What are dynamic capabilities and how do they differ from static Essay

What are dynamic capabilities and how do they differ from static capabilities - Essay Example It is basically hands on situation where a problem arise you solve it without having any planned solution in mind. This means that although knowledge may exist in people it can only be expressed within the organisation. As Winter said 'firms are organisations that know how to do things' (Winter, 1988, p.175). Winter is emphasizing the importance of being a part of an organization that is you are most likely to tackle a problem depending on the situation. Tacit knowledge is tough to replicate or imitate. If possible, it can only be transferred through teaching by example, and then this is only the case with knowledge which is observable. Thus this makes an organisational capability into a source of maintaining competitive advantage. Dynamic capabilities, as known today, are a set of specific and identifiable processes such as product development or strategic decision making with expected outcomes. They are detailed, analytic and stable processes for globalized manufacturing companies to continuously improve their performance and gain competitive advantage through establishing new plants and shutting down non-performing units. Thus dynamic capability is "a learned and stable pattern of collective activity through which the organization systematically generates and modifies its operating routines in pursuit of improved effectiveness" (Zollo and Winter, 2002). This proves that dynamic capabilities are procedures and understandings that help organizations to develop more competent practices and search for more efficient technologies, new or improved products and manufacturing process. According to Teece, Pisano and Shuen, many strategy scholars remain doubtful about the value of the concept of "dynamic... Dynamic capabilities, as known today, are a set of specific and identifiable processes such as product development or strategic decision making with expected outcomes. They are detailed, analytic and stable processes for globalized manufacturing companies to continuously improve their performance and gain competitive advantage through establishing new plants and shutting down non-performing units. Thus dynamic capability is â€Å"a learned and stable pattern of collective activity through which the organization systematically generates and modifies its operating routines in pursuit of improved effectiveness†. This proves that dynamic capabilities are procedures and understandings that help organizations to develop more competent practices and search for more efficient technologies, new or improved products, and manufacturing process. According to Teece, Pisano, and Shuen, many strategy scholars remain doubtful about the value of the concept of â€Å"dynamic capabilities.† Though it is seen as a key to competitive advantage, critics rather believe that they are born and not made meaning they are skeptical about them being the intentional genuine option for managers instead. However one can only accept this proposal productive only if it is widely adopted.

Martin Luther King and Henry DavidThoreau Essay Example for Free

Martin Luther King and Henry DavidThoreau Essay However with different motives; Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Henry David Thoreau were both admirable men that strived for a better government. As respected spokesmen they served as rebels against what they thought to be bad ones stopping at nothing. Not even jail. Henry David Thoreau and Martin Luther King Jr. were both brilliant men. Thoreaus Civil Obedience and Dr. Kings Letter from Birmingham Jail are perfect examples of their intellect. Looking at these documents and observing the tactics they use while attempting to move their audience toward their ultimate goal, one can see the finesse that both men possessed. Thoreau and Dr. King lived during two different centuries. So being that they were vocalist and activist on the current issues its almost certain that they would have a different motive. Even though their motive was poles apart, differing in many ways, both Thoreau and Dr. King wrote with the aspiration of obtaining a new form of government presumably resembling the republican one we exercise today. Although awfully controversial, to do so both men felt nonverbal actions such as breaking the laws was the only effective way. In spite of the fact that its relatively ironic, they viewed going to jail in order to make a mockery of an immoral or impractical laws put in place by the government was the very highest respect for law (King para. 5).Henry David Thoreau motive for rebelling against the government was to make it more of a democratic one. He had no respect for the way it was being ran. His proclaimed problem basically summed up to be that he felt the government was being ran like a monarchy, or in other words by a selective few and not an entire society as it should. It simply wasnt up to par according to his standards; for he stated this I ask for, not at once no government, but at once a better government (para. 4).Unlike Henry David Thoreau, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was an African American during the times of segregation. This alone is a critical manipulating variable in the equation of why the twos motive wasnt the same. Dr. King was all about helping America move towards a desegregated future. He had zeal towards annihilating all unjust laws which he stated to be a code inflicted upon a minority which that minority had no part in enacting or creating (para. 4), but for the most part he had an overall respect for the government. In conclusion, its safe to say that other than race and motive Henry David Thoreau and Martin Luther King Jr. were pretty similar. They both were men of their own opinion that could be classified as moralized radicals. As spokesmen of their time they were both good at what they did. Through the form of speeches, protest, letters, and etcetera they both exemplified Civil Disobedience (Thoreau). Thoreau, Henry D. Civil Disobedience. New York: Barnes Noble Books, 1849. 263-287. King Jr., Dr. Martin L. Letter from Birmingham City Jail. 16 Apr.-May 1963. Birmingham: Charles Moore, 1963. 1.

Alias Grace :: Alias Grace

Alias Grace  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Based on a notorious double murder in Canada in the1840's, the novel Alias Grace tells the story of a pretty 16 year-old servant girl who conspired with a ranch hand to kill their employer and his mistress and escape with their belongings. They were captured in several days, and later, in a much-publicized trial, found guilty of premeditated murder. The young man, James McDermott, was sentenced to death, and the girl, Grace Marks, narrowly escaped it. Alias Grace begins after the murderess has served 8 years in prison.   The death of Nancy Montgomery, Kinnear's housekeeper and mistress, has been disregarded as both villains had already been sentenced to death. Grace is around thirty years old, being accused of the crimes when she was only sixteen. Grace is in prison where she has been mentally tortured during her rotation from prison to asylum over time. Doctors who wish to "examine" her frequently visit. She now has a subconscious aversion to these doctors and the world which she knows. She has become accustomed to being silent and unseen. A young doctor, Dr. Simon Jordan, has taken an interest in Grace. Dr. Jordan is from a wealthy family and of good name, but he is more interested in studying abroad about sanity and those enclosed in asylums rather than interest at home. He has little experience in dealing on a personal basis with the question of sanity of patients, but is intrigued by this fabulously sensationalized murderess. A group that has continuously tried for the pardon of Grace Marks has recruited the doctor with hopes that he will find Grace sane and innocent on all counts of murder.   Dr. Jordan's main purpose is to help recover the lost memory of the time during the murders. This memory which some to believe was conveniently forgotten helped convict her during the trial; almost as if she had admitted to the killings. During the course of his visits with Grace, Dr. Jordan encourages her to tell of her life before the murders. Grace begins her story with her family in Scotland. Grace had been left with her abusive father and the smaller children after her mother died on the passage to America. A trip taken for necessity rather that need: for her father was in a bit of financial trouble in Scotland. Grace is sent out in Canada as a servant.

Iris By the Goo Goi dolls

And I'd give up forever to touch you ‘Cause I know that you feel me somehow You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be And I don't want go home right now And all I can taste is this moment And all I can breathe is your life When sooner or later it's over I Just don't want miss you tonight And I don't want the world to see me ‘Cause I don't think that they'd understand When everything made to be broken I Just want you to know who I am And you can't fight the tears that mint coming Or the moment of truth in your lies When everything feels like the moviesIris was written by the and John Organize. John Organize was approached to write a song for the movie City of Angels soundtrack, and so he wrote â€Å"Iris†. This song propelled the band to stardom, as it stayed on top of Billboard Hot 100 Airplay charts for a record-breaking 18 weeks, and was nominated for three Grammas that year.According to several Interviews with Rezoned, he was experiencing serious sessions o f writer's block when he was asked to write , and was about to quit the band Just days before he wrote the song that would launch the band to worldwide fame-The song was released on April 7, 1998. Consider the song to be a part of the genre pop rock. It is slow in the verses but speeds up in the chorus. It has strong guitar and drum sounds which give it the rock feel.I think he wrote it from the perspective of an angel in love p in which the angel is completely gaga over the woman and feeling things he's never felt before but at the same time wanting to keep it private because he's afraid that if it becomes of the material world then it will lose it's purity. It's a love song about the conflict between what your heart is urging you to do and what your head is telling you is the mart thing to do. I watched the Go Go dolls on VHF talking about this song and what it meant.They said they watched the film ‘City of Angels† and that the song is about an angel who falls for a mo rtal woman. Which is why it says â€Å"I'd give up forever to touch you†, â€Å"you're the closest to heaven that I've ever been† â€Å"and to bleed Just to know you're alive†. He wants to be with her and gives up an eternity in heaven Just to spend a moment with a woman he fell in love with.Like the song because it helps me through through hard times sometimes Just slightly easing the pain and Just let me ponder about things. I do have a particular connection to it because it explains some of my feelings like â€Å"you bleed Just to know you're alive† and â€Å"when everything meant to be broken† sometimes people go through hardships in life, sometimes very small and stupid things that change your perspective in the way you see and experience things. It makes me feel sad moieties.It makes me feel like I'm not the only person that is going through hard times. I actually mostly listen to the cover of this song that is played and sung by Sleeping Wit h Sirens. Keeling (the guy who is from Sleeping With Sirens that sings it) has a very sweet voice that kind of lulls you to sleep when you listen to him. It makes me think of things going on in my life and how it relates to the lyrics. I would choose to listen to this song when I'm feeling down. Like I said before makes me think like I'm not the only person in the world who is going through hardships.

Finland Case Essay

Finland, the country of ice has been a major force in Formula 1 for the last two decades. A country with a population of about 5.3 million (0.44% of India’s population) has produced 3 F1 champions (Keke Rosberg, Mika Hakkinen, Kimi Raikkonen) and another 4 made it to F1 whereas India has had just a single entry i.e. Narain Karthikayen in all these years. Seems like automobile racing in Finland is just like cricket in India. It just runs in the veins of the Finns. The 1st Finnish driver to enter the formula1 racing scene was Leo Kinnunen. Kinnunen had a short stint in F1 which included just 6 races (1 start and 5 DNQ’s) and had no success in those. He raced for the team AAW Racing Team and used the Surtees TS16 car with the Cosworth V8 engine in it. The main reasons due to which Kinnunn couldn’t succeed in F1 were that his car was underpowered than the other cars and also the team was not allowed to get the top quality tyres from the manufacturers. And at that point of time tyres played an immense role in the result of races in F1. During these 6 races the team faced technical difficulties in almost every race. And then due to lack of funding the team had to retire from F1 and thus also ending Leo Kinnunen’s carreer in F1. In all Kinnunen played a role of historic importance by being the last driver to wear the open-face helmets in F1. Next was Mikko Kozarowitzky in 1977. He had a â€Å"blink and you will miss† stint in F1 as he just raced a total of 2 races for RAM Racing Team with no successes. Unfortunately he broke his hand while trying to avoid an accident during practice session after which his racing team wanted him to try qualifying in the spare car with broken hand, which lead to spats between him and the team. Eventually he quit the team and retired from F1. Then came Keijo Erik Rosberg in 1978, popularly known as Keke Rosberg. He became the 1st Finnish driver to win the Formula 1 championship in 1982. Keke debuted in 1978 with the Theodore team and came in the limelight during his second race which he won under treacherous rainy conditions on the track. Rosberg was then signed by ATS in the same season but they car they provided was uncompetitive so he moved back to Theodore again. After that Keke had to move to Fittipiladi forcibly as his former team quit F1. 1981 was a lean period in which he did not score even a single point. Keke’s career got a lifeline in 1982 when he was signed by Williams. He went on to win his 1st race this season and also went on to win the championship with 44 points. This was a season when no driver had won more than 1 race and the time when Ferrari were facing problems with their car. Rosberg moved to Mclaren in the 1986 season but was given an underpowered car compared to his team mate Alain Prost. He retired soon after the season from F1 as the accident of one his friend(Elio Di Angelis) deeply affected him. Mika Hakkinen joined F1 in 1991. He joined the Lotus team and scored his 1st points in his third race for the team. He joined Mclaren as a test driver 1993 with the hopes that some day he would be promoted to be their race driver. He got his chance soon enough when one of the Mclaren’s racers left the team. He had a nice debut in which he almost beat Ayrton Senna, his team mate. But this dream start for Mclaren was not to be as he went into the pit wall while trying too hard. He came 2nd in his second race for Mclaren. When Senna left Mclaren in 1994, Mika became their main driver and went on to race for the team till his retirement in 2001. In all these years he won 2 championships for Mclaren during the year 1998 and 1999. He won a total of 20 races in his career. The most by any Finn till date and is the most successful Finnish driver till now in F1. He could have been more succesful has Mclaren got a better car in the year of 1995 and 1996.He is currently an ambassador for the Drink Responsibly campaign by Johnny Walker. Mika Salo was racing along side while Hakkinen was racing for Mclaren. He too started with Lotus in 1994 but raced only the last race that season. But when Lotus did not return for the next season, he moved on to Tyrell for the next 3 years where he scored points some times. He then joined Arrows in 1998 but he didn’t race for the team full time in 1999. Salo was selected as a subsitute driver for Schumacher in 1999 during the time when Schumi was injured. He then showed his potential in a better car. He almost won his 1st race while being at Ferrari but was asked to give way to team-mate Eddie Irvine by the Ferrari team as he had chance of winning the championship. Eddie in turn gifted the trophy to him for his gesture. Salo then raced for Sauber and Toyota and eventually quit F1 in 2002 after he was fired by toyota for not giving results. Kimi Raikkonen, popularly known as the Iceman is another great Finnish F1 driver. He started his career with Sauber in 2001. Being relatively inexperienced there were concerns whether he should be granted the super license. But Kimi won his 1st points in his very 1st race. He then moved on to Mclaren in 2002 to take the seat that was left vacant when his fellow countryman Mika retired. He went on to race for Mclaren till 2006 but he did not have much success as he faced a lot of technical failures with the team. But he did win his 1st race in 2003. And went on to be second in the drivers championships in the year 2003 and 2005. Kimi then shifted to Ferrari in 2007 to take the place of Micheal Schumacher and he also became the highest paid F1 driver in the process. He won his 1st Championship in 2007 with Ferrari and raced for them till 2009. After that his contract was not renewed by Ferrari and he has taken a break from F1 for the time being and will be racing in the World Rally championships for the Citroen team. The latest Finn in F1 is Heikki Kovalainen. He started his F1 career in the year 2004 and became the test driver for Renault. He did the testing duties till 2006 and was eventually promoted in the year 2007 to be the race driver for the team. He had a mixed start to his racing career and he finished the season at 7th place with 30 points that year with the record of finishing most number of consecutive races(16) from the start of his career. The next year as Mclaren had problems with Alonso they signed Heikki as their driver. This seemed to be a major boost to his career. In 2008 he set fire on the track as he set the fastest laps of the race at almost every track that year. But he could not convert these into victories but he had his 1st victory that year at Hungary. The year 2009 was a disappointment. The car faced a lot of problems in the starting. KERS was being deployed for the 1st time and overall he could not perform up to his potential. With Lotus F1 coming back to the F1 scene and confirming Heikki as their driver for next year a lot is expected from him. Lets see what this Finn does next year and can he become the fourth Finnish driver to win the F1 TITLE.

Transitioning from Nonfiction to Fiction Writing

Transitioning from Nonfiction to Fiction Writing First of all, it is possible. Ernest Hemingway and William Kennedy moved from journalism; Sue Monk Kidd from memoir; and C. S. Lewis from essays and treatises. Sue Monk Kidd states that the most frequently-asked question on her book tours is, â€Å"How did you go from nonfiction to fiction?† Here are some tips and support to help you make the transition: You need to transition your reading, as well. Read your most-admired authors and new fiction authors also. Remember, C.S. Lewis says good readers read a piece more than once. Have a plan. Stagger your writing. Perhaps write fiction and nonfiction on alternate days. Or, write your fiction first, then go back to the nonfiction you’re more comfortable with once you’ve met your word count in the other. Writing fiction is a discipline for which you have been well-trained through your nonfiction deadlines. Produce five to ten pages a day faithfully! Try flash fiction first. Because it is short, it is easier to start with and there are numerous contests listed in FundsforWriters newsletter. Your nonfiction themes can find a home in your fiction. For instance, C. S. Lewis’ themes concerned Christianity which he incorporated into his fiction (Chronicles of Narnia) without being didactic or preachy. The skill sets you have developed while writing nonfiction will serve you well in fiction also. These include: 1) Attention to detail. Your descriptions of the who, what, where, why and how will help you in plotting fiction and in description. 2) Interviewing. Interview your characters on what they think about - religion, politics or an event - just as you would a source. 3) Sense of place. Your knowledge of a place garnered from nonfiction can serve you well in fiction. William Kennedy reported on Albany, NY first for the Albany Times Union and then set his cycle of Albany novels there. Readers always want to see a place with which they are familiar portrayed accurately, and your nonfiction experience of place sets you apart. 4) Journal Writing. Your journal or dream journal writing can help with both plot and productivity. This angle also falls in the category of â€Å"write what you know.† 5) Research. Nonfiction research is helpful to fiction. You’ll get that time or place right, but William Kennedy talks about the danger of research: â€Å"And so I got hooked on research, couldn’t get out from under the library’s microfilm machine until I finally realized I was doing myself a great disservice; because your imagination can’t absorb all that new material and synthesize it easily.â€Å" Finally, William Kennedy describes the difference between nonfiction and fiction: â€Å"But the journalist must report on life objectively, and the novelist must reinvent life utterly, and the work has to come up from below instead of down from the top as a journalist receives it. But experience alone will produce only commonplace novels. The real work is a blend of imagination and language.† Source for quotes: Allen, Douglas and Mona Simpson, â€Å"William Kennedy: The Art of Fiction 111,† Paris Review, Winter, 1989.

U.S. Economic Warfare during World War II Essay Example

U.S. Economic Warfare during World War II Essay Example U.S. Economic Warfare during World War II Essay U.S. Economic Warfare during World War II Essay The United States has been considered as one of the powerhouse country in the world. Its booming economy and strong leadership have been the epitome of economic and political success. But the U.S. was not always at the top of the heap. In the early 1900s, during the start of World War I, the U. S. economy was largely dependent on overseas trading but when the war broke out; it dramatically halted economic trading because they were no longer able to sell goods to other countries particularly to Britain and Germany (Hardgrove n.p). War had become an inevitable part of the history of the United States. They have engaged in several battles and confrontations with other nations and even with their fellow Americans as well. So far, the U.S. had participated in numerous wars dating back to the civil war to the present Iraq war.However, it was in the First and Second World Wars that the U.S. had a major participation that resulted in the restoration of peace and order across the globe. Also, it was during this period that the U.S. economy both experienced economic escalation and at the same time fiscal recession. It became an   unfavorable situation towards the end of the 1930s when WWI facilitated the manifestation of the Great Depression in the U.S. that resulted to an economy with a huge â€Å"disparity between U.S. productive capacity and the ability of Americans to consume† (Kauffman n.p). On the other hand, it became favorable at the time of the involvement of the Americans in World War II that triggered the elimination of unemployment and beginning of the build up of the warfare mass production that molded   the U.S. economy   to become a potent and robust economy.In the early 20th century, prior to the war, the U.S. was already under recession. For almost 11 years, the economy demonstrated little progress to get out of the fiscal slump. Every incident of recovery was immediately countered with series of economic downfalls that led U.S. to become st agnant. To mitigate the effects of the recession, the government initiated several reforms in the form of the New Deal which had two versions drafted by the administration of President Roosevelt (Vatter 7). Unfortunately, this program was not able to carry out its purpose of reducing the looming unemployment rate. At this time, there were about 8 million Americans who did not have any work to provide for themselves and their families (Schultz n.p). Being an optimist and sugarcoating the situation were the only doable actions left for the government to do in order to mask the reality. The fall of the stock market, depreciation of the value of the stocks and termination of enterprises were just some of the incidents that drained the finances and purchasing power of the   average American (â€Å"The Depression in the United States†). But there came a point when the economy slightly recovered from the economic turmoil. From 1938 to 1940, the U.S. fiscal Depression streak was mo mentarily downgraded into a recessionary status. However, this only caused a more widespread demand for the government to initiate more aggressive economic measures. Economic recovery according to Vatter, â€Å"required much more massive doses of Keynesian medicine (injections of big G) than had ever been applied by the civilian New Deal in order to finally bring full employment.† (11)Generally, the Great Depression was a period filled with all-time high taxes which paralyzed the trading and exporting to neighboring nations that badly hurt the industrial and capital realm of the U.S. economy (Kauffman n.p). But towards the outbreak of the Second World War around the early 1940’s, government spending for the impending war in Europe and Asia gradually alleviated the effects of the collapse of the economy. From the commencement of the war until its culmination, the U.S. economy had taken advantage of the many fiscal opportunities that transformed the depressed economy int o a booming economy (Vatter 9).The wartime economy had brought dramatic changes in the lives of many Americans. First, full time employment was made available thus raising the â€Å"overall standard of living.† Second, labor union membership expanded from 10 million before the start of the war to 15 million members in total when the war ended, thus making labor union movements more powerful. Third, agricultural profits soared but the quantity of farmers declined because most of them opted to work in city factories. Lastly, the investements made during wartime seemed to have proven the assumptions of Keynesian economics (Modern American Poetry ). U.S involvement in the war â€Å"brought into operation Keynesian deficit spending of sufficient magnitude to end twelve years of mass unemployment† (Vatter 14). More so,The stimulating effect of World War II on the US economy is frequently cited as the spark that brought and end to the Great Depression, but it was not just a s park. Defense spending was the difference between the depressed 1930s and the booming 1940s. (Hooks 2)In effect, the economic boost combined with the World War II participation of the U.S. have altered the American society. Government officials were so overwhelmed by the their involvement in the war that they have neglected to launch economic and social reforms needed in order to sustain their fiscal growth. As a result, longer working days were prompted to increase the industrial production. Also, to lessen the possibility of having labor scarcity, the federal government â€Å"ignored laws regulating the employment of children and women.† As a result, the number of school dropouts skyrocketed and about 1 million of them comprised the labor workforce of the entire country. As the government continued to focus on wartime spending, the living condition of most Americans started to decline because of the cutbacks made on the implementation of social reforms. Poverty began to be a concern amidst high wages. It had been   â€Å"reported that 20 million Americans were on the border of subsistence and starvation and 25% of all employed Americans earned less than 64 cents an hour, while skilled workers often earned $7 or $8 an hour† (â€Å"The Depression in the United States†).Regardless of the social reform setbacks, civilian employment opportunities remained high as the war progressed. There was a dramatic surge in employment rate in the private and military industry while unemployment fell â€Å"from over 8 million to about 1 million, even as the civilian labor force held constant at about 56 million† (Vatter 17). This indicated that the economy of the United States has completely recovered from its recessionary state 5 years ago. Government spending on the warfare had clearly paid off resulting to a historical increase in mass production that produced large amounts of national profits as well as individual disposable incomes and at th e same time have upgraded the labor conditions.The victory of the Allied forces brought peace and order throughout the world. Howecer, in the US, it was a different story. Many believed that since the war was over, production will be lessened since there will be no more need for generating war equipment. But this was just one of the few side effects of the war. However, in the larger scale, â€Å"the war had not only decisively ended the Great Depression, but it created the conditions for productive postwar cooperation between the federal government, private enterprise, and organized labor, the parties whose tripartite collaboration helped engender continued economic growth after the war† (Tassava n.p).Since the U.S. became an economic powerhouse, American government officials decided to be of help to countries devastated by the war to indirectly show to the world that they are in control of the global economic activities.   They gave financial aid to Europe amounting to â €Å"13 billion through the Economic Recovery Program (ERP) or the Marshall Plan from 1947 to 1951.†Ã‚   Japan also received $1.8 billion in 1945. The Americans linked the economic restoration of West Germany, Great Britain, France and Japan with their own import and export needs to further their economic goals (Tassava n.p).As Alan Milward, an economic historian, had said;â€Å"the United States emerged in 1945 in an incomparably stronger position economically than in 1941 By 1945 the foundations of the United States economic domination over the next quarter of a century had been secured† This may have been the most influential consequence of the Second World War for the post-war world.† (qtd. in Tassava â€Å"The American Economy during World War II†)After the Second World War, the United States emerged as the worlds largest, and strongest, economy. U.S. citizens were assured that their economy will never go back to its depression days. Their fruits of la bor have produced the â€Å"the largest peacetime trade surplus in American history and the gross national product grew to a record $482.7 billion by the end of the 1950s† (â€Å"United States Economy†).World War II saved the United States from further economic turmoil. Without it, mass production would have not materialized thus the supply of millions of employment to many Americans would have not at all been possible. It can be surmised that this historical event was a blessing in disguise for the U.S. It served as the catalyst that forever configured the U.S. economic system and the American society. If it there have not been a war, the need to mass produce would not have materialized and that the U.S. could have remained inactive and unproductive for a long time leaving their potentials and resources unexplored.   More so, most Americans benefited and enjoyed the advantages of having a thriving economy. As a result, the U.S. became the center for wealth and devel opment and their way of living have become an international standard that other nations adhere and aspire to achieve. Clearly, the economic warfare of the 1940s have greatly affected the U.S. position as the leading country in the world.Hardgrove, Kristen. â€Å"United States Involvement in WWI.† 12 November 2007. 26 May 2008 socyberty.com/History/United-States-Involvement-in-WWI. 57905.Hooks, Gregory. Forging the Military-Industrial Complex: World War II’s Battle of the Potomac. Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1991.Kauffman, Kristina. â€Å"Modern American Economic History†. 26 May 2008 http://members.aol.com/kmkauffman/EconRead.htm.Schultz, Stanley. â€Å"American History 102.† 1999. Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. 26 May 2008 http://us.history.wisc.edu/hist102/lectures/lecture21.html.Tassava, Christopher. â€Å"The American Economy during World War II.† EH.Net Encyclopedia, edited by Robert Whaples. 26 May 2008 htt p://eh.net/encyclopedia/article/tassava.WWII.â€Å"The Depression in the United States.† Modern American Poetry.   26 May 2008 english.uiuc.edu/maps/depression/overview.htm.â€Å"United States Economy.† 2007. Encyclopedia of the Nations. 26 May 2008 nationsencyclopedia.com/Americas/United-States-ECONOMY.html.Vatter, Herald G. The US Economy in World War II. New York: Columbia University Press, 1985.

Online Degrees Grow in Popularity and Prominence

Online Degrees Grow in Popularity and Prominence Until recently, an online degree was more likely to be associated with a diploma mill than a legitimate institution of higher education. Granted, in some cases, this reputation was well-earned. Many for-profit online schools are unaccredited and have been the target of federal investigations and lawsuits as a result of their fraudulent practices, which include charging outrageous fees and promising jobs they can’t deliver. However, many of those schools have been driven out of business. And now, online degrees and certificates are becoming more popular with students and employers. What’s responsible for the change in perception? Prestigious schools Such Ivy League schools as Yale, Harvard, Brown, Columbia, Cornell, and Dartmouth offer either online degrees or certificates. Some of the many other top-rated schools with online programs include MIT, RIT, Stanford, USC, Georgetown, Johns Hopkins, Purdue, and Penn State. â€Å"More prestigious universities are embracing the online degree,† according to Dr. Corinne Hyde,  assistant professor for USC Rossier’s online masters in teaching degree. Hyde tells ThoughtCo, â€Å"We now see top-ranked schools taking their degree programs online and delivering very high quality content that is equivalent to, if not in some cases better than, what they’re delivering on the ground.† So, what’s the lure of online education to top schools? Patrick Mullane, executive director of Harvard Business School’s HBX, tells ThoughtCo, â€Å"Universities see online education as a way to broaden their reach and more effectively fulfill their missions.† He explains, â€Å"They see mounting evidence that when online programs are done well, they can be as effective as in-person education.† Natural progression of technology As digital technology becomes more ubiquitous, consumers expect their learning options to reflect this level of pervasiveness. â€Å"More people in all demographics are comfortable  with  the on-demand nature of technology and the quality of product or service it can deliver,† Mullane says. â€Å"If we can buy stocks, order food, get a ride, purchase insurance, and speak to a computer that will turn on our living room lights, then why can’t we learn in a way very different from how most learned in the past?† Convenience Technology has also produced an expectation of convenience, and this is one of the primary benefits of an online education. â€Å"From the student’s perspective, there is a massive appeal to being able to pursue a desirable degree without having to pick up and move across the country, or even without having to commute across town,† Hyde explains. â€Å"These degrees are generally highly flexible in terms of where students can be while completing the work, and they offer access to the same high-quality resources and faculty that students would receive if they were in a brick and mortar classroom.† While juggling school with work and other demands is challenging at best, it’s obviously easier when not tethered to a physical class that is offered at times that are set in stone. Quality Online programs have also evolved in terms of quality and implementation. â€Å"Some people immediately think of impersonal, asynchronous courses when they hear ‘online degree,’ but that couldn’t be further from the truth,† Hyde says. â€Å"I have taught online for eight years and build outstanding relationships with my students.† Using  webcams, she sees her students live for weekly class sessions and routinely has one-on-one video conferences when not in class. In fact, Hyde believes that online education provides greater opportunities for connecting with her pupils. â€Å"I can see the environment in which students are learning – I meet their kids and their pets – and I engage in conversation and application of the concepts to their own lives.† While she might not meet her students in person until the commencement program, Hyde says she has developed relationships with them long before then – and often, these relationships continue afterward. â€Å"I work very hard to create a true community of learners in the classroom by engaging in deep, thoughtful conversation, mentoring them in their work, and staying connected with them on social media once my class is complete. Learning Approaches Online programs are as diverse as the schools that offer them. However, some colleges and universities have taken online learning to another level. For example, HBX focuses on active learning. â€Å"As in a Harvard Business School classroom, there are no long, drawn-out faculty-led lectures,† Mullane says. â€Å"Our online business courses are designed to keep learners engaged throughout the learning process.† What does active learning entail at HBX? â€Å"Open responses† is one of the exercises that allows students to think through decisions as though they were the business leader in a given situation, and describe the choices they would make. â€Å"Interactive exercises like random cold calls, polls, interactive demonstrations of concepts, and quizzes, are other ways HBX utilizes active learning.† Students also take advantage of technology platforms to ask and answer questions among themselves, in addition to having their own private Facebook and LinkedIn groups to engage with each other. Just in case learning Even when students don’t pursue an online degree program, they can get advanced training that can often lead to career advancement or meet the requirements of an employer. â€Å"More and more students are turning to online credential or certificate programs to learn a specific skillset, rather than going back to school for a master’s program or second bachelor’s,† Mullane says. â€Å"A colleague of mine has called this shift one from  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœjust in case learning’ (which is characterized by the traditional multi-discipline degree) to  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢just in time learning’ (which is characterized by shorter and more focused courses that deliver specific skills).† MicroMasters are an example of credentials for employees who have a bachelor’s degree and might not want to pursue a full-blown graduate degree.    Check out this list of the most popular online degrees.

Staffing Organizations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Staffing Organizations - Essay Example Initial Phase Promotion It is concerned with the shifting of one employee to a higher rank, status, facilities and income (Bennett, 2002). Second Phase Recruitment Process (External) Stage /Phase Advertisement The usual method of the management is to advertise about the job vacancy models for a higher and junior level post. The advertisement is usually published in the newspapers, magazines, periodicals, journals etc (Kot & Leat, 2008). Initial Phase Internet Recruitment One of the most innovative methods of recruitment would be when the company posts their job vacancies in their official websites or through online recruitment agencies. These online agencies match their requirements with the potential of the candidate. Second Phase Educational Institutions Campus recruitment is one of the newest methods of recruitment where the management recruits through the veracious reputed educational institutions. Third Phase 1. Communication Message for Applicants The coffee shop would be hirin g candidates for the position of the financial accountant, point of sale system and servers. The suitable communication message for the recruitment procedure of the coffee shop would be as follows: Job Description Engaged in analysis of the financial accounts. Responsible for collection cash at the point of sale systems Desired Profile Should have proper numerical knowledge and communication skills. Should have excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Experience 0-2 Years Role Accounts Education Graduate in any discipline Compensation $17500 Per Annum Location Maryland, Chicago and Texas Functional Area Accounts, Retail and Business Development Job Description Servers Desired Profile Candidate with excellent communication skills in English and good interpersonal skills Experience 1-2 Years Role Human resource Management Education Graduate Skills Compensation $ 200000 Per Annum Location Chicago, Texas , California, New York Functional Area Human Resource Management 2. Commun ication Medium for Recruitment Procedure Although, there are various types of communication methods for recruitment procedure the fundamental communication medium required in this context would be the combination of physical and mechanical media. Physical media like department and excusive meetings would be helpful in case of internal recruitment in the coffee shop. Departmental meetings among all the branches would be held which would focus on communicating about the various vacancies in the company. This is one of the most important communication medium which helps in the dissemination of recruitment message clearly. Physical media would be used only in the case of internal recruitment procedure. Mechanical media encompasses email, weekly letters, personal letters and other social media websites. These communication medium would be used for communicating about the vacancies in the organization and also facilitate the recruitment procedure smoothly (Langenegger, Mahler & Staffelbac h, 2010). These medium would be used for both internal and external recruitment methods. Each of these communication medium have different impact, like email and social media webs

Interactions of The Laws of Demand and Supply in the Personal Computer Essay

Interactions of The Laws of Demand and Supply in the Personal Computer Market - Essay Example This rising demand has led to the fall in prices of the computers. The objective of this study is to analyze the factors that have led to the fall in prices of computers. This would help in understanding the theories of economics related to market demand-supply and undertake an analysis to find the application of the underlying theories of economics in practical conditions of the market. The study would help to provide an insight of the impacts of changing market condition on the prices of the products. The effects of the increase in demand of the computers on its prices in the market could be explained by relating the actual market scenario with the concepts of economic theories. The study also helps us to understand the effects of changing behavior of the market with the help of supporting data and diagrams. Analysis In economics theory, the demand and supply of a product plays an important role in determining the price of the product. The fall in prices of the computer is also att ributed to a change in the demand of the computers. The price of computers would vary until the market reaches a point of equilibrium where the demand of computers is equal to the supply of computers (Carbaugh, 2011, p.11). Since the prices underwent a change with respect to the change in demand and supply of computers, the product is said to be elastic. The increase in demand of the computers in the market can be attributed to factors like increase in the number of population, change in preference, taste and level of livelihood, and finally increase in income levels of the people. More people started to afford computers which led to increase in demand of the computers. A statistical analysis given below shows that the number of computers... This paper offers a thorough analysis of the recent tendencies on the personal computer market, which are determined by interactions of the underlying economic laws. The objective of this study is to analyze the factors that have led to the fall in prices of computers. The distribution and cost of goods in a free market are based solely upon the demand and supply of the products. The distribution and cost of goods in a free market are based solely upon the demand and supply of the products. The analysis conducted helps in understanding the theories of economics related to market demand-supply. The application of the underlying theories of economics in practical conditions of the market is considered. The study provides an insight of the impacts of changing market condition on the prices of the products. The effects of the increase in demand of the computers on its prices in the market could be explained by relating the actual market scenario with the concepts of economic theories. The demand of computers increased over time due to several factors. The rise in demand of computers would cause rightward shift of the demand curve leading to rise in the quantity demanded and rise in prices of computer. In order to maintain the position of equilibrium, the supply levels to the market also increased. As a result of increased supply, the supply curve would shift rightward leading to rise in the level of quantity supplied and a reduction of level of prices of computer. The quantity available increased leads to fall in prices.

Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 21

Reflection - Essay Example It was easier for me to break down the thesis statement in various paragraphs later on. As a matter of fact, gaining information concerning the pin-pointed arguments was easier. However, skimming the correct claims to back up and support the arguments was the technical aspect of writing. I set a word count as per the points. It was due to this reason that I was able to skim the relevant and most effective information for backing up the arguments. As soon as I was able to add information in the body paragraphs, I noticed that there was an avid need of changing the topic. Initially, I selected the topic that was quite vague. Later on, with the advancement in writing ideas in the paper, I changed my topic too, â€Å"The Passion of Boxing†. The following paragraphs from two versions of my submitted written piece can explain the number of aspects that I had to work on during the re-drafting process. As the older version included the following statement, â€Å"Attending a boxing event in a boxing gym located in our neighborhood introduced me to a group of dedicated fans and boxers. Boxing is a sport that requires dedication, discipline, and communication with coaches and fans given that the game bonds us together, and makes us a family (older version)†. These above mentioned sentences did not present the true meaning effectively. It was due to this reason that I had to change the sentence from the scratch. It will not be incorrect to state that this was the paragraph where I had to make maximum changes for re-drafting. The changed version of the paper is as follows, â€Å"I was introduced to a group of dedicated fans and boxers. The group was very eager to have the time of their lives. All attendees formed a spor ting family, united by their love for the game (newer version)†. As far as language and mechanics were concerned, I noticed that there were a lot of mistakes that I was making while

Written Business Communication (Peer Response #1) Assignment

Written Business Communication (Peer Response #1) - Assignment Example A proper management that would ensure systematic logging and planting of trees is an example. Regulated logging and plantation that would ensure sustainability of a safe percentage of the vegetation, based on scientific survey, would provide jobs for logging services and the plantation and management of growing trees and at the same time meet the interest of logging companies, authorities, and political stakeholders. The alternative further integrates your initial proposal but improves it by ensuring immediate implementation. In addition, the proposal has more benefits because it will offer opportunities for improving the vegetation, based on tourists taste and preferences, for more effective tourist attraction. New varieties of trees that can attract more tourists can be planted in the region to boost tourism and other improvements can be done on the area than when it previously had limited room for innovation. The proposal is based on the utilitarian concept that advocates for maximum benefit, of decisions or actions, to a majority of members of the society (Brooks and Dunn,

Ethical dilemma Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ethical dilemma - Assignment Example However, the beliefs of the patients obstructed appropriate nursing procedures to be conducted. Deontology theory forms the best approach to guide in the decision making, in such an ethical dilemma. As a health caregiver must always subscribe to the rule, â€Å"Always try to save life.† Applying a pure rule of deontological approach, the ethical decision would be in favor of carrying out the blood transfusion. In addition, using such an approach, there is little attention to the contextual details or social aspects of the situation because the decision making is grounded in ethical rules (Jones & Beck, 1996). Using a pure deontological approach, whether rule or act, confines the focus for decision making to the immediate situation. This is to imply that the consequences, situational and contextual details, and the social and interactional aspects are not the primary focus. This theory focuses on the ethics of the actions (Butts & Rich, 2008). This theory pays attention to the patient’s rights, goals and autonomy. As described by Noureddine (2001), this approach is based on four key principles that include autonomy, or the personal liberty to act; nonmaleï ¬ cence that is doing no harm; beneficence, or the requirement of action to improve the welfare of others; and justice, which directs action to treat people justly and distribute resources

Scientific Writing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Scientific Writing - Essay Example The research aimed at investigating the extent in which web browsers may be constructed to achieve a virtual machine and a real-time theory on the topic as mentioned above. The authors studied the minimum period taken by a Rooter. They developed their project by proposing modern types of flexible symmetries. The research involved refinement of active networks and virtual machines to increase the efficiency of a Rooter. The approach was found disadvantageous due to incompatibility of the public-private key pair and red-black trees (Siemens, 156). The researchers adopted four significant experiments to obtain their research findings. They used their desktop machines while observing the USB key throughput. The researchers made comparisons on the Microsoft Windows Longhorn, Ultrix and Microsoft Windows 2000 operating systems. They installed 64 PDP 11s across the internet network and investigated the acceptance blunder of Byzantine. They finally made eighteen trials with a simulated WHOIS workload and compared the findings. The considered a similar methodology employed by Martin and Smith. They claimed that the real-time algorithm for the refinement of write-ahead logging by Edward Feigenbaum et al. was an impossible method to adopt. Their research is prescribed as not able to hold a reality. It did not describe any natural phenomena related to Rooters. Their method of study deployed so many assumptions that they were not sure whether Rooter would satisfy. They also tried to disconfirm the results obtained by Ken Thompson. The study argued that expert systems can be made amphibious, highly available and linear time. The implementation of this research is the approach of low-energy, Bayesian and introspective. They advocated the need for Rooter development to locate mobile communication. These researchers claim a similarity between their works with the information contained in the Bayesian publication. They

Ethical dilemma Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ethical dilemma - Assignment Example However, the beliefs of the patients obstructed appropriate nursing procedures to be conducted. Deontology theory forms the best approach to guide in the decision making, in such an ethical dilemma. As a health caregiver must always subscribe to the rule, â€Å"Always try to save life.† Applying a pure rule of deontological approach, the ethical decision would be in favor of carrying out the blood transfusion. In addition, using such an approach, there is little attention to the contextual details or social aspects of the situation because the decision making is grounded in ethical rules (Jones & Beck, 1996). Using a pure deontological approach, whether rule or act, confines the focus for decision making to the immediate situation. This is to imply that the consequences, situational and contextual details, and the social and interactional aspects are not the primary focus. This theory focuses on the ethics of the actions (Butts & Rich, 2008). This theory pays attention to the patient’s rights, goals and autonomy. As described by Noureddine (2001), this approach is based on four key principles that include autonomy, or the personal liberty to act; nonmaleï ¬ cence that is doing no harm; beneficence, or the requirement of action to improve the welfare of others; and justice, which directs action to treat people justly and distribute resources

Business ethics take home exam Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business ethics take home exam - Coursework Example However then whichever constitution that permits authoritarianism requires it, and whichever constitution that necessitates non-dictatorship disagrees with one of the other requirements, therefore, the paradox of shared choice. The set of requirements across diverse likely votes polished welfare economics as well as differentiated Arrows establishment from the pre-Arrow shared welfare utility (Kavvadias 98-99). The original position as explained by Rawls entails at least two important elements of features.   Foremost, the original position is a condition in which people are rationally self concerned.   Next, the original position is a condition in which people are deficiency of all information exact to their ultimate lives.   This information deficiency stretches from personal factors like the deposit of natural endowments a person will be conceived with, to wide shared considerations of what locality, moment as well as culture a person will be conceived into (Rawls 29-35) The â€Å"Foremost Principle† addresses the fundamentals of the legitimate composition. It maintains that society should assure every inhabitant â€Å"the same claim to a completely sufficient plan of equal essential rights and freedoms, which plan is attuned with the same plan for all.† The second standard addresses rather those features of the fundamental construction that shape the allocation of opportunities, administrative centers, wages, material goods, and in overall social advantages. The initial part of the second standard maintains that the shared structures that shape this allocation must fulfill the conditions of â€Å"fair equity of opportunity† (Rawls 29-35). c. Rawls claims that a rational individual in the original position would choose the principles of justice as fairness over the principle of average utility. What is his reasoning to support the

How is childhood presented in Games at Twilight Essay Example for Free

How is childhood presented in Games at Twilight Essay There are many similarities between the ways that childhood is presented in these two short stories. When acting as a group, the children are frequently portrayed as cruel and aggressive. In The Red Ball the young boy is given a variety of cruel names by other children due to his thin frame, for example Thinny Boney and Match-stick foot. This shows the brutal honesty of children of a young age. In Games at Twilight the children are rough and belligerent, shown by the shoves became harder and the frequent quarrelling of the children over who will be It in their game of hide and seek. In Games at Twilight the children are frequently shown in an animalistic light. The authors use of vocabulary reveals this, for example wild, maniacal, and snarling. Words such as prey, stalked and pounded relate to hunting in the animal kingdom, and therefore reinforce the authors portrayal of children as animalistic. In The Red Ball Bolan is said to have waited like a small animal, so children are again compared to animals. The fact that the children in both stories play their games in large groups could represent the packs that animals exist in in the wild. By using animalistic images the authors are able to reinforce their portrayal of children as cruel and aggressive. Childish games seem to hold great significance to the children in both stories. In Games at Twilight the author says that the children are desperate to start their business the business of the childrens day which is play. By making the children in the story so dependent on games the author suggests that the children have basic, immature values, since play is not an adult business. In The Red Ball games also hold a great significance for the children it is Bolans ability to play cricket well that gains him acceptance amongst the other children. It is obvious that friendships are built when games are participated in, as Bolan steals money from his parents to buy a red cricket ball in order to be more highly thought of by his friends. It is interesting to see that the games in both of the stories are carried out outdoors. In The Red Ball the author writes the boys played cricket until the fireflies came out. In Games at Twilight Raghu is described as crashing and storming in the hedge wilder. Thus the children in both stories are more closely linked to nature, reinforcing the authors portrayal of them as animals. In both stories the main characters are portrayed as outcasts. In The Red Ball the young boy watches other children play cricket from the outskirts of the park, and in Games at Twilight young Ravi hides alone, only to find that the other children have quite forgotten him. The difference between the stories is that the young boy in The Red Ball is eventually accepted by his peers and revered by them he becomes their star bowler and therefore essential for their game. In Games at Twilight we are led to believe that Ravi will eventually be accepted by the other children for winning the game of hide and seek he smiled to himself at the thought of so much victory. However Ravi never achieves such victory as the other children forget about him having disappeared from the scene, he had disappeared from their minds. Clean. By using such a short sentence, clean, the author is stressing the fact that Ravi was forgotten by his peers, and therefore emphasises his insignificance to the other children; he is bottom of the pecking order. In Games at Twilight young Ravi is portrayed as rather unintelligent and cowardly. He is frequently described as fearful Ravi shook with fear. His desperation to be accepted by his siblings shows that he is not highly thought of, and is also somewhat pathetic. Thinking that he will win the childish game of hide and seek he thinks that nothing more wonderful had ever happened to him. His unimportance is confirmed in the final sentence of the story he lay down full length on the damp grass silenced by a terrible sense of his insignificance. In The Red Ball Bolan is portrayed as a somewhat more intelligent, wise individual. He is capable enough to understand that by replying when he is called offensive names by the other children, he will be labelled with those names. He is also able to comprehend more difficult family situations, and shows perception and intelligence when the author writes it was one of those moments when he felt as if he had held his mother in front of him as a sort of shield to save himself from a rain of blows. In conclusion, the presentation of childhood in the two short stories, Games at Twilight and The Red Ball varies. The main characters, when alone, are portrayed as more innocent individuals, whereas when in larger groups, the children seem to be more cruel and hostile. Games at Twilight offers the less favourable impression of children overall, frequently incorporating animalistic images into the story to describe the children.

The Origin Of Environmental Education Education Essay

The Origin Of Environmental Education Education Essay The environment encompasses all the living and non-living things that occur on Earth. The fate of the environment is entwined with that of every life that inhabits the planet including that of human beings. The industrialization era brought about devastating impacts on the environment and at the end of the nineteenth century, people started to apprehend the susceptibleness of the environment and the gravity of the implications if the environment was not taken care of. Nations gathered and issues about the environment were starting to take priority, hoping to obtain and sustain a better future for our planet. Environmental education is not a contemporary subject matter. It can be dated back to as early as the 18th century with the treatise of Jean-Jacques Rousseau who stressed the value of an education that revolved on the environment. Some years later, the Swiss-born naturalist, Louis Agassiz, echoed Rousseaus philosophy. It was these two influential scholars who laid the foundation for a concrete environmental education program, known as the Nature Study, which occurred between the late 19th century and early 20th century. Following the effortful work of many other naturalists, April 22nd of the year 1970 was declared as the first Earth Day; a national teach-in concerning environmental issues. This memorable event paved the way for the current environmental education movement. In the latter months, President Nixon passed the National Environmental Education Act, which intended to incorporate environmental education into K-12 schools. In the following year, the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE), formerly known as the National Association for Environmental Education, was instituted to ameliorate the environmental literacy by supplying resources to teachers and promote environmental education programs. The following year was then declared by the European Council as the Year of the Environment. Environmental education was globally acknowledged when the UN Conference on the Human Environment held in 1972, in Stockholm, Sweden, affirmed that environmental education must be utilized as the key to address environmental issues all around the world. The United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) generated three major declarations that have guided the course of environmental education. These were namely the Stockholm declaration, the Belgrade charter and the Tbilisi declaration. The Stockholm declaration: The Declaration of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment took place between June 5th and June 16th of the year 1972. The document, consisting of 7 proclamations and 26 principles, was created in order to inspire and guide the people of the world in the preservation and enhancement of the human environment. The Belgrade charter was held in October of 1975. This agreement was the product of the International Workshop on Environmental Education which was held in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. The foundation of the Belgrade charter was the Stockholm Declaration which was improved upon by goals, objectives and guiding principles of environmental education programs which included the general public. The Tbilisi declaration of October 1977, noted the unanimous accord in the important role of environmental education in the preservation and improvement of the worlds environment, as well as in the sound and balanced development of the worlds communities. (Tbilisi, 1977). The Tbilisi declaration not only rationalized and elucidated the Stockholm declaration and the Belgrade charter but also included new aims and objectives as well as guiding principles of environmental education. Later that year, the Intergovernmental Conference on Environmental Education in Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia accentuated the responsibility of Environmental Education in the conservation and development of the environment as a whole on a worldwide level. The importance of sustainable development was established in the year 1987, when the World Commission on Environment and Development published the Brundtland Report. This report, also known as Our Common Future, enlightened the concept of sustainable development in which the protection of the environment and the economic growth were regarded as interdependent notions as well as the concept of social equity. According to the Brundtland Report, sustainable development implies meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (Brundtland, 1987). In 1992, the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development which took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, supported and embellished the goal of obtaining sustainability. This was achieved by means of international agreements made on climate variation, woodland and biodiversity. One of the most significant aspects of the Rio Earth Summit, was Chapter 36 of Agenda 21; the fulcrum of our current environmental sustainable development. Agenda 21 focused on reorienting education towards sustainable development; increasing public awareness; and promoting training. (Chapter 36, Agenda 21). Agenda 21 discards the view of the environment as a detached system and stresses the perspective of the environment as a holistic approach incorporating our surroundings as well as our existence, making use of nature and its resources. Another crucial step forward in sustainable development was held in 2002 by the United Nations Commission; the Johannesburg Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa. This summit brought together tens of thousands of participants to focus the worlds attention and direct action towardà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦conserving our natural resources in a world that id growing in population, with ever-increasing demands for food, water, shelter, sanitation, energy, health services and economic security. (Johannesburg Summit, 2002). In 2005 the National Environmental Education and Training Foundation held the first National Environmental Education Week between the10th and 16th of April. Later that year, the Centre for Environment Education held the Education for a Sustainable Future Conference in Ahmedabad in India. Over 800 learners, thinkers and practitioners from over 40 countries attended and established the Ahmedabad Declaration on education for sustainable development. Environmental Education has long been considered as a crucial aspect of our existence. It is an international concern which has brought and has yet to bring all the nations together striving to reach one important goal, one which gives the interdependency of the environment and that of organisms, including ourselves, the major precedence they deserve. 1.2 Philosophy of Environmental Education Environmental education comprises several unique philosophies where each has its own objectives. However, the disciplines overlap in purpose and philosophy of environmental education. The two main disciplines of environmental education are that of outdoor education and that of experiential education. Outdoor education refers to learning in, for and about the outdoors. It is a means of curriculum extension and enrichment through outdoor experiences (Hammerman, 1980, p. 33). Through outdoors experiences, environmental education may be taught or enhanced. Experiential education is a process through which an individual assembles knowledge, skill and value from direct experiences. Learning about the environment, being an outdoor or experiential education, is a way of teaching a person to love the Earth. Through this means, a person enhances his awareness and appreciation of the natural environment as well as learns skills in order to improve his life in the outdoors and learns relationships among the inhabitants. Moreover, the person has learned how to learn and can thus make his own decisions on how to care for the land. This great achievement is called environmental literacy. Thus, education becomes empowerment, where the individual can master complex skills and important decision making which are not affected by todays changing society. 1.3 Roles, Objectives and Principles of Environmental Education The Tbilisi Declaration, held in 1977, was the worlds first intergovernmental conference on environmental education. It was organized by the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in cooperation with the U.N. Environment Programme (UNEP) The declaration accentuated the important role of environmental education in the conservation and development of the worlds environment, as well as the sound and reasonable improvement of the worlds communities. The Roles, Objectives and Characteristics of Environmental Education as laid out during the Tbilisi Declaration as well as the two recommendations of the Conference are: The Conference recommends the adoption of certain criteria which will help to guide efforts to develop environmental education at the national, regional, and global levels: Whereas it is a fact that biological and physical features constitute the natural basis of the human environment, its ethical, social, cultural, and economic dimensions also play their part in determining the lines of approach and the instruments whereby people may understand and make better use of natural resources in satisfying their needs. Environmental education is the result of the reorientation and dovetailing of different disciplines and educational experiences which facilitate an integrated perception of the problems of the environment, enabling more rational actions capable of meeting social needs to be taken. A basic aim of environmental education is to succeed in making individuals and communities understand the complex nature of the natural and the built environments resulting from the interaction of their biological, physical, social, economic, and cultural aspects, and acquire the knowledge, values, attitudes, and practical skills to participate in a responsible and effective way in anticipating and solving environmental problems, and in the management of the quality of the environment. A further basic aim of environmental education is clearly to show the economic, political, and ecological interdependence of the modern world, in which decisions and actions by different countries can have international repercussions. Environmental education should, in this regard, help to develop a sense of responsibility and solidarity among countries and regions as the foundation for a new international order which will guarantee the conservation and improvement of the environment. Special attention should be paid to understanding the complex relations between socio-economic development and the improvement of the environment. For this purpose, environmental education should provide the necessary knowledge for interpretation of the complex phenomena that shape the environment, encourage those ethical, economic, and esthetic values which, constituting the basis of self-discipline, will further the development of conduct compatible with the preservation and improvement of the environment. It should also provide a wide range of practical skills required in the devising and application of effective solutions to environmental problems. To carry out these tasks, environmental education should bring about a closer link between educational processes and real life, building its activities around the environmental problems that are faced by particular communities and focusing analysis on these by means of an interdisciplinary, comprehensive approach which will permit a proper understanding of environmental problems. Environmental education should cater to all ages and socio-professional groups in the population. It should be addressed to (a) the general nonspecialist public of young people and adults whose daily conduct has a decisive influence on the preservation and improvement of the environment; (b) to particular social groups whose professional activities affect the quality of the environment; and to scientists and technicians whose specialized research and work will lay the foundations of knowledge on which education, training, and efficient management of the environment should be based. To achieve the effective development of environmental education, full advantage must be taken of all public and private facilities available to society for the education of the population: the formal education system, different forms of nonformal education, and the mass media. To make an effective contribution towards improving the environment, educational action must be linked with legislation, policies, measures of control, and the decisions that governments may adopt in relation to the human environment. The Conference endorses the following goals, objectives and guiding principles for environmental education: The Goals of Environmental Education are: To foster clear awareness of and concern about, economic, social, political and ecological interdependence in urban and rural areas; To provide every person with opportunities to acquire the knowledge, values, attitudes, commitment and skills needed to protect and improve the environment; To create new patterns of behavior of individuals, groups and society as a whole towards the environment. The Categories of Environmental Education Objectives are: Awareness: to help social groups and individuals acquire an awareness and sensitivity to the total environment and its allied problems. Knowledge: to help social groups and individuals gain a variety of experience in, and acquire a basic understanding of, the environment and its associated problems. This is of utmost importance as the more people learn about their surroundings, the more they will tend to care about it. (Kriesberg, 1996). Attitudes: to help social groups and individuals acquire a set of values and feelings of concern for the environment and the motivation for actively participating in environmental improvement and protection. Reinforcing this category, the attitudes of children are a major focus of many environmental education programmes. (Eagles and Demare, 1999). Skills: to help social groups and individuals acquire the skills for identifying and solving environmental problems. Participation: to provide social groups and individuals with an opportunity to be actively involved at all levels in working toward resolution of environmental problems. Education needs to go beyond information and awareness to include behavioural change. (Niedermeyer, 1992). Moreover, all serious environmental education aims to motivate individuals to take responsible action. (Bogner, 1998). Guiding Principles Environmental Education should: Consider the environment in its totality-natural and built, technological and social (economic, political, cultural-historical, ethical, esthetic); Be a continuous lifelong process, beginning at the preschool level and continuing through all formal and nonformal stages; Be interdisciplinary in its approach, drawing on the specific content of each discipline in making possible a holistic and balanced perspective; Examine major environmental issues from local, national, regional, and international points of view so that students receive insights into environmental conditions in other geographical areas; Focus on current and potential environmental situations while taking into account the historical perspective; Promote the value and necessity of local, national, and international cooperation in the prevention and solution of environmental problems; Explicitly consider environmental aspects in plans for development and growth; Enable learners to have a role in planning their learning experiences and provide an opportunity for making decisions and accepting their consequences; Relate environmental sensitivity, knowledge, problem-solving skills, and values clarification to every age, but with special emphasis on environmental sensitivity to the learners own community in early years; Help learners discover the symptoms and real causes of environmental problems; Emphasize the complexity of environmental problems and thus the need to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills; Utilize diverse learning environments and a broad array of educational approaches to teaching, learning about and from the environment with due stress on practical activities and first-hand experience. Approaches to Environmental Education The ultimate aim of environmental education is to aid society in becoming environmentally knowledgeable; moreover, it endows people with the necessary skills and dedication for working, both individually and collectively, towards achieving and/or maintaining a dynamic equilibrium between the caliber of life and that of the environment. There are several approaches towards environmental education, especially when dealing with young children, all enclosing the same aim. However the basis of each approach to environmental education encompasses education about, through and for the environment. Education About the Environment The concept of education about the environment simply entails unveiling and divulging knowledge about our surroundings. The more a person becomes aware of his environment the more he can grow to appreciate it and thus make use of its resources in a sustainable way. As Dr. Ken Gilbertson clearly stated, Environmental Education is a means to teach a person to love the Earth. It is not proselytizing but providing a basis for comprehending complex social and natural/physical connections. (Dr. William Fleischman, 2010). Learning about the environment leads to a progression from awareness to action, a progression mirrored in the objectives set forth by the Tbilisi Declaration, to maintain responsible environmental behavior and a sustainable future. (Dr. Julie Ernst, 2010). Education Through the Environment Education through the environment implies utilizing the surrounding ambient itself as a resource for the educational purpose. The environment itself is the most effective and readily available tool for environmental education. Activities which take place outdoors are of utmost importance especially with the younger generation which tends to learn more through direct observation and experience. Appreciation of our surroundings is not something that could be learnt merely in a classroom, but requires an investment of time spent in the presence of nature, energy and reflection (Miles, 1991 p.6). Outdoor activities are also beneficial for ones peace of mind as nature itself has the power to instill serenity upon ones being, leading to a greater appreciation of the environment. In addition, outdoor ecology programs may influence a childs attitude and behaviour towards a more positive direction, provided that it takes place for an adequate amount of time. (Bogner, 1998). As Rachel Carson once said, If a child is to keep alive his/her sense of wonder, he/she needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him or her the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in. Environmental education encourages us to constantly rediscover that sense of wonder and bonds people and communities with the natural world. When learning about the environment, one must take into consideration all its aspects, including that of the built environment. Equilibrium should be achieved between the natural and social world in order to reveal real life situations and real issues and concerns, providing the opportunity to analyze the local environment as well as introduce the idea of environmental responsibility. 1.4.3 Education For the Environment Education for the environment encompasses the growth of a knowledgeable person into a motivated, responsible, caring individual, who seeks to take accountable action in order to maintain and nurture a sustainable environment. Environmental education endeavors to improve upon environmental ethics which would result in the advancement of the caliber of life on Earth. Knowledge is of fundamental significance if one is to develop a sense of understanding and appreciation about his or her surroundings. However knowledge is only the first step and should always be followed by deed. Actively involving people, especially children, in their communities and in finding solutions to local environmental problems, encourages ones heart to become more active at a global level. As Hewitt precisely stated in 1997, Knowledge alone cannot influence the protection of the environment. It is mostly through hands on experience that an individual is able to fully comprehend the value of our environment and develop a sense of compassion towards it. By directly involving young people in environmental activities, they are being encouraged to evaluate their own individual impact on the well being of their surroundings as well as apprehend that along with others, we all affect the environment and thus let it be in a constructive comportment. 1.1.4 Games in Environmental Education Any form of education should always incorporate an enjoyable aspect, one in which the attention of the individuals involve is captured and maintained, making the learning experience more effective. Environmental education could also be taught in a pleasurable manner. This could be done by the use of many games and activities which not only challenge the participants but also encourage the children to act on the knowledge they have obtained and become actively involved in the care and maintenance of the environment as a whole. Playing games was thought of as a fundamental part of learning by many learning theorists including Piaget who strongly believed that games are an indispensable aspect of an individuals development of intelligence. The additional advantage of playing games is that children become central to their own learning and a deviation from the normal teaching methods would ensure that every child is given the opportunity to participate and expand his or her skills in the concerned area. 1.4.5 Environmental Problems When a child is presented with a relatively intricate quandary at an early stage in his or her life, and is asked to propose some sort of solution to the predicament which he/she might encounter, the child starts developing cognitive skills which are beneficial for life. Children should be exposed to environmental tribulations that occur in real life situations and should be guided to an appropriate and efficient solution. This was also one of the recommendations of the Tbilisi Intergovernmental Conference on Environmental Education in the following statement; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦environmental education should bring about a closer link between educational processes and real life, building its activities around the environmental problems that are faced by particular communities and focusing analysis on these by means of an interdisciplinary, comprehensive approach which will permit a proper understanding of environmental problems (UNESCO-UNEP 1978, Recommendation No. 1).

The Confederate Flag’s Heritage of Hate Essay -- Confederate Flag Sout

The Confederate Flag’s Heritage of Hate The Confederate flag has now become a hot issue for South Carolina, which is the last state to have the original Confederate flag still flying on its Statehouse. What got the State’s attention was the economic boycott of South Carolina that was announced on January 1992 by the NAACP to pressure the State to remove the Confederate flag off of its Statehouse in Columbia. The NAACP’s removal request is based on the fact that they, the anti-flag groups, claim that the meaning of the Confederate flag is one of hate and discrimination. On the other hand, there are other groups that believe differently whom are called the pro-flag groups. They claim that the Confederate flag is a sign of heritage and should stay on the Statehouse. The Civil War being about slavery is one of the first things addressed in both sides of the debate. Also a big part of the debate is the Confederate flag’s connection with racism. The Confederate flag’s connection with slavery a nd racial inequality makes it a negative symbol, which should not be flying on South Carolina’s Statehouse. Pro-flag groups claim that slavery was only a small issue in the Civil War, but if slavery was allowed to continue then there would not have been a Civil War. This quote out of a pro-flag article shows what Lincoln said about the idea of freeing slaves. I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the states where it exists. I believe I have no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so.† In an 1862 letter to the New York Daily Tribune editor Horace Greeley, Lincoln wrote. My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and it is not either to sa... ... have to go to see it not somewhere were people have to see it. Work Cited Eric Foner. â€Å"Rebel Yell.† The Nation. 270.6 (February 14, 2000): 4. James F. Barker. â€Å"Clemson History Offers Perspective for Flag Debate.† The State. December 3, 2000. Stuart Taylor Jr. â€Å"The Confederate Flag and the Cost of Pandering.† National Journal. 32.4 (January 22, 2000): 215. Walter E. Williams. No: â€Å"Critics of the flag are Counting on a General Ignorance of History to Make Their Case.† Symposium. March 14, 2001. http://database.townhall.com/insight/printit.ctm Quick, Steven. â€Å"Lynching Lee† The Opinions. 2/27/2001 http://www.insightmag.com/archive/200002064.shtml Amy. â€Å"Even more on the confederate Flag vs. the â€Å"Xian† usage debates.† Parentsplace.com. February 02,2000 wysiwyg://4http://boards2.parentsplace.com/messages/get/ppcurrentdebates63/26.html The Confederate Flag’s Heritage of Hate Essay -- Confederate Flag Sout The Confederate Flag’s Heritage of Hate The Confederate flag has now become a hot issue for South Carolina, which is the last state to have the original Confederate flag still flying on its Statehouse. What got the State’s attention was the economic boycott of South Carolina that was announced on January 1992 by the NAACP to pressure the State to remove the Confederate flag off of its Statehouse in Columbia. The NAACP’s removal request is based on the fact that they, the anti-flag groups, claim that the meaning of the Confederate flag is one of hate and discrimination. On the other hand, there are other groups that believe differently whom are called the pro-flag groups. They claim that the Confederate flag is a sign of heritage and should stay on the Statehouse. The Civil War being about slavery is one of the first things addressed in both sides of the debate. Also a big part of the debate is the Confederate flag’s connection with racism. The Confederate flag’s connection with slavery a nd racial inequality makes it a negative symbol, which should not be flying on South Carolina’s Statehouse. Pro-flag groups claim that slavery was only a small issue in the Civil War, but if slavery was allowed to continue then there would not have been a Civil War. This quote out of a pro-flag article shows what Lincoln said about the idea of freeing slaves. I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the states where it exists. I believe I have no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so.† In an 1862 letter to the New York Daily Tribune editor Horace Greeley, Lincoln wrote. My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and it is not either to sa... ... have to go to see it not somewhere were people have to see it. Work Cited Eric Foner. â€Å"Rebel Yell.† The Nation. 270.6 (February 14, 2000): 4. James F. Barker. â€Å"Clemson History Offers Perspective for Flag Debate.† The State. December 3, 2000. Stuart Taylor Jr. â€Å"The Confederate Flag and the Cost of Pandering.† National Journal. 32.4 (January 22, 2000): 215. Walter E. Williams. No: â€Å"Critics of the flag are Counting on a General Ignorance of History to Make Their Case.† Symposium. March 14, 2001. http://database.townhall.com/insight/printit.ctm Quick, Steven. â€Å"Lynching Lee† The Opinions. 2/27/2001 http://www.insightmag.com/archive/200002064.shtml Amy. â€Å"Even more on the confederate Flag vs. the â€Å"Xian† usage debates.† Parentsplace.com. February 02,2000 wysiwyg://4http://boards2.parentsplace.com/messages/get/ppcurrentdebates63/26.html

Contractual and Non Contractual Liability Essay

I. Contract   A contract is an agreement having a lawful object entered into voluntarily by two or more parties, each of whom intends to create one or more legal obligations between them. The elements of a contract are â€Å"offer† and â€Å"acceptance† by â€Å"competent persons† having legal capacity who exchange â€Å"consideration† to create â€Å"mutuality of obligation. † Contracts may be bilateral or unilateral. A bilateral contract is an agreement in which each of the parties to the contract makes a promise or set of promises to each other. For example, in a contract for the sale of a home, the buyer promises to pay the seller $200,000 in exchange for the seller’s promise to deliver title to the property. These common contracts take place in the daily flow of commerce transactions, and in cases with sophisticated or expensive promises may involve extensive negotiation and various condition precedent requirements, which are requirements that must be met for the contract to be fulfilled. Less common are unilateral contracts in which one party makes a promise, but the other side does not promise anything. In these cases, those accepting the offer are not required to communicate their acceptance to the offeror. In a reward contract, for example, a person who has lost a dog could promise a reward if the dog is found, through publication or orally. The payment could be additionally conditioned on the dog being returned alive. Those who learn of the reward are not required to search for the dog, but if someone finds the dog and delivers it, the promisor is required to pay. Elements At common law, the elements of a contract are offer, acceptance, intention to create legal relations, and consideration. Offer and acceptance In order for a contract to be formed, the parties must reach mutual assent. This is typically reached through offer and an acceptance which does not vary the offer’s terms, which is known as the â€Å"mirror image rule†. If a purported acceptance does vary the terms of an offer, it is not an acceptance but a counteroffer and, therefore, simultaneously a rejection of the original offer. Intention to be legally bound In commercial agreements it is presumed that parties intend to be legally bound unless the parties expressly state the opposite as in a heads of agreement document. For example, an agreement between two business parties was not enforced because it contained an ‘honor clause’ which stated the parties wish that the agreement not be reviewed or enforced by a court. In contrast, domestic and social agreements such as those between children and parents are typically unenforceable on the basis of public policy. For example, a husband agreed to give his wife $100 a month while he was away from home, but the court refused to enforce the agreement when the husband stopped paying. Consideration is something of value given by a promissor to a promisee in exchange for something of value given by a promisee to a promissor. Typically, the thing of value is a payment, although it may be an act, or forbearance to act, when one is privileged to do so, such as an adult refraining from smoking. This thing of value or forbearance from some legal right is considered to be a legal detriment. In the exchange of legal detriments, a bargain is created. II. Contractual Liability Contractual liability, is exactly as it sounds. A contract is a legal binding agreement between two or more persons.  When you sign, or agree to the terms of a contract, then you have accepted the contractual liabilities set forth in the document. Liabilities are things that you can be held accountable for, and may have to repay or replace, in the event that they occur. For example, a renter’s agreement may state that, â€Å"†If upon moving out of the premises stated in the contract, any part of the premises is destroyed, you may be accountable for and have to pay to repair, or replace the damage†Ã¢â‚¬ . Contractual liability (or liability because of a contract) has a very broad meaning—a promise that may be enforced by a court. Consider the following simple example. I agree to paint your house for $1,000 and collect $500 prior to the job. After I accept the $500, I obtain a more lucrative offer and never show up to paint your house. You can go to court and claim the $500 you paid me, as I have breached the contract. Your claim is a contractual liability claim. Contractual liability can take many forms, but is basically holds you accountable for damages that are stated in the contract. Another example can be a publishing contract. If you are found guilty of plagiarism, the publisher is not accountable for the act. It is your contractual liability, to release the publisher from fault, and take it yourself. In a nutshell, contractual liability, is anything that you agree to in the terms set forth in a contract. Before entering in to any contract, if you do not understand the terms, consult with an attorney. III. Non-contractual liability The term non-contractual liability can be defined as tort liability. Tort liability is legal obligation of one party to a victim as a results of a civil wrong or injury. This action requires some form of remedy from a court system. A tort liability arises because of a combination of directly violating a person’s rights and the transgression of a public obligation causing damage or a private wrongdoing. Evidence must be evaluated in a court hearing to identify who the tortfeasor/liable party is in the case. Some torts are also crimes punishable with imprisonment, the primary aim of tort law is to provide relief for the damages incurred and deter others from committing the same harms. The injured person may sue for an injunction to prevent the continuation of the tortious conduct or for monetary damages. For example, a factory was built in A village. Then this factory releases so much smoke and waste which can harm to human health and environment. Therefore, this factory has to take responsible for her releasing. Among the types of damages the injured party may recover are: loss of earnings capacity, pain and suffering, and reasonable medical expenses. They include both present and future expected losses. Torts fall into three general categories: intentional torts (e. g. , intentionally hitting a person); negligent torts (e. g. causing an accident by failing to obey traffic rules); and strict liability torts (e. g. , liability for making and selling defective products). Intentional torts are any intentional acts that are reasonably foreseeable to cause harm to an individual, and that do so. Negligence is a tort which depends on the existence of a breaking of the duty of care owed by one person to another from the perspective of a reasonable person, it is just carelessness not intenti on. Strict liability wrongs do not depend on the degree of carefulness by the defendant, but are established when a particular action causes damage.

Effective Active Listening Skills Essay

Effective active listening is a must in every communication process. Everyday, people engage in communication processes, but some fail to perform effective active listening skills. Neglecting this important aspect of communication can hamper communication. In the video clip, Planning to Promote Socially Appropriate Behavior, we see how effective active listening skills work to attain communication among the participants. Four teachers serve as participants in the video clip. They are kindergarten teachers who express the importance of teaching affective communication skills. Each teacher is given her chance to express herself to the group, while others listen intently. Notably, several factors affect the success of their communication process, among which is effective active listening. The communication takes place in the school. The teachers are seated along one edge of a long table. Although the table is long, they sit closely with each other, which makes it easy for them to hear the one speaking. This way, they did not have to raise their voices or stand to be recognized before they speak. The environment and position of the teachers notably affect the communication process. Since there is the absence of noise, we find the environment conducive to achieving communication. Obviously, the teachers have a common concept in mind of what needs to be discussed. This is very important in every communication situation. Setting a target for the group will help facilitate understanding. For instance, when holding a faculty meeting, the head should identify the agenda in advance. By doing this, concerns which are not relevant to the given topic may be avoided. Particularly in this meeting, the teachers are exchanging ideas on how to teach affective skills to students. One of the teachers expresses that most of the students she encounters do not show respect in communicating with peers. She feels that students should be taught the proper way to approach others, including their teachers. This statement serves as the lead for other participants to discuss ways on how they incorporate affective skills in their classroom. Aside from serving as the lead, this statement also limits the discussion to one single topic. As Lansberger (1996) notes, active listening requires focusing intentionally on who you are listening to in order to understand what the person is saying. This does not mean agreeing with, but rather understanding what is being said. Particularly, we can note that the teachers in the video achieve focus by speaking one by one. This makes the message come across clearly, making the flow of thought more comprehensible and organized, thus allowing for effective active listening. In the same way, this helps the audience summarize more easily the points raised. Also, according to Lansberger, active listening is present when the listener is able to repeat back in her own words what is said. This pertains to the feedback part. Before one is able to report what she listens to, there is the process of internal communication in which the person tries to â€Å"digest† the perceived ideas. For instance, when we are listening to a lecture, we sometimes hear ourselves repeat exactly what our teacher says. This is a sign that we are listening actively. In the video, we see that the teachers are able to follow the ideas of their colleagues. In addition, although they do not repeat what their colleague is saying, at one point, one teacher is able to complement the thought of the speaker. This is a sign of effective active listening, as the listener is able to construct the statement at the same time the speaker is trying to convey it. Another sign that demonstrates effective active listening is the listener’s facial reaction. As one teacher speaks, we can note that others react by nodding, winking, smiling, and sometimes even bending slightly towards the speaker to hear more clearly. Moreover, they take down notes while someone is speaking. Taking down notes can sometimes distract the speaker’s attention, thus some speakers prefer to give handouts to allow the audience to respond well during a lecture. However, in the video clip, we see that by looking at the speaker while writing, the teachers are still able to maintain the rapport with each other. Therefore, the gesture of taking down notes does not affect the communication process in this particular situation. Although the teachers in the video clip demonstrate evidences for effective active listening, there remain some points to be improved. In particular, the participants who have shared their views could elicit the views of one speaker who did not talk. While it is commendable for the others, especially the teacher wearing a black blouse, to share their views, it would also help if they give a chance to the other participant who has not talked. Eliciting one’s opinion or asking for clarifications (i. e. , asking, What do you think? ) can help detect signs of effective active listening. Through this, the speaker can check if the audience is truly listening. When the listener responds coherently to the speaker’s idea, we can note active listening signs. Otherwise, the speaker should find out factors that hinder effective active listening. Such factors may include outside noise, thoughts of the listener, or language barriers.