Role of Ethics in Corporations - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 6 Words: 1792 Downloads: 8 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Marketing Essay Type Argumentative essay Did you like this example? The Role of Ethics in Corporations Introduction Corporates are the companies incorporated to carry out businesses in specific areas of their interest. They are governed by ethics which are more or less the codes of behavior that every company and company employee is expected to adhere to. In business its the study and evaluation of business decision making based on moral concepts and judgments. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Role of Ethics in Corporations" essay for you Create order (encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary, 2009) Its the study of principles relating right or wrong conduct (wiktionary, 2009) they are the standards that guide the conduct of persons in a profession. (Wiktionary, 2009). Nowadays corporations operate in a diversified world where globalization and enhanced government regulation has complicated ethical issues for businesses. Some ethics are formulated by the government and apply across the board while others are made to suit individual companies in their niches where they operate. An ethic is the chosen most appropriate way to behave as deemed by an individual. Its also a self chosen, logically based standard of mental behavior What it involves The market economy unlike the command economy that is so regulated is free and businesses are allowed to carry out their operations without many checks and balances. Profit is the main motive and this opens loopholes in the system which is bound to be utilized to commit illegal actions thus the need for ethics that will govern the corporate world. Business ethics are simply a system of moral principles applied in the commerce world. (Business Dictionary) It involves concerns that are critical to company success such as philosophy, morality environmental responsibility and protection of employees rights. . (encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary, 2009). They are normally incorporated into company blue prints and in some case may form part of the mission, vision and core values of the organizations. Ethics in corporations identify and define the issues which maybe regarded as criminal or against the beliefs of many and frame them in such away that doing it will amount to violation of the law or code of conduct. They therefore attract punishment when committed, to act as a deterrent to future offenders and to ensure smooth running of the businesses. Scope of corporate ethics Apart from the above said categories of ethics, issues such as ethics of accounting, ethics of human resource, ethics of ethics of production and ethics of intellectual property knowledge and skill are also considered. (Wiki 2009 Corporate ethics encompass all the good so to say that must be the intention of all Corporates besides making profit. Corporates need to promote what is progressive and ethical. They should be based on broad principles of fairness, integrity and ones that are focusing on stake holder welfare, environmental sustainability and good welfare of employees (. Jon Entine, 1994). In addition it must cover the social attributes of human rights, sexual rights, animal rights and gender sensitivity (. Jon Entine, 1994).they also include corporate social responsibility, ethical issues relating to associations between different companies, leadership or corporate governance, level of involvement in politics by corporations and the misuse of office equipment. The rate at which the environment is being destroyed has caused alarm bells and the rush to conserve what is left. Companies have come up with programmes tailored in line with their values and nature of business to conserve the environment. Corporate social responsibility programmes that address environmental issues are geared towards the realization of a pollution free environment by the companies that engage in the kind business where environmental tampering is necessary. With every individual entitled to rights as enshrined in the constitution, ethics seek to enforce that. They define what and what not to do in terms of human rights. They ensure that nobody is forced to work in conditions which he/she deems as in conducive. Sexual harassment is very common in workplaces nowadays. Numerous corporations have come up with guidelines enforcing codes of conduct for employees as far as sexual harassment is concerned. Inappropriate dressing and making sexual advances towards colleagues and soliciting for sex in exchange for favors in workplaces is well covered in many corporate codes of conduct. There are guidelines put in place for to protect animals too. They work in the confines of animal rights which chiefly roots for experiments that minimize pain experienced by animals. Role of ethics in business Corporates are considered moral actors in their own right and must demonstrate responsibility in all matters that are relevant in the administration of people the environment and the production of goods. (Georges Enderle) As said earlier on, the role is to ensure the a peaceful and conducive workplace for all employees and the adherence to the laid down regulations which are meant to promote human rights, environmental sustainability, and the minimization of exploitation of customers by unscrupulous businesses. They provide acceptable guidelines for acceptable behavior in their strategy formulation and day to day operations (Business Dictionary). Ensuring that the people who work in these places work in humane conditions that promote the growth and development of human beings and minimize any form of stress that might make lead to the violation of their rights. By formulating ethics and enforcing them, people will be protected from the exploitation that is likely to be fel t in the corporate world. Sectors like the insurance industry promote programmes that are sensitive to the issues affecting people like health. One of the principles they must exhibit is utmost good faith. Without clear ethical guidance such principles will be hard to come by given that human character is dynamic and unpredictable. Ensuring uniform standards and high standards for that matter is effected in part by ethics that exist in various organizations. When they are entrenched in company blue prints they become part and parcel of the culture of the organization hence the fostering of the beliefs that they are an irreplaceable part of a successful company. Fairness was hard to come by even in places where equality seems to have taken root. Because of the profit motive of the corporate world, unfairness is guaranteed to rise up. Price competition and other practices such as corporate espionage will surface to try and annihilate the opponent. Uniform ethics put in place wo rk against such practices and assure industry players the security for business success and survival. Investor protection is a mandatory step that has to exist in every market economy. Investor funds are prone to abuse by uncouth managers who normally use the money for personal ventures. Laws enacted by acts of legislation address the ethics needed for the people who have to manage the sensitive customer investments in companies. Corporate espionage is rampant in the business world especially due to the decreased niche share that companies are experiencing and the completion that characterizes the modern world of business. The passing of sensitive information to competitors for monetary gain can be a serious setback to an organization. These ethics will work towards ensuring that company secrets are kept out of reach of those not supposed to access it. Ethics play a big part in checking the prevention of accounting frauds. Doctoring of figures, insider trading and accept ance of bribery and kickbacks are some of the accounting frauds addressed especially in the Sarbanes-Oxley act. It seeks to reinforce clean accounting processes that will save companies and investors their investments. Human resource ethics protect employees from various prejudices. Discriminating on the basis of gender, color or ethnicity, revelation of employees private information and the formulation of fair employment contracts are some of the issues that HR ethics will address. They ensure their rights in as far as employees are concerned are enforced to make workplaces are worker friendly. Price fixation, and discrimination are common ethical lapses that have characterized sales and marketing departments and in various companies. Correct pricing will reduce exploitation brought by overcharging of clients which might lead to loss of potential clients. The apparent selected selling of particular classes of clients by sales teams can be met by lawsuits of people who will ar gue they have aright to equal access to goods and services. Besides it can lead to lose of the connection between company product and client which is so crucial to product market penetration. Cultivating a tradition of production of non defective goods which will avoid unnecessary recalls requires practicing some of the highly rated ethics. Corporate governance also depends on strong ethics that will ensure only the qualified are given the mantle to lead the organization. These principles of good governance ethics are integrity, accountability, transparency and performance orientation. (Na Boon Chong, 2008). The use of company equipment like telephones must subscribe to some etiquette sand rules that are defined within company ethics. They will save the company quite some money if reinforced and applied properly. Extravagance through carrying out personal tasks on company property may lead to incurring of huge costs. Conclusion Ethics are a necessary part in business and none can survive the repercussions created by their absence. Learning to stay with them and modifying them according to the prevailing situations whether long-term or otherwise is beneficial on the personal and business level. Many companies have collapsed due to the lapses that have been cased by their mangers and other employees. This can be avoided if management went out of their way to find out the opinion of their workers about the ethical practices put in place. (Rkandadai, 2008). Employees tend to learn from their superiors about corporate behavior that suits the company code of conduct. Ultimately therefore the top executives will influence the way attitudes are shaped toward existing company ethics and how the employees will perceive them. Organizations can do better by hiring corporate ethics enforcement officers who will be in charge of implementing the coded of conduct as stipulated in the organizations blueprint. Ethics will help strengthen human resources departments that are in charge of the administration of employees. The above said office will help HR deliver in the normalization and delivery of in terms of subscription to good ethics in the workplace. References 1. Business ethics retrieved on 30th August 2009 from https://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Corporate+ethics 2. Definition of Ethics, Morals, Virtue, and Quality,2008,Larry N G, retrieved on 30th August 2009 from https://www.angelfire.com/home/sesquiq/2007sesethics.html 3. Corporate Ethics and Accountability Jon E, retrieved on 30th August 2009 from https://www.corpgov.net/forums/commentary/entine1.html 4. THE ROLE OF CORPORATE ETHICS IN A MARKET ECONOMY AND CIVIL SOCIETY, GEORGES ENDERLE, retrieved on 30th August 2009 from https://www.crvp.org/book/Series03/III-15/chapter_xvi.htm 5. Business ethics, retrieved on 31August 2009 from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_ethics 6. Corporate Ethics –Role of HR -Your Views!, 2008 retrieved on 31 August from https://www.citehr.com/114317-corporate-ethics-role-hr-your-views.html 7. Corporate Ethics and Integrity, 2009, Na Boon Chong, retrieved on 31 August from https://www.aon.com/thought-leadership/a sia-connect/apr-09/corporate-ethics-and-integrity.jsp

Analysis Of The Book Six Of The Iliad - 1362 Words

Hector’s Agency Agency can be defined as willed action that is freely taken after deliberation or action taken having a specific purpose behind it. In book six of the Iliad, Hector deals with the struggle of choosing between his familial duties and his public heroic responsibilities. The outcome of this conflict, presented in the passage from book six of the Iliad, represents an agency that is both purposeful and goal directed towards receiving honor. The fact that Hector leaves behind his beloved family, and doesn’t abandon his city, although it is destined to fail shows that Hector is able to make his own decisions, even when he is influenced by those outside forces. Hector’s desire to receive glory for himself and for his father is a purpose behind his decision to return to war. Hectors decision reflects the amount of agency he has when deciding on whether to urge away from the battle to be with his family or to return to battle and obtain glory. Glory is an achievement that members of the Greek society, in particular men, sought after. Hector being the son of a king, knows that honoring his father is really important in Greek society. In book 6 of the Iliad, Homer states, â€Å"To stand bravely, always to fight in the front ranks of Trojan soldiers, winning my father great glory, glory for myself.†(6:528-530). The thought of receiving kudos (shine or honor) from his father and obtaining Kleos( immortal glory or fame) for himself impacted his decision to continue to notShow MoreRelatedIliad’s Dilemmas with the Definition Piety 846 Words   |  3 Pagesbetween humans and gods or vise versa. However, one can interpret that after reading book one, six, and seven of The Iliad by Homer, that there are dilemmas that are associated with this definition. 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Technology And Television Child Obesity Essay Example For Students

Technology And Television: Child Obesity Essay Technology And Television: Child Obesity Essay The children of today are becoming more obese, for the fact that they are obtaining laziness. They are spending more time in front of the television then they are getting their daily exercise. Their growing bodies need exercise to lose baby fat before it gets to be a serious problem. The growth of technology has formed a major impact on the obesity of todays children. This technology has substituted normal childhood play exercises with computer games that take less physical effort. Because of technology in todays society the problem with child obesity has become tremendously intensified. First, what is child obesity? The term child obesity means a child is a person between birth and puberty and obese is extremely fat: corpulent(The American Heritage Dictionary 265,856). This disease is caused due to a lack of exercise and over-eating by a child. Child obesity can cause many medical problems for a child that suffers from such a disease. Obesty is a widespread disease that is growing incredibly worse as technology increases. Furthermore, it is obvious that the lack of exercise has a major part to do with child obesity; scientists blame the television for a substitute to outdoor sports. Kids are spending more time watch television than they are doing physical activities. The findings strongly support the notion that the most important lifestyle factor in childhood obesity is television watching(Monmaney). The television brings the childs imagination to life, giving them entertainment to do without the running and exercising of outdoor sports. The more television a child watches the more obese the child will get. Next, the problem is getting so out of hand that the government is going to have to start getting involved. Satcher and Shirley Watkins, the undersecretary of agriculture for food, nutrition and consumer services said that, TV increases obesity, stifles creativity and shortens attention spans among young people (Bauder). This is their reason for joining the campaign for a TV-Free America. It is estimated that an obese child watches an average of four hours and nine minutes of television each day. That is four hours that a child could be bonding with their family or taking action in some physical activity. Thus, problem with child obesity starts as young as infancy. If the childs parents do not stress exercise the child will find an alternative way to occupy their time. For example, playing a game cartridge rather than shooting hoops or flying a kite. The game cartridge provides cheap entertainment with very little fitness involved. Ross Andersen recommends that parents find alternatives to watching television for their children (Joseph). A parent should do anything possible to get their kids away from the television. Ether by making daily plans with timed intervals limiting the amount of television the child can watch or signing them up for YMCA sport activities. Even if the parent has a busy work schedule, make time to benefit the child. Although, there are numerous amounts of prescription drugs for child obesity, the side affects are too risky for the younger child. The easiest way to solve this well-known disease is by stopping the problem before it starts. If you can intervene with overweight children before they are fully grown, you can often help them grow into their weight and prevent them from becoming overweight adults. Some overweight children dont need to lose weight as much as they need to gain weight at a slower rate. (Discroll) Moving on, some children do not need to lose weight, but need help growing into the weight they already have. They can use help to slow the rate at which they gain weight, making it easier for them to grow into it. Plus, the health risk faced by children with the disease of child obesity is immense. .ue44e3c1a66a550bb484f2f92a3008be7 , .ue44e3c1a66a550bb484f2f92a3008be7 .postImageUrl , .ue44e3c1a66a550bb484f2f92a3008be7 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ue44e3c1a66a550bb484f2f92a3008be7 , .ue44e3c1a66a550bb484f2f92a3008be7:hover , .ue44e3c1a66a550bb484f2f92a3008be7:visited , .ue44e3c1a66a550bb484f2f92a3008be7:active { border:0!important; } .ue44e3c1a66a550bb484f2f92a3008be7 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ue44e3c1a66a550bb484f2f92a3008be7 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ue44e3c1a66a550bb484f2f92a3008be7:active , .ue44e3c1a66a550bb484f2f92a3008be7:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ue44e3c1a66a550bb484f2f92a3008be7 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ue44e3c1a66a550bb484f2f92a3008be7 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ue44e3c1a66a550bb484f2f92a3008be7 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ue44e3c1a66a550bb484f2f92a3008be7 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ue44e3c1a66a550bb484f2f92a3008be7:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ue44e3c1a66a550bb484f2f92a3008be7 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ue44e3c1a66a550bb484f2f92a3008be7 .ue44e3c1a66a550bb484f2f92a3008be7-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ue44e3c1a66a550bb484f2f92a3008be7:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Science Fair Essay More than 70 percent of all cases persist into adulthood(Mellin). Obesity during adult years is associated with increased rates of diseases such as hyperinsulinemia, coronary heart disease, angina, atherosclerosis, various cancers, orthopedic problems, and gout along with many other short-term and psychosocial consequences of obesity in children. Thus, with the technology in todays society the problem with child obesity has largely intensified. The management of obesity and overweight in children is an .

Music influence free essay sample

While many of the songs from wars in our past tended to lean in favor, Vietnam presents a startling shift in music. For the first time during a major conflict, the number of protest songs begins to outweigh the number of pro-war songs. 2 This can be attributed to a more unfiltered media presence able to spread more information to the public. The change in relationship between war and music and patriotism can be linked with the changing role of the media in the 1 9605. The emergence of television in particular provided more opportunities to question events as they streamed onto Americas living rooms. Social unrest in the sass, particularly related to Civil Rights efforts and demonstrations, were broadcast frequently. 3 In the past information spread through newspapers and radio reports, but Americans had never actually seen the images beyond photographs and newsreels at the movies. Seeing the images tends to force participants to draw their own conclusions, and Americans were questioning authority long before Vietnam became their concern. We will write a custom essay sample on Music influence or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Prior to that time many musicians were silent about the war.It was not until Americans themselves began to hang their opinion about their presence in Vietnam that many musicians in the record industry began to market protest. 4 As the music began to mirror American opinions more and more, the popularity of many of the anti-war songs soared. In fact, many of the tunes that are still remembered from this time were released after 1965. The protest songs begin to escalate with Tom Pistons Lyndon Johnson Told the Nation, released in 1965. In the song, Buxton exhibits great criticism of the presidents policy in the chorus: Have no fear of escalation.I am trying everyone to please. Though it isnt really war, were sending fifty thousand more, to help save Vietnam from Vietnamese. 5 The lyrics demonstrate the frustration felt by Americans, many of whom were unable to find a good reason to save Vietnam from their own people and were upset that so many lives were lost when war had not been formally declared. There were many other songs that did not necessarily protest, but clearly did relate and reflect what was going on in American History in the sass. Four young girls were killed in the 1963 Birmingham 16th Avenue Baptist Church bombing. Later on after that, John Chlorate wrote the song, Alabama in response to the tragedy. Again in 1963, Bob Dylan wrote the song, Talking John Birch Paranoid Blues. This song refers to the right wing group, the John Birch Society. Later in the decade, Retreat Franklin wrote the song, Respect, in 1967. Her song may have been taken as a political statement, but in her own mind her performance was a personal shot towards her husband at the time, for domestic respect. Her song and her vocals, gave the song power and meaning. In the 1 sass, young people dad popular music-above all rock n roll-the center of their cultural universe. 6 Music was one of the biggest way that youth expressed their rebellion throughout the sass. Rock n roll was a rebel compared to the previous pop music that came in the ass. This music fused together counterculture, search for equality, anti-war, and drugs. Rock n roll became 80% of all music sales throughout the sass. The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, and the biggest of all The Beetles were very big names at this time. The Beetles became one of the biggest music groups and is still well known today. The Beetles were not just popular, but young people cherished them. They were confident, rebellious, adventurous, and they had perfect style. Not everyone enjoyed The Beetles, due to their popularity. John Lennox said that they were more popular than Jesus which upset many people. This however did not change the way the youth looked at them. The Beetles became the most popular music group in the US and had the youth rebelling like never before. Besides listening to rebellious music, youth films were also a way to express the feelings of rebellion. There were many different genres of music, ND styles, just as there were interests and like among the audience. Some people took their racial and gender preferences out on the music, and the performers. But some looked beyond that. Some looked more into the lyrics, and the tone of the songs. The songs helped betray a vast number of peoples emotions and feelings. People may have been unsure of how to think or react to what was happening in the 1 sass, but music helped distinct their feelings. Some songs even helped bring more awareness to what was really happening in America. Music in the 1 sass helped people relax, and enjoy themselves in he chaotic times, but it also helped some people protest against what was going on. Music Influence free essay sample Good music has direct access to the emotions. As such its a fantastic tool for tweaking our moods. Sartorially and Riskier (2007) investigated the ways people use music to control and improve their mood by interviewing eight adolescents from Finland. The participants may be a small, very specific group, but they actually present a really useful list: Entertainment At the most fundamental level music provides stimulation. It lifts the mood before going out, it passes the time while doing the washing p, it accompanies traveling, reading and surfing the web.Revival Music revivalists in the morning and calms in the evening. Dogtrots sensation Music can provide deep, thrilling emotional experiences, particularly while performing. Diversion Music distracts the mind from unpleasant thoughts which can easily fill the silence. Discharge Music matching deep moods can release emotions: purging and cleansing. Mental work Music encourages daydreaming, sliding into old memories, exploring the past. Solace Shared emotion, shared experience, a connection to someone cost. We will write a custom essay sample on Music Influence or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page SOURCE: ( http://atheistically. Hubcaps. Mom/hub/Music-and-the- Influence-on-Society) The Influence of Music Rock Videos Designing and music have always played an important role in learning and the communication of culture. Children learn from the role models what they see and hear. For the past 30 years, some childrens television has very effectively used the combination of words, music and fast-paced animation to achieve learning. 00 Most parents are concerned about what their young children see ND hear, but as children grow older, parents pay less attention to the music and videos that hold their childrens interest.Octet sharing of musical tastes between generations in a family can be a pleasurable experience. Music also is often a major part of a teenagers separate world. It is quite common for teenagers to get pleasure from keeping adults out and causing adults some distress. IDA concern to many interested in the development and growth of teenagers is a serious deterioration in the messages of some rock music, including best-selling albums promoted by major record companies.The following troublesome themes are prominent: 00 Advocating and clamoring abuse of drugs and alcohol. Pictures and explicit lyrics presenting suicide as an alternative or solution. Graphic violence. Depreciation with the occult; songs about Satanism and human sacrifice, and the apparent enactment of these rituals in concerts. L]Sex which focuses on controlling sadism, masochism, incest, devaluing women, and violence toward women.DIDParents can help their teenagers by paying attention to their teenagers purchasing, listening and viewing patterns, and by helping them identify music that may be destructive. Dumdum is not usually a danger for a teenager whose life is happy and healthy. But if a teenager is persistently preoccupied with music that has seriously destructive themes, and there are changes in behavior such as isolation, depression, alcohol or other drug abuse, a psychological evaluation should be considered. Music Influence free essay sample Lately, there has been a lot of commotion about the assumption that specific kinds of music are wrongly influencing the younger generation, mainly focusing on Hip Hop artists such as Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, and Eminem. Some people are even going so far as to blaming Hip Hop for the most horrific and violent events of our time. Researchers, parents and other adults of the generation before claim that this music has a negative effect on their children. I disagree with this accusation and in the remainder of this essay; I will argue my reasoning for thinking what I do. I strongly believe that your emotions and your mood influence your music choice at that given time. If I am happy, I will not be listening to a break up ballad with it’s sad and depressing lyrics. I will be listening to some Pop catchy tune with a quicker tempo. In opposition, if I am sad, I find myself listening to RB music, something with a dragging tempo. We will write a custom essay sample on Music Influence or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page If Im Angry at my parents or feeling bewildered and confused, like nothing is working out the way I want it to and never will. That will be when you will hear me listening to heavier music with angry, detrimental lyrics, because in that moment I connect to the words and Im not alone. While listening to such music you feel empowered because someone has went through the same thing you have. Sadly, many parents dont even have a clue about what is occurring in their teenagers lives. They ask them about petty things such as how school went or what they were able to learn in class that day and they receive the same exact answer fine or ok. Suddenly, when a tragedy happens no one ever wants to feel responsible for anything of that sort. A teenage shoot out, why would any parent want to put the blame on them? Why not blame the media, an untouchable force, or God? For who can even decide if who and what the media really covers is legit? Experiencing violent thoughts is a reality for many teens and adults. People seem to think that Gangster rap music such as Meek Mills song Burn effect them negatively and as a result cause these thoughts. In my opinion, violent music will not cause such thoughts or ideas, but it may bring them out if they were already being contemplated. No one can blame a certain song for the reason behind why they broke the law or committed a murder. The lyrics may cause you to consider these actions but at the end of the day we as human beings are responsible for everything we do. The artists who make any â€Å"angry† songs are using the music as their own vessel of emotion. Artists are human as well and so they need their own outlet of anger or any other feeling just as we do. For instance, here are some lyrics from the song Kim by Eminem â€Å"Sit up front (We just cant leave Hailie alone, what if she wakes up). Well be right back, well I will, youll be in the trunk† This quote clearly displays Eminems hostility to his now current ex-wife Kim. Pertaining to the song, teenagers identify with the fact that Eminem was cheated on not the way he wants to put Kim in the trunk of his car. In a Stanford study it states, â€Å"by pointing to rap as the cause of violence, politicians attempt to erase from the consciousness of their constituents the history of oppression that has given birth to hip-hop culture† (Blanchard). The government may attempt to blame the worlds troubles on Hip Hop, but we all know what some of the real issues are. Either way, hip-hop does not negatively influence anyone, it is up to the listener to make the right decisions because you are your own keeper and you hold responsibility for your own actions.

The language of fashion magazines Essay Example For Students

The language of fashion magazines Essay Overture The significance of print media has been getting bigger and bigger as the time progress all over the world. Magazine is one of the popular forms of print media worldwide. There are different types of magazines with different features and attributes. They are mostly periodic- monthly and quarterly magazines are most common. The magazines generally focus a particular area and they target a particular group of people as their target readers. Such as business and economics oriented magazines are designed mostly for the business people, Science and genealogy for the young people and students, art and literature for the readers who particularly possess interest towards art and literature. Sports magazines target the young and enthusiastic sports lovers and fashion and lifestyle magazines are for the people who are concerned pretty much about their living style and modern days fashions. In this report we have selected such two fashion and life style magazines, one local and one international. Instill the international one, published as British version and Mirror- the Bangladesh magazine regarded as one of the most rumoring and classic fashion magazine of the country. Both the magazines follow English as their media language and are published monthly. We will try to identify the approach of these two commonly oriented magazines. Both the magazines target the todays modern women with their independence and glamorous. In the ne xt section we shall be introduced with these magazines. We will write a custom essay on The language of fashion magazines specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now 1. Mirror; at a glance: Name: Mirror Magazine Nature: Monthly Magazine Type: Fashion Life style Established (First Issue): 2003, Dacha Editor: Quasi Changer Lam Number of publication: 24,000 (2013) Language: English Company: Mirror Group (Bangladesh) 1. 3 Instill; at a glance Name: Instill Established (First Issue): June, 1994 Editor: Ariel Fox Number of publication: (2011) Company: Time Inc. (US) EPIC Media (I-J) Â  2. 1 PURPOSE STATEMENT This paper has been intended as an academic purpose of the students of M. A. In English Program. It aims to find out a comparative analysis of both the magazines in literal as well as structural sense. This comparison will reveal both the similarities and dissimilarities between the two magazines each possess supreme popularity in their own platform. The other purpose of the study is to analyze the style of language of English and what techniques are used in the magazines. This paper also tries to find out how to use language in print media 2. 2 Methodology For a constructive comparison time frame and contextual frame should be pretty much same and identical. Here two magazines have been selected with same nature and categorical similarities. In order to maintain the time frame, the particular number of the magazines for analysis was kept concurrent. The Bangladesh magazine Mirror was taken of volume 10, which is the July-August Edition of the rent year and an Did Fashion Special. On the other hand, the I-J based international Magazine Instill was taken of Volume 20, number 5 and it was the edition of the month of May of this going year. Thus, from the time frame perspective, both have same platform. In order to maintain the contextual frame, the two magazines taken from the similar taste and target readers. Both are fashion and life style magazines particularly designed for the progressive modern ladies. It is important to mention that the comparison was not made from all the numbers of the magazines, rather the two given numbers mentioned earlier. In the next section, we will begin with the comparative analysis of the magazines. Part: THREE Comparative discussions on the two magazines The previously mentioned numbers of each magazine were brought under the observation of the readers. .u41ade086fdfb24df10ea92da26b29ea4 , .u41ade086fdfb24df10ea92da26b29ea4 .postImageUrl , .u41ade086fdfb24df10ea92da26b29ea4 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u41ade086fdfb24df10ea92da26b29ea4 , .u41ade086fdfb24df10ea92da26b29ea4:hover , .u41ade086fdfb24df10ea92da26b29ea4:visited , .u41ade086fdfb24df10ea92da26b29ea4:active { border:0!important; } .u41ade086fdfb24df10ea92da26b29ea4 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u41ade086fdfb24df10ea92da26b29ea4 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u41ade086fdfb24df10ea92da26b29ea4:active , .u41ade086fdfb24df10ea92da26b29ea4:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u41ade086fdfb24df10ea92da26b29ea4 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u41ade086fdfb24df10ea92da26b29ea4 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u41ade086fdfb24df10ea92da26b29ea4 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u41ade086fdfb24df10ea92da26b29ea4 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u41ade086fdfb24df10ea92da26b29ea4:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u41ade086fdfb24df10ea92da26b29ea4 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u41ade086fdfb24df10ea92da26b29ea4 .u41ade086fdfb24df10ea92da26b29ea4-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u41ade086fdfb24df10ea92da26b29ea4:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Compare the Language Macbeth Uses in Two of His Soliloquies with the Way He Speaks When He Was Talking To Other People EssayWe have tried to point out similarities and dissimilarities found in their writing styles, literal values and presentations. 3. 1 Point of Similarities: 3. 1. 1 Presentation of the Cover Page: Both the magazines feature their cover page with the photos of two very beautiful and glamorous celebrities. The one at the left is the cover page of the Bangladesh gagging Mirror which features Biddy Sinai Mim, a very promising and one of the top models of current times of the country. On the right top, we have the cover page of the British tabloid Instill which features the global celebrity Emily Blunt, a very popular international actress. This similarity is quite an evident and a very common method for the fashion magazines to feature a photo of a beautiful looking celebrity with her distinguishes appeals and glamour. This similarity is not true for these two numbers of the magazines, bull almost all numbers of all fashion magazines. 3. 1. 2 Domination of Photos of the models at pose: This is perhaps the most significant similarity and feature of the fashion magazines. They use the photos more than words. In fact, in the two numbers of the magazines, almost 80 percent of the pages contain photo of the glamorous models at their beauty pose. Thus, the language of fashion magazines are predominately visual and not word oriented. This has been found in both the magazines case. 3. 1. 3 Presentation of Commercial Advertisements Both the magazines preach quite a heavy volume of advertisements. The advertisements are found to be similar in nature. The advertisements are mostly of the beauty products and colorful photos are used in form of commercial advertisements. This reveals that both the fashion magazines use their commercials as like their features as the magazines features models and their beauty styles. Thus the advertisements seem like the magazines own features. 3. 1. 4 Similar presentation of articles: Both the magazines publish few articles in their magazines apart from the photos. The articles are mostly short, generally contains less than 250 words. The British tabloid of May, 2013 featured few articles regarding Oscar programs and activities of he international celebrities. The local tabloid featured with beauty instructions and tips and promotes latest fashions through their articles. In each case, the language is short, easily understandable and free from literal complicity. 3. 1. 5 Similarity in Language and writing style: Due to the light nature, both the magazines follow short and simple writing styles. They use simple worlds, short speeches and the articles are mostly free from articulate and literal beauty. 3. 2 Point of Dissimilarity: 3. 2. 1 Contextual Dissimilarity: Despite of their similar nature of fashion and life style, the magazines differ in their approach too. Instill exhibits its high interest in the life style of the celebrities whereas Mirror focuses more on the fashions of the progressive ladies. The photos and the features of the magazine Instill uses the international celebrities to preach the activities of the celebrities. Mirror- the Bangladesh Fashion tabloid on the other hand, focuses more on the fashion and glamour of the local celebrities. 3. 2. 2 Difference in the theme: it has seen that the local fashion magazine focuses on the impact of culture and seasons. For instance, the selected edition was an Did special. There were previous editions on summer bride, pupas special, bookish special etc. This suggest that the local magazine focuses on the cultural impact in the world of fashion. The international tabloid focuses on the life of the celebrities, their activities are the elements of interest. The impact of culture and season was not found to be strong. 3. 2. 3 Difference in Approach: The British magazine provides short article and information though small news in columns which has been completely missed out in the beggarliness magazine. Bangladesh magazine on the other side focuses on the physical beauty of their local liberties (mostly models) and the pattern of their latest fashions thought the exhibition of a series of photos. .u3789b3fb1df8a38d4f35a83eb65c22ad , .u3789b3fb1df8a38d4f35a83eb65c22ad .postImageUrl , .u3789b3fb1df8a38d4f35a83eb65c22ad .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u3789b3fb1df8a38d4f35a83eb65c22ad , .u3789b3fb1df8a38d4f35a83eb65c22ad:hover , .u3789b3fb1df8a38d4f35a83eb65c22ad:visited , .u3789b3fb1df8a38d4f35a83eb65c22ad:active { border:0!important; } .u3789b3fb1df8a38d4f35a83eb65c22ad .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u3789b3fb1df8a38d4f35a83eb65c22ad { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u3789b3fb1df8a38d4f35a83eb65c22ad:active , .u3789b3fb1df8a38d4f35a83eb65c22ad:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u3789b3fb1df8a38d4f35a83eb65c22ad .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u3789b3fb1df8a38d4f35a83eb65c22ad .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u3789b3fb1df8a38d4f35a83eb65c22ad .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u3789b3fb1df8a38d4f35a83eb65c22ad .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u3789b3fb1df8a38d4f35a83eb65c22ad:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u3789b3fb1df8a38d4f35a83eb65c22ad .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u3789b3fb1df8a38d4f35a83eb65c22ad .u3789b3fb1df8a38d4f35a83eb65c22ad-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u3789b3fb1df8a38d4f35a83eb65c22ad:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Fashion Flow Theories: Misconceptions EssayPart Four Findings of the language of Fashion Magazine: The noticeable findings of the language of fashion magazines are It shows how linguistic techniques such as puns and presuppositions are used by magazines to capture our attention It examines how image and text combine to produce meaning It discusses how ideological messages are conveyed It analyses how the appeals are constructed through language It looks at how magazines relate to culture part FIVE Conclusion The language of fashion magazines is lively. Furs are to-die-for, colors are drifts dreamy and looks are leotard simple. The last three decades have witnessed a reevaluation of fashion, both in terms of its credibility as an area of academic investigation and its importance in Western culture, which has caused its reconsideration within popular culture. Today, fashion can be found when flipping through art and fashion magazines. The art press, however, locates fashion within wider social and cultural dialogues, reflecting upon the social, cultural, psychological ND economic implications of dress. As womens fashion magazines have critical role in the maintenance of cultural values and representation of the gender identity, we will be able to investigate how English language relates to gender identity through fashion in Bangladesh. Even though synergies effect of fashion and language as symbolic capital is very interesting subject to study. This habitation of two is neutralized as to create mythology of the modern society is hard to deconstruct. To demythologize the fusion of English language and fashion more profound research will be needed.

The Mystery of the Three, is a story about three criminals attempting to steal shipwreaked artifacts.

The Mystery of the Three, is a story about three criminals attempting to steal shipwreaked artifacts. Maud and Robert flung their bags next to Jeffery's on the dock and climbed into the small submarine, moving quickly so they would not be caught. [Participle] Using the cover of the night to remain stealthy, Robert expertly screwed down the hatch of the sub, taking great care that it would not squeak. His breathing increased and got deeper, he was panicking. Just like most criminals, he regretted being part of this plot, as he was not only risking the rest of his life behind bars, but his life itself. Trying to calm his nerves, he stumbled down from the steps of the hatch. "Turn her on and l-l-lets go." stuttered Maud, who was also giving a hint of nervousness in her unsteady voice. She didn't like Herr Robert SchrÂÆ'ÂÆ'‚Â ¶der, ex-commander. She chose him that day in the Paris catacombs to be part of this plot because he was the only person who knew how to operate a submarine; that came from being in the German Navy.Maud was becoming quite stubborn and irritable these days, as being the mastermind behind the crime is never an easy job. It seemed so simple, but now everything seemed to make her nervous. His silence made her nervous. His evil face and squinty eyes made her nervous. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as the submarine descended into the dark waters.Robert grumbled. It would be another half hour until they reached the shipwreck, where the sunken artifacts would be found, along with the smuggler's launch that carried them. He set the switches, jammed the throttle to full power, and leaned back in his seat. This will all be over soon, he thought, We get there, meet up with Jeff, load up the baskets, and go back. And then... Robert,

How the religion help maya to fight for gender equality in society in Essay

How the religion help maya to fight for gender equality in society in america - Essay Example It must contribute to love and understanding amongst the humankind and between different races. Religious teachings made her appreciate the beauty and goodness of things. She shaped into an idealistic individual, happy always, notwithstanding the adverse circumstances the black community was placed in. She took it as a challenge. Maya belonged to the black race and the appearance of members of the black race, was not good. On these counts, they were always subject to prejudice. To overcome this problem Maya built her self-esteem and religious teachings were a great solace to her in situations over she had no control. But she challenged the vicissitudes of life ably. She had to endure the worst experience a young girl can think of—being raped! Though this incident put a lot of limitations on her behavior, religion provided her the strength to endure the ultimate humiliation. How religion has indirect influences, on the psyche of the black people? Black people feel better about their inferiority and think that it is the God-given gift to them. They conclude that they are more loved by God. How they challenge their difficulties that try to corner them from all ends! This self-righteousness based on the foundation of religious principles provided lots of internal strength to Maya. The portrayal of her life has been hailed as the biblical study in life in the midst of death. Notwithstanding her dastardly experience of rape, she maintained a luminous dignity about her life and such poise is possible for in individual with strong religious/spiritual beliefs. She has a comprehensive sense of life, again a quality of a doted and spiritual human being. The theme of the book is the quest for the black child seeking love by the adult, which normally are the parents. But destiny denied that part of love to Maya, being separated from her parents. The

Research critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Research critique - Essay Example The aim of the study is to establish the connection of changing electrodes on the functioning of cardiac monitors. The study intends to check the effect of daily electrode change on the number of technical monitor alarms. The study has an aim of identifying and implementing best practice for electrode change and to observe their daily change on technical monitor alarms. Review of literature The article has an organized literature as the topic does reflect the subject matter of the journal. The journal has a brief abstract which specifies about the nature of the study of the journal. The introduction part is concise and defined the nature of the subject and the aim of the study conducted. The body of the literature is informative and has headings and sub heading in a correct order. Even the conclusion is informative and compact. The rationale of the study looks much worthy as it is all about understand the technical functioning of cardiac monitors. This study has high significance in medical field and has an intention on improving the quality of service provided by hospitals to its patients. The direction of the study was practical and safe to the participants of the study. Conceptual framework and Map The conceptual frame work of the article is evident based practice approach regarding electrode change in cardiac monitor alarms. The concept of the study is centered on the effect of electrode change on the functionality of cardiac monitor alarms. The theoretical study and the research question are identical with the conceptual framework. Here the theory is concentrating on the relationship between electrode change and decrease in cardiac monitor alarms efficiency. The research question is about electrode change and cardiac alarm efficiency and the theory directly links with it. There no maps or models logically presented except for some tables with calculations. Research Question /Hypothesis The research question is addressed correctly and appropriately in the j ournal. The research question is rightly indicating the purpose of the study and what the study specifically wants to achieve the research question gives the readers all the information regarding the nature of the journal. There is no confusion or misleading in the research question and it highly simple and clear. The question is precise and does not involve unwanted message or implications. The research question is an important part of any research article and should be short and precise which is seen in this journal. In case of the logical relation to the aim of the theory, it could be said that it is rightly connected. The research purpose is to understand the role of electrode change on the efficiency of cardiac monitor alarms and this clearly reflects in the research question. Variables The concepts identified within the theory are alarm functioning, cardiac monitors, ECG process, electrodes, quality improvement and noise. The variables identified in the study are dependent and independent variables. Here the independent variable is the electrode and cardiac monitor while the dependent variable is alarm noise. The variables are not extensively defined in the article as sometimes things are vague. Research Design The research design is not apt and should have been a more close examination of the functionality of electrodes on cardiac monitor

Menopause Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Menopause - Essay Example M.T reports having experienced her last menstrual period 10.5 years ago with the periods having been irregular before they stopped. Social and family history: M.T works as a part-time bank teller. She is married with three children who are all adults and in good health condition. She equally has grandchildren whom she watches during the weekdays after school. M.T denies the use of illicit medications, but she reports a history of cigarette smoking of two and a half packets of cigarette every day from when she was fifteen until she was forty-five years. The patient reports occasional alcohol consumption coupled with ten to twelve diets of cock per day. The patient has attempted to follow a low salt and low cholesterol diet, but she admits this has been a challenge. The patient has increased her calcium-containing foods to three to four servings per day. The patient reported that the father died from presumed heart disease in his fifties while the mother died from complications related to motor vehicle accident at the age of seventy-five. The patient is the eldest of four sisters with the other sisters alive and well. The patient reports no family history of breast cancer. Genitourinary/rectal: presents with a case of dryness, itching, urinary frequency, and dribbing after voiding. The patient is gravida three para three, menarche at the age of 14. The patient is sexually active but experiences dyspareunia. According to the medical definition, menopause is a stage in life that occurs after 12 months after a woman’s last menstrual period. Menopause can happen in a woman’s 40’s or 50’s. Menopause is a natural biological process; nevertheless, it presents with physical symptoms as the patient, in this case, (M.T) experiences. The experiences of menopause are equally execrated by lifestyle condition, which may fasten or worsen the symptoms. Management of menopausal symptoms thus in cooperate lifestyle

Effects of Ability Grouping in Middle School

Effects of Ability Grouping in Middle School Ability grouping is viewed by workers as a controversial educational practice (Ansalone, 2006; Rubin, 2006) because it has been the subject of more research studies (well over 500) than almost any other educational practice (George Alexander, 2003, p. 414). The proponents who include teachers and parents maintain that ability grouping specifically targets instruction thereby needs of a particular group of students is met while opponents maintain that the expected advantages often are not materialized. According to Snider and Schumitsch (2006) ability grouping promotes stigma and destroys academic motivation, especially among the slow learning students; self-esteem is regarded to be the condition that aids student achievement. Generally speaking, child-centered teaching methods embrace the child as a whole and give emphasis in meeting the socio-emotional and cognitive needs of the child. William and Bartholomew (2004) statistically analyzed data from the General Certificate of Secondary Education and Key Stage 3 tests. The data analysis provided the basis for measuring achievement which is independent of the individuals ability. William and Bartholomew noted that grouping by ability level had little impact on overall Mathematics achievement. Moreover, the group placement produced increments in academic achievement for high-achieving students at the loss of these gains among the low-ability students. Also noted is that performance in mathematics did not vary across school type and ability group placement. Burris, Heubert, and Levin (2006) reported contradictory results and revealed that high attaining students are not affected when integrated with students whose ability is below theirs. A longitudinal approach was conducted which examined scores in Mathematics achievement tests in six succeeding years. Data obtained from the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) were likewise collected. The problem tackled the belief that ability grouping is the cause of persistently low academic achievement in schools. The research probed on the impact on Mathematics achievement when high attaining students are grouped with students in the lower ability levels. The study revealed that highly achieving students were unaffected by the ability grouping. Venkatakrishnan and William (2003) reported that tracking students in mathematics affected them differently. ANCOVA model showed that high-achieving students were not advantaged significantly when placed in the tracks however, student progress in the heterogeneous group detected significant progress-prior achievement correlation. This indicates that when placed in mixed-ability group, low-achieving students attained the most advantage while setbacks on high-achieving students are minimal. Robinson (2008) noted that ability grouping in kindergarten reading classes significantly correlated with greater benefits for the Hispanic students when compared to students of other ethnic backgrounds. However, benefit was reduced during summer and the first grade, unless during the first grade, ability grouping is continued. There is robustness in the study results suggesting that variations in instructional strategies at the start of the school could prove effective and a more economical means of bridging the achievement gap faced by an ever growing student population. Liu (2009) found that students in low-ability groups perceived lower academic self-concept than the average and high-achieving groups. A noteworthy outcome in the study is that the low-ability student participants largely improved in academic confidence and overall self-concept in English while the high-performing group remained stable in these respects. Tach and Farkas (2005) utilized national ECLS-K data in estimating the predictors and impact of reading ability grouping in the kindergarten and first grade levels. The research noted that prior performance in the test is the most significant predictor of the placement followed by the teachers subjective evaluation of the students classroom learning behavior. Both of these variables could be attributed to the differences in the effect according to social class, gender, or race when ability grouping is first implemented. The study revealed that in kindergarten and first grade classes where ability grouping is introduced, a higher placement positively affected learning behavior and reading performance of students. Placement in an ability group as well as evaluation of teacher regarding student behavior both significantly influenced students increase in reading performance, even net of prior scores to reading achievement tests. The grouping takes group- and individual-level performance variations that appear during preschool which widen even more than during the first two formative schooling years. Totten and Bosco (2008) measured the effect of ability grouping in a university geology class. Students from the nine sections in elementary geology laboratory class were administered a Mathematics Proficiency Basic Skills Test (MPBST) before the start of the semester. The results of the MPBST divided the student respondents to homogeneous, heterogeneous, and self- selected groups. GTAs were assigned blindly to the sections so they have no knowledge as to how the classes were grouped. Grades became the gauge for student achievement by computing the scores obtained from individual work, ten quizzes, and two examinations and 11 group laboratory reports. Within and between group comparisons were applied on the scores using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings of the study suggest that students from the homogeneous group demonstrated the highest academic performance in introductory geology. Powell (2008) assessed if grouping students in accordance to reading ability would impact the self-concept of third to fifth graders who have below average, satisfactory, and above average reading skill. Independent t -tests showed significant differences in self-concept levels. Among the third graders, only the average learners significantly improved in the self-concept scores since they obtained higher scores during post-test. In the 4th grade students, statistical differences exist in the self-concept of below average learners. Fifth grade students did not show any change in self-concept despite the grouping. Ireson and Hallam (2005) established pupils liking to attend school and correlated this construct, experiences of pupils during lessons, self-concept and school setting. Stratified sampling was done and selected 45 mixed secondary comprehensive schools. The schools represented various types of ability grouping methods in years 7-9. When the other variables were controlled statistically, extent of ability group in the school did not exert any significant effect. Karademir and Ucak (2009) investigated the effect of ability grouping on the academic achievement of 7th grade students in If there were no pressure? in Science and Technology Education during the second semester of AY 2006-2007 in an elementary school. Using co-variance analysis, there were significant differences detected in academic achievement (p0.05), the reverse was noted among the males. Lleras and Rangel (2009) examined the effect of ability grouping on Hispanic and African American students at a primary school. Data analyzed were taken from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study and results supported the differential effect of ability placement. Students with low reading ability learned substantially less compared to those grouped higher. The latter group slightly learned more over the first years of schooling against those from classrooms where grouping is not practiced. In sum, the study questioned the notion that ability grouping beneficially affect the first few years of learning in school. The paper published by Toomela, Kikas, and Mottus (2006) dealt with concerns on the quality of schooling and impact of ability grouping on the academic achievement of 147 students from two mainstream town schools, one rural school, Step-by-Step school and an elite private school. Two assessment periods were performed: at start of age 7 and grade 3. First, an assessment on the respondents cognitive abilities was conducted followed by proficiency in mathematics and Estonian language was evaluated. Results indicated that attendance in the elite private school correlated to abilities and increase in academic performance. However, a Multiple Regression Analysis using both school and average cognitive ability of the school the child attended negatively affected those in the elite private school. Valdez (2010) conducted an action research focusing on a ninth-grade Algebra I class at Kensington International Business High School, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The study commenced last February 2010 and completed in March 2010. Students were assigned to two groups, namely: failing and passing students. The former repeated the first half of the Algebra course while the latter continued. The principal respondents of the study were passing ninth grade students. Data were collected from interviews, teacher observations, assessment results, journals, and student questionnaires. In summary, the results implied that reorganization of the Algebra I course into two, Algebra IA and Algebra IB benefitted the achievers and the teacher. Researchers like Ellison and Hallinan (2004) noted that students in Catholic high schools outperform public secondary schools in standardized achievement tests. Though many follow up research has been conducted focusing on this finding, the effects of ability grouping on academic achievement is given little attention. Because it is an almost universal method practiced in middle and secondary schools all over the US, ability grouping channels opportunities for learning to students. The authors also traced the historical background of ability grouping and reviewed findings pertaining to effects on ability grouping, the process of assignment, and mobility across groups of students in every school sector. Analyses implied that implementation of ability grouping in Catholic schools contributes to higher achievement. Saleh, Lazonder, and Jong de (2005) examined the effects of various grouping arrangements on academic achievement, social interaction as well as motivation. Students varying in ability were randomly assigned to two ability groups homogeneous or heterogeneous ability groups. The students took the same botany course. The main findings indicate that below average students increased in achievement and learning motivation when integrated to the heterogeneous group. Average students better performed in same ability group while above average students show comparable learning outcomes in both groupings. In terms of social interaction, heterogeneous group placement produced more individual elaborations, while more collaborative elaborations in the other group. The results of the study of Cheung and Rudowicz (2003) revealed that ability grouping did not have any significant negative effect. Grouping was done according to prior academic performance. Those in the more homogeneous group significantly reported higher self-esteem and academic achievement in the subsequent school years. The effects of ability grouping in mathematically gifted students on academic self-concept and boredom were established by Preckel, Gotz, and Frenzel (2010). Students were shown to report very pronounced low math academic self-concept at the early period of the academic year. Interventions should therefore be implemented to counterbalance this negative effect. There is no evidence that gifted students are bored in the regular classes. The students gave different reasons for the experience of boredom in class and that there are changes in boredom attributions over time. This supports the notion that gifted classes should be provided appropriate levels of challenging tasks. Dukmak (2009) investigated the interaction between teachers and students in various learning environments in selected middle primary schools in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). These environments were as follows: same- and mixed-ability and same- and mixed -ability learning groups in one classroom. The sample were 16 low-and high-achieving males and females. The results demonstrated that students with high academic performance in all learning settings had more interaction with low-achieving students. Females from high-achieving groups interacted more frequently with males sharing same academic ability as they are. More interaction was observed among boys in same-ability classrooms compared to that in mixed-ability classrooms; among females, the trend was the opposite. Same-ability students interacted more when compared with the mixed-ability students. The results likewise revealed that more teacher interaction with males and achievers. Low-achieving males received more teacher interac tion than females of their academic level. Teachers interacted more with males who are high academic achievers in same-ability than in mixed-ability classrooms. In mixed-ability classrooms, teachers had more interaction with low-achievers of both gender than those of their academic status in same ability classrooms. Lipps, Lowe, Halliday, Morris-Patterson, Clarke, and Wilson (2010) showed evidence that academic tracking is associated with depressive symptoms. They sampled students from Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Vincent. More than half of students reported experiencing depression while 19.2% and 10.7% felt moderate and severe depressive symptoms, respectively. Jamaican students significantly reported higher depression compared with those in St. Vincent and St. Kitts and Nevis. Students in the higher tracked tended to obtain significantly lower scores in BDI-II than lower academic track students. Mulkey, Casambis, Steelman, and Crain (2005) employed a mixed methods design using the conceptual framework and analysis of surveys. Data collected by the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 were subjected to further analysis. The survey data were taken at two years of interval. The findings revealed that academic self-esteem was significantly lower in the high- than the low-level ability group. Chiu, Beru, Watley, Wubu, Simon, Kessinger, Rivera, Anahi, Schmidlein, and Wiqfield (2008) concluded that academic self-concept in Mathematics was significantly affected by ability grouping but not the overall self-esteem of students. The researchers found evidence that students are comparing with each other within rather than outside their ability group. It was likewise shown that students more likely compare themselves with students who performed better than themselves instead with those who had poorer performance. Teachers and students attitudes towards ability grouping The attitude of the teachers toward the ability of their students influences tracking decisions according to Watanabe (2007). The same author suggested that teachers philosophies and expectations, specifically their belief that providing students with various skills opportunities to have access to higher level college courses and enrolment in the required prerequisites influences practices of college placement. A qualitative research was employed by Chisaka and Vakalisa (2003). In-depth one-on-one interviews were done with educators, school administrators, and students. Informal conversations with these respondents complemented the formal interviews since relevant themes also emerged. Documentary analysis, observations, as well as limited participation were the means of gathering data. The principals findings of the study were as follows: little or no preparation among teachers in low-ability classes; slow learners felt that the school administration and high-achieving students discriminate them; students in high-ability classes maintained that teachers who bunked their classes view them as intelligent to independently learn and that slow learners had no desire to learn and are disruptive; poor social interaction among learners from both groups creating a social stratification which is unhealthy. It was also concluded that the negative effects of ability grouping outweighed the expected ben efits. Therefore the practice warrants further re-examination. Hallam, Rogers, and Ireson (2006) explored arts and sports teachers attitudes towards ability grouping. The respondents were 45 secondary school teachers who have adopted different ability grouping levels. The questionnaire used elicited responses regarding teachers beliefs regarding ability grouping and its effects. Overall, physical education teachers demonstrated the most positive attitudes; drama teachers, least positive and arts and music teachers, moderately positive. Thus, the best determinant of attitudes was the subject taught. The findings of the study supported that notion that arts and sports teachers positively perceive mixed-ability teaching. The study of Hallam and Ireson in 2006 revealed that of those pupils who expressed a preference 62% of pupils indicated a preference for setting, 24% for mixed-ability classes, and 2% each for streaming, banding or an unspecified other. Seven percent said that they didnt know (Hallam Ireson, 2006, p. 587). Later in 2007, Hallam and Ireson conducted a follow up study determining the students level of satisfaction with their present ability group placement. About 38% wanted to change to another group and62% of the lowest achieving students were more desirous to switch their group placement. The research of Hallam and Ireson (2008) compared teachers attitudes in teaching different subjects in high, low, and mixed-ability classes in 45 secondary schools. There were more than 1500 teachers covering a wide range of subject specialists and they completed a questionnaire asking them their thoughts and beliefs regarding ability grouping and its impact. More supportive perceptions were noted in mathematics and foreign language teachers in comparison with English and Humanities teachers. Business, design, ICT, PE, arts, and science teachers expressed intermediate perceptions. The perceptions of the teachers were determined partly by the conceptions on the nature of the subject being taught and the type of ability grouping that is adopted in the school. MacQueen (2010) examined attitudes of teacher-respondents toward ability grouping based on the interviews conducted in three schools. The research discussed how the beliefs of teachers on this strategy affect practice in literacy classroom situations. The study concluded that the practices of teachers negatively impact regrouping strategy which compromised student learning. Chen (2006) investigated practitioners rationale and the experiences of students in flexible ability grouping. The researcher conducted interviews of four teachers utilizing this practice and surveys of 70 5th grade students at an elementary school located in southern California. Results suggested that despite the usefulness of ability grouping in planning and instruction, perceptions of low-achieving students were slightly more negative compared to that in high-achieving students. Ansalone and Biafort (2004) showed in their study that 70% of teachers reported adjusting classroom presentation according to the ability group while an even percentage reporting that more time is needed to cover the lesson in the low-ability tracks. Seventy-one percent employed special teaching techniques in aiding the delivery of instruction by track. According to 62% of teachers, more course material is provided in upper-track groups. While there are differences in the curricula according to the ability group, such as repetition of lesson and slower discussion pace, most educational sociologists fear that the presentation of the specific curriculum and the whole educational experience of low-achieving students will be different substantially and simplified conceptually. While the answers to the interviews are pointed towards curricular modification, many comments conveyed a desire and feeling among teachers to willingly work in presenting the whole curriculum to the entire student s and assisting them regardless of ability group. Little support is given to the notion that low-achieving students cannot be taught. While more than 70% of teachers in the survey reported adjustments to the curriculum in accordance to track, the general response indicates that the teacher would still want to present the same curriculum to students despite being in the lower- or upper-track levels. The purpose of Fans study (2007) is to investigate the attitudes of students and teachers on ability grouping in Freshman English instruction.ÂÂ  It tested whether students from the different ability groups varied in their perceptions towards the practice. In addition, it likewise explored the variations in the perceptions of students and teachers. Participants were 676 second year university students and 17 teachers. Questionnaires were self-administered to determine the perceptive of students and teachers towards ability grouping for the school year. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics; t-test and and one-way ANOVA tested the hypotheses. Similarities in student perceptions (level A and B) were summarized in the following: First, students manifested positive or neutral attitudes toward ability grouping in English instruction.ÂÂ  Second, students regarded that improvement in English proficiency is related to their personal learning attitude. Howe ver, some differences were detected between levels A and B students in psychological effects and instruction and material.ÂÂ  First, level B students considered that when they are learning together with similar level colleagues, learning anxiety and pressure are reduced compared with level A students.ÂÂ  Second, level B students also viewed that teachers could modify their pace of teaching and evaluate them by their level in comparison to level A participants. In addition, there were significant differences in the perceptions between the students and teachers.ÂÂ  First, students believed that learning with classmates in different classes increased motivation when compared to the teachers. Second, teachers maintained that because of the grouping, teachers can assess students in terms of their ability level in comparison with the students. Moreover, teachers also viewed that improvement among students in English is associated to their learning attitude against the stude nts views. Despite ongoing researches that establish the effectiveness of ability grouping, schools are increasingly maintaining and applying stratification practices such as streaming, banding and setting in order to raise levels of attainment. While past English studies investigated various elements of school-level grouping methods, there still is a research gap since there is no attempt on the part of the researchers to elucidate ways that head teachers frame the problems, pursue and consider equity and influence decisions and practices at the school-level pertaining to grouping methods. The paper of Trigg-Smith (2011) reviewed how policy climate contributes to the decisions of the school with regard to ability grouping, how the head teachers work, how existing theories of intelligence and ability reinforce the grouping methods, plausible frameworks for the exploration of equity in the grouping, importance of the impact head teachers have on the grouping, and recommendations as to the counte rmeasures leaders can adopt to curb inequity and further structural change. Grouping criteria In schools, the process of assigning students to a particular group is referred to by Kelly (2007) as student/parent informed choice system; choice which means that the students can enroll in any class which they are eligible for. On the contrary, the description of the policy is misleading; based in a number of school curriculum guides, the school decides the students eligibility because of the prerequisite grade requirement which is most commonly obtaining score better than the cutoff in a standardized test, teacher recommendations, prior course taking, and other vague requirements. The author emphasizes that employing both objective and subjective assignment criteria creates placement practices ranging from highly to less restrictive. While standardized tests, quota systems, and rigid scheduling form part of highly restrictive placement criteria, test placement is avoided in less restrictive criteria allowing overrides following assignment of course. The criteria promotes catching up during summer and put forward a less elite-centric philosophy. Watanabe (2007) concluded that out of 6 teachers, 5 recognized that the choice of the student on the course to take is a significant element on how tracking is defined. However, no one of the teachers in the study conceptualized the definition of tracking and its manner of implementation. In addition, it was observed that the perceived level of student preparation critically determined granting access to high level subject by the teacher. Scores in standardized tests, prior coursework, and grades were the most often utilized indicators measuring the skills and level of preparation of the students. RESULTS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS In this chapter, findings are summarized and conclusions are drawn based on the results. A discussion of the issues related to this study and possible implications for educators and administrators follows. Finally, recommendations for future research and practice of this study are shared. Summary of the Study The issue of ability grouping in schools has been the subject of debate for many years and will be for years to come (Hopkins, 2003). Many have feared that ability grouping will hinder the advancement of students with low ability since there will be an emphasis on basic knowledge instead of advanced learning. On the other hand, proponents insist that that grouping by ability has the potential of improving student achievement by increasing level of motivation. The only certain conclusion is that further research on ability grouping will benefit both educators and school administrators. Hence, this examination of perceptions on ability grouping was conducted. This proposed study looked to explore the pros and cons of ability grouping as it pertains to student academic achievement. This study also examined the perceptions on ability grouping from various stakeholders to include administrators, teachers, and parents in the educational system at the middle school level. The purpose of this research was to gain further insight on ability grouping as an educational policy but based on the perspective of administrators, teachers, and parents in three middle schools within a rural school district. This study intended to allow for inference on the effective strategies and techniques of implementing ability grouping in the operation of the school. Information collected in this quantitative research was gathered from surveys given to the administrators, teachers, and parents. Findings from this research will be forwarded to the district superintendent in hopes of providing guidance for improving classroom instruction and raising student achievement. Ultimately, this research serves to shed light on an instructional approach that should increase student achievement. The following four research questions acted as lenses to guide the research: Will administrators have an overall positive perception of ability grouping at the middle school level? Will teachers have an overall positive perception of ability grouping at the middle school level? Will parents have an overall positive perception of ability grouping at the middle school level? Summary of Findings and Conclusion The current research addressed the question of educational tracking and its continued use in contemporary American education, especially considering that the bulk of literature has pointed to its negative outcomes on students. After identifying the key stakeholders in this debate, namely teachers, school principals, students and parents, an attempt was made to assess the perceptions of each in order to arrive at an understanding of the mechanisms that keep this educational practice in place. R1: Will administrators have an overall positive perception of ability grouping at the middle school level? A full account of the results for Question 1 is presented in Chapter 4. It was hypothesized that administrators will view ability grouping at the middle school level positively. Descriptive analysis of the survey responses for administrators indicated that their perceptions were moderately in favor of ability grouping. However, this means that administrators did not necessarily have an overall positive perception of educational tracking in the middle school. Most administrators reported having background knowledge of ability grouping. Responses consisted of agree (66.7%) and strongly agree (33.3%) including a mean rating of 4.33 and a median rating of 4.00. Administrators perceived that ability grouping will result to improvement in students scores in standardized tests. Responses were evenly spread through undecided (33.3%), agree (33.3%), and strongly agree (33.3%). Mean and median rating was 4.00. Administrators slightly agreed that ability grouping expands the teachers capacity in meeting students needs. Responses include disagree (33.3%), agree (33.3%) and strongly agree (33.5%). Mean and median rating was 3.67. Administrators slightly agreed that ability grouping increases student motivation. Responses include disagree (33.3%), agree (33.3%) and strongly agree (33.3%). Mean rating was 3.67 while median rating was 4.00. Most administrators perceived that ability grouping increases teacher effectiveness in planning instruction. Two administrators (66.7%) strongly agreed while one was undecided (33.3%). Administrators agreed very slightly that when students are grouped according to ability, they become more confident in terms of student achievement. One administrator disagreed (33.3%) while two of the administrators agreed (66.7%). Mean rating was 3.33 while the media rating was 4.00. Most administrators perceived ability grouping to be an unfair practice to students. Their responses included undecided (33.3%) and agree (66.7%). Mean rating was lower at 3.67 compared to the median rating at 4.00. Administrators were ambivalent on whether ability grouping creates a positive learning environment. Most could not decide (66.7%) or agreed (33.3%) to the statement. Mean rating was 3.33 while median rating was 3.00. Administrators strongly agreed that teacher input is essential in the appropriate ability group placement of students. Their responses were agree (66.7%) and strongly agree (33.3%). The mean (4.33) and median (4.00) rating showed relatively strong agreement. Administrators strongly agreed that placing talented students along lower-achieving groups would lower self-esteem. The mean and median rating for this statement was 4.00. Administrators perceptions were divided on whether ability grouping only benefits high school students. Their responses to the statement were strongly disagree (33.3%), disagree (33.3%), and agree (33.3%). The overall mean and median rating indicated a moderate level of disagreement. Administrators had mixed perceptions on whether ability grouping would improve overall education of students. Their responses to the statement were disagree (33.3%), undecided (33.3%), and agree (33.3%). The mean and median rating indicated undecided at 3.00. Administrators did not agree that ability grouping had no positive benefits for students. Their responses to the statement were

Personal Trainer, Inc. Essay

Background You are enjoying your job as a student intern at Personal Trainer. Last week, Susan asked you to help her plan the new information system project. Susan knows that you have completed several information systems courses at the local college, and that you have studied project management tools and techniques. Specifically, she wants you to get ready for the next set of systems development tasks, which will be requirements modeling for the new system. Yesterday, Susan called you into her office to discuss the specific tasks she wants you to perform. After meeting with Susan, you sit down and review your notes. She wants you to treat the set of tasks as a project, and to use project management skills to plan the tasks. Here is what she suggested to you as a work breakdown structure, including the duration she estimated for each task: First, you need to meet with fitness center managers at other Personal Trainer locations (10 days). After these meetings, you can conduct a series of interviews (8 days). When the interviews are complete, two tasks can begin at the same time: you can review company records (2 days) and observe business operations (7 days). When you have reviewed the records and observed business operations, you can analyze the BumbleBee accounting software (3 days) and study a sample of sales and billing transactions (1 day). You are excited about the opportunity to practice your skills, and you start to work on the following list. Personal Trainer, Inc. Fact-Finding Summary A typical center has 300-500 members, with two membership levels: full and limited. Full members have access to all activities. Limited members are restricted to activities they have selected, but they can participate in other activities by paying a usage fee. All members have charge privileges. Charges for merchandise and services are recorded on a charge slip, which is signed by the member. At the end of each day, cash sales and charges are entered into the BumbleBee accounting software, which runs on a computer workstation at each location. Daily cash receipts are deposited in a local bank and credited to the corporate Personal Trainer account. The BumbleBee program produces a daily activity report with a listing of all sales transactions. At the end of the month, the local manager uses BumbleBee to transmit an accounts receivable summary to the Personal Trainer headquarters in Chicago, where member statements are prepared and mailed. Members mail their payments to the Personal Trainer headquarters, where the payment is applied to the member account. The BumbleBee program stores basic member information, but does not include information about member preferences, activities, and history. Currently, the BumbleBee program produces one local report (the daily activity report) and three reports that are prepared at the headquarters location: a monthly member sales report, an exception report for inactive members and late payers, and a quarterly profit-and-loss report that shows a breakdown of revenue and costs for each separate activity. Assignments 1. List the system requirements, with examples for each category. Review the information that Susan gathered, and assume that she will add her own ideas to achieve more effective outputs, inputs, processes, performance, and controls. The system requirements for the new Personal Trainer system can be identified by careful analysis of the fact-finding summary on page 184. The summary contains a number of â€Å"must† statements, and various items on the â€Å"wish list† that were suggested by local managers and staff members. Students should be able to identify, classify, and enumerate these items. Sample suggestions for outputs, inputs, processes, performance, and controls might include the following: Outputs: Report on delinquent payments, more frequent reports on trends and profitability, computerized activity and wellness log, more detailed exception reports, what-if scenarios that managers can use to plan promotions and discounts Inputs: More information about member preferences, activities and history, method to obtain member suggestions and e-mail messages Dr. Rafael Nieves Page 4 Processes: Automated process to scan key chain IDs or credit cards, process to manage part-time instructors and staff Performance: New design for sales slips, better information on members Controls: Standardized coding system to be used company wide, better  reconciliation of data, and creation of audit trails 2. Are there scalability issues that Susan should consider? What are they? Scalability refers to a system’s ability to handle increased business volume and transactions in the future. Because it will have a longer useful life, a scalable system offers a better return on the initial investment. To evaluate scalability, Susan will need information about projected future volume for all outputs, inputs, and processes. For example, she would need to know the estimated number of customers, transaction volume, peak periods, number and types of data items required for each transaction, and the method of accessing and updating customer files. 3. If Susan wants to conduct a survey of current or prospective members to obtain their input, what type of sampling should she use? Why? Students might suggest a stratified sample of former members and prospective members. It is relatively easy to identify former members from Personal Trainer’s records, but it might be more difficult to identify prospective members. Several options are available. Personal Trainer might request survey input from members who have recommended friends in the past. Were the new members happy, and did they remain as members? Why or why not? This might be quite valuable input in predicting future membership results.  Also, perhaps the company has a list of people who have requested information about Personal Trainer in the past, but never signed up for a class. That group might be an interesting sample. Finally, former students might be an interesting group to survey. 4. Draw an FDD that shows the main operations described in the fact statement. The fact-finding summary on page 184 identifies many of Personal Trainer’s activities, functions, and processes. Answers will vary based on different perceptions of Personal Trainer’s main operations.