Film Critique of Titanic Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Film Critique of Titanic - Term Paper Example Film Critique of "Titanic" Titanic, directed and written by James Cameron, generally is about an old 101-year old woman, who narrates her story to her female grandchild Lizzy Calvert, Brock Lovett, Lewis Bodine, Bobby Buell and Anatoly Mikailavich. The story was set back in 1912, on April 10, on a ship that was called The Titanic. Rose, a young woman, boards the ship which was leaving with the first-class passengers, Ruth DeWitt Bukater, her fiancà © Caledon Hockley and her dear mother. In the meantime, a wanderer by the name Jack Dawson, an artist, and his close friend Fabrizio De Rossi succeed in getting third-class tickets to the ship after winning a game. The old Rose DeWitt gives a detailed information on the whole story from time Titanic departed until the it’s death of on its very first and final journey on the 15th of April, 1912 in the morning at 2:20. The artists, or rather filmmakers who were behind this movie include: James Cameron (producer), Pamela Easley (associate producer), Al Giddings (co-producer), Grant Hill (co-producer), Jon Landau (producer), Sharon Mann (co-producer), Rae Sanchini (executive producer), James Horner (responsible for the original music), Russell Carpenter (director of photography), Film Editing was done by: Conrad Buff IV, James Cameron and Richard A. Harris. Others include: Mali Finn (In charge of casting), Peter Lamont (production designer), Martin Laing (art director), Charles Dwight Lee (supervising art director), Michael Ford (set decorator), and Deborah Lynn Scott (costume designer).

The First Industrial Revolution Essay Example for Free

The First Industrial Revolution Essay The two most significant social consequences of the First Industrial Revolution were the emergence of the Bourgeoisie and the rise of factories. As a result of new developments in machinery and the formation of factories, the division of the labor force drastically changed. No longer were people born into their crafts; however, they were able to choose factory work as their profession, and wealthy land owners were no longer able to count on the possession of large tracts of land as a form of wealth. The land owners either transitioned into becoming factory owners, or they faced bankruptcy due to lack of production which resulted from people born on their land leaving when they came of age to seek better paying positions in factories. The specialized craftsman were being forced out of existence by factories which could not only produce better goods, but they were able to, in some cases, triple the production of products previously produced by the specialized craftsman. Many people were choosing to become machine operators because the work was easier in the sense that they were able to work in all day long instead on only daylight to dawn, and this increased production led to the formation of the Bourgeoisie. The Bourgeoisie was the newly created middle class that was all but non-existent before the First Industrial Revolution. These positions came into existence due to the increased production of products that needed to be sold to the public. The Bourgeoisie was primarily shop owners, and their ability to market products to the public resulted in their dramatic increase in wealth and status within their local communities. These shop owners basically became the intermediary between the factory owners and the local populace, and their importance resulted in a new power struggle with the Factory and land owners. The Bourgeoisie caused the explosion of Capitalism in Europe and the rest of the world. The shop owners were able to rise above poverty by being able to supply everyone with goods that were previously only available to the wealthy. Being able to provide these items as a result of factories increased the wealth and influence of the Middle class businessmen, and Capitalism was born. Industrial Revolution and Capitalism In a nut shell, Price claimed the Industrial Revolution created the division of labor (2004). The Division of Labor is perfectly encapsulated by the Henry Ford model of the assembly line (Price, 2004). Each worker on the assembly line only needs to know how to attach or inspect the operation of their assigned part on to the object as a whole, and not how to assemble the entire product. This allows for any unskilled person to be taught how to attach their doodad onto the doohickey without knowing what the doohickey does or operates. This is capitalism in the basic form of the ideal. Capitalism desires economic efficiency, thus the assembly line is a perfect example of the rise of unskilled factory workers and the decline of skilled craftsmen during the industrial revolution and the rise of capitalism. The rise of Capitalism assisted in increasing the chasm which already existed between the wealthy and the poor. The newly created middle class also rapidly becoming wealthy as a result of the new commerce, and were able to spend more time perusing the leisure activities before only enjoyed by the rich. Capitalism naturally had it opposition from all sides, the wealthy, the middle class, and the increasingly poor. This opposition was able to take root within the poor and lower middle class as they were the ones who were not able to benefit from the huge profits caused by inflation increasing faster than wages. The new theory of communism was developed from the combination of feudalism and Asia produced items. The Link between Communism and Capitalism and the Development of Communistic Theory The disparity between the classes, the rich and the poor, was increasing by leaps and bounds every day. The demand of the rich factory owners to increase production thus increasing profits without any concern for the actual workers and their working conditions could be linked to Karl marks theory of communism (Price, 2004). The development of Communist theory naturally grew out of the ill-treatment of workers participating in Capitalism (Gates, 2011). Factory workers were dehumanized, dishonored, and treated as possessions by the factory owners (Gates, 2011). The consequences of the deplorable conditions of the employees created fertile beds for the theory of communism to take root and germinate (Steven, 2009) In Capitalism, individuals can earn wealth, own their own property, and production abilities, and everyone has the right to produce products. In Communism, the wealth, property, and production all belong to the state and are communal property. Communism vacuums up all the land, assigns someone to manage the production, and dictates what will be produced, for example: corn, wheat, or beans. At harvest time, the crops are harvested, processed, and shipped out to the central distribution warehouses to be doled out at the leisure of the state and not necessarily as needs demand. The people who grew and harvested the crops do not get to keep any for their personal use. In Capitalism, each individual or corporation owns the land, decides what is to be grown, and who ever can afford to purchase the harvested product can purchase it, and some or all is kept for the use of the owners. Communism does not encourage free thought of the individuals as they might realize that there could be profit to be made. Capitalism encourages individuals to think for themselves. This freedom of thought allows for each person to have the ability to encounter a problem, and creatively generate a solution that might benefit others for the right price. These two differences are what have allowed Capitalism to flourish over the past several centuries, and doomed Communism for failure almost before it was allowed to germinate as a viable way of life. References Gates, L. (2011, March 11). capitalism/communism History Discussion. Study Guides, Lesson Plans, Homework Help, Answers More enotes.com. Retrieved January 5, 2013, from http://www.enotes.com/history/discuss/capitalism-communism-93289 Price, R. G. (2004, January 29). Division of Labor, Assembly Line Thought The Paradox of Democratic Capitalism. rationalrevolution.net Making sense of history, economics, politics, philosophy, and war. Retrieved January 5, 2013, from http://rationalrevolution.net/articles/division_of_labor.htm Steven (2009, December 14). Capitalism and communism Gilles Dauv | libcom.org. libcom.org. Retrieved January 5, 2013, from http://libcom.org/library/capitalism-communism-gilles-dauve

Haroun And The Sea Of Stories :: essays research papers

Haroun and the Sea of Stories I thought the book â€Å"Haroun and the Sea of Stories† was well written and a fun book to read. This is a story about friendship, fight for justice and honesty. It makes the reader feel like a child again. Rushdie showed in this book his good knowledge of human imagination. This is a reminder of that magical world with bad creatures and the ones with big hearts that always win a war. The book is about the land where stories are made, Rashid who is "the Shah of Blah, with oceans of notions and the Gift of the Gab," and his son Haroun. When Rashid loses his gift, his son embarks on a quest to recover it. This story is comparable to other stories like â€Å"Alice in Wonderland† in that it is a fairy tale, since the novel is based around this place, Kahani, the earth’s second moon, where stories are made and kept alive. Rushdie's characters and dreamlike settings are deliriously inventive. It is similar to â€Å"Alice in Wonderland† where Alice is in her own fantasy land. In this tale are some powerful moments dealing with freedom of speech and expression. The force of evil in this story is silence, an enforced silence, the quashing of language, fantasy, satire - even the truth itself. There are plenty of allegories and light-hearted commentary woven into the tapestry. The Princess Batcheat is a bit much to put up with, as are the people we must sometimes defend on principles such as freedom of expression. I found the ending interesting when you find out that the city Haroun and Rashid live in, â€Å"the city that forgot its name,† has the same name as the â€Å"fantasy land,† Kahani, that Haroun was just in. Also, during the story Haroun would hint that people in the fantasy land reminded him of people he knew in his own city. Also the fact that what made Haroun’s father lose his talent of telling stories, Soraya, Rashid’s wife, left him for someone else, was back and she referred to the man she left the same as Khattam-shud.

Sacred Spaced Ap Art History

Throughout history, monuments have been built to show power, wealth, and even conquest. Depending on a cultures value and tradition, the types of monuments can vary from era to era. However, the construction of sacred monuments has predated from the times of the start of civilization in Mesopotamia to even modern day. People have always created buildings to show their faith, and to honor their gods. In Ashokan India and ancient Greece, the creation of sacred spaces was very common. The creation of the Great Stupa in India and the Parthenon in Greece both were built for the honor and worship for the respective god and goddess for both nationIn India during the rule of the Buddhist ruler Ashoka, the Great Stupa of Sanchi was commissioned. The Great Stupa was considered to be one of the greatest monasteries patriotisms to Buddhism. Even though it can be dated back to Ashoka’s reign, its consists of many buildings and parts that was made overtime and well beyond the time period of Ashoka. The dome of the stupa is roughly fifty feet high and is filled with earth and rubble. The stupa would hold relics of the Buddha himself where the people of india would come to as a pilgrimage.The people of India would enter through the gateways of the stupa, walk down a path called the lower circumambulation, and climb up the stairs to the secon level to walk the second circumambulation of the stupa. Buddhist ventured the relics of Buddha through circumambulations, which was walking around the stupa in a clockwise manner, following the path of the sun and brining the worshiper into harmony with the universe. The Great Stupa itself had more than six hundred inscriptions showing the donations of hundreds of individuals that made the building of the stupa possible.Ancient Greece was also known for extravagant temples honoring their Gods. The Acropolis found in Athens is another example of elevation in attempt to get closer to the divinity. The Parthenon was built for Athena, t he city’s patron goddess and also the goddess of War. The Greeks built this large temple to thank Athena for the Salvation of Athens after their victory in the Persian War. Inside, there once stood a thirty-eight foot high statue of Athena with a winged Nike in her hand. On her sandal, there was a depiction of the centauromachy. On her shield were scenes of both the amazonomachy and he gigantomachy. All of these were battles the Gods fought in during the Persian War. The columns of the temple surrounded the statue in a symmetrical way that emphasized Athena’s importance as the centerpiece. On the outside of the temple were about ninety different metopes depicting gods and goddesses and a 590 foot frieze on the inside. Greeks were proud of the Parthenon, not only because it was considered a piece of art, but because it was also significant of their victory over Persia. They worshipped to Athena all over the Acropolis and also sacrificed animals such as oxen, goats and s heep.Sometimes worship was held in the form of social festivities honoring Athena. Sacred sites were greatly influenced by the cultures of each era, and had a impact on the lives of the people. The Great Stupa, which was open to all of India, attracted many buddhists and was a center for prayer. In ancient Greece, the Parthenon was used to worship athens main deity, Athena, and served as a place of worship to other gods as well. It was placed on a higher surface to show its importance, and the Great Stupa engraved inscriptions of the people who donated to the construction of the temple to show appreciation.

Facilitating the Transfer of Knowledge to Long-Term Memory

Recommend key Instructional strategies geared toward facilitating the transfer of knowledge to long-term memory. Next, suggest approaches that instructors may use In order to compensate for the challenges of storage Information storage and retrieval that occur with age. A key Instructional strategy geared toward facilitating the transfer of knowledge to long-term memory would be to develop a lesson plan that accommodates all learning styles. The lesson plan should relate to all students from experiences which would trigger long term feeling, emotions and thoughts.This would help when it comes to facilitating learning. An approach I would suggest would be before every lesson has the learners write out some of their most memorable memories that they have experience in life and incorporate those memories into learning which would compensate for the challenges of storage information and retrieval that occur with age. From the e-Actually, compare the results of the two (2) quizzes / tests that you have taken. Dullness's the common thread(shore lack thereof?that the results yielded. Next, suggest which type of knowledge?I. , procedural or procedural?would yield the best results with an adult learner like you. Provide a rationale for your response. Http://move. Utopia. Org/multiple-intelligences-assessment Interpersonal This test showed that my learning style closely correspond with the interpersonal intelligences. I agree with this test because I am aware of my feelings and others feeling. Also I am an introvert. I have all these thoughts, feelings and emotions bottles up Inside and at times are afraid to share them with others because I'm not ere how they would react to them.I prefer being alone because I like focusing on myself and Improving myself as a person. I enjoy being alone that give me time to plan my next move and strategies on how I want things to go. So I agree with the test http://www. Bark-learn. Com/English/results. Asp Kinesthesia: 13 This shows that I'm was a kinesthesia learning and I wasn't quite aware of it. I agree with this to a certain extent. I'm not good at sports but I am in touch with my hand eye coordination and have quick reactions. And at times I have a high level of energy.But while in high school and undergrad I never participated in any sports other than trying out for cheerleaders. But while in my sports class I found that I was pretty good at playing volleyball. After being In so many classes throughout my life I've found that I learn more through visual aid. By seeing how to figure out formulas or given examples on how to write papers I've become successful at learning and processing information. So I enjoy lectures, step by step pictures and charts and

Hollywood essays

Hollywood essays Michael Medved provided many convincing arguments in supporting the thesis in his essay, Hollywood Poison Factory. He argues that popular culture is viewed now as an implacable enemy, a threat to their basic values and a menace to the raising of their children (212). He refers their (212) to the majority of the American public who disapprove of how Hollywood distributes films which contain bad messages. Medved mainly supports his arguments by providing different movies to illustrate his views and does a very good job of that. He does not criticize the actors, directors, and does not name specific people. Instead, the author focuses his opinions on movies that include negative messages which concern dysfunctional marriages and religion bashing. These are the two main arguments, that Medved provides, to support his thesis. Medved makes some strong arguments in regards to how different religions are negatively portrayed in movies. For example, Medved criticizes a film directed by Martin Scorsese, called The Last Temptation of Christ. He alludes to this film, as showing religious Jews operating a brutal bordello right next door to a synagogue and forcing women into white slavery (213). The Catholics were also targeted in a movie called The Pope Must Diet, in what Medved described as scenes of the Holy Father flirting with harlot nuns and hiding in a closet pigging out on communion workers (213). Religion, being the focal point in these movies, does make the viewers feel uncomfortable, and puts these religions in a negative light. Therefore, movies should be more appealing to people, if they do not contain any anti-religious undertones. This will be a much safer route, for Hollywood to connect with its audience and this is what Medved is trying to explain to us in his arguments. Medved provides another convincing argument in pointing out that Ho ...

Enrico Fermi Essays - Nobel Laureates In Physics, Guggenheim Fellows

Enrico Fermi Essays - Nobel Laureates In Physics, Guggenheim Fellows Enrico Fermi Enrico Fermi Enrico Fermi was an Italian-American physicist and Nobel laureate, known for achieving the first controlled nuclear reaction (Encarta 98). Enrico was born on Sep. 29, 1901 in Rome, Italy. Formally educated at the University of Pisa, Enrico was also a student of many leading theoretical physics centers. He soon became a professor of theoretical physics at the University of Rome. There he developed many new ways of explaining the behavior of electrons (Encarta 98). Some examples would be the development of the theory; beta decay. The one theory attributed towards him that was renowned in the world of physics and put him on the map as one might say was; the investigation of the production of artificial radioactivity by bombarding elements with neutrons(Encarta 98). For this he was later awarded the 1938 Nobel Prize in physics. Due to the fact that his wife was Jewish he decided not to return to fascist Italy, in fact they immigrated to the US. While in the US he first started out as a professor at Columbia University. He then mover his teaching career to the University of Chicago where he was able to create the first controlled nuclear fission chain reaction which took place in Dec. 1942 (Encarta 98). For the remainder of the war he worked at Los Alamos, New Mexico on the A-bomb. He was then later openly opposed to the hydrogen bomb and debated it on ethical grounds (Encarta 98). He remained at the University of Chicago attracting students from all over the world to study under him. Although his contributions to the realm of physics are immeasurable they where also the cause of his death. Enrico Fermi had an untimely death due to Cancer on Nov. 28, 1954 in Chicago (Encarta 98). He also had an award that honors his memory which is given to an individual who is considered to have the greatest contribution to the development or use of atomic energy.

How to Select an Original Argumentative Essay Topic

How to Select an Original Argumentative Essay Topic Original Argumentative Essay Topics The argumentative essay is the exact type of academic assignment, which is very popular in modern universities and colleges. The students who learn history, economics or political science often face a need to perform an argumentative essay. The main purpose of this essay paper is to reveal students’ abilities to reason and support arguments. This article will help you to perform a perfect argumentative essay and will bring numerous original ideas for selecting the most appropriate topics of the essay paper. How to Choose a Proper Argumentative Paper Topic When you need to perform an argumentative paper, you will be assigned a topic or will face a need to select your own. Sometimes, it is easier to perform your own topic if you are able to choose the most appropriate and original argumentative research paper topic. It is important for your topic to be interesting and useful for the audience. Thus, first check who is your audience and only then start performing your paper. Make sure you know the topic you are going to write about in your essay paper. How to Prepare Essay Paper In order to prepare an excellent argumentative essay paper, you need to follow the next writing plan: Ideas’ research; Brainstorming; Writing an outline; Proper structure; Writing process; Proofread; Final Research. Every mentioned stage of the essay paper performing needs to be followed no matter what topic you have chosen for your essay paper. Make sure you know a lot about the topic, its main subjects, objects, and top characteristics of the described issue. Ideas’ Research Once conducting research, make sure to deal only with reliable sources, thus choose proper sources and check various materials with different viewpoints and other researchers’ thoughts. Since an argumentative essay requires proper references, write down every source used with its detailed title, author’s name, date of publishing, and the pages’ numbers. This is very useful to perform a reference list in advance since it will help you to save a lot of time when finishing your research project. Brainstorming This is the exact stage where you need to look through every idea and argumentation to figure out what you are going to write and how you need to perform a paper. You will be assigned a certain formatting style thus it may help you to shape your paper properly. Check every of your idea, even the most provocative and intriguing ones. It is great to list your ideas since this form of pre-writing allows choosing the best ideas without forgetting any of its slightest details. Proper Structure Once dealing with a selection of a proper structure, follow the standard essay paper’s structure with the following top elements: Introduction; Main body; Conclusion. The introduction needs to be quite impressive and attention-grabbing to make the reader continue reading your paper. The introduction also must contain the main thesis statement. The main body consists of the min paragraphs, which reveal the statements and their support arguments. Moreover, it is important to place every statement and argumentation logically to let the reader get the main point of the paper. The main body needs to reveal the evidence and the opponents’ arguments to make the entire picture full. Use statistics and other important data to support your arguments. With proper argumentation and evidence, start performing a conclusion. This is now supposed to be a simple summary of the paper. You also need to show the practical use of your research’s results for other researches. You can add a call-to-action to your conclusion if needed. Outline In order to organize the entire writing process, it is useful to perform an outline. The outline will be used further as a working plan to make the writing more convenient. The outline allows summarizing the main ideas, which need to be revealed in the main paragraphs of an argumentative essay paper. Writing Process It is important to focus your attention on a proper paper’s structure since only proper formatting and structure allows preparing a flawless original paper. Therefore, follow the structure and use the outline to organize the entire writing process more conveniently. Sure, you can implement any of your writing ideas; thus, if you think you need to use unique writing techniques feel free to use them in order to provide a perfect argumentative essay paper. It is important to check your vocabulary all the time in order to avoid using jargon and other inappropriate languages. Remember, there is no use to do your entire writing on the same day. Plan your working hours and spend enough time to prepare an original and flawless paper. Proofreading Once you have an argumentative essay written, make sure to check it for any grammatical and spelling mistakes. Moreover, try to avoid the next logical misconceptions: Hasty generalizations. It means using a conclusion having non-valid evidence. Ad hominem attack. This is when a writer tries to deal with the opponent’s point of you by turning to name-calling. Genetic fallacy. This is the situation when an argument is bad because of its origins. Circular argument. It is when a writer tries to prove an argument by simply restating it in dissimilar words. Controversial Argumentative Essay Topics Numerous writers prefer using controversial argumentative essay topics to grab the readers’ attention and prepare a unique writing piece. College and university students and other writers who want to perform an exclusive argumentative essay can easily use these controversial argumentative essay topics. Note: These topics are not for middle school students. Family Matters The right to adopt children for homosexual partners: pros and cons. Physical discipline for children: do the parents have a right to do so? Should the parents who were named incompetent by the state representatives to be allowed to keep their children? What do you think about same-sex couples as parents? Children punishment: long-term negative effects. Society Legalization of abortion: pros and cons. Assisted suicide: legal responsibility and consequences. How to stop the illegal immigration in the world? What is the most appropriate role of the Church in society? Should the death penalty be justified? Law What rulings should the judges make: based on the wording of the law or the one beneficial for society? It the power of the U.S. Supreme Court excessively overrating the power of the local branches of government? Does the collection of metadata remain a violation of the Fourteenth Amendment? Do you believe the stated need to be given more power? What positive changes can bring the right of the Great Britain House of Lords to obtain veto power over the House of Commons? Ethics Do you think it is right for psychologists and priests to share the content of their conversations with patients and parishioners when required by the law? Does the doctor have an ethical right to deny treatment to a patient who cannot pay? Does the right to use a gun in order to defend own life and properly is ethically allowed? Should the government make prostitution a legal work? What do you think about the legalization of the drugs? History Did the United States have a right to banish the Native Americans from their territories? The reasons for the Prussia success in gathering Germany lands into a single nation? Can be justified the post Second World War occupation of Eastern Europe by the Soviet Union? The invention of the cotton gin and its effect on American agriculture. What are the main and primary reasons for the Indo-Pak Wars? Health Care The private and public healthcare systems: pros and cons. The main ways of dealing with an increasingly aging population in the United States? Do the scientists have an ethical right to perform experiments on animals? Should drug and alcohol addiction be listed as a disease? The effects of the 21st Century social environments on humans’ health. Education Choose and verify the most effective education system: teacher-centered or student-centered. Is it beneficial for children with special needs to be taught together with ordinary children? Do the schools need athletics as a special discipline? List and compare the main learning methodologies of 20th and 21st centuries. Is it beneficial for students to be friends with their teachers? Foreign Policy Does Great Britain make the right decision to leave the European Union? Should the NATO and EU expand in Eastern Europe? The main foreign policy objectives of the current president of the United States. How to achieve a lasting peace in Syria? The improvements of the foreign policy of Ukraine due to Russian and American interference in her domestic affairs? Economics The reasons for the communism failure in the Soviet Union? The benefits of socialism for developed nations. The pros and cons of socialism and capitalism for modern society. The most beneficial economic system for Third World countries. The protectionist and free trade policies: pros and cons. Military Science The importance of ground forces for achieving victory in modern wars. Use of biological and chemical munitions: the ethical and moral rights. The use of aircraft carriers in current wars: pros and cons. The replacement of soldiers by artificial intelligence and machines in the future. Can the occupation of the country in total war and all the methods used for it be justified in the end? The argumentative essay is a complex, but a very exciting academic assignment, which is very popular in modern universities and colleges. The students who learn history, foreign policy, political science, economics, etc. often face a need to perform an argumentative essay. The main purpose of this type of essay paper is to demonstrate the students’ abilities to reason and support arguments. This article will help you to perform a perfect argumentative essay and allow finding numerous original ideas for the best original topic for your essay paper.

Current Purchasing and Supply Chain Practices in E-procurement Essay

Current Purchasing and Supply Chain Practices in E-procurement - Essay Example Indeed as e-commerce continues to gain root courtesy of the developments realized in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) it seems every single sector is being transformed. E-procurement therefore involves the use of Electronic Data Interchange and Enterprise Resource Planning. It is basically facilitated through the use of various software applications which enhance the process of supplier management and complex auctions. The value chain process of e-procurement consists of e-tendering, indent management, e-auctioning, catalogue management, order notice, e-invoicing, e-payment and contract management. It basically involves the conventional supply chain processes which are enhanced through the use of information systems. In public sector organizations, e-procurement is becoming a common affair given its increased benefits. Some of the benefits realized through e-procurement include increased efficiency and cost savings. Indeed, these have always been major concern in govern ment contracting. Similarly, e-procurement improves the transparency of the procurement process. Conventional procurement is normally characterized by rampant corruption especially in the public sector. A supply chain network enables the distribution options for the procurement of both raw material and finished products. In this regard, the major aim of a supply chain network is to satisfy the needs of the consumer as soon as they appear. This is certainly an important component of e-procurement (Ageshin, 2001). It should be realized that e-procurement is not simply a process of making online purchases. It must provide an open and effective communication line with all the potential suppliers throughout the business process (Waters, 2007). Research and New trends Businesses are today compelled to adapt and reconfigure their IT systems, assets and business operations in order to meet the increasingly changing demands of the customers. There is a growing need to compress the long busin ess cycles and to differentiate from the increased competition (2007). In this respect, new trends in e-procurement are constantly adopted with the major aim of enhancing operations through efficiency, costs reduction and output maximization. The systems are facilitated through the adoption of new architectural styles. The e-procurement and purchasing process involves the following steps (Dolgui, Soa, & Zaikin, 2005). Purchase approval and supplier evaluation The e-procurement supply chain process normally begins by the demand or need of the material by a user. In this respect, a number of electronic documents are normally used. They include forecasts and customer orders, purchase requisitions, stock checks and material requirements. The process of purchase approval involves a number of steps and will normally depend on the size of the purchase and whether the client is making first time purchases. Depending on the size of the purchase, there can be a need for supplier evaluation wh ich begins with from the determination of the purchase need (Forrest, 2006). Bidding and supplier selection The selection of suppliers is actually one of the most important activities in this respect. In any case, any mistakes or errors at this time can be very damaging and long-lasting. Once all the bids are received and the negotiation process has occurred, the sourcing team will then select an appropriate supplier and the approval is then authorized through the purchase approval step (Foust, 2013). Purchase approval Once the supplier has been selected, purchasing grants an authority or approval to purchase the product or service. This is facilitated through the use of an electronic drafting of a purchase order (PO). This is also

Indian Tribes within the US Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Indian Tribes within the US - Research Paper Example Indians are among the fastest growing ethnic groups in the United States. The major locations which they occupy are divided into seven regions, discussed below; 1) Great plains They occupy the hills and plains of North America. Major examples include the Sioux, Blackfoot, Cheyenne, Crow and Comanche. They have an archaic culture just like other Indian tribes, due to resistance to domination by the United States and the governments of other countries. Great Plains Indians are divided into two major groups; the nomadic who practiced agriculture and kept animals and the aboriginal Indians, who are semi sedentary hence, lived in villages where they grew crops and traded with other neighboring communities. They comprise of Hidatsa, Iowa, Omaha and Otoe. The main animals they hunted were the buffalo and antelopes, for their hide, bones and for food. They later learnt about horses from Spanish explorers in the early sixteenth century, which greatly enhanced how they lived their life for exa mple made transport easier. The buffalo however remained the main source of game food. The great plain Indians had no particular religion. They however believed in spirits, which they believed controlled their health. They also respected the sun as the source of life. Their housing was referred to as Teepees made of buffalo hides, which could move around when they were moving from one place to another, for those who were nomadic. For the sedentary ones, the preferred form of housing was game lodges. They wore moccasins in the feet, hence the shoes. Women adorned themselves with jewellery to enhance beauty .to preserve their food they used the sun. The great Plains Indians had impressive arts which they expressed through painting and carvings which was mainly done by men. On the other hand women mainly engaged in beadwork, needle work and cloth design. 2) South West Indian tribes. They include Chea, Creek, Timucua and Lumbe. Mainly considered to be woodland Indians. Their main source of economic activity was hunting and gathering of wild fruits and animals, farming of crops such as rice and corn. They comprise of different languages and dialects within them. Just like other native communities they passed tradition from current and future generations orally, from elders to the young members of the community. The tribes were divided into clans, and a person belonged to the mothers’ clan, hence it was matriarchal in nature. They were very religious in nature and hence believed in gods and deities. As a form of worship they put up occasions where they prayed through song and dance ceremonies. They inhabitated forested areas of the south western areas of the country. 3) Mid Atlantic/north East . They comprise among others Lenape, Iroquois, Pequot, Algonquin and Niponic. The houses they inhabitated were called longhouse and wig warms. To protect them during cold periods, barks of trees and animal hides were used to cover their dwellings to provide warmth. They had leaders who were reffered to as Sadem which was a hereditary position. Chores were divided according to age and gender. Men did hunting and made weapons to be used in hunting and during war, while women were involved in cooking, farming and weaving baskets. Early Europeans who settled in this area introduced new infections which led to

Course work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Course work - Essay Example Also education was meant for them as they would be required to read the Bible and scriptures. The role of the village clergy was to oversee the spiritual life of his people on the medieval manor. It was the village priest who represented the Church for the medieval men and women. (Kreis, 2006) The church had the backing of the people as they were considered the spiritual people who god had chosen for the spreading of his teachings. This put a great responsibility on the Church as they held much influence over the people. But they held all control over education as it was not open for all. Therefore most of the inventions of the time, such as the printing press, were developed by the priesthood. The concept of proper land management was also introduced by them improving the quality and efficiency of the land production. But around the 12th century the people began to notice an increased change in the lifestyles of the priests. They were moving towards a worldlier lifestyle living their lives like the aristocracy. This negative feeling built up and led eventually to the Protestant Reformation. Other notable movements were those of the Franciscans, Waldensians, Poor Clares and Dominicans. (Sherman & Salisbury, 2006) These events were considered important as they showed that people wanted the church to reform itself and to be more religious in nature then it was. The people wanted to prevent the Church from deterioration and were willing to bring about change in the system. Aside from the worldly nature of the Church the main reason for dissent among the people was the Church's desire for more money. They began offering indulgences which did not suit the people as they saw the rich buying their way to paradise rather than leading a good pure life for it. The church's own attitude towards the people became more aloof as they concentrated their attention on the wealthy and were found to be serving under nobles and other feudal lords due to their education. The church would preach in Latin and since not many people knew the language they had to rely on the church for communing with god whereas they themselves couldn't. The inquisition was the straw that broke the camels back as the church now began prosecuting the people. This led to much dissatisfaction and when Martin Luther introduced the Protestant Reformation where he stressed on the actions of the people gaining them access to paradise rather then them buying it, people embraced it in multitudes. (D olan & Hubert, 1980) 2. Review the Crusades. Why did the crusaders go to the Holy Land, and what did they accomplish The crusades were initiated by an emotional speech done by Pope Urban II in 1095 which began the 200 hundred year lasting crusades. He moved the nobility to take back the Holy lands, to redeem themselves in the eyes of god by clearing themselves of their sins, and for the common people to become the soldiers of god. This speech was so potent that by the end of it the people were willing to lay down their lives for the Church and to go forth into battle against the heathens who had control over the Holy Lands. (Schreck, 2003) The crusades religious reasons were to reclaim the land from the Muslim invaders, secondly to repair the rift between the Roman and Orthodox Christianity since the Schism of 1054. The

Marketing Models Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Marketing Models - Essay Example Presently, marketing aspects such as advertising need to utilise persuasive communication, creative strategies and planning in order to capture the interest of the target group. The most significant feature in the marketing environment in the 21st century is the increasing active role of the consumer and the emergence of new technologies. This means that an effective and elaborate communication process must exist for a company to attract consumers (Kotler and Armstrong, 2012). There are various reasons for marketing especially when a product is in the mature stage of the product life cycle. In this stage, the sales are high but they tend to stabilize and without the right marketing channels, they can decrease. Therefore, the company needs to come up with a marketing strategy that stands out from its competitors and promotes the products in an extraordinary way (Kile, 2013). In the maturity stage, marketing plays significant roles with the consumers as it help them to associate with the brand by building trust with the customers. It also helps in increasing sales as more customers are attracted to the brand and since it is an established brand, they can trust the company to provide quality products. The company gains a favourable reputation through marketing (Brown, 2001). Marketing is significant for a company as it helps it to adapt to the constant changes occurring in the marketing environment. As many companies are embracing globalisation, information transparency and the use of the internet, their technological capabilities and business models are changing. This phenomenon has made marketing a crucial function in many organisations as they try to differentiate their products to suit the new consumer needs and expand their markets. Markets are also unpredictable following these changes, therefore, a company has to market its products to ensure that the consumers are retained and also capture the minds of new or prospective

History, Government, and Economics and their influence on Global and Research Paper

History, Government, and Economics and their influence on Global and Local Issues - Research Paper Example Discussion For decades, Arabs was in control of Arabs and Turks, who made it a part of their Ottoman Empire. It was in 1805 when Muhammad Ali Pasha, an Albanian solider took control of Egypt and declared himself as the â€Å"Sultan† and â€Å"Wali† of the country. Most authors agree that Pasha’s period mark the beginning of modern Egypt (Thompson, 2009). Despite the fact that Pasha was not a liberal or modernist but many of his reforms had great impact on the formation of the current culture of Egypt (Moscovitch, 2007). Pasha nationalized all the land in Egypt thus allowing the government to own all agriculture and crops produced in the country. He focused greatly on the industrial, primarily for building weapons for the army. Pasha sent promising students to Europe for higher studies and brought back those students to take key positions in educational institutions, hospitals, and bureaucracy (Goldschmidt, 2004; Vatikiotis, 1991). However, after the completion of Suez Canal, the British and French started taking a lot of interest in the domestic matters of the Egypt and eventually went to take over the country in 1882. This control remained until the year 1922 when Egypt became an independent country. During the British occupation, trade developed in the country and Immigrants from Southern Europe and Northern Africa flew into the country, which increased the total number of immigrants in the country to 1.5 million in the 1930s (Moscovitch, 2007). The independence was actually the result of 1†919 Egyptian Revolution, which was led by Saad Zaghlul, and other members of Wafd Party† (Moscovitch, 2007). Saad Zaghlul eventually went on to become the first prime minister of the country in the year 1924, one year after the formulation of Egyptian constitution (Vatikiotis, 1991). The British did retain the control of certain matters related to foreign policy of Egypt, wars and partial control of Sudan as well. This remains one of the re asons why even today, anti British feelings are observable in the hearts and minds of the masses of Egypt. During the First World War, British promised that they would take the entire burden over their shoulders, thousands of Egyptian shoulders lost their lives. Even in Second World War, British used Egypt as a base for Allied forces. â€Å"Anti-British feelings continued to grow and provided one of the reasons for the Egyptian Revolution of 1952† (Pateman & El-Hamamsy, 2003). The revolution was aimed at removing King Fahad 1 and making Egypt a republic. Corruption, lavish lifestyles of the rulers, monarchy, and inflation, ignorance of the rulers towards the domestic matters of country and pro British policies were among the other reasons (Moscovitch, 2007; Thompson, 2009). General Naguib took control of the country but Nasser who became the President of the country in 1956 later put him on a house arrest. Naseer Died in 1970 and Anwar Sadat took control after him. Both these leaders, despite being autocrats, remained extremely popular amongst the Egyptian and other Arab people. Sadat launched a war against Israel. Although it ended in a draw but Sadat considered this as his win (Goldschmidt, 2004). Important here to note is that the period of Nasser gave the Arab world what is known as pan-Arab ideology or Nasserism which still influences many Egyptians political and economic circles. The ideology asks for the complete or partial rejection of American and European systems and increased economic, political, and social support for members

Marketing Models Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Marketing Models - Essay Example Presently, marketing aspects such as advertising need to utilise persuasive communication, creative strategies and planning in order to capture the interest of the target group. The most significant feature in the marketing environment in the 21st century is the increasing active role of the consumer and the emergence of new technologies. This means that an effective and elaborate communication process must exist for a company to attract consumers (Kotler and Armstrong, 2012). There are various reasons for marketing especially when a product is in the mature stage of the product life cycle. In this stage, the sales are high but they tend to stabilize and without the right marketing channels, they can decrease. Therefore, the company needs to come up with a marketing strategy that stands out from its competitors and promotes the products in an extraordinary way (Kile, 2013). In the maturity stage, marketing plays significant roles with the consumers as it help them to associate with the brand by building trust with the customers. It also helps in increasing sales as more customers are attracted to the brand and since it is an established brand, they can trust the company to provide quality products. The company gains a favourable reputation through marketing (Brown, 2001). Marketing is significant for a company as it helps it to adapt to the constant changes occurring in the marketing environment. As many companies are embracing globalisation, information transparency and the use of the internet, their technological capabilities and business models are changing. This phenomenon has made marketing a crucial function in many organisations as they try to differentiate their products to suit the new consumer needs and expand their markets. Markets are also unpredictable following these changes, therefore, a company has to market its products to ensure that the consumers are retained and also capture the minds of new or prospective

Memoir Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Memoir - Essay Example Usually, I used to celebrate my birthday at home and only call my friend to wish him a happy birthday. One day, as we approached our birthdays, my friends suggested that we went hiking and celebrate surrounded by nature. That was a completely new experience for me, and I agreed. The only thing left to handle was to ask my parents whether I could do that. They allowed me to go hiking and celebrate my birthday with friends but they were upset because our tradition would be broken. I said I was old enough to decide how I wanted to celebrate. Now that I am recollecting that moment I deeply regret I said so. On the day we went hiking, the weather was perfect, and I was cheerful and optimistic. I could not wait to halt, put up tents and start celebrating my friend’s and my birthdays surrounded by nature around the campfire. I really enjoyed spending my special day with my friends; they gave us presents and said a lot of great words to us. They even managed to bring a small cake and light candles. Everything seemed to be perfect. I felt some discomfort though. At first, I thought it was caused only by the unfamiliar environment for I that was the first hike in my life. With some time passing, however, I understood what was wrong. I realized that it was not only the environment but people that made me feel that way. That discomfort was caused by the absence of my family and the atmosphere of a holiday that our house always has at such days. I have never really thought that our family ties are so strong. Also, I have never thought of myself as of a stay-at-home person. In fact, I have always thought I am not tied to my home and believed that I am able to leave it any time I want to do so. In reality, it appears that my family and the home we live in are the most important things in my life. All these memories and feelings were inspired by photos which I tend to look through from time to time. When I opened the page with the photos

Process control Essay Example for Free

Process control Essay Process control is a major factor in ensuring that a process is working to its maximum potential. Sometimes process control means that one must conduct research to see how a process improvement can be implemented. Process improvement normally results in adjusting and modifying particular tasks or steps in a process to make them run more efficiently and smoothly. According to Chase, Jacobs, and Aquilliano, it is very important to put metrics in place so that you can determine if improvements are needed for a particular process (Chase, Jacobs, and Aquilliano, 2006). Over the last five weeks, I have observed the task of getting ready for work. After collecting data for analysis, I have enough information to develop a process improvement plan. In this paper, the control limits will be reviewed and any applicable seasonal factors that could impact the historical data will be discussed. Control Limits In an article in the Journal of Science and Technology, a control chart is described as â€Å"a statistical devise used for the study and control of a repetitive process† (Radhakrishnan and Balamurugan, 2010, p 1052). The control chart is a tool used with 6 sigma to look at ways to improve the performance of a particular process. They basically let management know when they should adjust a process or when we should leave it alone. It has upper specification limits (USL) that are used to identify the maximum amount of that could give acceptable performance. Also there is the lower specification limit (LSL), which identifies the lowest amount that could give acceptable performance of the process. The USL and LSL are also known as the control limits that are either 3 deviations above the mean or 3 deviations below it (Chase, Jacobs, and Aquilliano, 2006). In developing a control chart for the process for getting ready for work, one must first look at the sampling plan. For weeks, data has been collected during business days to indicate how long it takes to get ready for work. This data is reviewed to find the mean, median, standard deviation, and mode. The results are as follows: mean is 74. 70588, median is 74, mode is 71, and standard deviation is 3. 981792. This information tells us that the average time it takes to get ready is 74 minutes, whereas the time occurring the most is 71 minutes. The standard deviation in this indicates that we can go either 3. 98 to the right or left of the zero probability distribution. The chapter readings advise that in looking at the control chart, one can assume that the process is working properly when the samples stay within the control limits (Chase, Jacobs, and Aquilliano, 2006). The next indicator to look at is the capability index, which in this case shows us how well we are doing in getting ready for work in a timely manner. The readings indicates that the more off-center the capability index, the higher the chance to of defective products. Because we are not discussing products in this process, it would be the greater the chance to get off schedule (Chase, Jacobs, and Aquilliano, 2006). The data indicates that there is a capability index of -8. 6. According to Landauer, the capability index is interpreted as: â€Å"1) if the capability index is less than one, the process is outside the control limits 2) if it is greater than one; the process is within the control limits. The results from my data at first was a little puzzling because the index of -8. 6 would indicate that the process is outside of the control limit and would need to be adjusted. However, because the process improvement plan is to decrease the time it takes to get ready for work, the negative number is a good factor. In having this information handy, one must also consider how seasonal factors impact the process. Seasonal Factors It is a little difficult to determine seasonal factors that could impact the time it takes to get ready for work. After thinking about this a while I think the biggest impact could be daylight saving time. When an hour of sleep is lost in the Spring, it takes a while to adjust to the change in the daylight saving time. In fact, research indicates that when one transitions into and out of daylight saving time, there could be negative impacts (Lahti, Leppamaki, Lonnqvist, and Partonen, 2008). These impacts could result in a loss of sleep, restlessness, and lack of sleep quality which could result in crankiness and negatively impact a two year old. If my son does not wake with a positive attitude, I know it will be a challenge getting ready for work on time as I would need to devote more time calming him down. During the seasonal periods, it may be better to implement process improvements like adding a resource to assist with the process. In my process this would mean getting my husband to help out more in getting the baby ready for daycare. With the added resource, one can shorten the time that it takes to complete the process and does not run the risk of deviating off course. Applying this same format to a production process could mean adding more employees, equipment, or even outsourcing to ensure that a project or process is completed timely. Conclusion Overall, control charts are visual measures that assist with determining if a process is in control or not. When backed by statistical data like the mean, median, mode, standard deviation, and capability index, one could gather enough data so that a process improvement decisions necessary for keeping the process in control can be made.

The English Languages Explosion Over The World English Language Essay

The English Languages Explosion Over The World English Language Essay A  global language,  is a  language  spoken internationally, which is learned by many people as a  second language, the most popular one being English. A wide range of the lexical units in the English language were taken from German, Latin, French and other European countries. A large portion of the word borrowing uses as main source the French language justifying English language affinity for foreign words as well as mixed vocabulary. Crystal D. (2003: 7-10) argues that Languages have a strong relation between dominance and cultural power. The main reason that the languages exist is because of a strong power-base, political and military or economic. Linguists argues whether the simplicity of the English language is the main reason of it becoming a global language. Generally, nothing is considered to be easy. It generally depends on who the learner is. Ellis suggested that success depends on the learner and not on the language that one is learning. Some factors that have a significant role in making a person learn a foreign language are his motivation, age, aptitude, cognitive style and personality. While learning another language one can observe that some languages appear to be more difficult than others. There are some languages that have almost the same patterns or similar soundings of the words which make them simpler to remember and learn. For example Greek has many similar words with Italian. However, there are languages that have a rough pronunciation or spelling and they are not similar to any other languages, like for example German. English is a very effective language, that it is proved by the many native and non-native speakers all over the world. According to David Crystal (2003) Statistics suggest that nearly a quarter of the worlds population is already fluent or content in English. For example, Chinese has more native speakers, however it is a more complicated language in terms of grammar, verbs, meaning of the words, etc. However, some linguists have different points of view as to weather a language becoming global depends on the number of people speaking it . Crystal D. (2002: 7-10) claims that Why a language becomes a global language has little to do with the number of people who speak it. Furthermore, English can help one to express various meanings. That is happening because English language not only has a lot of words with different meanings but also has various different types of syntax which help the speakers to be more accurate and to give more emphasis to a particular point if it is needed. Anoth er interesting point is that the writing of English language is simple. There are even languages that have hundreds of letters in their alphabets that could have a different meaning when pronounced differently, like Chinese. The Roman alphabet is considered to be very easy to learn and surely much easier than the Chinese writing system which is very difficult for most people. Moreover, the Roman alphabet in English language is very phonetic, rather than character based, hence it can help to describe the actual sounds of words or phrases. On the other hand, there are some poor features of English language. For example there could be words written in one way and then read in another way and a lot of people may get confused, especially if ones native language is not English. The difficulty in English is mostly apparent when we go in different areas in England; there are different ways of pronunciation, making it difficult for someone who speaks English as a second language to understand people from different areas such as Wales, Ireland, and Scotland. Also, non- native speakers like people from India and Pakistan have a different accent. Since English language is so widely spoken, many people believe is vital to learn as a second language. People seem to have made the right decision, as it is spoken in a wide geographical area. A lot of people believe that English is the language of trade. It is true that English has been introduced in the field of Business for a lot of years. In addition, English is a language that is been used in films, music, television, and in a lot of more technological features like World Wide Web (internet). A big amount of population of the world watches Hollywoods movies. This expansion also led to the increase in popularity of English language. Moreover, English has enabled a common communication means between people of different backgrounds. For example, a German may not need to learn Indian in order to communicate with someone from India if both individuals speak English. Hence, English has helped to diminish certain cultural barriers between nations. However, there are cultural differenc es between countries and nations. The history of a nation may influence to their willingness to learn or speak another language than their own. The meaning of the word superior is very strong and quite dominant. We can never assume that English is superior to other languages, it has become an easy way of communication but each nation will consider their own language as being important to them. A language has many components such as grammar, vocabulary and rules of usage. So it is not easy to say that English is superior to other languages. A linguistic myth analyses that fact. It explains that there fact that some languages are superior to others is not true and it has no basis in linguistic fact. Linguists explain that some languages are more useful than others, at a given period of history. To sum up, English is being considered as an easier language to learn than some others, like for example Chinese but the level of difficulty also depends on the individual learner. Moreover, English can indeed be regarded as a global language, but, in my opinion, it cannot be considered as superior to other languages. In fact, every single language has its special characteristics and ways of expression. English has simply developed to be an easy way of communication between various nations.

Life’s Moral Character Essay -- Philosophy, Nicomachean Ethics

Life’s Moral Character Virtue is a state that decides consisting in a mean, which is relative to us; it is a mean between two vices, one of excess and one of deficiency. In the book, Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle uses his collection of lecture notes to establish the best way to live and acquire happiness. According to Aristotle, to live a happy life, you must obtain these to become morally good. Defining virtue and choice with the â€Å"doctrine of the mean† will guide our choices and build up moral character. When we follow this guide of choices can a series of good choices change a vicious character? Aristotle states that the human function is the life activity of the part of the soul that has reason and I will try to explain those reasons. This is the key part of Aristotle’s teachings, being able to take your pleasures and recognition and reflect and glean from them. The magnanimous person is very complex and displays the proper virtues at the proper time, in a proper way. This means you are genuinely inclined to act virtuously for the appropriate reasons. The great-souled man accommodates to his surroundings where he is honorable but not boastful in his actions. Aristotle argues the character of a person is acquired through habits an individual develops when he or she imitate his or her environment. He further believes it is only possible to attain happiness within a political organization because happiness represents living well without being concerned with others; they solely live for the truth and not approval. In Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle’s view of the great-souled man is of an individual that represents happiness and obtains the five virtues: wisdom, justice, bravery, self-control, and the overall goodness wit... ...tional elements of the person. Aristotle tries to explain what this harmony consists in by exploring the psychological foundations of moral character. A person is good if he has virtues and lacks vices. A series of good choices can change a vicious character if he becomes virtuous by performing virtuous acts. Aristotle says, "We become just by performing just acts, and temperate by performing temperate acts" (N.E.18-19). In order to perform virtuous acts virtuously â€Å"the agent also must be in a certain condition when he does them; in the first place he must have knowledge, secondly he must choose the acts, and choose them for their own sakes, and thirdly his actions must proceed from a firm and unchangeable character" (N.E.30-33). Teaching also provides knowledge of why certain acts are virtuous to people with the right habits, the well-brought-up (N.E. 2-17).

Assessment method †Written Questions Essay

Criteria 1.4: State why and when health and safety control equipment, identified by the principles of protection, should be used relating to types, purpose and limitations of each type, the work situation, occupational use and the general work environment, in relation to: – Collective protective measures Fencing is used when access to the site needs to be prevented. They can be used to prevent access to the public and the workers making them use a designated entrance to site. This will make sure the members of the public cannot wander on to the site which could be dangerous for them or the workmen. Also making the workers go in through a designated entrance would allow everyone to be signed onto the site, so the foremen are aware of everyone who is on site. The main type of fencing is Harris fencing; this can be erected with ease and speed. It prevents access to the site but is only temporary and can be taken down as quickly as it can be put up. Harris fencing could also be blown over in a high wind. Harris fencing is not always necessary as existing fencing may already be in place. A garden fence, a garden wall or a hedgerow can be used to prevent access; they can be used on their own or in conjunction with fencing. Barriers are used to restrict access or to warn the workers of a da nger. These would be used throughout the job when appropriate. If there is a danger such as a trench that has been dug into the ground a barrier should be used to warn  people that it is there and also to stop someone from falling down into the trench. Different types of barrier include plastic barriers and bunting which is help up using metal pegs these are usually bright orange. The purpose of barriers is to restrict access and warn of dangers. They are only temporary and can be easily removed. Cones and warning tape could also be used as a barrier to restrict access to a certain area of the site. These are only temporary and can be easily removed. Signage comes in different colours which denote what type of information the sign contains. Signs can be used on fencing and barriers and can be in other areas of the site such as the site office. Blue signs contain mandatory information. These are things that everyone must do, they could be telling you what type of PPE you have to wear. Red signs are prohibition notices, telling you what you must not do such as smoke. Yellow and black signs contain warning information. The most common example of a warning sign is overhead cable signs. Green signs are Information signs which have information on things like first aid. These signs can be found in places like the site office or the site entrance. Also there is signage on packaging, these are COSHH signs and give information on how to handle that substance. – Personal protective equipment (PPE) Hard hat – A hard at is used when there is a danger of falling objects to protect the head from impact injuries or knocks. Some hard hats come with visors and ear defenders attached. The purpose of a hard had is to protect you from a head injury from objects falling from a scaffold, unprotect ends of a scaffold pole and other dangers. They must be warn when there is a scaffold on a site. Sometimes they can easily fall off your head but newer hard hats have a better fit. You can also get bump caps which are light weight hard hats. Ear Defenders- Ear defenders are used when there is a loud noise on site which could damage your ears. A loud noise could come from many different things on site, it could be you cutting down a brick or a block with a grinder, it could come from someone else using a piece of machinery. You can get ear plugs which you put into your ear which reduce the sound, these can only be used once. If you reuse them you can risk an infection by getting  dirt into your ear. You can also get ear defenders which go over your ears which muffle a lot of the sound out. These can be used multiple times but may also not be compatible with other PPE such as a hard hat, although you can get ear defenders that work very well with a hard hat. Eye Protection – Is used when there is a risk of dust getting into someone’s eyes or an impact injury to the eye. There are different types of eye protection, safety goggles are made of a durable plastic and will stop both dust and flying debris from harming your eyes. Safety spectacles only protect your eyes from flying debris, these can be used when there is not a lot of dust for example cutting a brick with a bolster. Face masks are a rigid plastic visor that will protect your face from flying debris. They are commonly used with garden equipment like chainsaws and strimmer’s. They will not protect you from fine dust particles. Gloves – Gloves are needed when there is a risk of damaging your hands or getting a chemical on them. Gloves differ in design, material and thickness. The correct glove should be chosen for the job after taking into account the possible risks. There are many different types of glove, from lighter material gloves which would be suitable if you are doing brickwork to heavier gloves that could be coated in different substances to give resistance to chemicals. You must also think about if you are going to need gloves that will protect your hands from cuts if you are doing a job and you are handling something that is sharp. Gloves will only have a certain lifespan as they will degrade through ware and tare or through contact with a chemical substance. Gloves must fit the user well as not to hinder his ability to work well and also his dexterity which could make him more likely to drop something. Safety boots- Most building sites will require you to always wear safety boots. Safety boots have a steel toe cap and a very tough sole. This will give the wearer protection from falling objects and also from standing on nails and other things. They also provide a sole with plenty of grip to help prevent slips. You can also get wellington boots that have steel toe caps which also keep your feet dry. – Respiratory protective equipment (RPE) Respiratory protective equipment is used to prevent a worker from breathing in dust or fumes that may be hazardous. There are various types but the most commonly used type of RPE is a dust mask. These are light weight and comfortable and easy to fit. However, they will not offer any protection from toxic dust or fumes. Most dust masks are only effective for a short period and then they need replacing. Respirators have removable filters, which can be replaced. You can get different filters which do different jobs, some protect the user from toxic dust and some protect the user from fumes. Also you can get respirators which cover the whole face which provide more protection. If you are working in an area with low oxygen you should choose breathing apparatus with an air supply. You must ensure that the dust mask is correct for the job and provides the appropriate protection. You also must ensure that the mask is a good fit to the person who is wearing it. A poor fit will result in a poor seal allowing dust and fumes to get in. – Local exhaust ventilation (LEV). Exposure to dust and to fumes can be harmful to people’s health. It can cause asthma, lung scaring and cancer. Therefore local exhaust ventilation systems are put in place to extract the airborne dust and fumes. There are different types of LEV and care must be taken to choose the most effective type for a particular job or machine. Most LEV systems simply suck the dust and fumes out of the air before they reach a worker. Some of them will also have a hood fitted which will help contain the dust and fumes as they are being sucked away. Water can stop dust from taking to the air in the first place, on some tools you can fit a water supply, such as a grinder where the blade is kept wet while you are cutting to keep the dust down. Sometimes just opening windows and doors will allow the dust to escape and clear the air. . Criteria 1.5: State how the health and safety control equipment relevant to the work should be used in accordance with the given instructions. Collective protective measures should be installed and used only by people  who have received adequate information, instruction and training. This will help prevent something like a Harris fence from blowing down in a wind because it wasn’t properly secured. The signage would have to be put up correctly to avoid a mistake being made so this would have to be done by someone who knows all the correct information. PPE should be in good condition and be well looked after by the user. The correct PPE should be chosen and correctly worn for each job, also you should ensure the PPE is compatible eg. Does the hard hat stop you from being able to wear your ear defenders? The PPE that is worn should be decided after thinking about the possible hazards. RPE used should be suitable to the job at hand, the user needs to think about if they need protection from toxic dust, fumes or if there will be a short supply in oxygen. Choosing the right mask is the first step and making sure it is a correct fit is the second. Fit testing is the best way to make sure a mask fits you properly, this should be carried out by someone who is qualified. Facial hair could stop you being able to get a tight seal and causing contaminated air to seep in. You should regularly replace filters on your mask and always check the correct filter for the job is fitted. You should store your mask in a clean, dust free area. LEV that is needed will vary depending on the task that you are doing. If you are sweeping a room indoors opening the doors and windows will allow most of the dust to escape. If you are using a grinder to cut a block or a piece of slate you could pour water on to it or add a water supply to keep the dust down. You could also do it outside. If you worked in joinery you could get a reputable LEV supplier to advise you on the best LEV system to ventilate your machines. Employees should be knowledgeable in how to use LEV. Criteria 1.6: State which types of health, safety and welfare legislation, notices and warning signs are relevant to the occupational area and associated equipment. The Health and safety Law poster should be posted up somewhere, this could be  in the site office, with the name of the trained first aider on it. There will be signage in green which are information signs. Such as a first aid sign. Blue signs tell people what they must do while on site. It could be information on what type of PPE must be worn. Red signs are probation signs telling people things they must not do, this could be no smoking signs or a no entry except to authorised personal sign. Yellow signs are warning signs. They warn people of dangers that they need to be aware off. This could be a sign warning you of overhead cables or a sign warning you that there is heavy plant machinery operating on site. There will be signs on machinery and power tools saying what items of PPE need to be worn while operating them. Signs will be on the packaging of harmful substances stating what PPE should be worn and what precautions should take place when using them. There will also be COSHH signs on the bottle or packaging of many different substances. These will tell the user what precautions they need to take while handling the substance or what they have to do if there is a chemical spill and how to neutralize it. Criteria 1.7: State why health, safety and welfare legislation, notices and warning signs are relevant to the occupational area. They are there to protect the work force from hazards and the dangers by informing people that these hazards and dangers exist, keeping people safe. They are also relevant because the signs inform people of what safety measures they need to take eg. PPE. Health and safety procedures and locations of things like the first aid office are and also the name of the trained first aider on signs. Criteria 1.8: State how to comply with control measures that have been identified by risk assessments and safe systems of work. The information and control measures that have been identified by risk assessments will be made available to everyone to read. You can read the mission statement which is that plan of action or you could be told verbally. You must follow these orders and work in the way that is instructed. Also there is information on machinery and tools, which will instruct you on how to work in a safe manner. COSHH signs on substances must also be followed to work in a safe way. Criteria 2.2: List typical hazards associated with the work environment and occupational area in relation to resources, substances, asbestos, equipment, obstructions, storage, services and work activities. Resources can become a hazard if they are improperly stacked. Materials such as bricks and blocks must be stacked in a safe and stable way, eg. Not too high. Care must be taken when moving resources. MHO (manual handling operations) need to be implied properly to make sure all lifting is done safely. Substances such as cement, lime and other chemicals and solvents can damage skin causing burns, dermatitis and other skin problems. Some chemicals and solvents could potentially present a fire risk so must be stored in a suitable way. Asbestos is found in lots of older buildings. It is at its most dangerous when it is disturbed. The fibres are inhaled and can cause severe damage to the lungs and death. When discovered asbestos should only be removed by a licensed contractor. Equipment can cause hazards if used improperly. Cutting tools and saws can be dangerous because you could cut of a finger or something worse. Some equipment can be loud enough to damage your ears. Some tools which produce a lot of vibration such as a breaker can cause white finger. Obstructions are a hazard because people can trip over them, also if they are blocking a fire escape it could be dangerous. If things are not stored correctly they could be unstable and fall over and hurt someone. Also certain materials must be stored under specific condition. Some materials present a fire risk. Care must be taken not to damage any services. If you are digging and you hit a gas or electric main it could be potentially dangerous. They should have warning tape above them but this is not always the case. Also if you are improperly trained you could be electrocuted if you attempt electrical work. Some work activities present a risk such as climbing ladders and work on a roof or scaffold. Also when machinery such as diggers are on site you must be careful. Criteria 2.3: List the current Health and Safety Executive top ten safety risks. Fall off ladder Fall through roof Lifting operations Struck by plant Overturning plant fall from scaffold Fall through an internal void Asphyxiation poisoning Crushed by falling excavation MEWP crushing entrapment Criteria 2.4: List the current Health and Safety Executive top five health risks. Exposure to asbestos Exposure to silica Manual handling Exposure to excessive noise Exposure to excessive vibration Criteria 2.5: State how changing circumstances within the workplace could cause hazards. If things change and not everyone is aware of these changes then people could get injured. For example if a hand rail is removed on a scaffold someone could fall off. A newly dug trench could become a hazard if someone who didn’t know it was there went near it then they could fall in, this could become more dangerous if metal pegs have been driven into the ground. Criteria 2.6: State the methods used for reporting changed circumstances, hazards and incidents in the workplace. Reporting change in circumstances and hazards can be done at a tool box talk, or you could bring them up as soon as they arise to the site manager and to the other workers. Incidents at work including injury and death should be reported. There are regulations in place (RIDDOR) making sure these things are reported. Accidents should be recorded in the accident book with information about the incident, where it took place and the date. If an accident causes someone to have an injury leaving them unable to work for more than three days they must inform the HSE. Criteria 3.6: State the organisational policies and procedures for health, safety and welfare, in relation to: – Dealing with accidents and emergencies associated with the work and environment The HSE try to reduce the number of accidents and emergencies that occur in the work place. They also tell people what types of injury should be reported and how to report them. – Methods of receiving or sourcing information The HSE has a website that is very informative for both employers and employees on many things such as a COSHH and MHO. You can also request advice from them. You could also read the Health And Safety At Work Act (HASAWA 1974). – Reporting The HSE has regulations set in place called the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR). These regs make sure that everything is properly reported. – Stopping work The HSE sends inspectors onto sites and he is able to make people stop work while something that could be a hazard is made safe again. – Evacuation The HSE can send inspector on site and if he is not happy with what he sees he is able to close down the site by providing a prohibition notice. He will tell them how to make the site safe and what needs to be done to get it up and running again safely. – Fire risks and safe exit procedures Employers must carry out a fire safety risk assessment and keep it up to date. They also need to ensure that adequate and appropriate fire safety measures are in place to minimise the risk of injury or loss of life in the event of a fire. – Consultation and feedback. Tool box talks are carried out so that people can give instructions to others and also for people to give feedback on possible hazards such as a scaffolding has being altered. Criteria 3.7: State the appropriate types of fire extinguishers relevant to the work. Water, Dry powder, Foam and CO2. Criteria 3.8: State how and when the different types of fire extinguishers are used in accordance with legislation and official guidance. Not all fire extinguishers are suitable for putting out all types of fire. For example if you spray water on an electric fire it could make it a lot worse. Below is a list of what types of extinguisher is suitable for what type of fire. Water – Paper , Wood, Textiles, Fabric Dry powder – Paper, wood textiles and fabric. Flammable liquids. Flammable gases. Oils and fats. Electrical hazard. Foam – Paper, wood textiles and fabric. Flammable gases. Oils and fats. CO2 – Flammable liquids. Flammable gases. Oils and fats. Electrical hazard. You must make sure when using a CO2 extinguisher in a confined space that you have sufficient fresh air. You could use breathing apparatus to make sure you are safe. Criteria 4.2: State how personal behaviour demonstrates responsibility for general workplace health, safety and welfare, in relation to: – Recognising when to stop work in the face of serious and imminent danger to self and/or others How you behave when you or someone else is in danger is very important. If a scaffold has become unstable in a high wind then you should be responsible and safe by stopping work until the scaffolding is secure. – Contributing to discussions and providing feedback Contributing to discussions and providing feedback by pointing out hazards and potential risks will demonstrate you are able to spot risks and help make the workplace safe. – Reporting changed circumstances and incidents in the workplace Reporting changed circumstances can prevent an accident from happening because someone wasn’t aware. Legislations are in place to ensure that incidents are reported to the HSE. Making sure these are done demonstrates responsibility. – Complying with the environmental requirements of the workplace Making sure things such as streams aren’t polluted and making sure waste is  correctly disposed of is very important. Criteria 4.3: Give examples of how the behaviour and actions of individuals could affect others within the workplace. Your behaviour could have negative effects on others. Working in an unsafe way may directly harm someone such as dropping a brick, or not putting barriers around a hole in the ground. You behaviour could also have a positive effect on your fellow workers for example you could discover a fire and help to ensure everyone is evacuated safely. Also your feedback at a toolbox talk could stop an accident from taking place. Criteria 5.2: State how security arrangements are implemented in relation to: The workplace: Is surrounded by fencing stopping anyone from wandering onto the site. There will also be lockable storage areas. The general public: Will not be able to get access onto the site as it will be secured with fencing. Also there are signs put up to inform the public that they are not allowed to enter. Site personnel: Resources: Will be locked away in containers so they cannot be stolen.

Jenkins Corporation True of False Test

1) An example of a goal statement that is SMART is â€Å"Jenkins Corporation expects to achieve a 5% improvement in the on-time delivery of its computer components. True / False2) You are involved with a team where members encourage relationship-building roles and team members take responsibility for providing feedback regarding performance. Your team is in the norming stage. True / False3) Open ended questions elicit specific information are useful for point clarification and when time is limited. However, they questions restrict the interviewee’s freedom. True / False4) When presenting to a group that may display opposition to the topic, it is advisable to tailor your message utilizing a two-sided message. True / False5) Double-barreled questions assume a condition that the interviewee may not agree with but calls for the interviewee to support that condition. True / False6) When planning a meeting that applies the rule of three-fourths, information is dispersed to particip ants at the three-quarter point between meetings. True / False7) The task of the team in the forming stage is to clarify direction. True / False8) An Everest goal represents an extraordinary achievement. True / False9) Abilene paradox and boiled frog syndrome enhance the effectiveness of decision making in team meetings. True / False10) To reach the fourth stage of the four stages of team development labeled by Tuckman, a team must progress through the first three stages of development. True / False11) Once the team has developed a comfortable climate, the next stage is the performing stage. True / False12) â€Å"You are completely naive,† is more effective feedback than â€Å"Your comments are not on the topic.† True / False13) When conducting an interview, elaboration, clarification, and repetition may be used as probing methods. True / False14) When planning a meeting that applies the rule of halves, agenda items are in the hands of the agenda  scheduler no later than one-half of the time interval between the last meeting and the upcoming meeting. True / False

Promoting national unity in Malaysian public schools Essay

Introduction â€Å"Malaysia, Truly Asia† aptly describes the country as a melting pot of three major Asian cultures. Yet, less than 140 years ago, a homogenous society existed in the Malay Peninsular with a population of 90% Malays (Gullick, 1969). However due to colonial policies and increasing economic prosperity, the society evolved ethnically into present day multi-ethnic Malaysians The 2010 consensus from Department of Statistics Malaysia revealed Malaysians of the 21st century as coming from three major groups; 67.4% Bumiputera (Malays, Sarawak and Sabahan bumiputera), 24.6% Chinese, 7.3% Indians and 0.7% others. In short, this land has changed from a homogenous society to a pluralistic society with Malaysians coming from different cultures, languages and religions. It can be deduced that integration among Malaysians are crucial factors that contribute to the nation’s success. This unity has been a main concern of the Malaysian government from pre-independence day to the present. In the face of multi-culturalism, Ho (1952) stated that â€Å"It is accepted that education is not the only means available in the tasks of achieving national unity and solidarity in the plural community of Malaya, but it remains the most important single factor for integration in the racial, religious and cultural complex of Malaya.† Thus he proposed that education be used to unify the multi-ethnic Malaysian society starting from school level where early stages of inter-racial socialisation process begins. Through education, the younger generation of Malaysians are nurtured with stronger national consciousness and imbued with stronger national identity. Ideologies and policies like Rukun Negara,and Bangsa Malaysia were formulated to cater to each succeeding generation of Malaysians. With integration still remaining as a top national agenda, the first part of this paper attempts to examine the role of education reports on national unity in Malaysia from pre-independence to the present day, and analyse their impact and success. The impact is analysed by relying upon a combination of historical investigation from various education reports in the light of national unity. With 1Malaysia being the latest effort of integration, the second part of this paper tries to gauge the awareness of NKRA 4, a visible  mechanism of 1Malaysia among 1the educationists through analysis of empirical evidence gathered from the interviews with them. Finally, the paper will analyse if 1Malaysia concept conceived to promote unity will be the right panacea for removing ethnicity barriers among Malaysians. Inculcating national unity in education: A pre-Independence to present day review of the educational reports The current Malaysian education policy for national unity has its roots in pre-independence era and it has become part of the society’s prevailing colonial inheritance (Azhar Wahid, 2011). During the colonial era, the existence of vernacular schools catering for each race had physically divided the Malayan society. The second divisive factor was the different ethnic languages used as medium of instruction to educate the respective races (Marimuthu, 2008). The third was the geographical separation of the vernacular schools according to the unequal population distribution of different races (Omar, 1991). The only opportunity for integration was among students in English medium schools established in towns (Marimuthu, 2008). Separate curriculum for vernacular schools was the fourth factor splitting the communities. With focus on ethnics’ respective countries of origin and the nonexistent Malayan context in the curriculum, the vernacular education failed to build a sense of national identity and consciousness (Marimuthu, 2008). To integrate multi-ethnic communities in Malaya through educational system, the 1950 Barnes Report 1950 suggested replacing the vernacular schools with national schools using English or Malay as medium of instruction in primary schools and English for secondary schools and bringing students and teachers of different races together under one education system to build a nation with national characteristics (Noriati Rashid et al., 2012). As the report was viewed unfavourably by the Chinese, another report, the 1951 Fenn-Wu report, was commissioned; it recommended Chinese education curriculum to include local Malayan elements to help form a sense of national identity among its students. Both Barnes and Fenn-Wu reports were taken into consideration when the 1952 Education Ordinance was passed (Ee, 1995). It supported the National School concept with a common curriculum using Malay and English language as media of instruction. However, lack of funding and insurgency hampered its implementation. Historically, 1957 was the year an independent Federation of Malaya was formed. To cater to a post-independent Malaya, the Razak Report, the most influential education committee reports, was commissioned. It cited two major considerations: using Malay language as the main medium of instruction and incorporating Malayan context and values into school curriculum (Omar, 1991). The proposal desired to instil national consciousness and mutual understanding among multi-racial communities through mono-language and socio-cultural values. The Razak Report led to the 1957 Education Ordinance. As a follow-up, 1960 Rahman Talib Report recommended retaining a single schooling system for all pupils with the same school curriculum using Malay language as medium of instruction. This report resulted in the Education Act of 1961with its most significant outcomes of phasing out English medium schools and converting Chinese and Tamil National secondary schools to Malay medium secondary schools, standard ising school system, and nationalisation of curriculum and examinations (Omar, 1991). The 1969 racial riot had warranted the need for a more intense scrutiny of the nation’s fragile unity. Poverty, ethnic disparity in economic participation and wealth distribution had emerged as the primary causes of racial tensions and social political instability (Syed Husin Ali, 2008). Hence, in 1971, New Economic Policy (NEP) was introduced as a remedy. The policy emphasised on education as a major role in eradicating poverty and in restructuring economic and wealth disparity in Malaysian society leading to social integration and national unity (Hussein Ahmad, 2008). Not surprisingly, the 1979 Mahathir Education Report again emphasized on national unity. Process of reforming Malaysian education system continues on in strengthening socio-cultural mechanism to build a stronger national identity and consciousness (Hussein Ahmad, 2008). In 1990s, national unity and social cohesion were still the major agenda of Malaysia’s nation building which led to Vision 2020 with the first goal of establishing a united Malaysian nation made up of one Bangsa Malaysia (EPU, 2011) together  with Vision  Schools where children of all races study in their respective mother-tongue primary schools under one roof and sharing same facilities. Impact of Educational Reports on National Unity in Schools Past and present educational reports have highlighted the needs for curriculum standardization, use of common medium of instruction, employing teachers of all races, using multi-cultural Malaysian context in curriculum and bringing all students together to share common classroom so as to increase openness, interaction and understanding among them. All these criteria which were absent in pre-independent Malaya have now been implemented in national schools. In particular, the National Philosophy of Education entails using Bahasa Malaysia as medium of instruction, using the same curriculum, standardising examination and syllabus as well as introducing school co-curriculum. The 1979 Mahathir Report brought about the New Primary School Curriculum (KBSR) which was formulated to help develop socio-cultural values based on the Rukun Negara, and national culture (Azhar Wahid, 2011). Integrated Secondary School Curriculum (KBSM) was introduced with emphasis given on mastering Bahasa Malaysia and nurturing national consciousness through inculcating common values, aspirations and loyalties (Nagendralingan, 2008). Multi-cultural education is promoted in the curriculum to ensure that all students are aware of cultural, gender, racial and ethnic diversity of the nation and to foster mutual respect and positive social interaction with each other (Azhar Wahid, 2011). In the classrooms of national secondary schools, teaching and learning process promote cooperative learning methods such as doing projects, case research, group discussion, pair work and group assignments to help students of different races to not only improve communication skills with each other but also to interact, share ideas and learn teamwork spirit (Neo et al., 2009). When students are aware of the values of multi-cultural education, they learn to respect different cultures, thereby reducing misconceptions and prejudices towards those of  other ethnic groups. Syllabus and curriculum  are replete with elements of Malaysian cultural heritage where students learn and understand another culture’s dominant practices, way of life and religious holidays (Azhar Wahid, 2011). As part of co-curriculum activities, sports and games, uniformed bodies, clubs and societies help students to interact with each other; speech day, field trips, sports carnivals, fund raising events are designed to draw out involvement from all students to socialise together (Nagendralingan, 2008). Parent Teacher Associations and alumni associations help to integrate the school communities with the outside communities. Though the National Education Policy may not have achieved the highest degree of ethnic integration, some of its strategic policies such as using Bahasa Malaysia as the medium of instruction in secondary schools have been successful (Azhar Wahid, 2011). This has created generations of Malaysians communicating and learning using the same language. The concept of equal access to education at every schooling level is another major characteristic of education development in the mid-1970s. Affordable access to education for all can help to narrow the education gap between races and increase upward social mobility. With equitable ethnic participation in the economy and wealth distribution, the causes of racial tensions can be remedied and this promotes social political stability. National Key Results Area 4 (NKRA) Pemandu (2011) reported that National Key Results Area (NKRA) is part of 1Malaysia’s concrete efforts to give priority to people’s needs first. Improving student outcome is one of the seven NKRAs â€Å"which have been deemed crucial and urgent for achieving 1Malaysia.† NKRA goal for education is improving student outcome by developing students’ minds, talents, and capabilities to safeguard the nation’s future generation. THE INTERVIEW RESULTS: Views on NKRA 4 from Education Practitioners The  interview questions focused specifically on eliciting their understanding of the NKRA goals which are â€Å"access to affordable education† and â€Å"quality of education† as well as how their contributions can make the policy a success. Respondent 01 is a school principal who has been an educationist for 24 years; respondent 02, an assistant principal, has been an educationist for 33 years; respondent 03 has been a teacher for 32 years and respondent 04 36 years. Regarding the term â€Å"access to affordable education† , respondent 01 replied that it means giving free education from a young age up to secondary education. Respondent 02 said that affordable education includes scholarships and financial help for underprivileged students to keep schooling. Both respondents 03 and 04 mentioned that it means children can easily attain education without been financially burdened. â€Å"Access to Quality of education† was understood by respondent 01 and 03 as getting a holistic education with balanced intellect, spiritual, emotional and physical development. Respondent 02 interpreted it as what makes students employable after finishing their secondary or tertiary education. Producing quality students who have the ability to think critically, apply their knowledge and contribute to society is regarded as quality education by respondent. All the respondents agreed that Malaysians have access to affordable education in reality. But as to the quality of education, all the respondents conceded that it has declined. Respondent 01 explained that he has experienced the unsatisfactory situation of rural schools where the parents and students do not prioritise education and school principals fail to play their part. According to respondent 02, the decline is partially due to the low standard of admission for applicants applying for teaching training at universities and training colleges and this lowers the quality of education. Respondent 03 believed that the intellectual formation has been over emphasised to the detriment of other JERIS aspects (physical, emotional, spiritual and social). As for respondent 04, she claimed that lack of vocational schools and their limited enrolment make it difficult for under  performing students to continue their studies in a meaningful way. Towards attaining NKRA education goals, respondent 01 pointed out that the principal’s most important contribution is strong leadership with clear and achievable vision and mission for his school. He further enunciated that a principal who sets achievable standards for both the under achievers and bright students can enhance the school’s performance. Respondent 02 and 03 mentioned that active supervision of students and teachers by the principal can significantly improve their performance. Showing interest in students’ performance and connecting with them at ground level are some of the ways according to respondent 04 that the principal contributes to improving student outcomes. Regarding the role of teachers, respondent 01 stressed that â€Å"the input of teachers is proportional to increasing student outcomes in developing students’ minds, talents and capabilities†. Both respondents (respondent 02 & 03) pointed out that students’ access to quality education is enhanced by receiving quality teaching and mentoring from teachers. Therefore, according to them, teachers must be good role models and have the right attitude towards their students. Instead of just settling for mediocrity among students, respondent 04 suggested that teachers should discover students’ weaknesses and motivate them to overcome it. Evaluating the findings Generally, it is agreed that Malaysian students have access to affordable education as currently school fees are waived, textbooks are provided on loan, deserving students receive financial aid and rural schools provide free lodging and food. The overall consensus is that quality of education is the holistic development of the whole person. However it may not necessarily correlate with better quality of education as there are other factors involved such as parental involvement and awareness, teachers’ input and principals’ leadership. Two key factors in better education quality are the principal’s leadership and the teachers’ cooperation in increasing students’ performance and outcome. NKRA education recognises this by creating High Performing Schools whereby schools are categorised into bands according to performance in order to motivate and increase principals’ performance (The Star, 2012). To produce committed, responsible and caring teachers, intervention programmes to train and motivate teachers towards higher achievement are also in place under NKRA 4. To improve the quality and standard of professionalism, the Education Ministry plans to pick only top-scoring university graduates to be 20% of trainee teachers by 2015 and review the passing criteria for trainee teachers at training colleges (Fernandez & Lingan, 2012) to ensure quality teachers. The goals of NKRA in improving student outcome help teachers and principals to tackle the challenges faced in providing quality education. Achieving the goals can indirectly increase unity goal under 1Malaysia as better education opportunities for all can bridge the gap between ethnic groups by balancing their l evel playing field and providing economic advancement. Evaluating 1MALAYSIA as the underlying key towards unity in cultural diversity Although efforts were made to integrate the Malaysian society using national education and ideologies, strong feelings of ethnicity in Malaysian social life are rife (Centre for Public Policy Studies, n.d.). In response, the current Prime Minister, Najib Razak introduced 1Malaysia concept in 2009 which aspires to unite the pluralistic Malaysian society by inculcating the spirit and values of solidarity and sense of togetherness, irrespective of race, religion and creed. (Najib Abdul Razak, 2009). The objective is to have the Malays, Chinese, and Indians perceive themselves collectively as a single identity –Malaysians. 1Malaysia founded upon the principle â€Å"People First, Performance Now† means that the government’s prime concern is people’s welfare and producing high quality performance that benefits them. In identifying his government with Malaysians regardless of race, soc ial background or religion and understanding their aspirations, he seeks to lead his government to identify their needs and to incorporate their feedback. Consequently, 1Malaysia can strengthen solidarity and cooperation among races for unity in cultural diversity. Is 1Malaysia the underlying key towards achieving unity in cultural diversity? According to Mujibu Muis et al. (2012), history shows that when national unity and integration focused on assimilating minority cultures into the dominant culture, it invariably caused minority ethnic groups to hold stronger to their languages and cultures. As Hazri Jamil and Santhiram Rahman (2012) suggested, the past assumption that the main method for national integration is the educational policy has been over simplistic. They claimed that racial harmony cannot be fostered through education initiatives alone. Hence, the concept of integration is not only about a mono-language, but is about mutual respect and understanding of other cultures and beliefs. In this respect, 1Malaysia concept which celebrates multi-culturalism, accepts cultural diversity and sees it as an advantage which can contribute to a prospering, stable and sustainable future (Hasnul Salleh, n.d.). As examples, Malaysian multi-culturalism has been packaged as the main attractions for the tourism industry (Tourism Malaysia, n.d.) and it brings about economical advantages in trade relations with China and India because of the language and cultural link. Has 1Malaysia concept being embraced by all Malaysians when through its acceptance, Malaysia has the potential to be more developed and stable economically, politically and socially? Without Malaysians’ acceptance, the implementation of the concept may not reach its full capacity. Yet, time will tell if 1Malaysia is to be seen as an underlying key to achieving unity in pluralistic Malaysia. Such a unity attained through the acceptance of the ideology of 1Malaysia renders one’s loyalty more towards the country and breaks down barriers of ethnicity. Conclusion Among the government educational policies built on the educational reports, the national language, common curriculum, standardised syllabus and examinations and national schools have always been tools of unity. Such policies have been effective and workable throughout the first 50 years of the nation’s independence. However, the idea of integration has somehow  progressed further according to the changing times with 1Malaysia concept which proposes that  the nation celebrates its unity amidst cultural diversity and views multi-culturalism as an edge that makes the country unique as in â€Å"Malaysia, truly Asia.† This means that the cultural diversity can become its strength rather than its Achilles heel when rather than assimilating minority cultures into dominant cultures as the only way of integration, 1Malaysia concept accepts the reality of multi-culturalism and promotes unity in its diversity. Therefore, the realisation of the concept may be the way forward fo r Malaysia to reinvent itself as a progressive nation at the dawn of the 21st century. REFERENCES Azhar Wahid. (2011). HBEF1103 Sociology and philosophy of education in Malaysia. Seri Kembangan, Selangor: Meteor Doc. Centre for Public Policy Studies. (n.d.). National unity fact sheet. [Online]. 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