Is the U.S. Winning the Drug War in Latin America Essay

Is the U.S. Winning the Drug War in Latin America - Essay Example CON: U.S is losing the drug war in Latin America 1. U.S government has failed to re-evaluate her strategy to fight the drug menace. 2. The war fight largely focuses on the users and therefore leaves the other partners in the trade to thrive well in the trade. 3. There is no concrete drug enforcement mechanism to restrict the production of drugs. 4. The affordability and cheap processing makes it difficulty to wipe drugs out of Latin America. 5. A lot of resistance from human rights organization derails the efforts to do away with the drugs. The U.S will to control drug trafficking and abuse in Latin America confirms that it is very committed to wipe the drugs from these region. To begin with, since 1960s, the government has invested a lot of her efforts and attention to wage war on drug trade in Latin America. Regan and Bush declared war on drugs in U.S and Latin America when they occupied their presidential offices. The Bush successor; Bin Clinton continued with the worth fight on d rugs when he came into power in 19931. Since then, the U.S government has been strong on the war on drugs in Latin America. The U.S government recently got a support from Latin countries such as Mexico, Cuba, and Columbia. For instance, president of Mexico, Calderon has been in the forefront to combat drugs in the country2. Since he took office in 2006, he has made leaps towards the drugs war. For example, his government has formulated policies to deal with the consumers and traders of illicit drugs. These efforts have paid handsomely because the consumption of drugs has subsided. Obama’s government is in talks with Latin America Governments. Biden’s trip in 2012 to Latin America shows that the government has given negotiations a favorable chance. Biden was seeking to discuss on how leaders in that region can decriminalize drugs with an aim to stop its trade. Second, the new laws are in formulation stages. Policy analyst have advocated for a change in the current polic ies to allow U.S to win war on drugs. Arguably, their insights will provide new strategies to curb drugs trafficking in Latin America and U.S. The medical professionals have suggested programs to treat the drug victims. In addition, the social advocates suggests, that creation of awareness about dangers of engaging in drugs is the way to go. All these concerted efforts promise a win in the war on drugs in Latin America3. Third, the debates on drugs have attracted a lot of public interest. The Latin and the U.S population feel that drug consumption is not socially acceptable. They propose tough punishments for the growers, manufacturers, suppliers, and sellers. The public warns of the dangers of permitting drugs to get into the society. They provide a procedure, which can deter the abuse of drugs. The public suggests that, through identification, imprisonment, and persecution, the war can yield fruits4. Moreover, the drug user will be accountable for their actions. Implementation is now happening in the Latin America. This is a huge step towards gaining victory in the drug war. The increase of funds through budgetary allocation to fight drug abuse demonstrates U.S readiness to see the better end of the war. There has been a significant attention on the budget to allocate enough money in the drug war. In 1990, U.S budget on drugs was at $ 9.7 billion. This almost doubled in 2000 when it hit $ 17.7 billion mark. On top of this, the Drug Enforcement Administration department staffed

International Marketing ..Rococo Chocolates Research Paper

International Marketing ..Rococo Chocolates - Research Paper Example However the island of Grenada being hit by a tremendous hurricane spell huge loss for the cocoa planters and farmers. Rococo chocolates helped the hurricane affected farmers and planters through the production and sale of a special variety of chocolates. The joint venture that took place between Rococo Chocolates and Grenada Chocolate Company helped in the formation of Grococo. The joint venture form focuses on the production of organically based products of chocolate, which bears the hallmark of quality and taste. Grenada Chocolate Company also looks forward to the betterment of the farmers working in cocoa plantations. Cocoa produced from these farms help in the production of chocolates. The company in this light operates as a cooperative firm that takes special endeavor to grant equal work and better opportunities for both the plantation and the factory workers (About Rococo, 2009). Marketing Environment of Rococo Chocolates The marketing or the business environment of a firm is d ivided along two sets of factors viz. internal and external. The directions and policy mechanisms of the company can control the internal set of factors. On the contrary the external set of factors are those, which cannot be controlled by the actions of the company. These factors belong to the external environment of a firm. ... Internal Factors of Rococo Chocolates Rococo chocolates through its marketing policies have taken a further step to expand its market share through the use of Internet marketing. The chocolate firm though operates on wide markets through big retail firms in a desire to increase customer traffic have started selling its products online through its websites. The company launches the Internet site during December 2009 to help enhance the idea of chocolates sold as gifts during Christmas (A new e-commerce platform for Rococo Chocolates, 2010). Further Rococo Chocolates has a huge product portfolio containing of gift boxes and hampers, confectionary products, art products of chocolates, gift bags and other chocolate products like bars and sweets to cater to the increasing needs of different customers (Products, 2009). The marketing policies for Rococo chocolates also reflect on the firm’s pricing strategies. Rococo Chocolates has devised products for different sets of customers by setting different prices, which ranges from below five pounds to more than fifty pounds. (Spend, 2009). External Factors for Rococo Chocolates With these internal factors in place, Rococo Chocolates aims to target a new market in United Arab Emirates. Thus the external marketing factors of the firm would be studied in that respect. The United Arab Emirates is presenting a widely encouraging market for the chocolate and confectionary producers. In times of economic unrest also the Middle East countries presented a demanding market for chocolate and confectionary products thus helping their manufacturers. During 2008 the market for such products in Arab Emirates increased

Mobile Phone use: Reaction Times

Mobile Phone use: Reaction Times The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of divided attention upon response time. Participants consisted of 51 female and 10 male students from the University of Canberra, ranging in age from 19- 60 years (M = 24.95, SD = 7.99). Participants were asked to complete a spatial cueing task while using their mobile phone to either send text messages or make phone calls. Data was collected using the universities computers on the program Cog Lab 2.0. Results revealed that the text and talk conditions for all task types (neutral, valid, and invalid) had significantly slower reaction times than the control condition. The text group showed significantly slower reaction times than the talk group. Furthermore, the control group showed that the reaction times for the valid tasks was significantly faster than the neutral, and significantly faster for the valid than invalid tasks. These results do support previous research and literature in the area of mobile phone use while driving. The use of mobile phones has grown over the last five years, with over 21.26 million users in Australia alone (White, Hyde, Walsh Watson, 2010). Despite increasing evidence that mobile phone use while driving presents risks; drivers still engage in this behaviour. A self- report study on mobile phone use while driving in Australia, found that 43 percent of mobile phone owners use their phones while driving to answer their calls, followed by making calls 36 percent, reading text messages 27 percent, and sending text messages 18 percent. Approximately a third of these drivers used hand free units, indicating that most Australian drivers use hand held mobile phones while driving (White Watson, 2010). The impairment potential of mobile phone usage while driving has been the focus of various behavioural and experimental studies. Although these studies differ in the extent of behavioural changes found, most researchers agree that there is a significant negative effect on different aspects of driving performance. The most common aspects are the withdrawal of attention and slower reaction times (Reed Green, 1999). The impact of driving while using a mobile phone on reaction time is often explained with reference to a phenomenon commonly referred to as inattentional blindness or change blindness (Strayer, Drews Johnston, 2003), wherein a person who is focusing attention on one particular task will fail to notice an unexpected stimulus even while directly looking at it (Simons Chabris, 1999). Strayer and Johnston (2003), determined that drivers conversing on a hands free mobile phone were more likely than drivers not using mobile phones to fail to notice traffic signals and respond slower to brake lights. As a result drivers were more likely to cause rear end accidents and less likely to be able to recall detailed information about specific visual stimuli (Strayer et al., 2003). These researchers also found this behaviour in participants who fixated their vision, suggesting that mobile phone conversations may induce inattentional blindness in the context of driving. However, Strayer Johnston (2003) considered that because they used a high- fidelity driving simulator that these results were conclusive of real life driving. These results may not be accurate in real life scenarios were participants would be driving on real roads with real vehicles. Beede Kass, (2006) also used a driving simulator to measure the impact of a conversation task on a hands free mobile phone and a signal detection task while driving. Results suggested driving performance in terms of traffic violations, was significantly impaired while participants converse on the hands free unit and overall performance in the signal detection task were low. Finally they found an interaction between the mobile phone conversation and a signal detection task in measures of speed, speed variability, reaction time and attention lapses (Beede Kass, 2006). However, drivers that are not subjected to distracting tasks may also fail to notice important features of the traffic environment. That is, even when scanning different parts of the visual scene appropriately, there is a risk that important features will be missed in unattended areas (Simons Chabris, 1999). In considering the phenomena of inattentional blindness, it is worth reiterating a key modifier, unexpected events. Generally, the occurrence of these inattentional failures seems to be reduced when the observer anticipates the object. Therefore, the unexpected events seem to be the most problematic. In the context of traffic, these may be somewhat harder to define quantitatively because these events can take on many different forms (Simons Chabris, 1999). A study conducted by Posner, Snyder Davidson, (1980) using a spatial cueing task, looked into the theory of expected versus unexpected events. They believe that participants responses to cued targets are usually faster and sometimes more accurate than responses to uncued targets. Results from the study conducted by Posner et al., (1980) suggest that participants were faster when the cue appeared in the same location (valid) and slowest when the cue appeared opposite the indicated cue (invalid). Posner, Snyder and Davidson, (1980) interpreted these results as showing that participants shifted their attention to the location of the target prior to its appearance. Equally, when participants were expecting the cue to appear in the opposite area, participants shifted attention to the wrong location. However, it may be possible to describe these results as being due to participants anticipation of the target position, or even chance. Alternatively, Simons Chabris (1999) provided a review of experiments in which participants focusing on visual tasks fail to notice unexpected visual stimuli, and present their own seminal explanation of the phenomenon. Results suggest that the probability of noticing the unexpected object depended on the similarity of the particular object within the display and the difficulty of the task. Simons Chabris (1999) add that the spatial proximity of the object to attended location did not affect the detection, suggesting that participants attend to objects and events, not positions (Simons et al., 1999). However, this study did not explore whether individual differences in noticing, take place from differences in the ability to perform the primary task. Strayer, Drews Crouch (2006) compared drivers using mobile phones to drunk drivers, concludingthat when controlling for driving difficulty and time on task, mobile-phone drivers exhibited a greater impairment than intoxicated drivers. Results of this study found that the reaction time of drivers using a mobile phone were slower by 8.4 percent relative to drivers who neither had consumed alcohol nor were using phones. Also drivers using mobile phones were actually more likely to have a rear- end crash than drivers who had consumed alcohol (Strayer Crouch, 2003). The impact of using a hands free phone on driving performance was not found to differ from the impact of using a hand held phone, which researchers suggested was due to the withdrawal of attention from the processing of information in the driving environment while engaging in mobile phone conversation (Strayer et al., 2003). However, the measures used for the two impairments mentioned above, are quite unusual. Mobile phone i mpairment is associated with the diversion of attention and is temporary, while the impairment from alcohol persists for longer periods of time. Furthermore, while mobile phone users have some kind of control (e.g. pausing a conversation) drivers who are intoxicated cannot do much to control their performance. Studies that have looked at the effects of texting while driving have also suggested a negative impact on drivers performance (Drews, Yazdani, Celeste, Godfrey Cooper, 2009). Research by Drews Cooper (2009) found a lack of response time in participants who used their mobile phones to send text messages while driving on a simulator. They concluded the texters in the driving simulator had more crashes, responded more slowly to the brake lights of cars in front of them- and showed more impairment in forward and sideways control than drivers who talked on their mobile phones while driving. (Drews et al. also found that text messaging participants longest eyes off the road duration was over six seconds. At 55mph this equates to a driver travelling the length of a football field without looking at the roadway. In summary, the purpose of this study is to explore the effects of divided attention on response time. To achieve this purpose, this study aims to measure response times in the neutral, valid, and invalid conditions of a spatial cueing task, while participants use their mobile phones to talk or text. Based on both theory and past research, it is hypothesised that the control group will have significantly faster reaction times over all groups (text and talk). It was also hypothesised that the reaction times for the control group across all task types (valid, invalid, and neutral) would be significantly different. More specifically, it was predicted that the task type for the valid condition would be faster than the neutral task, and significantly faster for the valid than the invalid task. It was hypothesised that there would be a significant difference between participants reaction times within the talk group across all three conditions (valid, invalid, and neutral) in contrast to th e text group. More specifically it was predicted that the reaction times for the talk group will be significantly faster overall compared to the text group. Method Participants The participants of this study consisted of 61 graduate and undergraduate students of the unit cognitive psychology, from the University of Canberra (51 female and 10 male). Ages ranged from 19 to 60 years (M = 24.95, SD = 7.99). Participants were allocated a condition based on their tutorial group. Tutorial one were allocated to the text condition, this group included 20 participants of which two performed the control condition due to non- availability of a mobile phone. Tutorial two participants were allocated to the talk condition, this group included 18 participants, of which one participant did the control condition. Tutorial three and four participants were allocated to the control condition, this group included 24 participants, of which three participants did the text condition. One participant was excluded from the study, as they did not record their mean response times. Materials All 61 participants were given a spatial cueing task on the universities computer during class tutorials. Participants used the computer program Cog Lab 2.0 to view and complete the cueing task. Each participant was given an instruction sheet as per his / her tutorial group. Participants within the text and talk condition used their own personal mobile phone. Procedure Student participants were divided into three groups as arranged by their tutorial time and group. These groups comprised of three conditions text, talk, and control. While in tutorials participants were given an instruction sheet and told to follow the instructions as per their group category (text, talk, or control). In order to maintain confidentiality participants were asked to select and record a code name. They were than asked to give their age, gender, and identify the group they had been assigned to. Each group of participants were given a set of instructions that were unique to their own group. The text group were told to complete the spatial cueing exercise while writing and sending three text messages. They were instructed not to answer their phone or talk to anyone else during the experiment. The talk group were instructed to make a series of short calls or one long call while taking part in the experiment. They were also told not to answer the phone or talk to any one else in the room. The control group were given instructions to focus only on the experiment and give it the same attention they would if driving a car on a busy road. They were told not to talk on the phone, message, or talk to anyone else in the room. Participants were then asked to complete the spatial cueing task on the computer (Cog Lab 2.0) per their assigned group. Design Variables: The independent variable in this study was the mobile phone = 3 levels, the dependant variable was response time. Results Effect of Condition on Reaction Time Mean reaction times for the Text group were slower than for the Talk group, and those for the Talk group were slower than the Control group. Mean reaction times for each condition on the Neutral, Valid and Invalid tasks are shown below in Figure 1. Figure 1. Mean reaction time for control, text and talk conditions across neutral, valid and invalid spatial cueing tasks. A Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA indicated a significant difference in reaction times across Control (Mean Rank = 15.0), Talk (Mean Rank = 31.3), and Text (Mean Rank = 48.3) conditions, H(2,61) = 38.60, p The significance level was reset to p = .02 using a Bonferroni correction. A Mann-Whitney U tests indicated that the Text group (Mean Rank = 33.48 for Neutral task, Mean Rank = 33.95 for Valid task, Mean Rank = 33.0 for Invalid task, n = 21) had significantly slower reaction times than the Control group (Mean Rank = 12.48 Neutral task, Mean Rank = 12.04 Valid task, Mean Rank = 12.91 Invalid task, n = 23), U = 11.0, z = -5.416;U = 1.0, z = -5.181; U = 21.0, z = -5.651; (corrected for ties), p Follow-up Mann-Whitney U tests indicated that the Talk group (Mean Rank = 28.59, Mean Rank = 29.24, Mean Rank = 28.18, n = 17) also had significantly slower reaction times than the Control group (Mean Rank = 14.52 Neutral task, Mean Rank = 14.04 Valid task, Mean Rank = 14.83 Invalid task, n = 23), U = 58.0, z = -3.762; U = 47.0, z = -4.063; U = 65.0, z = -3.57; (not corrected for ties) , p Follow-up Mann-Whitney U tests indicated the Text group (Mean Rank = 25.81, Mean Rank = 26.86, Mean Rank = 26.05, n = 21) had significantly slower reaction times than the Talk group (Mean Rank = 11.71 Neutral task, Mean Rank = 10.41 Valid task, Mean Rank = 11.41 Invalid task, n = 17), U = 46.0, z = -3.89; U = 24.0, z = -4.536; U = 41.0, z = -4.037; (not corrected for ties), p Effect of Task Type on Reaction Time A Friedman ANOVA showed there was a significant difference in reaction times across task type for the control group, à Ã¢â‚¬ ¡2(2) = 24.09, p Discussion This study explored the effects of divided attention on response time. The results of the Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA did show a significant difference between reaction times across all three conditions (control, talk and text). However this analysis leaves the ambiguous situation of not knowing which condition/s differed more so than others. A second analysis was performed, this revealed that response times for the text group across all task types (valid, invalid, and neutral) were significantly slower than the control group, the effect was large. Results also revealed that the response times for the talk group across all task types were significantly slower than the control group; the effect was medium to large. These results are consistent with the first hypothesis. Previous studies much more scientific than ours, conducted in vehicle simulators have also found a significant relationship between similar aspects of texting, talking, and driving. However, drawing comparisons between this s tudies results and past studies results, issues arise over the current studies methods. This study was not employed in a driving simulator, nor was the task undertaken in a real driving environment or vehicle. Participant simply sat in front of a computer in a class room where they were told to imagine driving a car on a busy road. There is no possible way this would accurately represent actual driver duties or a real driving environment. The sample size is also quite questionable and would not represent the current driving population. A future benefit for this study would be to create a more legitimate driving environment and increase the sample size. The results of the fourth analysis also supported the hypothesis; these results showed the text group to have significantly slower reaction times than the talk group across all task types, the effect was large. Results are also consistent with past research on texting, driving and mobile phone use. Although, this study was not performed in a real or simulated driving environment these results were expected because texting required the participants to remove their eyes and attention away from the computer screen. However, these results only indicated a difference between reaction times, they do not suggest where the difference lies or how much interference can be attributed to the manual manipulation of the phone (e.g. texting), or how much can be attributed to the demands placed on attention by the phone conversation. A benefit to future studies would be to measure each one of these underlining factors separately and then compare those with other activities commonly engaged during dr iving. The last analysis showed there was a significant difference in reaction times across task type for the control group. More specifically results showed reaction time for valid tasks to be significantly faster than for neutral tasks, and significantly faster for the valid than the invalid. These effects were described as large. This result also supports the hypothesis and the previous study conducted by Posner and Davidson, (1980). However, most spatial cueing experiments including this one have been concerned with the effect of directing attention on the detection of stimuli. Little has been done on the influence of visual attention on higher-level cognitive tasks, i.e., where a response would involve making a decision between two or more alternatives (Johnston, McCann Remington, 1995). According to Johnston et al. (1995) responding to a higher-level cognitive task and detecting a stimulus may only be the first stage or a single process in a series of mental procedures involved in th e response. Directing attention to the location of the stimulus might result in faster detection of the stimulus. It may be beneficial for this study and others like it to explore this theory more comprehensively. References Beede, K. E., Kass, S. T. (2006). Engrossed in conversation: The impact of cell phones on simulated driving performance. Accident Analysis Prevention, 38, 415-421. Retrieved from http://www.Canberra.edu.au/library Drews, F. A., Yazdani, H., Celeste, N., Godfrey, Cooper, J. M., Strayer, D. L. (2009). Text Messaging during simulated driving. Journal of Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, 51, 762-770. Johnston, J. C., McCann, R. S., Remington, R. W. (1995). Chronometric evidence for two types of attention. Journal of Psychological Sciences, 6, 365-386. Posner, M. I., Snyder, R. R., Davidson, B. J. (1980). Attention and the detection of signals, Journal of Experimental Psychology, 109, 160-174. Reed, M. P., Green, P. A. (1999). Comparison of driving performance on-road and in a low-cost simulator using a concurrent telephone dialling task. Ergonomics, 42, 1015-1037. Simons, D. J., Chabris, C. F. (1999). Gorillas in our midst: Sustained inattentional blindness for dynamic events. Perception, 28, 1059-1074. Strayer, D. L., Drews, F. A., Crouch, D. J. (1999). A comparison of the cell phone driver and the drunk driver. Journal of Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, 48, 381-391. Strayer, D. L., Drews, F. A., Johnston, W. A. (2003). Cell phone- induced failures of visual attention during simulated driving. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 9, 23-32. White, K. M., Hyde, M. K., Walsh, S. P., Watson, B. (2010). Mobile phone use while driving: An investigation of the beliefs influencing drivers hands- free and hand- held mobile phone use. Journal of Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, 13, 9-20. Retrieved from http://www. canberra.edu.au/library Self-evaluation Form for Cognitive Psychology 2010 Lab Report For each item in the table, highlight or bold the description that fits your work for that component of the lab report. HD D CR P F Title n/a n/a n/a > 12 words Abstract concise, accurate and elegant description of problem, participants, experimental conditions, method, results, and conclusion. concise and accurate description of problem, participants, experimental conditions, method, results, and conclusion. D accurate description of problem, participants, experimental conditions, method, results, and conclusion (one omitted) generally accurate description of problem, participants, experimental conditions, method, results, and conclusion (up to two omitted) poor description of participants, problem, participants, experimental conditions, method, results, and conclusion (three of more omitted) Introduction concise, accurate and elegant introduction of the topic concise and accurate introduction of the topic accurate introduction of the topic CR generally accurate introduction of the topic, some minor errors of understanding less than accurate introduction of the topic comprehensive coverage of literature and substantial critical thought and analysis establishing importance, relevance and context of the issue comprehensive coverage of literature and sound critical thought and analysis establishing importance, relevance and context of the issue good understanding of the literature but limited critical analysis establishing importance, relevance and context of the issue CR good understanding of the literature but little or no critical analysis establishing importance, relevance and context of the issue little or no understanding of the literature or critical analysis establishing importance, relevance and context of the issue developed and justified argument for experiment using own ideas based on a wide range of sources which are thoroughly analysed, applied and discussed critical appraisal of the literature and theory from a variety of appropriate sources and developed own ideas in the process D clear evidence and application of readings relevant to topic and use of appropriate sources lit review is less complete than for D and HD literature is presented in a purely descriptive way (no critical thought); there may be limitations in understanding of the material literature is presented in a disjointed way with no critical thought and major limitations in understanding of the material exceptional understanding of problem and theoretical framework, and integration and innovative selection and handling of theories clear understanding of the general problem and theoretical framework and insightful and appropriate selection of theories good understanding of general problem and theoretical framework and most key theories are included in a straightforward manner CR adequate understanding of general problem and theoretical framework and selection of theory is appropriate but some aspects have been missed or misconstructed little or no understanding of the general problem and/or the theoretical framework concise, clear and accurate argument leading to a statement of hypotheses clear and accurate argument leading to a statement of hypotheses accurate argument leading to a statement of hypotheses CR generally accurate argument leading to a statement of hypotheses; hypotheses incomplete/inaccurate inaccurate or missing argument or statement of hypotheses Method concise, accurate and elegant description of participants, materials, design and procedures concise and accurate description of participants, materials, design and procedures accurate description of participants, materials, design and procedures CR generally accurate description of participants, materials, design and procedures (one may be missing) poor description of participants, materials, design and procedures; one or more of these may be missing experiment is completely and easily replicable from the information in the method experiment is completely replicable from the information in the method D experiment can be almost replicated from the information in the method errors are more noticeable and may be more serious experiment can be replicated with moderate accuracy from the information in the method one or two major errors experiment cannot be replicated with a satisfactory level of accuracy from the information in the method major and serious errors Results results from Moodle are included and correctly placed HD n/a n/a results from Moodle are included but incorrect placement or they have been altered results from Moodle are not included and/or correctly placed, or are not those provided via Moodle Discussion concise, accurate and elegant summary and interpretation of results related back to the hypotheses concise and accurate summary and interpretation of results related back to the hypotheses (only very minor errors) accurate summary and interpretation of results related back to the hypotheses (only minor errors) generally accurate summary and interpretation of results related back to the hypotheses (one or two more major errors) poor or inaccurate summary and interpretation of results related back to the hypotheses (major errors) comprehensive discussion of the results in relation to previous literature and theory, and substantial critical thought and analysis of where the current findings belong in the literature comprehensive discussion of the results of the results in relation to previous literature and theory and considerable critical thought and analysis of where the current findings belong in the literature sound discussion of the results in relation to previous literature and theory, and some critical thought and analysis of where the current findings belong in the literature CR reasonable discussion of the results in relation to previous literature and theory, but no critical thought or analysis of where the current findings belong in the literature poor discussion of the results in relation to previous literature and theory critically evaluation of evidence supporting conclusions including reliability, validity and significance comprehensive evaluation of the relevance and significance of results including reliability, validity and significance sound evaluation of the relevance and significance of the results including reliability, validity and significance CR satisfactory evaluation of the relevance and significance of the results including reliability, validity and significance little or no evaluation of the relevance and significance of the results including reliability, validity and significance exceptional interpretation of any unexpected results and discussion of alternative interpretations of findings clear interpretation of any unexpected results and discussion of alternative interpretations of findings good interpretation of any unexpected results and discussion of alternative interpretations of findings CR satisfactory interpretation of any unexpected results and discussion of alternative interpretations of findings little or no interpretation of any unexpected results or discussion of alternative interpretations of findings concise, clear and thoughtful discussion of problems, limitations and generalisability of the study, and implications for future research projects clear, accurate and thoughtful discussion of problems, limitations and generalisability of the study, and implications for future research projects D accurate and competent discussion of problems, limitations and generalisability of the study, and implications for future research projects discussion of problems, limitations and generalisability of the study, and implications for future research projects little or no discussion of problems, limitations or generalisability of the study, or implications for future research projects Norovirus: Causes and Solutions Norovirus: Causes and Solutions Contents Origin and spread of the Norovirus: Symptoms: Transmission in health care facility: Prevention of Norovirus: Preventive measures for spread of virus in health care facility: Early (or primary) control actions: Control of transmission at the ward level: Specific Nursing care for patients: Personal care: Proper hand hygiene: Extra care: Bibliography Essay Origin and spread of the Norovirus: Norovirus, occasionally acknowledged as the winter vomiting bug in the United Kingdom, is the utmost common reason of viral gastroenteritisin human beings. It affects individuals of all ages. The virus is transferred byfecally polluted water or food, by person-to-person interaction and through aerosolization of the disease and following adulteration of surfaces.The virus affects about 267 million individuals and reasons above 200,000 deceases every year; these deaths are frequently in less advanced republics and in the very young, aged and immunosuppressed. Norovirus infection is categorized by watery diarrhoea, forceful vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain, and in several cases, general lethargy, muscle aches, loss of taste, headache, weakness and low-grade fever may arise. The illness is typically self-limiting, and severe sickness is rare. Though having norovirus can be spiteful, it is not generally hazardous and most that contact it make a full retrieval in a couple of days. Norovirus is speedily disabled by either adequate heating or by chlorine based disinfection, but the virus is less vulnerable to alcohols and cleaners. (Ben Lopman, 2011) Aftercontamination,resistanceto norovirus is usually partial and momentarywith one publication drawing the deduction that defensive immunity to the similar pressure of norovirus continues for six months, but that all such resistance is disappeared after two years. Outbursts of norovirus contagion often happen in closed or semi closed societies, such as long-term care amenities, overnight campsites, clinics, schools, dormitories, prisons, and cruise ships, where the contamination spreads very speedily either by person-to-person spread or through polluted food. Numerous norovirus outbursts have been outlined to food that was controlled by one infected individual. (Sears, 2008) The species name  Norovirusis derivative of Norwalk virus, the only kind of the genus. The species causes about 90% of epidemicnonbacterial outbursts of gastroenteritisround the domain,and may be accountable for 50% of all foodborne outbursts of gastroenteritis in the USA. Symptoms: Symptoms recorded by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (2011) contain vomiting, non-bloody diarrhoea with stomach cramps and biliousness. These seem following a development period of 24-48 hours, though there are examples where signs present after only 12 hours succeeding disclosure to the virus.(Mcgeary, 2012) Blacklow (1996) found grown-up volunteers injected with the virus established a momentary mucosal laceration of the proximal minor intestine but had no colon association; this proposes norovirus infection frees the large intestine; hereafter faecal leucocytes do not exist in stool testers. This feature has been used to aid distinguish the contamination from others such as salmonellosis, C difficile infection orshigellosis. Transmission in health care facility: Noroviruses are found in the faeces and vomitus of infected individuals. This virus is very spreadable and can feast rapidly through healthcare amenities. People can become infested with the virus in numerous ways: Having straight contact with another individual who is infested (a healthcare employee, guest, or another patient) Ingestion food or drinking fluids that are polluted with norovirus. Touching tops or objects polluted with norovirus, and then touching your face or other food items. (HAIs, 2013) Prevention of Norovirus: In a healthcare capacity, patients with supposed norovirus may be located in isolated rooms or share accommodations with other patients with the identical infection. Extra prevention actions in healthcare amenities can reduce the chance of interacting with noroviruses: Follow hand-hygiene rules, and cautiously washing of hands with cleanser and water after interaction with patients with norovirus contagion. Use robes and gloves when in connection with, or caring for patients who are indicative of norovirus. Regularly clean and sterilize high touch patient exteriors and apparatus with an Environmental Protection Agency-approved produce with a tag claim for norovirus Eliminate and wash polluted clothing or linens Healthcare employees who have signs consistent with norovirus should be barred from work. Preventive measures for spread of virus in health care facility: The virus is characteristically conveyed to persons by the faecal-oral path from fecally polluted foodstuff or water, person-to-person interaction or interaction with polluted fomites. In current institutional outbreaks, airborne spread via vomiting has been suggested as expediting rapid spread of contagion. Once noroviruses are presented onto a region or floor, the contamination may spread speedily through the facility in spite of cohorting and actions to limit the feast of the contaminations. To support in the decision-making procedure for infirmaries and nursing homes when these contaminations happen, the Bureau of Communicable Diseases, Division of Public Health has collected a list of recommended, but not required control actions established from knowledge with organization of earlier hospital eruptions. The movements taken by diverse hospitals or nurturing homes may vary with the sum of cases and degree of spread within the facility. (health protection agency) Early (or primary) control actions: †¢ Once a catalogue case presents within an area, immediate separation of the patient and the instant area is necessary. †¢ Patients inflowing the hospital with indications evocative of norovirus contagions should be admitted straight to a private area until another cause of disease are recognized. †¢ The contamination control staff should be instantly notified about the beginning of the first case. †¢ Infection control run should meet every day to screen the outbreak and assess control actions. †¢ Support enteric defences and strategies to all staff associates. †¢ Staff should be repeated that good hand washing after all patient interaction (washing with warm running water and cleanser for at least 10 seconds) is the utmost operational way of dropping person-to-person feast of contamination. In the absenteeism of running water, alcohol emollient may be used except hands are totally soiled. †¢ The native health officer should be instantly notified once an outburst is alleged. †¢ Indicative patients or inhabitants should be cohorted. †¢ If an outburst lasts consider closing the facility to new admittances. †¢ Pretentious staff must be controlled from patient interaction for 48 hours after termination of signs. (management of norovirus, 2004) Control of transmission at the ward level: †¢ Unluckily, by the time the outburst has been documented on a ward, it is probable the majority of vulnerable patients and employee on duty may have been exposed to the infested agent, mainly if vomiting is an extensive symptom. †¢ Gowns, gloves and masks should be worn every time contact with a diseased patient or polluted atmosphere is expected. †¢ Affected areas or floors should be sealed to new admittances and companions to avoid the introduction of other vulnerable individuals. †¢ Airborne spread may be a noteworthy contributor to the sum of cases since projectile retching could possibly create infectious sprays. Air flows created by open spaces or air conditioning could scatter aerosols extensively. Air streams should be reduced. †¢ Affected areas should persist closed until a 48-hour period has passed with no fresh cases amongst patients or staff. †¢ Non-essential employee should be excluded from pretentious clinical zones. †¢ Reducing the risk of communication from sickness may be problematic. (HPS norovirus outbreak, 2013) The following actions may be valuable and are suggested: †¢ Removal of exposed foodstuffs such as plates of fruit †¢ Rapid washing and fumigation of parts where vomiting has happened with a 0.1% hypochlorite solution (made fresh everyday) †¢ Administration of anti-emetics drugs †¢ Full cleaning routine on all pretentious wards. (Norovirus outbreak prevention toolkit, 2012) Specific Nursing care for patients: Personal care: Patients with Norovirus infestation are very sensitive because this disease is very irritating due to its unbearable symptoms. Nurses should provide such patients great personal care. Nurses must give attention to individual patient for hygiene. Symptomatic treatment is provided to such patients so nurses must provide extra care to patients. Nurses should wear Gowns, gloves and masks all the time and should not move outside of ward frequently to prevent spread of the disease. (Caballero, 2014) Proper hand hygiene: Staff should rinse their hands (or use alcohol-based hand disinfectant) whenever they go in and leave a patient/resident area. Staff may be more directed to achieve hand hygiene at the following intervals: †¢ Particular intermissions (e.g., once per hour) †¢ Upon ingoing to a kitchen †¢ After using the washroom †¢ After shaking hands or other bodily contact with colleagues or visitors †¢ After sneezing †¢ After touching the face of patient †¢ After puffing the nose †¢ After rubbing hands on dress and similar actions †¢ After treating raw foods †¢ After usage of dirty kitchen gears and kitchenware †¢ After sweeping, cleaning, or mopping †¢ After a discontinuity †¢ After eating, smoking, or drinking †¢ Before and afterward using PPE e.g. gloves †¢ Before treating the food, particularly ready-to-eat foods and frost. Though, detailed hand-washing is also significant in keeping gloves or other gears from flattering vehicles for transporting microorganisms to the food. †¢ Preceding to handling or administering any oral medicines †¢ After changing diapers †¢ After handling other possibly polluted objects. (norovirus management toolkit) Extra care: Extra assistance is a need of these patients. Patients of Norovirus are disturbed psychologically due to its irritating symptoms so these patients require extra care and time. Vomits should be cleaned immediately and properly to prevent the airborne spread of this disease. Nurse should be present in ward all the time to provide extra care to these patients. Nurses have very significant role in patient care because they are the only staff in the health care facility that takes care of the medications, hygiene and moods of patients and patients with Norovirus require extra care due to their conditions. Bibliography management of norovirus. (2004, feburary). Retrieved from public health: http://www.publichealthmdc.com/environmental/food/documents/ManagementofNorovirusInfectionOutbreaksinHospitalsandNursingHomes.pdf Norovirus outbreak prevention toolkit. (2012, october). Retrieved from public health country of los angeles: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/acd/docs/Norovirus/NoroToolkit2012.pdf HAIs. (2013, feburary 25). Retrieved from Centres for disease control and prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/HAI/organisms/norovirus.html HPS norovirus outbreak. (2013, september). Retrieved from national services scotland: http://www.documents.hps.scot.nhs.uk/hai/infection-control/toolkits/norovirus-control-measures-2013-09.pdf Ben Lopman, P. G. (2011, december 11). Environmental transmission of norovirus gastroenteritis §. Retrieved from http://uepa.br/portal/downloads/Lopman2012.pdf Caballero, v. (2014, november 15). role nursing in norovirus outbreak. Retrieved from American public health association: https://apha.confex.com/apha/142am/webprogram/Paper298230.html health protection agency. (n.d.). Retrieved from british infection association: http://www.his.org.uk/files/9113/7398/0999/Guidelines_for_the_management_of_norovirus_outbreaks_in_acute_and_community_health_and_social_care_settings.pdf Mcgeary, t. (2012, feburary 3). how to prevent the spread of norovirus. Retrieved from nursing times: www.nursingtimes.net/how-to-prevent-the-spread-of-norovirus/5040972.article norovirus management toolkit. (n.d.). Retrieved from nevada state health division: http://www.health.nv.gov/PDFs/HSPER/NorovirusManagementToolkitResponsePlan_Version1-1.pdf Sears, T. M. (2008, july 8). Gastrointestinal Flu: Norovirus in Health Care and Long-Term Care Facilities. Retrieved from clinical infectious diseases: http://cid.oxfordjournals.org/content/47/9/1202.long

Ethical Theories :: Philosophy Philosophical Essays

Ethical Theories Hedonism and self-realization are ethical theories that take roots in the works of Greek philosophers and that developed many branches throughout the human history. Hedonism is based on the recognition of pleasure (or happiness) and avoidance of pain as an ultimate goal of any human being and thus establish a moral ground for one’s acting in striving to be happy. In early stages, hedonism took individualistic forms of Cyrenaic and Epicurean theories. In order to lead a good life, the Cyrenaics propose to actively seek intense momentary pleasure (of any duration) from our everyday life maintaining that pleasures of our senses and the body are preferable to pleasures derived from the mind. In contrast to Cyrenaics, the Epicurean theory denies active seeking of pleasure in favor of avoidance of pain (in fact, Epicurean view defines pleasure as avoidance of pain) and stresses the importance of long-run mental contentment in life. While Cyrenaics and Epicureans sought pleasure only for themselves exercising individualistic hedonism, Stuart Mill’s theory is an example of universalistic hedonism which takes into account not only the pleasure people can gain for themselves but also how those pleasure-seeking actions affect other individuals and society in general and whose ultimate goal is to increase the amount of happiness for humankind as a whole. Specifically, Stuart Mill adhered to the theory of utilitarianism (a social hedonism) that states that moral actions are right if they produce â€Å"the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest number of persons.† The significance of his work is in introduction of the qualitative aspect of pleasure into utilitarianism. According to Mill, there are different kinds of pleasure and the more desirable of any two kinds is the one that is agreed to be more valuable or desirable for the majority of people who experienced both. The intellectual pleasure d erived from art, music, etc. is considered to be higher than physical pleasure derived from sex, eating, etc. Based on the classification of different kinds of pleasure performed by experts the moral values of the society can be developed and then followed by everyone. To avoid immoral actions that can be justified as means of maximizing happiness, Mill adheres to rule-utilitarian view which states that an action is right if it is based on a rule that maximizes happiness of the affected population as opposed to act-utilitarianism that evaluates the action itself. For example, a rule of helping others maximizes happiness in general so we should follow this rule. Ethical Theories :: Philosophy Philosophical Essays Ethical Theories Hedonism and self-realization are ethical theories that take roots in the works of Greek philosophers and that developed many branches throughout the human history. Hedonism is based on the recognition of pleasure (or happiness) and avoidance of pain as an ultimate goal of any human being and thus establish a moral ground for one’s acting in striving to be happy. In early stages, hedonism took individualistic forms of Cyrenaic and Epicurean theories. In order to lead a good life, the Cyrenaics propose to actively seek intense momentary pleasure (of any duration) from our everyday life maintaining that pleasures of our senses and the body are preferable to pleasures derived from the mind. In contrast to Cyrenaics, the Epicurean theory denies active seeking of pleasure in favor of avoidance of pain (in fact, Epicurean view defines pleasure as avoidance of pain) and stresses the importance of long-run mental contentment in life. While Cyrenaics and Epicureans sought pleasure only for themselves exercising individualistic hedonism, Stuart Mill’s theory is an example of universalistic hedonism which takes into account not only the pleasure people can gain for themselves but also how those pleasure-seeking actions affect other individuals and society in general and whose ultimate goal is to increase the amount of happiness for humankind as a whole. Specifically, Stuart Mill adhered to the theory of utilitarianism (a social hedonism) that states that moral actions are right if they produce â€Å"the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest number of persons.† The significance of his work is in introduction of the qualitative aspect of pleasure into utilitarianism. According to Mill, there are different kinds of pleasure and the more desirable of any two kinds is the one that is agreed to be more valuable or desirable for the majority of people who experienced both. The intellectual pleasure d erived from art, music, etc. is considered to be higher than physical pleasure derived from sex, eating, etc. Based on the classification of different kinds of pleasure performed by experts the moral values of the society can be developed and then followed by everyone. To avoid immoral actions that can be justified as means of maximizing happiness, Mill adheres to rule-utilitarian view which states that an action is right if it is based on a rule that maximizes happiness of the affected population as opposed to act-utilitarianism that evaluates the action itself. For example, a rule of helping others maximizes happiness in general so we should follow this rule.

Compare and contrast the opening scenes of Romeo and Juliet (Baz Luhrmann) and Westside story (Robert Wise)

At the start of the opening sequence to Romeo and Juliet, a short description of the story is told by a news reader who is within the screen in a small, old television. The idea of the television being used is to immediately inform the audience that the story has been modernized. The oldness of the TV could signify that it is the modernization of and old story. A broken ring is displayed in the top right hand corner of the inset TV. This signifies the hatred between the two families but also the eternal love between Romeo and Juliet which they are trying to break. As the explanation of the story commences the TV becomes larger, the camera zooms in on it, and then the real scenes from the opening sequence are shown. The writing â€Å"in fair Verona† is displayed in white writing, suggesting it is a nice, calm city where everybody lives happily. The writing being in white backs this up as white has the connotation of being angelic. In the background though there is dramatic opera music being played. Opera music is associated with tragedy and from the following scenes we see why this music is played. The music then holds on a few long notes and a deep political voice speaks. This suggest something serious is happening or about to happening. The screen the flashes to a helicopter patrolling a city which looks to be in chaos, a statue of Jesus is shown then a mixture of images displaying death and violence, such as house on fire and gun fights, is intertwined with images of religion and holiness. This signifies the two family's hypocritical view of religion. They claim to live their lives with God but hypocritically go against every one of his commandments throughout their daily lives. The religious images could also represent the two people within the family who are religious and who are in love with each other and are willing to give up everything to be with each other. The characters of each of the families are then shown. They are all shown to be hiding in the shadows or darkness. This may imply that they are hiding from each other or from the police because they are committing crime. It may also be used to create a sense of mystery, we don't know what the two families plan to do to each other, so by showing them in the shadows, it hides it from us as well as themselves. The quickness of the changing between scenes is used to show us that this story is an action packed roller coaster. It also signifies the different attitudes and emotions we discover in this film. The opening scene to Westside Story simply uses a variety of colours and music to describe the events we may encounter in the film. It begins with the whistling of a songbird which we associate with the break of a new day although it could signify anytime of day. The music begins as chasey music perhaps signifying the pursuit of something. The background colour is light orange which, is quite neutral and does not necessarily signify anything. The music then calms down into peaceful happy music, perhaps signifying the retrieval or capture of the thing that was being pursued. This music continues for a while because the happiness is lasting, slowly the background colour changes into a light red and then a dark red. The music dies into slow, sad, tragic music which could signify the loss or separation from the â€Å"thing†. It could also mean a death in the story because red has the connotation of death and also the connotation of romance. Perhaps a romance has been ended and the main character is sorrowful because of this. The background colour then changes from red through to pink, purple and then blue. This could signify a lonely sad period where the main character spent time alone to mourn/miss the loss of this â€Å"thing†. The music suddenly then changes to intense battle like music whilst the background colour changes to a blood red colour. This could imply some kind of revenge that results in a death, or perhaps a murder attempt on the main character. We are informed of the outcome of these possible events. The music becomes a victorious war-like tune which informs us that the main character must have been the one who was successful in the attempt of revenge/murder. The music then calms down and the background changes to white this could mean that the actions that caused the possible death were justifiable. The background then changes again to a royal victorious blue. This could symbolize that the main character has resolved his/her problem and is happy again whilst still in the background missing that â€Å"thing†. These two opening scenes are very different in the way they portray the plot of the film. Westside story does not use images to inform us of the narrative, it just uses colours and music, whereas Romeo and Juliet uses images, voiceovers and music to inform us of the emotions incurred. These two methods are both effective because they do not give too much of the story away but inform us of the general idea of the film. Romeo is possibly more effective to the untrained eye which is not analyzing the opening scenes because it visually shows us the idea of the film without having to think too much about what's being shown too us. Westside story is very effective in its description of the plot and narrative. The changes of music and colour clearly outliner the general consensus of the film whilst still leaving the viewer wondering what is actually happening.

Treating Animals with the Same Respect as Humans

Treating animals with the same respect as humans In 2012 there were 35 000 animal cruelty cases reported in the media all over the world. What is more, there are many atrocious videos posted on the internet in which animals are being ill-treated or killed. Statistically, one fifth of all domestic animals are not well treated. These facts arouse the question: ‘Should animals be treated with the same respect as humans? ’. In spite of the fact that animals are not conscious thinking creatures, they should be treated as humans because they are biologically similar to us and they are our companions.First and foremost, animals are biologically similar to humans. Their genetic code is similar to ours because it is made of the same nucleotides that encode amino acids. DNA is the carrier of genetic information in which our behaviour, appearance and genetic predispositions are encoded. Human and animals’ structure of DNA is almost the same. The best example is the DNA of th e great apes which is in 95 percent similar to the human. Even though many people can say that animals do not feel anything, animals are able to feel pain, happiness or anger owing to the developed nervous system.The typical examples of that are a dog which howls when it feels pain and a cat which purrs when it is being stroked. Many experiments were held in which e. g. chimpanzees were learnt how to count fruits shown on the screen and with the right answer they were getting a reward, and they were able to learn it which is the clear proof that they are able to learn certain conducts in the course of time. Furthermore, many species of animals are human companions. Choicely trained dogs are used to help blind people function in the world. Jack is one of the many people who without his dog would only have to stay at home and be dependent on his family.However, it is not the life that those people want to live and dogs are the unbeatable mean of helping them in their day-to-day activi ties. Secondly, enormously keen sense of smell that sniffer dogs have is most useful in rescuing people who have been trapped under the rubble because they can smell the scent of human in the places where the sight of rescue team is limited. Cats or hamsters are bred because of the very simple reason – they are ideal for children. Most of them are tame and they like being stroked. On the other hand, opponents say that animals should not be treated as humans because they are not conscious thinking creatures.The only way of communication between them is using primitive codes, not developed language e. g. bees are dancing in order to communicate something to others or elephants are making sounds that are not audible for humans. What is more, these codes are only used by them in order to survive their assemblage. All in all, no matter what opponents may say, animals should be treated with the same respect as humans. They are biologically similar to humans at the DNA level and the y are perfect human companions used in order to help people and beguile their free time. They should not be treated as if they did not feel anything.

Social integration Essays

Social integration Essays Social integration Paper Social integration Paper One of the benefits of group work is increased social integration. Social integration has been show to have a significant positive effect on retention. Small groups of peers at the same level of career maturity create a social environment that motivates adult learners to persist. The importance of drawing on the experiences, skills, and values of the learners themselves is an internationally supported tenet of adult education. Groups allow students to draw on these experiences. They will then carry out the checks themselves whilst under supervision from the same instructor. The two lessons are rooted in the Process or Dynamic interaction curriculum model which is the opposite end of the scale from Product. This model of curriculum was advocated by Skillbeck and Walker and pioneered the more hands on approach to learning, without strict guidelines, losing the strict Objectives framework but still keeping the Aims. The students will then return to the classroom for the final session which will take the form of a Summative test on all the days events. The overall layout for this group of lessons was chosen because it gave the best format for learning opportunities for the students. Although in essence we have used all three models of curriculum design in assembling this lesson plan, Process, Product and Spiral. The eventual end product uses all three models to let the students build on information learned in earlier sessions. Research in the field of education by Dr Jerome Bruner has shown that this pattern will give the greatest amount of retention by the student population as a whole. The lesson content can be revisited again and again for the benefit of some of the weaker students whilst strengthening the learning of the stronger students amongst the class. There is defiantly a chain of reasoning or a step-by-step process employed in this lesson framework, each one of the individual pieces of the checklist is important in its own right but we have to explain the reasoning behind the positioning of this particular verification in the overall checklist. All of the paperwork must be shown and the reasoning behind the way in which we check it must be fully explained to all the students on the course. Again following the spiral learning curve the students will learn not only the switch, its location and state, but the reason behind its position in the overall checklist. This has an added bonus of developing independent thinking and promoting comprehension over simple memorization during the lesson. When revisiting the individual parts of the scheme you increase the knowledge of the student. This is in direct opposition to the linear model of teaching where the student learns one part after another in a strict order with no revisiting of previously learned units. In the linear model the first indication to the teacher of any lack of comprehension is a failure at the testing stage. With the use of the spiral approach, the teacher has a constant feedback from the student body of their level of comprehension and retention throughout the lesson stages, and can return to the problem areas to the benefit of an individual or group of students. In our considered (although new to the teaching profession) opinion this is definitely the better approach to the more rounded and complete education of our students. Individual Unit Objectives and Outcomes. During the five individual parts of this lesson plan we move from one side of the curriculum matrix to the other. The first two lessons are given in a strict classroom environment using the Product model. They follow the Aims and Objectives framework and therefore can be measured against quantifiable goals. In the case of both lessons the student must be able to list, correctly, the paperwork checks, the safety procedures and switch locations and position prior to entering the cockpit. This has no room for mistakes by the student; it is a safety issue and must be carried out correctly and with no error. These two lessons use the Cognitive and Affective domains, i. e. the students use the knowledge they have gained to construct and evaluate a foundation for learning. They can also develop the awareness of the reasons behind the structure of the lesson. The other two lessons in the plan follow the Process model and therefore, as such, have only Aims but no laid out objectives; they move more in the Dynamic area of the educational model and are more flexible in both construction and overall framework than the Objective based lessons. We still have Aims and goals, but the building of these lessons allows certain flexibility in the speed of learning for the students. They can be educated at the optimum speed for each individual student. The teacher has the opportunity to observe and assess the students learning. The teacher within the hangar environment has the hands on chance to guide the student along the best path for learning. These two lessons use the psychomotor domain i. e. the students develop Motor or physical skills to enable them to complete the task. Assessment The students are assessed in some form or another constantly throughout the five lessons. Formative assessment is carried out continuously during the four practical lessons by use of Socratic questioning to extract the answers from the students. We also use technical observation to assess the students demonstrative use of information during the hands-on stages of the lessons. Summative assessment is carried out in three stages of the lessons. The first being in the second lesson when the students complete a gapped handout both as a Summative test and as an aide memoir for their own use later on in the day. The second, and by far the largest, use of Summative assessment is during the last session and is a complete test of the five lessons activities, checking the students safety knowledge. This is a twenty question, multiple choice test which has an overall pass mark of 80%. The final use of Summative assessment is when the instructor fills out the area on the students individual portfolio assigned to each lesson. This one paragraph block is designed to allow the instructor to point out areas that require attention and also to comment on positive trends displayed by the student during this lesson. The students can read and comment on this portfolio at any time and as such forms an excellent form of feedback for both instructors and student. Overall strengths of the new lesson as perceived by the authors This group of five lessons was designed to fill a perceived gap in the programme that exists within our workplace. This area of the curriculum was lacking a coherent lesson to enhance the safety knowledge of the students prior to working on the aircraft in the hangar environment. Before the construction of this lesson the students were lectured on the safety devices with power point slides in a classroom and no practical time on the aircraft. They were then expected to confidently carry out the safety checks before entering the aircraft cockpit. It became blatantly obvious to the authors of this assignment that due to the diverse levels of learning abilities and the differences in learning speeds of the students, they were entering the hangar in an unfit state to work safely and confidently on the aircraft. This group of lessons were designed specifically to be, as much as possible in the military environment, student based and ultimately student friendly. The lessons are constructed to take the students through a logical progression, building levels of knowledge and understanding up to a point that they can confidently assess the state of the engineering paperwork and then carry out the checks of the safety devices before entering the cockpit. More to the point the students can do this by using not only the criteria that they have been shown and learned in the lessons but by constructing their own latticework of checkpoints from the retained knowledge. They know the reasons behind the selection of the paperwork chain and the rationale for the safety checklist. They now know the dire implications of missing a safety point on the engineering paperwork and misinterpreting a safety device within that cockpit. The lessons can be checked on the basis of the three curriculum evaluation dimensions; Quality. The lessons are effective and successful in that the students are more confident in their abilities and knowledge when they approach the problems in the hangar. Accessibility. The course is meeting the requirements of the clients or students; They are better equipped for the task and therefore they are safer. Validity. This concerns whether or not the plan of the lessons remains relevant to the occupational context for which it was designed. In the case of this segment of five lessons it will remain relevant for the near future, and given the level of in-house quality assurance that we as military instructors undergo when the need for adjustments and changes to the lesson become necessary they will be carried out to maintain relevance. The new lesson format has produced an altogether more self-assured technician, more confident in his or her abilities with the paperwork and safety devices and therefore a more efficient member of the workforce. Peer assessment from this assignments presentation The peer assessment from the presentation was extremely constructive. Everyone liked the format and content of the new lessons as explained to the group. By far the largest amount of feedback was to do with the inclusion issues that were mentioned in some depth in the presentation. It was mentioned by the class that because of our background in the military and the ethos of teaching that we came to the Cert Ed course with, it was extraordinary that we could produce such a scheme of work. Admittedly two years ago this would have seemed incomprehensible to both of us that we would even consider teaching in this manner let alone freely admit to trying to change the system at our workplace to reflect these new (to us at least) teaching concepts. Of all the positive feedback this was by far the most rewarding. In essence there was no negative feedback other than a personal observation that some computers (amazingly) do not talk to each other, and if they do it may not be in the same language. The presentation was marred by the difference in the perceived animation on our version of PowerPoint and the college version. A minor point but one that can totally un-nerve potential speakers seconds before a crucial and terrifying ordeal in front of their peers.

3 Tips for Careful Writers

3 Tips for Careful Writers 3 Tips for Careful Writers 3 Tips for Careful Writers By Mark Nichol 1. Know the Rules This doesn’t mean to simply remember what you learned or what you think you learned five or fifty years ago. Careful writers continuously educate and reeducate themselves about grammar, syntax, usage, and style. In preparing to write my posts over the last few years, I have engaged in extensive research, consulting print and online authorities to confirm or correct my own understanding of what constitutes good writing. Confront your prejudices, and check your recall and understanding of the basics. Most important, don’t believe everything you think. 2. Be Open to New and Unusual Usage Language changes, and writers must change with it. This doesn’t mean that you should abandon your high standards and accept colloquial language; some contexts simply do not allow for a relaxation of the rules. But most forms of writing are flexible, and you should be, too. Adapt the language to the content, but consider also adapting the content to the language. 3. Verify When in doubt, look it up. When not in doubt, look it up. Don’t be content with spell-checking programs; check not only definitions of words, phrases and expressions but also their connotations. When discussing a person, place, or thing, don’t simply double-check the spelling and treatment of the term; reacquaint yourself with the person, place, or thing to confirm or correct your impression that the reference is appropriate for the content. (And check your facts.) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Writing Basics category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Punctuating â€Å"So† at the Beginning of a SentenceHow Long Should a Paragraph Be?Predicate Complements

Sustainability of Agriculture Essay -- Environmentalism / Economics / Ag

To define the sustainability of agriculture, we must look into the several relationships agriculture has with the basic nature of making something sustainable. In this research literature, we will look at the factual information regarding agricultural practices as they relate to the long-term stability of biodiversity, ecosystems, and Natural resources. We will also compare historical and modern perspectives of economics as they relate to resources and sustainability. The researched information will give us a better idea to propose solutions and methods for a more sustainable future-global food supply. Let us first start with the DNA of agriculture: biodiversity, ecosystems, and natural resources. Agricultural biodiversity is a subset of biodiversity as it pertains to the crop varieties. Agricultural biodiversity is an important part of modern agriculture and its sustainability because it creates a complimentary variety of plants and other organisms that increase the potential of crop survival and longevity. For example, the nodules found at the end of legumes increase the nitrogen level in the soil that may produce a higher quality crop fit for consumption. It also makes the soil last longer resulting in high-yielding crops. For example, the following information is from an article in an AridLands Newsletter at an Arizona College: â€Å"It was in this dramatic scenario that the Drylands Polyculture Project was born. It was observed that despite its apparently barren prospects, the Sertà £o is a rich and prosperous land, producing many local and adapted crops and fodder plants. The problem was not the climate-as is usually implied-but the agricultural model, based on slash-and-burn, or worswhen water is scarce and when that crop is harvested, the hydrophilic crops can be planted when the wet season returns. The benefit of a monoculture is not only the profits produced, but the amount of food that can be harvested at once and the amount of maintenance needed to care for the crop is low because the variables are few since it is only one crop using the same soil for the same amount of time during the same season every year. This is convenient and profitable, but not sustainable. Works Cited Hanzi, Marsha, â€Å"Polycultures in the Brazilian drylands: A new version of an old tradition† AridLands Newsletter, No. 48, November/December 2000 â€Å"Agricultural Ecosystems: facts and trends† brochure by the World Council for Sustainable Development and the IUCN pages 3-5, July 2008 Levetin and McMahon, â€Å"Plants and Society 5th ed† page 242, paragraphs 3-4

GLOBAL MARKETING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

GLOBAL MARKETING - Essay Example The techniques and the methods that the companies incorporate to adapt these factors determine not only their ability to distinct or differentiate their products and themselves from their competitor but also their success holistically (Sutltle, 2009). This encompasses the norms, culture, population changes, demographics, and lifestyle. They influence the industry in different ways. For an instant, a clothing company has to create innovatively styles that are appealing to different cultures especially of the groups that are dominant and represent the largest segment of the company’ market. The creation of the different styles of cloths should be within the norms of the society that is perceived to produce the prospective consumers (Sutltle, 2009). These include factors such as demand, production, and the availability of resources. For an instant, the scarcity of material for production may compel the companies to engage in substitute products. In addition, a competitor may introduce clothing styles that have the potential of luring the consumers hence shift in the demand for the earlier fashioned cloths (Sutltle, 2009). The industry has been influenced by issues such as the rights of the workers and laws related to child labour. Union workers have often called for industrial actions such as strike and picketing in aggravating for increases in wages. In turn, it impact negatively on the production of clothing products (Sutltle, 2009). The influence of the economy can either be positive or negative. During periods of economic boom, individuals tend to have relatively more disposable income hence they spend a lot on cloths hence increase in companies’ sales. The converse is true during economic crisis. These factors therefore, shape the competitive structure and the intensity of competitive rivalry in the industry (Roll, 2005). The trends of the industry in the US are characterized by the companies operating retails that are

Religious Tolerance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Religious Tolerance - Essay Example In addition, the reorganization and study of distinct religious tradition offers different way of conceptualizing and organizing the differing ideas about god and social organization that arise from these different opinions concerning the understanding of God. For long time, religion has been helpful to mankind in that it is very for humans to live without order orientation or religion. This is because; religion provides a basis on which people, societies and different world cultures built their lives and institutions. In order to embrace religious tolerance, it is important for people to establish a basic familiarity with other traditions and develop an open mind to be comfortable with the concept that it is possible for others to apply different conceptual systems to organize the same experience and aspirations that we posses. Additionally, it is also ital to recognize and understand how that in modern age, religion is playing a big role in social and political arena thus we need to be very careful on how we asses and evaluate other religions and develop a mechanism on how to deal with variety of religions and tolerate divergent practices. It is significant to note that religious diversity and the role of religion should play in people’s lives are not new issues. This is because encouraging religious toleration makes people to shun away from religious fanaticism and challenges them to pursue life, liberty, and happiness commanded by rational choice and personal judgment. It is worth noting that awareness of religions distinct from ours and tolerance for them is a rare virtue in any world society. But based on rational choice and personal judgment, makes such awareness essential or important. Religious toleration is very important in maintaining a harmonious civic society and promoting personal religious or spiritual aspirations (Esposito et al, 2002). In order to understand the Hindu religion, it is vital to look at the brief history of Hindu

Economics of the UAE Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Economics of the UAE - Research Paper Example According to the estimation made in July’2012, the total population of the nation stood at 5,314,317. The majority of the population belonging to the UAE has been viewed to be the Muslims, apart from other religious groupings such as Hindus and Sikhs. The currency of the country has been recognized to be Emirati Dirham and Arabic is regarded as its official language. Apart from Arabic language, the other languages that prevail in the UAE include English, Urdu, Persian and Hindi. Most importantly, the country emphasizes upon educating both men along with women and is making considerable investments in this particular sector. The UAE government is a federal one that is structured with specified legal powers (The Cultural Division of the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates, â€Å"UAE Facts in Brief†). The UAE possess an open sort of economy bearing a high ‘per capita income’ along with a large yearly trade surplus. The country has undergone a deep transformation from the region of arid desert to a modern state since the detection of oil in the country. With this detection, the living standards of people of the UAE had raised by a significant level. It has been viewed that the government of the UAE has enlarged its spending in two significant arenas that include infrastructure development and job creation with the intention of enhancing the economy of the country at large. The various decisive factors such as the worldwide financial crisis, deflated prices of the assets and the tight international credit contributed in constricting the economy of the UAE in the year 2009. The different industries that prevail in the UAE which comprise petrochemicals, transport, real estate, pharmaceuticals, cement, aluminum and ceramics among others considerably affect the economy of the country by a greater extent. With regard to assess the economic condition of the UAE, it has been observed

THE PHYSICS OF SPORTS BIOMECHANICS AND ITS SCIENTIFIC FOUNDATION IN Essay

THE PHYSICS OF SPORTS BIOMECHANICS AND ITS SCIENTIFIC FOUNDATION IN THE PHYSICAL EDUCATION CURRICULLUM - Essay Example On the other hand, the Oxford Dictionary (2005) defines curriculum as the "subjects included in a course of study.† This purports the idea that every discipline needs a defined means of in depth study and, therefore, physical education curriculum is essential as a right approach to sports program. A methodical, scientific study approach will help in removing the anomalies like injuries and other mishaps. The right education leads to establishing good health and the right sport programs for students will be instrumental for future generations as the core for improved health and fitness. Mechanics is a branch of physics that relates to the description of motion and how forces create motion, as well as other physical laws, which are essential for movements. Within mechanics are two sub-fields of studies: statics, which is the study of systems that are in a state of constant motion either at rest or at motion; and dynamics, which is the study of systems in motion in which acceleration is present, which may involve kinematics. In addition, correlation between physics and sport biomechanics is a concept of work through mechanical energy for the creation of a motion. Physics, through physical education, takes part in the educational system as a planned, sequential K-12 curriculum that provides cognitive content and learning experiences in a variety of activity areas. These include basic movement skills; physical fitness; rhythm and dance; games; team, dual, and individual sports; tumbling and gymnastics. Besides a variety of planned physical activities, each student need s to be trained with optimum physical, mental, emotional, and social development and should promote activities and sports that all students not only enjoy but can also pursue throughout their lives (Stilwell, 2005). Biomechanics takes part in kinesiology for a precise description and a qualitative analysis of human movement, as well as the study of the cases of human movement, which is relevant

States Make Wars, but Wars Make States Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

States Make Wars, but Wars Make States - Essay Example Hobbes conceived the hypothetical notion of the natural condition of mankind from axiomatic proposition of human nature. Hobbes's state of nature is exemplified by the famous motto "bellum ominum contra omnes" (war of every man against every man) where every person has a right and a need to do anything to preserve their own liberty and safety. To escape this state of chaos and also the satisfy the needs for a comfortable life, people form social contract, ceding their individual rights to create sovereignty ruled under absolute monarch, which was the preferred type of rule by Hobbes, or other types of rule, such as democracy. A unified definition would claim that a state is a set of institutions that possess the authority to make the rules that govern the people in one or more societies, having internal and external, sovereignty over a definite territory. The existing historical evidence only supports the theory of Hobbes concerning the creation of states. Although the creation of the city of Rome is shrouded in myth, archaeological evidence point to the conclusion that Rome grew from pastoral settlements on the Palatine Hill and surrounding hills approximately eighteen miles from the Tyrrhenian Sea and the south side of the Tiber. This location the Tiber forms a Z-shape curve that contains an island where the river can be forded. Because of the river and the ford, Rome was at a crossroads of traffic following the river valley and of traders travelling north and south on the west side of the peninsula. These trade and agricultural conditions as well as the fear of destruction by the surrounding people gave rise to the city that later created the Roman statehood. Another example is the ancient Greek city-states, which had excellent climate for agricultural products, economic strength and a strategic position attributed to the crossroa d between Asia and Europe. Greece prospered in the rural economy, with rising population levels and extensive tracts of new agricultural land being brought into production. This, like in the case of Rome, was the progenitor of the Greek city-states. The first cities in the world, founded on the territory of Mesopotamia which include Uruk, Nippur, Nineveh and Babylon, were created much like the Rome and the Greek city-states. Thus, the driving force of creation of the first city-states is the socio-economic conditions that united a large group of people on a certain territory. Early armies were not used as a tool of aggression, but as tool of defence, such as the early Roman and Greek armies. As more nations and states were created, however, more and more natural resources were divided amongst more and more states. War appeared within the human civilization and it can only be seen as a result of an outgrowth of economic competition in a chaotic and competitive international system. The desire of the population to improve their quality of life could only be satisfied by acquiring new sources of income. Therefore, wars begun as a pursuit of new markets, natural resources and wealth. As certain powerful states expanded their territory, more and more sta

Economics of the UAE Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Economics of the UAE - Research Paper Example According to the estimation made in July’2012, the total population of the nation stood at 5,314,317. The majority of the population belonging to the UAE has been viewed to be the Muslims, apart from other religious groupings such as Hindus and Sikhs. The currency of the country has been recognized to be Emirati Dirham and Arabic is regarded as its official language. Apart from Arabic language, the other languages that prevail in the UAE include English, Urdu, Persian and Hindi. Most importantly, the country emphasizes upon educating both men along with women and is making considerable investments in this particular sector. The UAE government is a federal one that is structured with specified legal powers (The Cultural Division of the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates, â€Å"UAE Facts in Brief†). The UAE possess an open sort of economy bearing a high ‘per capita income’ along with a large yearly trade surplus. The country has undergone a deep transformation from the region of arid desert to a modern state since the detection of oil in the country. With this detection, the living standards of people of the UAE had raised by a significant level. It has been viewed that the government of the UAE has enlarged its spending in two significant arenas that include infrastructure development and job creation with the intention of enhancing the economy of the country at large. The various decisive factors such as the worldwide financial crisis, deflated prices of the assets and the tight international credit contributed in constricting the economy of the UAE in the year 2009. The different industries that prevail in the UAE which comprise petrochemicals, transport, real estate, pharmaceuticals, cement, aluminum and ceramics among others considerably affect the economy of the country by a greater extent. With regard to assess the economic condition of the UAE, it has been observed

States Make Wars, but Wars Make States Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

States Make Wars, but Wars Make States - Essay Example Hobbes conceived the hypothetical notion of the natural condition of mankind from axiomatic proposition of human nature. Hobbes's state of nature is exemplified by the famous motto "bellum ominum contra omnes" (war of every man against every man) where every person has a right and a need to do anything to preserve their own liberty and safety. To escape this state of chaos and also the satisfy the needs for a comfortable life, people form social contract, ceding their individual rights to create sovereignty ruled under absolute monarch, which was the preferred type of rule by Hobbes, or other types of rule, such as democracy. A unified definition would claim that a state is a set of institutions that possess the authority to make the rules that govern the people in one or more societies, having internal and external, sovereignty over a definite territory. The existing historical evidence only supports the theory of Hobbes concerning the creation of states. Although the creation of the city of Rome is shrouded in myth, archaeological evidence point to the conclusion that Rome grew from pastoral settlements on the Palatine Hill and surrounding hills approximately eighteen miles from the Tyrrhenian Sea and the south side of the Tiber. This location the Tiber forms a Z-shape curve that contains an island where the river can be forded. Because of the river and the ford, Rome was at a crossroads of traffic following the river valley and of traders travelling north and south on the west side of the peninsula. These trade and agricultural conditions as well as the fear of destruction by the surrounding people gave rise to the city that later created the Roman statehood. Another example is the ancient Greek city-states, which had excellent climate for agricultural products, economic strength and a strategic position attributed to the crossroa d between Asia and Europe. Greece prospered in the rural economy, with rising population levels and extensive tracts of new agricultural land being brought into production. This, like in the case of Rome, was the progenitor of the Greek city-states. The first cities in the world, founded on the territory of Mesopotamia which include Uruk, Nippur, Nineveh and Babylon, were created much like the Rome and the Greek city-states. Thus, the driving force of creation of the first city-states is the socio-economic conditions that united a large group of people on a certain territory. Early armies were not used as a tool of aggression, but as tool of defence, such as the early Roman and Greek armies. As more nations and states were created, however, more and more natural resources were divided amongst more and more states. War appeared within the human civilization and it can only be seen as a result of an outgrowth of economic competition in a chaotic and competitive international system. The desire of the population to improve their quality of life could only be satisfied by acquiring new sources of income. Therefore, wars begun as a pursuit of new markets, natural resources and wealth. As certain powerful states expanded their territory, more and more sta

The Implementation of K+12 Essay Example for Free

The Implementation of K+12 Essay The current System of Education in the Philippines is in the brink of extinction, for a new Education System is being proposed. The existing system of 6 years in Elementary, and 4 years in Secondary before entering Tertiary is being challenged. In fact, a major reform in the Education System is on the horizon, and this shall radically change the way Filipinos are educated. Many queries arise because of the new system. Students, parents and even educators doubt the effectiveness of the K+12. Contrarily, the Department of Education does not want to be stopped and is determined to pursue the program. On a reform as massive as this, it is expected that the opinions of the people are divided; after all, it depends in the K+12 on how the Education of the country will progress. It is proper then that the public be educated about the issue. Parents must know about this because in it depends the Education of their child; students must know about this because in it depends the way on how they would be educated; and educators must know about this because in it depends how they’ll educated the students. The purpose of this essay is straightforward: to inform the public about the issue and present my arguments regarding the K+12. I will embark upon the effectiveness of the implementation of K+12, not necessarily the effectiveness of K+12 as a system. In Education lies the future of a society; it is appropriate then that the students be educated properly, because their individual as well as societal growth depends in it. (MJ Flores)

National Business Systems Variations

National Business Systems Variations In this essay I will explore how Porters diamond model explains the variations in national business systems and comparative economic performance and to what extent other ideas and approaches will be required. Porter introduced the diamond model of national competitive advantage (1990) to explain why a number of countries are more competitive than others and why a number of businesses within the countries are more competitive. The model proposes that the national home base of an industry plays an important role in achieving an advantage on a universal scale. This home base contributes the essential factors that will support the organisations in building advantages in global competition. Japans automobile industry and US semiconductor industry have both been linked to Porters diamond model in creating unique business systems and gaining competitive advantage over other industries. Porter (1990) identified four determinants in attaining a national competitive advantage he concludes that a combination of the four determinates within a nation has an enormous influence on the competitive strength of the firms located there. Porter (1990) argues that competitive industries take the form of specialised clusters of home based firms. Clusters are correlated through vertical relations such as buyers integrating with suppliers or through horizontal relations through customers, technology, skills, distribution channels etc (Chen et al 2008). These specialised clusters will enable a nation to create business systems which will lead to competitive advantage and economic success. Factor condition is the nations position on factors of production that is necessary to compete in a given industry, for example skilled labour or infrastructure. These national factors often provide initial advantages for the nation. Each nation possesses particular factor conditions that are more favourable. For example, Japans large pool of engineers is reflected by the number of engineering graduates. These engineering graduates have been essential to Japans success in variety of manufacturing industries. Porter (1990) points out that these factors dont have to be nature made or inherited. Home demand conditions can influence the creating of specific factor conditions which can affect the direction of the innovation and advancement of product development. Porter argues (1990) that home demand rests upon three major characteristics. First the mixture of customers needs and wants. Second the demanding buyers in the home base will pressure companies into meeting high standards. For example Japanese consumers value space-saving gave the nation a lead in compact products and Americas long distances have led to competitive strength in very large truck engines. Third, an industry will have an advantage in market segments which are more important at home than elsewhere. In each of these instances, it is not the size of the home market that is important, but the extent to which it encourages firms to innovate. A large home market which meets all three conditions will be highly supportive of international competitiveness (Davies and Ellis 2000). A related and supporting industry is when one globally successful manufacturing company can create advantages in other similar manufacturing companies. A nation industries will be better able to compete internationally if there are clusters of industries in the home base economy which are linked to each other through vertical or horizontal relationships amongst suppliers, customers and distribution channels. For example Germany has a cluster in chemicals and USA in the semi-conductor industry. Dyer (1994) found in his research that the Japanese network relationships with their suppliers can enable the company to send their workers to assist customers with the work, position the factory near the customers or even invest in physical assets that are customised. This will therefore allow the Japaneses auto businesses to keep up with the inventory and transportation costs low enabling them to improve the product development. For example Toyota was able to benefit from their production net works as they created assembly factories that are geographically close with their suppliers. The firm structure, strategy, and rivalry are the conditions governing how businesses are shaped, managed and deal with domestic rivalry in a nation. The cultural factors are important for each nation. For example each country will have different cultural traits in which the business is structured. This will create benefits for each nation and industry. In Japan the automobile industry rivalry is strong, has seven major companies: Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Suzuki, Mazda, and Subaru which all fight for the market share. These seven businesses compete intensely in the home nation, and within other nations and markets. Strong domestic competition demands all these businesses to have superior technologies, products, and management practices to compete and survive, for example there is high number of engineers in management that emphasis on improving manufacturing processes. The US has only two main businesses in automobile industry which are Ford and General Motors. The US manuf actures have stated that the quality of the automobiles of Japanese cars is better than the US cars. Toyota and other automakers in Japan were able to grab 25% of the US auto market industry while the US home producers for the cars were unable to compete with the Japanese price and on the quality of the product (Buffa 1984). In addition to the four conditions, Porter (1990) points out two important components which are the role of chance which are important as it allows nations to shift their competitive position and alter the conditions of the diamond model. Chance events have different impacts on nations for example the oil shock helped to upgrade Japanese industry (Porter 1990). The role of the government is an important influence on modern international competition. The governments can put forward the policies a nation should follow to create advantages, enabling the industries in a nation to develop a strong competitive position globally. For example the government policy for Japan and US has created success for these nations. According to Porter (1990) governments can progress the advantages by ensuring there is high potential of product performance, ethical standards, or encouraging reasonability and negotiation between the suppliers and buyers on a domestic level. For example the US governments g ave large support in semiconductor industry in focusing on specific products that meet consumer demand for example the missile system in the US national security. Nations can use Porters (1990) diamond model to identify which businesses systems they can build to generate a competitive advantage and compete with others nations globally. The Japanese have considerable advantages in Porters diamond factors. The semiconductor manufacturing and software services are key industries that have contributed greatly to US growth and productivity in the 1970s. Okimoto, Sugana and Weinstein (1984) research found that the US businesses were able to obtain competitive advantage in key industries such as steel, automobiles and consumer electronics. These businesses had the ability to set the standards of each industry, create new technology and control shares of the world market. The markets and industries that Japan have chosen or created a competitive advantage are the autos, steel, motorcycles, cameras and small appliances. The success of Japanese automobile industry is due to the close relationships with their suppliers. For example both Toyota and Nissan are able to work closely with their supply production network to produce high quality cars; this gives the Japanese manufacturers an advantage over the US automakers (Dyer 1994). Research found on Numakura (2004) article has shown that the Japanese automobile companies have greater higher profit margins than the American companies. This is because the Japanese production systems such as Just in time (JIT) and Kaizen have enabled the industry to increase their productivity and cost reduction. Compared to US, rather than having a close relationship, the businesses are more likely to influence their supplier by a number of strategic polices (Buffa 1987). In the 1970s the Japanese had labour cost advantages, strong networks of suppliers, very demanding consumers which enabled them to gain competitive advantage over other nations. However Porter (1990) underplays the role of history, late development theory, globalisation, culture and managerial enterprise in determining the competitive advantage. As a result of defining the problem incompletely, he offers an incomplete solution (O Shaughnessy 1997). This shows other approaches are required to explain various business systems and comparative economic performance in nations. Gerschenkron (1962) theory on late industrialisation could be another approach to Porters theory to explain the economic performance of a nation. The theory shows how Japan as a nation was able to go through a period of rapid growth during 1951-1990 that helped them to compete globally. Japans economy boosted after the US declined as in the 1970s the Japanese companies was able to replace the US leaders in key industries. The production and operation management enabled the Japanese industries to become a competitive nation. This was done through their production systems and manufacturing products at a low cost. The Japanese companies were able to do this by offering the consumers good quality products at cheap prices. Table 1 (Capdevielle Alvarez 1981) shows a comparative evidence of how US companies productivity averaged at 2.7% in 1960 and decreased at -0.3% at 1980. While at the same time Japan averaged a productivity increase of 9.4%, Germany and France productivity also increased at 5.6% and 5.4% (Buffa 1987). The reasons for US decreasing in their productivity growth in industries and their capability to compete globally are due to many reasons. One factor could be the difference of the work ethics values between US and Japan or Germany showing us how culture can also have an effect on the nations competitive advantage on various business systems. Bosch and Prooijen (1992) have paid attention to the role of national culture and impact it has on Porters diamond. Porter agrees in that national culture is an important determinant in the competitive advantage of nations, but does not include national culture in his descriptive framework of the diamond. National culture has an important impact o n relations between related and supporting industries (Bosch and Prooijen 1992) therefore to an extent Porters theory doesnt account how culture is another explanation for the variations in national business systems and comparative economic performance for a nation. For example, Hofstede (1980) found Japan compared to Western and Northern Europe, is a very strong uncertainty avoider. Hofstede (1980) argues that the variations in values between cultures will require the difference organisational responses. The economic environment of a nation can be determined by the cultural values. Gerschenkron (1962) theory also states that history is important in measuring economic success and performance for a nation. Porter (1990) neglects the role of historical cause in his diamond model. In the case of Germany and Japan for example, there is probably a direct connection between past militarism and the present industrial domination. Militarism has contributed to industrial excellence by creating a tradition of discipline in the labour force for both of these nations. Germanys and Japans competitiveness owes a great deal to its amoral military past (O Shaughnessy 1997). Particular historical events can be unique to a country which can determine its character (Saunders et al 1986). The occurrence of invasion and revolution is a shared experience amongst many successful nations in history. O Shaughnessy (1997) argues that there are limitations to Porters (1990) methods. For example the diamond conditions emerged from examining the history of 100 industries, but to do this tho roughly histories would have to be written in the form that would allow such analysis. The detail would require the company histories. Neither the references nor the acknowledgements suggest any such documented histories of 100 industries. The four histories quoted from Porters are just sketches that illustrate rather than test the theory (O Shaughnessy 1997). Chandler (1992) also agrees that the history is important for any organisation and industry. He argues that significant analysis of a business or nation today must be based on the understanding of its past. Reich (1991) agrees on the concept that Porter theory on national competitiveness (1990) to an extent doesnt account for various business systems and comparative economic performance. He argues that economic success or performance is due to national purpose rather than national competitiveness. Nation competitiveness depends on globalisation and the skills, training and knowledge commanded by its workforce, the key to success is the people of the nation. Reich argues that national industries dont exist in any meaningful sense, as it is global corporate networks rather than national industries that now dominate economic activity. Resources are placed in those nations offering the best production and marketing advantages. For example Reich (1991) points that US decline in productivity is due to the changes of the world competition structure as by 1980s more than 70% of the products consumed in US had to be competed with similar goods that were produced abroad with standardised producti on systems. Chandler (1977) stated that a globalised firm can allow other nations to learn and benefit from the same sources of their national competitive advantage. For example in the 1960s, America and other western countries were amazed by the rapid speed of Japans growth and how it was able to manage its economy to become a successful competitor in the globe. America and other European nations started to learn from Japanese management structure and operation. However Porter (1990) makes a strong case of the importance of the home country in todays global economy. Porter argues that by providing a favourable environment for the successful organisations, home countries can play a vital role in wealth creation in the context of international competition. Chandler (1992) looks at a different perspective to explain the economic performance in nations and the development of business systems. His theory argues that large managerial enterprise had a significant contribution on national competitive advantage through exploitation of economies of scale and scope. Chandler states that in order for large managerial enterprises to gain and keep competitive advantages, top managers must commit to the three-pronged investment. This is because these large enterprises have a large market to sell their products to. These large enterprises can create a competitive advantage by producing more at a lower cost with the same outputs. The cost per product is decreased due to mass production and the diversification of the production line. Chandler (1992) explains how the US lost their competitive advantage to the Japanese companies in the semiconductor industry. Chandler (1992) states that many of the US companies in the semiconductor industry such as Inte l and Silicon Valley failed to make long term investments in production, distribution and management that was important for them to become the first movers in the industry. Chandler (1992) therefore explains how the Japanese companies were able to make the investment that was required from them to become a first mover in the semiconductor industry. This enabled the Japanese companies to develop their organisation ability to quickly demolish the American competitive advantage. Overall Porters model (1990) of national competitive advantage to an extent does account for the variations in national business systems and comparative economic performance across different nations and industries. However the model doesnt consider and explain how culture, history, late industrialisation and globalisation can have an impact on the economic success of a nation and the variations of business systems.