The Americas Education Crisis

Introduction Over the past few years, it has become apparent that the American Education system is failing. This is a classical argument that is advanced by Moore in his publication entitled â€Å"Idiot Nation†; Moore argues that America, being the world’s richest country is lagging behind from an educational point of view.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The America’s Education Crisis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This is also an argument advanced by Orfied Grays’s â€Å"Schools more separate† as he documents that from the early 1990’s, American schools have become more segregated. With a large focus being placed on corporate earnings at the expense of its educational systems, the country is destined for desegregation at the expense of educating its citizens. The public schools are separate and unequal; they are also to a very significant extent racially segregated. A s Orfield (par. 2) point out, the measure of resources between schools is not equal in terms of quantity and quality. This paper therefore provides useful insights on the state of American education; it also provides suggestive arguments on where the problem lies and its causes, and finally it points out as to why the American educational situation is desegregating. The state of American Education System America faces present and possibly future educational problems if the current persistent educational problems are not addressed. In March, 2009, President Obama articulated that the current educational system must work towards improving the student performance in an effort to regain the lost international educational standing, he further quoted â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..despite our unmatched resources globally, our grades are still poor, schools crumble, the quality of our teachers constantly falling short and other nations outdo us.† It is also important to note that even with t his reality nothing much has been done to improve the quality of America’s public education. For many Americans residing in major cities with no firsthand information with regard to the actual happenings in the public schools; there is a tendency to generalize and create a vague idea that the greater racial segregations that were of major concern some forty or many years down the line have diminished in the recent American years. The truth however is the reverse; those schools that were segregated by then are now less segregated while those that were integrated are now gradually becoming more re-segregated. The Public School Enrolment Trends Kozol (par.7), in his article â€Å"Still Separate, Still Unequal: America’s Educational Apartheid†Ã‚  says that by the year 2002-2003, in Chicago, 87% of the enrolment in public schools was black or Hispanic; with the remaining proportion being white. The same trend was also observed in Washing D.C, St. Louis, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Los Angeles and even New York City. These general trends in enrolment rates, where Africans or Hispanic origin racial citizens occupy a large percentage of the poorest public schools represent how deeply isolated the poorest of American citizens have been in the pursuit of education.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More To further compound the problem, Orfield Gray (par. 15) of Harvard University in the publication, â€Å"Re-segregation in American Schools† argues that the little progress that had been made in the early 60’s towards integration has now been reversed. Large proportion of America’s black students were in minority schools between 1968-69 whereby the educational standards were poor as compared to white schools, the figure of black students dropped slightly to 62.9% in 1996-97from the earlier figures of 76.6%, unfortunately by 1971 the figure had regressed further to 68% of students of black origin in an integrated environment. As others would point out, it would be a disheartening experience if great American minds like Martin Luther Jnr. were to visit public schools that have their names or that of other leaders who fought for schools integration only to find out that a number of these schools are promoting â€Å"Contemporary Segregation.† The Public School Segregation In New York City, a school named after Martin Luther Jnr. was located in the upper middle class of white residents in the hope that many of the white students from the neighborhood would easily access the school given its location while the blacks and Hispanic students would perhaps use other modes of transport to come to the school. In 1975 during the opening of the school â€Å"it was seen† as Dillon Sam reported in The New York Times (par. 3) â€Å"†¦as a progressive effort to integrate white, Hispanic and black students†¦Ã¢â‚¬  It turned out that the parents from the neighborhood were reluctant to take their children to the school even with its location and ‘cultural expectations’; not long after, the school became home to black and Hispanic students who were denied admission into better performing schools. Today, the school represents the nation’s problematic architect of an American expectation that is quickly receding and a legacy of betrayal. Causes of American Public School Educational Segregation Perhaps the main reason why racial segregation thrives can be attributed to the refusal to accept the existence of the problem or refusal to openly talk passionately about the problem as otherwise would have been advanced fifty years ago or so. Most of the schools for that matter do not even want to be associated with words like ‘Racial segregation’ and instead misleading statements as ‘Diverse student population’ are often used to describe such schools. Subseque ntly, the cause of segregation in American schools is largely attributed to social and political factors: these include court rulings that reversed desegregation orders in the late 1980s, the progressive isolation of whites in the suburban schools, with increasing segregation of their black and Hispanic counterparts in suburban schools.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The America’s Education Crisis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Orfield Gray (par. 18) further argues that the number of white students has in the recent years dropped while that of their black and Hispanic counterparts has re tremendously grown; this has led to the widening of racial segregation. This is in contrast to an earlier expectation and argument advanced by Moore (par. 6) that the education system has continuously created a divide between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’ and that education should be univers ally accessed by everyone. The Public education systems also fail as a result of sabotage by many educational stakeholders including teachers, administrators, and political legislators. Public education from the conservative’s point of view, fails due to social and cultural inclinations that interfere with classroom discipline and moral framework of education. The gap of achievement between black and white students progressively narrowed between the years of integration until 1980, it started to record higher widening gaps in 1990s as a result of Federal courts’ decision to resegragate by abandoning the principles of Brown decision. The gap continuously widened or remained unchanged with public secondary schools recording the wider gaps ever. Conclusion As America deepens racial isolation and educational inequalities in education, finance and uptake of innovative reforms, the inner city schools are busy making choices other than urban public schools. Many of these publ ic school children have been forced to dedicate a great deal of time and energy into developing appropriate adaptive mechanisms that will guarantee discrete gains within the limits that the educational inequalities allow. Works Cited Dillon, Sam. â€Å"Merger of Memphis and County School Districts Revives Race and Class Challenges†. The New York Times, 5th Nov. 2011. Web. Kozol, Jonathan. â€Å"Still Separate, Still Unequal: America’s Educational Apartheid†. Harper’s Magazine V.311, N.1864, 2005. Print Moore, Michael. Idiot Nation.Vol. 24. Westminster: Penguin Publishers, 2005. PrintAdvertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Orfield, Gray. Schools More Separate: Consequences of a Decade of Re-segregation.  Cambridge MA: Harvard University, 2001. Print This essay on The America’s Education Crisis was written and submitted by user Mentor 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.

Planting Hybrid Poplar, Pros and Cons

Planting Hybrid Poplar, Pros and Cons A hybrid plant is produced when pollen of one species is used to fertilize flowers of another species. A hybrid poplar is a tree resulting from the combining, either naturally or artificially, of various poplar species into a hybrid. Hybrid poplars (Populus spp.) are among the fastest-growing trees in North America and well suited for certain conditions. Poplar hybrids are not desirable in many landscapes but can be of major importance under certain forestry conditions. Should I Plant a Hybrid Poplar? It depends. The tree can be effectively used by tree farmers and large property owners under certain conditions. Most hybrid poplars are a landscaping nightmare when grown in yards and parks. The populus species are susceptible to fungal leaf spots that defoliate trees by late summer. The poplar tree is extremely susceptible to a devastating canker and dies an ugly death in just a few years. Still, poplar just may be the most planted ornamental tree in America. Where Did the Hybrid Poplar Come From? Members of the willow family, hybrid poplars are crosses between North Americas cottonwoods, aspens, and Europes poplars. Poplars were first used as windbreaks for European fields and hybridized in Britain in 1912 using a cross between European and North American species. Planting hybrid poplar for profit started in the 1970s. Forest Services Wisconsin lab led in U.S. hybrid poplar research. The Poplar has restored its reputation by offering a new source of alternative fuels and fiber. Why Grow Hybrid Poplar? Hybrids grow six to ten times faster than similar species. Tree farmers can see economic returns in 10 to 12 years.Hybrid poplar research has reduced the disease problems. There are now commercially available disease-resistant trees.Hybrids are easy to plant. You can plant an unrooted dormant cutting or stick.Growth off stump sprouts insures future trees with little or no planting costs.There is an ever-increasing list of primary uses being developed for hybrid poplar. What Are the Primary Commercial Uses of Hybrid Poplar? Pulpwood: There is an increasing need for aspen for the production of wood products in the Lake States. Hybrid poplar may be substituted here.Engineered Lumber Products: Hybrid poplar can be used in the process of making oriented strand board and, possibly, structural lumber.Energy: Burning wood does not increase atmospheric carbon monoxide(CO). The hybrid poplar absorbs as much CO over its lifetime as is given off in burning so it mitigates amount of CO given off. What Are Alternative Uses of Hybrid Poplar? Hybrid poplar is extremely beneficial in ways not directly profitable. Property owners can stabilize stream banks and agricultural lands by planting and encouraging hybrid poplar growth. Windbreaks of poplar have protected fields in Europe for centuries. In addition to protecting soil from wind erosion, the windbreaks protect livestock and humans from cold winds and increase wildlife habitat and aesthetics. Phytoremediation and the Hybrid Poplar In addition to the above values of hybrid poplar, it makes an excellent phytoremediator. Willows and specifically hybrid poplar have the ability to take up harmful waste products and lock them away in their woody stems. Municipal and corporate institutions are becoming more and more encouraged by new research showing the benefits of planting hybrid poplar to naturally clean up toxic waste.

A Culture Of Compliance

A Culture Of Compliance What makes a good compliance culture can be deconstructed into multiple components yet it is instantly recognizable. It is strong and functional yet in no way hinders the development of profitable new business and can adapt to market, technological or regulatory change. A good compliance culture is represented across all levels of the organization ensuring a coherent and integrated approach to compliance throughout the company. The essence of how staff, managers and executives interact and work is towards a common goal and value system based on mutual respect, integrity and ethical behaviour focused on the long term health of the business, not just short term gains. In the wake of the financial crisis, good compliance culture and ethics are commonly touted by regulators and governments alike as key to promoting both trust and confidence within the financial system and regulatory bodies charged with their oversight. Equally without the credible threat of regulatory enforcement, it is questionable whether a good compliance culture would be possible. So what are the key ingredients? The framework for organizations that are serious in embedding a good compliance culture within their business is based on the following: Tone at the top: Corporate strategy partnered with legal, risk and compliance Tolerance statements aligned to policy measures and triggers, including swift remediation and proactive compliance risk management Governance and accountability with supervision, discipline and swift investigatory processes tied to performance management Risk assessment, ongoing monitoring, testing and reporting (internal and external) Ongoing Training, guidance and development aimed at all levels of the organization Robust regulatory and active supervisory regime Tone at the Top The tone at the top sets an organization’s guiding values and ethical behaviour. Executive commitment to invest and empower those in compliance, risk and legal resources creates the appropriate oversight and encourages staff to do the right thing. Legal, risk and compliance staff must be viewed as important and critical partners in the business and not simply as support functions. Their views are sought and followed through with respect to new business, operations, business models and planning, pricing and product development. Legal, compliance and risk staff have visible reporting lines into the Board, where breaches for non-compliance are taken seriously and are met with swift investigatory and disciplinary action and accountability. It then follows that the Executive which should include the Chief Compliance Officer, Chief Risk Officer and Executive Legal Counsel are duly qualified, credible leaders and can take action. A corporate strategy committed to compliance, risk and legal requirements must therefore be more than a statement of mere good intentions and must be continuously reinforced. Judy O’HanrahanIt is where the executive takes decisive leadership and ownership of a corporate strategy strongly aligned to regulatory, legal requirements consumer protection providing a safe and fair environment for staff implementing active deterrents of unethical or unlawful activities and protecting institutional assets from data theft, financial crime, fraud or business disruption promoting ethical behaviours that foster respect, integrity, consistency and concern for the organization’s core values. This should be the experience of every employee, from new starter to those that seek to exit. It should be clear to both new and veteran employees that those who represent the core endorsed compliance values and principles are promoted or hired to leadership roles and/or appropriately rewarded. Creating and maintaining the right tone at the top aligned with a corporate strategy partnered in legal, risk and compliance offers can and will increase client and employee retention, ultimately leading to the establishment of a good reputation. Tolerance statements aligned to policy measures A good compliance framework is not only designed to address events as they arise but also to pre-empt them by taking steps to address potential issues. In organizations that have zero tolerance for actions or lack of action that could lead to breaches in compliance, swift, specific, measureable, realistic and time-bound actions are taken by management to address exposures. Limits and warning levels should be built into processes and procedures with clear escalation policies that are adhered to. Notification of breaches and reporting should be well defined and transparent within an agreed structure characterized by a hierarchy up to the Board. Policies are widely understood and followed by staff who can attest to each by aligning their procedures with them and taking an active role in their review through a governance structure. Governance and Accountability In order to foster a good compliance culture, good governance is established through a robust and credible three lines of defense model. The First line All managers and staff take ownership of a consistent compliance approach supported by far sighted incentive structures, where recognition of staff doing the right thing for consumers and for the business and each other is recognized and rewarded and actively promoted. Each business unit has embedded risk and compliance partners who are knowledgeable about their business processes and are senior and independent enough to influence or change behaviours and reward positive outcomes. Primarily accountable for development of controls in tandem with procedures and policies to prevent, detect and respond to compliance failures, they can also test their effectiveness. Middle management are empowered to turn compliance values into practice and encourage employees to come forward with legal, compliance and ethical questions without fear of retaliation, building trust and increased levels of employee engagement. Judy O’Hanrahan Senior leaders hold themselves and others accountable for complying with the ideals of the agreed norms of what makes a good compliance culture. Bad behaviour such as circumventing policy or procedure must have negative consequences. It is clear to all that positive behaviour is rewarded and new recruits are screened against agreed principles and values. Finally, internal issues or matters must be adjudicated with fairness, transparency and integrity, and whistle-blowers are protected when they make a disclosure. The Second line Legal, risk and compliance departments are asking questions about conduct, ethics and culture and not just providing assurance on regulatory and legal technical questions. Their oversight of the effectiveness and integrity of the compliance value system must be established in every aspect of the business. Embedding compliance within the processes and procedures in business units must extend not only to laws, regulations and business principles but to best practice and proactive risk management. Their message must be consistent with that of the business and must be endorsed by the executive. They are seen as critical partners in protecting the reputation of the organization, involved in operational and strategic decisions, testing and compliance monitoring. Chief Compliance Officers play a strategic role in the organization, cultivate the right stakeholder relationships, are trusted advisors to the business, have access to the board, drive and influence the culture and are viewed as authentic leaders and role models. The Third line Audits are measuring the corporate compliance strategy and success of implementation of a good compliance culture based on agreed tolerance statements. An annual compliance charter, plan, policies, monitoring and reporting should be tested for effectiveness and accuracy and process related testing. Employee surveys on culture conducted internally or externally by third parties are helpful in measuring the cultural pulse of the organization. In essence, a good compliance culture is underpinned by good behaviour which must be linked to goals and an incentivized scheme that rewards respect, dignity at work, integrity and trust. Risk assessment, ongoing monitoring, testing and reporting A compliance risk assessment helps an organization understand its risk exposure, prioritize risks, assign ownership and adequately resource and mitigate risks, starting with those that have the highest potential for violations of laws and regulations. The application of a risk methodology based on impact and likelihood identifies the inherent risk combined with controls, highlights the residual risk. This must be authorized and agreed with business partners together with an appropriate response that is monitored and reported up the hierarchy, presented in a dashboard against defined tolerances. Audit and Compliance plans should be complementary and monitoring reviews carried out by risk, compliance and audit serve as an early warning system to potential compliance issues by taking samples of business unit activities, products or output. Ongoing Training, Guidance and Development Individuals will need additional reinforcement on ethics and compliance programs through innovative training or workshops so that staff can connect to the values through Judy O’Hanrahan information sharing and story-telling. New starters, higher risk staff, management and operational staff should have specific training geared towards their needs. Encouraging staff to enrol on professional compliance courses run by external parties and to become industry leaders by participating in external committees or federations contributes to further reinforcing a positive compliance culture supported by external validation. Robust regulatory and active supervisory regime A sharp supervisory approach by an active regulator supports organisations looking to create a positive compliance culture and provides the assurance to consumers that they will be protected. Bernie Madoff’s victims, for example, would wonder how did regulatory agencies such as the SEC, FINRA, which are charged with monitoring financial institutions, fail in their supervisory duty to uncover the largest Ponzi scheme in history. After all, there were warning signs and tip-offs that were ignored, missed or misunderstood. Examiners had sat in Madoff’s offices for two months in 2005 without a complete understanding of the firm’s activities. Regulators who understand how these organisations operate and are able to unravel what appear to be complex activities promote ethical behaviour and protect consumers. By focusing on matters associated with good corporate governance and operational risk with a credible threat of enforcement wake organisations up to the realities that created the perfect storm that was the financial crisis of 2008. In conclusion, organisations with a good compliance culture create lasting relationships with clients, customers, employees and suppliers. This ultimately leads to a good reputation in the market and a positive brand that in turn will attract long term investors. It is evident from scandals involving high profile companies such as Madoff, Enron or Anglo-Irish Bank that implementing and maintaining a positive compliance and ethical culture ensures organisational survival and contributes to the stability of the financial system, something that regulators recognize and are therefore scrutinizing as part of their supervisory regime. It is a reciprocal relationship between organisations and their regulators. Without the credible threat of regulatory enforcement extending to personal liability of senior management, compliance and ethics may be mere check the box exercises or seen as obstacles to new business. Nonetheless, organisations that encourage mutual respect, dignity at work, integr ity and honesty among staff and management lay the foundation for not just a good and positive compliance culture but a truly sustainable work environment that is recognisable by its outperformance and endurance.

English Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

English Education - Essay Example An interesting dimension to this trend in education is how students choose their schools. One would find, for instance, that parents take a greater role in their children’s schooling, especially in regard to university and skills education, in their desire for a better life and chances for their children. For example, Doria, (2005) talked about the case of Australia: A â€Å"factor that influences students to study in Australia is that the country is comparatively safe, it has a clean environment, and living here is affordable.† (20) Students are swayed by attractive university marketing, say, one that promotes the high quality of education and the relative appearance of the school campuses. Scholarship offerings, which the U.S.A. is known for, is also important factor in the students’ choices of schools. (Doria 2005, 9- 20) Another issue in studying abroad concerns immigration opportunities. For parents, if their children study, say, in Australia, there is a possibility of obtaining Australian citizenship for all families and that, in itself, is a worthy return for the investment. In addition, many students look for career opportunities by studying abroad where they can develop their mental abilities, cultural perspective and in learning another language. Some of them want to get away from restrictive customs (Doria 2005, 19). The result of this new phenomenon in education is that overseas students are forcing changes in the curricula of universities by requiring emphasis on the methodology of teaching, special programmes and also result in confronting the slowing down of communication classes due to language-skill and cultural barriers. In preserving the quality of education including improving the standard of English courses, universities have to focus on developing teacher abilities and changing styles of educational

Pinto Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Pinto - Case Study Example It seemed that it was more of a rush project, and the company had not dedicated enough time to its design as was necessary. The styling factor took precedence over all other engineering concerns, so much so that the company decided to position the gas tank behind the real axle. This was considered to be riskier and more prone to damage and fire during collisions. The model went for crash-testing and at that time the test revealed that if the collisions were made at a speed of more than 20 miles, the tank would leak and result in the gas leaking into the car where the passengers were sitting (Trevino and Nelson). Contrary to what the results suggested, the company’s management made the decision of continuing with the production of Pinto (Trevino and Nelson). This was based on several considerations. Firstly, the equipment in Ford’s assembly line was already functional and geared towards the making of this car; thus, by not producing it the company would bear significant loss. Secondly, the design complied with the basic minimum that the government and legal standards required. The requirement at that time was that the tank needs to be in place only if the collision is at a speed of less than 20 miles per hour (Birsch & Fielder). Thus, at any speed over 20 miles per hour, the government did not requirement the tank to be intact. Third, the company’s management was of the view that the car’s design matched with the design of comparable cars produced by other manufacturers. The final reason pertains to the Utilitarian line of reasoning. The company had conducted a cost-benefit analysis whereby it discovered that the cost of altering the gas tank would amount to $137 million whereas the benefit was only $49.15 million (Trevino and Nelson). This cost benefit analysis has come under scrutiny in various literatures. Firstly, it was rather erroneously assumed that the number of

The Presidio San Elizario Essay Example for Free

The Presidio San Elizario Essay It is one of the oldest communities in the El Paso Area. The community was established during the late 1700’s. A presidio was built in the area in order to protect the Spanish settlers from the attacking Apache and Comanche Indian raiders. The exact date of when the presidio of San Elizario was first built remains a debate between many local historians. One well known area historian, Metz, writes, â€Å"The original presidio was built around 1773 and that the original chapel was built of mostly adobe and some wood, and took approximately 40 years to construct. Most of the work was done by prisoners, some of them Indian, mostly Apache. (254). As noted by an online source, the presidio itself was surrounded by a double wall of adobe measuring 13 feet tall by seven feet wide. Inside were barracks for soldiers and special officer quarters. Also within the fort were family residences, corrals, store rooms, and a small chapel. This small chapel was built in a box pattern reflecting the early â€Å"European colonialism. † (San Elizario). The chapel has gone through major changes throughout its history, yet still remains close to its original location to this day. As historian John O. West notes, the San Elizario Presidio is often mistaken as a mission. However, the presidio of San Elizario was not created to convert the local natives to Christianity, but in fact was created as a fort or presidio to protect the Camino Real and other area settlements from Apache and Comanche Indian raiders. (19). An online source also notes that the presidio was involved in numerous military engagements and natural disasters which forced its movement many times throughout it’s early history. (Reyes). According to another historian, Douglas Kent Hall, â€Å"The presidio was moved 37 miles up the Rio Grande in 1780 to its current site. † (131). According to another internet source, â€Å"During the early 1830’s the unpredictable Rio Grande River changed course, virtually isolating San Elizario and its surrounding communities as an island in the middle of the Rio Grande. † (San Elizario). After the US-Mexico War of 1846-1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed, establishing the Rio Grande River as the boundary between Texas and Mexico. This left San Elizario to become part of what is now the state of Texas. San Elizario is steeped in both Texas, and Hispanic history. Still remaining today, the San Elizario presidio and chapel has moved many times and gone through many changes since its original construction. One online source notes, in 1829, the Rio Grande flooded completely destroying the â€Å"Chapel at San Elizario. † (San Elizario). A different Website points out that the chapel that stands in the same location today was rebuilt in 1882. (Kohut). Another online source notes, the exterior has changed little from its original construction. The main difference was in the change of the front â€Å"facade,† as this added to the, â€Å"early European colonial,† influence on the contemporary construction of the time. A fire destroyed much of the interior of the chapel in 1935. The inside has undergone dramatic changes since then, again reflecting the influence of â€Å"European architectural style. † With â€Å"pressed-tin† covering the original ceiling covers and beams. Several additions have also been made to the exterior of the chapel. For instance, an orchard has been added to the east side of the chapel and the surrounding plaza. More adobe structures have also been added to the surrounding area in order to add to the formality of the area. The formal rectangular patterned streets and building orientation â€Å"reflects the elements of early Spanish colonialism. † In 1944 the chapel was repainted in order to honor the local soldiers who fought overseas in World War II. (San Elizario). A local college student writes in the Borderlands Website that a â€Å"major restoration of the chapel† began in 1993, however much work still needs to be done to the exterior walls of the structure. The Mission Trail Association, which was formed in 1986, has done much work to uphold the heritage of the chapel at San Elizario and other local Missions. Through their hard work, the Socorro and Ysleta missions, along with the San Elizario chapel have retained their beauty and strength through hundreds of years of faith and devotion. (Reyes). With the help of the Mission Trail Association and donations from tourists and local interest in its preservation, the San Elizario chapel can be a monument for many more generations to enjoy. Works Cited Hall, Douglas Kent.

Great Wall of China :: Chinese China History

Great Wall of China In the year 221 B.C.E., there was a great ruler over the Ch'in kingdom in China, named Shih Huang Ti. Shih was power hungry and wanted more land so he gathered his army and captured the surrounding kingdoms. As the ruler of so many kingdoms he became "the first emperor" of China. Shih showed his tyranny when he burned all history books to insure that his people and future generations would only remember him and none of the earlier rulers. He had a strong army but the fierce tribes north of China, the Mongols and the Huns, were stronger. These nomadic tribes would come into China and steal crops and animals and then destroy everything left behind. Shih was very disturbed with these invasions, so in the year 214 B.C.E. he freed prisoners and gathered workers and herds of animals. He gave all this to Meng T'ien, his loyal general. Meng and the men and animals were sent north to fortify Shih's kingdoms from invading armies. Shih planned to make a great wall by extending and enlarging preexisting walls made by previous rulers. This "great" wall would serve as a barricade to keep out all tribes that wanted to invade China. It also served to separate the civilized acts of the farmers in China to the barbaric acts of the nomadic tribes. What Shih did not know was that the construction would cause many deaths and much suffering to the builders of the wall. The wall which Meng and his men created had watchtowers, forty feet tall, every two hundred yards. The purpose of these towers was to alert the defending soldiers of approaching, attacking tribes. The soldiers at the towers signalled to each other by day using smoke signals, ! wavin g flags, blowing horns, and ringing bells; by night by lighting firework-like objects in the sky. The wall, itself, was approximately fifteen hundred miles long, thirty feet high and, at the base, twenty-five feet thick. It was made of the core of earth and gravel. Actually, it was two walls aligned with each other and then filled in with a stone base pounded smooth. The wall traveled over mountains and through valleys. It went from Liatun, on the coast near Korea, westward to the northern end on the Yellow River, southward to Lint'ao to close off the north west area of the empire from the Huns.

Foucauldian Studies and HRM Essay

When considering about human resource management (HRM) being understood as discourse, it is necessary to connect Foucault’ s theory on discourse with employee selection as a crucial part of human resource management. Though Foucault himself not a specialist in HRM, it appears that numerous organization studies scholars tend to drawn on Foucault’s ideas for the purpose of re-analyzing and re-understanding HRM. (Barrantt, 2001) The reason is that Foucault’s understanding of the relationship between discourse, truth and power implies how we should regard HRM from different perspective and put it into re-consideration. Generally, discourse could be understand as ‘ a set of concepts, expressions and statements that constitutes a way of talking or writing about an aspect of the world, thus framing the way people understand and act with regard to that aspect of the world’ (Watson, 2002: 118). And in Foucault’s view, discourse is a flexible term. In one of Foucault’ s book, The Archaeology of Knowledge, published in 1969, was an outstanding work of post-structuralism example. He believes that discourse is a statement unity. It talks about the statement (enonce), which is a rule for the discursive expression to become meaningful. In Foucault’ s view, the statement has some special archeological meanings. The rules give the meaning of its existence. The meaning of the statement is dependent on the context where it presents. So discursive framing provide a language to representing a topic (Foucault, 1969). So discourse is more than language. It is the way we understand or interpret the world. Due to discourse is shaped or unshaped by society and culture, there are various discourses. The same as for HRM, it can be understand and interpreted from a different perspective. There is no doubt that Foucaultdian studies give new understanding of HRM. This paper will analyze and critically think of three contributions of reframing HRM Foucaultdian studies give. The first part will analyze human resource management as discourse. It focuses on how Foucualtdiansm understand HRM in different perspectives. The second part will discuss the relationship between HRM and power, which includes how Foucault decodes power, its relationship with knowledge or truth, and how HRM associated with power. The third part will focus on one important aspect of HRM, employee selection, to explore how employee selection can be understood and interpret in different ways. Finally, a conclusion will be drawn based on previous discussion. HRM as Discourse Generally, HRM are treated as a set of practices that regard human as resource to achieve companies’ targets or interests. It is a product of modern society. From managerial perspective, human resource management featured with ‘rationality, optimism and authoritarianism’ (Legge, 1995). Numerous scholars have explored human resource management from Foucualdian perspective. Generally, the discourse in HRM is associated with power. Poole (1999) argued that it is probably happened that the discursive analysis contains the description of the HRM discourse related occasion. It will provoke the issue between the subjects who have the right to speak and its influence on employees. When it comes to Foucault, he did not study in HRM but attracts a number of scholars of HRM. Townley (1993) was a representative who put the relation between HRM and Foucault’ s disciplinary power into consideration. She argued that HRM could be best comprehended as a discourse and provides Foucauldian analyses of distinctive feature of HRM. Because Foucault provided a hint that there are interconnections between discourse, power and truth. So Foucault gave HRM discourse much place to be considered from new perspective (Du Gay et al, 1996). From Foucauldian perspective, HRM is to ‘impose order on the inherently undecidable-the employment contract’ (Legge, 2005:345). It is excising of power that allow managers to manage. Following Foucault’s theory, it is argued here that the subject plays a critical role in HRM. To support this, Foucauldian studies lay emphasis on the influence of the subject in HRM. In human resource management, ‘the subject plays a more active role’ (Barratt, 2003). The process of HR management witnessed examination and identification of the subject. Foucualt (1988) himself argued that individuals are influenced and influence others by their certain means. All aspects of HRM including employee selection, company’s culture and performance appraisal are the product of subjectivity. Take performance appraisal for example, employees have to subject to an authoritative appraisal system to confess their performance at work (Townley, 1993). It can be regarded as an action of subjective power. Emphasizing on subject gives space for diverse understandings and interpretations of HRM. Despite of the dominant understanding of HRM from managerial perspective, HRM can be something else because post-structuralism and Foucaudian studies propose that there is no definite understanding of a topic. For example, Nayab (2011) argued that HRM could be interpreted in five ways. The fist is normative perspective, which separates HRM as personnel management and strategic human resource management. The second is to consider HRM in a critical way. It is believed that the reality showed the contradiction between traditional HRM and the new one. The ‘behavioral Perspective’ is different from others. It put more emphasis on their performance. The purpose of HRM is to guide and manage employees in order to ‘attain the desired performance’ (Nayab, 2011). Seen from the systems perspective, HRM concerns about the outcome of human resource. It is a factory that using employees as material and producing organizational turnover. The last one is ‘agency or transaction cost perspective’ (Nayab, 2011). This understanding is putting HRM as a mediator of conflicts for the purpose of minimizing the cost. The five understandings of HRM are thinking HRM from different perspective, which inspire the new understandings or some changes against the dominant way of managing human resource. However, the most important stakeholder in HRM may be employee, because it is the opposite poison against managers also the employee’s voice is increasingly needed in modern HRM. The dominant understanding of HRM is hinking and defining from a managerial perspective. Actually, the employee’s view on HRM varied based on the HRM models (Whitener, 2001) Fiona Edgar and Alan J. Geare (2005) did some research on exploring employee’s voice on HRM. The result showed that employees tend to keep a positive attitude towards soft HRM model and resist the traditional and hard one. However, the current HRM needs so me change in order to meet employee’s need for self-development. It is possible that the different understandings of HRM push the revolution in both theoretical and practical field. HRM and power Michel Foucault is famous for his critical studies on power, knowledge and discourse. However, according to Foucault (1980), discourse has no definitive explanation. It could be understood in various perspectives. There is no definite truth in the world. People always impose their subjective consciousness upon the truth. So it is hard to keep the right way to the truth seeking. (Wetherall, 2001) Classical theory represented by Marx implied the traditional understanding the relationship between knowledge and power (Barratt, 2003). Ideology is regarded as a tool for power. It covers the truth so that people who are governed subject to managing without resistance (Braverman, 1976). However, one main defect of his theory is that he neglects the subject. He defined individuals at work as representation of economic or employment relations (Knights and Willmott, 1985, 1989). In Foucault’s theory, the connection between power and knowledge is complex. Power is everywhere. Also, we have to put human subject into consideration. The reason why discourse is important is that the point of Foucault’s theory not only lies in how the language expresses meanings but also in what is the relationship between the discourse and the objective behind, or what kind of power imposed (Luke, 1999). In the Order of Discourse, Foucault (1971) claimed that the notion of exclusion is well known in our society, but the most obvious one is prohibition. In other words, not all the topic is allowed in a certain occasion and not everyone is given the right to speak out everything. Discourse itself is not an important issue. However, the prohibition behind the discourse surprised us due to its connection with the desire and power. In addition, there is another kind of exclusion principle, which is the opposition between reason and madness. On one hand, the discourse of a madman no doubt will be regarded as invalid and unreliable. On the other hand, the madman is given the gift of predicting and revealing the truth. So in fact, there is no definite so-called â€Å"madness†(Foucault, 1971). The abnormal itself presents the control from a certain group of people. Or in other words, power defines the truth the madness to convince people. In terms of knowledge, Foucault (1971) argued that power create knowledge, they are connected with each other. Also, knowledge is only available to the public only when stated within discourse. He claimed that knowledge and truth are not independent and objective. They are connected closely with power and become the legitimate protection for power operating. As Foucault stated it in The History of Sexuality ‘Discourses are not once and for all subservient to power or raised up against it, and more than silences are. We must make allowances for the complex and unstable process whereby discourse can both an instrument and an effect of power, but also a hindrance, a stumbling-block, a point of resistance and a starting point for an opposing strategy. Discourse transmits and produces power: it reinforces it, but also undermines and exposes it, renders it fragile and makes it possible to thwart it. ’ (Foucault, 1980) Also, the power displayed in Discipline and Punish helps us to critically think about the self-regulation, which can be applied into workplace. It mentioned the disciplinary power. As Foucault (1977) observed, the prison designed by Jeremy Bentham is a technique of the panoptic gaze. The central tower makes prisoners to discipline themselves. So when it comes to the workplace, the panoptic gaze also normalizing individuals’ behavior. In 1950, Elton Mayo and Fritz Roethlisberger put forwarded the Hawthorne effect (French, 1953). They observed the performance of labors in an electric factory. They found that when the lights become brighter, workers tend to discipline themselves and the production will increase. This kind of self-regulation also can be seen in modern workplaces where CCTVs and call centers are facilitated. It is a sort of ‘info-normative control’ (Frenkel et al, 1995) that evaluates employees’ performance objectively. But also the monitoring may damage the culture of leaning form each other and lay too much stress on workers (Knights & McCabe, 2003). However, it seems that power is everywhere but it does not mean power is everything. Knights and McCabe also argued that power is not possessed by certain group of people, even the disciplinary power cannot decide the individual’s behavior. Foucault (1980) supposed that when individuals put power into action, they are given their own identity and meaning. Subjects are getting gradually split from the collective class, but it is neither individualism nor collectivism (Knights, 1994). It should be treated dialectically. So the power has its influence on knowledge and discourse. Or even the disciplinary power promotes self-regulation and make employees subject to the power. However, the impact of the subject cannot be neglected. It interacts with power and discourse.

Effect of Social Media

Johnson & Wales University [email  protected] MBA Student Scholarship The Alan Shawn Feinstein Graduate School 11-1-2011 The Effects of Social Media on College Students Qingya Wang Johnson & Wales University – Providence, [email  protected] edu Wei Chen Johnson & Wales University – Providence Yu Liang Johnson & Wales University – Providence, [email  protected] edu Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarsarchive. jwu. edu/mba_student Part of the Education Commons, and the Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons Repository Citation Wang, Qingya; Chen, Wei; and Liang, Yu, â€Å"The Effects of Social Media on College Students† (2011).MBA Student Scholarship. Paper 5. http://scholarsarchive. jwu. edu/mba_student/5 This Research Paper is brought to you for free and open access by the The Alan Shawn Feinstein Graduate School at [email  protected] It has been accepted for inclusion in MBA Student Scholarship by an authorized administrator of [em ail  protected] For more information, please contact [email  protected] edu. Running Head: EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON COLLEGE STUDENTS 1 The Effects of Social Media on College Students Qingya Wang, Wei Chen, and Yu Liang Johnson &Wales University Feinstein Graduate SchoolRSCH5500-Research & Analysis Submitted to Professor Martin Sivula, Ph. D. November, 2011 Peer Reviewers: Frederic Juillet , Anne Catelotti, Jennifer Gay, Rohan Kichlu, Christina L. Blundin, and Volha Ban 2 EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON COLLEGE STUDENTS Abstract As social media sites continue to grow in popularity, it is our premise that technology is a vital part in today’s student success equation. This descriptive, exploratory research study drew a random sample (N=48) of males (n=26) and females (n=22) who were administered a student perception questionnaire on how social media affects college students.Thirty-five percent of the participants were undergraduates and 65% were graduate students, studying at Johnson & Wales University. Thirty-one percent of participants have full-time jobs, 30% have part-time jobs and 39% do not have jobs. The results of the survey questionnaire indicate that 45% of the sample admitted that they spent 6-8 hours per day checking social media sites, while 23% spent more than 8 hours; 20% spent 2-4 hours and only 12% spent less than 2 hours on this task.Results indicate while most college students use social media and spend many hours checking social media sites, there was a negative aspect to college students’ use of social media. Key Words: social media, college students, learning efficiency 3 EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON COLLEGE STUDENTS Introduction The definition of social media is â€Å"the relationships that exist between network of people† (Walter & Riviera, 2004). In the last ten years, the online world has changed dramatically. Thanks to the invention of social media, young men and women now exchange ideas, feelings, personal informat ion, pictures and videos at a truly astonishing rate.Seventy-three percent of wired American teens now use social media websites (Oberst, 2010). Schill (2011) states that the social media sites encourage negative behaviors for teen students such as procrastination (catching up with friends), and they are more likely to drink and drug. However, every day, many students are spending countless hours immersed in social media, such as Facebook, MySpace, World of Warcraft, or Sim City. At first glance this may seem like a waste of time; however it also helps students to develop important knowledge and social skills, and be active citizens who create and share content.At present, whether social media is favorable or unfavorable, many students utilize these sites on a daily basis. As social media sites continue to grow in popularity it is our belief that technology is a vital part of today’s student success equation. Many researchers have been diving into a considerable amount of res earch on how social media influences student retention at colleges. Many parents are worried that their college students are spending too much time on Facebook and other social media sites and not enough time studying.Therefore, our research ascertains the relationship between the social media and students’ study efficiency. 4 EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON COLLEGE STUDENTS Statement of Problem To address the issue of the effectiveness of using social networking, the first question raised in this study is: for what purpose is the student utilizing social networking? Research on this topic will start to reveal social networking sites are simply part of how students interact with each other with no apparent impact on grades.Thus, the objective of this research is to explore the advantages and disadvantages of students’ use of social networking for study. The main purpose of this research is to expand on previous research, explore the relationship between the effects of socia l networking and students’ study efficiency, and to determine if social media interfering with students’ academic lives. Research Questions: Which is the most popular social media site for students? What is the amount of time students spend utilizing social media in various academic processes? Review f the Literature College students have great interest in social media. For the purpose of this study, social media was defined as Facebook, YouTube, Blogs, Twitter, MySpace or LinkedIn (Martin, 2008). Although, providing a detailed perspective on social media use among university students and underscoring that such use can produce both positive and negative consequences, according to a Nielsen Media Research study, in June 2010, almost 25 percent of students’ time on the Internet is now spent on social networking websites (Jacobsen, & Forste, 2011).Facebook is the most used social network by college students, followed by YouTube and Twitter. Moreover, Facebook alone reports 5 EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON COLLEGE STUDENTS that it now has 500 active million users, 50% of whom log on every day. In addition, according to a study by Online PhD, students spend roughly 100 minutes per day on Facebook. In 2007, the number of students who used Facebook was already enormous: 92 percent of college students had an account. By 2008, 99 percent of students had an account on Facebook.That is quite a large amount considering the service was only opened in 2006 to everyone. On one hand, the positive aspect of online communities is that youths can utilize them for academic assistance and support (Lusk, 2010). Due to the ability of social media to enhance connections by making them easily accessible, social media can yield many benefits for the young, including providing a virtual space for them to explore their interests or problems with similar individuals, academic support, while strengthening online communication skills and knowledge. Students who may be reluc tant to speak up in class are participating in book discussion blogs and writing for real audiences. There are new Web tools emerging all the time that are enhancing learning (Brydolf, 2007). † On the other hand, â€Å"Our findings indicate that electronic media use is negatively associated with grades. We also find that about two-thirds of the students reported using electronic media while in class, studying, or doing homework (Jacobsen, & Forste, 2011). † This multitasking likely increases distraction, something prior research has shown to be detrimental to student performance.As social media websites, such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter gain popularity, they are also are becoming increasingly dangerous as they create modes to procrastinate while trying to complete homework. Hence, in a survey of 102 students, 57% stated that social media has made them less productive. 6 EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON COLLEGE STUDENTS As to the relationship between social media and grad es, a study released by Ohio State University reveals that college students who utilize Facebook spend less time on studying and have lower grades than students who do not use the popular social networking sites (Kalpidou, Costin, & Morris, 2011).Moreover, according to a new study by doctoral candidate Aryn Karpinski of Ohio State University and her co-author, Adam Duberstein of Ohio Dominican University, college students who use the 500 million member social network have significantly lower grade-point averages (GPAs) than those who do not. Nevertheless, another study found no correlation between heavy social media usage and grades. There was no significant difference in grades between those considered to be heavy users of social media and those considered to be light users.Additionally, there was no correlation between grades and the social media platform used. For example, almost the same number of heavy and light users of both Facebook and YouTube received the same percentage hi gh and low grades. Regarding the relationship between using social media with the grades of college students, concurrent with past studies that find that online communication is linked to time spent in offline relationships, â€Å"our findings indicate that Social Networking Site (SNS) use and cellular-phone communication facilitates offline social interaction, rather than replace it (Jacobsen & Forste, 2011)†.Students commonly commented that connect should be invaluable for making friends and supporting each other, especially within the first few weeks after arriving at the University (Oradini & Saunders, 2007). Furthermore, â€Å"The relationship between Facebook and well-being appears to become positive over the college years, possibly because upper-class students use Facebook to connect socially with their peers and participate in college life (Kalpidou, Costin, & Morris, 2011). † EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON COLLEGE STUDENTS Therefore, â€Å"we need to keep in mind that the benefits of this interactive technology far outweigh the risks,† says Leri. â€Å"When it’s used in a positive way, it can be an extraordinary tool (Brydolf, 2007). † Method The purpose of collecting data was to perform a group research on how social media affects college students. In this research, an anonymous questionnaire was administered to collect data which was the standard survey collection method. The total number of questionnaires administered were 50, however the usable questionnaires were (N = 48).According to the respondents, males (n=26) and females (n=22) were involved in this survey. Thirty-five percent of participants were undergraduates and 65% were graduate students currently studying in Johnson & Wales University. Thirty-one percent of participants have full-time jobs, 30% have part-time jobs and 39% do not have jobs. The number of females who have jobs is higher than that of males. This was one part of our anonymous questionnaire. I n the following, other relevant questions were developed to carry out the research.Other questions focused on the lives of students and the feeling of students when they were using different social media. For example, â€Å"How many hours a day do you check your social media site? † and â€Å"Do you post or respond while completing homework? † Also, at the end of the questionnaire, we asked two open questions about the biggest advantage or disadvantage when college students used social media in studying and looking back to the last time that they used social media. The participants were randomly selected regardless of gender or educational level.These questions related to their lives. There were three different perspectives 8 EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON COLLEGE STUDENTS present in the research which included advantage, disadvantage or not sure. However, other independent variables were tried to decrease the impact on the results. Results Sixty percent of participants ar e in favor of Facebook, 22% like Skype, 10% prefer Twitter and 8% like My Space. Sixty-eight percent of the sample reported that they primarily used a laptop to check social media sites; while 20% use a cell phone; and only 12% preferred to use a desktop computer.Forty-five percent of the sample admitted that they spent 6-8 hours per day to check a social media site, 23% spent more than 8 hours, 20% spent 2-4 hours and only 12% spent less than 2 hours. The ratio of participants who posted or responded during school hours was 64%; 15% rarely used social media during school hours; 21% were not sure whether they would like to use it. Eighty percent of the sample reported that they posted or responded while completing homework; 8% would never use social media while doing homework; and 2% were not sure.In terms of the benefit of social media, 20% agreed that social media helps with school assignments; 25% agreed that social media helps to make new friends; and 55% just used social media for fun. Discussion According to the data we collected from the anonymous questionnaire, most college students would prefer to use social media and therefore spent vast hours checking social media sites. Facebook is very popular among college students, even though students would use it when they had classes. Ninety percent of students spent their time on entertainment; there were not too many college students who preferred using social EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON COLLEGE STUDENTS media to deal with their homework. Eighty percent of the sample admitted that they posted or responded while completing homework. It has definitely affected their efficiencies and their grades. Considering the data collected, there was a negative attitude towards social media when college students used them. For instance, imagining one student spent over six hours checking social media site and responded while completing their homework; it would be likely increase distraction of the students which can be det rimental to student performance.Conclusion Our research has revealed that college students were likely to be affected by social media. Social media is attractive; it not only provides college students another world to make friends, also provides a good way to release pressure. To some degree, it absolutely affects the lives of college students including the grades. This research also indicates that an approach is needed to better balance the relationship between social media and academic study. Therefore, college students should think more about the balancing equation of social media and academics.Limitations and Recommendations This study was limited in several aspects. First, the timeframe to collect data was too short. Three to four weeks for the study was not sufficient. Second, a total of 50 questionnaires were administered, however usable questionnaires were 48, so the result may not reflect the real situation for the whole population. With this sample size, the estimated samp le error is 14. 4%, so an increase in sample size might yield different results. And, of course these results might be affected by this very large sample error. 0 EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON COLLEGE STUDENTS Third, this research did not consider student’s psychological state; perhaps influences and motivations for social networking use. Our research indicated that most college students would prefer to use social media and spend many hours checking social media sites. Social networking is definitely affecting students’ efficiencies as well as their grades. Hence, educators need to be concerned about these problems and try to find better ways to solve these problems.Although, framed within an academic context, the concepts outlined here can be utilized to investigate the use of communication technology not only at school, however also at home, workplace, and various other settings, and for a variety of different audiences such as teenagers, young adults, the elderly, or f amilies. For future research, it may be more helpful to measure the social presence besides motivation and pressure, examining how a student’s psychological state influences motivations for social media use.Also, do social media sites have a positive influence on study and academics and are students leveraging them as cited sources in discipline research? 11 EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON COLLEGE STUDENTS References Baldwin, T. T. , Bedell, M. D. , & Johnson, J. L. (1997). The social fabric of a team-Based M. B. A. Program: Network effects on student satisfaction and performance. Academy Of Management Journal, 40(6), 1369-1397. doi:10. 2307/257037 Brydolf, C. (2007). Minding MySpace: Balancing the benefits and risks of students' online social networks. Education Digest, 73(2), 4. Domine, V. 2009). A social history of media, technology and schooling. Journal of Media Literacy Education, 1(1), 42-52. Gerlich, R. , Browning, L. , & Westermann, L. (2010). The social media affinity sc ale: implications for education. Contemporary Issues in Education Research, 3(11), 35-41. Jacobsen, W. C. , & Forste, R. (2011). The Wired Generation: Academic and Social Outcomes of Electronic Media Use Among University Students. Junco, R. , Merson, D. , & Salter, D. W. (2010). The Effect of Gender, Ethnicity, and Income on College Students' Use of Communication. Kalpidou, M. , Costin, D. & Morris, J. (2011). The relationship between Facebook and the well-being of undergraduate college students. Cyberpsychology, Behavior & Social Networking, 14 (4), 183-189. doi:10. 1089/cyber. 2010. 0061. Lusk, B. (2010). Digital natives and social media behaviors: An overview. Prevention Researcher, 173-6. Margaryan, A. , Littlejohn, A. , & Vojt, G. (2011). Are digital natives a myth or reality? University students' use of 12 EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON COLLEGE STUDENTS digital technologies. Computers & Education, 56(2), 429-440. Oberst, L. (2010). The 6S Social Network.Retrieved from: http://sixs entences. ning. com/profile/LindsayOberst Rosen, L. , Lim, A. , Carrier, L. , & Cheever, N. (2011). An empirical examination of the educational impact of text message-induced task switching in the classroom: educational implications and strategies to enhance learning. (2011). Psicologia Educativa, 17(2), 163-177. http://dx. doi. org/10. 5093/ed2011v17n2a4 Schill, R. (2011). Social Networking Teens More Likely to Drink, Use Drugs, Study Finds. Retrieved from: http://jjie. org/teens-on-facebook-more-likely-drink-oruse-drugs-study-finds/20713

Test Bank Essay Example

Test Bank Essay Example Test Bank Paper Test Bank Paper Chapter 1- Strategic Management and Strategic Competitiveness TRUE/FALSE 1. The Chapter 1 Opening Case shows that Borders was unsuccessful in competing in Internet book sales, but not against brick-and-mortar stores. ANS:F 2. According to the Chapter 1 Opening Case, Barnes Noble and Amazon were more competitive than Borders and adjusted more effectively to changes in the retail book market. ANS:T 3. The Chapter 1 Opening Case illustrates that while Borders was able to achieve strategic competitiveness, it did not achieve above-average returns because of conditions beyond the control of of its top management. ANS:F 4. According to the Chapter 1 Opening Case, Barnes Noble and Amazon were more effective than Borders in using the strategic management process as the foundation for the commitments, decisions, and actions they took to pursue strategic competitiveness and above-average returns. ANS:T 5. Strategic competitiveness is achieved when a firm successfully formulates and implements a value-creating strategy. ANS:T 6. Alligator Enterprises has earned above-average returns since its founding five years ago. Since no other firm has challenged Alligator in its articular market niche, the firm’s owners can feel secure that Alligator has established a competitive advantage. ANS:F 7. The goal of strategic management is to develop a competitive advantage that is permanent. ANS:F 8. Risk in terms of financial returns reflects an investor’s uncertainty about economic gains or losses that will result from a particular investment. ANS:T 9. Average returns are returns in excess of wha t an investor expects to earn from other investments with a similar amount of risk. ANS:F 10. Returns can only be measured in accounting terms such as return on assets, return on equity, or return on sales. ANS:F 11. According to the Chapter 1 Strategic Focus, Huawei was successful in the US market primarily because of its ability to build Guanxi with the US government. ANS:F 12. The Chapter 1 Strategic Focus shows that while Guanxi is an important element of doing business in China, it is unimportant in doing business in the United States as Huawei discovered when it entered US markets. ANS:F 13. Economies of scale and huge advertising budgets are just as effective in the new competitive landscape as they were in the past, but they must be reinforced by strategic flexibility. ANS:F 14. The two primary drivers of hypers of incremental innovations include iPods, PDAs, WiFi, and web browser software. ANS:F 18. The rapid rate of technological diffusion has increased the competitive benefits of patents. ANS:F 19. Apple (Chapter 1 Strategic Focus) is a source of hypercompetition through its development and introduction of disruptive technologies such as the iPod. ANS:T 20. Developed countries still have major advantages in access to information technology over emerging economies because of the significant cost of the infrastructure needed for computing power. ANS:F 21. The rate of growth of Internet-based applications could be affected by the possibility of Internet service providers charging users for downloading those applications. ANS:T 2. The new CEO of Opacity Enterprises is determined to make the long-established firm strategically flexible. The CEO feels that the employees of the company have the ability, training, and resources to engage in continuous learning. The main obstacle the CEO must face is inertia. ANS:T 23. One capability characteristic of a firm with strategic flexibility is the capacity to learn. ANS:T 24. The I/O (industrial organization) model assumes that the uniqueness of a firm’s resources and capabilities are its main source of above-average returns. ANS:F 25. The CEO of Twin Spires, Inc. , is emotionally and intellectually committed to using the resources of the firm to serve the needs of the natural gardening community by providing rare and native plants to individuals and nurseries around the United States. This commitment has carried the CEO through long periods of below average returns on investment. The perspective of the CEO of Twin Spires is consistent with the assumptions of the industrial organizational (I/O) model. ANS:F 26. Although the fast food (or quick-service) industry is unattractive, McDonald’s has earned above-average returns through product innovations, enhancing existing facilities, and buying properties outside the United States. ANS:F 27. The five forces model suggests that firms should target the industry with the highest potential for above-average returns and then implement either a cost-leadership strategy or a differentiation strategy. ANS:T 28. The uniqueness of a firm’s resources and capabilities is the basis for a firm’s strategy and determines its ability to earn above-average returns under the I/O view. ANS:F 9. Research shows that a greater percentage of a firm’s profitability is explained by the I/O rather than the resource-based model. ANS:F 30. The resource-based model assumes that if firms have resources that are rare or costly to imitate, this is sufficient to form a basis for competitive advantage. ANS:F 31. Resources are considered rare when they have no structural equivalent. ANS:F 32. The assumptions of the industrial organizational model and the resource-based model are contradictory. Therefore, organizational strategists must choose one or the other model as the basis for developing a strategic plan. ANS:F 33. An effective vision statement will specify the market to be served. ANS:F 34. An effective vision stretches and challenges people and can result in increased innovation as illustrated by Apple’s CEO Steve Jobs who is known to think bigger and differently than most people (â€Å"putting a dent in the universe†). ANS:T 35. Organizational mission statements typically do not include statements about profitability and earning above-average returns. ANS:T 36. A firm’s mission tends to be enduring while its vision can change in light of changing environmental conditions. ANS:F 37. Organizational stakeholders are the firm’s internal resources, capabilities, and core competencies that are used to accomplish what may at first appear to be unattainable goals in the competitive environment. ANS:F 38. The degree to which the firm is dependent on a stakeholder group gives that stakeholder less influence. ANS:F 39. The needs and desires of organizational stakeholders are inherently contradictory. ANS:T 40. Relative power is the most critical criteria for prioritizing the demands of stakeholders. ANS:T 41. Hourly workers on the production line of a chicken-processing plant are considered organizational stakeholders. ANS:T 42. Customers, suppliers, unions, and local governments are examples of capital market stakeholders. ANS:F 43. When the firm earns lower-than-average returns, the highest priority is given to satisfying the needs of capital market stakeholders over the needs of product market and organizational shareholders. ANS:FPTS 44. Six years ago, Colette Smith founded a successful catering company that specializes in providing a wide assortment of miniature cheesecakes for corporate and social events. Although Ms. Smith is no longer active in the actual production of the cheesecakes, she continues as president of the catering company. Ms. Smith could be considered a strategic leader of this firm. ANS:T 45. Organizational culture refers to the core values shared by the firm’s top-level managers but not necessarily accepted by lower-level employees who are often transitory and not committed to the organization. ANS:F 46. Although organizational cultures vary considerably, one cannot make an objective judgment that some organizational cultures are more or less functional than others. ANS:F 47. Strategic leaders must have a strong strategic orientation while embracing change in the dynamic competitive landscape. ANS:T 48. Profit pools allow strategic leaders to predict the outcomes of their decisions before taking efforts to implement them. ANS:T 49. Corporate-level strategy in a diversified organization requires a common business strategy for each component business. ANS:F 50. An organization’s willingness to tolerate or encourage unethical behavior is a reflection of its core values. ANS:T

DISCUSSION BOARD Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

DISCUSSION BOARD - Essay Example al accountants are primarily focused on what the enterprise has done and how it has performed, managerial accountants are also concerned with what is happening now and what may happen in the future. Because they have different roles and different audiences, they also have different reporting methods, statements, and standards. Financial accounting has, as its basic goal, to provide clear and accurate information to external parties that will make decisions on credit and investment. Because this audience is wide and unknown to the preparer of the information, it is mandatory that the financial accountant follows traditional and acceptable conventions. The financial accountant will file income statements, balance sheets, cash flow, and earnings statements. To standardize the reporting process and give credibility to the reports, the financial accountant is required to follow Generally Accepted Accounting Procedures (GAAP). These reports are generated at set intervals, such as quarterly or yearly, and audited by independent auditors. These procedures insure that the decision-makers will have a reference point with which to make an informed decision. Managerial accountants, more focused on current and future business decisions, prepare statements to be used by internal decision-makers. These reports assess past performance as well as forecast the future direction of the enterprise. Because this information is used by management and directors to make daily decisions, it is focused on timeliness and centered on efficiency and return. The frequency that these reports are generated is set by the internal needs of the enterprise and may be daily or even on a real time or as needed basis. The reports are more apt to center on budgets, costs, forecasts, and efficiency than income or cash flow. An enterprise may have many custom statements and reports tailored to their individual requirements and because the information is only used internally, the only reporting standards

The Age of Discovery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Age of Discovery - Essay Example Specifically, whether the phrase Age of Discovery appropriately describes this era as the most significant age of human discovery; the rampant rush to imperialistic tactics by the invading nations and the consequences including the subsequent escalating slave trade. The Age of Discovery refers to the time in history when Europeans discovered the Americas. Explorers following the ships of Christopher Columbus found, on their own planet, a new land mass inhabited by humans. Of all mankind’s explorations, this period of discovery had the most impact on the future of the world’s collective societies. It caused the questioning of Christian religious dogma which encouraged the further use of critical thought on a widespread scale thus allowing society to advance both in knowledge and in the concept of human thought (Kreis, 2002). Until it was proved differently, church officials deemed it heresy to suggest the Earth was round because the Bible refers to the ‘four corners of the world.’ In addition, if God flooded the world and only Noah’s family survived, where did these people come from? The scientific boom that began in the 1600’s and continues to this day owes much to the Age of Discovery that preceded it. T he church was no longer able to stifle scientific knowledge following the events of this era. Additionally, the economy of Portugal, then Spain, Europe, and Asia among others experienced a revival due to the increasing slave trade and the lifestyle and cultural traditions of the native people of the ‘new world’ were forever altered. The term ‘discovery’ would indeed accurately describe this ‘age’ more so than any other era in human history. Simply finding the new land mass populated by humans would itself qualify the definition (Kreis, 2002).