Friday, November 29, 2019

Management Change and Innovation

Key issues in the case study There are a number of key issues that arise from the case of Nestle. One of the major issues that come up is the impact of mergers and acquisitions for large multinationals.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Management Change and Innovation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As a result of its growth Nestle chose to acquire more companies in order to make an impact in its global expansion especially in foreign markets. It struck big financial deals with companies like L’Oreal and Alcon Laboratories Inc and saw acquisition of the two companies. However, not all these big deals go well and in the case of Nestlà ©, L’Oreal was largely in debt and to some extent could have contributed to its financial woes. Another issue is the diversification of the market both in terms of products and market presence. These are seen as key factors in enhancing global expansion as well as profits. Nestle aimed at improving its finances through diversification as well as strategic acquisitions. It therefore made its presence in the U.S market through Alcon Laboratories Inc. It also diversified its products to include cosmetics through L’Oreal and pharmaceutical and ophthalmic products I addition to the original dairy products. This diversification could work for or against the company as it requires more resources on the part of the management. Organizational change is yet another key issue observed in this case. Nestle went through radical changes between the second world war to 1990’s all through to date.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More These changes have come in many faces, for example in the outlook of the companies before 1980 and change in the management of the organization as well as the continuous restructuring. More issues on organ izational change will be brought up in the topics discussed below. Importance of innovation in regard to organizational change is also a key issue. Innovation in terms of technology as well as new markets cannot be overlooked. For long-term continuance of the organization innovation should be consistent with the firm’s objective. New technology and new markets should not be exclusively left be the centre stage of organizational change and growth. Changes in Nestle Nestle went through both the first-order and the second-order changes. First order change is the continuous and incremental change which may call for modifications in processes, structures or even systems; however, does not go into changing the basic strategy, core values of the organization and corporate identity. It is basically meant to sustain organizational order and continuity. Second-order change on the other hand is drastic, transformational and with far reaching implications on the core of the organization. It is aimed at changing the nature of the organization and not developing it. Nestle went through the second-order change in that it carried out activities that had an effect on the nature and strategy of the organization. Although the changes may not have been aimed at changing the nature of the organization entirely, it had far reaching implications. For example; a change in the strategy of global expansion and increase in financial gains saw nestle sail through several acquisitions.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Management Change and Innovation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These acquisitions also meant that nestle was no longer an organization that was based on dairy products. Acquisition of Alcon Laboratories Inc and the cosmetic producers L’Oreal made a move to include cosmetics, pharmaceutical and ophthalmic products as part of nestle. Acquisition as a strategy of growth can also be cons idered as another example of second-order change. These changes effected before 1980 had far-reaching effects on Nestle and that is why they are considered as second-order change. Diversification or investment of Nestle into developing markets is another example of second-order change. Nestle diversified into developing markets not only to continue the organization but majorly increase the profits as well a change to include the organization into a cosmetic producer and supplier. This could also be traced back to when Nestle changed its strategy and started acquiring subsidiaries in foreign markets. Traditionally, Nestle used sales agents in countries that were outside its home market, but it later changed into having their presence in those foreign markets by acquiring some existing factories. Another example of second-order change evidenced in nestle is the transfer of several executive offices offshore to the U.S. this was instigated by the feeling of isolation in home offices, S witzerland and thus calling for the transfer. This move was aimed at increasing the efficiency of Nestle both in productivity and financial efficiency. The purchase of carnation in 1984 is also an example of second-order change after a number of failed acquisitions that left Nestle with many non-profitable and nonstrategic businesses. First-order change for Nestle is evidenced basically in the today’s Nestle in the period after 1990s. However, even before then Nestle sold most of its nonperforming and nonstrategic businesses.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This was basically meant to keep the organization going forth despite the losses. Under the management of Brabeck-Letmathe is seen to be leaning more on the first-order change rather than second-order. This could be due to the past failures as a result of aggressive acquisition and needed for expansion. When the CEO insists on ensuring the longevity of the organization without necessarily dwelling on short-term profits then this is first order. The change according to him is also meant to be gradual and slow is evidence that nestle is going into first-order change. As a result, it has developed approaches like corporate growth and a â€Å"corporate culture† that will ensure that longevity and continuity. Incremental approach to change Incremental approach to change is arguably the most effective method of change. Brabeck-Letmathe has to some extend used incremental approach in implementing change. One of the ingredients used is identifying the strengths of the organization an d trying to come up with ways to improve. This does not only dwell in strengths but also in weaknesses, opportunities and threats and trying to work on them. Incremental approach to change is also focused and conscious. It ensures a slow injection of change and at the same time trying to maintain internal balancing. A focus on the long term goals of the organization without laying much effort on the short-term profit motives is one of the factors key to incremental approach to change. This ensures the continuity of the business without involving radical measures that could be more destructiveness to the organization. Brabeck-Letmathe has used two vital tools that steer this type of change. These are entrenching a corporate culture and mechanisms for corporate growth. This approach ensures that Nestle establishes strengths that are not easily swayed. This is made much better by the fact that the managers have been incorporated into that corporate culture. However, there are some aspe cts of Brabeck-Letmathe approach that do not concur with incremental approach to change. For instance the complete wipe out of the executives was too radical a move. However important it may be to have managers who are well entrenched in corporate culture, we cannot ignore the fact that there is a need to listen to people or employees before creating an organizational change. In addition, we cannot ignore the role of technology in incremental corporate approach. Brabeck-Letmathe appears reluctant in embracing technology which is instrumental to growth. Though he is right on not making it the central strategic pivot point of growth his reservations are uncalled for. Brabeck-Lameck does not value social preferencing as a key aspect of incremental approach. This could be a better approach in dealing with the change managers. He seems put and as already having structures that is necessary for change. Additionally, his measures are too qualitative to fit in incremental approach to change because; this approach majorly builds on measurable quantitative aspects that become its key limitation. Implications for change managers Change managers in Nestle should have acumen in coming with the approaches that can well meet the needs of nestle. One of the key issues in consideration is the need to ensure longevity and continued existence of Nestle regardless of short operating profits. Another challenge lies with the fact that Nestle is a multinational company that has over 80 factories in different countries. This calls for efficiency and increased productivity. This increased efficiency and productivity should ensure that it doesn’t use measures that are too radical that could plunge Nestle into another financial difficulty. Restructuring process is another possible source of implication for change managers. It is costly ($300 million yearly) and a slow process that requires a lot of patience. Nestle management may have reacted to the need to sustain the longevity of Nestle by identifying factors that threatened its efficiency. For instance dropping out all non-profitable acquisitions as well as concentrating efforts on one line of products, probably dairy products. Change managers should also focus on ensuring that all the 80 factories are productive to avoid a scenario where they are servicing unproductive outlets. Therefore monitoring and evaluation should be done using the yardsticks of long-term goals of the company. In the quest of bringing change and restructuring, they should be careful to avoid strategies that may eat into company’s growth in the long run, as in the case of prior acquisitions. A similar challenge could be easily brought up by overemphasis on technology at the expense of sustainable growth. It is also beneficial for the change managers to come up with restructuring strategies that are less costly Three examples of lessons from the front line of Nestle case and possible solutions Three issues come up from the fr ontline of this study case. One of the major issues is the numerous sub branches of Nestlà © and the impact of aggressive acquisitions and mergers to penetrate foreign markets. Another subject of discussion is the diversification of products as varied as chocolate, milk products, cosmetics and pharmaceutical products. The third aspect is long-term performance or longevity of an organization Vis a Vis the short-term profit performance. Nestle just like many other big organizations used acquisition approach as a vehicle to global expansion and productivity. However, they did not consider the factors behind the deal or the financial position of the subsidiary company. This led to financial problems that saw its bad days kick in just like many other huge deals. Secondly, the need to diversify into many other foreign markets and with new products is likely to cause diseconomies in terms of management and finances. It is important for managers to weigh these implications and put structur es to deal with them before hand. Finally, many organizations and managers tend to overlook the long-term being and prefer high short term profits using very aggressive second-order approaches with great economic implications. This case study on Management Change and Innovation was written and submitted by user Cailyn Lee to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here. Management change and innovation Every organization needs positive change at one time or the other since it is inevitable. However it is natural for people within an organization to resist change. They will not readily accept new procedures that may be introduced and are ready to frustrate the management efforts in an attempt to maintain their status quo.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Management change and innovation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Every organization has to be creative in order to remain relevant and competitive in the market as observed by Karp. This was evidence in the coca cola case as they were forced to change by the trends that affected their business in a negative way. Karp provides some statements which he argues that they constitute â€Å"creative counters† to resist change. In the case of Coca Cola Company, they had to apply innovation as well as change in their product development so as to cater for the requ ired health standards in the market in regards to their products. Coca Cola management had to provide sufficient leadership in their organization so as to recognize their business as one dedicated to health of their customers. This was one way of influencing people’s perceptions in regards to Coca Cola products bearing in mind that it would be the key determinant on how they would respond to the proposed change. The management at Coca Cola had to undertake some mental imagery in developing its new products that is, by partnering with Nestle (a Swiss company) in order to produce a drink that is tea based. In order to achieve this, they had to visualize the task they were undertaking in terms of success and not failure. The main challenge in this case was how Coca Cola would develop an acceptable process by all their employees. In addition, the company would be obliged to assess the impact of change on its employees. This would be one of the most gainful ways of introducing cha nge into the company with minimal side effects. How to deal with resistance and management responses A great deal of attention should be given to the way recipients view change. Hence, much of the focus should be geared towards the techniques used so that company employees may reframe their minds and accept change in a positive way. Partnership is a form of strength in achieving change in an organization.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Despite the numerous ways employees in an organization may come up with excuses such as ‘we have always done it this way’, it is up to management to remain firm and steadfast for any positive development to take place. To achieve success in the implementation of a certain task, there is a need for clearly spelt-out rules. For instance, Coca Cola was relying on the expertise of Nestle Company so as to produce a product that was he althy to the market. This was achieved by well defined rules and also by forging a sustainable partnership. Managers should not assume that resistance of change is purely an artifact of misconception by recipients of change. It is imperative to note that the effective self- regulation of cognitions can be learned or developed in an organizational setting. For example, an individual’s pattern of negative thinking can be altered. This can only be possible by provision of clear instructions. However, Abraham in his prescription of managing resistance emphasized on the detrimental effects of fatigue. He argued that techniques to be used should help people reframe a situation more positively. In the case of Coca Cola, they still use the image of youth, passion and action in their company. To recap it all, it is vital to mention that resistance should be appreciated and dealt with in a sober way. The Maurer’s fundamentals of success to change should be used. This essay on Management change and innovation was written and submitted by user EdwardF0rrester to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Monday, November 25, 2019

How to Get Into UC Berkeley 4 Steps to a Stellar Application

How to Get Into UC Berkeley 4 Steps to a Stellar Application SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Wondering how to get into UC Berkeley? Getting accepted to Berkeley can be tough.How hard is it to get into Berkeley? In 2018, UC Berkeley received 85,615 applications, and it admitted 13,558 of those applicants, for an acceptance rate of 15.1%. This makes UC Berkeley a â€Å"strongly competitive school†: it’s not quite as competitive as Ivy League schools, but you’ll need to have a strong application across the board in order to get accepted.In the rest of this guide, we’ll explain the UC Berkeley admissions requirements, when and how you should apply, exactly what Berkeley looks at when they review your application and how you can create the strongest application to maximize your chances of getting into Berkeley. How Does UC Berkeley Evaluate Applications? Compared to many other schools, Berkeley is pretty transparent about what they’re looking for in applicants and how they evaluate applications. They first make sure you meet the minimum UC Berkeley admissions requirements, then they assess your academic history, and then they do a holistic review where they take other areas into account, such as your extracurriculars and responses to essay questions. UC Berkeley states that they use a â€Å"broad concept† of merit, which means no one part of the holistic review is automatically worth more than the others. Below are the factors UC Berkeley evaluates for the minimum requirements, academic assessment, and holistic review. Minimum Requirements Meet the A-G subject course requirements: History: 2 years English: 4 years Mathematics: 3 years Laboratory science: 2 years Language other than English: 2 years Visual and performing arts: 1 year College-preparatory elective: 1 year Have a 3.0 GPA in A-G courses taken in the 10th and th grade years. (3.4 GPA for non-California residents) Take either the SAT plus Essay or the ACT exam plus Writing Academic Assessment Your weighted and unweighted UC grade point average (calculated using 10th and th grade UC-approved courses only) Your planned 12th grade courses Your pattern of grades over time The number of college preparatory, Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), honors and transferable college courses you have completed Your grades in those courses relative to other UC applicants at your school Your scores on AP or IB exams Your scores on the ACT or SAT Holistic Review Number and rigor of high school courses taken and grades earned in those courses Personal qualities of the applicant, including leadership ability, character, motivation, insight, tenacity, initiative, originality, intellectual independence, responsibility, maturity, and demonstrated concern for others and for the community are considered Likely contributions to the intellectual and cultural vitality of the campus. In addition to a broad range of intellectual interests and achievements, admission readers seek diversity in personal background and experience Performance on standardized tests Achievement in academic enrichment programs, including but not limited to those sponsored by the University of California. This criterion is measured by time and depth of participation, by the academic progress made by the applicant during that participation, and by the intellectual rigor of the particular program Other evidence of achievement. This criterion recognizes exemplary, sustained achievement in any field of intellectual or creative endeavor; accomplishments in extracurricular activities such as the performing arts or athletics; leadership in school or community organizations; employment; and volunteer service So what does it take to get into Berkeley? Basically, you need to have good grades in difficult classes, strong standardized test scores, and show that you’ll have a positive impact on campus. In the rest of this article we’ll explain exactly what you can do to meet each of the expectations Berkeley wants to see in applicants. UC Berkeley Application Deadlines If you want to know how to get into UC Berkeley, you first need to know all the major application deadlines. Berkeley states right on their website that they almost never accept late applications, so don’t miss any deadlines!UC Berkeley doesn’t offer early action or early decision options, so everyone applying has the same deadlines. Deadline Action August 1 UC Berkeley application opens November 1-30 Period application can be submitted online December Self-report December test scores January-February Submit official December test score results February-March Admissions decisions are sent out March 2 Financial aid applications due May 1 Reply date for all accepted first year students July 1 Admitted students must submit their final high school transcript The most important deadline you need to be aware of is November 30th. This is the last day you can submit your Berkeley application. However, as long as you have your application submitted by November 30th, you can still take the SAT/ACT in December. If you decide to do this, you’ll self-report your scores in December, then send your official scores once you get them in January or February. We don’t recommend waiting until December to take the SAT or ACT because if you’re unhappy with your score you won’t have any other chances to retake it. However, if you’ve taken the exam several times and want one more shot, a December test date is an option. You’ll learn if you’ve been accepted to UC Berkeley in March (occasionally as early as February), and you’ll have until May 1st to decide which school to attend. How to Apply to UC Berkeley There are four main steps to applying to Berkeley. The earlier you begin your application (as early as August 1st) the more time you’ll have to complete all the steps and the less pressure you’ll be under to meet the deadline. The steps are the same regardless of which UC school(s) you’re applying to since all UC schools use the same application (and you only need to submit one application, even if you apply to other UC schools in addition to Berkeley. Below is an overview of how to apply to Berkeley. For more in-depth information, check out our complete guide to applying to UC schools. Step 1: Create an Account First you need to create an applicant account. This step will only take about a few minutes since you just need to fill out basic information. Step 2: Complete the UC Application After creating your account, you’ll be immediately sent to the beginning of the application. Some of the key parts of the application include: Entering information about which UC school(s) you’re applying to (you’d choose UC Berkeley, but you can also apply to other UC schools with the same application) and what you plan on majoring in Filling out your eligibility for scholarships Answering demographic questions Filling out your academic history (what classes you took, the grades you got in them, if they were honors or AP, etc.) Filling out information on your extracurriculars and any awards you’ve won Self-reporting your standardized test scores Answering the personal insight questions There are eight personal statement questions, and you’ll need to answer four of them. Each response needs to be 350 words or less.The prompts are listed on the UC admissions website Step 3: Pay Admission Fees and Submit Your Application Once you’ve finished each section your application, you can submit it, as long as it’s between November 1-30. You’ll also need to pay the $70 application fee ($80 if you’re an international student). Then you’ll click submit, and your application will officially be sent to Berkeley! Step 4: Submit Your Standardized Test Scores You’ll self submit your test scores when you fill out your application, but you also need to send official score reports to Berkeley.You’ll need to take either the ACT with Writing or the SAT with Essay. You aren’t required to take AP exams or SAT Subject Tests, but Berkeley does recommend taking at least a few and submitting those scores as well. We have guides specifically on sending ACT scores and SAT scores to colleges if you need more information. What You Need to Get Into Berkeley Berkeley wants top students so you need to make sure your application is strong across the board. Below are the five most important categories Berkeley evaluates when they look at applications. If you stand out in most or all of these areas you’ll have a great shot at getting into UC Berkeley! Classes The classes you took in high school are often the most important part of your college application. When UC Berkeley admissions officers look at your classes, they’re looking at two things: the actual courses you took and how difficult they were.For the first category, they want to make sure you’ve taken the classes you need to succeed as a college student at one of their schools. This means taking the A-G courses that we mentioned above. Remember that the A-G courses are the minimum UC Berkeley admissions requirements; most applicants will have gone well beyond these requirements. Some majors, especially those in math or science, recommend or require additional classes before you start college. For example, if you want to major in chemistry, Berkeley requires you to have taken one year of chemistry, one year of physics, four years of math, and two to three years of a foreign language. Research your intended major on Berkeley’s website to check the specific requirements you need to meet. In general, it’s best to take more classes in the fields you plan on majoring in. Berkeley also looks at the difficulty of the classes you took. They’re specifically looking for honors, AP, or IB courses since these are more difficult than regular-level classes. If your school offers these classes, you should take as many as you can without overloading yourself and still maintaining a high GPA.Taking difficult classes shows them that you’re focused on your studies and can handle the challenge and workload of college classes. Also, Berkeley specifically mentions that they look at the â€Å"quality of your senior-year program,†, so don’t be tempted to slack off senior year with a bunch of easy classes! Grades It’s not enough just to take the classes Berkeley want; you also need to do well in them. Your grades and overall GPA are another critical component of your Berkeley application.For Berkeley, as well as all UC schools, you need to have at least a 3.0 GPA in your A-G classes if you’re a California resident, or a 3.4 GPA if you’re a non-resident. Additionally, you can’t have gotten below a â€Å"C† in any of the A-G classes. However, you should aim higher than this. The middle 50% range for weighted GPA of accepted students in 2018 at Berkeley is 4.16-4.30. That means 25% of admitted students had a GPA lower than 4.16, and 25% of admitted students had a GPA higher than 4.30. To give yourself the best chance of getting into UC Berkeley, you should aim to have a weighted GPA of 4.30 or higher. This means you’ll have a higher GPA than the majority of accepted students which gives you a great chance at getting in.To get a weighted GPA of 4.30, you’ll need to get A’s in most of your classes, and you’ll also need to take advanced classes like honors or AP that’ll further raise your GPA. Test Scores There is no minimum SAT or ACT score you need to get into Berkeley, but you’ll want to aim high to give yourself the best chance of getting accepted.The middle 50% SAT score range for accepted Berkeley students in 2018 is 1340-1530, and for the ACT it’s 30-35. Again, you want to aim for the higher end of this range, so your goal should be either a 1530 on the SAT or a 35 on the ACT. Remember, it’s completely possible to get into Berkeley with scores lower than these (most admitted students will have scores lower than these), but setting that as your goal gives you a good score to aim for so you can maximize your chances of getting into UC Berkeley.Also, don’t forget that Berkeley also requires the essay/writing section of the SAT and ACT. While Berkeley doesn’t require any SAT Subject Test scores or AP scores, having at least a few of these will further strengthen your application by showing you can score well on tests that cover different topics. Your goal should be to submit three Subject Test or AP scores, with at least one related to the area you want to major in (so a math/science score if you want to be a biology major, a social science score if you want to major in history, etc.).For these exams, you should aim to get at least a 700 on the Subject Tests and a 4 on the AP tests. Essays You’ll need to answer four of the UC personal insight prompts, and your responses should show: Who you are What you'd contribute to the Berkeley community What causes/topics/hobbies are important to you What your intellectual interests are Maybe you’ve always been fascinated by space and want to attend UC Berkeley and major in aeronautical engineering, or maybe you dream of being a writer and want to major in English or Creative Writing. Whatever your story is, this is the place for Berkeley to hear it, and it’s the best place in your application to show them who you really are as a person. This is the part of your application where you can really show Berkeley who you are, so be sure to put time and thought into your responses. Berkeley also specifically mentions that the personal insight section is one of the parts of the application they look at most closely.For a more in-depth look at how to stand out with your responses, read our guide on how to write outstanding UC essays. Extracurriculars Your extracurriculars are another important part of your Berkeley application. The best extracurriculars show your leadership skills and passion for whatever the extracurricular focuses on. Exactly which extracurriculars you choose, whether they are related to sports, academics, arts, volunteering, etc., isn’t that important. What will make your extracurriculars stand out is if you can show that you’re passionate about them, have dedicated significant time to them, and have taken on a leadership role or important responsibilities. Some factors Berkeley states they’re specifically looking for in extracurriculars include: Special talents, awards, or achievements Leadership experience Significant experiences or achievements that demonstrate the student's promise for contributing to the intellectual vitality of a campus They list the following examples of strong extracurriculars: Special talent in visual and performing arts, communication or sports Intensive study and exploration of other cultures Significant community service Significant participation in student government Don’t feel like you need to have all or even any of these experiences; they’re just given so you can get an idea of what Berkeley is looking for. Pretty much any extracurricular that you’re passionate about, skilled in, and have shown some leadership potential for is a great extracurricular to include on your application. Note that, even if you send in additional materials, such as an art portfolio, Berkeley won’t take these into consideration when evaluating your application, so be sure to do a good job describing your talents and accomplishments within the application. You can also use the Additional Comments box in the Personal Insights section (see the next section for more info on this). What If You Have a Weak Area in Your Berkeley Application? Not sure how to get into Berkeley if you got a lower SAT score than expected, flunked math freshman year, couldn’t participate in extracurriculars for an extended period because you had mono, or something similar? If there’s a weak area on your Berkeley application, don’t think it automatically means you won’t get in. The majority of Berkeley applicants will have at least one part of their application that isn’t as strong as the others, and very few candidates have a stellar application across all areas. One way you can reduce the impact of these weak areas is to discuss them in the Additional Comments boxes. There are two Additional Comments boxes in the UC Berkeley application, one under Academic History and one under the Personal Insight section.It’s in these boxes that you can explain any information you’d like the application readers to know. For the academic history box, you could, for example, explain why some of your grades are lower than what you wanted (and what you did to raise your grades in future classes), or explain you didn’t get to take as many advanced classes as you wanted to because your school didn’t offer many. For the personal insight box, you should include any relevant information about your extracurriculars there wasn’t a spot for in the application, such as a time you showed exceptional leadership, took initiative, solved a serious problem, etc. Strong extracurriculars can help reduce the impact of a low grade or test score. If you have a weak area of your application, do your best to explain what you’ve learned from it and how you’ve improved since that. Your maturity and self-awareness will impress the people reading your application. Conclusion: How to Get Into UC Berkeley How hard is it to get into Berkeley? Each year, Berkeley admits only about 15% of the students who apply, but you can increase your chances of getting in by understanding how to apply and knowing what the admissions officers are looking for.You can begin the Berkeley application in August, and you have until November 30th to submit your application. Berkeley wants students who are intelligent, leaders, passionate about what they’re studying, and will have a positive impact on campus.To show Berkeley that you’re the type of student they want to admit, you should aim to take difficult classes and get good grades in them (aim for an unweighted GPA of about 4.30). You should also have high scores on the SAT or ACT (aim for a 1530 on the SAT or a 35 on the ACT). For getting into UC Berkeley, you should also have strong extracurriculars and answer the Personal Insight questions thoughtfully. If you’re not sure how to get into Berkeley, Berkeley admissions may seem overwhelming, but if you plan ahead and work to make your application as strong as it can be, you’ll give yourself the best chance of getting into UC Berkeley. What's Next? Applying to other UC Schools?Read our guide on how to apply to UC schools for everything you need to know about the UC application. Want to learn more about the University of California schools?We have an in-depth guide to the UC schoolsto make it easy for you to compare the schools and see which is best for you. Working on your UC essays?Check out our guide onhow to answer every UC essay promptto get great writing ideas. Want to build the best possible college application? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Human rights Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Human rights - Term Paper Example eived during the First World War â€Å"to promote international cooperation and to achieve peace and security† under the Treaty of Versailles1 (United Nations a). The name itself, United Nations became formally known during the Second World War when US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt used the term in the â€Å"Declaration by United Nations† on 01 January 1942 when representatives of 26 nations pledged their nations to fight against the Axis Powers2 (United Nations a). United Nation’s charter was first drafted in a conference of representatives in San Francisco in 1945. It was signed on 26 June 1945 by the representatives of 50 countries and became officially existent on 24 October 1945 when its Charter was ratified by China, France, The Soviet Union, The United Kingdom, the United States and a majority of other signatories3 (United Nations a). United Nations have many achievements that ranged from peacekeeping in war torn countries to providing foods and assistance among those disaster struck countries to promoting human rights. UN is also actively involved in promoting development through its United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). It had implemented projects for agriculture, industry, education and environment. It supports more than 5,000 projects with a budget of $1.3 billion and is the largest multilateral source of grant development assistance4 (United Nations b). With regard to human rights, the United Nations has helped enact dozens of comprehensive agreements on political, civil, social, economic and cultural rights5 (United Nations b). It actively investigated human rights abuses and the UN Human Rights Commission has brought the world’s attention on cases of torture, disappearance and arbitrary detention. It also helped generate international pressure on governments to improve their human rights records6 (United Nations b). The United Nations has already achieved a lot in terms of promoting peace, human rights, progress, justice and

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Chinese and Filipino American History in America Essay

Chinese and Filipino American History in America - Essay Example Both Chinese and Filipino immigrants followed different paths but faced similar hardships when coming to America. They also had their own unique experiences. Chinese sailors arrived in Hawaii in 1778 where many settled and married Hawaiian women. Immigration continued into the 19th and 20th century as additional Chinese and Filipino workers were brought in to work on the sugar and pineapple plantations. The mid-1800s saw a surge in Asian immigration as many were brought in to work in California. Along with this surge in Asian immigration came a growing discrimination, anti-Chinese activism, and a fear called yellow peril. A relatively large group of Chinese came to the United States beginning in 1849, the start of the California gold rush. They stayed on and increased in numbers to work on the Transcontinental Railroad. Their work ethic is best described by Mary Cone writing in 1876 when she says they were, "[...] far more earnest and faithful than any other miners. [...] [T]hey enjoy the universal reputation of conscientious fidelity" (as cited in Mary Cone, 2003). However, when the economy faltered in 1870 the loss of jobs and competition for scarce jobs brought, "dislike and even racial suspicion and hatred. Such feelings were accompanied by anti-Chinese riots and pressure, especially in California, for the exclusion of Chinese immigrants from the United States" (Chinese immigration, 2004). During this period, a political party called The Workingman's Party was started in San Francisco with the slogan, "The Chinese Must Go" (The workingmen's party). This political pressure resulted in the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which virtually ended Chinese immigration for over a century. With the loss of employment and mounting discrimination, the Chinese moved to a safe sanctuary in San Francisco that would later become known as Chinatown. In this neighborhood, they were able to provide a close knit social structure and offer community support to families and each other. It also allowed them to organize into a political faction that opposed anti-Chinese laws. Here, the Chinese community has maintained the Chinese values and cultural traditions and has developed a thriving Asian-American community inside San Francisco. Though the Filipinos took a different route to their American destination, their experiences and challenges were similar to the Chinese. The first permanent settlement of Filipinos was in the marshlands of Louisiana in 1763 as sailors escaped Spanish ships to escape their brutal treatment (Claudio-Perez, 1998). Steady immigration continued into the west coast throughout the 19th century, but the largest wave came between 1924 and 1935 when more than 100,000 Filipinos flooded into America to work in the booming agricultural business (Asian Pacific American studies, 2005). Filipinos settled mostly in large West Coast cities such as San Francisco and Seattle where the ships from Manila would land (Bautista, 2002). Most of them worked in the fields of California and Washington harvesting seasonal crops. In general, they were a migrant group that followed the crops through the seasons, and only settled for short periods in near ghetto conditions of 'Little Manilas". During the season, the population of the Little Manila in Seattle would shrink to a few hundred people, but in the winter it would be home for 3,500 occupants (Bautista, 2002). Here they would be located near the center of vice and entertainment. Because

Monday, November 18, 2019

Business-Level and Corporate-Level Strategies Essay - 7

Business-Level and Corporate-Level Strategies - Essay Example Apart from the mission, the prime objective of the company is to obtain a leadership position being one of the most recognized and well-respected business corporation in the world. In order to accomplish this objective, the company plans to expand its retail stores in different regions throughout the globe introducing new quality products incessantly (Lee, n.d.). The essay intends to analyze various business-level and corporate-level strategies of Starbucks. Moreover, the determination of appropriate business-level and corporate-level strategies which are most important for the attainment of long-term success of the company will also be discussed henceforth. Various aspects, such as the analysis of the competitive environment and comparison of the strategies of both Starbucks and its most prominent competitors will also be portrayed in the essay. The major objective of forming and implementing business-level strategies for Starbucks is to prevent its current business position and thereby attain a significant competitive position over its chief business market contenders. In relation to business-level strategies, it has been viewed that Starbucks injected abundance of resources for raising the infrastructure of the organization in order to provide long-term stability and sustainability. The various business-level strategies of the company have been described hereunder. Starbucks follow the business-level strategy of differentiation through which it focuses upon enhancing the quality of the products substantially, raising customer services and performing other important features so that it can distinguish its products, obtaining an edge over its major competitors. Contextually, it can be viewed that by employing the business-level strategy of differentiation, the company has been able to expand its functions in different areas acquiring a distinct leadership positioning in the international restaurant industry (Larson,

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Ancient Greek Theatre | Lysistrata

Ancient Greek Theatre | Lysistrata Ancient Greek theatre has been a fascination to millions of people across the centuries. Theatre is one of the most important innovations of the Greek civilization. Ancient Greek theatre which began as a religious ceremony eventually became as expressed by Cohen a mixture of myth, legend, philosophy, social commentary, poetry, dance, music, public participation, and visual splendor (as cited in Phillips, 2000). The well known playwrights Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes and others have contributed largely in the teachings of nobleness, morality, courage, and patriotism throughout time. Many of the stories written Oedipus, Medea, Antigone etc. have endured the passage of time. Moreover, audiences contribution was crucial in ancient Greek theatre because poets success and recognition as good representatives of the Greek culture and civilization largely depended on the audiences negative/positive feedback. From the Antiquity, the role of Greek theatre has not altered. It wa s and still is used to be entertaining, frivolous, and instructional. Greek theaters were located in outdoor spaces which were known as amphitheaters. The amphitheater was purposely chosen by the Greeks to hold these venues not only because they preferred being outdoors but also because they used the construction methods available in their time period to create the most useful and efficient space possible to be used in producing the type of entertainment that was popular in their culture as stated by John Holloway (2010). Greek theatre consisted of four major components: the Orchestra which was the circular dancing floor where the chorus would sing, dance, and act together with the actors, Theatron which was the viewing place, Skene which was the tent or the decorated building behind the stage, and Parados which was the passageways used by the chorus, actors, and audience as entrances and exits to the amphitheater (as shown in figure 1). Figure 1 Greek Theatre Note. This figure is retreived from http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/ search?q=cache:v9_sNzGD5hsJ:www.slideshare.net Nevertheless, ancient Greek theatre cannot be demonstrated without shedding the light on Athens. Athens was a Greek city-state identified for its political, military, and cultural power. Athens was considered the center of Greek culture and theatre. Greek theatre originally initiated with Athens festivals. Athens had four festivals for worshipping the god of fertility and wine Dionysus who was the son of the god Zeus and the mortal Semele. The Athenians celebrated their annual fertility four tribal festivals known as Festival of the Wine Jugs and Old Dionysia in March with a whole week of public wine drinking and phallus, penis worshipping religious orgy (Cohen,n.d.;Phillips, 2000). The religious rites for these festivals eventually took the shape of poetry that later developed to become plays. Greek plays and drama started as an entertaining event that developed to become a powerful medium of communicating ideas. Theatre played an important role in the ancient Greek civilization because it was reflecting the flaws and values of the Greek culture. It mainly focused on solving the human conflicts and problems of the day but with a supernatural element (god or goddess). The theatre that focused on exposing societys flaws benefited the audience who would learn from them. It should be noted here that the body language used in the Greek theatre played an important role in delivering the message to the spectators. As said by Heins-Uwe Haus (1995), We feel obliged to visualize the events of the play, if we want to grasp something of the spirit and the roots of the dramatic heritage of Sophocles. It was this fusion of the artistic and the political, the formal and the philosophical, that made this experience unique. Therefore, the people in Greece were on intimate relations with th e body where they used body language as a major part of the Greek drama. After scrutinizing the Greek drama, it becomes obvious that gods in Greek society were viewed in human terms. For instance, gods can have emotions of sadness, happiness, and emotions of love; they can hold grudges, and can fight with each other. The gods in Greek plays were, like humans, uncertain of their destiny. Additionally, humanity was strongly concerned in ancient Greek drama where humans were elevated from animals. Human harmony depended on the interaction between human and divine forces where peace would be endangered if disharmony existed (Tripod members, 2004). Figure 2. Theatre Masks Note. Retrieved from http://www.crystalinks.com/greektheater.html Greek plays consisted of two major types: tragedy and comedy. The two masks, in figure 2, symbolize both the comedy and tragedy aspects of the Greek Theatre. These two masks that represent duality were worn in ancient Greece during the golden age, around 500 300 BC. With respect to tragedy, it was expressed by Aristotle as: an imitation of an important and complete action, which has a specific length, written in an embellished language, with its separate parts set in order and not randomly, in active and not narrative form, tending through pity and fear to the catharsis of passions. The word tragedy was derived from the words Tragos meaning goat and ode meaning song. The reason behind this vague origin had to do with two possibilities: the first which was related to the choruses who were dressed in lion-skins of goats, and the second which was linked to the prize for best song that was a goat. Ancient Greek tragedy mainly depended on stories of myth or history but with varied interpretations of events. It mainly focused on psychological and ethical attributes of characters instead of physical and sociological ones. Tragedy was dominated by the works and innovations of three well-known playwrights: Aeschylus (525-456 B.C.) who was known for his tragic trilogy the Oresteia which enlarge the possibilities for dramatics through the com munication between two characters in his plays. Aeschylus made use of a third character; however, Sophocles (496-406 B.C.) was the one who actually began it. The latter was known for his trilogy Oedipus Rex where his plays decreased the job of the chorus in Greek drama in order to enhance the interaction between characters and the progress of the character itself. The third tragedian was Euripides (480-406 B.C.) who indicated the ultimate form of drama and employed a more naturalistic and human aspects in his plays. An example of tragedy can be the famous speech of Macbeth (Tripod members, 2004): Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, Creeps in this petty pace from day to day, To the last syllable of recorded time; And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! Lifes but a walking shadow; a poor player, That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, And then is heard no more: It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing. With respect to comedy, the word comedy was derived from Comoi which was the name of a god meaning amusement and entertainment. It was usually based on a happy idea that used exaggerated, ridiculous, and sensual pleasures; for instance, a peace with a power or sex strike to stop war. Comedy plays commented and criticized contemporary society, politics, literature and Peloponnesian War. Two playwrights were famous in this domain: Aristophanes (448-380 B.C.) and Menander (342-292 B.C.). Comedy was not as popular as tragedy at first. However, the popularity of Comedy was accompanied with the diminishing of the popularity of tragedy which highly represented the role of theatre. Therefore, tragedy was at its peak in Greek society when the society was at its height whereas comedy (a means for decreasing frustrations) was at its peak during the decline of Greek government. A good example of comedy can be a funny tale about a strong woman Lysistrata who led a female union to stop the war in Greece. This play, written by Aristophanes, can be a good demonstration of the role of women in ancient Greek time. Women, in this play, were revealed as deceiving, mischievous, strong, smart, cunning, and as being leaders. Lysistratas cunning was shown through her great plan of refusing sex by the wives to their husbands. She knew that by refusing sex, peace would be gained since men would not be able to resist this situation. Moreover, what revealed the cleverness of women was when they took over the Akropolis. Lysistrata was able to give a speech on how to run the government and was capable of changing the situations that she didnt like; she was a true clever leader. For instance, Lysistrata mentioned: If we sat around at home all made up, and walked past them wearing only our see-through underwear and with our pubes plucked in a neat triangle, and our husbands got hard and hankered to ball us, but we didnt go near them and kept away, theyd sue for peace, and pretty quick, you can count on that! (as cited in Gruber-Miller, 1987). Also, Lysistrata said: The older women are assigned that part: while were working out our agreement down here, theyll occupy the Akropolis, pretending to be up there for a sacrifice (as cited in Gruber-Miller, 1987). The Warriors in Lysistrata said (Tripod members, 2004): First Speaker: For through mans heart there runs in flood A natural and noble taste for blood Second Speaker: To form a ring and fight Third Speaker: To cut off heads at sight All in Unison: It is our right! Youth Come, listen now to the good old days when children, strange to tell, were seen not heard, led a simple life, in short were brought up well. Although women were not permitted to engage in ancient Greek plays or even to be with the audience, women made their own festivals in order to gather and discuss their issues with each other. Women played an important role in the Greek society; it was like what people nowadays in our society say behind a great man there is a woman. It was the same case where behind every hero there was a woman. Greek theatre spread its cultural influences to Egypt, the Middle East, Rome, and then the whole world. This indicates how much the Greek theatre has influenced our modern theater. Without ancient theater, the form of entertainment nowadays may not have existed. As indicated by Rebekah Martin (2006):Without the influences of Dionysus festivals and Greek drama, Shakespeare would have no foundation, and Andrew Lloyd Webber would be out of a job. Therefore, the roots of drama have affected everything from radio drama to modern cinema.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Linux Versus Windows NT Essay -- essays research papers

Comparing any network operating system is really like comparing an apple to an orange. To judge between the underlying functionality of each operating system geared towards different networking environments is too broad of a subject to come to a reasonable conclusion. However, one could argue about the advantages and disadvantages pertaining to the Unix based Linux operating system and the infamous Windows NT operating system. I can compare and contrast these two operating systems, but I can’t take a strong stand because it all depends on a number of situations including the different networking environments, the applications that are readily available, and most important what the user wants. The goal is to find out which of these two operating systems is the lesser of two evils by examining their features. I have decided not to discuss cost because it goes without saying: Linux wins the price to performance ratio. What is more important to discuss is the initial hardware and software fees, and maintenance and reliability which often go hand in hand. According to Sunworld, the estimated minimal required hardware costs that would go with a Linux machine is $200. In an NT machine, the minimal hardware cost rose up to $1300. This is because NT requires at least a 486 Pentium with 16MB of RAM. Linux can run fine on a 386 computer with only 8MB of RAM. What do the majority of users need a computer for? Mainly word processing and the use of a database program. An NT user doesn’t have to go with Microsoft Office, but a lot of people do, costing a couple hundred dollars. Linux can run an Office Suite program that is very similar to Office for at least half the cost. Even a free version of WordPerfect 8 is available for Linux. A Linux system comes with a range of development tools (C/C++ Compiler, Perl, Tcl/Tk, Python, CORBA, Ada, Pascal, Lisp, REXX, Java, etc., as well as many text editors and integrated development environments), all of which are free. In order to create software under Linux, there is no expensive package to buy. Many NT users complain about system crashes or the dreaded “blue screen of death.'; NT systems face a lot of down times, which creates a problem for mission critical situations. It is very frustrating to be working on something for a couple of hours and see it vanish or crash. Unix based systems have experie... ...n that path. NT, however, does not provide the source code; therefore, limiting the user to only Microsoft’s networking and programming solutions. The creator of Linux, Linus Torvalds, developed this operating system using past versions of Unix strengths, and avoiding the weaknesses and flaws that have been created for more than 30 years. Linus also got help from would be programmers from all over, many being hackers, to create this sophisticated operating system. Having a wide variety of help and feedback supports the integration of a system that can satisfy most users. NT, on the other hand, is developed by their own team, not taking much consideration to what consumers really want to see. Although this report isn’t very cohesive to intervene between each subject, I think it provides grounds to see clearly how well Linux presents itself over NT. Although Linux is still in its primitive stages, the mark it has put in this world is quite remarkable. These early version of Linux provides a stepping stone for later versions to come, and possibly dominate the market when executives and upper level managers alike come to see that Linux is a great industry solution.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Classroom Incidents Essay

A classroom incident is an unexpected event that occurs in a classroom causing disturbance or presenting a safety risk. A classroom incident can affect a teacher, a student or all the members of the classroom. There are many critical incidents that have occurred between teachers and students or among students. A critical classroom incident either spoils the student-student relationship or the teacher-student relationship. Past classroom incidents can offer important lessons that can be utilized in adopting the right ways of managing similar incidents in the future (Levin & Nolan, 2010). Incident related to cheating Adam reported his classmate Moses to the class teacher because of his cheating habit. Moses often copied the work of his classmates. Adam also notified the teacher that Moses was cheating in exams. During exams, he would collaborate with other students to exchange exam papers. Moses denied all the allegations. He said that Adam was only afraid of competition. However, it was a fact that Moses cheated in class work and in exams. He was spending most of his time perfecting the art of cheating rather than reading. The teacher was mad at Moses and decided to investigate the problem. However, he was unable to catch Moses or any other student cheating. Ways in which things went well or badly. Many things went the wrong way during the critical cheating incident. The teacher was frustrated by the cheating allegations. His frustration was even more when he couldn’t unearth and stop the cheating. The teacher’s inability to catch Moses and his company could tempt other students to cheat too. Moreover, the fact that some individuals were cheating was a blow to the trust of the students on the school’s examination system. Nevertheless, the same incident had some positive aspects. It is evident that Moses and his group were driven by the urge to achieve better results. They went into cheating in order to have good grades just like the rest of the students. The teacher was also able to establish the cheating problem which needed an urgent solution. Lessons learned from the incident. The cheating problem occurred because the student involved had realized that he had a task to deliver. He had to be successful in school. The teacher’s inability to unearth the root of the cause or to catch the students red handed shows that a different approach should have been applied. Incase of uncertainty, it is wiser not to rush for a solution. Instead, take your time and come up with the best tactic. The teacher should have thought of the benefits and consequences of his solution before going to the ground. May be transforming the cheating behavior would be better than simply deciding to punish the offenders. It can be concluded that cheating is a common incident in many classrooms and that it should be handled with care to avoid the effects of the failure to curb it. Similarly, every other classroom problem should be handled with caution (Walters & Frei 2007). Incident related to Rudeness During an afternoon class, a teacher wanted to check the assignment of Brown, one of his students. Brown responded rudely to the teachers request using inappropriate language. The teacher was frustrated. The other students watched in dismay. Brown was known due to his bad behavior and attitude. He never appreciated the importance of his fellow students and teachers. He felt superior and had a big ego. He always kept showing off. He would disregard warnings from prefects and teachers. Ways in which things went well or badly. The incident was wrong. The teacher felt disrespected by a student. He was mad because of the way Brown responded. Brown’s actions were against the values of the teacher-student relationship. At least the teacher should have been treated with his deserved respect. The rest of the class felt unappreciated. At least, Brown should have shown his uncontrollable ego out of the classroom. The students were also disappointed by Brown’s attitude. They felt rejected and abused. This critical incident had interfered with the right values of the student-student relationship. However, the same incident still has a positive side. The differences between the students were established. Brown had a desire to establish his own status although he followed the wrong route. His ego could be used to show that he had a low-esteem. He hid behind his rudeness and pretence to retain a sense of respect from the rest of the students. Brown’s behavior had a positive message to the other students. Since he avoided the other students, he had no friend. A friend would have helped him with the assignment. Lessons learned from the incident. The student was an attention seeker. He exploded once he got the attention of the entire class. The teacher was wise enough not to react harshly. The situation could have been worse if the teacher had lost his tempers. The class could have been treated to a more dramatic scene. It is important to note that students come from different backgrounds. Different students also have different levels of self esteem. Teachers should try to know the kind of students they are dealing with in order to handle them accordingly. There is a need to engage the students in order to know their grievances. Had the students reported Brown’s behavior in advance, the incident could have been avoided. According to Dixie (2003), counseling is always applicable as a good method to discard bad morals. Brown could have been assisted through counseling. References Dixie, G. (2003). Managing your classroom. London [u. a. ]: Continuum. Levin, J. , & Nolan, J. F. (2010). Principles of classroom management: A professional decision-making model. Boston: Pearson. Walters, J. , & Frei, S. (2007). Managing classroom behavior and discipline. Huntington Beach, CA: Shell Education.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Essay Sample on Sharks and Their Similarity with Humans

Essay Sample on Sharks and Their Similarity with Humans Sharks are well known for their incredible resistance to disease. The exact reason for this resistance has always been a bit of a mystery. While performing research as a graduate student almost thirty years ago, John Marchalonis took several milliliters of blood from the heart of a shark. Marchalonis discovered two proteins, one large and one small, which could link together to form a Y-shaped structure. This Y-shaped structure, which consisted of the two proteins, had the ability to stick tightly to chemicals that did not belong inside the shark. This was an immune system response that would destroy the foreign invaders. This finding showed that sharks have disease-fighting antibodies that are similar to those found in humans. Currently, as the head of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Arizona, Marchalonis is still studying sharks, skates, rays and shark cousins. He is comparing them with humans in the hopes of uncovering some of the early stages in the evolution of the immune system. Even though sharks are vertebrates, our evolutionary paths went their separate ways over 400 million years ago. This may uncover possible answers to questions concerning the evolution of the immune system. The immune response depends on antibodies and three other immune proteins known as T-Cell receptors (TCRs), MHC proteins and RAG proteins. Scientists have been unable to detect the presence of these proteins and antibodies in any group that evolved before sharks. This is one reason that sharks are being studied so heavily but, even with the presence of antibodies and other important proteins, sharks exhibit a rather sub-par immune system. There have been experiments in which sharks were injected with foreign proteins. The sharks did create antibodies to bind to the foreign proteins but the response did not improve upon repeated injections as it does in humans. Even with these findings, sharks are known to be very disease resistant. Contrary to popular belief, sharks do get cancer but it doesn’t happen easily. Scientists must somehow make sense of the shark’s rather substandard immune capacity. One possibility could be that sharks do not require the same immune system fu nctions humans do in order to survive. A human’s acquired immune system is made up of antibodies and T-Cells. The acquired immune system is responsible for recognizing foreign invaders and allows our body to make the distinction between self and non-self. Antibodies recognize antigens and bind to them. As antibodies bind to antigens, they essentially are being singled out for destruction. Humans can produce as many as one hundred million distinct antibodies, which allows for quite a bit of protection against foreign invaders. As our body cuts and rejoins DNA to make up the Y-shaped antibodies (found in sharks as well) many tiny mistakes are made which leads to even more diversity. This diversity, along with DNA cutting, allows humans to fight off many different foreign invaders without requiring one dedicated gene to create each antibody and TCR. Even though a shark can cut DNA in a similar fashion to humans, they also have more light and heavy chain genes. Sharks not only possess a remarkable immune system but also produce a steroid called squalamine. According to Mike Zasloff, President of Research of Magainin Pharmaceuticals, sharks rely less on TCRs and antibodies and more on squalamine. Squalamine, as well as other shark chemicals, are considered potent killers of many bacteria and also seem to ward of viral infections. Magainin Pharmaceuticals is trying to develop squalamine for commercial use in prescriptions like the health food stores which sell shark cartilage since the early 1990’s. Many companies and people have been quick to point out the benefits of shark cartilage even though most of the claims have not been proven by true scientific research. Unfortunately, sharks are being over fished worldwide because of the cartilage craze. The research that John Marchalonis began is really just the beginning of a significant study. As the research has found, sharks are very resistant to infection and sickness. If these abilities can be brought to the human species, then we have a lot to look forward to. Less sickness and better resistance to viral infections are only two possible benefits that could come from Marchalonis’ research. There will always be a debate on ethics when DNA is concerned. Many religious sects do not believe in research involving DNA because they feel it is science’s way of â€Å"playing God†. I feel that if this research can prevent sickness or be able to fight off infections, then science should pursue in the effort to do more research. You can order a custom essay, term paper, research paper, thesis or dissertation on Sharks at our professional custom essay writing service which provides students with custom papers written by highly qualified academic writers. High quality and no plagiarism guarantee! Get professional essay writing help at an affordable cost.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Factors that Limit School Effectiveness

Factors that Limit School Effectiveness Districts, schools, administrators, and teachers are continuously in the spotlight and rightfully so. Educating our youth is an essential part of our national infrastructure. Education has such a profound impact on society as a whole that those responsible for educating should receive extra attention. These people should be celebrated and championed for their efforts. However, the reality is that education as a whole is looked down upon and often mocked. There are so many factors beyond any one person’s control that can strip school effectiveness. The truth is that the majority of teachers and administrators do the best they can with what they are given. Each school is different. There are schools that unquestionably have more limiting factors than others when it comes to the overall effectiveness. There are several factors that many schools deal with on a daily basis that strip school effectiveness. Some of these factors can be controlled, but all will likely never entirely go away. Poor Attendance Attendance matters. A teacher cannot possibly do their job if a student is not there. While a student can do the makeup work, it is likely that they learn less than they would have by being there for the original instruction. Absences add up quickly. A student who misses an average of ten school days a year will have missed an entire school year by the time they graduate high school. Poor attendance severely limits a both a teacher’s overall effectiveness and a student’s learning potential. Poor attendance plagues schools across the country. Excessive Tardiness/Leaving Early Excessive tardiness can be hard to get under control. For elementary and junior high/middle school students, it is difficult to hold them accountable when it their parent’s responsibility to get them to school on time. Junior high/middle school and high school students who have transition time between classes have multiple opportunities to be tardy each day. All of this time can quickly add up. It minimizes effectiveness in two ways. First a student who is routinely tardy misses a lot of class when you add up all that time. It also disrupts the teacher and student each time a student comes in tardy. Students who routinely leave early also minimize the effectiveness in the same way. Many parents believe that teachers do not teach the first fifteen minutes of the day and the last fifteen minutes of the day. However, all of this time adds up, and it will have an impact on that student. Schools have a set start time and a set end time. They expect their teachers to be teaching, and their students to be learning from the first bell until the last bell. Parents and students who do not respect that help strip school effectiveness. Student Discipline Dealing with discipline issues is a fact of life for teachers and administrators for every school. Each school faces different types and levels of discipline issues. However, the fact remains that all discipline issues disrupt the flow of a class and take valuable class time away for all students involved. Each time a student is sent to the principal’s office it takes away from learning time. This interruption in learning increases in cases where suspension is warranted. Student discipline issues occur on a daily basis. These continual disruptions do limit a school’s effectiveness. Schools can create policies that are rigid and strict, but they will likely never be able to eliminate discipline issues altogether. Lack of Parental Support Teachers will tell you that those students whose parents attend every parent teacher conference are often the ones whom they do not need to see. This is one small correlation between parental involvement and student success. Those parents who believe in education, push their kids at home, and support their child’s teacher give their child a better opportunity to succeed academically. If schools had 100% of parents who did those three things listed above, we would see a surge in academic success in schools across the country. Unfortunately, this is not the case for many children in our schools today. Many parents do not value education, do not do anything with their child at home, and only send them to school because they have to or because they view it as free baby sitting. Lack of Student Motivation Give a teacher a group of motivated students and you have a group of students in which the academic sky is the limit. Unfortunately, many students these days are not motivated to go to school to learn. Their motivation to go to school comes from being at school because they have to, participating in extra-curricular activities, or hanging out with their friends. Learning should be the number one motivation for all students, but it is rare when a student goes to school primarily for that purpose. Poor Public Perception The school used to be the focal point of every community. Teachers were respected and looked at to be pillars of society. Today there is a negative stigma associated with schools and teachers. This public perception has an impact on the job that a school can do. When people and the community talk negatively about a school, administrator, or teacher it undermines their authority and makes them less effective. Communities that support their school wholeheartedly have schools that are more effective. Those communities who do not provide support will have schools that are less effective than they could be. Lack of Funding Money is a crucial aspect when it comes to school success. Money affects key issues including class size, programs offered, curriculum, technology, professional development, etc. Each of these can have a profound effect on student success. When there are educational budget cuts, the quality of education each child receives will be affected. These budget cuts limit a school’s effectiveness. It does require a significant monetary investment to adequately educate our students. If cuts are made teachers and schools will figure a way out to make do with what they have, but their effectiveness will be influenced in some way by those cuts. Too Much Testing The overemphasis of standardized testing is limiting schools in their approach to education. Teachers have been forced to teach to the tests. This has led to a lack of creativity, an inability to implement activities which address real life issues, and has taken authentic learning experiences away in virtually every classroom. Due to the high stakes associated with these assessments teachers and students believe all their time should be devoted to preparing and taking tests. This has had a negative impact on school effectiveness and is an issue that schools will find it difficult to overcome. Lack of Respect Education used to be a well respected profession. That respect has increasingly disappeared. Parents no longer take a teachers word on a matter that occurred in class. They talk terribly about their child’s teacher at home. Students do not listen to teachers in class. They can be argumentative, rude, and discourteous. Some of the blame in a case like this falls on the teacher, but students should have been raised to be respectful to adults in all cases. A lack of respect undermines a teacher’s authority, minimizing, and often zeroing out their effectiveness in the classroom. Bad Teachers A bad teacher and particularly a group of incompetent teachers can derail a school’s effectiveness quickly. Every student who has a poor teacher has the potential to fall behind academically. This problem has a trickle down effect in that it makes the next teacher’s job that much harder. Like any other profession there are those who should not have chosen teaching as a career. They simply are not cut out to do it. It is essential that administrators make quality hires, evaluate teachers thoroughly, and remove teachers quickly which do not live up to the school’s expectations.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Methodology for qualitiative study Research Paper

Methodology for qualitiative study - Research Paper Example Of particular interest is the Lebanese population living in Sydney. Much of the Lebanese population in the region is aware that Diabetes exists and many within the Lebanese community know what the disease is, through associated with family members and friends who have the disease. However, many barriers appear to exist in achieving a greater level of control of this serious health issue. There are also many barriers to prevention, that appear to be prevalent, among members of the Lebanese community in Sydney. In order to obtain a more thorough picture of how the Lebanese population views the health issue and assess what it knows about Diabetes, a research study has been conducted. It is hoped that results of the research will provide greater insights into the challenges in preventing and managing Diabetes, within the Lebanese immigrant population, living in Australia. Data can then be used to develop local or regional education and prevention programs that address the particular need s of the Lebanese population. ... Descriptive research is that which gathers information about a current condition. There is an emphasis on describing the condition, rather than on judging or interpreting results. The open-ended questions allow for study participants to provide answers that involve physical, emotional and psychological effects of having Diabetes, in the Lebanese culture. It is an experience that may be unique to this population, considering the unique features of the Lebanese culture. Descriptive research seeks to verify an existing hypothesis, related to the current condition. With respect to the Lebanese culture and the incidence of Diabetes, it is hypothesised that many cultural influences have a great impact on the incidence and management of the disease. Descriptive research focuses on explaining a current condition or issue in detail, allowing for a complete picture into how the condition is influenced, by a variety of factors. With respect to the local Lebanese population, descriptive research allows the researcher to gain a broader perspective into how Diabetes affects the individual, family, relationships, work, economic status and lifestyle of each participant. It also provides a picture of how each of these factors may influence the prevalence and management of Diabetes within the specific population. With descriptive research, the researcher typically has an idea of the kind of understanding or knowledge to be gained. Knowing how various members of the Lebanese community feel about Diabetes and their beliefs surrounding the disease can provide the researcher with ideas on where barriers to understanding and managing the disease lie. Â   As the purpose of this study

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Market Segmentation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Market Segmentation - Essay Example Lastly, the company seeks for a unique marketing segment that is not being practised by their competitors. This plays a big role in enabling companies to achieve a high market share, thus generating a comfort factor since the buyers will see it as a market leader. Through this, most business entities are able to better their competitive positions and satisfy their customer needs (Burrows, 2010). For an adequate marketing strategy to take place, a manager has to determine and identify the boundaries within the market and with the help of a business plan, develop a clear definition of a business to be in operation. Then, the manager should get enough knowledge and all the relevant information about the goods and services provided by the competitors in relation to the basic requirements of the customers in the market. The company, therefore, would determine the methodology and variables to use in dividing its market into subsets. Research tools are introduced in the process of collectin g and analysing data with the purposes of identifying a homogenous segment which, at the same time, is heterogeneous to the other segments. Basing on the consumers’ behaviour, a company selects the variables that will assist it in creating a detailed profile of each distinct segment (Burrows, 2010). Then the marketing manager looks for the potential customer with needs and wants that require being satisfied in respect to the business they had identified in the previous steps. Finally a product and market plan is developed to make an appeal to a specific market segment. All these combined together will attract a customer to purchase a particular product that will satisfy his or her needs and wants. Market segmentation is considered as a decision making tool for most of the marketing managers in the selection of a target market for their goods and services. Product differentiation techniques have frustrated companies’ expectations since they were purposed to provide a va riety of products rather than offering different segments, therefore leading most of the companies to embrace the segmentation. Marketing managers use segmentation in defining the market, i.e. they are able to perceive their market from a consumer’s point of view rather than a manufacturer’s. Managers gain the knowledge and ability to rationalise policies for available commodities so that they can outshine their competitors by protecting their products from any competitive practice and also work towards achieving a high market share. They harmonise the different segments in a company by catering for the segments that are perceived to be more important, and minimising the competition between the goods and services within a company. This simply means that managers rely on the segmentation process to position ranges of their existing products (Croft, 1994). Since not all existing products can satisfy the needs of each segment, the managers identify the gaps and take an in itiative of launching a brand new or an already available commodity to solve the shortcoming. Companies with small distribution channels use segmentation to sell their goods and services in specific parts of a country. A marketing manager uses the GNP per capita and different behaviours of the customers in the area of concern to determine the marketing strategy to be used in meeting their needs. Demographic variable in market segmentation explains