public availability; a move that increased Expedia. com’s worth within hours (NetIndustries, p. 1). With success under their belt, Microsoft opted to sell its entire interest in Expedia. com to USA Networks, Inc. 2. Led by CEO Erik Blachford, Expedia. com is wholly owned by InterActiveCorp (PBM, p. 1). Teaming up with Classic Custom Vacations, Expedia Corporate Travel and Travelscape. com, Inc. , Expedia. com found itself in the perfect position to expand the types of travel services offered, and could continue fulfilling their mission of utilizing electronic sourcing in order to provide the best travel options to its users (About Expedia. com, p. 1). Services available through Expedia. com include discounted flights, hotel accommodations, auto rental, cruises and even vacation packages, all for domestic and international destinations. Additionally, the company offers guidance to travelers who are unsure of the type of travel they are seeking. By clicking the ‘activities’ tab on the website, destination seekers are able to view events taking place all over the world (Expedia. com, p7). Additional services include printable maps, an easy 1. Microsoft Network, a major software developer, assisted Expedia. om by providing technological resources, to include premium web exposure, which played a major role in Expedia. com’s growth. 2. USA Networks, a media based operator, changed its name to USA Interactive upon completing its purchase of Expedia. com. USA Interactive also owns Expedia. com competitor Hotels. com (SJP, 2002). to maneuver website and 24/7 customer service. Along with success, Expedia. com endured its share of struggles. In early operations, Expedia faced several lawsuits, including one from competitor Priceline. om for infringing on a patented â€Å"name your price† service. Other competitors, such as Travelocity. com were heating things up by adding new features and services to their websites. Expedia. com’s defense was to play-up the features and services they already used by launching a major marketing campaign using tags like â⠂¬Å"Don’t just travel. Travel right,† and â€Å"Where do you want to go today? † (NetIndustries, p. 1). While the marketing campaign was a success, profit success was short-lived when some airlines stopped paying commissions to on-line travel agents, including Expedia. om. While competitors such as Priceline. com tagged on hefty $10. 00 surcharges to customers using airlines who didn’t pay commissions, Expedia was able to negotiate with several airlines in order to avoid charging additional fees to customers, while continuing to offer those airlines’ services without feeling too much of a punch (NetIndustries, . 1). Overcoming these challenges, Expedia continues its success by utilizing a product line pricing strategy, which entails offering a variety of products at ranged pricing, or bundling packages and charging accordingly. A mere 11 years old, Expedia. com has become established nationally as well as internationally. Today, Expedia. com’s success continues. It employs 1,758 people, and averages sales at an estimated $590 million (NetIndustries, p. 1). The future includes focusing on the business traveler, whose needs are being met by providing the widest range of products possible, and offering little comforts such as the Expedia. com Cafe3. Cornering the market with the best deals, Expedia. com will continue to lead the on-line travel industry without missing a beat.

Qin Shi Huang In Society And Modern Media History Essay

Qin Shi Huang In Society And Modern Media History Essay Scholars debate over Qin Shi Huang Dis legacy that he left after his reign 2,200 years ago. To the western public, he has been perceived as a disillusioned, power-hungry, tyrannical man whose lust for immortality he sought brought about the buried legacy of perfect, baked clay models dating from before the birth of Christ. In the last 50 years or so, his history has been re-analyzed into a colossus of a historical figure in Chinese history almost equivalent to Alexander the Great and Caesar rolled into one. By ruthless force of will, he bound warring states together and knit them into a tightly centralized system, standardized Chinas language and law, and built major structures such as the early Great Wall of China. Even the style of his coinage, round with a square-shaped hole in the middle, lasted until the dawn of Communist rule. Few other rulers have so shaped the sinews of their country. However, these feats pale in comparison to his greatest legacy, the establishment of a burea ucracy that would survive for more than 2,000 and would be the largest in the world, staffed by educated men and reaching to the lowest peasant in the land (Wood). The view held by the western public reflects the darker aspects of his life. Despite his massive reforms in the economic and political systems of China, he also garnered the reputation of being an oppressive and borderline psychotic ruler, the most commonly cited example being the Great Wall of China, which was built with hundreds of thousands of conscripted workers in such a small timeframe that thousands were overworked to their deaths. (Many of these workers are believed to be actually buried within the Great Wall) Perhaps one of the greatest stories that personified these psychotic and tyrannical tendencies is one regarding his obsession with immortality. In an attempt to obtain the fabled elixir of life, he dispatched thousands of people to Penglai mountain. When none returned (because failure meant execution), he se nt another expedition consisting of three men, only to be offered the feeble excuse that they had been frightened off by a gigantic fish. He duly set off to shoot it with a repeating crossbow, though despite his attempts, the elixir continued to elude him. His next attempt, immortality pills, consisting of mercury, which his alchemists assured would confer the same power that the substance displayed in absorbing gold, would prove fatal. The dynasty he had promised to last for thousands of years would barely struggle through a decade. The root of Chinas current alteration of the perception of Qin Shi Huang Di roots from the similarities derived between Qin Shi Huang Di and Mao Ze Dong. Both were inspirational leaders who united China in their times of need. Qin Shi Huang Di united China following a 200 year period, known as the Warring States period, creating a political entity recognizable as the China we know today. Similarily, Mao Ze Dong united a war-torn China following the collapse Qing dynasty, managing to create stability in a land which was used as World War IIs battlefield. However, the similarities do not end there. Qin Shi Huang Di was also know for his massive public works projects, often recruiting hundreds of thousands of workers at the expense of tens of thousands of lives à ¿to complete great engineering marvels such as the Great Wall of China, the Lingqu Canal, and the Mausoleum of the First Emperor. Mao Ze Dong similarly ordered huge public works projects, such as dams, canals and other infrast ructure projects, which millions of peasants and prisoners had been forced to toil on and in many cases die for. However, these projects often proved useless as they had been built without the input of trained engineers, whom Mao had rejected on ideological grounds. Other policies set out during Maos reign parallel Qin Shi Huang Dis actions during his reign. For example, both were extremely well known for their persecution of intellectuals in their empires that Mao would later be quoted as bragging: He [Qin Shi Huang Di] buried 460 scholars alive; we have buried 46,000 scholars alive. As Tun Dun, the musical composer for Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and Hero, would put it, Qin Shi Huang Di was pretty much like Mao Zedong. He unified China. He made the language, made the measuring system, made the currency. With these similarities, it would come as no surprise that the Communist party, just as it has protected the reputation of Mao in order to defend both the legitimacy of his leade rship and the foundation of the Communist government in China, would protect the reputation of Qin Shi Huang Di in a similar manner lest Mao be compared to Qin Shi Huang Di in a historical sense. The Communist government has commonly censored foreign films, a practice almost completely alien to Americans. Instead of a free speech clause in their equivalent Constitution, the Communist government is allowed completely control over the media world of China. Especially with foreign films, the Communist government uses a list of criteria to screen the film from the following attributes: Criticism against social order and government Disruption on the unity of various ethnicities of the state Endanger the sovereignty and territorial of the state. Endanger security of the state; harm the public reputation and interests of the state. Disrupt the unity of various nationalities of the state Divulge a state secret Advocate inappropriate sexual relationship; violate moral standard, or obscene content; having strong visual stimulation; tempt people degeneration Advocate superstitious belief; offense against social order Advocate violence; appeal people despise dignity of law; tempt crime; disrupt public security If failing to meet any of these requirements, the movie is typically banned from the country. While the Communist government has long had a stronghold on foreign films and has gained a strong reputation recently for its restriction of foreign films, domestic films face even closer scrutiny. While foreign movies must be screened by censors, domestic productions must submit their plots and final product for approval. The examination period for reviewing in the first step is 15 days, examine fees are based on government policy in different case. In second step, producers get response from censorship department for content should be modified. Last, after modification made accordingly, production will be sent back to review by censorship department. If content has been modified accordingly, the film will then be certified to be broadcasted. In addition, if filmmakers who are not agree with the examination, they are allowed to apply for reviewing no later than 30 days of the first time sub mission. Because of this strict screening process, many of Chinas prominent filmmakers have run afoul of the censors (such as some of the films mentioned below). But the communist governments ability to block unwanted material has withered, thanks to the Internet and a black market that made copies of unauthorized movies available. Hit films often generate tens of thousands of black-market copies, and are generally widely available on pirated DVDs. As the government controls much of the major media within China today, Qin Shi Huang Dis legacy and current perception is altered based on his portrayal in modern media outlets. à ¿Filmography is perhaps the simplest way to reach major audiences. A modern marvel that can instantly reach millions of viewers at once in just days, it comes to no surprise that Qin Shi Huangs greatest appearances in modern media are in movies. The most recent movie to portray Qin Shi Huang Di or reference him would be The Mummy Returns: The Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. However, this movie will not be discussed due to the fact that it is an entirely Western-Based movie and thus, involving no direct influence from the Chinese government and Chinese directors. It is interesting to note that in this movie, many of Emperor Hans signature aspects such as terra cotta warriors or obsession with immortality are based off of Qin Shi Huang Di. The Myth, the next most recent mainstream Chinese movie to feature Qin Sh i Huang Di is indeed directed by a Chinese (Hong Kong) director. However, Qin Shi Huang Di similarly plays a barely supporting role (his persona not even being seen once in the entire film). However, his obsession with immortality and his large mausoleum are referenced as well. Finally, Hero, the third most recent movie to feature Qin Shi Huang Di actually features the emperor on a rather important level. On at least three levels, The Hero violated the consensus of todays Chinese audience. First, ordinary peoples common judgment, which has lasted for thousands of years, that Qin Shi Huang Di was a tyrant, and that tyrants should be condemned. Although the aspiration for a benevolent ruler implied in this view is still a longing under autocratic rule, the condemnation of tyranny is universal. However, the movie Hero is intended to reverse the pubic view towards Qin Shi Huang Di, and goes against the sentiment of the audience. Hero is based on a stance that reverses the judgment towards tyrants. It takes the perspective not of the majority but of a tiny group of people. Second, ordinary peoples general view of martial arts heroes. You have to pay a price for the so-called wandering in the wilderness, but by paying the price you free your heart and spirit, and realize the desire to be in charge of your own life. Peoples general yearning for martial arts and acceptance of it are based on this longing for freedom. But in Hero, when Can Jian and Wu Ming give up their idea of assassinating Qin Shi Huang Di, ostensibly it marks a transcendence of their personal hatred. However, in reality it coincides with the emperors personal ambition, that the world under heaven is the world ruled by the son of heaven, and that consideration of the benefits of the world under heaven is the consideration for the benefit of the son of heaven. The film makes no secret of this view, which is expressed from the mouth of Qin Shi Huang Di: I didnt expect that the one who knows me best, the soul mate who echoes my wants and mind is the one wandering the wilderness. Realistical ly speaking, this movie captures the heart of propaganda towards the legitimacy of Qin Shi Huang Di. Even going so far as to accuse his own officials of calling him a tyrant, Qin Shi Huang Di (the actor) fails to even touch upon the actual actions that made him a tyrant (the building of the Great Wall of China, etc). Instead, he spews out highly theoretical talks of unification, idealized to the point of unreality. Perhaps the greatest indication of this movie aligning its ideals towards Communist ideals is the last translation of Tian Xia, another name for China. Of all the translations of such a name, the most common and literal one being under the heavens, the producers of Hero chose to instead translate it as Our land, to justify Qin Shi Huang Dis conquests. Our Land, the idea that the land is shared by the common person and that it was Qin Shi Huang Dis responsibility to unify China for the sole sake of protecting the common person would have been alien in Ancient Chinese socie ty. The consolidation of power into a single family has been the entire basis of Chinese history (dynasties). It has not been since the start of the Communist rule where the common persons ideals and welfare was truly looked out for by the government. Thus, in summary, Hero was a Communist ideal spouting movie sugar coated in the goodness of martial-arts fight scenes and dramatic and unpredictable plot twists. When the Map is Unrolled, the Dagger is Revealed. This is a famous figure of speech in China, which fits Chen Kaiges latest epic drama perfectly both in story and meaning. It means that only at the end we see peoples real intentions and their true nature. The figure of Ying Zheng (Qin Shi Huang Di) assumes gigantic proportions in this near-Shakespearean tragedy. Hes painted as a fair and just man at the beginning, but he eventually submits to his thirst for power and the dogma of his ancestral mandate. Thanks to pressure and paranoia, Ying Zheng betrays his initial intentions which were to unite all of China peacefully and lead it to years of prosperity. Thats what he initially promises. However, like most politicians, the promises become dead air when he finally reaches his goals. One of Ying Zhengs concubines and the love of his life, Lady Zhao, functions as a counterpoint to the Emperor. A fictional character, shes used by the director to give voice to the masses. She represents people who want humanity to prevail over bloodletting and power-thirsty dictators. These are the people who weep over the senseless loss of life, and want a peaceful solution instead. The film is structured into five acts which lay the groundwork for the final part in which the reluctant assassin Jing Ke plots to kill Ying Zheng. The intricate story might be difficult to follow for someone whos not used to Chinese history, but the script flows well and the characters are developed so effectively that such apparent shortcomings dont really matter at the end. Chen Kaige could have decided to focus on a history lesson, but instead hes more interested in three central characters (Ying Zheng, Lady Zhao and Jing Ke) and their motives. Hes able to create a psychological profile for Ying Zheng, who at first seems in control, but ultimately is the cause of his own undoing. His attempts to bring peace and prosperity to his kin conflict with the danger of holding too much power in ones hands. He cant handle the situation and the consequences are terrible. And guess who pays the price? The same people he was trying to help. Interestingly enough, this movie does not attempt to draw as many parallels between Qin Shi Huang Di and Mao Ze Dong. Dealing with less of his political actions throughout his reign and more with his relationship with his friends and family around him, it is hard to say whether or not the censors in China even bothered to red flag the film. Considering the difficulty of processing this film into anti-Communist propaganda rather a criticism of Qin Shi Huang Dis rule in general, this movie could have easily slipped under the scope of Chinese censors. The Emperors Shadow is an extravagant take on the life and times of Qin Shi Huang Di. Through the friendly relationship between a musician and the Emperor and lavish sets (billed as the most expensive film ever shot in China), it paints an epic picture of Qin Shi Huang Dis rise to power. Realistically speaking, taking out the historical information and the luxurious backgrounds, the movie is really nothing more than the altogether familiar (and relatable) story of two childhood-best-of-friends from different backgrounds and their ideological differences that separate the two. Though he may be portrayed as a ruthless conquerer, he produces some redemptive qualities that would draw him into a more positive light as a character. Qin Shi Huang Dis portrayal is almost identical to the one mentioned in hero as he is portrayed as being concerned with the symbols and identity of the new Qin Dynasty, and the way that these new symbols will come to represent all of China, and be accepted by th e people. In 1996, it did brisk business at the box office during a brief release in five major Chinese cities; but then was banned for censorship reasons. The idea that art could not be controlled by the media (a practice indeed supported during the reign of Qin Shi Huang Di) was also well supported Mao as well. This idea of restricting media in order to control the intellectual in China for both time periods, however, rang a negative light towards the censors, and in a swift act of irony, red flagged and consequently banned the film. However, it should be of note that the film was generally well received by the Western public. For whatever reason, it served as an actual inspiration for the musical The First Emperor. However, again, this was indeed a Western production and thus prospective on Qin Shi Huang Dis rule, which is not relevant to the thesis of this paper. Based upon the few movies portraying Qin Shi Huang Di, it can concluded that the Chinese government has altered Qin Shi Huang Dis perception in modern Chinese culture as a benevolent (if not heroic) figure that directly conflicts the nature of his past in order to draw parallels to and support the Communist government due to many of the similarities between the Chinese Communist party Mao and the emperor. Movies that either seem to conflict with Qin Shi Huang Dis ideals that coincide with Communist party agenda seem to become red flagged by Chinese censors while films that only portray Qin Shi Huang Di in a less than favorable light receive no punishment whatsoever. However, it definitely must be noted that this analysis of the role of the Communist government in Qin Shi Huang Dis is limited in several ways, the first being that the oldest movie with Qin Shi Huang Di was created in the late 90s. However, this only man point further to the similarities of Qin Shi Huang Di and Mao as i t would seem to indicate that Qin Shi Huang Di was too sensitive of a subject to work upon until the advent of the 90s where the Chinese government relatively relaxed their censorship laws. Finally, it must be noted that only three movies were referenced for this analysis due to the fact that there have only been three Chinese-made movies that have featured Qin Shi Huang Di ever created.

Educational Games Essay -- Media, Radio, Television

Media has been shaping our society since the era of print. Print gave way to radio, and radio to television. Now, television is giving way to a new medium, video games. Video games control a market that rivals big movie production, and draws the attention of billions around the world. Can this new media be harnessed for the betterment of education? Videogames are having a positive effect in today’s classroom. Case studies of educational games show, student test scores are improving, students are receiving constant and immediate feed-back, and students are expecting to use technology in school. Society is fascinated with new technology, and it would be negligent not to use the latest technological means to educate our future generations. Case studies to determine the effectiveness of education video games have been conducted at all academic levels. David McDivitt, a history teacher at Oak Hill High school in Indiana, conducted a study of the game â€Å"Making history.† He used his own history class; 110 students across five classes. Three classes totaling 65 students played Making History, and two classes of 45 students, were designated as control groups. McDivitt started his study with a pretest covering his educational objectives; European geography, the Munich Conference, comparisons of Soviet communism and Nazi Germany, and the reason for WWII. The study was conducted for one week. Students in the control classes received traditional instruction involving textbooks, reading assignments, and in-class discussion, on the objectives; the test group played Making History, conducted class room discussion, but did not open a textbook. The test group did exceedingly well in all objectives. It is also not e worry that the t... ...allows students time to continually work through problems, until the objectives are reached. Because of immediate feed-back, experimental learning is possible. Experimental learning is best defined as â€Å"learning by doing.† Video games can convey skills gradually, and allow the player to make mistakes, and retry; Practices which could be costly or dangerous in the real-world. They can also give the look, feel, and decision making challenges of a task, better preparing the student for real-life application (Why Games, 2011). Third, â€Å"the most obvious and logical conclusion is that they engage the students† (Hersh, 2009). Students are having fun while learning, creating competition, talking about it after class. Games automatically create a positive learning environment. â€Å"Well-designed video games are natural teachers,† explains Dr. Douglas Gentile (2009).

An Analysis of the Market Structure of the Tourist Parking Lots in Noga

An Analysis of the Market Structure of the Tourist Parking Lots in Nogales, Arizona Introduction This paper focuses on the market for daily parking in a one mile radius of the Nogales, Arizona/Nogales, Mexico border. Traveling to a foreign country often requires numerous preparations, and months of planning; paying and waiting for a passport, booking a hotel, and airfare. Yet for the average United States citizen, the proximity to Mexico provides a convenient and cost-effective opportunity for international travel by car. According to the World Tourism Organization, some 11.7 million tourists traveled by road to visit Mexico in 2004. While this number cannot be attributed to United States citizens in its entirety, approximately 94% of total tourism in Mexico is comprised of United States citizens (World Tourism Organization). Out of this number, approximately 72,139 tourists were considered â€Å"day visitors†. It is this high popularity of traveling to Mexico by car coupled with United States’ policy (to be discussed in detail) that has led to the construction of the border parking lots. Background During the 1970s the Nixon administration began an anti-drug campaign that came to be known as the "war on drug abuse" era. The crackdown of the importation of illegal substances into the United States gave birth to the creation of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The DEA enabled more efficient searches to take place especially along the border of Mexico and the United States. It was during this time that the Canine Enforcement Training Center was established in Washington D.C. (U.S. Customs Today) and the use of the canine came into play as officers came to rely on skilled dogs and their handlers to detect ... ...quirements and Beefed-Up Border.† 1 May 2005. . Keel, Robert. â€Å"Schaffer Library of Drug Policy.† . Mintz, John. â€Å"U.S. Will Tighten Passport Rules.† 6 April 2005 . â€Å"New Passport Initiative Announced To Better Secure America’s Borders.† 5 April 2005. . â€Å"Press Release: Western Hemisphere Initiative Formally Submitted for Public Comment† . â€Å"U.S. Customs Today.† February 2003. . â€Å"World Trade Organization- Mexico Tourism Indicators.† .

Bushs Address To Congress - Environment, Charity, and Education :: American America History

Bush's Address To Congress - Environment, Charity, and Education After this year's chaotic election, the country is divided and furious. It is up to our new president to heal the wounds. To do so, it is obvious he must alter his original plans a bit to make the entire nation, both liberals and conservatives, content. Naturally, the first chance he had to express his plans to congress and the rest of the country was immensely important, as it could have been a uniting or dividing step. Luckily, it appeared as though Bush was trying his best to compromise on many issues. I believe his address was a step in a consolidating direction. Three issues of utmost importance to the American people are the status of the environment, charity and the poor, and the education of their children. What was Bush's stance on these three issues, and how will his attitude towards them affect America? Bush said that he aimed to clean up toxic wastes and fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund. He also proposed that 4.9 billion dollars will go to cleaning and maintaining our national parks. Clearly, he wishes to do a great deal of good for the environment, although helping the environment to such a high extent is not a traditional Republican view. (The Democrats did not have anything to say about Bush's environmental program in their response; they focused on his tax cut plan.) However, if he desires to unite America, helping the environment is a great way to do so. I cannot think of anyone who would turn down the idea of having cleaner water and fresher air. I think the condition of the environment could very well improve during the four years Bush is in office. The Land and Water Conservation Fund will know best what to do with the massive amount of money they will be granted. I am concerned about the protection of animals though- Bush has expressed a desire to clean the environment, but only those areas that pertain to Americans and their living conditions. It would be wonderful to be rid of toxic brown fields, but what about the depletion of the ozone layer? What about rapidly diminishing species of animals? Will Bush attempt to help these areas of the environment, or is he simply planning on excluding them? I hope he is, and that he neglected to mention them in his address to congress simply because he didn't have enough time, or else the environment will suffer more than it will gain from his presidency.

Sample Literary Research Paper

Reverend Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, best known by his pen name Lewis Carroll, has written many novels, poems, and short stories in his lifetime but his most famous for his children's â€Å"nonsense† novels: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and the sequel Through the Looking Glass. His works, especially the two mentioned, have influenced countless readers over the years, and references to his writings can be found in every type of media from the song â€Å"White Rabbit† by Jefferson Airplane to the the Matrix trilogy. While both books are intended for a child's entertainment, they are full of symbolism and hidden critique. His clever wordplay, use of logic and reasoning, and incredible imagination are all trademarks of his style of writing, which is often referred to as â€Å"literary nonsense. † To readers with little experience with Carroll's work, this term seems to perfectly describe Carroll's confusing and often rambling style, but when more thoroughly inspected, it becomes obvious that this â€Å"nonsense† has a far deeper meaning. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is about a young girl, Alice, who gets bored doing her multiplication tables one day and follows a white rabbit into a hole. Through this hole, she ends up falling into Wonderland, a place where there are potions and foods that can change the drinker's size, a tea party thrown by a Mad Hatter and a March Hare, and a Caucus-race that everybody wins. As Alice journeys through Wonderland she meets stranger and stranger, or, as she says, â€Å"'Curiouser and curiouser! ‘† (15), characters such as a hookah-smoking caterpillar sitting on a mushroom and a grinning Cheshire Cat who is not all there all the time: â€Å"'Well I've often seen a cat without a grin,' thought Alice; ‘but a grin without a cat! It's the most curious thing I ever saw in all my life! ‘† (94). She runs into three gardeners who are painting the Queen of Hearts' roses from white to red so she will not cut their heads off. Alice and the Queen play a game of croquet in which the mallets are live flamingos and the balls are hedgehogs until the Queen eventually orders the beheading of everyone but Alice, the King, and herself. The book ends with Alice discovering that the whole experience was a dream from falling asleep while doing her multiplication. The story itself became much more popular upon the release of the Disney animated version. Many parts of this movie, however, were not originally found in the book but are instead found in its sequel. Through The Looking Glass is very similar to Alice's other journey, but this time she steps through her mirror, also known as a looking glass, and finds herself on a giant chess board inhabited by the Red and White chess pieces from the set in her room. When she asks the Red Queen if she can play, she is told she can take the place of a white pawn and start on the second square and will become a queen if she reaches the eighth. She eventually meets Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum who tell her the poem â€Å"The Walrus and the Carpenter. † She later meets Humpty Dumpty who tells her that he can make words mean whatever he wants and then proceeds to explain to her the meaning of the poem â€Å"Jabberwocky. † Alice is then taken prisoner by a Red Knight and later rescued by a White Knight, both of whom keep falling off their horses, and guided safely to the eighth square where she is made a queen and invited to the Red and White Queen's nonsensical dinner party, after which she once again wakes up and realizes that the whole thing was just a dream. The poem â€Å"The Walrus and The Carpenter† from Through the Looking Glass is a classic tale narrated by Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum about a walrus and a carpenter who, while strolling down the beach one sunny night, convince a large bunch of oysters to take a walk with them: â€Å"Their shoes were clean and neat-/ And this was odd, because, you know,/ They hadn't any feet† (74-75). After much talk of whimsical nonsense, the walrus and the carpenter eat the unsuspecting oysters. There are many speculations on what the symbolism behind this poem actually is, but one theory, addressed in the movie Dogma, suggests that it is about religions tricking their followers. According to this theory, the walrus represents Eastern religions as either Buddha or Ganesha, while the carpenter represents Jesus and all Western religions. The two of them trick the helpless oysters, representing the innocent masses, with their words and then use them for their own gain, which in this case is as food. Many argue that this is not the true meaning behind the poem since Carroll was also an Anglican clergyman, but it is also noted that he was pushed towards his clergy position by his father and eventually grew to dislike the whole of the Anglican Church. The true meaning of the poem may never be known since Carroll never told anyone, and it was one of many things left unexplained in his diaries. â€Å"Jabberwocky† is yet another famous poem from Through the Looking Glass, containing many of the characteristics that earned Carroll's works the title â€Å"literary nonsense. This poem is first read by Alice when she holds the book containing it up to her mirror, and the first stanza is later told by her to Humpty Dumpty when he claims to be able to explain any poem ever invented and a good many that haven't been invented yet. â€Å"Jabberwocky† is about a boy who is warned by his father to beware the Jabberwock, a great beast with jaws that bite and claws that catch, and s o takes his vorpal sword and seeks the beast. When they meet, the boy slays the monster and takes its head back to his father to receive his praise. Humpty Dumpty explains to Alice that many of the words in the poem are portmanteaus, or words with two meanings packed into them. For instance, â€Å"slithy† means both â€Å"lithe† and â€Å"slimy,† while â€Å"mimsy† is â€Å"flimsy† and â€Å"miserable† at the same time. He also clears up the rest of the nonsense words in this poem such as â€Å"outgribing,† which he says is something between bellowing and whistling with a sneeze in the middle. The first stanza goes: â€Å"Twas brillig, and the slithy toves / Did gyre and gimble in the wabe / All mimsy were the borogoves / And the mome raths outgrabe† (126). As Humpty explains it to Alice, this loosely translates to, It was four in the afternoon and the slithy toves, a mix between a badger, a lizard, and a corkscrew, went round and round the grass-plot of a sundial until they had worn holes in the ground. The borogoves, thin, shabby birds with their feathers sticking out, were mimsy and the mome raths, sorts of green pigs that lost their way, outgribed. This style of making up words to describe altogether new concepts or creatures as he pictured them has been compared to that of Dr. Seuss: it provides entertainment to children who laugh at these nonsense words, while at the same time has its own meaning when explained. Lewis Carroll had a writing style unlike any seen before his time. His â€Å"literary nonsense† has provided entertainment for countless children, while amusing and stimulating the minds of adults at the same time. While many of the characters and events in Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass are known or debated symbols or references to something else, their true meanings could only ever be understood by Carroll himself.

Chemistry of Coffee Essay

Before coffee is roasted, it is referred to as â€Å"green coffee†. The green coffee is primarily made up of caffeine, lipids, carbohydrates, proteins (amino acids), and organic acids (although inorganic acids exist in coffee as well). These groups are quite stable in the green phase, and it is the carbohydrates, proteins, and acids that will undergo significant reactions during roasting to produce coffee. The important groups of carbohydrates in beans are from the monosaccharides and the polysaccharides found in beans. The disaccharide Sucrose (C12H22O11) also plays a vital role later on in coffee. Generally speaking, Monosaccharides represent the simplest forms of sugars, such as glucose and fructose, and usually follow the formula Cx(H2O)y. These sugars serve as building blocks for polysaccharides like starches and cellulose, which are usually long repeating chains of a basic unit or monosaccharide. All together, carbohydrates represent about 50% of green coffee’s base. Amino acids are present in green coffee at levels of about 10-13% of dry matter. Amino acids are molecules containing an amine, a carboxylic acid group (an organic acid that contains at least one carboxyl group of COOH) , and a side chain (a chemical grouping that is attached to the main group and is specific to each compound). Lipids represent around 11-17% of coffee. They do not play a huge role in the chemical processes of creating coffee- rather, they act as conductors of aroma and taste later on in the coffee process. Caffeine, an astringent stimulant, develops in coffee as a defense mechanism in the coffee plant. Its content remains stable throughout roasting and brewing. It is highly water soluble. Finally, green coffee beans contain numerous acids. Chlorogenic , Citric, Phosphoric, and Quinic Acids represent some of the most important acids in the green coffee bean. A small amount of acetic acid is also present before roasting. It forms when the coffee cherry is fermented to remove the outer pulp. Other than Phosphoric acid, the major acids at work in coffee are organic. Roasting Coffee Overview: In the first phase, the addition of coffee beans drastically drops the temperature of the roaster. The process is endothermic as the beans absorb heat to give off moisture. Around 100 degrees Celsius the temperature stabilizes as water turns into steam. This leads to an increase of pressure. Once the moisture content has been brought down, temperature increases rapidly again, and the reaction goes exothermic as sucrose begins to decompose at around 190-205 degrees C- forming steam and CO2. The increase in pressure from this reaction bursts the cells of the bean as the bean â€Å"cracks†. This crack causes the bean to almost double in volume. The process goes endothermic again until about 225 degrees C and beans â€Å"crack† once again. This increases volume again. Subsequent roasting pushes lipids through the cells to the surface of the bean, and as the bean roasts farther pst the second crack, the volume of the bean decreases due to decomposition. Chemical Processes during Roasting: Caramelization- Caramelization occurs when sucrose begins to decompose and causes the first mechanical crack of the coffee bean. The sugars produce water and carbon dioxide during the reaction, but also color and aromatics like furans (responsible for caramel- like aromas) and HMFs (hydroxymethylfurfural) (responsible for pure, sugar aromas). As the sugar caramelizes further, the aromas increase, but the original taste of sweetness decreases. The Maillard Reaction- The Maillard reaction (discovered in 1912) is the reaction that takes place during the browning of any food. This reaction varies wildly depending on the specific reactants- It happens in seared meat and toasted bread as well as roasted coffee beans. Despite the fact that the reaction comes out with too many variants (and too many unknowns) to go into extreme detail, basic principles govern the reaction for all variants. At its most fundamental form, the Maillard reaction is the reaction that occurs between a reducing sugar and an amino acid. Proteins are all made up of amino acids, so all proteins have the potential to undergo the Maillard reaction. The reducing sugar required for the reaction is any sugar with an aldehyde group. Sucrose is not a reducing sugar, so it’s numerous other sugars like fructose, lactose, and glucose that undergo the process. The sugars and amino acids react to form molecules called melanoidins that have the brown color characteristic of the reaction. The process is complicated because different sugars and different amino acids produce different compounds. Futher complicating the browning process, the new compounds (melanoidins) react even further creating new substances. The Maillard reaction is the cause for many of the volatile aromatic compounds characteristic to coffee, as well as other non-volatile compounds. Strecker Degredation-Strecker Degradation falls under the scope of the Maillard reaction. It is an intermediate step in the overall process, and involves amino acids. Rather than reacting with reducing sugars like the basis of the Maillard reactions, it requires a carbonyl compound as a reactant. The reaction yields CO2, an aldehyde, as well as an amino-ketone. This process is a significant intermediate step because it yields two products that are hugely responsible for the different smells of coffee. The Formation and Decomposition of Acids- From the four predominant acids found in green coffee beans- Chlorogenic, quinic, citric, and phosphoric – two decompose and two increase. Chlorogenic acid (C16H18O9) decomposes by 60% to form caffeic (not to be confused with caffeine- not the same thing! ) and quinic acid. The decomposition of chlorogenic acid in the coffee bean is directly proportional to the length of roasting. It also occurs later on in solution once the coffee has been brewed. Citric acid decreases as a result of the roasting process, it is is unable to withstand the roasting process, however its content does not change after it has been roasted (it doesn’t change with brewing). The acid diminishes quickly as roasting levels pass the light roast stage. Phosphoric acid increases with the length of roasting, however scientists are still unclear as to why the phosphoric acid increases rather than simply remaining stable throughout the process. Other notable acids that are formed when coffee beans are roasted are lactic acid and acetic acid, these acids form due to the decomposition of polysaccharides during and following the first crack stage. Coffee Brewing and Taste. Approximately 28% of the components in roasted coffee beans are water soluble. 72% are insoluble. Brewing a cup of good coffee depends on the balance of extraction of these components. Extraction below 16% is associated with weak, peanuty coffee, while extraction over 24% leads to a bitter brew. Taste of coffee depends on the degree of carmelization the coffee went through during roasting, the acidity of the cup, and the aromatic compounds such as aldehydes, ketones, and furans. As mentioned before, carmelization increases the aroma of the coffee, but lowers the overall sweetness of the cup. The overall â€Å"body† or â€Å"weight† of coffee simply has to do with the number of dissolved particles in the cup. Darker roasts generally have more body to them because the lipids have been brought to the surface of the bean, and are therefore more readily brewed into the coffee. A more â€Å"acidic† brew (not a literal term- it depends on the acids types present in the brew, the pKa, anions species present, and the buffering capacity) lends a â€Å"brightness† to the mouth. Below are some common acids associated with the different flavor notes that accompany an â€Å"acidic† taste in the cup. -Phosphoric acid has been associated with enhancing the brightness of the coffee, although there is still dispute over which acid contributes the most to the overall â€Å"acidity†, especially because the majority of phosphoric acid is neutralized with the presence of potassium once it’s in solution. – Quinic acid provides a cleanness to the brew in low quantities, but in excess leads to bitterness and astringency -Caffeic acid is generally bitter and harsh. -Citric is bright and floral in moderation, but excess is overly sour -Acetic acid can taste fermenty and vinegary in excess but in small amounts give the coffee a â€Å"winey† flavor -Lactic acid is associated with a less prominent â€Å"bright† flavor, but like citric acid, excess tastes sour -Malic acid is a less prominent acid that is known for its apple flavor As for the various volatile aromas in coffee a few of the predominant components include: – Furans which are sweet , nutty, fruity, and caramel smelling -HMFs give off a clean sweet smell. -Ketones are floral, buttery, caramel, vanilla-y, and milky -Phenols in lower levels are spicy, vanilla-y, clove, and anise flavored, excess are associated with a woody, medicinal flavor. Lipids in coffee play a significant role because many of the aromatics in the coffee bean are fat- soluble rather than water soluble. The higher the lipid content, the stronger the taste of the coffee is likely to be. This is why dark roasts generally have a stronger flavor than the light roasts (although it is also due to the increase in overall flavor compounds versus sugars and intact amino acids). Espresso brewed coffee also has a stronger flavor not only due to the increase of dissolved particles relative to the water content, but because it is brewed using emulsion rather than extraction. Emulsion involves pressure as well as water to extract the elements within the bean. The high pressure brewing gets more lipids into the shot than a traditional extraction of pouring water over the coffee grounds would. Finally- caffeine has a mildly astringent flavor. It was not discussed much in this paper because caffeine is relatively stable and doesn’t change from green coffee to roasted coffee. Caffeine level is merely dependent on the caffeine present in the coffee cherry when it was picked and the amount of coffee brewed in ratio to the water. Contrary to popular belief, it is not actually the presence of caffeine that contributes most to the bitter flavor of coffee. Rather, it is a compound called trigonelline (C7 H9NO3), an alkaloid, and its products after degradedation during roasting, that are given the most scientific credit for coffee’s bitterness.

Coffee Bean Inc.

Coffee Bean, Inc. (CBI), is a processor and distributor of a variety of blends of coffee. The company buys coffee beans from around the world and roasts, blends, and packages them for resale. CBI currently has 40 different coffees that it sells to gourmet shops in one-pound bags. The major cost of the coffee is raw materials. However, the company’s predominately automated roasting, blending, and packing process requires a substantial amount of manufacturing overhead.The company uses relatively little direct labor. Some of CBI’s coffees are very popular and sell in large volumes, while a few of the newer blends have very low volumes. CBI prices its coffee at manufacturing cost plus a markup of 30%. If CBI’s prices for certain coffees are significantly higher than market, adjustments are made to bring CBI’s prices more into alignment with the market since customers are somewhat price conscious.For the coming year, CBI’s budget includes estimated manuf acturing overhead cost of $3,000,000. CBI assigns manufacturing overhead to products on the basis of direct labor-hours. The expected direct labor cost totals $600,000, which represents 50,000 hours of direct labor time. Based on the sales budget and expected raw materials costs, the company will purchase and use $6,000,000 of raw materials (mostly coffee beans) during the year.The expected costs for direct materials and direct labor for one-pound bags of two of the company’s coffee products appear below: |   | |   | |Mona Loa | |Malaysian | | | |Direct materials | |$ 4. 0 | |$ 3. 20 | | | |Direct labor | |0. 30 | |0. 30 | | | CBI’s controller believes that the company’s traditional costing system may be providing misleding cost information.To determine whether or not this is correct, the controller has prepared an analysis of the year’s expected manufacturing overhead costs, as shown in the following table: |Activity Cost Pool | |Activity Meas ure | |Expected Activity for the Year | |Expected Cost for the Year | | | |Purchasing | |Purchase orders | |1,710 orders | |$513,000 | | | |Materials handling | |# of Setups | |1,800 setups | |720,000 | | | |Quality control | |# of Batches | |600 batches | |144,000 | | | |Roasting | |Roasting-hours | |96,100 roasting hours |961,000 | | | |Blending | |Blending-hours | |33,600 blending hours | |402,000 | | | |Packaging | |Packaging-hours | |26,000 packaging hours | |260,000 | | | |Total manufacturing overhead cost | |$3,000,000 | | | Data regarding the expected production of Mona Loa and Malaysian coffee are presented below.    | |  Ã‚   | |   | |Mona Loa   | |   | |Malaysian | | | |Expected sales   | |   | |100,000 pounds | | | |2,000 pounds | | |Batch size   | |   | |10,000 pounds | | | |500 pounds | | | |Setups | |3 per batch | |3 per batch | | | |Purchase order size   | |   | |20,000 pounds | | | |500 pounds | | | |Roasting time    per 100 pounds | |   | |1 hour | | | |1 hour | | | |Blending time   per 100 pounds | |   | |0. 5 hour | | | |0. hour | | | |Packaging time   per 100 pounds | |   | |0. 1 hour | | | |0. 1 hour | | | 1.Using the direct labor-hours as the base for assigning manufacturing overhead cost to products, do the following: a. Determine the predetermined overhead rate that will be used during the year. b. Determine the unit product cost of one pound of the Mona Loa coffee and one pound of the Malaysian coffee. 2. Using activity-based costing as the basis for assigning manufacturing overhead cost to products, do the following: a. Determine the total amount of manufacturing overhead cost assigned to the Mona Loa coffee and to the Malaysian coffee for the year. b. Using the data developed in 2(a), computer the amount of manufacturing overhead cost per pound of the Mona Loa coffee and the Malaysian coffee.Round all computations to the nearest whole cent. c. Determine the u nit product cost of one pound of the Mona Loa coffee and one pound of the Malaysian coffee. Write a brief memo to the president of CBI explaining what you have found in (1) and (2) above and discussing the implications to the company of using direct labor as the base for assigning manufacturing overhead cost to products. MEMORANDUM To:The president of CBI From: Date: Subject:the implications to the company of using direct labor as the base for assigning manufacturing overhead cost to products. 1) Per pound cost of the Mona Loa coffee and the Malaysian coffee as per traditional costing system is $ 6 and $ 5 respectively. ) The manufacturing overhead assigned to each pound of the Mona Loa coffee and the Malaysian coffee is same because the direct labour hours required for manufacturing each pound of coffee are same 3) Per pound cost of the Mona Loa coffee and the Malaysian coffee as per Activity based costing system is $ 4. 83 and $ 7. 15 respectively. 4) Following are the implication s to the company of using direct labor as the base for assigning manufacturing overhead cost to products: 1. Price determination under existing costing system (using direct labor as the base) is not accurate. Under activity based costing cost is calculated more accurately than existing product costing system. 2. Higher prices of popular product affect market adversely.As the customers are price conscious company can sell Mona Loa Coffee (which is more popular) at lower price and can increase its market share if the cost is calculated accurately. 3. As company uses relatively little direct labour, direct labour is not an appropriate basis for applying overheads to products. 4. By using activity based costing company can discontinue its non-profitable products or suggest appropriate price for those product 5) Activity based costing allocated indirect cost more accurately . It helps in reducing the cost by eliminating unwanted activities Helps in improving product and customer profitab ility. Activity based costing helps in forecasting and planning.

Problem Based Learning

BASIC TEACHING & LEARNING COURSE (KAP CENTRAL ZONE/2013) 19 – 23 FEBRUARY 2013 ASSIGNMENT ONE (1) NAME| NUR AZIEMAH MOHD AZMAN| ID. STAFF| 302753| FACULTY| COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA STUDIES| CAMPUS/ COLLEGE| SHAH ALAM| QUESTION NO. | 2| FOR iLQAM USE ONLY FOR iLQAM USE ONLY DATE RECEIVED: TOTAL MARKS: STAMP: DATE RECEIVED: TOTAL MARKS: STAMP: NUR AZIEMAH MOHD AZMAN BASIC TEACHING & LEARNING COURSE 19 – 23 FEBRUARY 2013 (CENTRAL ZONE) UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA (UiTM) ASSIGNMENT 1 – QUESTION 2â€Å"Learning is not a spectator sport.Students do not learn much just sitting in classes listening to teachers, memorizing pre-packaged assignments, and spitting out answers. They must talk about what they are learning, write about it, relate it to past experiences, and apply it to their daily lives. They must make what they learn part of themselves. † Explain how you will conceptualise this principle in your classroom? | There is a saying that goes: â€Å"Give a man a fish; you’ll feed him for a day. Teach a man how to fish; you’ll feed him for a lifetime. † As an educator, I hold on firmly to saying above.When I first started teaching, I told myself that I can either be a teacher who is only concerned about what need to be taught or I can be a teacher who is concerned about what and how something is supposed to be taught. I chose the latter. Why? Students had spent more than 12 years of learning in schools where most of the time, they sit and listen to what the teacher is teaching. Little or less participation on their behalf is incorporated during those 12 years. The main objective is to pass 3 ‘big and important’ examinations in 12 years.Sad to say, they soon forget a big chunk of what they had been learning for the past 12 years immediately after they finish their last paper for SPM. This is because students are only made to remember what they are taught; not to retain them. You can remember information for a specific length of time before you forget about it; but if you can retain that information, you’ll remember it forever. Let’s take mathematic as an example. We were taught how to do simple calculations such as addition since we were 6 years old. We not only learn how to add numbers in class, we also use it in our daily lives too.In a much simple terms, we practice what we learn in school and incorporate it into our daily lives. We retain the skills to do additions by doing and practicing. What about additional mathematics? Frankly speaking, if I was given a set of additional mathematics questions today, I would not be able to solve even the simplest question. Why? Because I did not use any of the formulas I was taught in school in my daily lives. I did not retain the information. Students are unique. They might not have the same way of learning.Lecturers and educators must be aware of their student’s ability in order to make the teaching and learning process a success. â€Å"Students have different levels of motivation, different attitudes about teaching and learning, and different responses to specific classroom environments and instructional practices. † (Brent and Felder, 2005) That is why, students learn best when they are incorporated and is actively involved during the learning process. The traditional method of teaching is more concerned on what the student should learn rather than how the student should be learning.In my class, I use Problem Based Learning (PBL) method. PBL is a new method of learning where there is a balance between what the students should learn and how they should be learning. â€Å"This new approach to learning is bringing about new ways in which students are involved in the learning process. Teachers know that students do not learn at their highest potential when they are in a classroom where the teacher stands at the front of the room and gives them knowledge. † (Utecht, 2003) During class, I e ncourage my students to speak and share information that they have on the topic.Before I start my lecture, I would first brainstorm the idea of the topic with my students. Initially, students would be reluctant to participate because they are afraid of saying the wrong answer. I encourage them saying that â€Å"if it is an opinion, there is no right or wrong answer†. Students in universities are andragogy learners; they are adult learners. As an adult, they would like to have more control of their own learning. â€Å"Andragogy reorients adult educators from educating people to helping them learn.The methods used may range from isolated instruction within a curriculum or integrated instruction. It may also encompass intentional and unintentional learning situations. † (Crawford, 2004) This type of students would be more interested to learn if they are given more power and control in the learning process. There are six assumptions on andragogy learners: 1. Adults need to know the reason for learning something (Need to Know) 2. Experience  (including  error) provides the basis for learning activities (Foundation). 3.Adults need to be responsible for their decisions on education; involvement in the  planning  and  evaluation  of their instruction (Self-concept). 4. Adults are most interested in learning subjects having immediate  relevance  to their work and/or personal lives (Readiness). 5. Adult learning is  problem-centred rather than content-oriented (Orientation). 6. Adults respond better to internal versus external motivators (Motivation). (Malcom Knowles, 1977) I planned and carry out my teaching and learning process using the 6 assumptions as my main guidance.Most of the time during class, I allow my students to voice out their opinion and share what they have to say on certain topics. I also let them know the objective of the learning and what they will acquire at the end of the class. If they feel that they did not achieve what they should at the end of the lesson, I encourage them to share their problems with their classmates so that they can come up with the solutions together. During my lecturer, I use simple examples which they can easily connect with in their daily lives. I usually share my experience and ask them to share theirs with the class.It takes the seriousness out of the learning process and students felt more comfortable sharing their problems and experience. For me, a relaxed and simple learning environment will encourage the students to be more active and not be reluctant to join in the discussions. A rigid classroom will make the students as cold as ice. Before I started teaching, I told myself to be the teacher that u have never had; the teacher I want to have but did not. I want my students to them around me and to not be ashamed to tell what they have in mind, because I believe the most valuable knowledge is the knowledge that we shared.References Brent. R, & Felder M. R. (2005). Understanding students’ differences. Journal of Engineering Education, 94(1), 57-72 Crawford S. R (2004). Andragogy – Malcolm Knowles. Retrieved March 21 from http://academic. regis. edu/ed205/Knowles. pdf Knowles, M. S. (1973). The Adult Learner: A Neglected Species. Houston:  Gulf Publishing Company. Utecht R. J. (2003). Problem Based Learning in Student Centred Classroom. Retrieved March 21 from http://www. jeffutecht. com/docs/PBL. pdf