Monday, December 30, 2019
Quality Matters Related Issues And Course Design - 768 Words
ENV 1053 and ENV 1073 Quality Matters related issues/course design: There are no major issues related to Quality Matters; I will touch upon a few of the design issues that came up during the review. One of the really good things about these courses is in the incorporation of case studies. Each week or chapter features a case study that s taken right from the course textbook. I ve advocated in other courses for the use of case studies and I think this course serves as a starting point to incorporate them into these other courses. The challenge I think here is that while the case studies are incorporated into the students final grade, the stakes are so low that students may complete only a few or none of the case studies. However the overall grade for discussion forums/case studies is only 4% of the final grade. As such students can complete none of the discussion forums/case studies and still receive a strong grade in the course. My suggestion would be to limit the number of case studies to four, and create case studies that combine several of the weeks for units into one, each worth 2 1/2% of the final grade. Students not completing any of the case studies as a result we ll lo se 10% of their final grade. This is enough to make or break a student s grade, between b and a. My suggestion is similar for the critical thinking questions that are part of each week s activities. There are a lot of them and they count for very little in terms of course grade(s). There isShow MoreRelatedThe New Guideline That Affects All Medical Device Companies Are Not Compliant1574 Words à |à 7 PagesDescription of the Product PRISYM ID offers a turnkey global label management solution (PRISYM 360) that is FDA compliant and meets the UDI requirements and standards. This is unlike any other product offered by PRISYM ID therefore an entirely new course of instruction is being developed. Goal of Instruction When companies purchase the PRISYM 360 solution, their corporate learners do not have the skills or knowledge to implement the application as required to satisfactorily perform their job andRead MoreManaging Creativity At Shanghai Tang1470 Words à |à 6 PagesOrganizational behavior (OB) can relate to many aspects of organizations. This term may refer to individual or group dynamics in various companies. It can also refer to strategic management strategies on how to improve work related functions of an organization. The theory of organizational behavior can simply be defined as a study of social psychology in the workplace. Organizational behavior can focus on concepts which include: leadership, personality traits, teamwork, motivation, decision-makingRead MoreManaging Public Transport Using Customer Satisfaction Data837 Words à |à 3 PagesPublic transport in an era where sustainability matters are thoroughly concern and have to comply with customer needs and expectation, challe nges certain research on how customers perceive service quality at this sector (Fonseca et al. 2010). For instance, in service quality concept, reliability identified as significant factor to measure customer satisfaction since it can affect the way of customer or non-customer perception related with their travel experience (Edvardsson 1998). Therefore, satisfactionRead MoreEvaluating Course Quality And Faculty Teaching1346 Words à |à 6 PagesEvaluating Course Quality and Faculty Teaching Evaluating courses are important for ensuring that the studentââ¬â¢s educational needs are being met. Furthermore, it ensures the education being provided aligns with the institutionââ¬â¢s mission, goals and policy. Students, peer faculty members, and administrators all play significant roles in the evaluation process. The course I chose to evaluate is an online, undergraduate, and didactic course. Three different evaluation tools are discussed that assessesRead MoreWhat Is Trucode Encoder Essential?1421 Words à |à 6 Pagesevaluate quality coding practices allows you to change your practice of care. Also, it can give coding professionals access to sophisticated code searches. The possible implementation issues are the cost, and making sure your interface and the system is compatible. The managerial challenges and training needs are engaging the staff, making sure everyone is on board, and getting your staff trained in a timely manner. (TruCode,2017). 3M 360 Encompass System 3M possible implementation issues are costRead MoreIntegrated Project Delivery ( Ipd )1705 Words à |à 7 Pagesbeginning in the 1960ââ¬â¢s that has continued its trend since that time and seems to be in no hurry to reverse its course (Teicholz, 2013). This paper will explore how Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) can be implemented by the construction industry to solve this issue by greatly decreasing (or even in some cases, eliminating) low productivity and waste, time/cost overruns, quality issues, and conflicts that arise during the construction process. Integrated Project Delivery is a method of constructionRead MoreOrganizational Structure Of Organization Structure1557 Words à |à 7 Pages-1. Early in the course we discussed bureaucracy. We said this form of organization was the starting point for understanding all modern organizations. Based on the text and other class readings develop an essay that begins with a brief definition of bureaucracy and the reason why this form of organization remains the cornerstone of organization structure. Then, give three reasons why the principles of bureaucracy may sometimes be dysfunctional for an organization. Conclude your essay with a discussionRead MorePom 651 Syllabus Tues Class Updated.Docx1245 Words à |à 5 PagesUNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS DARTMOUTH Charlton College of Business COURSE : POM 651/01 ADVANCED OPERATIONS ANALYSIS ââ¬â Spring 2013 PREREQUISITES : Completion of foundation courses INSTRUCTOR : Brian Plummer; Vice President of Mfg, Cadence, Inc. MBA, BSEE, Office: Tel: (401) 441 1534, E-mail: bplummer@umassd.edu Office Hours: by appt. 1. COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course covers techniques used in analysis and improvement of the value-adding activities of an organizationRead MoreAaron Douglas Crucifixion Essay1337 Words à |à 6 PagesTwentieth Centuries. Much is said of the artists within the Harlem Renaissance, and how it directly reflects the influence of Africana upon their art. Often times, this work is neglected to be considered Modern if not in specialized selections of course throughout many of todays higher institutions of learning. However, thus being said, Aaron Douglas, often considered the pioneer of African American Modern Art, would bring this notion to the forefront of Modern Society. With Douglasââ¬â¢ ââ¬Å"The CrucifixionRead MorePresentation Of A Hospital Facility And Residential Development At The Short Strand Belfast1116 Words à |à 5 Pagestarget cost for the project, which does not include fees and VAT. You also noted that you would like the building works to commence 30th June 2016 and be completed by 30th Ju ne 2018. In my services for this project, you have asked me to produce a design solution for the project, for the planning and building control application, so that it has the best chance of success and approval, estimates of building costs, to calculate architectsââ¬â¢ fees and monitor the progress of the project. A list of my services
Sunday, December 22, 2019
Child Abuse Is A Violation Of The Basic Rights Of Children...
Child abuse comprises a violation of the basic rights of children and teenagers, and has been a major social problem in the worldââ¬â¢s societies since time immemorial. To most of us, the notion of an adult using violence against a child is both repulsive and deplorable, and the worse the behavior is, the more intolerable it seems. But the incidence of teachers, caregivers and parents deliberately and repeatedly committing acts that harm the very children they are supposed to be nurturing is an unfortunate element of human society that cuts across all lines of class, ethnicity and generations. Every individual has an inborn right to psychological and physical integrity, and protection from all forms of violence. Despite the measures taken by governments and international organizations to enact laws to prevent child abuse, it is an issue that continues to exist, but rarely gets much political or media attention. We know that for various social and cultural reasons contribute to chi ld abuse. In this essay, by looking at statistics, cause and effects, I will explore how prevalent child abuse is in America, and how the issue compares to another country with different societal and cultural constraints, India. We will also look at the past and present situations of the American attitudes on child abuse. Child abuse happens more often than we realize. In June 2014, a man from Montana was charged with the brutal murder by ââ¬Ëspiking her like a footballââ¬â¢ (Fox News). While this may be oneShow MoreRelatedProspective Parents Should Have A License1536 Words à |à 7 Pagesdrivers, soil testers and television repairmen... Are our TV sets and toilets more important than our children?(Tittle). Currently raising a child requires nothing besides two people and some time alone, not to mention the word ââ¬Å"lust.â⬠No education is involved, no background checks are involved; almost anyone and everyone can have a child if they choose to. Sometimes this may even include young teenagers prior to maturity levels you would expect, past or present criminals, and those clearly incompetentRead MoreHomeless Is Not Just About Housing1789 Words à |à 8 Pageswide range of human rights violations. Access to secure and safe housing is among the basic human rights. Basically, homeless is n ot just about housing. Fundamentally, it is about lack of connection with family, friends, community, and lack of control over the environment. The homeless may face human right violation to a standard of living that is adequate, the right to liberty and security of the individual, right to education, right to social security, right to privacy, the right to freedom from discriminationRead MoreChild Marriage Is A Violation Of Basic Human Rights Essay1513 Words à |à 7 PagesAccording to the PBS video, Child brides: Stolen Lives, 68% of the girls under 18 years old from the northern Rajasthan state in India would become child brides, some even aged between 7 and 12. One 7-year-old child bride said that she knew nothing and had no rights to decide that marriage; marrying to that strange man was considered as an approach to resolve family financial difficulties. This girl would become a full-fledged wife one or two years after the wedding, since which her major tasks wereRead MoreDome stic Violence : An Dominant Problem Within Australian Society Essay1741 Words à |à 7 Pagesa burden. Domestic violence is a relationship between intimate partners in which one individual seeks to assert power and control over the other and cause fear or intimidation and doesnââ¬â¢t have to be physical abuse, it can be emotional, psychological, financial, sexual or other types of abuse. It can affect anyone in the community regardless of gender, sexual identity, race, age, culture, ethnicity, religion, disability, economic status or location (home - Domestic Violence, 2016). Violence isnââ¬â¢tRead MorePsychology: Questions on Cognitive Development1557 Words à |à 7 Pageslanguage and speech patterns necessary for communication _A___ 3. Piaget called the incorporation of new objects into existing knowledge: a. assimilation b. object permanence c. conservation d. formal operations _D___ 4. For Jean Piaget, children deal with and adjust to the world through twin processes he called: a. conservation and revisionism b. motor learning and cognitive learning c. egocentric thinking and magical thinking d. assimilation and accommodation _B___ 5. Social andRead MoreCensorship of Electronic Communication Systems1158 Words à |à 5 Pagesoffensive. The rationales for censorship have varied, with some censors targeting material deemed to be indecent or obscene; heretical or blasphemous; or seditious or treasonous. Thus, ideas have been suppressed under the guise of protecting three basic social institutions: the family, the church, and the state.à Censorship is the suppression of speech or other public communication which may be considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or inconvenient as determined by a government, media outletRead MoreViolation Of Human Rights Of Children Essay4182 Words à |à 17 Pages Violation of Human Rights of Children in Boarding Schools * Dr. Asha Verma ** Ms. Mahima Bhardwaj There is no trust more sacred than the one the world holds with children. There is no duty more important than ensuring that their rights are respected, that their welfare is protected, that their lives are free from fear and want and that they can grow up in peace. --Kofi Annan The essence of the Indian culture liesRead MoreCauses And Consequences Of Juvenile Delinquency1859 Words à |à 8 PagesDelinquency Juvenile delinquency can be defined as the involvement in illegal actions by persons under the age of 18 years. Researchers have found that in the kindergarten years, early disruptive behaviors such as severe hostility and repeated rule violation have been associated with later criminal actions (Nakaya, 2005). Depending on the type and brutality of the crime, it is possible for persons below 18 to be charged and treated as adults. Sentencing adolescents to long prison terms at such a youngRead MoreChild Abuse Causes Physical And Psychological Problems Within The United States1923 Words à |à 8 PagesChild abuse such as physical, sexual, emotional, and neglect, also considerate as a silent epidemic, is one of the common issues in our society. In the United States, more than 200,000 children have been killed because of abuse by their family members over the past 10 years. Every year the number of children reported as victims of abuse or neglect increased excessively (Petit.) Child ab use can be an intentional or unintentional maltreatment, violation, and exploitation of a child by a person whoRead MoreChild Labor : A Broad Term, And The Exploitation Of Minors2133 Words à |à 9 PagesChild labor is a broad term, and the exploitation of minors remains a global issue without a global solution. Divides in cultural acceptance and a misunderstanding of what the term encompasses results in far too many adults failing to recognize how child labor affects their country. First, we must recognize all areas of exploitation that child labor incorporates and how there are child labor *victims* being arrested on American soil. Yes, victims of child labor can be arrested, or fear arrest, due
Saturday, December 14, 2019
Earth Science Free Essays
1. Summarize advances over time in determining the age of the Earth, including the importance of the discovery or radioactivity. Herodotus counted layers of earth near the Nile River in 450 B. We will write a custom essay sample on Earth Science or any similar topic only for you Order Now C. E. The Bible was used in the Middle Ages to compute the age of the Earth. The 18th and 19th centuries brought a more scientific look into determining the age of the Earth by studying the salinities of the oceans, the rates of sedimentation, and models of cooling of different materials in order to calculate the Earthââ¬â¢s age. In 1862, William Thompson calculated the Earthââ¬â¢s age to be 98 million years and recounted that age to determine that it was actually between 20 and 40 million years old. He used a very thorough method and ended up being wrong on both counts because he was unaware of the existence and effects of radiation. There was another method of aging the Earth utilizing the relative positions of rock layers. Ensuring that unconformities were accounted for, that fossils were used as benchmarks, and understanding what rocks are older than others, this relative aging helped to develop a geologic time scale. The discovery of radioactivity allowed scientists to understand heat better. The radioactive decay of elements helps scientists calculate the age of an object by using the statistics of large numbers. 2. What makes Earth a habitable, relatively stable environment within which we exist and survive? Review the early development of the solar system, including the Big Bang theory, to support your answer. At the time of the Big Bang, an unimaginable cataclysm released helium and hydrogen. Soon after the Big Bang, energy began converting into matter. Large clouds of this matter began attracting to other particles which formed everything, including our Solar Systems. The beginning of the Solar System started with a cloud of gas, dust, and ice particles. Gravity acted on the cloud, drawing it into itself and reducing its volume. This occurrence would have caused the Solar System to shrink and rotate as it was drawn into itself. Due to angular momentum, the spin would have gotten faster and faster over time. Gravity and centripetal force are fighting against each other to maintain celestial bodies in an orbit around the Sun. The 1% of the mass in our Solar System that didnââ¬â¢t get sucked into the Sun is what makes up our planets, asteroids, and moons. The centripetal force acting on the planets aligns them with the Sunââ¬â¢s equator and creates the mostly flat orbit of the Solar System. 3. Alfred Wegener was a polar explorer and visionary. Describe how his early work was viewed with skepticism and how ultimately his theory on continental drift was proven. What kinds of evidence did Wegener rely on to substantiate his continental drift hypotheses (Pangaea)? He was viewed as a meteorologist and not a geologist. With no real geological knowledge, he formulated the continental drift theory was due to tidal pull from the Sun or centrifugal force. Because scientists of the time couldnââ¬â¢t believe that continents could float through rock as if it were liquid. We now know that due to convection that we see through seismic tomography that the Earth is a kind of liquid on which the lithosphere is floating. His basis was partly due to the edges of the continents fit together as a puzzle. Also, rocks, plants, and animals that were spread across the globe must have started together because a rock didnââ¬â¢t swim to its new location. . Explain how seismic tomography has been used to show what is actually happening on Earth. Include in your answer a discussion of plate tectonics and sea-floor spreading. Like having an MRI of your brain, seismic tomography allows scientists to see the results that sound waves report when they bounce back from colder rock and warmer rock. This report shoes the con vection of heat and rock that is occurring inside the Earth. This convection makes its way to the surface of the Earth which shifts the plates at the weak points. This moves those plates with sometime violent and dangerous results. The plates ââ¬Å"rideâ⬠on more unstable parts of the Earthââ¬â¢s asthenosphere. The subduction zones allow rock to be moved downward as warmer rock moves up. 5. Explain how the laws of thermodynamics determine the motions that result in the formation of mountains and oceans. 1st law: Energy can be moved from one form to another but cannot be created or destroyed. This allowed for matter to be created from energy which was a preamble to the creation of the Solar System and most of the Universe; including mountains and oceans. nd Law: Energy of an object at the initial state is greater than then energy of that object at any other time; provided no new energy is introduced to the object. This law is the reason the conveyer belt theory works. Rocks on the mountains are washed to sea by water that was evaporated from the oceans to create rain which runs back out to the sea (carrying rock) to the subduction zone s that will sink to the core which will heat the rock which will move to the colder area (the surface of the planet) causing a violent movement which pushes plates into each other creating more mountains. Lecture, Michael Wysession, 2008. How to cite Earth Science, Essay examples Earth science Free Essays The earthââ¬â¢s crust is the thin layer of rock which makes up to one percent of the whole planet and can range between 1 kilometer and 80 kilometer in different (Alden, 2010). The crust is made of two important types of rocks namely the basaltic (underlying the floor of the sea) and the granitic (the major components of the continent). The continental crust covers about 40% of the earthââ¬â¢s surface and is exposed to air. We will write a custom essay sample on Earth science or any similar topic only for you Order Now Of the nearly 4000 known minerals, only a few dozen constitute of the component of the earthââ¬â¢s crust. These minerals make up the rocks of the crust and therefore are referred to as the rock-forming minerals. Of these, the eight most important elements are Oxygen, Silicon, Aluminum, Iron, Calcium, Sodium, Potassium, and Magnesium. They constitute of the highest percentage of these minerals and represent more than 98% of the earthââ¬â¢s continental crust by weight. Of these eight minerals, it is rational to assert the fact that Oxygen and silicon are the most important of all. This is because each of the silicates minerals, being the most common mineral group contains silicon and oxygen. In addition, these two elements make up the largest percentage of mineral constituent of the earthââ¬â¢s crust with silicon accounting for 27. 7% and oxygen 46. 6%. Some of the important physical characteristic or properties used to identify minerals include crystal shape, color, luster, streak, hardness, fracture, cleavage, and density or special gravity among others. Habit refers to the characteristic crystal shape of the elements making up a rock. The shape is mostly unique and is used for identification of specific minerals. Mineral strength or simply hardness refers to the degree at which minerals withstand stress before breaking and is determined by the type of bond forming between the atoms of the element. When identifying minerals, it would be inconvenient to use habit as a mean of identification. This is because some minerals such as pyrite have been shown to demonstrate more than one crystal shapes hence not a very reliable method of identification. The least useful method of identification includes taste and magnetism. This is because they are less distinct for a particular mineral and therefore other well developed properties can be used. Question 2 Weathering is the gradual change of material on the earthââ¬â¢s surface in response to the changing climatic conditions. It is classified in to two: physical and chemical weathering. Physical weathering occurs when these materials break into smaller particles due to biological activities, frost wedging and expansion due to unloading. Chemical weathering occurs when chemical reactions take place leading to removal or addition of minerals. Among various environmental factors that specifically affect both physical and chemical weathering includes amount of rainfall, temperature, and rain acidity. Chemical processes are more rapid and pervasive in moist and warm conditions. Increased temperature leads to expansion of rocks; when the temperature drops instantly, it leads to fragmentation of rocks. On the other hand, increased temperature can lead to increased rate of chemical reactions that enhance the process of chemical weathering. The acidity of rainfall is determined by the amount of dissolved gases in rain water. The main gases that results in acidic rain includes carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide. Acidic rainfall leads to corrosion of rocks hence increasing the rate of physical weathering. The higher the amount of acid is the higher the rate of weathering. The most important factor is the amount of rainfall. Water is basically the basis for almost every other factor to cause their effect. To start with, Chemical reactions occur in water which means that the higher the amount of water in a rock the higher the process of weathering. Secondly, when water freezes inside rocks it causes physical weathering. In addition, it enhances the process of frost wedging. References Alden, A. (2010). The earthââ¬â¢s crust. Retrieved August 19, 2010, form http://geology. about. com/od/platetectonics/a/thecrust. htm How to cite Earth science, Papers
Friday, December 6, 2019
Accrual Accounting Versus Cash Accounting free essay sample
Substantive means containing discussion that demonstrates knowledge and ability to analyze the topic at hand. Does not mean a simply repeating previous posts and agreeing. Discuss the pros and cons of accural accounting versus cash accounting methods. Allà discussion forums must require at a minimum: 1-Research (at least 2 citations) 2-Critical Thinking 3-Opportunity for dissent. Accrual Accounting versus Cash Accounting Ok, if we are to attain our career goals we need to understand these two methods of accounting. This topic is very important in almost any field that one chooses to fashion their career. Yes I have had the privilege to work in the retail industry for more than 12years as a manager so I got a good hand on these two methods of accounting. Accrual accounting which is more common with large companies and Cash Accounting that normally work well for the smaller pops and moms stores Cash Basis Accounting: This kind of accounting is used when you want to report income and earning during the period of fiscal accounting. We will write a custom essay sample on Accrual Accounting Versus Cash Accounting or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Cash based accounting means that when you receive the money the sales are recorded right away. The expenses is also recorded when they are paid. Cash based method is good if your income is less than one million and you instantly collect money for your product and service. Ironically the government used this method even if they earn more than trillion dollars. Cash based accounting is very simple method but it can only record cash transactions and doesnââ¬â¢t take note about everything else. It can never work for businesses who doesnââ¬â¢t credit or offer credit. If your business is not keeping inventory then this is good choice. Whit this kind of accounting, there are no account receivable and account payable. Accrual Basis Accounting: Accrual accounting is widely used and accepted by most businesses because it can reflect the finances of any business. On the other hand, for accrual based accounting it means that the sale is also recorded when it occurs and it doesnââ¬â¢t matter if you receive money or not. This is a good method if your business is in average size. This is perfect method if you need to keep track of your companyââ¬â¢s profit on a regular basis. This type of accounting method deals with business output rather than it input. This is perfect method if your business wants to monitor their resources. It is cost effective and efficient. With accrual based, you can compare the whole cost of your product and services with the standards of the industry. Another notable advantage is it you use accrual based accounting, you can improve your accounting and you can better manage your finances
Thursday, November 28, 2019
Philosophy And Popular Culture Essays - Calvinism,
Philosophy and Popular Culture Nicole November 7, 2000 Political Thought The piece of popular culture that I chose for this assignment is the book by James and Christopher Collier, My Brother Sam Is Dead. A brief description of the events that took place in the book follows. I took the religious aspects of the book and will relate them to several philosophers, which we have studied. The time period in which this book took place was a time when people's religious values were much more prominent than in today's society. Over time it seems that religious values have gone into hiding and people are much more concerned with material possessions and social life. The Revolutionary War broke up many families, claimed many lives, and set us free. My Brother Sam is Dead is a book about a family, the Meeker's, who lived during the period of the War. The town they lived in was Redding, Connecticut, which consisted of mostly Tory sided people. This, meaning they were on the King's side and were loyal to England. Sam Meeker, a Yale student, left school to fight on the Rebel side. This didn't make his father, Life, very happy. Life felt that the war was foolish and nothing good could come of it. Plus, he felt that it was a sin to go against the king and the Meeker's were very religious. Sam paid no attention and fought for the Rebels for over three years. In the meantime, Tim Meeker the youngest son of Life and Susannah helped his parents run their tavern and take care of their property. Tim wasn't sure if he was a Rebel or Tory because he had mixed feelings on whether or not freedom was worth all of the killing and poverty. With Sam off fighting the War, Tim was left to do all of the chores and help his mother and father run the tavern. Over time supplies ran short due to the War and prices began to rise. Every year Life would go to Verplanks Point to sell cattle in order to buy supplies for the tavern. He would buy cotton, grain, rum, cloth, etc., basically anything he could get his hands on that people would buy. The trip to Verplanks Point took about a week and usually Sam would go with him. In November 1776, it was time once again to make the journey to sell the cattle. Sam was gone and the only one left to go with Life was Tim. They set off on their journey and in the process Life was captured by the Rebels and sent to jail and eventually died there. The Meeker family was down to two, Tim and Susannah, and they ran the tavern alone. Times were tough for everyone during this period because goods were so low and prices were so high. Most people were paying for goods with commissary notes, which held no real value anyway. Sam ended up dying at the hands of the Rebels because they wanted to set an example out of him on stealing charges. He was innocent. This made Tim even angrier about the War because here his brother was being loyal to the Rebels for over three years and they killed him anyway. What good was it fighting for freedom when your own troops take your life? The War won freedom for America but took many lives foolishly and all for what? Tim went on with life and moved to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania and became successful and prospered. Patterns of change within and across cultures during historical periods that lead to political revolution are what the book deals with. The British were taking tax dollars from Americans and they were getting fed up with it. England was so far away that the Rebels felt they should be free and able to govern themselves. The Revolutionary War was fought so that America could be free and thus led to political change. The Rebels weren't loyal to the king because he was in a totally different country. They couldn't associate everyday life with him because he wasn't there. Many people at this time who were loyal to the king were so because of religious values. They felt that it was a
Monday, November 25, 2019
English protestants Essays - American Culture, Cultural Assimilation
English protestants Essays - American Culture, Cultural Assimilation Ex.8 p.20 1) English protestants was the first European settlers, which arrived, searching for religions freedom. They introduced to the region distinctive political format the town meeting in which citizens gathered to discuss issues of the day. Only men of property could vote. Thanks to this, settlers of the New England gained an important political experience. They early realized , that cultivation of the large tracts of land, as was taken in the south, is more difficult in this region. To the middle of the 18 century mainstays of the region had become shipbuilding, fishing and trade. In their business dealings, New Englanders gained a reputation for hard work, shrewdness, thrift and ingenuity. 2) The first settlers of the Middle Atlantic were mainly involved by farming and trading, and region served as a bridge between North and South. City Philadelphia, located in the state Pennsylvania, was the birthplace of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and the U.S. Constitution in 1787. As heavy industry spread, rivers such as the Hudson and Delaware became vital shipping lanes. Cities located on the major waterways, New York on the Hudson, Philadelphia on the Delaware, Baltimore on the Chesapeake Bay grew dramatically to large sizes. New York is still the nations largest city, its financial hub and its cultural center. 3) The South was first settled by English Protestants. However, after 1800 the interests of the manufacturing North and the agrarian South began to diverge, in which slavery was the main reason. In 1860, 11 southern states left the Union intending to form a separate nation, the Confederate States of America. It led to the Civil War and the end of slavery. But it was failed to provide African Americans with political or economic equality. Southern towns and cities legalized and refined the practice of racial segregation. It took a long, concerted effort by African Americans and their supporters to end segregation. Today South has evolved into a manufacturing region, and high-rise buildings crowd the skylines of such cities as Atlanta and Little Rock, state Arkansas. 4) Most of the Midwest territory is flat. The Mississippi river has acted as a regional lifeline, moving settlers to new homes and foodstuff to market. Midwesterners are praised as being open, friendly, and straightforward, political tend to be cautious, and also have been strong adherents of isolationism, the belief that Americans should not concern themselves with foreign problems. The regions hub is Chicago, Illinois, the third largest city in the country. 5) The Southwest differs from the Midwest in weather (drier), population (is less dense) and ethnicity (strong Spanish American and Native-American components). Population growth in the hot, arid Southwest has depended on two human artifacts: the dams and the air conditioner. Dam on the river Colorado and on the other rivers and also channels, built by the project Central Arizona, have brought water to small towns such as Las Vegas, Nevada, Phoenix, Arizona; and Albuquerque, New Mexico, allowing them to become business and cultural centers. 6) The West is a region of scenic beauty on a grand scale. Relief of the all local states is partly mountain. Winds from the Pacific Ocean carry to the west of the mountains enough moisture. However, to the east, the land is very dry. For example, Northwest territories of Washington state gets a precipitation in 20 times per year more then Eastern part of Cascade mountains, located in the same state. In much of the West the population is sparse. Alaska is the most countrys Northern state, has a vast land of few, but hardy, people and great stretches of wilderness protected in national parks and wildlife refuges. Hawaii is the only state in which Asian Americans outnumber residents of European stock. Los Angeles is the second largest city in the nation, it is best known as the home of the Hollywood film industry and the Silicon Valley area near San Jose, California is the most populous of all the states. Ex. 10 p. 25-26 The story of the American people is a story of immigration and diversity. In the past, the idea of the melting pot was emphasized, an image that suggested newcomers would discard their old customs and adopt new ways of life. Typically, for example, the
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Diversity in learning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words
Diversity in learning - Essay Example Bilingualism can be a virtue of growing up while using and learning two languages simultaneously. Argumentatively, human beings can naturally acquire bilingualism. The acquisition of an additional language is sequential bilingualism. Therefore, interpretation of bilingualism is subjective to individual definitions. Bilingualism encompasses a significant amount of contexts and proficiency. In children, bilingualism may restrict the use of the first language for familial and domestic purposes. English language is mostly a second language with the highest preference for communication in official environments and outside home. Sequential bilingual learning is similar to learning of a first language. The newly acquired language must be appropriate and accurate. The language learning processes are similar and have differences too. For instance, bilingual learners approach learning additional language with a background linguistic system, rules and structure. Additionally, the process of learning a second language starts at different ages and not from birth. Therefore, it involves different strategies for acquisition of the same. Linguistic differences and primarily low proficiency in English is a cause of low academic achievement. Argumentatively, the statement is plausible as it implicates English medium for learning by students with limited comprehension of the language. The students with poor mastery of the teaching language have problems with instructions and expression as well. Cultural difference also affects a studentââ¬â¢s social life. In a case where the student cannot interact with colleagues, feeling of loneliness ensues. Moreover, solitude forms a fundamental foundation in acquisition of fear and low self-esteem (Meisel, 2013 p. 397). The manifestation of personal feelings is observable in withdrawal from extra-curriculum activities and poor participation in class work. For instance, bilingual students that are composed rarely do not ask questions
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Can Islamic Finance Ever Become A Mainstream Product In UK Essay
Can Islamic Finance Ever Become A Mainstream Product In UK - Essay Example Introduction: The emergence of the capitalist system that focuses on the acquisition of individual profits has been long supported as the best economic policy for most countries to follow, because market forces tend to balance out economies in the long run. The banking system in the UK also functions under the capitalist model, wherein acquisition of profits is an integral part of the system and ââ¬Å"greedâ⬠or the ââ¬Å"unbridled pursuit of wealthâ⬠has become the popular slogan for individuals and corporations (Ayub,2007, p. 31). The motivation towards profit is the cornerstone of the UK banking system. The recent financial crisis and corporate scandals such as Enron have however, dispelled the deregulation which existed previously and given rise to stricter financial regulation of money markets (Von Hagen and Ho, 2007). Deregulation of the banking system has been blamed for the speculative activities of the stock markets and the unrestricted use and issue of credit, w hich led to the financial crisis (Money morning, 2009). In the current financial environment, the Islamic banking model offers a completely different approach to banking and lending, because it is not based upon the profit motivation that characterizes UK banks. The Islamic banking system is based upon sharia law, wherein the charging of interest on loans to gain profit is forbidden and is considered to be contravene the religious tenets of Islam. The question that arises in this context therefore, is: Can the Islamic banking system offer a viable financial choice in the U.K.? Since Islamic banks do not charge interest and thereby provide an opportunity for consumers to borrow loans without large additional amounts being charged as interest, would this be a more ethical and equitable form of banking? The research question that is to be examined in this work is: Can Islamic Finance ever become a mainstream product in the U.K.? Banking system in the U.K. In the U.K., the banking syste m is dominated by four large banking conglomerates, Royal Bank of Scotland, HBOS, Barclays, and HSBC. The financial crisis of 2007 also affected the regulatory system in the UK, producing a tightening up of banking operations (Gola and Roselli, 2009). In March of 2009, the Financial Services Authority in the UK put forward proposals which were geared towards the overhaul of the banking system and its governing rules, especially in regulating lending criteria and clamping down on the unrestricted use of credit, in order to prevent a recurrence of the financial crisis (BBC News, 2009). For many consumers, the high interest rates on bank loans and credit cards are a significant drawback leading to losses, which are especially difficult in the current recessionary environment. The application of Islamic law could therefore potentially lead to the evolution of a ââ¬Å"balanced, sustainable and equitable economic orderâ⬠, because it can help to provide a balance between social and e conomic principles, as the Islamic system is based upon principles of morality, i.e, Islamic law does not allow collection of interest in banking, for example (Ayub, 49). Islamic banking The shariah or Islamic law is the dominant underlying principle in all Islamic financial transactions, because Shariah compliance is the raison dââ¬â¢etre of the Islamic financial system.(Ayub, 43). Three salient Shariah principles influence the banking industry, i.e, riba, gharar and gambling.This risk sharing model is the
Monday, November 18, 2019
Law of Contract Assessment III Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words
Law of Contract Assessment III - Essay Example . The fifth element entails capacity. This involves the soundness of mind as well as legal age for a person entering into a contract. The law does not recognize a contract formed with a minor. The sixth and the final element entail legality of the contract. For example, some /contracts may be considered valid in a particular but may be invalid in other countries (Poole, 2010)3. The study will provide an insight of whether John is obliged to pay the extra à £3000 to B&B Ltd, and whether he is obliged to pay the full rent /arrears to Maritime Developments Ltd. In addition, the study will provide a clear summary of common law and equity as well as law and /facts relating to case. Finally, the study will take into consideration any issues arising for each party. In common law, the judges utilize the past precedent to decide on the current cases. This means that the principle of Stare decisis tend to be applied especially where there is no other law that can be applied to decide a case. Therefore, the judge decides a case based on the previous cases decided by previous the judges (Ferrari, 2012)4. However, if the case emerged to be very distinct from the previous cases that were being decided by the past judges, the court may formulate a law that may be used to decide on other future cases. The other principle in common law is that similar fact should be treated unanimously and should be isolated in any whatsoever. Therefore, similar cases should be held similarly (Shiblee, 2012)5. On the other hand, equity entails a system of principles that address or issues that fall outside the reams of a common law. This means that unlike common law which provides a manner in which the case may be decided by the court of law using the past precedent; equity provides a solution to the case. Equity further mitigates strict decisions arrived through application of the common law. Some of the
Friday, November 15, 2019
Approaches To Implementing Appreciative Inquiry Cultural Studies Essay
Approaches To Implementing Appreciative Inquiry Cultural Studies Essay Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is an organizational development process or philosophy that engages individuals within an organizational system in its renewal, change and focused performance. Appreciative Inquiry was adopted from work done by earlier action research theorists and practitioners and further developed by David Cooperrider of Case Western Reserve University. It is now a commonly accepted practice in the evaluation of organizational development strategy and implementation of organizational effectiveness tactics. Appreciative Inquiry is a particular way of asking questions and envisioning the future that fosters positive relationships and builds on the basic goodness in a person, a situation, or an organization. In so doing, it enhances a systems capacity for collaboration and change.0#cite_note-0[1] Appreciative Inquiry utilizes a cycle of 4 processes focusing on: DISCOVER: The identification of organizational processes that work well. DREAM: The envisioning of processes that would work well in the future. DESIGN: Planning and prioritizing processes that would work well. DESTINY (or DELIVER): The implementation (execution) of the proposed design.1#cite_note-1[2] 2#cite_note-2[3] The basic idea is to build organizations around what works, rather than trying to fix what doesnt. It is the opposite of problem solving. Instead of focusing gaps and inadequacies to find blame and remediate skills or practices, AI focuses on how to create more of the occasional exceptional performance that is occurring because a core of strengths is aligned. The approach acknowledges the contribution of individuals, in order to increase trust and organizational alignment. The method aims to create meaning by drawing from stories of concrete successes and lends itself to cross-industrial social activities. It can be enjoyable and natural to many managers, who are often sociable people. There are a variety of approaches to implementing Appreciative Inquiry, including mass-mobilized interviews and a large, diverse gathering called an Appreciative Inquiry Summit (Ludema, Whitney, Mohr and Griffin, 2003). Both approaches involve bringing very large, diverse groups of people together to study and build upon the best in an organization or community. The basic philosophy of AI is also found in other positively oriented approaches to individual change as well as organizational change. As noted above, AI fosters positive relationships and builds on the basic goodness in a person, or a situation . The idea of building on strength, rather than just focusing on faults and weakness is a powerful idea in use in mentoring programs, and excellent performance evaluations. It is the basic idea behind teaching micro-affirmations as well as teaching about micro-inequities. (See Microinequity Rowe Micro-Affirmations and Micro-inequities in the Journal of the International Ombudsman Association, Volume 1, Number 1, March 2008.) AI has been used extensively to foster change in businesses (a variety of sectors), health care systems, social profit organizations, educational institutions, communities, local governments, and religious institutions. Appreciative inquiry (AI) is a major breakthrough in organization development, training and development and in problem solving, in general. AI is based on the assertion that problems are often the result of our own perspectives and perceptions of phenomena, eg, if we look at a certain priority as a problem, then we tend to constrain our ability to effectively address the priority and to continue to develop in our lives and work. AI is a philosophy so a variety of models, tools and techniques can be derived from that philosophy. For example, one AI-based approach to strategic planning includes identification of our best times during the best situations in the past in an organization, wishing and thinking about what worked best then, visioning what we want in the future, and building from what worked best in order to work toward our vision. The approach has revolutionized many practices, including strategic planning and organization development. Various Perspectives The following links are by no means a complete list of online resources about AI. Like any other topic in the Library, the following links are to resources that can help to get you started in learning more about this topic. Appreciative Inquiry Commons AI : the Quest Appreciative Inquiry Resources Appreciative Inquiry and Community Development Appreciative Inquiry 5D Spiral of Development Taos Institute on Appreciative Inquiry managementhelp.org/commskls/appr_inq/appr_inq.htm Appreciative Enquiry . . . it is through language that we create the world, because its nothing until we describe it.à And when we describe it, we create distinctions that govern our actions.à To put it another way, we do not describe the world we see, but we see the world we describe.à à à Joseph Jaworski As it has evolved, there are a number of ways in which to conduct an Appreciative Inquiry (AI)Team Building but the processes all tend to follow a common path of four phases: Discovery (conducting appreciative interviews and identifying the themes and life-giving forces), Dream (developing provocative propositions for the future), Design (integrating wishes for the future with plans for needed changes to structure, systems and processes) and Destiny (making it happen and making it sustainable over time Appreciative enquiry is a new way of approaching problem solving, team-building and solution development. Appreciative Inquiry works from a set of assumptions. 1. In every society, organisation or group, something works well. 2. What we focus on, becomes our reality. 3. Reality is created in the moment, and there are multiple realities. 4. The act of asking questions of a person, or group influences the group/person in some way. 5. People have more confidence to journey to the future (the unknown) when they carry forward parts of the past (the known). 6. If we carry forward parts of the past, they should be what is best about our past. 7. It is important to value differences. 8. The language we use creates our reality and experience. The Appreciativer Inquiry Way While these may seem obvious, we know from our own experience that we can look at what isnt working and start problem solving. This pulls us backwards/downwards rather than forwards.à If we focus on difficulties in the past, people become self defensive and feel that life is hopeless.à When we ask them about their successes, they become enthusiastic and start to hope again and explore possibility. Appreciative Inquiry 5-D Cycle Discovery: The Appreciative Inquiry approach to personal, or organisational, change is to begin by looking for what is working -APPRECIATING the best of our experience. Dream: This is to consider what might be ENVISIONING RESULTS Design: What should be the ideal? CO-CONSTRUCTING Destiny: How to empower, learn adjust or improvise à SUSTAINING Do-It: Action towards achievement Commitment, response, action The tangible result of the Appreciative Inquiry process is a series of statements that describe where the person or organisation wants to be, based on the best moments of where they have been. Because these statements are based in real experience and history, people know how to repeat their success. They have created before, they can create once again. The purpose is to reconnect with the life giving forces-what is working, and then go beyond that to, what could be if we expanded our paradigm of possibility. What is Appreciative Inquiry? from A Positive Revolution in Change: Appreciative Inquiry by David L. Cooperrider and Diana Whitney. Ap-preci-ate, v., 1. valuing; the act of recognizing the best in people or the world around us; affirming past and present strengths, successes, and potentials; to perceive those things that give life (health, vitality, excellence) to living systems 2. to increase in value, e.g. the economy has appreciated in value. Synonyms: VALUING, PRIZING, ESTEEMING, and HONORING. In-quire (kwir), v., 1. the act of exploration and discovery. 2. To ask questions; to be open to seeing new potentials and possibilities. Synonyms: DISCOVERY, SEARCH, and SYSTEMATIC EXPLORATION, STUDY. Appreciative Inquiry is about the coevolutionary search for the best in people, their organizations, and the relevant world around them. In its broadest focus, it involves systematic discovery of what gives life to a living system when it is most alive, most effective, and most constructively capable in economic, ecological, and human terms. AI involves, in a central way, the art and practice of asking questions that strengthen a systems capacity to apprehend, anticipate, and heighten positive potential. It centrally involves the mobilization of inquiry through the crafting of the unconditional positive question often-involving hundreds or sometimes thousands of people. In AI the arduous task of intervention gives way to the speed of imagination and innovation; instead of negation, criticism, and spiraling diagnosis, there is discovery, dream, and design. AI seeks, fundamentally, to build a constructive union between a whole people and the massive entirety of what people talk about a s past and present capacities: achievements, assets, unexplored potentials, innovations, strengths, elevated thoughts, opportunities, benchmarks, high point moments, lived values, traditions, strategic competencies, stories, expressions of wisdom, insights into the deeper corporate spirit or soul and visions of valued and possible futures. Taking all of these together as a gestalt, AI deliberately, in everything it does, seeks to work from accounts of this positive change core-and it assumes that every living system has many untapped and rich and inspiring accounts of the positive. Link the energy of this core directly to any change agenda and changes never thought possible are suddenly and democratically mobilized. appreciativeinquiry.case.edu/intro/whatisai.cfm What is Appreciative Inquiry? Appreciative Inquiry is the study and exploration of what gives life to human systems when they are at their best. It is an organization development methodology based on the assumption that inquiry into and dialogue about strengths, successes, values, hopes and dreams is itself transformational. It is founded on the following set of beliefs about human nature and human organizing: à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¢ People individually and collectively have unique gifts, skills and contributions to bring to life. à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¢ Organizations are human social systems, sources of unlimited relational capacity, created and lived in language. à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¢ The images we hold of the future are socially created and, once articulated, serve to guide individual and collective actions. Through human communication (inquiry and dialogue) people can shift their attention and action away from problem analysis to lift up worthy ideals and productive possibilities for the future. In short, Appreciative Inquiry suggests that human organizing and change, at its best, is a relational process of inquiry, grounded in affirmation and appreciation. One way to understand Appreciative Inquiry is to consider the meaning of its two words. Each word alone has implications for the practice of organization change. The power of Appreciative Inquiry, however, is the by-product of the two words working together. Like hydrogen and oxygen that combine to make water the most nurturing substance on earth appreciation and inquiry combined produce a powerful, vital approach to leadership and organization change. Appreciation: Recognition and Value Added Appreciation has to do with recognition, with valuing and with gratitude. The word appreciate is a verb that carries a double meaning. It refers to both the act of recognition and the act of enhancing value. Definitions include: à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¢ to recognize the best in people and the world around us; à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¢ to perceive those things which give life, health, vitality and excellence to living human systems; à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¢ to affirm past and present strengths, successes, assets and potentials; à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¢ to increase in value (e.g., the investment has appreciated in value). Indeed, organizations, businesses and communities can benefit by greater appreciation. Around the global, people hunger for recognition. They want to work from their strengths on tasks they find of value. Executives and managers long to lead from their values. They seek ways to integrate their greatest passions into their daily work. And organizations strive regularly to enhance their value to shareholders, employees and the world at large. Inquiry: Exploration and Discovery Appreciative Inquiry is about more than appreciation, recognition, and enhancement of value. Its also about inquiry. Inquiry refers to the acts of exploration and discovery. It implies a quest for new possibilities, being in a state of unknowing, wonder and a willingness to learn. It implies an openness to change. The word inquire also a verb means: à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¢ to ask questions; à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¢ to study; à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¢ to search, explore, delve into or investigate Inquiry is a learning process for organizations as well as for individuals. Seldom do we search, explore or study what we already know with certainty. We ask questions about and query into areas unfamiliar to us. The act of inquiry requires sincere curiosity and openness to new possibilities, new directions and new understandings. We cannot have all the answers, know what is right, or be certain when we are engaged in inquiry. The spirit of inquiry is the spirit of learning. How Does Appreciative Inquiry Work? The process used to generate the power of Appreciative Inquiry is the 4-D Cycle. Based on the notion that human systems people, teams, organizations and communities grow and change in the direction of what they study, Appreciative Inquiry works by focusing the attention of an organization on its most positive potential its positive core. The positive core is the essential nature of the organization at its best peoples collective wisdom about the organizations tangible and intangible strengths, capabilities, resources, potentials and assets. The Appreciative Inquiry 4-D cycle unleashes the energy of the positive core for transformation and sustainable success. Affirmative Topic Choice: The 4-D Cycle begins with the thoughtful identification of what is to be studied affirmative topics. Since human systems move in the direction of what they study, the choice of what to study what to focus organizational attention on is both essential and strategic. The topics that are selected provide a framework for collecting stories, discovering and sharing best practices, and creating a knowledge-rich work environment. They become the organizations agenda for learning and innovation. Once selected, affirmative topics such as inspired leadership, optimal margins, or culture as competitive advantage guide the 4-D Cycle of Discovery, Dream, Design and Destiny. Discovery: The Discovery phase is a diligent and extensive search to understand the best of what is and what has been. It begins with the collaborative act of crafting appreciative interview questions and constructing an appreciative interview guide. Appreciative Inquiry questions are written as affirmative probes into an organizations positive core, in the topic areas selected. They are written to generate stories, to enrich the images and inner dialogue within the organization, and to bring the positive core more fully into focus. The results of Discovery include: à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¢ The formation of new relationships and alliances, that bridge across traditional barriers. à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¢ A rich description or mapping of the organization s positive core. à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¢ Organization-wide sharing and learning from stories of best practices, golden innovations and exemplary actions. à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¢ Greatly enhanced organizational knowledge and collective wisdom. These results, in turn, inspire the emergence of organic, unplanned changes well before implementation of the more planful phases of the 4-D cycle. Dream: The Dream phase is an energizing exploration of what might be: a time for people to explore their hopes and dreams for their work, their working relationships, their organization, and the world at large. It is a time for groups of people to engage in thinking big, thinking out of the box, and thinking out of the boundaries of what has been in the past. The intent of the Dream phase is to identify and spread generative, affirmative, and hopeful images of the future. Typically this is accomplished in large group forums, where unusual combinations of stakeholders explore: à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¢ Creative images of the organization s most positive potentials à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¢ Innovative strategic visions à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¢ An elevated sense of purpose. Design: The Design phase involves making choices about what should be within an organization or system. It is a conscious re-creation or transformation, through which such things as systems, structures, strategies, processes and images will become more fully aligned with the organizations positive past (Discovery) and highest potential (Dream). Destiny: The Destiny phase initiates a series of inspired actions that support ongoing learning and innovation or what will be. Since the entire 4-D Cycle provides an open forum for employees to contribute and step forward in the service of the organization, change occurs in all phases of an Appreciative Inquiry process. The Destiny phase, however, focuses specifically on personal and organizational commitments and paths forward. The result of destiny is generally an extensive array of changes throughout the organization in areas such as: à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¢ Management practices à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¢ HR processes Measurement systems à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¢ Customer service systems à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¢ Work processes and structures In many cases, the 4-D Cycle provides the framework for ongoing activities. Thus, the cycle begins again . . . and again . . . and again. Why Does Appreciative Inquiry Work? Appreciative Inquiry works because it treats people like people, and not like machines. People are social. We create our identities and our knowledge in relation to one another. We are curious. We like to tell stories and listen to stories. We pass on our values, beliefs and wisdom in stories. We like to learn and to use what we learn to be our best. And we delight in doing well in the eyes of those we care about and respect. Appreciative Inquiry enables leaders to create natural human organizations knowledge rich, strength based, adaptable, learning organizations. www.positivechange.org/appreciative-inquiry.html Appreciative Inquiry Consulting AI Consulting, LLC offers a collaborative, strength-based approach to strategic change and transformation. At the heart of our practice is Appreciative Inquiry (AI), an approach that draws on the strengths and values of an organization in order to implement its change agenda and achieve its highest goals. AI Consulting has the greatest concentration of AI expertise and our consultants span the globe. Among them are the thought leaders, authors, and founders of AI. Our whole-systems approach, global reach, and collaborative partnerships are reflected in our success stories. AI Consulting combines features of a large consulting firm, a knowledge web, an alliance of change agents, and a socially responsible business entity. We are a principle-driven organization, valuing integrity, learning, generosity, and the common good. Our leading-edge design makes us highly flexible and responsive to client needs. We always seek to enhance the core strengths that give life to an organization while growing its economic vitality, ecological integrity and organizational health. à www.aiconsulting.org/ Appreciative Inquiry Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is a process for catalyzing positive change developed at Case Western Reserve University by David Cooperrider, a professor of Organizational Behavior at their Weatherhead School of Management. As a graduate student, Cooperrider noticed that most organizational change was driven by consultants going into an organization and looking for problems and then attempting to fix them. He decided to see what happened if he took the opposite approach. During his graduate thesis work, Cooperrider went into the Cleveland Clinic and, rather than seek out what needed fixing, he sought out what was working well. He then developed a structured process to concentrate information about these success factors in what is called the positive core and to then amplify that positive core throughout the organization. The experiment was a great success and Cooperrider went on to establish the process as Appreciative Inquiry. Appreciative Inquiry is both a specific methodology and a perspective and has been defined as the study of what gives life to human systems when they are at their best. As such it ties deeply into fields such as Positive Psychology and Flow which, like AI, stand in contrast to our cultures typical problem-based or deficit-based mindset. To understand the phrase more deeply, we need simply look at the two words that make it up. Appreciate has two meanings: to look for the best in something and to increase something in value, such as when a stock or real estate appreciates. Inquiry means to seek understanding using a process based on provocative questions. So the idea is that provocative questions are used to draw out powerful success stories and identify the factors that are already working well within a human system. We can then use this understanding to help bring about what people want more of (as opposed to the usual cultural focus on reducing what they want less of). The specific methodology of Appreciative Inquiry gives us the tools to do this, while involving both left and right brains, and exploring the past, present and future. It consists of five main phases: Affirmative Topic Choice An interview is carried out using several provocative questions and, from the clients responses, several themes are chosen as the focal points for the rest of the inquiry process. Discovery Further provocative questions are explored regarding each of the Affirmative Topics and, from the clients responses, several themes are again chosen. These themes, a virtual DNA sample of the system at its best, reflect its central success factors its best strengths, talents, assets, values and ideals and are known as its positive core. Dream Creative processes are used to verbally and/or experientially explore what the future might be like if the positive core were more thoroughly enacted throughout the system and to examine, looking back from that vantage point, what must have happened in order for it to have reached such an optimal state. Design The system is organized into an architecture, and preferences chosen for each element of that structure, that will enable further enactment of the positive core and lessons from the Dream phase throughout the system. Provocative Propositions, in which clients put in writing broad goals or ideas that will help encourage the organization to move in the direction of optimization, may also be developed. Destiny Concrete plans are made and supporting resources put in place for enacting the chosen preferences in the service of amplifying the positive core and making the clients dreams a reality. Notice how these phases, in many ways, mimic the evolutionary process. That which is working best in a system is selected for and then those successful elements of the system become the raw material for its next stages of development. Thus, I like to consider Apprecative Inquiry a process for facilitating and accelerating evolutionary processes. Appreciative Inquiry has now been used to aid optimization in many large companies such as British Airways and Verizon, in schools such as at UC Berkeley, and even in whole cities such as in the Imagine Chicago project. It has also been adapted for use with families, individuals, and in many other settings. In developing my company, Emergent Associates, we synthesized a number of other tools and methods within a framework deeply based in Appreciative Inquiry to create our unique coaching and consulting process. Though a simple and enjoyable process for clients to experience, Appreciative Inquiry ties into fields as diverse as evolution, chaos theory, Systems Thinking, and other systems sciences. A quote from 3creativeASIN=1576752267creative=373489camp=211189The Power of Appreciative Inquiry: A Practical Guide to Positive Change sums up the mindset of this field well. We are not saying to deny or ignore problems. What we are saying is that if you want to transform a situation, a relationship, an organization, or community, focusing on strengths is much more effective than focusing on problems. www.systemsthinker.com/interests/appreciativeinquiry/ à APPRECIATIVE APPROACH The Challenge The underlying belief of todays paradigm is that there is one best way to do things; one perfect way for an organization to be formed; one preferred way for employees to perform; one acceptable way for people to behave. We have been trained and educated from an early age to look for things in our human organizations that are not the best, perfect or preferred so that we can to fix them. We are a world of problem solvers. Our basic assumption of problem solving seems to be that organizations are problems to be solved. The process traditionally involves: (1) identifying the key problems; (2) analyzing the causes; (3) locating logical solutions; and, (4) developing an action plan. The result, change happens through a linear process that assumes we can repair human beings and organizations much as we might repair our car or computer. If we fix the problems, the organization will succeed. While this problem solving mentality has dominated business for years and led to some success, we are starting to see the limitations of this approach. The problem-solving approach directs attention to the worst of what is, constantly examining what is wrong with the organization. This continuous focus can have some very limiting and unintended consequences: We assume that because we know the problem, we must know the solution. No innovation. The organization creates no visions/images of the future. Breakthrough changes happens slowly, if at all, because we put attention on yesterdays causes. Visionless voice leading to organizational fatigue. Not another problem to deal with! Weakened fabric of relationships, defensiveness blameà ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¦the creation of a negative culture. However, recent advances in the sciences and other related fields of study are causing a shift in how we understand the world. This new research and experience is leading us to an entirely new way of thinking about our organizations and how we improve them. There is a BETTER way! A Positive Change Model The fact is that our organizations are not predictable machines, but rather human constructions that are molded and changed by the images that human beings have of them. If we think that our organization is dysfunctional, unhealthy, and a bad place to work, most of what we see will be the behaviors, attitudes, and values that prove us right. If, on the other hand, we look for those things in our organizations that are healthy, creative, and supportive, we will begin to see an entirely different organization. We actually have a choice on what we focus on and Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is a method that can help us see the true potential or our organization. In contrast to the problem solving approach, the underlying assumption of Appreciative Inquiry is that organizations are solutions to be embraced. AI Definition To appreciate means to value to understand those things that are worth valuing. To inquire means to study, to ask questions, to search. AI is, therefore, a capacity building approach that selectively seeks to locate, highlight, and illuminate the life-giving forces within an organization or community. AI seeks out the best of what is to help ignite the collective imagination of what might be.à The aim is to generate new knowledge that expands the realm of the possible and helps people envision a collectively desired future and to carry forth that vision in ways which successfully translates images of possibility into reality, and belief into practice. AI is not a methodology. It is a philosophy, an orientation to change, and a way of seeing and being in the world!à AI 4-D Model Tirawa Consulting uses a change process, called the 4-D Model (see below), that: (1) Discovers what gives life to an organization; what is happening when the organization is at its best; (2) Dreams about what might be; what the world is calling the organization to be; (3) Designs ways to create the ideal as articulated by the whole organization; and, (4) Delivers through an on-going and iterative processes. This is not a static solution but rather a dynamic process of continuous change. The 4-D Model has been used successfully in multiple cultures, in all sizes of organizations, working in every sector of relief and development, at every level of the organization. The 4-D Model has also produced tremendous results in the governmental and business sectors as well.à Tirawa Consulting can help integrate AI into your strategic change agenda and work with you to design a solution that will involve your people, identify your strengths, and chart a course for unbelievable transformation! Here are just a few examples of how AI can be used to drive your organization to higher levels of performance: Culture transformation Vision building Team building development Feedback performance management Organization redesign Partnership creation / relationship building Strategic Many other applications
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
The Cask of Amontillado :: Literary Analysis, Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe is one of greatest American authors and poets. He is well-known as a master of using irony in his story. ââ¬Å"The Cask of Amontilladoâ⬠is a horror story about revenge of Montresor upon Fortunato. Fortunato believes Montresor is his good friend, but he ends up with being chained and walled in to the catacombs. There are three types of irony used in this short story: verbal irony, dramatic irony, and situational irony. Using these ironies, Poe wants the readers to understand about Montresorââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"friendshipâ⬠with Fortunato. The first irony is verbal irony. Verbal irony is a figure of speech in which what is said is the opposite of what is meant. There are many examples of this kind of irony through this story. The first irony is the name ââ¬Å"Fortunato.â⬠Fortunatoââ¬â¢s name suggests good fortune, or of being fortunate, but he is exactly the opposite, he is killed. Another irony is when Fortunato follows Montresor go to the vault, Montresor acts like he cares about Fortunatoââ¬â¢s health, ââ¬Å"we will go back; your health is precious. You are rich, respected, admired, beloved; you are happy, as once I was. You are a man to be missed. For me it is no matter. We will go back; you will be ill, and I cannot be responsible.â⬠(1202) But readers know from the beginning of the story, Montresor only wants to kill Fortunato. ââ¬Å"And I to your long life,â⬠(1202) Fortunato has lived out his life already, it is about to be over. Going deeper into the vaults, Fortunato gets more and mo re coughing, and Montresor shows his concern to Fortunatoââ¬â¢s health ââ¬Å"Come, we will go back ere it is too late. Your coughââ¬âââ¬Å"It is nothing.â⬠(1202) But Montresor knows that the more he acts as he cares Fortunato, the more Fortunato wants to reach Amontillado-his dark fate. Fortunato is a man who is being blindly led to his death by someone who he feels as an admiring friend, but this friend is actually a person in searching for his own revenge. The second type of irony used in this short story is dramatic irony which irony is when the characters do not know and the people reading the story or watching the play does know. Fortunato appears with an ill-looking ââ¬Å"He had on a tight-fitting parti-striped dress, and his head was surmounted but the conical cap and bells.â⬠(1200) He dresses like a jester, and there are a big joke on him soon.
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