Case Study on Bond Industry Technology

Case Study on Bond Industry Technology Bond Industry Technology (Preliminary analysis of BITs Enterprise Architecture) Introduction From a wide perspective of what is actually the business structure of BIT, there are numerous problems which require analyzing and correcting. However, when we look at this scenario, there are so many variable required for BIT to meet its required goals. The business structure is more complex and thus, it may be addressed at a later time. Business wise Plastik strategic goals are not being met due to the fact that the fragmented structure of BITA will not allow any form of Encouragement Corporation between the Bus. Contrary to this, the senior management at BITA have come have been concerned with the fact that their decisions are being made on a month old data. There is a rising need for accurate and timely data, and this matter is pressing more since offices were opened interstate and overseas and time zone appears to be different between NZ, Sydney, Perth and Germany. There also appears to be a problem in data exchange and report preparation is also a problem. Compounding on this, it has been found that customer handling or branch enquiries is also a problem since the window for BITA to receive data and work on divisional data or respond to enquiries can be as short as 3-4 hours per day. These are mainly the two problems that are affecting BIT and thus for Plastik to be able to meet its targets, them both of this problems have to be solved. Motivation and Objective of the Report The information world has greatly changed, which means that there are no more such things as information can only be processed at a certain time only. Baring this in mind them it is possible to understand why some of the customers are developing e-commerce applications for its IT capabilities. Contrary to that, we have seen that, BIT information processing strategy is not working out and thus if Plastik is to continue using this method in the Australian branch then the company is doomed to fail. Additionally, the corporate structure for BITA and Plastik is in such a way that there is no interface between BITA and Plastik global knowledge base which leaves BITA and its customers in the shadow when it comes to participating in the Plastik global knowledge base. The objectives of this report are as follows: Develop a better strategy for BITA to accurate information and on a timely manner to all the countries regarding their time zones Come up with a better strategy for data exchange and report preparation as well as customer handling Enhance on the enterprise system so that divisional information processing will take more than the time that was taking at first (3-4 hours per day). Provide a link between BITA and Plastik global knowledge base so that BITA and its customers can participate in Plastik’s global knowledge base without difficulty. Maps of the current Business Organizational Structure and a (AS-IS) From the scenario, it is easy to obtain the information that, all the branches of BIT managed their own data. Whereas all the data was brought to the Germany parent company for final processing and storage. However, when we look at the organizational structure of BIT we obtain the fact that, under the overall umbrella which in this case is the BIT there are different partitions that come out of it. From this parent company, there are smaller Business Units (BUs) which are independent and handle different parts of the growing business. These include BIT – Sales referred to as BITS, BIT – Engineering referred to as BITE and BIT – Consulting which is also known as BITCON. Contrary to that, it is important to know that each BU operates as an individual business, with their own staff and administrative processes. However there is a central office and administration functions which are responsible for all the staff. This is known as BITA below is a map that has been produced to show all the above business functions of BITA. It is clear that Plastik is the main owner of BITA. However, from this diagram, it is clear that BITA has its own operations which are headed at BITA. The two companies are not connected despite the fact that Plastik owns BITA. Note that all these business functions have their own work as part of the BITA. BITCON was mainly established to act as a consulting arm of BIT. This unit provides all the consulting services to the local manufacturers on a range of plastics related issues ranging from design, manufacturing, process reengineering as distribution. Also, you will notice that this unit has a considerable expertise in the industry and offer their clients solutions some of which may be good for BIT products. BITS are used to recognize the market for plastic raw material as well as related chemicals. Some forms of plastics that are found to be sold by the company include PVCs. Polypropylene, Polystyrene, just to name the few. Most of these materials which mainly come from petroleum are found in Australia. Contrary to all these, it is important to note that SB’s main aim was to produce such things as routers, milling machines and lathes. However, lathe was segregated into its own division. This is why BITS came up with an engineering business unit. The company is much known from its expertise in engineering equipment manufacture together with the fact that it has a well renown staff who are much skilled in engineering. Most of its raw materials however, come from local and international suppliers. This ensures continuity of supply it carries inventory comprised of components which are frequently used as well as raw materials from other countries. All these Bus have their own management strategy while the overall tasks are done at the headquarters which is BITA. Landscape Map for Value chain Based Business Despite the fact that, Plastik acquired BIT, the company is still using the old system. However, it seem like after the acquisition Plastik made BIT to actually run separately. Their main acquisition was made in order to establish a good relationship with Great Wall with a view to a future buyout or partnership to supply machinery and expertise to the giant Chinese plastic market. In fact Plastic acquisition of BITA was mainly to connect with China so as to become a major profit contributor. This has enabled the company to move into small Australian market which was designed to actually extend the company global representation. Plastik business units have all been separated into different and independent BUs just like the BITA business units. The company strives at complementing its engineering expertise by presenting itself as an expert consultant on all the aspects of plastics fabrications which are mainly found in the RD, manufacturing operations, to marketing and distribution. It can be seen that all these functions are all presented under one single unit. It is however important to note that after acquiring BITA Plastik will have to formulate another form of business map. This is because BITA unlike Plastik has its units being operated separately even though their operations are all liked at the headquarters which is BITA. This also means that Plastik will either make some of its operations fall under some units of BITA or change BITA strategic map so that they can actually be on the same ground. Plastik actually did not; change the structure of BITA after its acquisition. However, it renamed the Australian company BITA and installed an outsider as its CEO. As far as the company is concerned most of its Australian branches have been strengthened as well as expanded to New Zealand. However, their operation at New Zealand is relatively smaller and as compared to the one in Australia while the sales that it makes are smaller as compared to the Australian company. It is important that Plastik maintains this structure so as to keep the core competencies in the company the way they are. These are basically the company’s key processes or functions. Note that they all have different function in the company. However, this value chain was constructed by the original owner of BITA which was after the realization that there was a need for a head office which would be used to head all the other business functions, therefore BIT is the head office or in my case BITA is the head office. This is actually what Plastik came to name as BITA. The Engineering unit of the company was raised to help the company with electronics manufacturing. This was however set up mainly after the company started manufacturing Machinery and Lathe. However, Plasik is required to understand that in order for them to manage a manufacturing shop that is more specialized; they are required to understand project management, procurement, and production and distribution skills. BITE only managed to expand after the department had established a more profitable and large engineering business which the ability to export large machinery. The consultant department of BITA will bring more value to Plastik, in that with the experience in plastic fabrication BITCON as a consulting arm of BIT was set up for the main purpose of providing consulting services to the local manufacturers which was done mainly on a wide range of plastic related issues. These included such things as engineering, distribution and so on. As far as value chain is concerned, the work of BITS is mainly to supply the plastics that have been produced by BITA. Plastic uses this part of the company to actually supply its own plastic to the other parts of Australia and China. The important aspect and one that really requires noting is the fact that, BITS services are mainly given to a majority of large as well as small customers. This means that the unit’s services are mainly known by the Australian markets. Process/BU/Application relationships There is a big difference between the process at BITA and processes at Plastik. However in both the companies it can be seen that there are some form of relationship between the process. Looking at BITA, there is a very firm relationship between the BUs in that they need each other to actually progress. Engineering sections which is also known as the BITE was mainly put up to create machines and other products which are for sales. It is through this unit that the company manages to actually ensure a correct order which reflects the requirements of the customers. Plastik has come to use this unit in Germany to speed up plastic injection molding and finishing equipment form Great Wall Industries in Szechwan, China. Considering the fact that Plastik produces large amounts of products the BITA consulting part is a very important part to them. This is because BITCON provides a consulting service both to the local manufacturers which are mainly done on a range of plastic related issues which range from designing to distributing of the products. While the BITS helps Plastik to supply their product to the various markets. Strategic Assessment between Bus and BITA and BITA and Plastik Looking at the two relationships, strategically BUs and BITA compound very well. This is because, even though all the BUs has their own operations and manages them by themselves, it is found that they are all headed by the BITA. However, looking at BITA and Plastik there is some form of separation between the two. This is because when we consider their operations, BITA operates in different BUs whereas with Plastik all the operations seem to be under the same roof. It is important to ensure that there is a connection between BITA and Plastik so that BITA and BITA customers will be able to use Plastik knowledge base. In addition to that, technologically Plastik is far much ahead of BITA and thus by ensuring that the two are connected this will improve their technology. As per their CEO Plastik wants to install e-commerce services which will also be important to BITA and BITA customers as it will enable information processing and customer handling to be done in the right way. Opportunities for Improvement and Recommendation There are a lot of opportunities for improvement that Plastik can grasp. Considering the fact that the company has not installed ecommerce applications, it is important at they think of this for it will give their customers a much wider options regarding their services acquisition. Contrary to that, the company can adopt the structure of BITA but make sure that they improve on the information processing and handling issues that the company is having at the moment. This strategy seems easy to use since having different business units manage their own tasks makes it easy to actually know which of the operations in the value chain require more money or which one requires improvement. As a recommendation thus, Plastik should make sure to improve on the company’s data processing method which if they do not take care will impact their business on a very negative way. Contrary to that, they should also make sure that they connect the two companies so that customers and the BITA will manage to use their knowledge base.

How to Make Colored Fire Pinecones

How to Make Colored Fire Pinecones How can you make your fire more festive? Toss on a few colored fire pinecones! Colored fire pinecones are extremely easy to make. All you need is one common household chemical. Colored Fire Pinecone Materials dry pineconesboric acid (usually sold as a disinfectant in the pharmacy section of stores)alcohol (optional) Alcohol is not necessary for this project, but it is a good accelerant if you are having trouble getting your pinecones to burn, which is possible if they are still a little green. Also, alcohol burns with a blue flame, so it will add another color to the fire yet wont overpower the other flame colors in your pinecone. Methanol is sold as Heetâ„ ¢ fuel treatment (avoid contact with skin). Isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) or ethanol (e.g., from rum or vodka) work well, too. Methods of Preparing Colored Fire Pinecones Method #1: This is the quick-and-easy method of getting pinecones to burn in colors. Sprinkle a little boric acid powder onto the pinecone. Squirt a small amount of alcohol onto the pinecone. Light the pinecone. Method #2: Dissolve the boric acid in a small amount of water or alcohol. Soak the pinecones in the colorant solution and allow them to dry. Boric acid is a good chemical for this project because its easily obtained, safe, and can give you a full spectrum of flame colors. However, any of the safe colorants for making colored fire can be used to make colored fire pinecones, so dont be afraid to experiment with other chemicals. You can prepare colored pinecones in advance to give as gifts or to burn throughout the season. If you like, you can scent the pinecones by adding a small amount of cinnamon oil or potpourri fragrance. Disclaimer: Please be advised that the content provided by our website is for EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. Fireworks and the chemicals contained within them are dangerous and should always be handled with care and used with common sense. By using this website you acknowledge that ThoughtCo., its parent About, Inc. (a/k/a Dotdash), and IAC/InterActive Corp. shall have no liability for any damages, injuries, or other legal matters caused by your use of fireworks or the knowledge or application of the information on this website. The providers of this content specifically do not condone using fireworks for disruptive, unsafe, illegal, or destructive purposes. You are responsible for following all applicable laws before using or applying the information provided on this website.

Discussion Board 2 EDU 626 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discussion Board 2 EDU 626 - Essay Example All the materials and physical objects that an instructor might use to deliver the information to the students or participants are called instructional media. Formally, it can be defined as "the physical means via which instruction is presented to the learners" (Reiser and Dempsey, 2007- pg 18). For instance usage of a text book, computer or even the in-class physical demonstration of an instructor can be labeled as an instructional medium. In any Instruction System Design (ISD), instructional media is used to make the audience understand the delivered material. It may be used to get the participant’s attention, to invoke the imagination of the students, to or to explain the explicit/implicit instructional goals. A research-based theory or a model is termed as Instruction System Design or Development (ISD). Such a model is designed after repeated experiments with different set of conditions (Merrill & Boutwell, 1973). It is important to note that each model is entirely dependa nt on its designer’s perceptions and ones understanding of the requirements for the instructional process. Once it is decided that an instructional medium is helpful in the process, there are number of factors to be considered before selecting a particular medium. Selection should be made after careful analysis of cost, availability, and the practical implementation of the entire course syllabus.

Group Discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Group Discussion - Essay Example ependent from the client company to avoid any conflicts of interest that may arise due to any links relationship between the auditor and the company (Regan, 2003). The contracting of one of Mary Maid Service partner’s uncle to carry out auditing casts doubts over the auditing process. The Uncle may give false opinion about the company in order to maintain good relationships with his nephew/niece who is one of the shareholders. Additionally, by charging low fees, the Uncle might be protecting his commercial interests. Most audit firms that charge fees lower than market rate make up for the deficit by providing non-audit services such as tax advice. In such a case, the interests of the auditor to protect his commercial interests may contradict with protecting shareholders’ interests. Contracting the partner’s Uncle may also expose the company to self-interest threat from the partner. Therefore, it is in the best interest of Mary Maid Service that the Uncle to one of the partner’s does not audit the company’s financial statements. Public confidence in financial markets and the conduct of public interest partly relies on audit reports; the company should contract an independent auditor to avoid compromising the credibility of the reports and opinions (Regan,

Discuss the character of Banquo and his role in Macbeth Essay Example for Free

Discuss the character of Banquo and his role in Macbeth Essay Banquo was one of Duncans brave generals. He was a man of honour and integrity. He held the same rank as Macbeth and they were very closely linked characters. They were courageous and loyal warriors. They both witnessed the Witches prophesies and their future successes were foretold throughout the play. Banquo had a generous spirit and a rational view of the world and had the attributes required by a good King, however, Banquo was an ambiguous character, in that he was sceptical of Macbeths manner following their encounter with the Witches. Macbeths beliefs worried Banquo, as he was a good man and he believed deeply in upholding Gods rule of order. Banquo sensed that the Witches prophesies prompted new reactions in Macbeth further encouraging his ambitions towards kingship. Banquos first encounter with the Witches was quite unbelievable to him and he remarked to Macbeth, What are these, So withered, and so wild in their attire, That look not like thinhabitants oth earth, And yet are on,t? , Banquos words describe Macbeths startled and uneasy reaction to the Witches prophesies, touching moral confusion in Macbeth by saying to him, Good sir, why do you start, and seem to fear Things that do not sound so fair? The half rhyme fear and fair echoes the Witches previous fair and foul. Although Banquo was not afraid of the Witches, he still wanted them to speak to him but at the same time he wished to remain detached from them. He addressed the Witches, saying, Speak to me, who neither beg, nor fear Your favours nor your hate. The Witches in turn replied, Thou shalt get Kings, though thou be none. The Witches directed most of their prophesies towards Macbeth and Banquo noticed how lost in thought his companion was because of this experience and remarked, Look how our partners rapt. When the Witches vanished, Banquo and Macbeth were astounded, wondering if what they had just witnessed was indeed real or just fantasy. When Banquo heard that Macbeth was to become Thane of Cawdor, in contrast to Macbeths excitement, he showed wariness and sensed that the Witches words might be deceitful by telling Macbeth, And oftentimes, to win us to our harm, The instruments of darkness tell us truths, Win us with honest trifles, to betrays In deepest consequence. Banquo is clear-sighted in his summary of the way of temptation. However, resisting the prophecies was a struggle, even for Banquo. He said to his son Fleance, Merciful powers, Restrain in me the cursed thoughts that nature Gives way to in repose! Banquo was clearly disturbed by all the strange events that had taken place. He was afraid to sleep and the Witches words returned to him in his dreams when he did so. After King Duncan was murdered, Banquo became very suspicious of Macbeth and was becoming concerned about his destiny. He spoke of this to the Kings son Malcolm, In the great hand of God I stand, and thence Against the undivulged pretence I fight Of treasonous malice. However, I criticize Banquo because of his passivity when he says, soon afterwards, Thou hast it all now, King, Cawdor, Glamis, all As the weird women promised, and I fear Thou playdst most foully fort: It was obvious that Banquo suspected Macbeths involvement in Duncans death, yet he took no steps against Macbeth. I suspect this was because Banquo had ambition too, like Macbeth when he says, May they not be my oracles as well, And set me up in hope? But hush, no more. Macbeths prophecy had come true, so he hoped, perhaps it would all happen for him and he would father a line of Kings. Banquos inaction and suspicions of Macbeth attracted Macbeths attention as his soliloquy in Act 3 denotes, Our fears in Banquo Stick deep, and in his royalty of nature Reigns that which would be feared. Then at the end of his soliloquy he really expresses his innermost thoughts by saying, Only for them, and mine eternal jewel Given to the common enemy of man, To make them Kings, the seed of Banquo Kings! This showed that he was determined that no- one would interfere with his kingship. Macbeth saw Banquo as simply too strong and honourable a rival to be left alive. Here again, we see that Macbeth and Banquo were closely linked. They were both tragic and doomed with flaws within themselves. Macbeth became obsessed by irrational passions, then anger and fear took hold, resulting in Macbeth having Banquo murdered. Macbeth held a banquet to celebrate his kingship which Banquo had agreed to attend as chief guest. He was indeed chief guest, but only visible to Macbeth as a ghost, taunting him, driving him insane with guilt. Macbeth felt this ghost was real, but it was only an extension of the evil in Macbeths troubled mind. This hysterical reaction in Macbeths vision aroused the suspicions of the lords attending. All this behaviour exhibited Macbeth as totally deranged, however, it was Banquo who finally exposed Macbeths deceptiveness by appearing to him as an avenging angel and deeply highlighting Macbeths guilt. There were contrasts in Banquos character. He was honourable to the King, yet, he was pathetic, unable to act when his suspicions of Macbeths evil were obvious. There is also evidence of contrast between Macbeth and Banquo in Act 2. I, when neither of them can sleep. Banquo was tormented by the Witches predictions and Macbeth was driven by them. Banquo really wanted what the Witches predicted, but at the same time he wanted to keep a clear conscience. He also observed how Macbeth changed from a loyal warrior into a self-seeking tyrant, but with everything happening so hastily he might not have had the time to act upon his suspicions and maybe he thought about the fact that his suspicions may have been wrong. Banquo clearly displays signs of ambiguity throughout the play.

Les Miserable :: English Literature

Les Miserable RESPONSE PHASE We were introduced to two different drama texts. Text one was a song called "Another Day in Paradise" by Phil Collins, a British singer, songwriter. The song was written at around 1985. Text two is an extract from the musical "Les Miserable." The extract is called "Look Down" and is set on the streets of Paris in 1832. For text one we were asked to listen to the song and discuss the storyline, themes and characters. The fact that the song is about people that are in poverty and how other people feel towards them. The lyrics from the song are about two characters, a man who is a passer-by in the street and a homeless woman in the street. She asks him for help. "Sir can you help me? But he ignores her, "He pretends he can't hear her". The man represents ignorance and the woman represents poverty. Phil Collins directs the song at us by saying "Its another day for you and me in Paradise". He means that we're in paradise compared to the lives oh homeless people. We were also asked to read the script from "Les Miserable"; the extract is called "Look Down". We each picked a character and then we read the script. Les Miserable is about the life of poor people in Paris and they want to start a revolution against the French government and the monarchy. However, they all say that they need Lamarque but he is ill. The similarities between the two texts are they both are about poverty and how higher class people feel towards them and they help the poor or not. Basically, the theme of the two texts are that they are set in Britain around 1985 - 1990, the same time it was written. There are three levels of still-image; I played a poor woman on the street asking for money. There was another character sitting on the floor. There was also another character sitting in his shop watching from the window. I also did a thought track for my character, saying aloud the thoughts of the character. Face expression is very important. We had to do a still image of a character from Les Miserable; I posed as Gavroche. I was standing, looking towards the ground and I looked miserable, then I had to speak aloud the thoughts of Gavroche. I said that I was just a child trying to survive from a terrible lifestyle and I wished that Lamarque were here to help me and other people like me. The characters still image (as Gavroche) was similar to the character I created for the song because they were both poor and

Samsung Electronics Business Plan

Samsung Electronics founded in 1969 with its headquarters in Samsung Town, Seoul, is part of the Samsung Group, which includes dozens of companies with vast interests. Through the last 40 years, the company had risen to become a global leader in the consumer electronics brands market with its innovative products such as mobile phones, TVs, and monitors. At present, Samsung Electronics leads the Samsung subsidiaries with more than 157,000 employees in their various assembly plants and sales network across 65 countries around the globe. With its revenue of $117. 4 billion in 2009, it has become one of the world class electronics company. Furthermore, Samsung Electronics industry is consumer electronics, Telecommunications and semiconductor. According to information of their corporate website, from its pioneer operations of an export business, the company has divested into electronics with specialty in digital, media, and microchips, memories, and systems integration. At present, the company’s innovative solutions on products and processes are recognized globally. The company attained a leadership position in the year 2009 when it surpassed leader Hewlett-Packard the erstwhile leader. Importantly, as a response to the downturn in the economy in 2009, Samsung Electronics of Seoul, South Korea, ‘implemented a structural reorganization to become more efficient to deal with worsening economic conditions. According to a Samsung spokeswoman Hwang Eun-ju, the changes were necessary to â€Å"effectively respond to the current global recession. † Samsung embarked on a management structural change from the sole Chief Executive Officer system, to a dual management structure with effective teams. Goals. Given revolutionary changes and opportunities digital age has brought to global businesses, Samsung electronics has and will continually respond with advanced technologies competitive products and innovativeness. Over the next five years and more, Samsung Electronics’ goal is to display unflinching commitment to making life easier and more comfortable for its consumers by taking advantage of the group’s key strengths: â€Å"New Technology,† â€Å"Innovative Products,† and â€Å"Creative Solutions. † Suffice it to say at this point that, in all the aforementioned goals, controlling cash flow and profitability will be an undertone. Products Samsung Electronics is the global leading manufacturer of memory chips, LCDs, and flat screen televisions, and is competitive in mobile manufactures. For over a decade, Samsung has maintained its leading position in microchip making. The company also manufactures an array of home appliances, TV/audio and video, cameras, and camcorders, monitors, and notebooks, and print solutions. In the area of wireless networking, Samsung Electronics developed protocols that were accepted internationally and used widely in foreign markets. Summary Organizational structure, control, and coordinating mechanisms are key variables for strategic implementation. An adaptive organizational structure facilitates changes in strategy, competitive moves, and changes in the environment. (Deresky, 2010, p. 257). Samsung Electronics which is a flagship of the Samsung group has carved a niche for its self in the consumer electronics market. Their major goal is to stay innovative to give value to their core groups- the industry, partners, and employees. In doing this however, an organizational structure that supports cash flow management and profitability will be erected to combat negative economic trends. References * Deresky, H. (2011). International management: Managing across borders and cultures (7th ed.).   Boston, MA: Prentice Hall. Samsung beats HP to pole position. Financial Times. Retrieved April 23, 2011 from http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/c48d477a-0c3b-11df-8b81-00144feabdc0.html. Samsung Electronics Background. Retrieved, April 24, 2011 from ceridian.co.uk   www.ceridian.co.uk/hr/brochures/Samsung

Math Self-efficacy

Math Self-efficacy 1 Running head: SELF-EFFICACY AND STANDARDIZED TEST PERFORMANCE Accepted for publication in the Journal of Educational Psychology. This version may slightly differ from the published version. Does Math Self-efficacy Mediate the Effect of the Perceived Classroom Environment on Standardized Math Test Performance? Lisa A. Fast University of California, Riverside James Lewis University of California, Riverside Michael J. Bryant California Institute of the Arts Kathleen A. Bocian University of California, Riverside Richard A.Cardullo University of California, Riverside Michael Rettig University of California, Riverside Kimberly A. Hammond University of California, Riverside Math Self-efficacy 2 Abstract We examined the effect of the perceived classroom environment on math self-efficacy and the effect of math self-efficacy on standardized math test performance. Upper elementary school students (n = 1163) provided self-reports of their perceived math selfefficacy and the degree to which their math classroom environment was masteryoriented, challenging, and caring. Individual student scores on the California Standards Test for Mathematics were also collected.A series of two-level models revealed that students who perceived their classroom environments as more caring, challenging, and mastery-oriented had significantly higher levels of math efficacy, and higher levels of math efficacy positively predicted math performance. Analysis of the indirect effects of classroom variables on math performance indicated a small significant mediating effect of self-efficacy. Implications for research on self-efficacy and the perceived classroom environment are discussed. Math Self-efficacy 3 Does Math Self-efficacy Mediate the Effect of the Perceived Classroom Environment on Standardized Math Test Performance?In the current high-stakes testing environment, any attribute of a student that positively influences achievement is of interest. The degree to which a studen t believes that he/she is capable of performing specific tasks, referred to as self-efficacy, is particularly relevant given that self-efficacy has been argued to have powerful effects on achievement behavior (Bandura, 1986). Those with higher self-efficacy are proposed to have higher aspirations, stronger commitments to their goals, and recover more quickly from setbacks than those lower in self-efficacy. Beliefs in one’s efficacy can vary across academic subjects (e. . reading vs. writing) and self-efficacy for mathematics has received close attention. Students with higher math self-efficacy persist longer on difficult math problems and are more accurate in math computations than those lower in math self-efficacy (Collins, 1982; Hoffman & Schraw, 2009). Math self-efficacy is also a stronger predictor of math performance than either math anxiety or previous math experience (Pajares & Miller, 1994; Pajares & Miller, 1995, respectively) and influences math performance as stron gly as overall mental ability (Pajares & Kranzler, 1995).The demonstrated importance of self-efficacy in academic achievement has provoked widespread interest in specific factors that affect a student’s self-efficacy beliefs. Bandura’s (1997) social-cognitive theory proposed that self-efficacy is most strongly affected by one’s previous performance and research largely supports this (Chen & Zimmerman, 2007). His theory also suggests that self-efficacy is affected by observing others (e. g. watching peers succeed at a task), verbal persuasion (e. g. encouragement from parents and teachers), and interpretation of physiological states (e. g.Math Self-efficacy 4 lack of anxiety may be a signal that one possesses skills). Although several studies indicate that manipulating features of learning environments along these theoretical premises has immediate and detectable effects on self-efficacy (Schunk, 1982, 1983, 1984; Schunk & Hanson, 1985), it seems possible that st udents’ perceptions of their learning environments also affect their efficacy beliefs. Ames (1992) argued that learning environments may not provide a common experience for all students and that students’ subjective interpretations of their environment determine how they respond to it.For example, a teacher might be described by an objective observer as helpful, but if a student perceives him/her as unhelpful, then the perception of unhelpfulness will guide the students’ behavior more than the teachers’ actual helpfulness. Focusing on perceptions of the classroom environment is consistent with Bandura’s (1997) theory, which suggests that self-efficacy is influenced by how an individual interprets relevant information. For example, a student might interpret a perceived unhelpful teacher as evidence that he/she lacks ability.In the current study, we focus on three aspects of the perceived classroom environment that affect self-efficacy: Mastery-orien tation, Challenge, and Caring. The degree to which students perceive their classroom environment as one that encourages mastery versus performance goals has been prominently studied (Ames, 1992; Dweck, 1986; Maehr & Nicholls, 1980, respectively). Classrooms structured around mastery goals emphasize effort and the intrinsic value of learning; students who adopt mastery goals are more likely to believe that effort leads to success (Weiner, 1979) and display positive attitudes towards learning (Ames & Archer, 1988).In contrast, classrooms structured around performance goals emphasize ability and competition Math Self-efficacy 5 between peers; students who adopt performance goals are more likely to use shallow learning strategies (Meece et al. , 1988) and avoid challenging tasks (Dweck, 1986). Although both of these classroom goal structures theoretically influence the achievement goals that students adopt, only mastery goal structures are consistently related to selfefficacy.Several st udies have found that students who perceive their classroom environment as more mastery oriented have higher academic self-efficacy (Dorman, 2001; Friedel et al. , 2007; Middleton & Midgley, 1997), whereas performance oriented classrooms have been found to be unrelated, positively related, and negatively related to self-efficacy (Friedel et al. , 2007; Wolters et al. , 1996; Schunk, 1996, respectively). Studies using path analysis have also found that self-efficacy mediates the influence of mastery-oriented classrooms on performance (Bong, 2008; Greene, Miller, Crowson, Duke, & Akey, 2004).In particular, Wolters (2004) found that mastery goal structure had a significant positive effect on students’ math grades, but when math self-efficacy was included in the model, the effect of mastery structure on course grades became nonsignificant. The degree to which a classroom environment is perceived as challenging also influences self-efficacy. A challenging environment is one in whi ch students are provided with progressively difficult tasks as their proficiency increases. Vygotsky (1978) argued that challenge is essential for intellectual development and Grolnick et al. 2002) proposed that individuals are born with a need to test their abilities and master their environment. Accordingly, evidence indicates that students enjoy learning when tasks are challenging (Zahorik, 1996). Although challenge has been most prominently discussed as an important facilitator of intrinsic motivation (e. g. Malone & Lepper, Math Self-efficacy 6 1987), some researchers suggest that it also leads to stronger beliefs in one’s academic abilities (Meyer, Turner, & Spencer, 1997; Stipek, 2001).Participating in challenging activities allows students to notice their incremental improvement in a subject, which increases feelings of self-competence. In support of this, Gentry and Owen (2004) reported that middle and high school students who perceived their classroom as challenging were more likely to have higher academic self-efficacy. Similarly, Meyer, Turner, & Spencer (1997) found that fifth and sixth-grade students who were characterized as â€Å"challenge-seekers† had higher math self-efficacy, while students who were characterized as â€Å"challenge-avoiders’ had lower math self-efficacy.Finally, the degree to which students perceive their classroom as a caring environment also has an important influence on self-efficacy. In a caring classroom (also referred to as Teacher Involvement: Newman, 2002; Personalization: Frasier & Fisher, 1982), the teacher expresses personal interest in students, provides emotional support, and generally creates a comfortable atmosphere. Murdock and Miller (2003) suggest that students who perceive their teachers as caring are more likely to view themselves as academically capable and set higher educational goals for themselves.Positive relationships between students and teachers provide a critical development al resource for children; students are more likely to seek help when they need it and develop a wide range of competencies when they feel emotionally supported by their teachers (Crosnoe, Johnson, & Elder, 2004; Pianta, Hamre, & Stuhlman, 2003). Accordingly, evidence suggests that students who perceive their teachers as more caring have significantly higher academic self-efficacy (Murdock & Miller, 200; Patrick et al. , 2007). Pianta et al. (2008) also found that fifth-grade students had higher performance on math tests whenMath Self-efficacy 7 their classrooms were rated higher in emotional support. In addition, the effect of emotional support on math achievement was larger than the effect of quantity of math instruction. The authors noted that, â€Å"this is especially interesting because math is perhaps not a subject where teacher-student relations are as much a focus,† (Pianta et al. , 2008, p. 389). In summary, math self-efficacy appears to play an important role in math achievement and mediates the influence of mastery-oriented classroom environments on math achievement.Global academic self-efficacy also seems to be positively affected by caring and challenging classroom environments. However, several issues remain unclear. Little is known either about the influence of caring and challenging classroom environments specifically on math self-efficacy or whether math self-efficacy mediates the influence of challenging and caring classroom environments on math achievement. Further, virtually nothing is known about the relationships between math self-efficacy, perceived classroom environment, and achievement in the context of standardized math test performance.These are important gaps in the literature in light of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2002 that requires all students to take standardized math tests annually in grades 3 through 8 and once during high school. Scores on these tests are increasingly being used for â€Å"high-stakes† purposes that affect both students and teachers. According to the National Center for Fair and Open Testing (2007), standardized test scores of fourth, fifth, and sixth graders can be used for the following purposes in California: to place students into instructional groups (e. . remedial or special education programs), determine school eligibility for federal funding, make decisions about whether principals, Math Self-efficacy 8 teachers, and staff are offered continued employment, and determine whether or not teachers get bonuses. Several researchers have argued that the implementation of NCLB has led to a focus on testing and evaluation that permeates the school environment (Meece, Anderman, & Anderman, 2006; Ryan et al. , 2007). It is important to examine how student motivation (e. g. elf-efficacy) and classroom environments are related to one another in this legislated performance-oriented environment. In the current study, we predicted that math self-efficacy mediates the inf luence the perceived of classroom environment on standardized math test performance (Figure 1). Specifically, we predict that students’ perceptions of the degree to which their classroom environment is mastery-oriented, challenging, and caring has a direct and positive influence on math self-efficacy, and math self-efficacy has a direct and positive effect on student performance on standardized math tests.Each of these three aspects of the classroom environment will positively affect self-efficacy for the following reasons. Mastery-orientation will have a positive influence on math self-efficacy because environments that encourage students to take pride in their effort and value learning for its own sake, rather than simply emphasize the importance of good grades, will allow students to feel more confident in their ability.Challenge will also be associated with higher math self-efficacy because being afforded the opportunity to progressively master tasks that are slightly bey ond one’s current capacity allows a student to observe his/her own progress and gradually increase beliefs in his/her ability. Finally, caring will have a positive influence on math self-efficacy because Bandura (1993) argued that affective processes affect self-efficacy. In particular, environments that arouse anxiety and other negative emotions have a negative affect on efficacy beliefs (Usher, 2009).We Math Self-efficacy 9 hypothesize that environments in which teachers take a personal interest in and emotionally support students are less likely to arouse negative emotions than environments in which teachers are impersonal and emotionally disconnected, and therefore caring environments will positively affect self-efficacy. Methods Participants The 1,163 participants in our study were fourth, fifth, and sixth graders who attended elementary school in an inland southern California suburban school district during the 2005-06 and 2006-07 academic years.The schools were located in low to middle income neighborhoods, with 59% (n = 682) of our participants receiving free and/or reduced lunch. Participants came from 88 separate classrooms. The mean cluster size was 13. 22 (SD = 5. 95) and ranged from 2 to 25 students per classroom. The majority of our sample consisted of Latino/a (62%) and Caucasian (31%) students and other ethnic groups included African American (4%), Asian (1%), Pacific Islander (

Sacco And Vanzetti Essays - Anti-communism In The United States

Sacco And Vanzetti Essays - Anti-communism In The United States Sacco And Vanzetti The case of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti was not about the justice system blaming them for murdering two people, but rather how the justice system murdered two people and got away with it. Throughout the trial the public withdrew from their anti-radical thinking to more of a sympathetic understanding of another human being, no matter their beliefs. World-wide interest was quickly turned to the ill-fated Sacco and Vanzetti. While the judge and prosecution had already delivered the verdict in their minds, Sacco and Vanzetti proclaimed and defended their innocence even till the very end. Before the crime ever took place Sacco worked at the Milford Shoe Factory as an edge trimmer. Sacco was a hard worker; who supported his wife, Rosa, and his son, Dante. Vanzetti worked as a fish peddler. In May 1917, both left their jos to go to Mexico and avoid the draft. Both Sacco and Vanzetti had the same views which were considered radical at the time; therefore they did not advertise them. Understandably, they feared for their safety as well as their friends and families who shared the same ideals (Feuerlicht 11). Although some had suspected that they were of radical ideology, it was not publicaly announced. Having avoided the draft, Sacco and Vanzetti returned from Mexico. Upon their return, organizations and federal agents started to investigate. On April 15, 1920 there was a payroll robbery of the Slater & Morrill Shoe Company. Two men were killed and $15,773. 59 missing. These crimes happened in South Braintree Massachusetts and became known as the Braintree Crimes. There were two people that attacked and killed the payroll employees, then grabbed the money and took off in the escape car. The escape car was described as a black Buick with other partners inside. Eyewitnesses claimed that two of the criminals looked Italian (Altman 70). Crimes like this had been common at the time and had only sparked local interest (DAttilio). It was not until Sacco and Vanzetti were in the courtroom facing charges of murder and robbery, that the Braintree Crimes would become a publicized affair. Sacco and Vanzetti were arrested on May 5, 1920 for the murders and robberies that took place three weeks earlier. They both were anarchistic, atheist, draft dodgers, immigrants, and neither could speak English well (Fabulous 26). This undoubtedly made them an easy target. When questioned they both lied creating a consciousness of guilt in the eyes of the prosecutors and judge (DAttilio). Another aspect that did not help Sacco and Vanzetti were their alibis. Although both had an alibi, their witnesses often could not remember much about the day in question other than they defiantly saw the defendants. Saccos alibi rested on his repeated attempt to get passports to Italy to see his family. Vanzetti was allegedly selling fish and visiting some friends (Montgomery 142-155, 131-141). Percy Katzmann, the prosecutor, had given both a difficult time with the questioning. He used their lack of English skills against them and often twisted their words around. Although Moore, the defendants lawyer would object to this, Judge Thayer would allow it to continue and often encourage it. Judge Thayer was unprofessional by making rude comments during and out of court. He would refer to Sacco and Vanzetti as Dagoes never referring to them as Italians (Feuerlight 202). He would also talk about the case outside of court and brag to others saying Did you see what I did with those anarchistic bastards the other day? I guess that will hold them for a while. (Feuerlight 306). Not only was his behavior questionable, but the fact that he was the judge of the case was questionable, since he had just sentenced Vanzetti for another case a few weeks prior. Fortunately for Sacco and Vanzetti, their lawyer was dedicated and fought for their freedom. Moore raised awareness to the trial worldwide. Supporters protested for Sacco and Vanzettis freedom. After six weeks of trial Sacco and Vanzetti were found guilty of murder and robbery. Though they were found guilty, their lawyer still fought for appeals and continued to spend money on propaganda. Since the anarchist movement had been paying for the trial and all the spending that Moore was doing, they fired him. Moore was replaced in 1924 by William Thompson (DAttillio). Thompson made appeal after appeal, and more and more evidence proving Sacco and Vanzettis innocence surfaced as he fought for an appeal. On November 16, 1925 a man in sitting in Dedham Jail

Get Help Filling out the FAFSA Application

Get Help Filling out the FAFSA Application Applying for a student loan from the U.S. Department of Education is free. The application, called the FAFSA, stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid and may be found on the website  fafsa.gov. The FAFSA can be a complicated form to fill out, and there was once an online service called Student Financial Aid Services, Inc. which helped students complete the complicated form for a fee. This service is no longer available but there are other solutions out there. FAFSA Services Available There are services available to help you fill out your FAFSA, however, the governments FAFSA site warns students that they dont have to pay to apply for a student loan from the government. There are scams out there but there are also legitimate services that can make your life a whole lot easier. Some ways to get assistance include: Exploring the resources available directly from the fafsa.ed.gov websiteVisiting your colleges office of student financial assistance or calling your university directlyAsking for help from your high school guidance counselor or college prep teacherHiring a professional, certified college aid planner from the National Institute of Certified College Planners, or an organization such as  CollegeAidPlanning.com How FAFSA Helpers Aid Students When scholarship scams were more prevalent, it was believed that â€Å"any help that you pay for can be received free from your school or Federal Student Aid. People often objected to paying a professional to prepare the federal student aid application, despite the 137 questions being more complex than most income tax forms, which they were likely to hire a tax consultant for. Neither high schools,  colleges nor the federal student aid telephone help desk has enough trained experts available to assist all college-bound and college students with their financial aid needs. No service is free as the federal help desk and high school counselors are paid with your tax dollars. College financial aid administrator’s salaries are covered by students’ tuition and fees charged. College financial aid offices help their students answer aid application questions, but they don’t have enough trained people or hours in the day to prepare every student’s federal student aid application. The Complexity of Filling out the Form Many people find the federal student aid form to be complex or too time-consuming to do themselves. College-bound students are sometimes unable to turn to a college financial aid administrator for help because they are not members of a college yet. While high school counselors at public and private schools offer college prep guidance, the great majority have no financial aid training nor the time to help every college-bound student prepare their application. The federal student aid helpline will answer individual questions but not advise on an individual’s specific circumstances. Recently, the federal government offered one-on-one phone service to several states on a limited basis. The FAFSA helpline is not open 24/7, such as on weekends and nights, when parents are likely to prepare their children’s FAFSA. Guidance From Student Financial Aid Services Student Financial Aid Services is available at least seventeen hours a day during peak aid application filing times. There is no limit on how often a client calls or how many people from an individual family are spoken to. Fees are relatively modest, ranging from $80 to $100 for a year, and a 100% money back guarantee is offered within sixty days of purchase. Advisors are rigorously trained and catch mistakes that even the Department of Education’s computer misses–mistakes that can deprive students of aid. Their job is to accurately prepare an application and advise clients so they receive the most aid possible, and they currently hold a 99% client recommendation rating. No legitimate FAFSA preparer charges for submitting the form. Fees are for the advice and expertise. The student financial aid system is complicated, as there are nine federal, 605 state,  and about 8,000 college programs each with their own deadlines and rules. All of this information is tracked including policy decisions, rule changes, and more. Disclosures U.S. law does authorize paid FAFSA preparation and the only condition is that a paid FAFSA preparer posts in all of their marketing and on their website that their commercial business is not the Department of Education. The website www.fafsa.com is a domain name the company founder, a college admissions administrator, purchased before the Department of Education had a FAFSA website. For transparency, the following is to be noted: The home page displays in a clear and conspicuous manner a notice that â€Å"We are not affiliated with the Dept. of Education.†The home page also states clearly that FAFSA can be filed for free, can be completed via paper or electronic form, and that professional assistance is not a requirement. It also states that the free service is available at www.fafsa.ed.gov.In the center of the home page, it is stated prominently that the website is the oldest and largest student aid advisory service and there is a fee for the service.Visitors are informed about the free FAFSA option in seventeen other prominent places on the website, and in total, forty-seven links are provided to www.fafsa.ed.gov.On every single page of the website, a disclaimer is included that says the website is not the Department of Education or FAFSA on the web. A link is provided to www.fafsa.ed.gov.The website provides a simple and clear side-by-side comparison of services that differ from the Department of Ed ucation and explicitly notes that the website is a paid service, and also notes that people can prepare the form themselves and file it for free on the other site. Every caller is informed that there is a free FAFSA option and that the FAFSA can be completed without professional help.In the â€Å"About Us† section of the  website, it is clearly stated, â€Å"Student Financial Aid Services, Inc. is a fee-based preparation and advisory company† and the role is outlined.In all of the marketing communications and sales materials, information about the free FAFSA option is included.

The London Economy Tourism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The London Economy Tourism - Essay Example The success has also been attributed to the deregulation of the market and exchange controls. London remains a pre-eminent global city for doing business and attracts millions of tourists every year round, but this has come under threat not only from the economic upheavals but also from the emergence of new business and tourism hubs such as Dubai and Mumbai. London is ranked as the most popular city in the world and attracts millions of tourists every year who travel to London to see and admire the impressive monuments, exploring the vibrant and diverse culture of the inhabitants of the city or pay a visit to the historical sites in London (LDA 2009). Tourism is a key driver of the economy of London attracting 15 million visitors of overseas visitors who were staying and 11 million domestic visitors staying in the year 2008 alone. In addition, several surveys estimate that about two hundred million visits by tourists are made to London either within the capital or within the outskirt s for the numerous attractions, art exhibitions, historical sites and other tourist attractions. Tourism and related activities helped support 253, 000 employment opportunities and resulted in expenditure by visitors amounting to U. K. ? 22 billion which consisted of U.K. ? 8 billion is generated by staying overseas visitors. While much of the tourism takes place at the capital city at the inner sections, the significance is felt as a whole including the boroughs. The London’s visitor economy grew steadily in the leisure market in the period 2002 to 2007, making a quick recovery from the adverse effects of the terrorist act of September 11 characterized by a reduction in the number of staying tourists. Nevertheless, the number of visitors to London from overseas declined from 15.3 million to 14.7 million in the year 2007 while that of domestic visitor numbers rose from a figure of 10.1 million to 11.3 million. In terms of the economy, the revenue generated from tourism toward s the economy of London comprise about 10 percentages of the gross value added income of London and the projections is that the amount spent by tourists in London costs about U.K. ? 15 million per year. The statistics also show that about 13 per cent of the people who work or are employed in London are in the tourism sector alone and is predicted to rise dramatically due to the marketing strategies that have been put in place to position London as an ideal tourist destination (LDA 2009). Some of the famous tourist attractions in London include Buckingham palace that attracts about 15 million tourists per year, Green Park and St. James Park, the Victoria and Albert Museum the leading museum of its category globally, the British Museum, the Tower of London along River Thames, the Tower Bridge and the Big Ben. However, the cultural sector of London is the major contributor to its economy in terms of the income and the jobs it generates to the citizens as many tourists comprising 70% ci te it as the major reason for their visits. This is achieved from the high number of overseas visitors who flock into London to see and visit its numerous attractions and the central as well as the management of London has played a key role in the provision and support of the cultural heritage of London to ensure fair access. When viewed as a cultural metropolis, tourism contributes to the employment of about half a million

Women in US politic society from 1950-2014 Essay

Women in US politic society from 1950-2014 - Essay Example Hanna counters the men’s criticism reiterating that her essay is not a myth and in the same context supports its logicality. The society anticipated change within a span of a hundred years. Traditional men dominance started at least 500 years ago with the women empowerment campaigns and programs giving the women confidence and courage to challenge men. The women gained courage and confidence to undertake the tasks perceived to belong to men. In the same period on Europe fields of battle show up, the musketeers used cumbersome and brave knights. Their use of heavy machinery was because of lack of knowledge of the existence and usage of lighter weapons like swords. Musketeers fought using sticks, which made exposures. The mode of fighting they employed was the conventional means that was usable on a regular basis during that era. Men displayed more strength and masculinity that capably positioned them superior to the females. Revolution over time occurred and knight sheathed their swords. The season of stronger men elapsed as judgments and rating then began to base on mental capability and the intelligence quotient. The society eventually started to value education, inte llect, and adaptation to new and modern techniques. Many transformations occurred at this time, which was the duration before the setting of the day of the women. In addition, one more reason to involve in those changes is second-wave of feminism. Feminism-Socio-political movement, whose goal was to protect all women, discriminated against of sex, race, orientation, age, ethnicity, social status, full social rights. The movement founded in the middle of 19th century and has three waves. Second Wave refers to a span of feminist activity at the beginning of middle 20th century until the end of the 1980s. Second-wave feminists show cultural and political inequalities between man and woman and help to understand how politicized is the sexist society in US. The feminist activist Carol