Leadership of Alexander the Great Essay - 3102 Words

Leadership of Alexander the Great â€Å"Noble indeed was his power of inspiring his men, of filling them with confidence and in a moment of danger, of sweeping away their fear by the spectacle of his own fearlessness† (Arrian, Anabasis 7.29) Having studied Alexander’s reign and scrutinised the various great successes he achieved in his short life as king, his â€Å"power of inspiring his men† becomes blatently obvious. Thus, even on the rare occasion that Alexander deserves to be criticised there is no doubt that the†¦show more content†¦Arrian is also quick to criticise Alexander when it is deserved, this is indicated by the disgust that he felt at the â€Å"servile behaviour† that Alexander allowed many of his followers to indulge in. This not only indicates how impartial and genuine Arrian is also greatly strengthens the reliability his opinion, in turn helping to justify the praise he adorns upon Alexander. In comparison to the other four surviving sources on Alexander, it is easy to understand why Arrian’s is considered the most accurate. Plutarch, like Arrian portrays Alexander in a favourable light, however, some of it verges on the romantic, thus dismissing it as bias. Justinà ¢â‚¬â„¢s work is widely regarded as unreliable and Curtius is also considered somewhat suspect. Although Diodorus contains valuable material, his dates are confused and his geography is inaccurate, thus respectively making Arrian’s the most effective account of Arrian’s expeditions The origins of Alexander’s excellent skills as a leader can be traced right back to his impressive upbringing. Sharing many of his fathers traits, it is obvious that Philip bestowed upon Alexander a phenomenal personal courage, a sharpness in decision making, intellectual perception and firm leadership skills all of which aid in verifying Arrian’s appraisal of Alexander’s leadership. Inheriting a vivid, romantic imagination and a strong will from hisShow MoreRelatedAlexander the Great: His Influence on Future military Leadership and Tactics2411 Words   |  10 PagesGreat men have lived on the face of the earth and left marks of their prowess and legacy that men of the present and even the future find it hard to emulate; a good example of such men is Alexander the Great. This paper seeks to explain further Alexander’s military genius and its positive impact on military impact over the past centuries. The paper also gives a well thought analysis why Alexander was so much successful in his wars and conquests. His big empire spread all the way from Gibraltar toRead MoreThe Military Leadership By John Keegan1443 Words   |  6 Pagesï ¿ ½Mask of Commandï ¿ ½ is a far-reaching study of the military leadership through history. Keegan provides a study of the styles of 4 generals ï ¿ ½ ï ¿ ½heroicï ¿ ½ leadership of Alexander the Great, ï ¿ ½non-heroicï ¿ ½ examples of Duke of Wellington and US Grant, and a ï ¿ ½pseudo-heroicï ¿ ½ dictact of Adolph Hitler. John Keegan has done an admirable job in unmasking the great military leaders throughout the ages. His book concentrates on four major figures: Alexander, Wellington, Grant, and Hitler. Without prejudice and withRead MoreWhat was so Great About Alexander the Great?810 Words   |  3 Pages Alexander the Great, also known as Alexander III of Macedon, was born in Pella, the ancient capital of Macedonia in 356 BC and was handed down his reign when his father, Phillip II was murdered in 336 BC by his bodyguard. His father was out most of the time trying to extend his kingdom therefore Alexander was left with his mother, Olympias, who was very emotionally close to her son and had a tendency to spoil him. Alexander was handed down a trained, strong and powerful army with excellent generalsRead MoreAlexander the Great Essay1747 Words   |  7 PagesAlexander the Great, son of King Philip II of Macedonia, underwent a journey of overwhelming odds. Alexander led his army through multiple victories across the Persian territories of Asia Minor, Syria and Egypt without the agony of a single defeat. A noteworthy battle of Alexander was the Battle of Gaugamela in 331 B.C.E. The Battle of Gaugamela is significant because it ended Darius’s rule over Persia. [new par.] There are several forces and factors that contribute in making Alexander the GreatRead MoreEssay on Compare/Contrast Julius Caesar to Alexander the Great1013 Words   |  5 Pagesciviliz ation has had a range of great people; two of the most brilliant and influential leaders were Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar. The turning points in history they were involved in were their individual conquests and their unfortunate deaths. Alexanders greatest victory was over the Persians; Caesars greatest victory was his defeat of Pompey. Their actions and beliefs had their influence on their society and society of today. Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar set the standardRead MoreThe Qualities Of A Good Leader1694 Words   |  7 PagesLeadership is the ability to lead or guide a group or an individual through your footstep and wisdom. Without good leaders to shape and guide, society will become stagnant. A good leader must possess the ability to recognize whatever is fair, good and honest, and to set good example of integrity and morel for others to follow. A good leader must never be opinionative until he or she has accounted for all the possibility and facts before having to make an educated decision. In addition he must beRead MoreAlexander the Great: Strenghts and Weaknesses as a Person, Statesman and Leader1357 Words   |  6 Pagescenturies, Alexander the Great has held an eminent place in history. Arguably one of the greatest men the world has ever known, the Macedonian King accomplished many great feats in his short, but glorious life. During his reign, Alexander played several roles in the process of conquering the Persian empire, and in the assessment of his character, aspects of Alexanders capabilities of both strengths and weaknesses must be explored in him as a person, a statesman and a leader. Alexander was a complexRead MoreThe Life of Alexander Plutarch1383 Words   |  6 PagesIn Life of Alexander, Plutarch employs extensive methods to depict Alexander as a man of both great ambition and self-control, despite Alexander’s degeneration of character by the end of his life. In the modern world, the regression from just conqueror to unrestrained tyrant is completely congruent with the contemporary concept of ambiguous morality. In the ancient world, however, everything is expressed and understood in clear constructs; therefore, one’s character cannot change within a lifetime—itRead MoreWhat Has The History Of Leadership Taught Us?1281 Words   |  6 PagesWhat Has the History of Leadership Taught Us The world has seen many leaders that played a major role in paving the way forward (or backward) for mankind. What separated them from the rest of the field was their vision along with their passion and charisma to inspire and motivate their followers. However, the results of their vision and the long term impact may be a different story altogether. We have seen great leaders like Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr that inspired millions of peopleRead MoreCritical Analysis of Power, Ambition, Glory Essay examples1516 Words   |  7 PagesSynopsis Power, Ambition, Glory analyzes great leaders in history and links similarities with leaders of today. Great leaders such as Cyrus the Great, Alexander the Great, Hannibal of Carthage, Julius Caesar and Augustus bear a striking resemblance to characteristics that we see from current business leaders. The historical leader’s leadership style and results that followed give insight into effective management. Cyrus the Great Cyrus the Great saw no boundaries for his conquest. While

Opioid Dependence Treatment, Buprenorphine Or Methadone,...

Research Question The researchers conducting this study wanted to know which opioid dependence treatment, buprenorphine or methadone, has the smallest potential for causing neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) in newborns. Rationale for Treatment Methadone is typically given to treat opioid dependence. This drug, which is a mu-opioid agonist, works by limiting withdrawal symptoms and the desire to use opiates. However, methadone has been shown to have a high incidence of causing neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) in the child. This leads severe problems in the infant such as, hyperirritability of the central nervous system, autonomic system malfunction, respiratory disorders, and others. NAS results in longer hospitalization and more†¦show more content†¦The independent variables in this study were buprenorphine and methadone and the dependent variables were the number of neonates requiring treatment for NAS, the peak NAS score, the total amount of morphine needed to treat NAS, the length of the hospital stay for the neonates, and neonatal head circumference. Discussion The main threats identified in the study fall under the historical category. The study began with 175 participants beginning treatment, but only 131 women finished the study; 28 women on buprenorphine and 16 women on methadone dropped out of the study, showing distinctly different rates of attrition. As a result, the outcomes of the study could have shown bias in favor of the buprenorphine group. However, statistically, there were no significant between-group differences in women who completed the study and those who did not, suggesting that the differences in attrition rates are unlikely to explain the outcomes. The authors of the study explicitly addressed this concern and stated that the results should, â€Å"Be considered in light of the markedly different rates of attrition† (Jones, et al, 2010, p. 2330). They also discussed possible reasons for the differences in attrition rates and said that the rates should not matter as the final analysis conducted excluded women who were on over 100 mg of methadone, removing 19% of the sample. In terms of subject maturation, testing, and instrumentation, there are no

Cash Flow Present Value After Tax

Question: Discuss about the Cash Flow for Present Value After Tax. Answer: 1. Present value of after tax cash flow from exiting old food maker Year Depreciation expense Tax benefit After tax cash flow Discount factor PV 1 ($4000) $1200 $2800 0.893 $2500.4 2 ($4000) $1200 $2800 0.797 $2231.6 3 ($4000) $1200 $2800 0.712 $1993.6 4 ($4000) $1200 $2800 0.636 $1780.8 5 ($4000) $1200 $2800 0.567 $1587.6 6 ($4000) $1200 $2800 0.507 $1419.6 7 ($4000) $1200 $2800 0.452 $1265.6 8 ($4000) $1200 $2800 0.404 $1131.2 9 ($4000) $1200 $2800 0.361 $1010.8 10 ($4000) $1200 $2800 0.322 $901.6 Total $15822.8 Present value of after tax cash flow from new Wonder food maker Year Depreciation expense Tax benefit After tax cash flow Discount factor PV 1 ($5000) $1500 $3500 0.893 $3125.5 2 ($5000) $1500 $3500 0.797 $2789.5 3 ($5000) $1500 $3500 0.712 $2492 4 ($5000) $1500 $3500 0.636 $2226 5 ($5000) $1500 $3500 0.567 $1984.5 6 ($5000) $1500 $3500 0.507 $1774.5 7 ($5000) $1500 $3500 0.452 $1582 8 ($5000) $1500 $3500 0.404 $1414 9 ($5000) $1500 $3500 0.361 $1263.5 10 ($5000) $1500 $3500 0.322 $1127 Total $19778.5 The after tax cash flow effect from depreciation of switching from old food maker to new wonder food maker is savings of $3955.7. This amount represents the increase in cash flow from the new food maker. Since depreciation is a non cash expense, an increase in depreciation will increase operating expense which will reduce the net profit and hence fewer taxes will be applied on the net profit. This savings in tax will increase the cash flow and thus the present value of total cash flows from new wonder food maker will increase. 2. NPV in $ million Probability Best case 10 0.2 Worst case -1 0.8 Expected NPV = best case NPV * probability of best case + worst case NPV * probability of worst case = (10*0.2) + (-1*0.8) = $ 1.2 million Number of outstanding shares = 1 million Market price per share = $50 Market value of the company before investment = 1 million *50 = $ 50 million With a NPV of 1.2 million, the value of the company will increase by 1.2 million, Hence, Value of company after investment = 50+1.2 = $51.2 million Market price of share after investment = value of company after investment / outstanding shares = 51.2 million / 1 million = $51.2 Hence, with the announcement of the investment, the share price of the company will increase by $1.2 and will increase to $51.2 per share. 3. Fixed cash expenses = $120000 EBIT = $130000 Accounting DOL = 2.5 DOL = Contribution Margin / EBIT 2.5 = Contribution Margin / 130000 Contribution margin = $325000 EBIT = Contribution margin - fixed costs Fixed costs = 325000 130000 = $195000 Total fixed cost = Fixed cash expenses + fixed non cash expenses (depreciation and amortisation) 195000 = 120000 + fixed non cash expenses (depreciation and amortisation) Therefore, Depreciation and Amortisation = $75000 Cash Flow DOL = 1 + Fixed costs / EBIT = 1 + 75000/130000 = 1.57 Therefore, Cash Flow DOL = 1.57 4. The various investments and their respective profitability index are given below: Project Investment ($) PI A 20000 2.5 B 50000 2 C 70000 1.75 D 10000 1 E 80000 0.8 Profitability Index (PI) is a capital budgeting tool which is calculated by dividing the present value of all future cash flows by the initial investment. For a project to be accepted as per this rule, it is necessary for the PI to be more than 1. A project having PI of 0 or less than 1 is not accepted. According to the above definition, all projects except E are acceptable since they all have PI more than 1. The company can undertake all the project investments simultaneously because the company has $500000 available for investments, whereas the total investment value of projects A to D is $150000 which is less than the amount available to the company. Hence all projects A, B, C, and D can be approved.

The Best Social Networking Tool for Me

Introduction Choosing the best social networking tool requires a decision process. The paper highlights the cognitive process that will assist one to select the best networking tool based on different alternatives. The steps followed incorporate output of the planning stage decision making that precedes the actual decision making exercise.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Best Social Networking Tool for Me specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Issue Identification Making a Decision Social networking tools have different features, and thus, one ought to choose a tool that is easy to navigate and customize. In addition, the tool should offer maximum benefits and have minimal consequences (Boyd Ellison, 2007, p.1). Goals to be achieved The tool should offer opportunities to add friends in an extensive physical social layer. Additionally, the tool should be an entity of reciprocal altruism and gift economy, a nd ensure privacy and protection of clandestine information. Issue Analysis Causes of decision paralysis Decision paralysis occurs because many people do not understand how social tools operate. Another issue that causes decision paralysis is the several tools that have similar functionality—making it hard to choose. Cognitive and personal biases Depending on the physical appearance of the tool, many people tend to lean to the one that pleases their eyes without considering its functionality. Peer influence and the number of people within an age group can influence somebody to select a tool. Develop Alternatives Choosing one tool over another Choosing one tool over another is not an easy task. Nevertheless, people choose tools that best suit their needs. Moreover, the tool should serve the intended purpose like data protection and privacy. Not choosing any of the tools Certain factors can cause a barren choice of a tool. This dilemma does not eliminate the existing problem. C onsequently, a barren choice does not mean a cut of costs, but rather, an opportunity to revisit the decision.Advertising Looking for research paper on it? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Evaluate Alternatives Rating of each alternative It is better to explore each tool, analyze the benefits of each tool before making a decision. Even though people choose certain tools as the preferred ones, they still want to explore their decisions to establish opportunity cost. Rating of the risk posed by each alternative In the decision process, risks are rife. One might choose a tool only to find that it does not serve the intended purpose. Thus, it is better to rate every risk posed by each alternative and in order to establish how it might affect the outcome. Decision Using Optimizing Strategy The optimizing strategy enables one to choose a tool that would give results and enable realization of objectives. Under this strategy, only allo w a barren choice when the tool offers low utility threshold. Lastly, the tool chosen must meet all conditions of the criterion. Using Max-min strategy Sometimes, limited technology can hinder the decision process. However, it is important to note that a barren choice will suffice the decision process. When costs and implications outweigh the benefits of the tool, then, go for a barren choice. Implementation Plan Decision actions Compare the pros and cons of the tool before taking any decision bearing in mind that the pros must outweigh the cons in order to eliminate chances of a dilemma occurring. In case one fails to choose a tool, then repeat the process again. Additional actions to prevent adverse consequences The best way to arrive at the best social networking tool is first, understanding how the tools work and then weighing the pros and cons with ease. It is also important to make a decision once for all in order to refute any future regrets. Otherwise, a flurry of decision s trategies serves to bring confusion that will cause decision paralysis (Mackaay, 1990, pp. 867-910). Review Plan Risks and drawbacks involved One must understand that the prevailing status quo may change. In addition, the chosen tool will definitely be missing some benefits owned by the other tools. Furthermore, although the tool chosen meets the objectives, it may not necessarily evade personal biases hence, rendering it unpleasant.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Best Social Networking Tool for Me specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Why benefits outweigh risks The choice, and not the status quo, is the paramount thing in selecting a tool. The pre-eminence of the tool in fulfilling the objectives at a manageable cost takes priority. Additionally, a person can sacrifice personal biases by conditioning sessions in order to choose the best tool. Conclusion The very many social networking tools make the d ecision process of choosing the best tool cumbersome. Nevertheless, a good decision process will always lead to the best social networking tool. From identifying the issue to reviewing of decisions, one finds how involving the task is. The scrutiny of various alternatives enables the decision maker to make an informed choice—on that meets the objectives of the entire process (Harris, 2009, p.1). Reference List Boyd, D. Ellison, N. (2007). Social Network Sites: Definition, History, and Scholarship. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 13(1), 1. Harris, R. (2009). Introduction to decision making. Virtual Salt. Retrieved from https://www.virtualsalt.com/crebook5.htm Mackaay, E. (1990). Economic Incentives in Markets for Information and Innovation. Harvard Journal of Law Public Policy, 13(909), 867–910. This research paper on The Best Social Networking Tool for Me was written and submitted by user Sloane S. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Vietnam War Essay

The Vietnam War Essay The Vietnam War Essay 1. The French were involved in a war of Indochina prior to the American involvement. Trace the causes of this conflict and describe the key events and general course of the French Indochina War. Traditionally, the First Indochina war started in the French Indochina in 1946 and ended in 1954. The war was a fighting or conflict between forces from France and their Viet Minh opponents. Numerous factors were involved in the conflict including the French Far East Expeditionary Corps from the French Union led by France. The Vietnamese national army supported the French against the Viet Minh whose leaders were Vo Nguyen Giap and Ho Chi Minh. The large part of this conflict occurred in the northern region of Vietnam called Tonkin, although the fighting engulfed the rest of the nation, spreading to the protectorates of the French Indochina in Cambodia and Laos (Young, 1991). After the French reoccupation in Indochina after the Second World War, the region being in control of the Japanese, the Viet Minh started a protest or rebellion against the French authority that was in control of a number of French colonies in Indochina. The few initial years of the conflict involved rural uprising that was increasingly low key against the French. Nevertheless, after the communists from China arrived in the Vietnamese northern border in 1949, the fighting took another turn and became a conventional war between two forces that were armed with modern weapons (Jian, 1993). The forces of the French Union included several forces from the rest of the former empire including Tunisia, Algeria, Laotian, Moroccan, Vietnamese, and Cambodian ethnic minorities. While the plan of pushing the troops of Viet Minh into launching a war on the excellently defended base was validated, the lack of materials for construction, air cover, and tanks prevented an effective defense, leading to a decisive defeat of the French forces. The Geneva conference made a provisional decision to divide Vietnam into two regions, the north, and south. The northern region was the Vietnam democratic republic under Ho Chi Minh, and the south was the Vietnam state under Bao Dai (Jian, 1993). 2. Explain how the American involvement in Vietnam was a consequence of the Cold War, including how the Truman Doctrine was related to initial U.S. involvement in Vietnam. Anticommunist sentiments in the United States were the main factors elucidating on the participation of the U.S. in Vietnam. First, America believed that overt aggression from the communists in Asia posed a significant and direct threat to its interests in the continent. It is clear that Indochina was the main region in Asia challenged by the presence and aggression of the communists. As a result, the decision of 1950 to provide direct help to the region was a crucial policy choice allowing and accepting the responsibility of the United States in preventing the hegemony of communists in the Asia. This direction of the policy was subsequently concentrated on in the following years, first by the Korean War and then by the escalations between Kennedy and Johnson during the 1960s (Gettleman et al., 1995). It was also applied and used to both the expansible powers of the communists. Concerning China, the United States was directly worried about its involvement in regions as Korea because it feared that such an attack would determine the involvement of the Chinese in Indochina. Furthermore, when it came to the Soviet Union, the United States feared the Russians were keen on attaining domination over the world. All these fears are what led to the crucial policy paper NSC 68 that urged for a sufficient military protection or shield to curb the expansion and growth of the Soviet Union and stop the aggressive actions that where directed by the Soviet Union. Consequently, the paper policy was crucial as it represented the practical extension of the Doctrines by Truman (Gettleman, et al., 1995). Other than the importance of foreign political aspects as critical determinants of the involvement of America in Vietnam, the factors like its domestic situation were also crucial. First, the McCarthyism wave had swept through the nation during the 1950s. This trend depended on the argument that the U.S. had suffered numerous failures during the Cold War, not because of limitations of power, but through the significant presence of communist voices in its government, an accusation equal to treason. Because of this, the administration had to take actions to defend itself from allegations of being too weak to fight communism. Furthermore, the Truman administration experienced a lot of pressure to come up with policies that would prove its resolve of anticommunism. Such policies included containment that would favor an unwavering stance in Indochina to stop the expansion of Communism (McCormick, 1989). 3. Describe the rise of Diema to power, his conduct as a leader of South Vietnam, and his demise. The first South Vietnamese president or leader was called Diem. After the wake of defeat and withdrawal of the French from Indochina because of the accords of a Geneva conference in 1954, the leader led a crucial effort to build the Vietnam republic. The leader achieved victory during the 1955 plebiscite that was increasingly deceitful after accumulating considerable support from the United States because of his strong anti- communism ideologies. He was a Roman catholic, and because of this, he pursued policies that were religiously oppressive and biased against the Montgnard natives and its majority components of Buddhists. However, his policies were widely challenged and met with protests. Amid the numerous religious protests and disagreements that caught the attention of the whole world, the leader lost the support of the American patrons (Jacobs, 2006). He was assassinated together with his brother. Their killer was an aide of Duong van Minh a general of the ARVN called Nguyenn Van Nhung. He was killed during a coup in 1963 that deposed his administration. As the crisis with the Buddhists increased in 1963, Vietnamese nationalists who were non-communist and the military started to get ready for a coup. Minh and his supporters overthrew Diem’s government in a quick coup. With only the palace guard staying to protect the leader and his brother, the organizers of the coup called to the palace asking the leader to surrender in exchange for exile. However, Diem and a number of his close allies escaped to Cholon where they were captured. The two brothers were killed in the back of a personal carrier by the captain with orders from their leader, Minh (Jacobs, 2006). 4. Was Ho Chi Minh more of a nationalist that a communist? Explain your response by citing historical evidence that supports your claim. Many people in the U.S. strongly believe that Ho Chi Minh was a staunch communist. The public was flooded with tales of the leader’s visit to China and Russia. There were stories of how the communist support for him was used to take over and establish a stronghold of the communists in the southeastern part of Asia. However, many individuals fail to hear the rest of the information (Chafe, 1986). Under his leadership, Vietnam had some sort of support and an alliance with the U.S. during the Second World War the Japanese, was their common enemy and gave them a common ground where the communists provided support to the dismissal of another outside invader. After the war ended, the leader set up structures in the government in the country assuming that the country would go back to being a sovereign state (Demma, 1989). The leader himself made several overtures to America and other nations for support as he sought independence for his country. Even the declaration of Vietnam of independence showed the nationalist views of Minh. He realized that America was not going to provide him support for independence, so as a pragmatist, he turned to China and Russia for support. As it follows, he walked a thin line between being a communist and nationalist, and played the three countries without letting go of his independence. Many believe that his ability was a crucial indication of his diplomacy. On the other side of this equation, the leader was a thorough and true communist. He breathed and lived ideologies of communists and was ruthless when it came to attaining them. Many think that he was a contradiction of his ideologies. He was known as an ultimate nationalist and an excellent communist leader (Demma, 1989). 5. In what ways was Johnson’s escalation of the American involvement in Vietnam a continuation of Kennedy’s policies? In what ways, if any, were Johnson’s decisions related to Vietnam a departure from Kennedy’s policies? Johnson’s escalation of the involvement of the U.S. in Vietnam was not a continuation of the policies of Kennedy. As Johnson took over the presidency after Kennedy died, at first he did not consider Vietnam a priority and emphasized on the creation of his Great Society and social programs that would result to social progression. However, his priorities soon changed when he declared war against communism in 1963. This declaration came when Vietnam was deteriorating particularly after the coup that led to the death of Diem. Johnson reversed the disengagement policy by Kennedy from the region by withdrawing a thousand troops with his NSAM to accentuate the war. Johnson saw the Vietnam War as a way to appease his personal coalitional corporate base of power and to make use of the patriotism tide to falsify a consensus in the domestic arena to make way for his personal policies (Schandler, 1977). When it came to the military goals, Johnson wanted to stop the spread of communism ideas from China, and that together with the war’s gradual escalation could be won without the approval of the international forces. He depended on the ideology that a slow war escalation could keep people from developing an interest in Vietnam. Furthermore, the gradual escalation would maintain the Chinese and Soviet Union from declaring war against America. He made crucial miscalculations by choosing to escalate the American intervention in Vietnam. He used a lot of funds to fight in a war that he could not win. Kennedy had different policies from Johnson regarding Vietnam in a number of areas. For example, he did not rely on American resources to win the war in Vietnam, unlike Johnson. His policy towards Vietnam depended on the assumption that the forces of Diem would ultimately defeat the Vietnamese guerrillas without the involvement of the U.S. He did not support the deployment of American forces because he knew doing so would lead to widespread negative political and military effects. This is different from Johnson who deployed a significant number of American troops in Vietnam (Schandler, 1977). At you can order a custom essay on Vietnam War topics. All essays are written by highly qualified writers from scratch!

Contingency - The Relationship Between Behavior and Reinforcement

Contingency - The Relationship Between Behavior and Reinforcement Definition: Contingency is the relationship between two events, one being contingent or a consequence of the other event. Behaviorism (ABA) sees all behavior as a response to an antecedent and driven by the consequences. All behaviors have a consequence, even if that relationship is not very clear either to the observer or the student who may be the focus of an intervention, either behavioral or instructional. The goal of an Applied Behavior Analysis intervention is to change behavior. It may be to increase the desired behavior, to replace a problematic behavior or to extinguish a dangerous or difficult behavior. In order to increase the desired behavior, the student needs to know that receiving reinforcement is directly related to the behavior, or contingent on the behavior. This relationship of contingency is incredibly important to the success of an Applied Behavior Analysis program. The success of establishing contingency requires quick reinforcement, clear communication, and consistency. Students who dont receive immediate reinforcement, or are not clear about the relationship of contingency, will not be as successful as those children who clearly understand the relationship or contingency. Examples: It took a while for the team at Jonathons school to help him understand the contingency between his behavior and receiving reinforcement, so they repeated a simple imitation program with direct, one to one reinforcement until he would comply regularly.

Performance Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Performance Management - Essay Example Performance management systems make use of the fact that performance is increased on the part of all concerned and there is no shortfall as concerns to commitment, dedication and devotion when at work. What this performance management system does is to ensure that the right people get the bonuses, incentives and so on as well as point out the ones who have fallen short on the company’s expectations over a period of time. This would help in giving them rewards and incentives which will eventually make one and all happy at the end. Also this will continue their desire to achieve more and more within a specified period of time and thus come into the good books of the company. In return, they can be given all these rewards so that they could be encouraged in line with their work attitudes. Moreover, the people who lag behind with regards to their work schedules and dedication levels will stand up and take notice and thus would want to be counted as the effective and efficient ones within the company as well. The role of organizations in the maintenance of these systems is also very paramount. The difference from the annual appraisals and so on lies in the fact that the traditional manner of doing things relies more on the basis of paper work where a lot of time, effort and money is rather wasted to state the least. The role played by the organizations in advancing their performance management systems is immense since a lot of the population depends on them for their needs and wants. This is met in a fair manner courtesy the E-government initiative adopted by several different companies and organizations. All such innovations which help and facilitate the related process must indeed be given thumbs up since these try to solve the miseries of the people and it is because of these people that the performance management systems are put into place originally. This further pinpoints the fact that the deployment of an efficient performance management

Knowledge Share-Human Resource Management Current Study Assignment

Knowledge Share-Human Resource Management Current Study - Assignment Example Analysis The opportunity to achieve effective potential at workplace for all the employees in an organization is now significantly recognized as one of the fundamental human rights. Over last few decades, it has also become transparent that the Canadian organizations need to pursue workplace diversity as a competitive stipulation. The pursuit of diversity at the work place is one of the major strategic responses of the Canadian organizations towards globalization (Klarsfeld, 2010). Moreover, it helps the organizations to increase their multiculturalism of marketplaces and workforces. The new diversity definition rejects the concept of mandated targets and quota system in the organizational workplace. Moreover, it minimizes the risk of much of regulatory and legislative framework that accompanied the equal employment opportunity, affirmative action and equity legislation of employment in an organization. Since last two decades the Canadian organizations are practicing this workplace d iversity as their key organizational process. Cultural Workplace Diversity The workplace diversity rests on several premises. ... All the business owners can be benefited from implementing proactive human resource strategies. This process has helped the Canadian employers to build an effective culturally diverse workplace. It is important for the organizations to eventually promote the cultural diversity awareness among all the employees of the organization in order to leverage the benefits and advantages of cultural awareness in the workplace. Workplace Diversity at IBM Employees of IBM represent diverse and talented workforce. Accomplishing the potential of the diversity is a major business priority. Effective workplace diversity is the fundamental of IBM’s competitive success. Venerable commitment to equal opportunity is the major element in IBM’s workplace diversity program. Several business activities, such as promotion, hiring and compensation are performed without regard to religion, color, race, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, genetics or expression. These specific busin ess activities, administration and design of IBM benefit the diversity plans abide by all kinds of applicable law. IBM provides workplace accommodations to qualified employees with disabilities. These are essential diversity plans that can enhance the performance of each and every employee. Giving value and respect to all the employees helped the organization to ensure an effective working environment which is free from all forms of conflicts and harassment. This policy depends upon effective business judgment strategy. Moreover, this policy anchored in the organizational values of IBM. All the managers of IBM abide by applicable laws and organizational policies of IBM. It helps the organization to fulfill their

Prejudice And Discrimination Article Essay Example for Free

Prejudice And Discrimination Article Essay One of the most interesting places to visit in this world is India. Located in South Asia it is officially called the Republic of India. India is well-known for being the second most populous nation in the world next to China.   There are many diverse ethnic groups among the people of India. The six (6) main ethnic groups are Negrito, Proto (Australoids or Austrics), Mongoloids, Mediterranean or Dravidian, Western Brachycephals and the Nordic Aryans (â€Å"People of India,† n.d.). India is also known to be the country from which one of the world’s largest religious congregations has originated, Hinduism. Thus, â€Å"about 80% of the population is Hindu, and 14% is Muslim. Other significant religions include Christians, Sikhs, and Buddhists. There is no state religion (â€Å"India,† n.d.).† India and the large number of its population is home to a vast array of culture and people, and a distinct classification of its Hindu believing population of the structural and hierarchical classification of its own members known as the caste system.   Ã¢â‚¬Å"The caste is a closed group whose members are severely restricted in their choice of occupation and degree of social participation. Marriage outside the caste is prohibited. Social status is determined by the caste of ones birth and may only rarely be transcended† (â€Å"Caste,† n.d.). The caste system is an intricate classification of its population and many people can directly associate the said term with the â€Å"untouchables† or the Panchamas or Dalits who are the lowest ranked within the system and are tasked to perform the most menial tasks of the community (â€Å"Caste,† n.d; â€Å"Dalit,† n.d.). Even though the Constitution of the Republic of India disallows â€Å"untouchability† the caste remains to be very influential in Indian Society (â€Å"India,† n.d.). Likened to other countries or states, India is also home to its own indigenous people, one of which is the so called Adivasis or literally the original inhabitants† who comprise a substantial indigenous minority of the population of India.   These Indian tribes are also called Atavika (forest dwellers, in Sanskrit texts), Vanvasis or Girijans (hill people, e.g. by Mahatma Gandhi) (â€Å"Adivasi,† n.d.).† Together with the Dalits, the Adivasis form the most discriminated group of people in the Indian community. These groups of people are said to be constantly subjected to ridicule and shame all over India in a constant basis. A study conducted by Mayell, H. (2003) has chronicled some atrocities committed particularly against the Dalits who are historically the only   ones referred to as â€Å"untouchables† by citing that â€Å"Statistics compiled by Indias National Crime Records Bureau indicate that in the year 2000, the last year for which figures are available, 25,455 crimes were committed against Dalits. Every hour two Dalits are assaulted; every day three Dalit women are raped, two Dalits are murdered, and two Dalit homes are torched.† Furthermore, she stated that â€Å"No one believes these numbers are anywhere close to the reality of crimes committed against Dalits. Because the police, village councils, and government officials often support the caste system, which is based on the religious teachings of Hinduism, many crimes go unreported due to fear of reprisal, intimidation by police, inability to pay bribes demanded by police, or simply the knowledge that the police will do nothing (Mayell, 2003.)† The Dalits can trace its being oppressed from the fact that India being largely a country of people adhering to Hindu beliefs from which the caste system is derived, are the people who are supposed to be the untouchables or, as discussed, ranked at the lowest. As a result of this, naturally the Dalits are can be rightfully perceived and treated the way religion, tradition and history has treated them, which is sadly bordering on slavery.   However, without passing judgment, albeit being quite possibly insensitive, the plight of the Dalits can easily be viewed as part of the natural made up of the Hinduism belief from which any non-Hindu society member can not and should not question. Religiously speaking, based on the Hindu belief a Dalit is a person who has does not have any varnas. Varna refers to the Hindu belief that most humans were supposedly created from different parts of the body of the divinity Purusha. The part from which a Varna was supposedly created defines a persons social status with regards to issues such as who they can marry and which professions they could hold (â€Å"Dalit,† n.d.). For their parts, the Adivasis being the original dwellers of India had their own unique way of societal structure, culture and tradition which has like most indigenous tribes all over the world become outmoded as the modern world around them evolved. The discrimination and pitiful situation of the Adivasis are not directly rooted to Hinduism but possibly to a mix of modernization and the former. This possible mix can not be easily discounted knowing the fact that most people in India are Hindu or believers of Hinduism. It is important to stress that the Adivasis as a classification within the Indian population is not brought about or classified as such by Hinduism per se or as part of its caste system. As discussed, the Adivasis is an ethnic group who are original inhabitants of India possibly even prior to the birth of Hinduism whose culture has failed to completely cope up with the modern world. Thus, Bijoy, C. (2003) said â€Å"relegating the Adivasis to the lowest rung in the social ladder was but natural and formed the basis of social and political decision making by the largely upper caste controlled mainstream. The ancient Indian scriptures, scripted by the upper castes, also further provided legitimacy to this.† Hence, even though that the Adivasis can mostly trace their own problems from the failure of their culture and practices to conform to the modern world, as contrast to that of the Dalits, which can easily trace their own problems from its religion, the Adivasis by simply being not well-equipped enough to cope with the modern world are easily lumped together with the Dalits. As a result, together the Dalits and Adivasis form the most oppressed people in India who are more known as the untouchables. According to Tarique (2008) it is not only a struggle for dignity and self-respect that these poor groups of Indian people are fighting for. They are also engaged in the â€Å"struggle for their rights and entitlements for land, access to natural resources, livelihood, employment and to market in general. (Tarique, 2008.)† It is sad to note that these said factual happenings in a modern world such as ours are still happening.   It is but a semblance of irony knowing that the problems that these people are facing and fighting everyday are rooted to one of man’s most sacred possessions, his religious beliefs, which in itself has taught us notions of goodness and the proper way to which we should live our lives; religion, from which ideas of turning away from sin and helping one’s own fellowman being the exact cause of a structuralized system of discrimination and oppression.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Strictly speaking it is difficult to question the plight of these untouchables more so with the Dalits than the Adivasis because the former’s pitiful situation can be justified by the fact that society has adapted it as part of its religious beliefs. An outsider or any non-Hindu looking into the said situation may not have the proper perspective to look into the plight of these untouchables.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, it is without a doubt that when one adapts the globally accepted notion of humane treatment, the sorry plight of these untouchables more so that of the Adivasis who are clearly not directly   Hindu in origin, but more of an â€Å"accidental untouchables†, are well   below the world standards of humane treatment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Today as the world has chosen to progress and adapt globally its own evolving norms of legal and illegal, acceptable and taboo, good or bad, the world has given more emphasis to equality among ALL MEN without qualifications based on race, gender, birth, color of skin and etc. It is without a doubt that the untouchables of India both the Dalits and Adivasis are victims of a society who have failed to progress with the times.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Adapting the global perspective and the trend to which modern world is predominantly practicing, today’s world would put any country into shame when one does not act upon or even question the sad and pitiful plight of the Dalits and the Adivasis, the so called untouchables, the accidental slaves of society, people who are as early as birth are discriminated.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In fact as already pointed out, it shall be everyone’s dream to realize and fulfill the perceived mandate of the Indian Constitution itself that outlaws this form of treatment of the so called untouchables. Perhaps only then one can give more emphasis and be prouder to claim India as a country truly rich in culture and proud history. References: Adivasi. (n.d.). Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved January 8, 2008, from Reference.com website: http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Adivasi Bijoy, C. (2003). The Adivasis of India. A History of Discrimination, Conflict and Resistance. PUCL Bulletin. Retrieved January 8, 2008, from http://www.pucl.org/Topics/Dalit-tribal/2003/adivasi.htm Caste. (n.d.). Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia. Retrieved January 8, 2008, from Reference.com website: http://www.reference.com/browse/columbia/caste Dalit. (n.d.). Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved January 8, 2008, from Reference.com website: http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Dalit India. (n.d.). Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia. Retrieved January 10, 2008, from Reference.com website: http://www.reference.com/browse/columbia/India Mayell, H. (2003). India’s â€Å"Untouchables† Face Violence, Discrimination. National Geographic News. Retrieved January 9, 2008, from http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/06/0602_030602_untouchables.html People of India. (n.d.). People of India. Retrieved January 9, 2008, from http://www.webindia123.com/india/people/people.htm Tarique (2008). Fact Finding Mission on the Violence against Dalit and Adivasis Kundahamal District. India News. Retrieved January 10, 2008, from http://www.indianmuslims.info/news/2008/jan/09/fact_finding_mission_violence_against_dalit_and_adivais_kundahamal_district.html

The Theory of Optimum Currency Areas Essay -- Eurozone Countries, Comm

The theory of optimum currency areas (OCA) explores the conditions under which a common currency can maximize the economic efficiency of a region. It strives to identify the essential characteristics for forming a common currency zone as well as its possible costs and benefits. The research has also provided much insight into the area of optimum exchange rate management. The phrase ‘optimum currency area’ was first coined by Mundell in 1961 in his seminal paper entitled â€Å"A Theory of Optimum Currency Areas†. Since then the theory has seen little development and the subject area has often lacked attention from economists. However, the formation of a European Monetary Union (EMU) has stimulated a resurgence of interest in the topic. (Citation) The creation of the EMU has been an ambition of the European Union (EU) since the late 1960s. However, the timeline for achieving the EMU and a common currency was not agreed upon until the signing of the Maastricht Treaty of 1992. The treaty eliminated the national barriers to the movement of goods, labour and capital within the EU, as well as planning the creation of the euro currency and the European Central Bank. (Bean, 1992) The euro was finally adopted on the 1st Dec 1999 by eleven of the EU countries - as well as the Vatican, Andorra, Monaco and San Marino - and has subsequently been expanded further to Greece, Slovenia, Cyprus, Malta, Slovakia, Montenegro and Estonia. (Citation) When Mundell introduced the OCA theory, the EMU was not a consideration and it was merely seen as an academic question. Mundell began by defining a currency area as â€Å"a domain within which exchange rates are fixed† and posed the prominent question â€Å"What is the appropriate domain of a currency area?†. To tackl... ...f incomes and extent of trade amoung the members. The OCA line is downward sloping as the advantages of a common currency depend positively on trade and negatively on income correlation. The higher and further right the points are the more benefitial a common currency would be. Points that are low and left should float their own individual currency. He declared that a common currency for Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and Netherlands would be advantageous but would be a hindrance for Europe as a whole. However, Frankel outlined that â€Å"The OCA Criterion Might Be Satisfied Ex Post, Even If Not Ex Ante†. He expanded by stating that through the formation of a common currency area countries that were below the OCA line could end up above it. Frankel indentified this would happen due to increased trade integration which causes a higher income correlation. (Frankel, 1999)

Great Gatsby and Elizabeth Barrett Browning Essay

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald written in the Jazz age of 1920s America, and Sonnet from the Portuguese written by Elizabeth Barrett Browning composed in the wake of Romanticism, although the two texts were composed in two distinct time period both texts are influenced by their varying contexts in their portrayal of the enduring human concerns. Both authors explore the universal human concerns of love, hope and mortality through the use of various language features such as metaphors, use of irony and the subversion of the established values of their time. Elizabeth Barrett Browning employs the Petrarchan form and male linguistics to challenge the tradition of courtly love whereas Fitzgerald critiques the hedonistic lifestyle, and the fall of the American dream to illustrate the illusion of love and hope. During the Victorian Era people were still very religious and EBB was no different and is reflected in her poetry. She implies that love, if it more than merely attraction and desire, must have a spiritual element. It also further reflects the value of Victorian ideology in its religious affirmations and patriarchal attribution of masculine power. This is especially shown In Sonnet 43 when she writes â€Å"as men strive for Right.. as they turn from Praise. † She also writes how their love will continue after their deaths into the afterlife, â€Å"I shall but love thee better after death. † This suggests her deep passion for her love, and how it will carry on. Even in Sonnet 32 where she is very doubtful, the sonnet still shows spiritual, soul-bonding power of ideal love as the poem ends with the musical and spiritual analogy that, together, they create ‘perfect strains’ and their ‘great souls, at one stroke, may do and coat. As a person like EBB who experienced melancholy, love was very unexpected for her and thus created a lot of doubt, but nonetheless accepts the power of transformation that love brings. In Sonnet 32 she has feelings of inadequacy shown by the extended simile as herself as an ‘out-of-tune Worn viol. ’ EBB makes a magnitude of musical references while also deeming herself unworthy for her lover such as â€Å"To spoil his song†¦ in haste, is land down at the first ill sounding note. † This is saying how she does not want to ruin the song. She also references the male dominance of the Victorian Era showing how the male which is the active, powerful agent which appears to be playing instrument, and is being referenced to Robert. She also appears to express her doubt about the relationship in Sonnet 13, specifically with the imagery of the torch between both the lovers. However the repeated ellipses suggest an inarticulate awkwardness in expressing her feelings and thus drops the torch. Although in the sestet she recognises the great power of love to cause transformation in life. SHe mentions her love is â€Å"rendering the garment of my life. † Realising that she cannot deny love, and the enormous power it has. While Browning sonnet’s explore deeply felt love in Victorian Era England, F Scott Fitzgerald explores the elements of love throughout his character of Gatsby and how his obsessional desire for love was futile and destructive, ultimately reflecting the values and perspectives of the 1920s Jazz Age of America. Gatsby’s pursuit of Daisy involved the accumulation of vast wealth used to host massive lavish parties. The green light on Daisy’s dock repeated 3 times throughout the book symbolises the dream being at the tip of your fingers, yet being unachievable. This was the obsessive, unreasonable longing found expression in the lavish parties at his mansion, as Jordan Baker later explained â€Å"so that Daisy would be just across the bay. † Nick expresses the intensity of Gatsby’s devotion in the metaphor â€Å"He waited 5 years and bought a mansion where he dispensed starlight to casual moths. † Gatsby wins Daisy but is revealed to be illusory. The Degree to which Gatsby’s desire is based on a false premise and unworthy object is shown when he finally achieves his goal and takes Daisy and Nick to his house. Fitzgerald uses the repeated motif of ‘wonder’ to express Gatsby’s ‘inconceivable pitch of intensity. ’ However Gatsby is soon left defeated as Daisy fails to please Gatsby when she fails to say to Tom â€Å"I never loved you†. The fallacy of Gatsbys idealised love is evident in his total defeat: dismissed by TOm as â€Å"Mr Nobody from Nowhere. † However Nick still admires Gatsby for that. Fitzgerald later reveals there meeting before Gatsby went to war was also illusory and superficial, reinforcing the fact that the values of that time appeared to be based more on materialistic wealth. Finally the failures of Gatsby’s pursuit can be linked to the failures of the American Dream and the loss of spiritual values. The book raises questions whether genuine love is possible in the society and culture of the 1920s where it seems to suggest the impossibility of real love when selfishness, greed and infidelity predominate. It also depicts how Hedonistic materialism precludes spiritual values and the idealism of the American Dream. The dilapidated billboard â€Å" the eyes of Dr T J Eckleburg† represents the pervasive consumerism and materialism have taken place of spiritual values. . Dr T J Eckleburg appears later in the book as a motif for the absence of God in the world as when Wilsons remembers confronting Myrtle about infidelity, he said â€Å" You may see me†¦ God sees everything. † In Conclusion the two texts offer differing viewpoints in regards to love, this can be linked to both their author’s values and perspectives during their particular time.

Opening case: Pinterest Essay

1. Knowledge: Do you consider Pinterest a form of disruptive or sustaining technology? Disruptive technology is a new way of doing something that initially does not meet the needs of existing customers. This type of technology tends to open new markets and destroy old ones. While, a sustaining technology produces an improved product that customers are eager to buy. This technology provides better, faster and cheaper products on established markets. I think that Pinterest is a sustaining technology. Indeed, it’s a social network like Facebook or twitter but the system it’s not the same so this website improved the market of the social media. 2. Comprehension: Categorize Pinterest as an example of Web 1.0 (e-business) or Web 2.0 (Business 2.0) The Web 1.0 is a term to refer to the World Wide Web during the first few years of existence between 1991 and 2003. The e-business is ecommerce with all activities related to internal and external nosiness operations. During the Web 1.0 the first type of e-business appears. The Web 2.0 is the next generation of Internet; it’s a set of economic, social and technology trends. This platform is characterized by new qualities like collaboration, sharing and free. This new generation encourages customers to share and create communities. I think that clearly Pinterest is an example of Web 2.0. This website is all about creating a community and connect people together through the things that they find interesting. As a user you can create your own â€Å"interest boards†. Like that you can show and share with your friends what is important for you. Plus, like in twitter people can follow other. In addition to that Pinterest was created in 2010 after the end of the Web 1.0 in 200 3. 3. Application: Describe the e-business model and revenue model for Pinterest. There are several types of e-business model, and I think that the model of the company is the C2C. The C2Cmodel offers services to assist consumers interacting with each other over the Internet. Pinterest is a social network based on visual communication. All the users can really interact with others, the can talk bout a brand or a product. The revenue model is based on advertising fees that generate revenue to the company. Pinterest uses images directly linked to the retailers website and uses banner ads too. Pinterest allows retailers to put adds on the website in exchange of money. 4. Analysis: What is open source software and how could Pinterest take advantage of it? Open source software is software with a source code available free. That’s means that any third party doesn’t have to pay fees to review or modify it. The Web 2.0 counts on that. Users don’t have to pay fees to enter on the website. They can visually communicate without paying anything. Pinterest take advantage of it because people want to share and communicate about their passion, interest of favorite brands. But people will to do that is they had to pay for it. So Pinterest give to them a platform to express them. They are able to drive traffic because it’s free and open source. 5. Synthesis: Create a plan for how a start-up company could take advantage of Web 3.0 and generate the idea for the next great website that is similar to Pinterest. The web 3.0 is the future generation of the web, the Internet more â€Å"intelligent†. The future computer will can understand and analyze relationship. Plus, they will be able to analyze a request like â€Å"I want to go to the theater and go after eat Japanese! What do you suggest? A start-up can take advantage of this new web through several aspects: Integration of legacy: use current devices as smartphones, laptops, and so on, as credit cards, tickets and reservation tools. Intelligent applications: the use of  agents, machine learning and semantic web concepts to complete intelligent tasks for users. Open ID: the provision of an online identity that can be easily carried to a variety of devices (cell phones†¦) allowing for easy authentication across different websites. Open technologies: the design of website and other software so they can be easily integrated and work together. A worldwide database: the ability for databases to be distributed and accessed from ev erywhere. An idea that would be close to Pinterest laying on the web 3.0 advantages would be, that connects all the news in the world in one website. Launch a website that gathers every information on a dedicated subject. The user will type a specific request on the research toolbar of the website, and thanks to the â€Å"semantic analysis† the website will give access to the user to an amazing databases. In additions to that, the information will be rank by importance and pertinence for the user. 6. Evaluation: Evaluate the challenges facing Pinterest and identify ways the company can prepare to face these issues. The Pinterest’ s site is about pining lot of photos and images. Users can go against the law if they pin a picture with a copyright or not their. Pinterest can be the victim of a lot trails against the, accusing them that they violate the copyright. To face this issue Pinterest protects it self by completing the indemnity clause that all users have to sign. By putting images on their â€Å"interest boards â€Å" people can blame Pinterest if they are violating copyright infringement.

Unobtrusive Measures in Sociology Experiments

Unobtrusive Measures in Sociology Experiments In research, an unobtrusive measure is a method of making observations without the knowledge of those being observed. Unobtrusive measures are designed to minimize a major problem in social research, which is how a subject’s awareness of the research project affects behavior and distorts research results. The main drawback, however, is that there is a very limited range of information that can be gathered this way. One way to assess the effect of racial integration in schools is to compare the academic records of students educated in schools whose student populations vary in their degree of racial heterogeneity. Another way that one can determine the results of an experiment utilizing unobtrusive measures is to analyze data and behavior from a hidden camera or through a two-way mirror. In either case, privacy may come into play and a test subjects individual rights are in danger of being violated. Indirect Measures As opposed to obtrusive measures, indirect measures occur naturally during research and are available to researchers in pretty much limitless supply, depending on the researchers innovation and imagination. Indirect measures are naturally unobtrusive and are used to collect data without introducing any formal measurement procedure of which the subject is aware. Take for instance trying to measure foot traffic and item popularity in a fashion boutique. Although placing a person in the store to observe shoppers might give you great data on what people buy, it also has a chance of intruding on the study by letting the shopper know they were being watched. On the other hand, if a researcher installs hidden cameras and observes data collected from those to notice trend, the measure would be considered indirect or unobtrusive. Similarly, some cell phone apps now allow retailers to track the movement of cellular devices in the store if the customer is logged into a discount app for the store. This specific geolocation can measure exactly how long customers spend in different parts of stores, without being aware theyre being watched. This raw data is the closest one can get to understanding how a shopper spends his or her time in a store when he or she feels no one is watching.   Ethics and Surveillance Unobstructive measures come with their fair share of ethics concerns, primarily in terms of privacy and surveillance. For that reason, researchers should be careful with which methods they use and how they use them when conducting these types of sociological experiments.   By definition, indirect or unobtrusive measures collect data and observations without the experiment subjects knowledge, which could be cause for concern for this person being observed. Further, it could be a violation of the persons right to privacy by not using informed consent. In general, it is important to understand the laws governing privacy in the context of your experiment. Chances are, most will require consent from the participants, though this is not the case with certain public spaces such as museums or amusement parks, where buying a ticket acts as a contract for the patron which often times includes video surveillance and monitoring.

Proofread Essay

Proofread Essay Proofread Essay Proofread Essay: Essay which is Doomed to Success Only such essay is worth of the highest grade which content is interesting and informative one and which is free of different kinds of mistakes. Well, to write an essay is as important as to proofread it, that is why do not neglect the proofreading of the essay, obviously do it if you do not want to spoil the result. Proofread essay is any essay, which is domed to success with your professor. You can get a proofread essay with the help of different ways. First, you can reread your essay by yourself and edit it. However, they say that this very way is not a very effective one, as when the person proofreads his or her own essay, he or she is not able to see all the mistakes your essay contains and correct them. At this point, it is essential to ask someone to proofread your essay. You can appeal to your parents, relatives, friends, etc, to get your proofread essays. Of course, if the person sees an essay for the first time with, so to say, a fresh eye, he or she will be able to correct the majority of mistakes that is for sure. That is why better ask someone for help before you essay presenting. There exists one more way of how to get a proofread essay which is considered to be the best and most effective one. This way is called custom essay writing service. You see, within the servicing of our custom essay site, you may turn to such a service, which goes under the title of proofreading. If you make use of such an option, kindly offered by our site, your proofread essay will be worth of the highest grade, as it is going to be free of any kinds of mistakes. Our custom essay writing service will not only present you a proofread essay, but also will check your essay in terms of correspondence to the existing requirements from it. If it happens that some of the parts of your essay are not going to meet all the requirement from it or just will not be either cohesive or smooth, our custom essay writing service w ill correct these mistakes as well. After you have proofread essay with the help of our site, your professor will fail to find even a single mistake in it. We do not leave any chances to your professor to spoil your grade for your work, as proofread essay is always the essay, which gets A+ grade.

What factors influencing Chinese parents tosend their children to Literature review

What factors influencing Chinese parents tosend their children to study abroad - Literature review Example China’s system and policies for education have a number of weaknesses and areas for development for likely investment that cause parents to send their children overseas for better studies. Author Ryan discusses reforms on higher learning in China and compares them to those of international economies. According to Ryan, the influential hand of economic and political realities overwhelms modern relative and overseas studies of higher learning reforms (Ryan, 2011). Ryan’s text tries to provide an alternative cultural standpoint to explore the development and conversion of China’s higher learning system. The book argues that China’s culture philosophies affect the development of higher learning (Ryan, 2011). Even so, Ryan notes that current scientific literature does not offer his argument adequate attention. Researchers Li, Liu and Zhang, approximated returns made in the education sector in urban China in 2012. In this study, Li et al experientially approximated the return to learning through a twins model of data. The research’s regular least-squares model approximated that a single year of learning raised a Chinese student’s income by 8.4% (Li, Liu and Zhang 2012). When Li et al used the twins model, this return decreased to 2.7%, but increased to 3.8% after the adjustment of measurement error. These findings indicated that a huge part of the approximated returns to learning occurred because of absent ability or the family impact (Li et al., 2012). According to Li et al, this was proof that the return of education was low in urban China because of its current education system. In 2012, Li et al studied the medical learning system in China in an attempt to understand the country’s national education system. According to Li et al, China is undergoing a crisis of poor and ruined doctor-patient relationships, which officials deny openly. Li et al says there are multiple reasons for the distrust

Position of Women in Society in a Doll's House Essay

Position of Women in Society in a Doll's House - Essay Example In A Doll’s House, Ibsen explores the realism of women’s social position. Nora enjoys a doll’s roles and attitudes, until she learns that a doll’s life is neither appealing nor fulfilling. This paper analyzes the symbolisms and theme of A Doll’s House. Symbolisms, as well as Nora’s and Torvald’s characters, depict the theme of women’s position in society as dolls, which Nora reverses as she reclaims her humanity. One of the strongest symbolisms in the play is the house, which represents the only private space where women actively work, but also remain duly suppressed as genuine actors of society. The title itself talks about a doll’s house. Nora seems to be playing the lead role, since girls play with dolls and she is seen as a mere girl by all men in her life. But Kashdan underscores that she is not an actor, but a doll inside this house, where men see women as: â€Å"†¦dolls to be housed in toy mansions and be ind ulged, but only sparingly† (Kashdan 3). Nora is one of the dolls in society that must be controlled. Men are the ones who do the controlling. When they marry, they treat their wives like dolls that they put into their houses. Men, as traditional breadwinners, own these houses. They are masters, while their wives are followers, most often than not, they are slaves. Before, Nora enjoys being in this house. The house stands for her feminine domestic duties, which she dutifully follows. Gillian Brown calls this as the â€Å"domestic cult of true womanhood† (Lee 623). Nora’s main goal is to create and maintain a â€Å"beautiful, happy home† (Ibsen Act 1). Later on, Nora becomes the breadwinner of the house to make ends meet- a gender role reversal. She is supposed to stay inside the house, a prisoner of the private space where women can only exist with the secondary social roles in life. Torvald, however, does not appreciate his wife’s sacrifices and eff orts. For him, this house is his house to control alone. As Monrad points out that Monrad believes in nature: â€Å"†¦nature, which again is the creation of God, for ever given and unalterable† (Langas 150). Torvald does not want altered gender roles, because it threatens his power and superiority. The door and Tarantella dance represent Nora’s way out of her doll-like existence and an entry into her humanization. One of the ways that Nora humanizes herself is when she diverges from her doll’s roles. Lee says: â€Å"Nora’s ‘humanity’ relies on a sense that she is the exclusive owner of herself, her body and her work† (623). She becomes independent when she takes matters into her own hand and uses lies to save Torvald’s ego and life. Then, she also secretly works and earns money, another act of defiance and autonomy. Nora, however, is not yet aware of her humanity. She does not even use the word human being to describe herse lf until Act 3. During this time, she says: â€Å"I believe that before all else I am a reasonable human being, just as you are--or, at all events, that I must try and become one† (Ibsen Act 3). When she closes the door, she takes control of her life as a human being. MacPherson stresses that people reach their selfhood through their freedom, and Lee interprets this that for Nora, it entails being a â€Å"proprietor of her own capacity (624). She becomes a person, a human being with free will and civil liberties. Nora’

Impact of New Technologies Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Impact of New Technologies - Assignment Example This fact is applicable to art as well and not only in the disciplines. Just like conventional methods of creating art, digital artists require time fulfil their goals and accomplish masterpieces. For instance, Andrew Liszewski reveals how 3-D scanning can upgrade Renaissance cultures. Liszewski describes the entire creation as a â€Å"painstakingly long computer-controlled milling procedure† (Liszewski 2014). The same description is relatively applicable to traditional artworks such as Leonardo da Vinci’s â€Å"Monalisa† and Michelangelo’s painting â€Å"The Creation of Adam,† which took several years to complete. Tangibility has often been a pivotal aspect of art but is no longer a main concern. Digital techniques are a disruptive innovation in the field of art ITN (Source 2007). However, this technology does not disrupt their fineness in comparison with traditional methods of creating art. One can easily compare 3-D scanning and conventional methods of creating art to achieve a critical analysis both formal arts. However, competing both forms of art makes it difficult to justify the digital methods of creating art. Barry X Ball’s final product is helpful because original sculpture lost a number of elements over the years (Museum of Arts and Design 2013). This effort makes the ready scanning artist’s creation and almost necessary endeavor for admirers of the original sculpture. Whether the above artists’ works are used in graphic projects or for commercial reasons is important. When 3-D scanning or digital methods are used to create art, the products are considered applied arts. As a result, proponents of traditional methods of creating art would argue that such applied arts are not at par with traditional works of art. For example, Barry X Ball employs a different style of art with different methods in contrast to the creator of the original sculpture. Ball uses art concepts used

Consumer Buying Behavior: Digital Marketing

Consumer Buying Behavior: Digital Marketing A very important aspect related to the online marketing is its ability to contact potential customers irrespective of time and location. A major transformation has occurred due to the evolution of the mobile phone. Mobile marketing has been defined as the utilization of a medium that is wireless to ensure that consumers have access to information that is real time-based, location-sensitive and personalized, which aims towards promoting products, services, and ideas, thus proving beneficial for all stakeholders (Robinson, Wysocka, Hand, 2007). According to (Shukla, 2010) mobile marketing will prove to be extremely popular on account of the fact that the mobile phone will be used as a personal device. Mobile commerce has been the outcome of the swift development of the mobile phone. ]]]/|}|}Definitions related to mobile commerce alike in all existent literature. Mobile commerce transactions refer to all transactions conducted through a mobile communication network using monetary values. According to Robinson, Wysocka and Hand, (2007) (Robinson, Wysocka, Hand, 2007) any e-commerce transaction that uses the media of mobile devices and that is conducted through wireless telecommunication networks and other wired e-commerce technologies may be termed mobile commerce. According to Frolick and Chen, (2004) (Frolick Chen, 2004) mobile commerce maybe defined as any form of mobile communication that occurs between a business and its customer. Dholakia and Dholakia opine that mobile commerce is used to carry out electronic commerce-transactions throuvgh mobile phones and wireless terminals. Finally, (Balasubramanian, Peterson, Jarvenpaa, 2002)define any transaction that is carried out over a wireless telecommunication network, either directly or indirectly, as mobile commerce. Thus, to conclude, mobile commerce may be considered to be a business model that enables a consumer to undergo all the steps of a commercial transaction simply using a mobile phone. The media through which consumers will be able to conduct their transactions have the potential to undergo transformation primarily due to the development and usage of mobile commerce as a technology that is gradually emerging. Not just consumers but marketers too are attracted to mobile commerce that is based on wireless communication technology. The availability of this new technology will provide for a complete make-over in the fields of advertising, retailing and shopping in the domain of marketing. Companies that desire to conduct business operations in mobile markets must then, be ready to adopt mobile marketing and mobile commerce. Mobile commerce will be similar in many respects to the internet-based e-commerce but it will also be distinct in some aspects. These are: Ubiquity- The ability that makes it possible for mobile commerce to be availed of anywhere and at any time. Personalization- Mobile hardware undoubtedly is limited by its memory capacity. However, software can be used in such a way that the users needs are satisfied. Flexibility- Users can conduct transactions and/or receive information even when they are engrossed in other activities, such as, travel or work. Dissemination- It is quite possible that the people who act as the origins of information (for example, local retailers) may make use of the wireless network of mobile commerce so that the customers get the required, specific information. Convenience- Users can operate mobile phones very easily. Instant connectivity- Marketers can use the mobile phones to connect with target users just by clicking a button. Location- It is possible to provide location-specific information and products using a mobile phone. The channels related to mobile commerce and mobile marketing need to be comprehended and further analyzed although a number of companies utilize these channels extensively. This research aims at drawing the attention of entrepreneurs towards the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) operators as well as towards the opportunities that exist in the domain of mobile commerce and mobile marketing. This research will focus on (1) mobile commerce and concepts related to mobile marketing (2) tools available for mobile marketing (3) the significance of mobile marketing in India and (4) the comprehension and examination of consumers attitudes towards mobile marketing tools. The digital world has introduced a new aspect of marketing and branding and this has seen an increase in the number of consumers who have turned to the digital space to get their daily dose of entertainment, education, media, and more. The Internet, social media, interactive television, CDs, DVDs, and cell phones are all various aspects of the digital world and these will be preferred extensively by people in the context of digital marketing. The usage of digital media will prove to be an extremely cost-effective measure that will efficiently enhance the online presence of a business thereby increasing it manifold. The popular saying that there is no such thing as a free lunch has been negated by the digital media. This is because marketing using social media and blogs will be seen to help an individual reach out to professionals who were thus far untouched. Also this will increase the visibility among the users of the websites. Consumers will be b able to avail of these services at no cost (Cheung, 2006). If I refer to the figures from Internet World Stats dated March 2008, Internet usage is said to have risen to 91.3% between 2000 and 2008. The spurt in Internet usage has been seen as enabling companies to grab the chance to interact with global customers through online advertising thus resulting in spending of over USD 60 billion in 2008. (Media, 2008) The aspect of digital marketing is quickly automated and adapted to. Digital marketing unlike its other counterparts will be available 24 hours a day, and will not be disrupted by weekends, holidays, hangovers, late lunches, etc. Digital marketing will be easy to connect to and will follow all commands without questioning. It will target prospects, who are interested in the products displayed that very moment (Nicopolitidis, Obaidat, Papadimitriou, Pomportsis, 2003).. Digital marketing will be most preferred because advertising space online will be much cheaper than the print version and will offer better visibility.. The content however will have to be framed in such a manner as to be of use to consumers or else it may have a negative impact. This low-cost marketing technique is expected to be useful to small businesses too. Marketing prospects will increase because of the availability of information through digital media. It will now be possible to decide the target consumers and use a mix of various measures, examinations and profiling of consumers/segmentation to enable a two-way communication process (Thomas Gillenson, 2003). 2. Background The interactive digital advertising perspective includes presentation of information using means that depend on digital technology. Using digital technology makes it possible to create an immediate communication process between marketers and consumers (Stewart, 2004). Consumers can control advertising through interactive digital media by manipulating what they view on the screen while surfing online (Stern, 1994). Given that it can be measured easily, it is precise, customized, and personalized apart from being able to target consumers easily (Iii Woodside, 2005), interactive digital marketing ends up being a very good potential tool for advertisers (Radzeviciute Sliburyte, 2005). Tools that refer to interactive digital advertising include the: Online community, short messaging systems, and the transfer of photographic images using computers that have internet access and mobile phones, which are commonly used today (Stewart, 2004). It can be clearly seen that interactive digital advertising will explore and further strengthen the connection between computers with internet access and mobile phones. Advertising using the above-mentioned media will also be sub-divided into internet-based e- and email advertising, and mobile-phone-based SMS- and MMS-type advertising. 3. Research Aims The main objective of the research will be to examine the attitudes of the consumer towards the four different types of interactive digital advertising including: Internet-based e- and email advertising apart from the mobile-phone-based SMS- and MMS-type advertising. 4. Research Objectives The chief aims of the research include: To estimate if there have been changes in the Indian customers buying behavior due to digital marketing. To evaluate the attitude of the consumers in the context of interactive digital advertising. To analyze different marketing models. To study the various strategies and policies that organizations are likely to follow in this dynamic Indian market. 5. Literature Review Given the prolific use of digital media interactivity amongst advertisers and consumers, marketing activity has been upwardly impacted. Any form of advertising that includes the chances of interacting with consumers is known as interactive digital media. A producer can use this medium to interact with consumers by conducting campaigns related to his products (Schlosser, Shavitt, Kanfer, 1999). The TV-like experience is no longer relevant today. Consumers now demand much more given the rapid inroads being made by interactive digital advertising. Consumers also prefer options like In-Stream, In-Game, HD interactive video, IPTV, interactive kiosks, and mobile advertising platforms (Cho Cheon, 2004). This undoubtedly heralds a change in marketing and the shifts are obvious. Though these run parallel to the increased expectations of consumers these in no way put any boundaries as there may be new and modern forms of advertising that may evolve in the future. The main aim of any Digital Advertising medium will be to draw the attention of the consumer by inventing new and creative advertisements that enable development of personal relations. New technology will enable agencies and advertisers to make use of, evolve and reach new levels of brand-awareness and consumer commitment (Martin, van Durme, Raulas, Merisavo, 2003). This new medium of advertising will pave the way for agencies and advertisers alike to command increased values in terms of worth that is returned. Using the internet as a medium for advertising will now gain significance for gathering consumer information as there has been a rise in the number of internet users (Cheung, 2006). Mobile phones will ensure that targeting consumers becomes even more accurate compared to what it was like before and advertisers will be able to reach potential clients at places and times that are most suitable for the marketing campaign, while at the same time ensuring high interactivity (Nicopolitidis, Obaidat, Papadimitriou, Pomportsis, 2003). The internet advertising industry will thus take recourse to mobile phones (Thomas Gillenson, 2003). Advertising within these two potential channels may be of four types and will include: Internet-based advertising through the website (e-advertising), emailing (email advertising), and mobile-phone-based advertising (m-advertising) of the SMS- (short messaging service) and MMS-types (multimedia messaging service). If I consider the two communication media forms, interactive and individual,, they will comprise what I call interactive digital advertising. It is important to understand consumer behavior towards this medium as the attitudes of the consumer will impact consumer exposure, attention, and reaction to individual advertisements (Schlosser, Shavitt, Kanfer, 1999). There have been a few instances of empirical studies carried out in the context of consumer attitudes and e-advertising (Ravi, 2005). Yet, a majority of the literature fails to include email advertising in its research. Many are unsuccessful in distinguishing email advertising from other forms of advertising. Still, there is limited research which emphasizes email advertising (Martin, van Durme, Raulas, Merisavo, 2003). If I consider advertising, there exist a small number of articles that focus on consumer attitudes towards SMS-type m-advertising, including the study by Tsang, et al., (2004), Rettie, et al., (2005), and Carroll, et al., (2007). The new generation MMS-type m-advertising has received practically no attention from the academic aspect. The fact is that consumer markets and communication media will become fragmented to a great extent (Karson, et al., 2006) so it is important that the differences between the media in the advertising domain be noted. Any analysis that is carried out, which focuses on these differences will enable the marketers to get in-depth information related to the application and suitability of individual sub-types of interactive digital advertising. It will also help choose between the four available sub-types of interactive digital advertising channels to ensure that the message is communicated correctly to the customers. Still, empirical studies related to this subject are rarely found. This research will help aid further study into consumer attitudes related to interactive digital advertising. Actually, this research will aim at identifying the differences that are present in consumer attitudes, which may be related to these four sub-types of interactive digital advertising. I can conclude by stating that the research questions in this study will be designed so as to elucidate whether the attitudes of the consumers differ when it comes to internet-based e- and email advertising, and mobile-phone-based SMS- and MMS-type advertising. Today, when the media are so fragmented there are several ways that can be used to create advertising campaigns that use Interactive Digital Advertising. Interactive Digital Advertising will be inevitable given the Internet is becoming an inseparable and intrinsic part of our lives. 6. Research Methodology Research methodology is the core behind any research that is conducted. I will opt for the Questionnaire method since the primary data suits the needs of this research. There were 20 questions included in the questionnaire that were simple to comprehend. The questions were all close-ended. This has eased the workload of both the researcher and the respondents.

Toni Morissons The Bluest Eye Essay -- Toni Morisson Bluest Eye Essay

Toni Morisson's The Bluest Eye Toni Morisson's novel The Bluest Eye is about the life of the Breedlove family who reside in Lorain, Ohio, in the late 1930s (where Morrison herself was born). This family consists of the mother Pauline, the father Cholly, the son Sammy, and the daughter Pecola. The novel's focal point is the daughter, an eleven-year-old Black girl who is trying to conquer a bout with self-hatred. Everyday she encounters racism, not just from the White people, but mostly from her own race. In their eyes she is much too dark, and the darkness of her skin somehow manifests that she is inferior, and according to everyone else, her skin makes her even "uglier." She feel she can overcome this battle of self-hatred by obtaining blue eyes, but not just any blue. She wants the bluest of the blue, the bluest eye. Pecola Breedlove is an innocent little girl who, like very other young child, did not ask to be born in this cruel world. It is bad enough that practically the whole world rejects her, but her own parents are guilty of rejection as well. Her own father, who is constantly drunk, sexually molests his daughter more than once. The first time he has sexual intercourse with his daughter, he leaves her slightly unconscious, and lying on the kitchen floor with a guilt covering her frail, limp, preteen body. The next time he performs the same act, but this time he impregnates her. Of course, the baby is miscarried. This is obviously not a love a father should be sharing with a daughter. This act displays hatred in the worst way. Her mother's rejection is subtle yet potent. When Pecola tells her mother about the molestation, Mrs. Breedlove does not believe her own flesh and blood. Pecola calls Pauline Mrs. Breedlove... ...n females read this book because I am very curious about how they would react. I feel that they could relate to, and benefit most from this novel, and I bet every young African-American female can relate to at least one character in this book. Toni Morrison was born in Lorain, Ohio in 1931. Her birth name was Chloe Anthony Wofford. She attended Howard University, where she received her B.A. She also received an M.A. from Cornell University. Besides being a writer, she teaches as well. She is now a professor at Princeton University. She is known for such novels as Sula, Beloved, and Tar Baby. She has won numerous awards, such as the Pulitzer Prize for her novel Beloved and the Nobel Prize for Literature.1 Works Cited: 1Kennedy, X.J., Dorothy M. Kennedy, and Sylvia A. Holladay. The Bedford Guide for College Writers. Boston: Bedford Books of St. Martin Press.

Digital Learning vs Traditional Essay

Teachers are a school’s most critical resource. Research continues to show that effective teaching is the most important school-related factor in student achievement, yet access to effective teaching remains widely uneven and inequitably distributed. The teaching profession faces multiple challenges while serving at the front line of improving outcomes for students. First, the nation’s teaching force is increasingly less experienced; today’s typical teacher has just one to two years of experience, compared to fifteen years in 1987. 15 Compounding the lessening content and pedagogical experience in the classroom, school districts also face shortages of teachers in critical areas like physics and chemistry, meaning that many students do not have access to those courses taught by an experienced, certified teacher. In 2007–08, nearly 60 percent of public school classes in high school physical science were taught by teacher who did not major in that subject area. 16 The challenge of finding certified teachers is particularly difficult in rural areas. The state of Georgia, for example, has 440 high schools but only 88 physics teachers. 17 Even Minnesota, which is considered a high-achieving state, has only 182 certified physics teachers for its 971 high schools. 18 And it is not surprising that schools with lower socioeconomic status have a harder time filling vacancies in key areas such as science. 19 Faced with increased administrative, bureaucratic, academic, and social responsibilities with fewer years of experience, teachers find they are not always able to personalize instruction as much as they would like. Fewer than half (46 percent) of math teachers say they can differentiate instruction a great deal. Seventy percent of teachers who say their students are likely to go to college report that they can offer significantly differentiated instruction, compared to only 50 percent of teachers who are in schools with less of a college-going culture. Even more worrisome, 45 percent of students who say they have considered dropping out of school Simply slapping a netbook on give their teachers a D or an F in differentiating top of a textbook, however, will instruction to meet students’ individual needs. not necessarily lead to significant Recent studies of high-performing urban schools outcomes. and evaluations of successful high school reform models have identified â€Å"personalization† and â€Å"instructional improvement† as the twin pillars of high school reform. Creating a personalized high school experience requires high expectations for all students, reliable information about school performance and students’ needs and interests, the capacity to individualize instruction and support, and multiple pathways to a high school diploma. 20 Research continues to indicate that student engagement is critical to preventing dropouts. 21 Growing Opportunities to Improve Learning for All Students Multiple forces are converging to create a significant opportunity with the power to affect education greatly within the next two to three years. First, the technology available for instruction is improving continuously. Second, the cost of the technology continues to decrease. This paper would become dated instantly if it listed exact items and prices, but the price of computer memory is a useful reference. In 1980, a gigabyte of information cost around $200,000. In 2011, a terabyte—more than a thousand gigabytes, and about 2,000 hours of high-quality audio data—cost around $100. 22 Additionally, more and more students today are what could be called â€Å"digital natives,† already accustomed to the rapid feedback, collaborative nature, and ease of use of many digital technolgies. 23 Page 7 Alliance for Excellent Education Meanwhile, forty-six states and the District of Columbia have adopted the common core state standards, affecting 90 percent of the nation’s students. The commitment to ensuring that students graduate from high school college and career ready will require unprecedented work to implement new content, instructional strategies, teacher preparation, and assessments. The benefit is that curriculum developers, who have had to address fifty different sets of standards in the past, can work from one clear set of standards. Sustained professional learning for teachers will also be able to utilize this uniform set of expectations. Just as significantly, almost all states are now working through two assessment consortia to develop online assessments for the common core state standards to be put in place by 2014. The technology exists to make this implementation possible and to lead a significant transformation of the nation’s education system. The Gap Simply slapping a netbook on top of a textbook, however, will not necessarily lead to significant outcomes. Critical for learning success with digital learning is developing a comprehensive strategy that has a foundation of involvement and sustained career training for teachers—not occasional professional development—which concentrates not just on the technology, but also on the pedagogical skills needed to use the technology in teaching and learning. As Greg Whitby, an executive director of schools in Australia who is implementing a widespread digital learning program across a 40,000-student district in Sydney, stressed, â€Å"It’s first about the pedagogy, then comes the technology. †24 As this paper will demonstrate, effective digital media combined with powerful teaching, rich content, and engaged students has the potential to take learning in the United States to a much higher level and provide all students with experiences that allow them to graduate prepared for college and a career. But education is still slow to adopt these technologies. While the National Center for Education Statistics reports that 97 percent of all teachers had access to a computer in their classroom in 2009, only 72 percent of all teachers, and 64 percent of secondary school teachers, said they used computers for instruction. 25 The use of technology—defined as information technology such as computers, devices that can be attached to computers (e. g. , LCD projector, interactive whiteboard, digital camera), networks (e. g. , internet, local networks), and computer software—for higher-order skill development was much lower.