Examining a Witness; Memory Refreshing - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 8 Words: 2536 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Law Essay Type Narrative essay Did you like this example? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The rules relating to refreshing memory allow a witness, who has forgotten everything about an incident, to still provide testimony. To that extent it subverts the purpose of examining a witness as it means they cannot be properly questioned about their recollection since they are testifying about what they are reading and not what they rememberà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ . To what extent do you agree with this statement? Introduction The general rule is that witnesses are not permitted to give oral evidence by reading out written statements that were prepared at an earlier time.[1] However, a witness may be permitted to refresh his/her memory from a document whilst testifying, particularly if his/her memory of an event is poor.[2] This essay considers whether the rules relating to refreshing memory subvert the purpose of examining a witness. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Examining a Witness; Memory Refreshing" essay for you Create order The essay starts by considering the common law and statutory rules relating to the refreshment of memory. Finally, the essay considers whether the rules relating to the refreshment of memory subvert the very purpose of examining a witness. The rules relating to refreshing memory The law allows for witnesses to refresh their memories if they become forgetful. Such law is a combination of common law and statute. The common law makes a broad distinction between refreshing memory out of court and in court. At common law, a witness may refresh his/her memories from documents out of court before testifying.[3] Indeed, it is common practice for a witness to be shown his/her statement before giving evidence. It is courtesy to also inform the other side that this has happened. However, refreshing memory out of court must not represent an opportunity for witnesses to compare their statements or get their heads together to decide what to say[4] or to discuss the evidence they may give eve n if this takes place under the guise of a case conference by the police.[5] In Da Silva,[6] the Court of Appeal held that a judge has discretion to decide whether to allow a witness to refresh his/her memory out of court after commencing his/her testimony, provided that certain conditions were satisfied. However, in South Ribble Magistrate Ex. p. Cochcrane,[7] the court held that the conditions were not prerequisites to be fulfilled. In G. (Joel) (a Juvenile) (No. 1),[8] Henry, L.J. stressed that there were no fixed or immutable rules which must be followed before a witness may refresh his/her memory from an earlier document. This process has now been simplified by section 139 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“CJA 2003à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ), considered below, which merely requires any document to have been made at an earlier time rather than contemporaneously. At common law, a witness may refresh his/her memory in court from a document, provided that the document wa s made contemporaneously with the events in question, and was made or verified by the witness.[9] This does not mean that the document must have been made simultaneously with the event(s) at the first subsequent opportunity. For the purpose of the rule, it is sufficient, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“if the writing was made or verified at a time when the facts were still fresh in the witnessà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s memory.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ [10] The common sense principle underlying the common law rule for refreshing memory whilst testifying from a statement in a document is that the quality of the witnessà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s evidence is likely to be improved if the witness is allowed to use a statement made near the time as an aide-mÃÆ' ©moire. The same principle underlines section 139(1) of the CJA 2003, which sets out a different rule for refreshing memory. In criminal proceedings, the common law rule has not been repealed, but has in effect been replaced, and relaxed, by section 139(1) of the CJA 2003. Section 139(1) drops the common law requirement that the statement should be contemporaneous with the matters it deals with. It provides that a witness giving oral evidence in criminal proceedings about any matter may at any stage refresh his/her memory from a document made or verified by him/her at an earlier time if two conditions are satisfied. The witness must state in his/her oral evidence that the document records his/her recollection of the matter at the earlier time, and that his/her recollection of the matter is likely to have been significantly better at that time than it is at the time of his/her oral evidence. Section 139(2) has also supplemented the common law rule by providing for the refreshing of memory from a transcript of a sound recording. Under both the common law and section 139(1), the evidence is the witnessà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s oral testimony, not the document used to refresh. Where the use of the document does not in fact revive a hazy or forgotten m emory, there is no artificiality involved in maintaining this position. However, the common law doctrine of refreshing memory also extends to the case where the witnessà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s memory of the event does not revive, but the witness is prepared to testify to it on the basis that the contemporaneous record is accurate.[11] The doctrine of refreshing memory operates as a benevolent fiction in type of cases such as Maugham v Habbard.[12] The court in effect permits the witness to give reliable hearsay evidence, on the basis that the witness is prepared to vouch for the accuracy of the contemporaneous record. It is consistent with this function that the common law requires a document used in this type of case to refresh memory to be original.[13] In other cases, the witness may revive memory from any contemporaneous document made or verified by him/her. Section 120 of the CJA 2003 contains a useful provision to take account of this point about the hearsay use of documents whe re the witnessà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s memory is not in fact refreshed by reference to the document. This eliminates some of the need to rely on the fiction just described. Section 120 creates a new rule of admissibility of statements of past recollection recorded. This applies only to statement made by the witness, not to statement verified by him/her. When the statutory provision applies the witnessà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s statement will be the oral testimony plus the earlier hearsay statement. However, section 120 is not without interpretative difficulty as it omits to spell out in exactly what circumstances documents employed to refresh memory will become admissible as evidence of matters stated, either when the attempt to refresh the witnessà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ memory is unsuccessful or where portions of the document are not used for that purpose.[14] Do the rules relating to refreshing memory subvert the purpose of examining a witness? The purpose examination-in-chief is to elicit f rom the witness facts that support that partyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s case.[15] Cross-examining the witness provides the accused with an opportunity to confront the evidence against them. Its purpose is to elicit facts that are favourable to the cross-examiner and to test the veracity of, or discredit, the witness.[16] Re-examining re-establishes the credibility of the witness if this was shaken by the cross-examination.[17] Thus, examination of a witness enables the trier of facts to ascertain the witnessà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s knowledge as to the facts in dispute between parties. Its major purpose is to discover the truth about the event in question. It has been argued that cross-examination is not a means of getting to the truth.[18] However, such criticisms must be placed alongside the importance of putting the defence version of events to witnesses and to the court.[19] Cross- examining a witness is within the notion of a fair trial by which the accused has a right to examine, or to hav e examined, witnesses who are used to against them.[20] The assumption of examining a witness is that by observing and listening to a witness, the trier of facts is more able to assess the weight to be attached to the witnessà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s evidence than by reading from a document.[21] Thus, when examined in chief, the witness would generally be expected to answer the questions from memory without the benefit of any written statements. However, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“it would be unrealistic to expect the witness to recall every detail of the event with precision without assistance.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ [22] Originally, the common law tended to regard giving evidence as a memory test and frowned on the idea that a witness should be able to refresh his/her memory from his/her earlier statement.[23] Given that it may be many months between the incident and trial and the fact that witnesses such as police officers gave evidence in many different cases, such an approach made no sense and the co mmon law retreated from it during the second part of the last century.[24] The rationale for permitting reading a statement before testifying is that, if refreshing the memory were prohibited, testimony in the witness box would have become little more than a test of memory rather than of truthfulness. It would have been impossible to police and this would have created difficulties for honest witness but do little to hamper dishonest witnesses.[25] In Richardson,[26] Sachs L.J. approved some concise comments of the Supreme Court of Hong Kong that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Testimony in the witness box becomes more of a test of memory than truthfulness if witnesses are deprived of the opportunity of checking their recollection beforehand by reference to statements or notes made at a time closer to the events in question.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ [27] Thus, the willingness of the courts to permit refreshment of memory out of court is understandable. However, Choo argues that there is a danger for the pra ctice in this area to become too unregulated.[28] He suggests for the need to introduce a Code of Practice that would govern practices and procedures in the area. Contemporaneous notes made by a witness are likely to be fuller and more accurate than his/her memory at a trial many months after the event. Moreover, contemporaneous notes, if referred to, may help to stimulate the memory to recall further facts not contained in the notes which would not otherwise have been recalled. However, there may be dangers involved. The notes may create a spurious impression of a vivid recollection.[29] Inaccuracies in perception and memory may become crystallised. The witness may believe s/he remembers the incident but in truth only remembers his/her record of it.[30] The testimony of an untruthful witness may be given an enhanced credibility and s/he may be able to tailor his/her evidence to fit in with his/her notes.[31] Of course, in certain circumstances, it should be possible for a per son to refresh their memory of events. The difficulty is that it is more often used by professional witnesses who are generally not the ones who are most problematic. This practice was commonly used by police officers who produced and read from their notebooks, which contain the information about the incidents that they wrote down at the time. The problem is that notebooks and other such documents are hearsay and not admissible as evidence in their own right. This bizarre process attempts to avoid the consequences of the hearsay rule more than an aid to recollection.[32] This is particular in cases where the document does not stimulate the witnessà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s present recollection at all but where the witness accepts that his/her past recollection must have been as recorded in the document.[33] However, in civil proceedings, these contortions are unnecessary as the notes would be admissible evidence under the Civil Evidence Act 1995. In criminal proceedings, this is now gov erned by section 139 of the CJA 2003. However, this provision does not replace the common law. Rather, it affects the conditions that have to be met before the witness can use the document as an aide-memoire whilst testifying. The common law requirement of contemporaneity was not strict but, despite its justifications, it has been jettisoned by section 139 which merely requires that the statement was made or verified at an earlier time. Thus, the police officer who observes an incident and a short time later in the station writes up the observations in a notebook will always be allowed to refer to them. The rules relating to refreshing memory may not necessarily subvert the purpose of examining a witness because the primacy of oral testimony and the principle of confronting oneà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s accusers have both been chipped away in recent years. In civil proceedings, there is less emphasis on oral testimony as only those matters in dispute need to be proved. There is greater reliance on documentary evidence and hearsay evidence has become generally admissible so that the witness does not need to be present in court unless required to be there for cross-examination. Further, even where the witness is in court, a witness statement can be adopted as his/her evidence in chief.[34] In criminal proceedings, there are more circumstances where written statements or recordings can be admissible as evidence.[35] Conclusion Given the difficulty often experienced by witnesses in recollecting the events to which their evidence relates, the common law evolved to allow a witness to refresh his/her memory from a document made or verified by him/her at an earlier time. The common law rules have been supplemented and, in part, superseded by the section 139 of the CJA 2003.The rules relating to refreshing memory does not subvert the purpose of examining a witness. The process of testifying should not be treated as a test of memory but a process designed to test the honesty and reliability of a witness. Nonetheless, the scope of use of the rules relating to memory refreshing has diminished by the reason of the growth in the categories of admissible hearsay and the introduction of rules permitting a witness statement to stand as a witnessà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s evidence-in-chief unless the court orders otherwise. 1 [1] G. Durtson, Evidence: Text and Materials (OUP 2008) 292 [2] Ibid 293 [3] Richardson [1973] 2 Q.B. 484 [4] Ibid [5] Skinner (1994) 99 Cr. App. R. 212 [6] [1990] 1 ALL ER 29 [7] [1996] 2 Cr. App. R. 544 [8] [2002] EWCA Crim. 01 [9] A. Keane, J. Griffiths and P. McKeown, The Modern Law of Evidence (8th edn, OUP 2010) 163 [10] Attorney-Generalà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Reference (No. 3 of 1979) (1979) 69 Cr. App. R. 411, 414; see also Simmonds [1969] 1 Q.B. 685 [11] See Maugham v Habbard (1828) 8 B C. 14; Topham v McGregor (1844) 1 Car. Kir. 320 [12] (1828) 8 B C. 14 [13] Doe d Church and Phillips v Perkins (1790) 3 Term Rep. 749; Harvey (1869) 11 Cox C.C. 546 [14] R. Munday, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Refreshing Memory: Previous Statements that fails to Revive Witnessesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (2012) 176 JPN 213; P. Mirfield, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Evidential Memory, Forgetfulness and Identificationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (2013) 129 LQR 157 [15] J. Linda and M. Ramjohn, Unloc king Evidence (Hodder Education 2009) 134 [16] Ibid [17] Ibid [18] See J. Spencer and J. Flin, The Evidence of Children: The Law and Psychology (2nd edn, Blackstones 1993) 278-79 [19] S. Uglow, Evidence: Text and Materials (2nd edn, Sweet Maxwell 2006) 472 [20] See European Convention on Human Rights, Art. 6(3)(d) [21] Uglow, Evidence: Text and Materials (n. 19) 437 [22] Linda and Ramjohn, Unlocking Evidence (n. 15 ) 135 [23] P. Huxley, Evidence: The Fundamentals (2nd edn, Sweet Maxwell 2010) 56-57 [24] Keane, Griffiths and McKeown, The Modern Law of Evidence (n. 9) 163; P. Murphy, Murphy on Evidence (11th edn, OUP 2009) 571 [25] Linda and Ramjohn, Unlocking Evidence (n. 15) 140 [26] [1971] 2 Q.B. 484 [27] Lau Pak v R [1966] Crim. L.R. 443 [28] A. Choo, Evidence (3rd edn, OUP 2012) 76 [29] M. Newark and A. Samuels, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Refreshing Memoryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (1978) Crim. L.R. 408 [30] Ibid [31] Ibid [32] Uglow, Evidence: Text and Materials (n. 19) 443 [33] See Maugham v Habbard (1828) 8 B C. 14; Topham v McGregor (1844) 1 Car. Kir. 320; Kelsey (1982) 74 Cr. App. 213 [34] See Civil Evidence Act 1995, s. 6 [35] See, for example, Criminal Justice Act 1967, s. 9 and 10; CJA 2003, ss. 116 and 117

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Multinational Retail Chain Business

Question: Describe about the Essay for Multinational Retail Chain Busines. Answer: Introduction Marks Spencer (MS) is a multinational retail chain business founded in 1884. Over the years the business house has survived dramatic changes and has been able to retain its position as one of the leading brands in the global market. Born in United Kingdom (UK), MS runs as many as 1382 stores globally out of which 914 outlets run in UK. The company caters products like clothing, home dcor, gifts, and food. Nonetheless, the world goes gaga over the companys food and clothing due to its valued quality, innovative designs and premium pricing rates. There are 83,069 numbers of lives employed worldwide under the business unit. Marks Spencers food business is alone accountable for providing 58 % of the entire turnover while the other 42 % of the turnover is contributed by the clothing and home dcor products (Campbell and Rahman, 2010). Inside the Organisation and Current Information A particular business enterprise functions in two environments- the internal and external. The business unit holds control over the internal environment as the factors related can be controlled by the organization. The factors upon which the internal environment of Marks Spencer depends are the quality of products and services catered, corporate social responsibility and ethical considerations, employees, structure of the management committee, the companys liabilities and the expenditures, set of policies, corporate culture, skill management, role management aspects, customer service and others. Among these there are factors that are strengths and weaknesses, which the business organisation deals with from time to time (Balmer, 2006). Nonetheless, Marks Spencer has its own set of strengths and weaknesses which are as followed: Strengths The company focuses on catering innovative quality products to its consumers which makes the company a favourite amongst its customers. Be it the food, apparel or home furniture, the consumers are satiated with the premium quality, innovation and labour that MS puts (Hallbauer, 2008). Marks Spencer possess a strong corporate social responsibility (CSR) reputation as according to the Plan A (2015) Report of the company, it is noted that MS performs carbon neutral operations (Bevan, 2007). The organisational structure of MS is somewhat flat which renders it unique characteristics of taking prompt decisions in demanding situations. Too much authoritative layers of the employees have been shed which has allowed the remaining workers to be more accountable than before thereby working in groups (Harris, 2008) Marks Spencer always strives towards providing a class customer service to its targeted consumers. Staying at par with the tech savvy world, the company offers so many functional links and sites for its consumers, who can always shop online, give feedback, query regarding any products, find the store, earn loyalty points and rewards, and voice their complaints online, refunds of money, use M S banks and others (Chang and Lee, 2007). The employees are the assets to the organisation because not only the company trains its employees but also look after their needs through the implementation of training sessions, competitive remuneration, bonus schemes and work flexibilities (Campbell and Rahman, 2010). Weaknesses Though marks Spencer employs innovation and quality on its line of clothing, but the company is observed to be suffering a great blow in case of its clothing business. The summer and spring collections exhibit a poor demand from its targeted consumers (Ruddick, 2015). There is a loss in the market share of MS thereby causing lack of competitiveness in pricing affairs. The companys clothing prices compared to that of other brands like Next and Debenhams are almost 20% higher which has been a prime reason for market share shrinkage (Bevan, 2007). BBC reported during 2013, the general merchandise sales shrunk to a 3.8 % though the company boomed in food business. Especially the 11 % market share that is occupied by the woman clothing line of MS is noted as one of the weakest spots according to the financial analysts (BBC News, 2013). The companys research and development team is also put to question as it exhibits that MS did not conduct effective market research prior to entering the foreign countries. For example, the venture encountered with DAlliards did not prove fruitful as an international business activity resulting in sale of DAlliards (1996) (Parry and Hansen, 2007). MS faced hurdles in the business due to their selection of partners. The company allied with diverse partners in different locations due to which the business house went through several shut down of stores phase. For example, during 1999, the agreement with Portuguese franchisee was discontinued (Hallbauer, 2008). Performance It is noted that the performance of a particular organisation depends on certain factors such as organisational structure, corporate culture, leadership qualities, corporate governance and others. MS also shows similar trends and thus these factors will be discussed briefly (BBC News, 2013) Good/ Bad performance Marks Spencer is still acknowledged as one of the leading brands in UK as the company makes a commitment to deliver sustainable value towards their related stakeholders. Both the annual reports of 2000 and 2001 display the overall performance is disappointing. The equity ratio return as well as the per share earnings of the financial year 2000-2001 was almost zero due to very less profit ( 1.3m) made by the company. Moreover, the sales in the general merchandise segment (women clothing, men clothing, children wear, home products, and lingerie and beauty products) of the company depicted a fall and thus the operating profit also exhibited a fall in the above mentioned year. It was further speculated that the selling price minimised by 2.5 % also was one of the reasons for the fall in sales (Campbell, 2000). Nonetheless, the annual reports (2000) showed the company earned better profits in their international business segment except for the continental Europe segment. Marks Spencer deals with the financial services like offering the account cards, personal loans, pensions and others. The sales transactions of the charge card as noted got reduced from 26 % to 22 % in the year (2000). Further the company proclaimed a steep cut in the dividends during may, 2000 which was a blow to the shareholders. Luc Vandevelde, the then executive chairman pleaded to the shareholders to hold on to their grounds without losing faith upon the company as it was a transitional phase since the traditional retail company was about to transform into a multi channel retail business enterprise (Buckler, 1996). Leadership and Senior managers When it comes to incorporating leadership strategies, the company possess a fine line of officers and executives who are harnessed with leadership skills, qualities and remarkable experiences. Michael Marks and Tom Spencer gave birth to this organization. Marks started selling products and items on a small stall in Leeds, London. Gradually within 6 years, it became a company which run 36 outlets all over the nation. However, during the period of 2nd World War, many of the stores got highly damaged due to air raids. Marks son Simon Marks gave his place to Israel Sieff, his brother-in-law. Later in 1972, Marcus Sieff was appointed as the chairman during 1972. However, after 12 years, Derek Rayner was appointed as the chairman who did not belong to the Marks family tree (Gereffi, 1996). It was Rayner who introduced the charge card and also came along the profits with the inception of the charge card concept. Richard Greenbury was the new CEO of the company in 1991 while Reyner retired. Nonetheless, Greenbury was not able to give profits and exhibited sluggish performance and thus was replaced by Peter Salesbury. However, the poor performance persisted which resulted in 700 job cuts as well as closure of as many as 38 Canadian outlets. Due to such sluggish and underrated performance, the company faced with a sudden takeover bid from the Arcadia group headed by Philip Green. At this stage, the company appointed its new CEO, Belgian Luc Vandevelde. Under the leadership of new CEO, the company launched recovery plan that concentrated on shedding off its international operations (Spitzeck and Hnasen, 2010). However this decision affected the traditional values of the old board members like David Sieff, Ralph Robins, and Michael Perry who resigned immediately in 2001. Leadership wise, Marks Spencer previously possessed an authoritative leadership till 1970s as the members of the Marks family held the authoritative positions. Thus, the company started hiring its senior officials from outside thereby changing its authoritative approach to a transformational approach. It is speculated over the two decades, that the company has switched over to consultative leadership style which employs the consultation aspect before forming any decisions (Campbell, 2000). Corporate Culture Previously Marks Spencer used to follow the tall and the power culture which actually did not blend very well with the new innovative strategies incorporated by the company. The company focuses providing quality services to the consumers. The company at the beginning inculcated the original culture that is taken from the companys founders and forefathers. Formerly, culture comprised aspects like fast turnover rates, putting in hard labour and being honest. Thus Marks Spencer also focused on these typical attributes which are often considered as paternalistic in nature and fits well in family businesses. However, the outcome of this sort of corporate culture exhibits that one cannot attain the top unless and until the individual is from the family. However, it was speculated that after the World War II episode, especially during 1960s the corporate culture and structure of the company went through drastic transformation which focused on aspects like capital mobility, acquisitions as well as mergers. Hence, the stereotyped and conventional corporate methodology shattered into fragments thereby making ways for new transformational strategies (Buckler, 1996). Corporate Governance There have always been debates and discussions going around while it came to Marks Spencers corporate governance. It was speculated that Sir Rick Greenbury who was once worshipped as the leader of MS inserted certain recommendations pertaining to the salary structure of the directors in the report that was brought out by Sir Adrian Cadbury during 1992. Nonetheless, due to his authoritative governance, the company faced a sharp blow. These debates and hot discussions in the corporate governance used to occur because of the authoritarian and arbitrary salary packages drawn by the directors of the company. For example, the salaries drawn by Sir Stuart Rose as well as his fellow colleagues drew lots of negative attention and controversy. Moreover, Stuart Rose insistently held both the designations of Chairman as well as the chief executive that indicated offend to corporate governance code followed by the company (Gereffi, 1996). This kind of strategy pertaining to corporate governance did not support the business enterprise that made ways for transformational strategies by bringing in new ideas, concepts and hiring efficient managers (Korac-Kakabadse et al. 2001). Conclusion Thus to conclude, Marks Spencer which is undoubtedly considered as one of the leading brands in UK as well as in the global market focuses on building and shaping a strong and effective internal environment so that the business enterprise in challenging situations always remain ready to combat with the external forces. References Armstrong, A. (2016). New Marks Spencer boss Steve Rowe shakes up management. [online] The Telegraph. Available at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2016/05/12/new-marks--spencer-boss-steve-rowe-shakes-up-management/ [Accessed 26 Jun. 2016]. Balmer, J.M. (2006). Corporate brand cultures and communities.Brand culture, pp.34-49. BBC News. (2013). Marks and Spencer food sales offset clothing weakness - BBC News. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-22104228 [Accessed 26 Jun. 2016]. Bevan, J. (2007).The Rise and Fall of Marks Spencer: And how it Rose Again. Profile Books Limited. Buckler, B. (1996). A learning process model to achieve continuous improvement and innovation.The Learning Organization,3(3), pp.31-39. Campbell, D., Rahman, M.R.A. (2010). A longitudinal examination of intellectual capital reporting in Marks Spencer annual reports, 19782008.The British Accounting Review,42(1), pp.56-70. Campbell, D.J. (2000). March. Legitimacy theory or managerial reality construction? Corporate social disclosure in Marks and Spencer Plc corporate reports, 19691997. InAccounting Forum(Vol. 24, No. 1, pp. 80-100). Blackwell Publishers Ltd. Chang, S.C., Lee, M.S. (2007). A study on relationship among leadership, organizational culture, the .0.operation of learning organization and employees' job satisfaction.The learning organization,14(2), pp.155-185. Gereffi, G. (1996). Global commodity chains: new forms of coordination and control among nations and firms in international industries.Competition Change,1(4), pp.427-439. Korac-Kakabadse, N., Kakabadse, A.K. Kouzmin, A. (2001). Board governance and company performance: any correlations?.Corporate Governance: The international journal of business in society,1(1), pp.24-30. Ruddick, G. (2015). Marks Spencer 'suffers clothing setback'. [online] Telegraph.co.uk. Available at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/epic/mks/11718182/Marks-and-Spencer-suffers-clothing-setback.html [Accessed 25 Jun. 2016]. Spitzeck, H., Hansen, E.G. (2010). Stakeholder governance: How stakeholders influence corporate decision making.Corporate Governance: The international journal of business in society,10(4), pp.378-391.

The Major Features and Theorists Views on Religion

Introduction Sociology of religion refers to the study of cultural beliefs, practices, and forms of organizations. Sociologists study religion through some of the established tools and methods. Some scholars employ quantitative research while others choose qualitative designs in studying how religion affects human behavior. In particular, the census system, content analysis, demography, and sampling are some of the methods employed under quantitative designs.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Major Features and Theorists Views on Religion specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More On the other hand, observation, the use of interviews, comparative analysis, and application of historical methods are some of the techniques employed in qualitative designs. In the study of religion, many issues arise, but the most fascinating ones include theoretical explanations of religion and the major features of religion. Therefore, this article will discuss the views of various theorists on religion, as well as the major features of religion. Views of Various Theorists Emile Durkheim was the first theorist to make use of religion in comprehending human behavior. He undertook a study among Catholics and Protestants to ascertain the rates of suicide. The study was a milestone in the academic circles because it distinguished sociology from other disciplines such as psychology. Durkheim carried out a methodical study of religion in society by employing a positivist approach (Johnstone 9). He was mainly interested in identifying the forces that hold individuals together in the modern society. Durkheim established that religion is indeed the major unifying factor in society. In one of his works, he established that religion is not imaginary, as many would think. In his study, he noted that religion is existent because it affects human behavior in a number of ways. Religion brings out the realities of society. This would imply that each society has its own form of religion. A supernatural power exists in society, which controls human life. The supernatural power is too strong to an extent of forcing individuals to come together to define it. In this case, Durkheim noted that religion is the expression of collective consciousness, which is the synthesis of individual awareness. This consciousness translates to a certain form of reality. To Durkheim, simple societies, such as the Australian Aborigines, have simple religious structures, which are simply associated with particular clans and families. However, complex societies have advanced religious structures that tend to embrace universalism. In the Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, Max Weber offered an alternative explanation of religion. To Weber, religion is a perfect answer to human necessity for theodicy. He noted that human beings are troubled by the fact that some forces cannot be controlled through human efforts.Advertising Looking for essay on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In this case, human beings try to resolve issues affecting them through the worship of the supernatural. In particular, individuals are troubled with the idea that some people might suffer for long before they succeed in life. Religion is the only consolation for individuals facing various problems in the world. Through religion, individuals have an opportunity to escape from trouble meaning that they can be relieved from untold sufferings if they worship a supernatural being. In society, people pursue salvation in the same way they pursue wealth. To Weber, religion played a critical role in the rise of capitalism in Europe. In Europe, Protestants believed in predestination implying that the position of each individual in society is already determined. Rational Choice theory is one of the theories supported by scholars such as Weber, which explains social and economic actions (Johnstone 36). The theory states that human beings should always strive to do things perfectly. In other words, the individual should always choose the most cost-effective method when accomplishing certain aims and objectives. In society, people try to achieve their objectives using the available means and techniques. However, the most effective technique is usually chosen because of the constraints in life. In this regard, an individual conducts a critical review of available alternatives before arriving at the most cost-effective method. Weber noted further that the relationship between religion and society is very important to sociologists because it helps in explaining the behavior of individuals in a number of ways. Religion shapes human behavior because an individual would definitely behave in a way that his or her religion permits. Religion is understood as a belief system, as well as a social institution. It is considered a belief system because it configu res people’s viewpoints. In other words, it influences an individual’s understanding of the world. Given the fact that the world is full of tribulations and intricacies, Weber views religion as a social institution since it sets the patterns of social actions, which are structured based on the values and practices of society. Individuals evaluate their actions using the values and practices generated by religion. Since it is considered an institution, it has an organizational structure that influences the behavior of individuals in any given society. Therefore, religion is very important in examining the social and cultural context of any given human action. Understanding individual religious beliefs is not of concern to sociologists, but instead they are interested in examining the collective behavior of individuals in society, as well as how religious beliefs influence behavior. One of the most important reasons that forces sociologists to study religion is that it i s related to other social factors, such as race, age, gender, and education. In complex societies, various theorists show that some religious beliefs are associated with certain races. In this regard, religion would define social stratification of a certain society.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Major Features and Theorists Views on Religion specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Members of society with similar religious beliefs would tend to identify themselves with certain behaviors. They would then tend to conduct themselves in a certain way, which would be different from the conduct of other races. For instance, a majority of members of the Arab society would be identified with Islam. Through Islam, they have formed strong cultures that define their behavior in society. In particular, members from the Arabic race are not allowed to intermarry with other races without undergoing certain processes. In this reg ard, it would demand that a member from another race be converted to Islam for him or her to be accepted as a marriage partner. Regarding age, religion influences people differently. Furthermore, age groups are affected differently by religion. Durkheim found out that youths are affected more by religion as compared to the old. This is why suicide rates are high among the youth and the middle-aged individuals as compared to the old. Equally, religion affects men differently as compared to women. Religion is important to sociologists because it determines change in society. A religious society is reluctant to embrace new ways of doing things because change would interfere with the established customs and beliefs. For instance, many people find it hard to utilize family planning methods, as well as the use of protection during sex because their religions do not permit. Some religious values suggest that people were created to multiply. This problem is common in the third world whereby people are still practicing beliefs associated with traditional religion. Features of Religion One of the main characteristics of religion is that it is a group affair. Religion is considered a group phenomenon because of certain aspects that should be understood in sociological terms. In many societies, including western cultures, emphasis is always placed on beliefs, even though other aspects of religion are also important. In this case, religion is considered as a group phenomenon because it entails educating children on what constitutes the belief system. For instance, children are always exposed to literature that exposes them to catechism, which is the testimonial that any believer should consent. In other communities, children are expected to study the scripture in a certain stage of his or her life, which would help such a child in giving a sermon. Islam and Judaism are some of the religions that encourage their children to learn the fundamentals of the belief system.Advert ising Looking for essay on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Christianity and Judaism insist on academic and formal belief system whereby children need to undertake religious courses to equip them with the basics of belief system. Other aspects of religion that makes it a group phenomenon include customs, religious experiences, and the sense of community. These facets do not refer to the individual religion, but instead they refer to the manner in which religious groups restructure themselves in society as far as focusing on shared meaning is concerned. Religion is a group phenomenon in the sense that it has an indispensable cognitive feature. In other words, it shapes the knowledge and the skills of the believer in a number of ways. Sociologists observe that the skills and the knowledge gained through religious customs organize personal opinions into a certain system, which serve as the basis of action. For instance, if an individual beliefs that some form of influential wicked spirits surrounds him or her, he or she would generate evidence regarding the presence of these spirits and would consequently adopt some measures to protect him or herself. In particular, an individual would resort to prayer, which would be conducted in accordance to the religious customs. In western societies, beliefs are treated as mere opinions that do not have substantial effect on the third party. In such societies, people rely on empirical evidence that can be tested scientifically. Empirical evidence is referred to as scientific knowledge. In this regard, the existence of evil spirits is only real to an individual who believes in the faith. This belief shapes an individual’s experiences and actions. Therefore, an individual who believes that spirits cause sickness and the other individual who believes that germs cause diseases are similar in the sense that they both base their arguments on a certain body of knowledge. Religion is also viewed as a group phenomenon because of the rituals, which consist of figurative actions that dis tinguish spiritual meanings. A ritual is a ratification of the spiritual meaning while beliefs signify the cognitive characteristic of religion. It should be understood that the two are intertwined because they both offer a detailed meaning of religion. Rituals are mainly employed to denote the unity of the group because it brings members of a certain group together. Scholars observe that rituals play a critical role in religious convictions because they help members in remembering some of the shared meanings. Moreover, a ritual revitalizes the consciousness of the individual, which has a significant effect to the group, as well as the individual. For an individual, he or she is able to identify him or herself with a group while the group benefits because its commitment and sense of harmony is renewed. Religion is always considered a group phenomenon because it generates some religious experiences that signify subjective engagement with the sacrosanct. Such experiences are usually c onfidential and personal, but people tend to share them with other group members through expression of beliefs and rituals. Through religious experiences, an individual would definitely belong to a religious community, which is a community of memory. Religious community refers to a group that shares collective memories regarding certain beliefs. Why People Choose to be Religious People become religious in different ways, but most people find themselves subscribing to a belief system through birth and socialization. In fact, socialization is the main contributing factor to people’s religiousness. In some religions, such as Islam and Judaism, children are expected to adopt the religious culture through birth. They are introduced to the basics of religious beliefs at the family level. An established education system is always established, which introduces children to religious beliefs and principles. In the Islamic religion, it is mandatory for children to study Islamic laws, wh ich are derived from religion. Other factors that compel individuals to be religious include the fear of the uncertainty, need for validation, the desire for orderliness, and the need to belong. People in the world have never explained the real cause of death. In this regard, people feel that they are safe when they belong to a certain religion. Moreover, people believe that religious organizations provide answers to numerous problems affecting humanity. In fact, religious organizations comfort those with problems. Regarding orderliness, it is generally believed that religion helps an individual to accomplish his or her missions peacefully. Works Cited Johnstone, Ronald. Religion in Society: Sociology of Religion. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2007. Print. This essay on The Major Features and Theorists Views on Religion was written and submitted by user Madeleine Alvarez to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Scoring Rubric Use and Samples for Elementary Grades

Scoring Rubric Use and Samples for Elementary Grades A scoring rubric evaluates the performance of an assignment. Its an organized way for teachers to assess their students work and learn what areas the student needs to develop in. How to Use a Scoring Rubric To get started you must: First, determine if you are scoring the assignment based on the overall quality and understanding of a concept. If you are, then this is a quick and easy way to score an assignment, because you are looking for an overall understanding rather than specific criteria. Next, read the assignment carefully. Be sure not to look at the rubric just yet because right now you are just focusing on the main concept. Re-read the assignment while focusing on the overall quality and understanding the student portrays. Lastly, use the rubric to determine the final score of the assignment. Learn how to score a rubric and view samples of expository and narrative writing rubrics. Plus: learn how to create a rubric from scratch by using this step-by-step guide to create a rubric. Sample Scoring Rubrics The following basic elementary scoring rubrics provide guidelines to evaluate assignments using the following criteria: 4 - Meaning the students work is Exemplary (Strong). He/she goes beyond what is expected of them to complete the assignment. 3 - Meaning the students work is good (Acceptable). He/she does what is expected of them to complete the assignment. 2 - Meaning the students work is satisfactory (Almost there but acceptable). He/she may or may not complete the assignment with limited understanding. 1 - Meaning the students work is not where it should be (weak). He/she does not complete the assignment and/or has no understanding of what to do. Use the scoring rubrics below as a way to assess your students skills. Scoring Rubric 1 4 Exemplary Student has a complete comprehension of the material Student participated and completed all activities Student completed all assignments in a timely manner and showed perfect performance 3 Good Quality Student has a proficient comprehension of the material Student actively participated in all activities Student completed assignments in a timely manner 2 Satisfactory Student has an average comprehension of the material Student mostly participated in all activities Student completed assignments with help 1 Not There Yet Student does not comprehend the material Students did not participate in activities Students did not complete assignments Scoring Rubric 2 4 The assignment is completed correctly and contains additional and outstanding features 3 The assignment is completed correctly with zero mistakes 2 The assignment is partially correct with no major mistakes 1 The assignment is not completed correctly and contains a lot of mistakes Scoring Rubric 3 Points Description 4 Students understanding of concept if clearly evident Student uses effective strategies to get accurate results Student uses logical thinking to arrive at the conclusion 3 Students understanding of the concept is evident Student uses appropriate strategies to arrive at a result Student shows thinking skills to arrive at the conclusion 2 Student has limited understanding of a concept Student uses strategies that are ineffective Student attempts to show thinking skills 1 Student has a complete lack of understanding of the concept Student makes no attempt to use a strategy Student shows no understanding

6 Strategies to Develop Your Critical Reading Skills

6 Strategies to Develop Your Critical Reading Skills To those in professions that involve using your mind as a tool, keeping skills like critical reading and critical thinking sharp is an absolute must. Most of us have been required to read critically during our education, but, strangely enough, the skill remains untapped or undeveloped by most adults. Critical reading, by and large, concerns not discerning what the text says, but why it says what it says and a sharp critical reader will separate three functions that a text performs: what it says, what it does and what the congruity of those two is supposed to mean. In other words, to read critically is to think not about what the text says about one topic or another, but what the text attempts to accomplish by stating what its stating in terms of facts and arguments presented. Here are some strategies that will help you become a better critical reader: 1. Develop Critical Reading Along With Critical Thinking At least once a day, resolve to read something that attempts to argue for or against a cause. Then, spend some time to answer basic questions: what is the issue and why is it being discussed? What is this author advocating for? How do they justify their stance on this topic? Are these good reasons? Why or why not? For reading material, try the New York Times Opinion Pages. 2. Lay Your Thoughts Out Some prefer using a pen and paper, but the easier way is saying what youre thinking out loud, allowing your thoughts to go from something wishy-washy and unsound to concrete, composed statements. It might seem silly, but even advanced students of logical theory have to do this, and its definitely a practical skill worth developing. When youre ruminating on a topic, your mind can go from one thought to the next, barely registering that something was there after your thought switches to something else. Verbalizing those thoughts allows them to bear weight and be recorded. 3. Read Up on Logical Theory Learn what an argument is and the difference between deductive and inductive arguments. Finally, learn about what makes an argument valid, what makes an argument sound and how those two things differ from each other. Theres lots more to learn, but these are the basics that will serve you well when dissecting someones arguments. 4. Remember to Think Actively Active thinking means asking questions when presented with statements, its opposition being passive thinking, which is based on relying on assumption, taking things at face value, and prejudice. 5. Be a Skeptic, Not a Cynic Critical thinkers are naturally skeptical and suspicious, though in some, this can cross into cynicism. The rule of thumb for distinguishing between the two is that cynics will assume that something is malicious or untrue, while skeptics do not assume anything. Of course, were all just human and sometimes cant help but fall victim to our emotions, however, try and remember that critical thinking involves thinking actively, and cynicism is purely passive emotional impulse. 6. Above All Else, Be Open to New Ideas To a non-critical thinker, the world is only their perspective of it and what doesnt fall into their view is dismissed simply because its different. A critical thinker, and, by extension, a critical reader judges ideas based on merit alone, accepting views that differ from their own and in fact readily exposing themselves to opposing views. Using these guidelines will help you stay sharp and think on your feet when presented with someones opinions. Resolving to read critically is something everyone should do. Its not in everyones character to read everything critically, nor is it possible to think critically and remain skeptical at all times, but in this world where your news come pre-chewed youll need the right tools to combat spin and misinformation.

Launching a new product for P&G in Nigeria Coursework

Launching a new product for P&G in Nigeria - Coursework Example In terms of age, Aussie Shampoo should be segmented for young adults, teenagers, and middle aged people. Aussie shampoo should be segmented for people aged between 15 and 55. 168.1 is the total population of Nigeria. Among them, 105 million people used to consume and utilize shampoo in their daily life. The organization is trying to target people of the young generation and middle aged individuals for newly launched Aussie Shampoo as social demand for these differentiated shampoo products is significantly increased among the target customers. Therefore, the organization is targeting these 105 million potential Nigerian consumers for their newly launched Aussie Shampoo. In terms of the gender segment, the organization should segment both male and female customers as the organization has differentiated its product line according to the characteristics and taste of people of both genders. There are near about 95 million consumers aged between 15 and 55 use shampoos. Among those consumer s, 75 percent are the females and 25 percent are males. Females generally focus on different segments in shampoo such as moisturizer shampoo, silky and real volume etc. On the other hand, 25 percent male consumers in Nigeria generally focus on quantity and quality of products. In terms of the income segment, the organization should segment people of middle class, upper-middle class, and upper-class income segments for Aussie Shampoo due to urbanization and rise of the middle-class income earner.

Professionalism in the Classroom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Professionalism in the Classroom - Essay Example The manner in which teachers dress shows the level of professionalism they exhibit. They are supposed to maintain an appearance that is fit to generate respect from the students in the classroom. Dressing and appearance have three main impacts on the students. Not only do they maintain respect from the students, but also establish the teacher as an authority figure and solicit credibility. Research shows that students tend to model their behavior or appearance from the way they see their teachers or other close authority figures. Proper dress code policy for educators demands that they avoid visible piercings, bright hair colors, and tattoos. For this reason, educators can apply professionalism in the classroom by grooming well, setting high grooming standards and maintaining the same all though. Interaction with the students is another element of professionalism that is applicable in the classroom. With the concern to the student, a thin line separates friendship with students and care as an adult figure (Lawn, 1996). As a professional responsibility, educators/teachers should enforce school or classroom rules as a priority without compromise. They should not be driven by the desire to get students to like them or create a good relationship at the expense of instilling the required educational principles in them. They can show professionalism by executing their mandate in the best way possible without undue influence to control the execution. Additionally, professionalism in the classroom comes in the form of shunning favoritism and discrimination of pupils. For a teacher exhibiting professional qualities in the classroom, all students are equal and should be given equal opportunities to contribute and learn (Green, 2011). Thirdly, teachers can apply professionalism in the classroom through their educational strategies they embrace for their students. It requires them to have proper classroom management skills for effective

Critical Analyis of John Locke, Hegel, and and John Stuart Mill Essay Example for Free

Critical Analyis of John Locke, Hegel, and and John Stuart Mill Essay Question 1:How does Locke prove that human beings have a natural right to private property? Answer (Book II chap V section 27): Humans have the right to private property because they are using their own labor in conjunction to take property from the state of nature and thus making it his own. By mixing his labor or his hands, which is an extent of himself, he is relating that property to him and no one else. When every we pour water into a glass, by using labor and our hands, we have the sole entitlement to the water. Question 2:How does human nature limit this right to property? Answer (Book II chap V section 31-32) Man has the right to use as much property as possible just as long as he finds away that is supports his life. Once he no longer finds ways to use his property for life, he has to give it up. To add to the limitations of property, Man can use as much property unless it is wasted and not good for the use of others. By wasting property, that persons is violating other peoples rights because human nature states that everyone has the an equal Question 3:How does Hegels abstract right define the relation between freedom, reason, and property? Answer: Question 4:How does Hegel prove that the abstract right to property necessarily involves relation to other persons? Answer: Question 5:Using your answer to the proceeding questions, identify exactly what distinguishes Lockes position on freedom and property from the way Hegels account of abstract right understands the same issue? Answer: Question 6:How does Hegels account of abstract right prove that right embodied in property necessarily violates the same right in other persons? Answer: Question 7:Using your answer to #6, explain why Locke is in no position to draw the same conclusion. Answer: Question 8:State in your own words Mills utility principle. Identify precisely how this principle introduces a tension between independent individuality and communal solidarity. Explain how this same tension appears in Locke and in Hegels abstract right. Answer:

Microsoft vs. DOJ :: GCSE Business Marketing Coursework

Microsoft vs. DOJ Arguments of the DoJ (the white paper) 1. Microsoft and it ´s Monopoly Power MS monopoly power is in personal computer operating systems. A PC operating system as you all know controls the interaction of the different parts of the computer. It creates files, organizes the computer ´s memory and creates a platform for applications. The operating system is indispensible to the computer for this reason. Maybe that changes as technology evolves but right now a computer without an OS is nothing but a box of inert hardware. MS today ships 97% of PC OS that are installed by computer manufacturers. Case law defines monopoly as beginning at about a 70% share of the market. But this alone isn ´t illegal in respect to superior products, service or mere luck. Nor does market share alone necessarily imply monopoly power. For example a manufacturer might make 100% of knickers on the market. But if there are other pants manufacturers who are able to turn their production into knickers, the one and only knickers producer wouldn ´t be able to charge more than a competitive price or exclude rivals from his market. Speaking of this little example it ´s now clear what monopoly power means: it is the power to control prices and exclude competition. MS has and still exercises, both form of monopoly power. It charges above competitive prices and use tactics that eliminate rivals. And not because MS are superior to others and more beneficial to the consumers. No, not at all, MS uses predatory tactics whose sole purpose is to destroy it ´s rivals. MS often has denied that it posesses monopoly power but their arguments are quite feeble. A MS spokesman stated that the market is highly dynamic and that there are only low barriers to enter the market, especially for fringe firms. But this is untrue for the means of competition. There might be a lot of new technology but the barriers MS deliberately put up made it impossible for new market entry. The result is that MS can charge higher than competitive prices without a loss of market share. Another argument of MS is that it ´s monopoly power is defeated by ist need to compete against it ´s own installed base meaning that MS has eg now to compete against win 95. But this is another partly untrue argument because most consumers think of a new OS only when they want to buy a new computer and replace their old one.

Aggression in the 1930s

Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin are two of the most prominent figures in world history.   Both are intimidating personalities recognized as dictators in their own countries.   Hitler and Stalin are also similar for having significant roles in the aggression in the 1930s that was World War II.   However, it must be noted that Hitler had a more distinct role in the World War II than Stalin.   Though both men were active dictators during the Second World War.Adolf Hitler had a bigger responsibility in the conflict than Joseph Stalin.Hitler and Stalin were both dictators.   It is appropriate to give them such title as they had absolute power over their respective countries.   They had similar strategies and motives in terms of their aggression that resulted in the war.For instance, both men were motivated by a superiority complex.   Hitler was a firm believer in the superiority of the German race (Weinberg, 2008).   He asserted that Germany needed vast areas of land for ex pansion, so he attacked other countries to create an expansive territory for Germans.   It was this attack which brought Hitler and Germany at the helm of the global conflict.Likewise, Stalin also had a superiority complex.   Immediately after succeeding Lenin as the head of the Soviet Union, Stalin inspired a culture of self-glorification (Perry, 1989).   It was therefore no surprise that Stalin entered into an agreement with Hitler.The German-Soviet Nonaggression Pact stated that the Soviet Union would not intervene with the German aggression against Poland on the grounds that it would receive half of the acquired Polish territory (Knight, 2008; Perry, 1989).However, despite the distinct similarity, there was a significant difference between the political roles they played in the Second World War.   Hitler proved to be the more aggressive dictator, as he initiated the war itself.   On the other hand, Stalin merely tolerated Hitler’s aggression.   Though the Sovi et Union had made an alliance with Germany, this did not guarantee immunity from the said aggression (Weinberg, 2008).Stalin and the rest of the Soviet Union were alarmed when Germans attacked them (Knight, 2008).   It became evident that Germany was in the center of the war, since it began to bypass the authority of the nations it had alliances with.Eventually, it was proven that Hitler had a more dominant political role in the war than Stalin.   Stalin was a mere participant in the German aggression; in time, he and his country became the victims.   It was Hitler who was in control of the war situation.Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin were dictators who took part in the aggression during the 1930s, resulting in the historical event known as World War II.Their aggression was both motivated by a sense of superiority, and their strategy included the participation in the war.   Nonetheless, there was a difference between the leaders.   Hitler had a more dominant political role in the war, since he started the international conflict.   He was powerful enough to undermine an alliance with the Soviet Union to further his ends.Meanwhile, Stalin’s aggression was only evident in the agreement with Germany.   Hence, Adolf Hitler had a bigger political role in the Second World War.ReferencesPerry, M. (1989). A History of the World.   Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin.Knight, A. (2008). Joseph Stalin. In Microsoft Encarta Online Dictionary. Retrieved December 18, 2008, from http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761559200/Stalin.htmlWeinberg, G. (2008). Adolf Hitler. In Microsoft Encarta Online Dictionary. Retrieved December 18, 2008, from http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761556540/Hitler.html

Cecil Rice Export

CECIL RICE EXPORT REPORT This report will focus on Cecil Rice Export and its aim is to develop more organized system which enhanced the productivity of each hour and for each three days. We discussed and calculated below the three questions. 1. In the Cecil Rice Export, to determine whether the process is in control or out of control we should use x-Charts and R-Charts. X-Charts are usually used when we know standard deviation of the sample. We calculate the upper and lower control limits based on that data.For this data, we assumed the standard deviation as 3 and we found the upper and lower limits for each day’s shifts. According to Monday Shift 1, the lower limit is 69. 23 hence the numbers that are below 69. 23, are becoming out of control. And the upper limit is 71. 91, so the numbers which are above 71. 91, become out of control due to assignable causes and not natural causes. In addition, Tuesday Shift 1, the lower limit is 68. 54, thus the numbers which are below 68. 5 4, are out of control. The upper limit is 71. 22 and the numbers that are above 71. 2, become out of control. Finally, those processes which we calculated as upper and lower limits should be under control. In R-Charts, the important part is the upper and lower control limits and the specific mean. We calculated the upper and lower control limits for each day of shifts according to n is equal to four. For instance, for Monday Shift 2, the upper control limit is 4879 pounds and the lower control limit is 4865 pounds. 2. We developed control charts for each shift three days. For Monday shifts from 00:00 to 08:00 the upper control limit is 71. 1 and the lower control limit is 69. 23. From 08:00 to 16:00, the upper control limit is 71. 30 and the lower control limit is 68. 25. And from 16:00 to 00:00 the upper limit is 71. 45 and the lower limit is 68. 77. According to our calculations, the best shift on Monday is from 08:00 to 16:00. In addition, for Tuesday shifts from 00:00 to 08:00 t he upper control limit is 71. 22 and the lower control limit is 68. 54. From 08:00 to 16:00, the upper control limit is 71. 24 and the lower control limit is 68. 55.From 16:00 to 00:00, the upper control limit is 71. 05 and 68. 37. The best shift in terms of productivity is from 16:00 to 00:00. Finally, for Wednesday the best shift is from 16:00 to 00:00. Because the customers expect the bags that are closest to the specific mean 70. For R- Charts, we assumed mean as 70 and found the upper and lower control limits for each days. For Monday shift, from 08:00 to 16:00, it seems more profitable when we considered with the other shifts on Monday. The upper and lower control limits are 4879 and 4865 pounds.Furthermore, for Tuesday, as same as Monday shift, from 08:00 to 16:00 is more suitable than other shifts for customers. We calculated the upper and lower control limits as 4942 and 4900 pounds. For the last shift, the best and more productive hours are from 16:00 to 00:00 and the uppe r and lower limits are found as 4977 and 4900 pounds. 3. Each shift in each day, the productivity hours change according to the personals and seniors. In order to increase output levels and shorten the lead times for customer, we mixed all shifts in each three days.By using the pooled chart where we calculated the upper and lower control limits for each days and each charts. Then, we took the average of UCLs and LCLs for each day for x-Charts. For instance, on Monday the average UCL is 71. 55 and LCL is 68. 87. Finally, we calculated the average of D3s and D4s for each shifts on each days. And we multiplied the D3s and D4s with the specific mean 70. Lastly, we found UCLs and LCLs for R- Charts for each day. For example, on Tuesday, UCL and LCL were calculated as 4975 and 4907 pounds. These numbers are our control limits.

Free Essays on 20th Century Sex

THE twentieth century, as we know, has frequently been called ``the century of the child.'' When, however, we turn to the books of Ellen Key, who has most largely and sympathetically taken this point of view, one asks oneself whether, after all, the child's century has brought much to the child. Ellen Key points out, with truth, that, even in our century, parents may for the most part be divided into two classes: those who act as if their children existed only for their benefit, and those who act as if they existed only for their children's benefit, the results, she adds, being alike deplorable. For the first group of parents tyrannise over the child, seek to destroy its individuality, exercise an arbitrary discipline too spasmodic to have any of the good effects of discipline and would model him into a copy of themselves, though really, she adds, it ought to pain them very much to see themselves exactly copied. The second group of parents may wish to model their children not after t hemselves but after their ideals, yet they differ chiefly from the first class by their over-indulgence, by their anxiety to pamper the child by yielding to all his caprices and artificially protecting him from the natural results of those caprices, so that instead of learning freedom he has merely acquired self-will. These parents do not indeed tyrannise over their children but they do worse; they train their children to be tyrants. Against these two tendencies of our century Ellen Key declares her own Alpha and Omega of the art of education. Try to leave the child in peace; live your own life beautifully, nobly, temperately, and in so living you will sufficiently teach your children to live. It is not my purpose here to consider how far this conception of the duty of parents towards children is justified, and whether or not peace is the best preparation for a world in which struggle dominates. All these questions about education are rather idle. The... Free Essays on 20th Century Sex Free Essays on 20th Century Sex THE twentieth century, as we know, has frequently been called ``the century of the child.'' When, however, we turn to the books of Ellen Key, who has most largely and sympathetically taken this point of view, one asks oneself whether, after all, the child's century has brought much to the child. Ellen Key points out, with truth, that, even in our century, parents may for the most part be divided into two classes: those who act as if their children existed only for their benefit, and those who act as if they existed only for their children's benefit, the results, she adds, being alike deplorable. For the first group of parents tyrannise over the child, seek to destroy its individuality, exercise an arbitrary discipline too spasmodic to have any of the good effects of discipline and would model him into a copy of themselves, though really, she adds, it ought to pain them very much to see themselves exactly copied. The second group of parents may wish to model their children not after t hemselves but after their ideals, yet they differ chiefly from the first class by their over-indulgence, by their anxiety to pamper the child by yielding to all his caprices and artificially protecting him from the natural results of those caprices, so that instead of learning freedom he has merely acquired self-will. These parents do not indeed tyrannise over their children but they do worse; they train their children to be tyrants. Against these two tendencies of our century Ellen Key declares her own Alpha and Omega of the art of education. Try to leave the child in peace; live your own life beautifully, nobly, temperately, and in so living you will sufficiently teach your children to live. It is not my purpose here to consider how far this conception of the duty of parents towards children is justified, and whether or not peace is the best preparation for a world in which struggle dominates. All these questions about education are rather idle. The...

What Is a Reach School Which Reach Schools Should I Choose

What Is a Reach School Which Reach Schools Should I Choose SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips For those of you who have started researching college admissions, you may have heard the term â€Å"reach school.† What is a reach school? Simply, a reach school is one that you shouldn't expect to be admitted to. It would be a reach to get in. In this article, I will define and explain the concept of a reach school. Furthermore, I will discuss how to identify your reach schools and determine the number of reach schools you should apply to. What Is a Reach School? A reach school is a college that is unlikely to offer you admission. A particular college qualifies as a reach school for you if your high school GPA and standardized test scores are significantly below those of the college's average student. Also, you should consider a college a reach school if it is one of the most selective colleges. For example, MIT, Stanford, and Ivy League colleges are reach schools for everyone due to their extremely low acceptance rates. In general, you should consider a college a reach school if you have less than a 30% chance of gaining admission. Here are some hypothetical examples to give you a better understanding of a reach school. Example #1 Joe has a 3.6 weighted GPA, a 1700 SAT score, and wants to go to UCLA. Joe's GPA is well below UCLA's average GPA of 4.29 and average SAT score of 1941. Furthermore, UCLA only admits 20% of its applicants. Therefore, Joe shouldn't expect to get into UCLA; he should consider UCLA a reach school. Typically, the only students who are offered admission with well below average numbers are highly recruited athletes in major sports, legacy students with donor parents, students from extraordinary backgrounds or circumstances, and students with amazing accomplishments. Even though colleges review your recommendations, personal essays, and extracurricular activities, gaining admission to a college is difficult with subpar grades and standardized test scores. Example #2 Regardless of your GPA and standardized test scores, for any student who wants to apply to Harvard, Harvard is a reach school. Harvard's admissions rate is only 6%. Obviously, that's an amazingly low percentage. Among Harvard students, the average high school GPA is 4.04 and the average SAT score is 2260. The 75th percentile SAT score is a perfect 2400. Even if you have a perfect GPA and perfect SAT score, Harvard is so selective that it's still a reach school. Harvard is a reach school for everyone. How to Identify Your Reach Schools Let's go through how to curate your list of schools to apply to, step-by-step. Step #1: Create Your List of Dream Schools Initially, don't consider your odds of getting in when creating your list of dream schools.Learn how to choose a collegeand use as many sources as possible to identify the colleges you want to go to. The most prestigious schools are likely to be reach schools. Use the best college search websites to help create your list. If necessary, you can also use guide books like Fiske Guide to Colleges and The Best 379 Colleges for in-depth college profiles and comparisons. Seek advice from others. Talk to your teachers, counselors, friends, and parents about colleges. Don't just blindly accept their college recommendations, but research the schools they recommend, and then determine whether or not those schools would be a good fit for you. After doing your research and consulting these various sources, you should be able to compile your list of dream schools. I recommend having about 8-15 schools on this list. If you have fewer schools, you may not be giving yourself enough options. If you have more, you probably haven't done enough to narrow down your college search and the application and selection process may end up being too costly and tedious. Step #2: Determine Which of the Schools From Your List Are Reach Schools The next step in identifying your reach schools is to determine which schools on your list of dream schools qualify as reach schools for you. How do you do this? I recommend using the PrepScholar school database. You can google â€Å"(name of school) prepscholar admissions requirements† to find a school profile for each college on your list. On the school profile, use the admissions calculator to get a rough idea of your chances of admission. The admissions calculator combines your GPA and standardized test scores with the admissions rate to approximate your chances of getting into the school. If, according to the admissions calculator, you have less than a 30% of gaining admission or the school has an admissions rate of less than 15%, then you should categorize the college as a reach school for you. Keep in mind that your GPA and SAT scores are only two components that determine whether you’re accepted to a school. Your extracurricular activities, recommendations, essays, and background play a role, too. However, GPA and SAT scores are the most important factors and they’re the most objective available statistics. How Many Reach Schools Should You Apply to? You may be wondering how many reach schools you should apply to. The number you should apply to depends on a few of different factors. Keep in mind that the college application process can be costly, if you don't qualify for application fee waivers. Also, it can be very time-consuming, especially if you apply to schools that don't use the Common Application. A general rule is to apply to 1/3 reach schools out of all the schools you apply to. If you follow this formula, then if you apply to 10 schools, no more than 3 should be considered reaches. Also, 1/3 of the schools you apply to should be safety schools, schools that typically admit students with your qualifications. The remaining 1/3 should be schools that are in the middle, colleges that give you about a 30%-80% chance of admission based on your qualifications. If the cost and time you spend on your applications doesn't matter as much to you, you can apply to more reach schools. However, you do want to make sure that you apply to enough other schools to ensure that you give yourself choices. If you're likely to get rejected by most of the schools you apply to, your options may be limited when you're selecting a college to attend. If you're not even close to the average GPA or 25th percentile SAT score at a selective college, you may be wasting your time applying. Your chances of getting in are probably close to zero unless there's something else truly extraordinary in your application or there's a building on campus named after one of your immediate family members. Quick Review A reach school is a college that is not likely to admit you, generally offering you less than a 30% chance of admission. Use the admissions rate of a college and its average GPA and standardized test scores to determine if its a reach school for you. The most selective colleges are reach schools for everyone. Apply to roughly 1/3 reach schools to ensure that you have options during the college selection process. Give yourself college options. What's Next? If you want to make yourself competitive for college admission, learn how to build the most versatile college application. For those of you who need to improve your standardized test scores, find out how to get a 2400 on the SAT or a 36 on the ACT. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Diamond Trade in Africa Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Diamond Trade in Africa - Essay Example Recounting this history shows how Africa and one f its most marketable resources have become entangled in the values f a cultural polyglot f political economies, and the image f the African suffers in its wake; a diminished ability to claim political representation for many African peoples, and a reduced place f participation in the world economies for African nations and Africa, as a global entity is the result. (Sherman 600-615) As the image f a "chaotic" Africa persists in the historical moment to de-legitimize it as viable agent in international political economies, divorced f its historical circumstances and left to the whim f market forces and subordinating cultural practices, more and more African peoples come to utilizing force and violence in an effort to attain their participation, perpetuating this tragic image. Diamonds, as a product f Western aesthetic values, through the circumstances f history and geology, becomes an ideal medium for this perpetuation. (Olsson 1133-1150) Although diamonds occur all over Africa, they are accessed most easily in riverbeds via alluvial mining. This requires far less physically intensive effort; as a result, the rivers begin to serve as borders. Mapped as diamond resources, they become instruments f power and ultimately, corruptive relations among the region. In 1997 the NGO Global Witness published an account f the local civil wars entitled Rough Trade. In Angola and Sierra Leone, where mined diamonds were and are being used to fund violent struggles over land, resources and political representation, the rivers have become charted as the cultural resources f various divisions under the patronage f military enforcement. Global Witness purpose was to expose the fraudulent efforts f the "legitimate" diamond trade, identifiably the brokers for DeBeers and the shadow traders-in-between. Although the purpose was to reveal and condemn these policies f marketing "blood diamonds", the publication depicted the struggle only as a moral one for Western business and consumers arguing in favor f not supporting the "violent chaos" f Africa. Emphasis was made on the political struggles, particularly in Angola, where the exertion for representation between political oppositions UNITA (National Union for the Total Independence f Angola) and MPLA continues to subdivide into struggles over diamonds alone. But currently the only political concern f the cultural factions involved is the enormous personal gain to be acquired through control f such abundant and valuable resources, ultimately pointing towards the need for military presence in mined areas. (Sherman 600-615) The diamond as an archetype f Western value becomes the perfect means f instilling economic chaos through the ease f exploiting other cultural values. There size, convenience, f transport and mining, as well as their fiscal value, can make them the ultimate source f finance for a revolution. This suits as a local example that is continental in its effect. It is arguable that every African knows what a diamond is, and what its worth, not so much to them, but to the non-African, and as such becomes a window f economic, and thus potentially political opportunity. The linking f Africa with diamonds is much the same image as the African with violence. The "treasure" f the continent is only so to the Western

International business context Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

International business context - Essay Example Most significantly is the fact that mergers have resultant benefits and accrued demerits. As a result, there have been diverse arguments for and against the policy of mergers in the international business. Over the years, the growth of mergers continues to fall. In fact, in 2011 and 2012, there were few mergers, with only four deals hitting the $20 billion mark in 2012. The pro-mergers argue that those global level mega-mergers are inevitable as part of the cycle of consolidation and concentration in globalizing industries where firms seek to gain advantage and accelerate their presence (Deans, Kroeger, & Zeisel 2002, p.1-3). On the other hand, the anti-mergers argue that business leaders should embrace innovativeness and desist from mergers in approaching international business Ghemawat & Ghadar (2000). Indeed, according to AT Kearney, in a span of 25 years, all industries in the globe will consolidate in four stages that include the opening phase, the accumulation, focus, and allia nce stage (Deans, Kroeger, & Zeisel 2002, p.1-2). He notes that the four stages are distinct and derive unique results. He argues that industries follow a similar consolidation pattern although some industries may spend more time in certain stages than others may. Moreover, he states that all industries encounter similar challenges at respective stages. Additionally he argues that the size, location, and type of business does not matter in consolidation but endgames stage matters. An industry starts at a low level of concentration and increases its merger and acquisition activity until it reaches saturation. At this point, alliances form. From the article, we can derive that companies follow a uniform consolidation pattern and consolidation allows companies to get bigger (Deans, Kroeger, & Zeisel 2002, p.1-3). More so, merger decline upon reaching concentration and result to alliances. As such, when companies understand the patterns that mergers follow, and appreciate that their com panies stand on the consolidation curve, then they can initiate successful mergers. Actually, A.T. Kearney’s theory predicts that then dominant players in the industry will gain 60-70% of global market revenues in a merger endgame. This demonstrates the escalating free movement of resources, people, and information over the few years (Deans, Kroeger, & Zeisel 2002, p.1-3). Most importantly, it is worth noting that mergers bear significant benefits to international business despite the process having reasonable risks. As such, the benefits of any merger rely heavily on the marketing strategy in application and therefore not all mergers are successful. Notably, a successful merger that combines two or more companies’ leads to expansion of services and products offered as well as customer base and market shares. Ideally, when companies combine in a buyout strategy, they relevantly share resources and expand their market presence locally and internationally. More so, the m arket expansion and consolidation of resources cuts down operation and business costs (Periasamy 2009, p.11). For example, when a local company mergers with an international company the local company gains international market presence through the networks established by its partner. Indeed, most companies lack international networks and thus to gain international market presence a merger is relevant. More so, the establishment of a merger enables a

Labour Process Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Labour Process Theory - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that Labour Process Theory (LBT) is a concept that proposes the practices undertaken by the management to control the workforce within the organizational environment and ensure utmost productivity. It is believed that from the past few decades, LPT has been a core subject of the Critical Management Studies (CMS) that was formed by Harry Braverman in the year 1970 using the ideas developed by Karl Marx. Since its introduction in the stream of modern management ideologies, LPT has delivered huge contribution in analyzing the work performed within the organization, as per the desired level of productivity and hence, creating a work organization. LPT was created following the ideologies of Marx that suggest the fundamental aspect for comprehending the work organization is based upon the structure of the community within which the organization is functioning instead of human psychology. LPT primarily emphasizes on how individuals work in an orga nization, what/who controls the work done by these individuals, what are the skills used by these individuals when carrying out their work and in what ways are those individuals remunerated for the work they have done. LBT has been successful in creating a linkage with the management strategy of an organization through its involvement and set of assumptions. LPT provides an understanding regarding how the management of an organization limits the power of the working class who have the skills to carry out the given task. LPT is a conceptual approach that has been in use, as per the capitalist method of production that provides a deep insight into worker-management relations in the workplace. Considering its applicability, it is also perceived that LPT causes serious insights in today’s world of work, management control issues and political aspects in the workplace. In relation to the capitalists approach used in LPT, managerial control in the workplace has been a highly debate d topic.

Making Singapore An Inclusive Society

Making Singapore An Inclusive Society Inclusion is an international agenda. It is practiced in both developed and developing countries in the world. In wealthy developed countries (eg United States, Australia) large body of research has highlighted the benefits of inclusion for all students. Inclusion in many developing countries has provided educational alternative for as many children as possible (Lim, L. Tan, J. 2007). The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child emphasizes educational opportunities for the worlds children. It provides that children have a right to education (Art. 28) and children with any kind of disability should have special care and support so that they can lead full and independent lives (Art. 23). The Convention was adopted by Singapore on 2 October 1995 (MCYS, 2003). Making Singapore an Inclusive Society Singapore Prime Minister Lee in his maiden 2004 National Day Rally speech clearly stated the intention of his government to build an inclusive society and envisioned Singapore as a place for its people who can contribute and care for one another as one people and one nation regardless of race, religion and background (Lee, 2004). The following month PM Lee called for more efforts to integrate people with disabilities into mainstream society beginning with the integration of students with disabilities into mainstream schools (Teo, 2004 cited by Lim, Thaver Slee, 2008). The Prime Minister continued his promise of building an inclusive society in his second National Day rally speech 2005 and called on everyone to play a part in remaking Singapore as a vibrant, global city that can be proudly called home (Lee, 2005). He also emphasised a first-class education for all (Lee, 2005). Since PM Lees announcements, other ministries supported his vision of a new government by making commitments to make Singapore an inclusive society. Listed below are ministerial speeches from the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) and Ministry of Education (MOE) reiterating the ministrys support to make Singapore an inclusive society. 10 March 2005: Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) and Senior Minister of State for Trade Industry (MITI) in his speech on No one left behind defined an inclusive society as one giving people with disabilities more opportunities for gainful employment so that they were not excluded and could live like everyone else (Balakrishnan, 2005 point 33). 10 November 2005: Mr Gan Kim Yong, Minister of State for Education (MOE) in his speech on The School as a Caring Community at the International Conference on Inclusive Education affirmed the government support for children with special needs (Gan, 2005). 14 January 2006: Mr Gan Kim Yong, Minister of State, Ministry of Education (MOE) and Ministry of Manpower (MOM) as Guest of Honour presenting bursary awards at the Society for the Physically Disabled (SPD) informed that children with disabilities have been accepted into mainstream schools and disclosed that schools are improving their infrastructure so that their facilities are made accessible to students with physical disabilities (Gan, 2006). 26 June 2006: Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) and 2nd Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts (MICA) gave a speech about an inclusive transport system making Singapore an Accessible City and announced the launch of wheelchair-accessible public buses (Balakrishnan, 2006 and LTA, 2006). 2 November 2006: At Singapores 11th parliament opening, President S. R. Nathan reiterated its pledge to build a competitive economy and an inclusive society which leaves no one behind (Nathan, 2006). 26 January 2008: Rear Admiral (NS) Lui Tuck Yew, Minister of State, Ministry of Education (MOE) in his speech at the SPD Education Programme Awards Presentation spoke on support for an inclusive school system through many helping hands approach, thus making Singapore a more gracious, compassionate and inclusive society (Lui, 2008 point 9). 20 October 2011: In his address at the opening of Singapores 12th Parliament President Tony Tan stressed the importance of achieving inclusive growth where there are opportunities for everyone (Tan, 2011). 20 October 2011: In the same Parliament seating, PM Lee again spoke of an inclusive society as one where everybody benefits from the progress of the nation, has a say, a stake and a sense of belonging that leaves (sic) no one behind (Lee, 2011 point 3-4). With regard to early education, PM Lee said that the government is focused on supporting good quality, affordable pre-school education (Lee, 2011 point 11) and early diagnosis and intervention for preschool children with learning difficulties (Lee, 2011 point 12). 8 November 2011: Mdm Halimah Yacob, Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) said that investments in early years education is important for social mobility and achieving inclusive growth. In the speech she outlined three areas of focus in subsidy grant for childcare placement, teacher quality and MCYS training to support implementation of the regulatory early years framework (Yacob, 2011). Singapore adopts the many helping hands approach involving families, communities and the government all playing their part towards an inclusive society (Tan, 2009). In the beginning, special education in Singapore developed haphazardly and was driven by voluntary organisations. Over time the government took over to play a coordinating and monitoring role (Tan, 2009) History of Special Education in Singapore The provision of special education dated back in the 1940s in post-war Singapore by organisations providing charitable services for people with physical and sensory disabilities. One of the earliest centres recorded in 1947 was Trafalgar Home for children with leprosy. The British Red Cross Society set up a home for crippled children in 1949 and included education for the deaf two years later. In 1956 the Association for the Blind set up a school. In the following year the Spastic Childrens Association was formed to focus on children with cerebral palsy. The Singapore Association for Retarded Children, later renamed Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS) was formed in 1962. Special education in Singapore has since moved beyond physical and sensory disabilities to include intellectual disability (Quah, 2004 and Poon, Khaw Tan, 2007). The 1950s were turbulent times in the political history of Singapore. Besides the Voluntary Welfare Organizations (VWOs) hospitals also supported children with disability. In 1958 the Singapore Council of Social Services (SCSS) was set up to bring together all organisations and individuals with interest in community service and social welfare. In 1992 SCSS was restructured to become the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) (Tan, 2009). Until 1988 special education was operated by the VWOs and funded by NCSS. The governments stand was that special schools are best run by VWOs as VWOs had a strong sense of mission and their autonomy allowed them greater flexibility to respond quickly to needs and demands (Quah, 2004 and Poon, Khaw Tan, 2007). 1988 was a turning point when the Ministry of Education (MOE) partnered with NCSS in special education. MOE would provide land for schools and financial support at double the cost of educating a primary school student. With NCSS matching the financial contribution, total education cost would be four times the amount for a primary school student (Tan, 2009). Local teacher training in special education started in 1984 at the Institute of Education, presently known as the National Institute of Education (NIE) with a 3-year Certificate course in Special Education. When it was re-organised as NIE in 1991, it launched a 2-year Diploma in Special Education and in 2003, Masters programme in Special Education (Tan, 2009). MOE Support for Special Needs 20 May 2005: Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, the Minister for Education announced the selection of a pioneer batch of 10 primary schools and 4 secondary schools to receive support for students with special needs with the appointment of Special Needs Officer (SNO) in 2006. By 2010 all primary schools will have a trained SNO to support students with dyslexia. 20 primary schools will get support for autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) with one to three SNOs and 32 secondary schools will also get one to three SNOs for either ASD or dyslexia or both (Shanmugaratnam, 2005). 2. 24 May 2007: According to MOE, SNOs provide additional support in the class and complement the class teachers who are already supporting students with dyslexia or ASD. (MOE, 2007a) 3. 24 May 2007: MOE stipulates the prerequisite qualification of SNOs. Some SNOs may have relevant working experience in working with children with special needs. Applications are also required to have good interpersonal skills and the passion to work with children with special needs. SNOs will undergo full-time Diploma course in Special Education conducted by the National Institute of Education (NIE). After their one year training with NIE, they will then be deployed to schools (MOE, 2007a). 16 November 2007 saw the inaugural Ministry Of Education-National Council of Social Service Special Education Awards to teachers and Special Education (SPED) schools in recognition of their contribution towards the education of children with special needs (MOE, 2007b). Since then the MOE-NCSS Special Education awards are given every year in November (MOE, 2008, 2009b, 2010b, 2011). 10 February 2009: MOE announced recruitment of Allied Educators (AEDs) who will partner teachers in providing specialised support in counselling, teaching and learning in special education. All AEDs will receive training at the National Institute of Education (NIE) which is fully sponsored (MOE, 2009a). As at January 2010, VWOs are running 20 special education (SPED) schools funded by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the National Council of Social Service (NCSS). The SPED schools run different programmes to cater to specific disability groups of children (Tan, 2009). 10 March 2010: The MOE press release outlined its support to enhance quality of special education in terms of recognition, resources and curriculum (MOE, 2010a). MCYS Support for Special Needs The Ministry of Community, Youth and Sports (MCYS) has put in place support for children 6 years and below who have been diagnosed with developmental, intellectual, sensory or physical disabilities. The Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children (EIPIC) provides therapy and educational support services to children with special needs. It enhances and maximises the developmental growth potential of these children and minimises the development of secondary disabilities. The programme equips them with fine/gross motor, cognitive, communication, social and self-help skills (MCYS, 2010). The Centre for Enabled Living (CEL) provides referrals by a medical doctor or psychologist to the government-aided EIPIC centres in Singapore for children up to 6 years with developmental, intellectual, sensory or physical disabilities (MCYS, 2010). Public awareness and media coverage Public awareness grew over the years and there have been extensive media coverage, reports, stories and the airing of public views about people with disabilities or special needs. Public awareness is important in changing mind-sets thus promoting an inclusive society. Listed below are titles carried in the local newspapers during 2008 and 2009. Farm gives work experience to special needs adults (26th January 2008, The Straits Times) Growing old gracefully (18th February 2008, Business Times) Four ways Govt can help the disabled (27th February 2008, The Straits Times) FedEx gives disabled an opportunity to sail (18th March 2008, Business Times) Govt helps open more doors to be disabled (12th April 2008, The Straits Times) Kids to get half of $52m ComChest aims to raise (24th April 2008, The Straits Times) Making a difference to disabled children (12th July 2008, The Straits Times) Disability just another hurdle (13th July 2008, The Straits Times) Special gadgets for their special needs (23rd September 2008, Today) Including students with disabilities (23rd October 2008, Today) Are we able to help the disabled? (3rd December 2008, Today) Handicapped students get sporting chance (1st February 2009, The Straits Times) More day care, activity centres for the elderly (6th February 2009, The Straits Times) Work together to help the disabled (15th February 2009, The Straits Times) Enabling the disabled is a moral duty (14th May 2009, The Straits Times) Spore gears up for SILVER TSUNAMI (21st May 2009, The Straits Times) Special needs kids pack NDP funpacks (3rd August 2009, The Straits Times) Help for disabled and elderly just a call away (28th August 2009, The Straits Times) Enabling the disabled (18th September 2009, Today) Govt-backed trust to help care for children with disabilities (30th October 2009, The Straits Times) Open Door for disabled workers (1st November 2009, The Straits Times) Students spread cheer to the terminally ill (14th November 2009, The Straits Times) Special touch making a big difference (15th November 2009, The Straits Times) Special education schools to offer skills certification (21st November 2009, The Straits Times) Special schools urged to engage public (24th November 2009, The Straits Times) More schemes to help the less fortunate (2nd December 2009, The Straits Times) Turning disability into capability (2nd December 2009, The Straits Times) Disabled issues to get airing at Speakers Corner (12th December 2009, The Straits Times) Policy to Practice and Challenges The difference between mainstreaming and inclusion is philosophical (Quah Jones, 2004). Those who advocate mainstreaming holds the view that a child with special needs belongs to a special school setting and earns his way into the regular school setting. In contrast, those who support inclusion believes that the child with special needs begins in the regular school setting and is moved to special school because the appropriate services are not available or provided for in the regular school. Advocates of full inclusion believe that children with disabilities should be integrated into the general school environment regardless of whether they are able to meet the curriculum standards. In Singapore, placement is dependent on the childs abilities and needs. Students with diverse needs are increasingly integrated into regular schools. The most common special education category learning disability could fit nearly anyone having some problems in school. Teachers in the general classroom who are managing childrens behaviours every day are in the best standing and most effective in identifying children who are at risk and in need of intervention (Mercer, Algozzine and Trifiletti, 1988). Teachers are able to identify general skills such as self-help skills, social interaction and communication skills. This is crucial in identifying children with intellectual disabilities (Kemp and Carter, 2005 as cited by Janus et al, 2007). It is not enough that teachers are effective in identifying children at risk. Teachers should be working in contact and collaboration with specialists in special needs education. In Singapore, there are no statutory requirements to provide special services for children with special needs. Voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs) have played significant roles in the introduction and development of such services since the 1950s, including early intervention programmes. Early intervention programmes are available and accessible in special schools and hospitals. According to MCYS, referral to EIPIC (Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children) centres is executed and coordinated by the Centre for Enabled Living (CEL) through a form submission by a medical social worker at a hospitals Child Development Unit. In general, the family doctor or general practitioner makes most of the referrals. Children who have mild disabilities that are not apparent until a later age may be missed out and their identification probably made possible only through the teachers at their preschool centres. Preschool teachers along with special school teachers are receiving training at the National Institute of Education (NIE) in special needs education. In fact modules in special needs education are available in teachers training at both pre-service and in-service levels. Teachers play an important role in setting the tone to create an inclusive environment within the classrooms. Janus et al (2007) cite findings of Early, Pianta, Taylor and Cox (2001) that teacher training influences their practices. This view is supported by Stephens Braun (1980) also cited by Janus et al (2007) teachers who take special education courses are more willing to accept children with special needs and are also more confident in their ability to teach special education. Teachers value, beliefs and attitudes regarding diversity and difference can influence their teaching and practices. This in turn can influence the quality of experiences of students. Although students with special needs spend most of their time in their classrooms, success in the support they receive is also influenced by factors outside the classroom but within the school. On important factor is the availability and extent of the support the school has with regard to professionals such as educational psychologists, counsellors and teacher aides. Schools may have support in terms of equipment, books and amenities; however, the extent to which these resources are coordinated within the school can affect outcome. Leadership support in the form of a principal is necessary. Above all, the collaboration between the school and the professionals involved is crucial. Others outside the school that can influence support for students with special needs include the medical professionals, psychiatrists or paediatricians, health professionals, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists and physiotherapists. Collaboration of the school with these professionals is important. Conclusion The vision of an inclusive society depends on how inclusive schools are. The move towards integration and inclusion of students with disabilities into mainstream schools is becoming a reality in Singapore. Support for special education increased considerably since PM Lees call for an inclusive society. The MOE has played a more active role in special education, collaborating with special schools to achieve desired learning outcomes and collaborating with VWOs to appoint school management staff (Tan, 2009). There was better integration and more opportunities for partnerships between special and mainstream education resulting in more opportunities of interaction among students with and without disabilities. Education and the future of an inclusive society means teachers play a crucial role. Teachers working with students with disabilities are likely to face issues that affect the social and academic inclusion of these students. 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