Critical Review and Suggested Improvement for the Alternative Air Dissertation

Critical Review and Suggested Improvement for the Alternative Air Cooling - Dissertation Example New buildings should use alternative methods for air quality too. This research will show how and why. 1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE PROJECT There are many buildings in Hong Kong that were built before alternative methods for cooling and cleaning the air inside were financially profitable. Now the prices have dropped down, so it makes sense to install these alternative methods that save energy and some which also have a lower carbon balance quotient. These also save money in the long term, as the energy bills will be much lower. 1.2 AIMS AND BROAD OBJECTIVES The aim of this project is to study alternative methods for cleaning and cooling air in Hong Kong buildings and identify the best ones for each kind of building. The technology will be analysed for its ability to replace old systems in old buildings and make the air better for less money and energy consumption. The cost of using these in new buildings will be calculated so the ROI can be computed. It is hoped that these alternative metho ds will not cost much more than the traditional methods. This makes them good to use in new buildings. The costs and savings for old buildings will also be calculated. Chapter 2: Literature Review 2.1 Methodology of Literature Review A review of the literature in peer reviewed databases was done the same search of available books on the subject. However, since the lag time for books in print is nearly a year, newer technology and more information is available in digital formats. In addition to the peer reviewed databases, common websites in the building trade, and among suppliers for the building trade, were searched for information. Finally, specialized digital databases which include technological information and sites of various authorities on the subject were also searched and sites for rating buildings, such as BREEAM, Energy Star and Green were included. The alternatives found are examined and discussed here. This project will look at all alternatives and rate them for cost, p roblems, and ROI. Even if the cost is a little bit more, the pay back time is short. If a building is expected to last fifty to a hundred years, then it pays to make it work the best possible Langston, C., & Shen, L. (2007). 2.2 Technology Modern Building Services, and many other building sites like it, has no less than five alternatives to traditional air conditioning (Energy efficient systems - modern building services ). There are many alternatives. Green water walls are beautiful, peaceful and they clean the air while cooling it too ( ). These can be use with passive solar cooling and efficient window design to keep air cool and fresh (Greenwall Australia ). Regular air conditioners drink power like hungry dinosaurs. They make a lot of noise, they do not clean the air, and they often spread mould into the building. Hong Kong buildings are some of the most inefficient in the world, since the winters are not cold. Builders did not consider that air conditioning would become a majo r expense and a major problem. Even in buildings where the temperature is comfortable. The air may not be clean. Builders can do both with simpler technology and pay less (Dauncey, 2004). Many companies even consider these

Business ethics Essay Example for Free

Business ethics Essay -Ethics derived from the Greek word ethos – which refers to the conventional customs and norms of a given culture – the term ethics can be understood in two ways: †¢ as a traditional field of philosophical inquiry dating back to ancient Greece, which is concerned with values as they relate to human conduct; and †¢ as the systematic study of norms and values that guide how people should live their lives. -Ethics is to do with what is good and bad or right and wrong. The study of ethics can be either descriptive or normative. Descriptive ethics involves empirical research or inquiry into the actual rules and standards of a particular social group. Normative ethics is concerned not only with what people believe they ought to do, but also with what they really ought to do. It therefore entails taking a position. Nevertheless, it must be recognised that these two categories are in actual fact intertwined, as even the most empirically minded individuals engage in prescription as well as description. There is therefore no conceptual barrier to combining descriptive with normative ethics. -Business ethics theories include the moral principles or codes a company implements to ensure that all individuals working in the company act with acceptable behavior. Business owners and managers can use an ethics theory they deem most appropriate for use in their operations. A few different business ethics theories exist, such as the utilitarian, deontological, rights, justice, common good and virtue approach. These theories can be used on their own or in combination with each other. Each theory includes specific traits or characteristics that focus on specific ethical principles that can help companies correct business issues. -The utilitarian approach focuses on using ethical actions that will promote the most good or value among a society while limiting the amount of harm to as few people as possible. Among the business ethics theories, this is typically seen as the oldest theory, as it was propagated by many philosophers, such as Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832) and John Stuart Mill (1806-1873). Businesses can use this theory to ensure the outcome of various situations helps the maximum amount of stakeholders. The â€Å"rightness† or â€Å"goodness† of ones action is not inherent in the action per se, but can only be judged by its consequences (or ends). Utilitarianism is the dominant ethical perspective in the business sphere, and can be seen as a â€Å"calculating approach† to ethics (Fisher and Lovell, 2006). A common example of business utilitarianism is the adoption of ethical principles – not because it is the â€Å"right thing to do† – but because of the image enhancement which this may produce, in view of societys increased demand for ethical conduct in the business sphere. A positive company image creates what is known in the literature as â€Å"reputational capital† or advantages accruing to companies from a good reputation which may lead to positive outcomes in areas such as improved employee morale, increased strategic flexibility and enhanced financial performance. -The deontological system (Immanuel Kant: 1724-1804) is based on the assumption that actions must be guided by universalisable principles and rules which apply regardless of the consequences of the actions. For Kant, the â€Å"moral person† is one of good will, who makes ethical decisions based on â€Å"what is right†. From this viewpoint, nevertheless, an action can only be morally right if it is carried out as a duty – not as an expectation of approval or reward. -The rights ethical approach is based on the belief that all individuals have rights in life and should be treated with respect and dignity. Morals play a large role in this because individuals must personally use ethical behavior in order to achieve the end goal without mistreating people. -Justice as an ethical approach is where all humans are treated equally through society, regardless of rank, position, class, creed, or race. This is also known as the fairness approach in business ethics theories. If people are not treated fairly — such as one employee receiving higher compensation than another — a justifiable reason must exist, such as higher technical skills or the exclusiveness of a job position. -The common good approach attempts to promote the common values and moral or ethical principles found in a society. This varies from place to place, based on countries specific cultural or societal beliefs. For example, the moral principles found in Japan will often be different than those in the United States. Business owners and managers often implement these principles to ensure their company’s overall mission is in sync with society as a whole. -The virtue approach (Aristotle 384-322 BC) is a bit more difficult for businesses to implement, as its approach focuses on following ethical principles that should be evident in society. These principles or virtues seek to replace the current values if they do not bring about the most good or best development of humanity. Businesses can implement this approach, although it may run against the grain of society until the values take hold among the general public. -Business ethics is the behavior that a business adheres to in its daily dealings with the world. The ethics of a particular business can be diverse. They apply not only to how the business interacts with the world at large, but also to their one-on-one dealings with a single customer. -Good business ethics should be a part of every business. There are many factors to consider. When a company does business with another that is considered unethical, does this make the first company unethical by association? Some people would say yes, the first business has a responsibility and it is now a link in the chain of unethical businesses. -If a company does not adhere to business ethics and breaks the laws, they usually end up being fined. Many companies have broken anti-trust, ethical and environmental laws and received fines worth millions. -Therefore, business ethics is concerned with good and bad or right or wrong behavior and practices that take place within a business context. -In short, business ethics refers to â€Å"values, standards and principles that operate within business†. Unethical behaviour -It is a sad truth that the employees of just about every business, in every business, will occasionally encounter team members who are taking part in unethical behaviors. Such unethical behaviors include a wide variety of different activities. Among the most common unethical business behaviors of employees are making long-distance calls on business lines, duplicating software for use at home, falsifying the number of hours worked, or much more serious and illegal practices, such as embezzling money from the business, or falsifying business records. -Though there is sometimes a difference between behaviors that are unethical and activities that are actually illegal, it is up to the business itself to decide how it deals with unethical behavior legal or not. -As unethical behaviors are manifested by upper-level management, workers throughout the organization note them, and unethical behavior becomes a cultural norm. Ultimately, this culture results in detrimental behaviors. Leadership -Leadership is the primary way companies foster proper ethical behavior. Leaders and executive managers have a responsibility to set the tone for ethical behavior by conducting business in an ethical and moral manner. If a leader fails to display a proper ethical behavior, workers may be unwilling to accept the companys ethical guidelines. -Leaders who act ethically ensure that problems and issues in the company are identified quickly and handled appropriately by managers and employees. Proper leadership ethics also maintain an organizations long-term viability and business environment, because customers are more willing to embrace an ethical company. Company Culture -A company culture is the intangible business environment created by leaders and executive managers. Leaders use the companys culture to pass on the mission, goals and objectives and how employees should approach jobs when helping the company reach its goals. Important elements of a strong company culture include integrity, trust, leadership, professional behavior and flexibility. Leaders and executive managers should weave these elements into company culture to ensure employees understand and follow ethical business principles. -Companies can teach employees the companys culture by using manuals or informal meetings. These mediums give management an opportunity to explain the importance of ethical business behavior. -A whistleblower (whistle-blower or whistle blower) is a person who tells the public or someone in authority about alleged dishonest or illegal activities (misconduct) occurring in the business organisation. The alleged misconduct may be classified in many ways; for example, a violation of a rule, regulation and/or a direct threat to the stakeholders, such as fraud, health/safety violations, and corruption. Whistleblowers may make their allegations internally (for example, to other people within the accused organization) or externally (to regulators, law enforcement agencies, to the media or to groups concerned with the issues). -Businesses have a Code of Conduct and/or Code of Business Ethics that are actively promoted to the corporation’s employees and that are entrenched in its corporate values. As a business grows and as the business model gets more complex, it is important that we provide the company employees with a common set of guidelines to help reinforce and uphold its values. Codes of conducts are very common in business organization and the members are required to sign to indicate formally their acceptance. E. g. Customers are at the core of the success and must be treated with respect. One way do this is through the customer-focused business model– customer centricity. Customer centricity requires an ongoing relationship of trust between the employee and the customer because the relationship between the customer and the employee is much more than transactional. The employees share an obligation to: †¢ Treat all customers fairly and honestly. †¢ Communicate in a respectful and helpful manner. †¢ Provide prompt and accurate customer service. It is a duty to protect any customer’s information and privacy. †¢ It is extremely important to keep the Company’s private information confidential. Not discuss these confidential matters with anyone outside the organization. -A business success is based on strong relationships with customers, vendors, suppliers and others. Employees and directors are prohibited from: †¢ Taking personal advantage of opportunities that are discovered through the use of corporate property, information or position. †¢ Using corporate property, information, or position for personal gain. †¢ Employees are required to disclose or avoid any activity or interest that may be regarded as a possible conflict with the company’s interest. †¢ Employees are expected to be mindful of the Company’s values and standards in their business dealings. It is never acceptable to solicit gifts, gratuities or business courtesies on behalf of the business organisation for the personal benefit of an employee, family member or friend. †¢ In all situations employees are prohibited from implying that they represent the company in any political activities. †¢ If you are contacted by a representative of any government agency, don’t handle the situation by yourself. Contact your Legal Department. A model of an employee acknowledgment of the Code of ethics of XYZ co. Ltd. I acknowledge that I have received and will comply with XYZ co. Ltd Code of Business Ethics (the Code). I also understand that I have the responsibility to review XYZ co. Ltd policies and procedures. I understand that violation of the policies and ethical standards outlined in the Code may subject me to disciplinary action up to and including termination without notice. I understand that if I have questions related to the standards of conduct outlined in the Code or other Company polices not covered in the Code, I am to discuss them promptly with my manager or the Ethics Office, Human Resources dept. I also understand that I may be required to sign one or more annual statements reporting conflicts of interest or receipt of gifts and gratuities. Date: Name of employee: Department: Employee number: Signature: Sources: Caroll Buchholtz, Business and Society, 5th edn. Robbins P. R, Organisational Behaviour, 11th edn. Weiss J. W, Business Ethics, 4th edn. www. bestbuycanadaltd. ca/ www. edc. ca/ www. ehow. co. uk/ www. wisegeek. com.

Gatorade Marketing Essay -- Advertising Sports Drink Beverage

Executive Summary: Gatorade was first formed in the 1960's in Florida. The doctors of the University of Florida noticed that their football players where severely dehydrated in turn the players lacked the performance of the field. After several tests the doctors came up with a carbohydrate-electrolyte beverage that kept the players hydrated since water was not doing the trick. After noticing dramatic success in their teams' record in football, players and coaches wanted Gatorade to be on their sidelines each and every game. After the success in college sports, the Gatorade Company was on the sidelines helping professional athletes such as Michael Jordan. Players from the NBA, NFL and even NASCAR have all chosen to drink Gatorade. Gatorade even took the worldwide stage by introducing the brand to China, Colombia, the Middle East, South Africa and another 75 more countries. Even after all this success and 35 years in business, Gatorade keeps their focus on pro-players, amateur athle tes, or anyone else. Strategic Focus and Plan Mission: The mission of Gatorade is to be the number one in sport drinks. They are trying to increase their distribution of the Gatorade bottle by reaching more channels of distribution, by doing this Gatorade is trying to make the base larger. Gatorade is very successful in achieving their goals of owning the majority of the market share, as they handle approximately 88% of the market shares. They are also trying to give the maximum profit and trust to their shareholders by increasing company's sales and profit. Goals: The first goal Gatorade is trying to achieve is to be the most dominant thirst quencher distributor in the market and eliminate any competition. To increase their means ... ...lass.panam.edu/mana6390/flashreports/FR5B.htm http://www.birnbaumassociates.com/implementing-strategy.htm">http://www.birnbaumassociates.com/implementing-strategy.htm http://www.quakeroats.com/qfb_News/PressRelease.cfm?ID=159">http://www.quakeroats.com/qfb_News/PressRelease.cfm?ID=159 http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=8&did=000000010430650&SrchMode=1&sid=6&Fmt=4&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1066862711&clientId=20368 http://www.kellogg.nwu.edu/faculty/sterntha/htm/module3/9.html http://www.canoe.ca/HealthExtremeCuisine/bevcomparison.html www.quakeroats.com The Quaker Oats Company 2003 Annual Report. The Quaker Oats Company 2002 Annual Report. The Quaker Oats Company 2001 Annual Report. The Quaker Oats Company 2000 Annual Report. The Quaker Oats Company 1999 Annual Report. The Quaker Oats Company 1998 Annual Report.

Government and Politics - The Benefits of Federalism :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Government and Politics - The Benefits of Federalism In the early days of the United States, it was obvious to many that a system combining both federalism and representative democracy was needed. According to the textbook, â€Å"the people were too widely dispersed, and the country’s transportation and communication systems too primitive to be governed [solely] from a central location† (pg. 58). Although today both communication and transportation are highly advanced, America still maintains a federal system. The driving force behind that system is our increasingly expanding diversity. The United States ranks fourth in the world in size (www.stats.demon.nl/chart.area25.htm) and third in population (www.census.gov/ipc/www/idbrank.html). There are 213 languages spoken in America (www.sil.org/ethnologue/countries/USA.html) and probably just as many religions practiced. Federalism is the method by which this diverse population is better represented in the democracy of the United States. The national government makes many important decisions that impact our daily lives; however, there are some issues on which the opinion of the American public varies widely. In our federal system, the states are usually responsible for making policies that involve social, family, and moral/religious issues. This is one of the most important advantages of a federal system. The decentralization of the government allows the desires and needs of smaller groups of people to be acknowledged and fulfilled at the local level. Californians differ in many ways from residents of Arkansas who differ greatly from Alaskans. Variations in culture and lifestyle create needs for different political policies. A large, single, centralized government would be unable to make efficient social policies that were compatible with the convictions of a majority of America’s diverse groups. However, the national government still has enough power, through a system of checks and balances , to obliterate local policies that infringe upon the human rights of smaller factions. Federalism is not, of course, without disadvantages. To begin with, more levels of government equal a larger bureaucracy with many more people involved in the decision-making process. This provides more opportunities for corrupt government officials. Federalism also means that a complex tax system must exist so that each level of government receives funds from those in its jurisdiction in order to carry out laws and policies.

Depictions of Death and Disease

The use of the word â€Å"plague† is reserved for only the most momentous and devastating diseases in history. This word has been specifically set aside for diseases that strike a certain type of fear into the masses as with the Bubonic Plague, also called the â€Å"Black Death†, and the AIDS epidemic. The word has an effect of biblical proportions and epidemics like AIDS and the Bubonic Plague both display the social reaction to these maladies in the religious connections or rejections made toward both.There is, also, evidence of the unraveling of complete societies due to these illnesses in the abandonment of the sufferers to their fates and the perpetuation of causation of these â€Å"plagues† to stories that confuse and confound communities into states of despair and disillusionment. The swiftness by which the â€Å"Black Death† struck victims to death is opposed to the lengthy period between the contraction of AIDS and a death that is not always certa in or imminent. The words and descriptions of these diseases, however, did spread quite quickly and served as a lens by which society at the respected times viewed the chaos in the world.The Bubonic Plague quickly sickened and killed its sufferers and this swiftness of the disease left little time for people to react, there was no predicting it‘s path, no preventions, and no remedies. People expected death and the â€Å"Black Death† struck the consciousnesses of the people before the illness ever did. â€Å"‘And no bells tolled’, wrote a chronicler of Siena ‘and nobody wept no matter what his loss because almost everyone expected death†¦. and people said and believed, This is the end of the world’† (Tuchman, 413).People also were cited as living joylessly, attending funerals with no tears and weddings with no cheer. With the feeling that this was indeed the end of the world, it was as if an ominous black cloud had accompanied this b lack plague, leaving much room for superstition and little for hysteria. There was little emotional and physical energy left for the afflicted communities to remain gripped in a hysterical frenzy for long periods when death became so commonplace. The feeling at the time was that an evil presence was surrounding the affected areas and this apocalyptic, creeping fear soon was replaced by emptiness.There was no sense in tending to religious ideas, as many people died without being given their rites of death. In this way, many of the positive ideas of God and heaven were abandoned, as the people’s sentiment was that God must have been responsible for attempting to exterminate the human race altogether. In the collective imaginations of religious persons all through the world, the â€Å"Black Death† was proof that the devil had won and God was no longer in support of the once devout.There was little mercy for the sick and parents were even found to abandon their own childre n to their fates. The callousness of the living was written about in such a way that existence during these times was made to seem like a hellish tribulation, those who did tend to their families and the sick however were made to seem like saints. There seemed to be these pious individuals, who were revered as the sober and saintly men at a time when â€Å"men and woman wandered around as if mad†¦.. because no one had any inclination to worry themselves about the future† (Tuchman, 417).The â€Å"Black Death† concept, then became a metaphor for the darkness, disorder, dementia, and despair that was part of the fear that the world was at it’s end and there was no future. The horror of both AIDS and the Bubonic Plague was fueled mostly by the uncertainty of each disease’s origin. Those in the â€Å"Black Death† era looked to astrology and employed adjectives that referred back to nature itself as the culprit. According to Tuchman, the plague was said to be spread by â€Å"sheets of fire†, â€Å"a vast rein of fire† and â€Å"foul blasts of wind†.The metaphors here were probably not so much intended to be metaphors, but instead were parts of folklore that spread just as the disease did. The uncertainty of it’s origin certainly led to wild imaginations and a need for storytelling to put the horror into words, however magnificent and impossible these Eastern stories were. With AIDS, just as with the Bubonic Plague, the idea was that this disease originated from somewhere else, it presented itself as both geographically transcending and personally transforming. In this sense both were socially viewed as an invasion of a community and of the bodies of the afflicted.The wording surrounding AIDS and the â€Å"Black Death† made these afflictions seem like a retribution, as well. With the Bubonic Plague, it was the poor that were looked upon as being the most at risk while AIDS had and continues to have it’s own risk groups. Though both diseases proved indiscriminate in it’s victims with the idea of disease as retribution, there must be scapegoats to cognitively connect this reality. Sontag believes that the way AIDS is portrayed â€Å"revives the archaic idea of a tainted community that illness has judged† (683).The scapegoats, however, are also the so-called â€Å"third world† countries of disease origin, such as AIDS. The same type of confusion and calamity surround the explanations of the origin of the disease. If it is not God’s wrath or some other supernatural event, then a more modern version of the â€Å"Black Death† stories can be found in the belief by some that AIDS was manufactured by man. This is truly the hallmark of AIDS as a modern â€Å"plague†, as the idea of the Bubonic Plague being manmade would not have been possible. This points to the collective imagination of those in fear of both disease and technology, a new phenomenon.Many Africans subscribe to the idea, according to Sontag, that AIDS was manufactured in the United States by the CIA proving their suspicion toward technology and the American government. Americans, conversely, look at the spread of AIDS as originating from a primitive place, where the spread of the disease cannot be stopped by American, conventional technology. In either sense, the fear is projected toward the disease from an origin of an already instilled cultural belief. For Americans it is that what is â€Å"foreign† that is dangerous and to Africans what is American and technological is alarming and suspicious.Sontag effectively explains the outcome of the plague metaphor in that no matter where a person resides geographically or what their beliefs may be as to the origin of what is deemed to be a plague, the malady becomes understood socially as inescapable. She does offer, however, the idea that Europeans tended to believe that they held some moral su periority over the origin of disease, condemning other countries for spreading disease, but failing to observe their own role in spreading disease to indigenous peoples during colonization.However, the diseases spread by Europeans were not viewed as plague-like or morally reprehensible. The idea that morality can be traced to disease and it’s afflictions is an interesting social phenomenon that equates â€Å"sick† with â€Å"dirty† or â€Å"immoral† and â€Å"healthy† with â€Å"moral†. â€Å"Health itself was eventually identified with these values, which were religious as well as mercantile, health being evidence or virtue as disease being evidence of depravity† (Sontag, 686).This is evidence of the cultural values of the early twentieth century, according to the author, in the fact that middle class values and religious observation was seen as a deterrent from disease. Those, who led a life of supposed depravity, however where view ed as not only more likely to become ill, but more deserving of their suffering. AIDS has been portrayed in such a moral sense, that homosexuality and it’s immorality to some is the blame for the â€Å"plague† and a deserved consequence.Sadly, the same callousness that was displayed in the abandonment of suffering children still occurs today in the social abandonment and outcasting of AIDS victims. According to Sontag, the disease metaphor is especially beneficial to anti-Liberals and those that which to address issues of supposed moral decay. Therefore, Conservative opportunists have laden the language associated with AIDS to further political aims. In conclusion both the Bubonic Plague and the AIDS epidemic illustrate the ability of communities and cultures to transmit feelings of fear and the value of many social institutions within the context of a disease spread.Religion, politics, and the accusations and scapegoating of disease origin and spread permeate the spec trum of the social scene when such a heavily laden word as â€Å"plague† is perpetuated. With the fast spread of the first â€Å"plague† the idea that the end of the world was near was common. With the slower spread of AIDS in the Western world, however, a fierce anti-foreign, pro-technology, and anti-Liberal stance has been taken. Just as these diseases can devastate, so can the words and the world as it can slip into disorder and darkness.

Electronic Medical Records Software in a Nursing Home Essays

Electronic Medical Records Software in a Nursing Home Essays Electronic Medical Records Software in a Nursing Home Paper Electronic Medical Records Software in a Nursing Home Paper St. John Elderly Homes is a newly established nursing home for the elderly just outside the metro of New Jersey. It was established last 2007 with a capacity of fifty patients. Presently, it houses forty eight elderly, thirty males and eighteen females, with three in-house doctors, a head nurse, five nurses, six caregivers and support utility and administrative staff of five. Because of the number of their patients and continuous lab testing and medications, the head nurse of the St. John, Ms. Lenny Jose, was asked to purchase Electronic Medical Records (EMR) software. St. John Elderly Homes chose to acquire Advance Data Systems (ADS) Corporation’s MedicsDocAssistant EMR. Â  It was chosen against other EMR because of its features applicable and helpful to the elderly homes’ settings and its considerable cost (the package of the technology was not disclosed by Ms. Jose as part of their contract with ADS). According to Mr. Michael Brown, head of the I.T. department and the over-all head on the recent implementation of the software, one of the features of ADS’ EMR is its accessibility to patients. The patients can fill-up the information needed in advance prior to their visit or acceptance to the nursing home. The nurses and caregivers update the information on the EMR every now and then. This helps the doctors and nurses to track the patients’ development and health status. The supplier of the EMR software has an in house technician, working closely with Mr. Brown, updates its version and patches. There will be no more extra charge on the part of St. John every time the technician updates the software. Because St. John was a nursing home and has specific needs and details on their EMR, their in-house physicians usually coordinate with the supplier and their technician on how to improve the software. The consistent and continuous communications between Mr. Brown, St. John’s in-house physician and the vendor’s technician is very productive and efficient that it produces much needed improvements on the EMR. It is the administrative staff of St. John that updates and put entries coming from outside organizations. ADS’ EMR has thousands of templates for easy and fast entry of data. There are already glossaries of thousand of medical terms, medicines and the ability to recognize handwritten notes included in the EMR, which is of a great help for their administrative staff. According to ADS’ website, MedicsDocAssistant have the following key features: the technology to enter handwritten notes in the software; it has ready-made templates for easy commands and faster transactions; and it has different security level for various accesses to the program (Advance Data System Corporation, 2008). Ms Jose and Mr. Brown said in the interview that they are contented on the features and services that ADS’ EMR offers. Over-all, they said that the newly acquired EMR was of great help for them and for their patients. Reference: Advance Data System Corporation. 2008. Accessed last March 29 2009, from adsc.com/. L. Jose, personal interview, March 28, 2008.

Cord vs. Chord

Cord vs. Chord Cord vs. Chord Cord vs. Chord By Maeve Maddox Latin chorda referred to catgut used to make the strings of a musical instrument. Chorda entered French with the spelling corde and the meaning â€Å"string for a musical instrument.† English took the word from French, but eventually dropped the e and spelled it cord. In English, cord came to mean different kinds of string or rope. The earliest illustration in the OED (1305) shows that â€Å"a cord† could be used to bind a person hand and foot; by 1330, cord could refer to the hangman’s rope. In modern usage, cord is string composed of several strands twisted or woven together. By cord, modern speakers usually mean a light rope–the kind used for a clothesline–or a thick string–the sort used to wrap a parcel for mailing. In earlier usage, cord could refer to the ropes of a ship. The OED shows that cord was used as a medical term for a body part that resembles a string, for example, a ligament. The homophones cord and chord are often confused–with good reason. As most of the readers of DWT know by now, some of our oddest spellings were born in the 16th century thanks to helpful grammarians who wanted to â€Å"restore† Latin spellings that weren’t missing. My favorite example is the alteration of the perfectly practical English spelling dette (â€Å"something owed†) to debt, to make it â€Å"accord† with Latin debitum. The 16th century tinkerers decided that the spelling chord should replace cord because that was closer to Latin chorda. For a time, medical writers wrote about â€Å"spermatic chords,† â€Å"spinal chords,† and â€Å"umbilical chords,† but modern medical usage prefers the spelling cord. For a time, the spelling cord was also applied to the musical term that meant â€Å"agreement of musical sounds,† or â€Å"a combination of three or more simultaneous notes according the rules of musical harmony.† The musical term was spelled cord for a very good reason: it was a clipping of the word accord, a verb meaning â€Å"to bring into agreement.† Musical â€Å"cords† were sounds that agreed. As it turns out, having different spellings for each term is quite useful. The current usage is: cord: string chord: agreement of musical sounds Unfortunately, some speakers get mixed up when it comes to the anatomical term â€Å"vocal cords†: Do you want to strengthen your weak vocal chords, so you can become an amazing singer? How to Keep Your Vocal Chords in Good Condition Although used to sing, vocal cords are not spelled â€Å"vocal chords.† I’ve two more factoids to share before leaving the fascinating subject of cord: The smokeless explosive called cordite got its name from its â€Å"curiously string-like appearance.† A quantity of wood is called a cord because it was originally measured with a string. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How Many Tenses in English?Confusing "Passed" with "Past"How Many Sentences in a Paragraph?

Machiavelli vs. Erasmus Essay Essay Example

Machiavelli vs. Erasmus Essay Essay Example Machiavelli vs. Erasmus Essay Paper Machiavelli vs. Erasmus Essay Paper Machiavelli vs. ErasmusI believe that both of these positions. to a certain extent and in certain state of affairss. are still relevant today. With some people. the parts of the population that seek merely to derive in their lives. and non lend to the improvement of society. I would state that the Machiavellian attack would be of better usage. Because he is right. a batch of work forces are thankless. fickle. delusory. avoiders of dangers and tidal bore to derive. With these sorts of people. they will seek to take what they can without respect for who they crush. so the lone manner to maintain them in cheque is their fright of the penalties they might have. We evidently don’t have to worry about them killing person for political grounds like in the times when â€Å"The Prince† was written. but I would state that ictus of belongings is still a penalty used today. That is the first thing people go for when seeking penalty or reparations ; money. ownerships or belongings. I think love of state. non needfully the individual running it is the best manner to acquire devotedness from people. So I disagree that those people who follow out of love are less dependable. Particularly right now. as a member of the armed forces. I can talk for myself a many of my companions that we don’t agree with most. if anything. our current leader says or does. But we follow his orders anyhow. because we love this state. and that is greater than any personal ground for non following our President. If anyone even tried to utilize the fright attack. they would neer even acquire elected. That is why they have propaganda and the occasional commercial stating all the good workss they do. non stating who they punished for non holding with them. So possibly in a state where democracy doesn’t decide the leader. Machiavelli’s attack might be used. but in ours. I would state merely for little parts of the population would it be utile. I think Erasmus’s position would be more recognized in today’s universe. We all know some politicians don’t follow a batch of the things he lists a good swayer should make. I don’t agree with him stating that taking an hurt and losing a small of the â€Å"empire† might be a better pick. Not taking those hurts. and demoing the universe that we are a ace power and won’t take things puting down is the best manner to avoid injury in the long tally. But his positions on what a leader should be. and how he should handle the citizens of his state I wholly agree with. The leader should set the good of the people before his ain public assistance. But I don’t think that war brings all the bad lucks of province. sometimes it is necessary to travel to war with those who would convey those bad lucks. I believe that progressives fall under Erasmus’s class with merely a small of Machiavelli. with conservativists utilizing some of both. Judging from the two positions. I would state that the progressives follow more closely to Erasmus because of his attack to peace. Give a small pride and take a hit. avoid war at all costs. These are attacks that. in my sentiment. the most recent broad presidents we’ve had have used. While the conservativists hit right back and went to war. The war might hold caused many bad lucks since so. but who knows what might hold happened to us if we had done nil? We used the fright of penalty attack. and I think it worked merely all right. So in decision. I think Erasmus’s position is the better attack on how to see and handle the citizens of a state. But there are some times when Machiavelli’s attack is necessary. if non to your citizens. so to those who would mistreat them.

Global Health Issue Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Global Health Issue - Essay Example Since its foundation in 1948, it has developed into the largest healthcare system in the world which is funded through the public money. It is also considered as one of the most efficient and comprehensive healthcare systems in the world. (Gillies, 2003) NHS, with primary responsibility to administer healthcare in the country, however, works through the collaboration of different smaller organizations which contribute towards the overall achievement of healthcare. However, despite controlling most of the country’s healthcare system, there are also private sector providers of healthcare which offers important healthcare delivery services which are separate from NHS and are primarily funded through private contributions or through insurance. This paper will explore and study the healthcare system of England and will attempt to answer the question of how the healthcare is primarily delivered, how it is funded, how the care is delivered to chronically ill patients, patients who are dying and the selection criteria for patients for certain procedures. England has started to revamp its healthcare system since 2013 and new changes are being put in place to further rationalize and improve the healthcare system within the country. With the new changes, the roles have been redefined however, the primary healthcare delivery is still in the hands of National Health Service or NHS as it is called in the country. The overall healthcare services are delivered in England through the hospitals running under the management of NHS. Apart from the hospitals, there are smaller clinics which are located at various places within the country to offer easy and accessible GP services to the patients and mostly cater to the needs of the patients working as Outpatient Clinics. (Department of Health, 2014) Private clinics and certain other prescription services are also in place catering to the various needs of the patients. Such delivery services are offered either through the

Comparative commodity chain Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Comparative commodity chain - Research Paper Example This paper provides a detailed descriptive account of the production of tomatoes as well as the similarities and differences between their production methods. Tomato farming in California is practiced by large farm owners who have perfected the art for many decades. They are grown in the San Joaquin and Sacramento valleys. The fields are planted from late January through early June for continuous harvest (Dhama 115). California, according to the United States Department of Agriculture, accounts for 90% of the United States of Americas production and 23% of the worlds production. Tomato farming requires a warm season because the crop is sensitive to frost thus planting during the winter season is impossible. The optimal soil temperature is 68Â °F (20Â °C) or above. Fruit development and quality are severely reduced when the temperatures fall below 68Â °F during the day and 50Â °F at night. The five most common varieties grown in California are Heinz 9557, AB 2, Halley 3155, Heinz 9780, and Hypeel 303. Furrow irrigation is the most common method used with drip irrigation gaining acceptance. Fertilizer application varies for different types of tomatoes farming. The typical rate of application is 125-250 pounds of nitrogen (N) per acre, 40-120 pounds of P2O5 and 0-200 pounds of k2O per acre. Pest and weed management are also put into consideration. The tomatoes are mechanically harvested and loaded into tandem bulk trailers and transported to processing plants. They are then graded at the inspection station located in production areas. The Processing Tomato Advisory Board (PTAB) administers this statewide program. Defects level, fruit color, soluble solid content and pH are evaluated. After all the inspection they are then certified and transported to various stores around the country. The stores in Tucson along with other stores around the country, receive their fresh produce through refrigerated trucks. The intended users of the product are the household, res taurants, hotels, hospitals and also schools. Most households use tomatoes in their daily lunch and evening meals. It has added nutritional value especially when it's cooked. There are various ways of producing tomatoes. They include conventional, organic and hothouse or greenhouse methods. The two common ones are organic production and conventional method of production. Organic farming is a production system which avoids or largely excludes the use of synthetically compounded pesticide and fertilizers (Bradley 414). Organic fertilizer and soil amendment such as compost and manure are derived from waste outputs generated by other systems. The raw materials for these inputs are assumed to enter the farming systems without any environmental burden. While manure is not further processed before application, compost is produced from organic waste using water and energy as additional inputs. The advantages of using this method are that the tomatoes have high antioxidants, environmentally friendly and the fruits contain iron, potassium and vitamin A. Conventional production of tomatoes entails the use of manufactured synthetic compounds (chemicals) to enhance the growth of the plant. Its advantage is that the chemicals are readily available rather than having to construct a compost. The government through the United States Department of Agriculture has provided guidelines for use when applying/dressing the plants with the approved chemicals. If

Strategy and specific requirements for the Asset Team members Coursework

Strategy and specific requirements for the Asset Team members - Coursework Example Again, the asset manager would ensure that project delivery is undertaken without a compromise to any acts that fall outside the stipulated scope and system definition. Based on all the issues outlined above, the mission statement for the asset team members will to â€Å"to deliver a globally competitive asset management standards that meet the demands of the project at both the asset in-flow and asset out-flow stages.† Task 2: Asset Manager and Asset Management Team Strategy and specific requirements for the Asset Team members The strategy for the asset team members would be doubted as â€Å"independent dynamism†. This strategy is made up of two major aspects, which are the need for asset team members to be independent in their decision making and the need for asset team members to be proactive and dynamic in their decision making. This perspective of strategy is adapted because of the generalized mission to ensure that the service delivery that should come from the as set management of the project would be a globalised one that can rightly compete with global models. To do this easily, the asset team members are each expected to possible a competence requirement of decisiveness, action driven, goal oriented and independent mindedness with an ability to work with minimal instruction. How the Asset Team members will be sourced The search for asset team members will be undertaken on a well rehearsed scale and according to a well coordinated pattern. Such an approach is expected to result in a situation whereby nothing but the best of human resource will be sourced for the project. To this end, there shall be a specialized recruitment and... The search for asset team members will be undertaken on a well rehearsed scale and according to a well coordinated pattern. Such an approach is expected to result in a situation whereby nothing but the best of human resource will be sourced for the project. To this end, there shall be a specialized recruitment and selection procedure that will take place on a peripheral level. What this means is that invitation for application for recruitment shall be extended to all potential members from within and without the company. This would ensure that as many talents as possible are sampled and that as much competition as possible exist among the applicants. Job specifications and requirements shall be spelt out and critically examined for each applicant. A team consultants and technocrats in the field of asset management would then undertake the final selection based on a teamed interview section for each of the applicants. What this means in the long run is that each person who becomes a m ember of the team would have to justify his or her inclusion in the team.

Lab report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Lab Report Example Other human activities like clearing of land, deforestation, and desertification that abet temperature rise due to reduction in carbon dioxide sinks. Many scientists and environmental agencies have been actively informing the public and publishing scientific articles about the global warming and its adverse effects. They have strongly recommended governments and individual citizens to be actively involved in the mitigation and preparation for the effects of global warming. On the other hand, a group of people have also been actively rebutting the claims that global warming is here. This is called the â€Å"global warming debate.† What then are scientific evidences on which the claims â€Å"for† and â€Å"against† global warming are based? THE CASE FOR GLOBAL WARMING The increase in the earth’s surface temperature is blamed on human activities. From 1908 to 2008, the temperature of the earth’s surface has increased within the range of 1.2-1.4 ° C; the warmest years since 1850 occurred after 1998 (US Environmental Protection Agency). Greenhouse gases are naturally found on the earth’s atmosphere but their levels have significantly increased by 25% since massive industrialization which began more than 100 years ago (Energy Information Agency). Burning of fossil fuels by the energy and transportation sector accounted for 75% of greenhouse gas emissions, notably carbon dioxide. More intensive agriculture to feed increased population has increased methane and nitrous oxides concentration further. As a nation’s economy flourishes, so does its need for energy (US Environmental Protection Agency). Land surface temperatures are increasing faster than sea surface temperatures, while average temperatures are increasing faster with time (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change). Data show that the warmest years in the last century are: 1998, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2000, 2001, 1990, 1997, 1995 and 1999. Temperature increa se by 3 - 5 °F increases the risk of extinction of one-third of plant and animal species (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change). The rate in global sea level rise was ten times higher than the last 3000 years. This sea level rise is proportional to the temperature increase (Rahmstorf, 2006). Changes in climatic conditions due to global warming are well-documented and are projected to increase. These include precipitation (Wentz, Ricciardulli and Mears), further sea level rise (Meehl, Washington and collins), and thawing of ice sheets in Greenland and the Antarctic (Alley, Clark and Huybrechts). The widespread retreat and melting of glaciers (as shown in the CBS video) are attributed to global warming. In just forty-two years (1961-2003), the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets have rapidly melted. The impacts of climate change are now being felt (summarized in Nurse). In the arctic and sub-arctic regions, imaging technologies show that glacial lakes have increased in number an d size. Warming of water bodies increase the runoff and earlier discharge of snow-fed rivers, and changed the water quality. Seasons have also shifted; notably spring events are earlier (i.e. bird migration). In agriculture and forestry, crop yields are affected due to higher night temperatures (Peng, Huang and Sheehy). Pests’ infestation is also expected to rise with increased temperatures reinforcing the need for more detailed monitoring (Logan, Regniere and Powell). Further evidences that global warming is here

Bullying In The Work Place Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Bullying In The Work Place - Essay Example It is often extremely hard to prove to bully as a form of criminal activity. Many perpetrators of bullying behavior often go unpunished because there lacks enough evidence to prove that their behavior causes harm. Nonetheless, the best way to deal with bullying in the workplace is to be informed on how to protect oneself from any acts of abusive conduct perpetrated either from a co-worker or the manager. Maintaining substantial personal boundaries with your seniors and bullying co-workers is perhaps the best way to self-protection. When one is being bullied especially by a co-worker, the best way is to stop them from their actions and explain how one feels about their harassing behavior. This action, as he reiterates, invokes in them the consciousness of their behavior prompting a change from their actions. Keeping calm is another way of dealing with a bully. This helps in preventing a confrontation if one were to react towards the bullying behavior. Keeping calm helps someone from g etting upset, thereby avoiding a collision that would otherwise project the whole situation.There are numerous consequences of bullying to the employee affected. There have been cases of reported health problems to persons exposed to this misconduct. These include psychological and physical harm and injuries. Targets of bullying have cited health implications on their part that include psychological and physical concerns. Bullied workers have demonstrated signs of acute stress which affects their overall performance in the workplace.

Lab report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Lab Report Example Other human activities like clearing of land, deforestation, and desertification that abet temperature rise due to reduction in carbon dioxide sinks. Many scientists and environmental agencies have been actively informing the public and publishing scientific articles about the global warming and its adverse effects. They have strongly recommended governments and individual citizens to be actively involved in the mitigation and preparation for the effects of global warming. On the other hand, a group of people have also been actively rebutting the claims that global warming is here. This is called the â€Å"global warming debate.† What then are scientific evidences on which the claims â€Å"for† and â€Å"against† global warming are based? THE CASE FOR GLOBAL WARMING The increase in the earth’s surface temperature is blamed on human activities. From 1908 to 2008, the temperature of the earth’s surface has increased within the range of 1.2-1.4 ° C; the warmest years since 1850 occurred after 1998 (US Environmental Protection Agency). Greenhouse gases are naturally found on the earth’s atmosphere but their levels have significantly increased by 25% since massive industrialization which began more than 100 years ago (Energy Information Agency). Burning of fossil fuels by the energy and transportation sector accounted for 75% of greenhouse gas emissions, notably carbon dioxide. More intensive agriculture to feed increased population has increased methane and nitrous oxides concentration further. As a nation’s economy flourishes, so does its need for energy (US Environmental Protection Agency). Land surface temperatures are increasing faster than sea surface temperatures, while average temperatures are increasing faster with time (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change). Data show that the warmest years in the last century are: 1998, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2000, 2001, 1990, 1997, 1995 and 1999. Temperature increa se by 3 - 5 °F increases the risk of extinction of one-third of plant and animal species (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change). The rate in global sea level rise was ten times higher than the last 3000 years. This sea level rise is proportional to the temperature increase (Rahmstorf, 2006). Changes in climatic conditions due to global warming are well-documented and are projected to increase. These include precipitation (Wentz, Ricciardulli and Mears), further sea level rise (Meehl, Washington and collins), and thawing of ice sheets in Greenland and the Antarctic (Alley, Clark and Huybrechts). The widespread retreat and melting of glaciers (as shown in the CBS video) are attributed to global warming. In just forty-two years (1961-2003), the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets have rapidly melted. The impacts of climate change are now being felt (summarized in Nurse). In the arctic and sub-arctic regions, imaging technologies show that glacial lakes have increased in number an d size. Warming of water bodies increase the runoff and earlier discharge of snow-fed rivers, and changed the water quality. Seasons have also shifted; notably spring events are earlier (i.e. bird migration). In agriculture and forestry, crop yields are affected due to higher night temperatures (Peng, Huang and Sheehy). Pests’ infestation is also expected to rise with increased temperatures reinforcing the need for more detailed monitoring (Logan, Regniere and Powell). Further evidences that global warming is here

Importance of Colonial Newspapers during Revolutionary War Research Paper

Importance of Colonial Newspapers during Revolutionary War - Research Paper Example John Adams, the US president during late 17th century stated that mechanism such as newspaper and pamphlets drove the willingness of Americans to revolutionize and brought together the perception of people, which eventually made America an independent nation. Colonists used the newspapers as an effective tool of communication during the 17th century in order to ensure that printed and handwritten materials were exchanged among thirteen colonies. This in turn played a huge role in creating unity among the colonies, which thereby led to its national independence. In fact, the communication tool was so effective that numerous towns and cities in the US used printed materials and newspapers to declare its nation’s independence. It will be worth mentioning that, revolution in the US would not have transpired in the 17th century if newspapers, mail and other communication were not introduced by people in the US. This is because these tools were effective for colonists in exchanging views among people in various colonies that instigated mutual cooperation and understanding. Therefore, colonists through the use of newspapers increased the extent of conversation amid colonies that led to its unification1. During the colonial American period, it was a mandate for newspaper printers to be authors so that they could indulge into printing activities. Benjamin Franklin started writing articles under James Franklin’s newspaper publishing company ‘The New England Courant’. Benjamin Franklin wrote letters during night time as an imaginary widow known as ‘Silence Dogood’2 to hide his identity from his brother. In the year 1729, Benjamin Franklin purchased the ‘Pennsylvania Gazette’ and started publishing newspapers on his own. Subsequently, Franklin’s newspaper became highly successful in various colonies, which played a huge role in initiating revolution in America. Franklin was a writer as

It strategy vs business strategy Essay Example for Free

It strategy vs business strategy Essay In most organizations IT expenditure is considered as one of the larger if not the largest contributor to capital investment and expenditure. Technology has a significant effect on the business landscape of most organizations and the market place they operate in. The goal of IT as such should be directed toward the alignment of IT strategy with an organizations overall business strategy (Mulcay, 2001). It is argued though that the inability to successfully derive value from IT investment is, for the most part due to a lack of alignment between IT and business strategies. Johnson and Scholes cited by Riley (2012) define strategy as follows Strategy is the direction and scope of an organization over the long-term: which achieves advantage for the organization through its configuration of resources within a challenging environment, to meet the needs of markets and to fulfill stakeholder expectations. In unpacking the definition, simply the business strategy that the business has decided to follow needs accurate configuration of resource human resource, technology resource, financial resource etc., so as to gain competitive advantage, meet objectives and stakeholder expectation. Henderson Venkatraman (1999) argue that there is no IT application or system, regardless of how cutting edge or sophisticated it maybe, that will build and sustain a competitive advantage for an organization for a sustained period of time. Organizations, in order to sustain competitive advantage should continuously endeavor to exploit its IT functionality and resource to maintain an advantage. In my opinion this is achieved by out of the box, evolutionary thinking by both business and IT leaders. Furthermore, both business and IT leaders need to understand fully the role that IT can support and re-shape business strategy decisions and improve IT effectiveness and ultimately improve business performance. SHOULD A COMPANYS IT STRATEGY FOLLOW ITS BUSINESS STRATEGY OR SHOULD IT LEAD ITS BUSINESS STRATEGY? WHY In my opinion IT is vary rarely the core business unless of course we mention Microsoft or Google and the like where technology is the primary focus area  but it must noted that the actual business process for each is different and intellectual property is what is regarded most valuable. Hence, I agree with (Abate 2009, Henderson Venkatraman 1999, Skriletz 2013) and many other researchers and commentators, that ITs role should be regarded as the enabler or driver of the business strategy. ITs strategy, investment; architecture even projects all need be dictated by overall business strategy, but should be part of process that helps the formation of the overall strategy. IT leaders need to possess the knowledge of new enabling technologies and how these technologies can be integrated into the business. Very often the business strategy is formed and developed in isolation and IT is seen as a support function only, rather than as function that can contribute to forming the strategy itself. IT leaders need to be part of the process that delivers the direction the business chooses to follow. Luftman Brier (1999) echo this sentiment in that just as HR and marketing are important parts of strategy so to should IT. Venkatraman and Henderson (2000) assert that business strategists cannot be seen to take the leading role whilst the IT strategist is seen as a support role. It is imperative both take the lead in designing the business platform. Business and IT strategists working together to shape new business; IT is not subordinate to business strategy but an extricate part of it. FACTORS TO CONSIDER Technology is seen as one of key elements that drive change and transformation. Intelligent use of technology can deliver a competitive advantage, streamline processes create cost efficiencies and optimization for most organizations and as organizations strive for these competitive advantages and efficiencies it would really not be prudent to exclude the technology people from the process of strategy development as those organizations that do include them, will certainly claim the competitive edge and advantage. Regardless of what industry youre in, its hard to think about a business  that couldnt exploit IT for competitive advantage if they chose to, says Barbara Gomolski, an analyst at Gartner cited in an article by Moore (2011). The industries that have seen growth by aligning IT and business strategy and have used it as a driver and an enabler include the airline industry that has leveraged IT and now allows customers to book directly with carriers rather than involving third party agents. The banking industry has really embraced technology with the likes of online banking and transactions, which show true alignment and involvement of IT in business strategy and goal setting. Technology drives their growth. The sentiment shared and one that I agree with is that by including IT in the formulation of business strategy will certainly assist the organization in achieving its goals. The exploitation of technology as a means is key and if you dont necessarily feel that, then I guarantee IT is treated as being outside of the core business strategy and as a result the organization is not deriving value from one of its most if not the most valuable resources. References Venkatraman N Henderson JC. 2000: Business platforms for the 21st Century, in Mastering Information Management, edited by DA Marchand, TH Davenport T Dickson. Great Britain: Prentice Hall: 283-289 Mulcay K. 2001: The IT Dilemma. World Trade, 14(4): 48-48. Henderson JC Venkatraman N. 1999: Strategic Alignment: Leveraging information technology for transforming organisations. IBM Systems Journal, 38(23): 472-484. Luftman J Brier T. 1999: Achieving and Sustaining Business-IT alignment. California Management Review, 42(1): 109-122. Abate R, (2008) IT should be an enabler to business [Available online at] http://www.information-managem e nt.com/blogs/IT_business-10015571-1.html (Accessed 18 June 2014) Skriletz R (2013) How to make IT a business enabler [Available online at] http://www.b-eye-network.com/view/16788 (Accessed 18 June 2014) Moore J (2011) Make It part of your Business Strategy [Available online at ] http://www.cnbc.com/id/44818677 (Accessed 18 June 2014) Riley J, (2012) What is strategy [Available online at] http://tutor2u.net/business/strategy/what_is_strategy.htm (Accessed 18 June 2014)

Why is investment appraisal process so important

Why is investment appraisal process so important Investment decisions are of critical importance to all companies, since they determine both their potential to succeed and their ultimate cost structure. Investments usually implicate high initial cash outflows and thus tie up substantial funds. Sound investment decisions are crucial, therefore. Yet, according to a highly complex and fastly changing business environment they remain a challenging management task. A capital investment appraisal is used to make sure value for money with regard to developing an estate strategy and capital project. It is not an indication of loss or profit for the company as a whole but rather a comparision of costs with regard to those areas of the estate where there is an opportunity or a demand for change. (Baum T., Mudambi R., 1999). Capital investment decisions are the important criteria to be used by an organization in order to apply its corporate strategy. Because of this, it has to include strategical decisions, marketing decisions and human recources implications that are an overall business review. These decisions include; expansion, cost reduction, market development, acquisitions and disposals, lease or buy. It is possible to evaluate the validity of the opportunities for an investment appraisal by comparing the expected benefits with the anticipated costs as its purpose. ( Kind J, 1999 p.122) (b) What is the payback period of each project? If AP Ltd imposes a 3 year maximum payback period which of these projects should be accepted? Payback for Project A Years Net cash flow Cumulative net cash flow  £000  £000 0 (110) (110) 1 20 20 2 30 50 3 40 90 4 50 140 5 70 210 Total 3+=3.4 years Payback for Project B Years Net cash flow  £000 0 (110) 1 40 2 40 3 40 4 40 5 40 Total = 2.7 years c) What are the criticisms of the payback period? Payback is a type of measurement that indicate the necessary period of time required for the recovery of the initial investment. There is a necessity of clarification that the payback can not be used as an only decision criterion because it does not include any profits or cash flows occurring after the payback period. Second, payback gives equal weight to all cashflows before the cutoff period, despite the fact that the more distant cashflows arc less valuable.( Mott, 2005, p 217.) It is a compulsory for a company to determine a proper end time for the investment in order to use payback method. Too many short-lived projects will be chosen by the company rather than long term ones in case of using the same date without taking into account the project life. Also it can be considered as an effective auxiliary investment appraisal tool since some possible risks that may arise from an investment project can be indicated by payback. As paralel to this, it might be thought as an important factor for the consideration of the economic life of a project as a consecuence of a sensitivity analysis. (Gà ¶tze U, 2008, p.46) Although it has weaknesses, payback will be used as one of the main decision making tecniques because the simplicity is the keynote of this investment appraisal method. And also it has short term perspective that leads decision making. In case of consideration of more complex projects,we should use advanced analysis like Net Present Value method and think carrefully what might be at risk. ( Dyson, 2007, p.422) (d) Determine the NPV for each of these projects? Should they be accepted explain why? NPV for Project A Years Net cash flow Discount factor Present value  £000 12%  £000 1 20 0.893 17.86 2 30 0.797 23.91 3 40 0.712 28.98 4 50 0.636 31.8 5 70 0.567 39.69 _______ Total present value 141.74 Less: Initial cost 110 Net present value 31.74 NPV for Project B Years Net cash flow Discount factor Present value  £000 12%  £000 1 40 0.893 35.72 2 40 0.797 31.88 3 40 0.712 28.48 4 40 0.636 25.44 5 40 0.567 22.68 _______ Total present value 144.2 Less: Initial cost 110 Net present value 34.2 Both projects should be accepted, since both Net Present Values are positive according to ACCEPT-REJECT decision making techniques. If we use RANKING decision making techniques; Project [emailprotected] 12% Discount Rate  £000 B 34.20 A 31.740 As it can be seen from the rankings Project B is more preferable with a higher NPV. (e) Describe the logic behind the NPV approach. NET PRESENT VALUE METHOD One of the most widely known and used technique of financial analysis is Net Present Value method. It is a comparision of the value of money now and that of the future. A pound today is precious more than a pound in the future, because the buying power of the future money is eroded by the effect of inflation. Importance of Time Value of Money in Financial Management; The time value of money is the fundamental for financial management because it is the aid of determining present value in todays paund of the future net cash flow of a project. Therefore you can obtain a comparision of that sum of money with necessary amount of money to carry out the project. Any of financial decisions must not be taken in case of the equality of inflows and outflows because of uncertain future conditions. In order to purchase assets the inflow must be above the outflow. If the purpose is to raise the funds then outflow must be kept more than the inflow. And it is required that the inflow and outflow can be matched. In order to make effective financial decision, the flows expected in the future must be adjusted on the purpose of being compared with the current ones.( Ramagopal, 2008, p.221) The procedure of Net Present Value Calculation; Net present value method can be used to examine the profitability of all investment projects. If the net present value > 0 The project is feasible If the net present value < 0 The project is not feasible If the NPV is greater than the cost, the project will be gainful for the company. In the case of having more than one project, you should calculate Net present value of all, and the superior one that has the most difference between Net present value and cost must be chosen. Project that its net present value is bigger than zero, are considered to raise the value of the company. (Mott, 2005, p216) The advantages of this method; It puts forward the value of 1 pound of today is more than that of 1 pound in the future. Because the return of todays investment will be received earlier than any of the future investments. The estimated cash flows and the opportunity cost of capital are examined by this method. In order to calculate the net present value for the whole project, the current values of the cash inflows and outflows could be added since present values are todays value. ( Kind J, 1999 p.127) The weakness of the model is that cash flows are accepted to be seen on the last day of the year depending on discounting once a year. On the other hand the assumption of the constant cost of capital during the whole life time of the project can be considered as the another weakness of the method. (Proctor, 2009, p.192) (f) What would happen to the NPV if: (1) The cost of capital increased? If the cost of capital increases, discount rates decrease, which means that present values of cashflows also decrease. As a result, NPV will also decrease, because there will be a decrease in the sum of total present values of cash flow (2) The cost of capital decreased? Decreasing the cost of capital will increase discounting rates, which means an increase in total present value of cashflows. Depending on this increase, NPV which includes the sum of total present values of cashflows will inevitanly increase. (g) Determine the IRR for each project. Should they be accepted? The net present value is most popularly alternated with internal rate of return (IRR). IRR is defined as the discount rate or cost of capital at point where the benefits are balanced with its costs, the net present value is equal to zero and so, can be considered as break even rate. It can be used as measure of capital efficiency. Advantages of IRR Liquidity is considered in this method. It emphasize timing of net cash flow. The exact % return on investment is given NPV FOR PROJECT A: Years Net cash flow Discount factors Present value  £000 17% 22% 17% 22%  £000  £000 1 20 0.855 0.82 17.1 16.4 2 30 0.731 0.672 21.93 20.16 3 40 0.624 0.55 24.96 22 4 50 0.534 0.451 26.7 22.55 5 70 0.456 0.37 31.92 25.9 _______ ______ Total present value 122.61 107.01 Less: Initial cost 110 110 Net present value 12.61 (2.99) IRR= positive rate + -range of rates= = 17%+-5% =21.04% At 21.01% discount rate the NPV is equal to zero. NPV FOR PROJECT B: Years Net cash flow Discount factors Present value  £000 22% 27% 22% 27%  £000  £000 1 40 0.82 0.787 2.863 2.581 2 40 0.672 0.620 3 40 0.55 0.488 4 40 0.451 0.384 5 40 0.37 0.302 _______ ______ Total present value Less: Initial cost 110 110 Net present value 4.52 (6.76) IRR= positive rate + -range of rates= 22%+-5% =24% Since both projects IRR are bigger then cost of capital; both of them can be accepted. (h) How does a change in the cost of capital affect the projects IRR? The IRR value of the project is not affected by a change in the cost of capital. The point that must be taken into account here is that IRR value must not be below cost of capital for the safety of the investment. (i) Why is the NPV method often regarded to be superior to the IRR method? The NPV calculation will usually always provide a more accurate indication of whether or not a project should be undertaken or not.However, since IRR is a percentage, and NPV is shown in money, it is more appealing for a manager to show someone a particular rate of return, as opposed to money amounts.

Essay --

Nowadays, the amount of people who want and able to be a teacher has been lesser and lesser from time to time. It is because teaching is a very hard and stressful job and it has been considered as the one of the top five hard jobs in the world (Lewis 2014). Work stress is the stress occurred at work, is the ‘natural’ limit of human endurance and ability to recover, is the product of the unsustainable pressures and requires placed on the worker by late capitalism (Wainwright & Calnan 2002). The occupational stress is associated with reduced productivity, impaired employee, worker turnover, well-being and absenteeism (McCormick 1995). The signs of stress of a teacher can be in physical, psychological and behavioral form (Wainwright & Calnan 2002). For example, the symptoms are block out new information, involve themselves only superficially, display in appropriate humor and some more else. These signs of stress may cause by the work conditions, workload, job insecurity and relationships at work (Edworthy 2000). There are three simple methods for teachers to handle their stress, such as having a good time management, a healthy lifestyle, and right attitude. Teachers contribute most of their time in teaching, so it is important for teachers to deal with their time smartly (Dean 2013). Teachers will feel stress in their teaching if they are not able to arrange their time well. It is because teachers need to spend most of their time to focus and prepare for their lessons. For example, teachers need to cover the chapters for the next day lessons, and prepare the studies materials at night. Without preparations and knowledge for the next day lesson, teachers may nervous and do not know how to answer the questions asked by students. Moreov... ...as naughty students, lazy students, smart students and some more else. Those students who have bad attitudes may make teachers angry and scold them. So, in this kind of situation, teachers can try to give a chance more to those students and forgive their bad behavior towards teachers. This action may build the trust again between teachers and students, and teachers can have lesser stress from this forgiveness situation compared to the scolding situation. As a conclusion, teachers should learn some tips for helping themselves to cope with their stress at work, and should not bring the stress back home, and share together with their families. They should have the happy moments with their families after their working time. Teachers may also share their happiness with their students in classes. Lastly, teachers are mighty and their contributions should be appreciated. Essay -- Nowadays, the amount of people who want and able to be a teacher has been lesser and lesser from time to time. It is because teaching is a very hard and stressful job and it has been considered as the one of the top five hard jobs in the world (Lewis 2014). Work stress is the stress occurred at work, is the ‘natural’ limit of human endurance and ability to recover, is the product of the unsustainable pressures and requires placed on the worker by late capitalism (Wainwright & Calnan 2002). The occupational stress is associated with reduced productivity, impaired employee, worker turnover, well-being and absenteeism (McCormick 1995). The signs of stress of a teacher can be in physical, psychological and behavioral form (Wainwright & Calnan 2002). For example, the symptoms are block out new information, involve themselves only superficially, display in appropriate humor and some more else. These signs of stress may cause by the work conditions, workload, job insecurity and relationships at work (Edworthy 2000). There are three simple methods for teachers to handle their stress, such as having a good time management, a healthy lifestyle, and right attitude. Teachers contribute most of their time in teaching, so it is important for teachers to deal with their time smartly (Dean 2013). Teachers will feel stress in their teaching if they are not able to arrange their time well. It is because teachers need to spend most of their time to focus and prepare for their lessons. For example, teachers need to cover the chapters for the next day lessons, and prepare the studies materials at night. Without preparations and knowledge for the next day lesson, teachers may nervous and do not know how to answer the questions asked by students. Moreov... ...as naughty students, lazy students, smart students and some more else. Those students who have bad attitudes may make teachers angry and scold them. So, in this kind of situation, teachers can try to give a chance more to those students and forgive their bad behavior towards teachers. This action may build the trust again between teachers and students, and teachers can have lesser stress from this forgiveness situation compared to the scolding situation. As a conclusion, teachers should learn some tips for helping themselves to cope with their stress at work, and should not bring the stress back home, and share together with their families. They should have the happy moments with their families after their working time. Teachers may also share their happiness with their students in classes. Lastly, teachers are mighty and their contributions should be appreciated.

Utopia - The Impossibility of Perfection Essay -- Utopia Essays Utopia

Utopia - The Impossibility of Perfection "The latter end of [this] commonwealth forgets the beginning." ?William Shakespeare, The Tempest From Plato's The Republic to Karl Marx's Communist Manifesto, the search for a perfect social state has never stopped; its ultimate goal of achieving a human society that exists in absolute harmony with all due social justice, however, has proved to be woefully elusive. The pure concept of a utopia can be theoretically visualized as a perfect geometric circle: one that is seamless, all-inclusive, yet impossible to draw out in reality. In 1516, Sir Thomas More depicted in his famed Utopia what he envisioned to be an ideal state?one that frees its citizens from material worries by mandating economical equality amongst them and dividing social responsibilities impartially. More's work, however brilliant, cannot conceal the serious fallibilities and troublesome limitations of the utopian thoughts; and being the ambivalent creator that he was, More consciously emphasized the paradoxical nature of his ideal society. A century later, in his last work The Tempest, the great playwright William Shakespeare presented his audience with a mystical Commonwealth that is a reflection of the Golden Age from the classical literature. This fantasy, wrapped in the larger still whimsy that is The Tempest, will have the human race return to the purest state of nature. The Tempest, on the other hand, can be interpreted as a critique of the Utopian state. If the apparent paradise can only be sustained by magic and the deconstruction of h uman civilization, Shakespeare seems to imply, then utopia is altogether unachievable and impracticable. There is little doubt that Sir Thomas More's Utopia is a work of ... ...aults. The utopian philosophy falters because it refuses to address the darker side of the fundamentals of human nature?the foremost of which is greed and malice. It needs to be remembered that human evils breed oppressive systems, not vice versa. By revolutionizing the societal system into a form that is supposedly just, one does not redeem nor remedy the intrinsic moral defects of its citizens. The Utopian philosophy remains, after all the pursuits, a hollow icon on the altar of aspiration. Works Cited More, Thomas. Utopia. Robert M. Adams. New York: W. W. Norton, 1992. Nietzsche, Fredrich. "Morals as Fossilized Violence." The Prince. Robert M. Adams. New York: W. W. Norton, 1992. Ovid. "The Golden Age." Utopia. Robert M. Adams. New York: W. W. Norton, 1992. Shakespeare, William. The Tempest. Stanley Wells. New York: Oxford University Press, 1987.

Engaging Students In Learning Process Essay

Abstract Technology plays a great role in education. Students get motivated when technology based education is given in the classroom. WebQuests involve inquiry-based learning in which students are encouraged to learn in group. The present paper provides information about the use of WebQuest as an educational technology. Various aspects of WebQuests are covered in this paper such as definition of WebQuest, components, use of WebQuest as a constructivist tool, implementation of WebQuest and advantages and disadvantages of WebQuests. Recommendations are given at the end of the paper. The author also provides a self-made WebQuest for year 9-10 students attached to this paper. Engaging Students in Learning Processing Using WebQuests Introduction Technology has been used as a teaching tool in schools since many years. It is very important to know the ways through which the technology can be employed to bring new opportunities to students to enhance their learning abilities. Technology offers numerous benefits to students. Technology offers tools that can be used to enhance the learning ability of a student. Thinking skills can also be enhanced with the use of technology in education. Students receive a variety of learning activities are authentic too. Students are encouraged for the regulation of their learning process depending on their abilities (Cho & Jonassen 2002). Despite numerous benefits, technology possesses some challenges too. Students usually do not wait to take proper guidelines from the instructor and they start using technology in their classrooms immediately. Thus they have to face a large number of difficulties too. It is believed that the traditional way to assess the performance of students need to be shifted from paper and pencil to technology based methods because a large number of students in schools and colleges are now using technology such as word processors and spreadsheets in doing their work. Thus the traditional method seems to be failed as this method can not explain and assess what the students have learned from technical way. The paper and pencil mode of assessment is left behind (Almeida, Vesu, and Ponte, 2003). Another study explained that technology based education is quite promising because it can help foster the creation of communities and the learners become able to perform several tasks such as: learners get more open opportunities to enhance the communication process in the classroom; discussions among students and between students and teachers may be encouraged; and the authority is shared among students and teacher because the classroom is now more rich in resources (Brooks & Brooks, 1999).   This paper provides information about the use of WebQuest as an educational technology used in the classroom. WebQuest Definition WebQuest can be defined as a tool that is effective for learning in an online inquiry-oriented environment. This can be explained as: in this type of learning, students are encouraged for the evaluation and exploration of required information with the help of World Wide Web in their classrooms (Chandler 2003). According to Tom March, Circa (2003): â€Å"A WebQuest is a scaffolded learning structure that uses links to essential resources on the World Wide Web and an authentic task to motivate students’ investigation of a central, open-ended question, development of individual expertise and participation in a final group process that attempts to transform newly acquired information into a more sophisticated understanding. The best WebQuests do this in a way that inspires students to see richer thematic relationships, facilitate a contribution to the real world of learning and reflect on their own meta-cognitive processes (p.1).† WebQuests are of varying lengths. Sometimes they are short enough to cover just in one class period and sometimes they require a month for completion. Group work is usually encouraged in WebQuests as each member of the work group is assign specific tasks to perform. The teacher is responsible for the selection of the specific resources prior the WebQuest use in the classroom. Thus, students are given the time to use the information and they need not to spend any time to look for the specific material (Dodge 1997). Source: (Tom March, 2007). Components and Types of WebQuests   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are six important components of WebQuest. They are named as:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Introduction:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In this section, background information is provided to the learners. Students are given specific tasks and roles to motivate them. For example: â€Å"You are a geologist looking for volcanoes. Students are provided with the overview in the beginning that tells them about their goals they have to achieved in their learning process.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Introduction is presented to the students in such a way that they desire to perform that activity along with fun. Students are assigned the projects that are relevant to their previous experiences, students, future plans or ideas. When students receive projects of their interests, they get involved easily in them. Thus it is the main purpose of the introduction section of each WebQuest to motivate each student by exciting and engaging them. When the WebQuest is based on a longer period such as over a month then the introduction is given daily to the students to refresh their memory and to let them find the most appropriate material for their project. In long-term WebQuest, real world components such as print media and guest lectures are given to the students along their online investigation. The addition of real world components is very important for long-term WebQuests because if students are allowed to rely only on the online investigations then they may consider the meanings of the lesson as something unreal. Thus, in a long-term WebQuest projects, introduction is given daily to the students to keep them up-to-date with all the information and necessary material for they motivation (Dodge 2001).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Task Task is the second component of a WebQuest. The purpose of this component is to inform the students about the lessons to be learned till the end of the project.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Initially, the teachers have to look for the specific information that is required in a specific project. Then they design the activity that requires the information gathered from online resources. Students are given the task that is to be performed by searching the information online. The task is designed in a way to make it doable, means that each task must has to be accomplished.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The most difficult part in the creation of a WebQuest project is the development of the main research question. This part is quite creative and needs a certain amount of time to search whether the question can be answered. Students can be asked to do a variety of tasks such as they may need to circulate the information they gathered on the website, they may be asked to work in collaboration with other online institution to perform specific research for the completion of a project and they may be asked to explain their research by using multimedia. The students are encouraged to complete their task in an interesting, appealing, visual and important manner.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Students should be given an example of a completed project. This given an idea to them how their project will look like after the completion. They become able to see the complete picture of the project in the beginning. They also come to know how they should perform to accomplish their task. It is great to show the students work of previous students. Teachers may also find the similar projects online done previously by other students as an example to show to their students. A large number of sample projects available for the students motivate them by showing them the efforts and achievements of other students. Students keep in mind the necessary steps they have to take to perform a specific task efficiently.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The teacher can use any successful project several times in different semesters and different classes. The project specifications can be modified each time. Students can be motivated by showing them the same project and challenge them to show a better project than the previous one (Jonassen & Rohrer-Murphy 1999).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Process   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Process is the third component of a WebQuest. In this component, the students are informed about all the steps that the students need to take for the completion of a project. Each step is surrounded by a number of links. It is advised for projects of longer duration that the teacher or one or two students demonstrate each step. Demonstration helps the students learn each step in a better manner and they become able to understand the written directions more easily (Kennedy 2004).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Resources   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This is the fourth component of a WebQuest. In this component, a list of all the necessary resources that involve printed material and online resources are given to the students for the accomplishment of a specific task.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A separate section was allocated in the old WebQuests for the resources but now in the recent WebQuests, the resources are attached with the instructions in the Process section. The students can access those resources when they are to perform that step. Though online resource are very important but it is also a fact that non-Web resources are not less important. Resources should be of variety and thus the quality of WebQuests can be enhanced by the use of online and non-Web resources. Non-Web resources can be of different types such as models, audio cassettes, field trips, maps, sculptures, books etc. to motivate the students (Lara 2003).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Evaluation   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Evaluation is the fifth component of a WebQuest. Three types of student examples can be pointed out when the introduction of a WebQuest is presented. The three examples of students include exemplary, acceptable and unacceptable. During the introduction, students are clearly shown what is meant by an excellent work. They are given examples of exemplary and acceptable work thus clearing the vision of the students and to motivate them to work hard to achieve the excellence. Examples of unacceptable work are given to students to show them what type of work cannot be accepted and thus enabling the students to know about the minimum standards required to accomplish a task (Lipscomb 2003).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This is the last component of a WebQuest. In this component, the students are asked to present their reflections about their work and the teachers are required to sum up the project. Students are given time to discuss their project thus following the constructivist approach that though learning is achieved by doing but learning can be enhanced by discussion of what has been done. Teachers usually encourage their students during the conclusion section to explain if they come up with more better ways to perform the same project (March 2000). WebQuest as a Constructivist Tool   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The constructivism theory explains how learning is achieved by performing a study that involves scientific method and observation. According to the constructivist theory, people learn and understand different aspects of world by their own experiences and by showing their reflections on their experiences. When people find something new, they usually try to bring the new information with their previous experiences. Sometimes, they find the new thing more informative and thus discard the older one and sometimes they find the new information totally irrelevant and thus rely on their previous experiences. In each of the cases, people have to find out by themselves which one is correct and to find that they ask different questions, explore the resources and then come to a conclusion (Milson 2002).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When constructivist approach is applied in the classroom, different types of teaching ways are explained that can enhance the learning process. The most common of the teaching way is to motivate the students to utilize effective techniques such as real-world examples to gather the information, then to reflect what they have come up with and then conclude what they have done. Students explain how the new idea has changed their previous understanding. It is very important for a teacher to be aware of the previous understandings of the students. Then the teacher guides the students to perform the activity that is based on their previous conceptions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When teachers utilize constructivist approach, they always motivate their students to find out the role of the new activity in their learning process. Students usually get the position of expert learners in a constructivist classroom because they are to ask questions themselves. This type of learning broadens their learning process and they come to know how they have to learn (Molebash & Dodge 2003).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When students are constantly encouraged to reflect on their experiences then they seem to gain power. Strong abilities seem to build up in the students that motivate them for the integration of any new idea or information. Thus it can be said that the one of the most important role of teacher in the constructivist classroom is to motivate the students to experience by themselves and then learn from those experiences by reflecting on them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Conservative and traditional teachers usually criticize that the role of the teacher is dismissed in the learning. But constructivism encourages teachers to play their role more efficiently and their knowledge is highly valued. In constructivist approach, the teachers are required to motivate the students for the construction of the knowledge by themselves instead of finding out the facts that have been previously observed and noted. In a constructivist classroom, the students are encouraged to use problem solving skills and they are involved in inquiry-based learning.   These activities make the students able enough to test their ideas, reflect on their experience and present the conclusions. A constructivist classroom transforms students from passive recipients that receive information just by sitting in the classroom and listening to their teachers to active participants that not only listen to their teacher but they also get involved in searching information by using interesting methods (Ngeow & Kong 2001).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There is a misconception about the constructivist theory that it forces the students to reject the older ideas and to replace them with new one such as they are asked to reinvent the wheel. But the fact is the constructivist theory does not ask the students for the reinvention of the wheel but with the help of this theory the students come to know how to use the wheel. Real world examples are given to the students that clear their ideas about how the wheels can be used in their daily lives. Thus they learn from their experience, present reflections on their experience and then come up to a conclusion that is based on their experiences.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Constructivist theory is very different from other traditional ideas of education and learning. The focus is put on students rather the teachers in a constructivist classroom. The students are no longer passive students that sit in the classroom and ingest the knowledge provided by their teacher only. They are encouraged in the constructivist classroom how they should struggle to search for information.   The role of the teacher now changes to facilitator who is involved in helping the students rather them forcing them to understand what the teacher says. Constructivist theory can be easily implemented in the WebQuest. Constructivist teachers ask students to initiate a WebQuest project. Students are asked different questions and they are encouraged to find the answers. Students are guided in a way to let them find the answers of the questions independently. Different types of teaching techniques can be used in a constructivist classroom using WebQuest projects. The techniques involve: students are encouraged for the formulation of the questions by themselves. Thus they are encouraged to enquiry-based learning. They are given the freedom to express their learning in multiple meaningful ways. Group work is highly encouraged and each student in a group performs a specific task (Peterson & Caverly 2003). Students are given freedom to find out new things for themselves. Students are given free hand to do the experiments, they can ask questions, and they can do the things that are often considered as things not working. Teachers play different roles such as roles of moderators, coaches and they can also give suggestions to students to facilitate their learning process. In order to enhance the learning process of students, they should be able to participate fully in activities such as hands-on experiments. An important part of using WebQuest as a constructivist tool lies in the fact that students are given permission to give their reflections what they have done and then discuss on the conclusions. Students become experts as they are given complete opportunity to control their learning process. They choose their own path that is solely based on their reflections about their experiences. Teachers play a great role in the creation of an environment where the students are free to ask questions and give their reflections about their experiences. This can happen in private or in the form of group discussions. Teachers are also responsible for the creation of activities in a way that after performing those activities students become able to reflect their previous experiences. It is very important for the students to know what they have learned and how the learning process took place (Savery & Duffy 1995). As constructivism and WebQuest are based on the same theory, the main activity that is performed in a WebQuest classroom is to find the solution of the problems. Inquiry method is used to ask questions. A topic is investigated and then a large number of different types of resources is utilized to find out the solution of the questions. After exploring a certain topics, the students become able to conclude. When students explore questions again and again, new questions come to their mind. Students are encouraged in a WebQuest classroom to have new ideas and do experiments to prove that later shows that their ideas were not correct or valid. But this cannot be considered as a failure because the students have put their steps in the process of knowledge integration. Students are encouraged to work in collaboration with peers. The main reason to include group learning in constructivism is that students learn from the experiences from other students working in the same group besides learning from their own experiences (Vidoni & Maddux 2002). Implementation of WebQuest in School WebQuest can be implemented in schools. In order to implement WebQuest easily and successfully in a school by keeping in mind the following principles: The thinking level of a WebQuest must be higher. The information must be transferred from one domain to another domain. A WebQuest must be designed in such as a way that does not load the students with heavy burden of questions that make the students only surfing the internet or that involve calculations only. A good WebQuest will lead the students to gain information and be the students able to transform that information with the help of their own problem solving skills. Though the creation of WebQuest lessons require a lot of time but it is also a fact that once the teachers have created a lesson plan, they do not have to worry about the preparation of other lesson plans while the students are busy with their work. After the completion of a year, every thing will be all set. The teachers may need some amendments in the WebQuests that had been created in the previous year but it would not take much time and things will go smoothly. Learning through WebQuest is a new way for students as well as it is a new teaching method for teachers. The teachers must keep in mind that students cannot perform a task unless they are familiar with it. Students cannot be expected to perform every task in the correct manner in their first attempt. They need time to practice and the teachers need to have patience. in order to implement a WebQuest successfully, it is necessary to incorporate all the six essential components that have been described in this paper earlier (Scardamalia & Bereiter 1999). Advantages of WebQuests Though the creation of WebQuests requires a large amount of time but once the WebQuests have been created they can be used over and over with some minor changes. The teachers get rid of the daily worries for the lesson planning. Now they get enough time to act as facilitators and coaches to assist the students in their learning process. Tom March has explained the benefits of WebQuests as quoted below: â€Å"WebQuests will motivate your students! Students confront a complex and controversial real-world issue Students grapple with a central question that truly needs answering Students utilize real world, up-to-date resources on the Web (from experts, current reporting, and/or fringe groups) Students assume roles and must develop expertise Results of student work can be posted or sent to real people for feedback and evaluation. WebQuests are rooted in learning theory and good teaching practice Based upon elements of cognitive psychology and constructivism. You provide guidance on the thinking process you want your students to follow. (Prompting or Scaffolding) Students are exposed to a broad range of information, examples, and opinions; they construct their own meaning which connects with their prior knowledge and experiences. (Constructivism) Contain concrete instructional objectives and tasks. Students must transform information in some way, exercising higher order thinking skills like error analysis, comparison, and synthesis. Students work in cooperative learning groups which mirror real-life situations. By taking on roles, students become experts on a specific aspect of a large and complex topic. The students work in groups to solve problems, utilizing their different areas of expertise. (Similar to work situations in real life.) The work of individual students is important, as it adds to the quality of the group’s solution† (What are the benefits, p. 1) Disadvantages of WebQuests WebQuests cannot be used for the learning of simple definitions, simple procedures. They are also not the best way that could be used for teaching factual recall. As some parts of the curriculums are based on such simple things, they cannot be included in the designing of a WebQuest. The biggest hurdle in the designing of a WebQuest is the availability of time. It is very important to learn about the new tools. Many teachers do not get enough time to spend in learning about the new tools for the creation of a WebQuest (VanFossen 2004). Students should be able to read to a certain level in order to work on WebQuests. So it can be said that the creation of WebQuests is much easier for third grade and onwards than the junior grades because their reading abilities are limited at that stage. This type of disadvantage can be over come if a WebQuest is designed very carefully by using more visual sites with less or no words in it for the junior students with limited reading proficiency (Tomlinson 2000). Recommendations WebQuests appear to be highly effective in facilitating the learning process of students. Students tend to learn more in when technology is incorporated in education and WebQuests seem to be the best way. It is strongly recommended that all the schools should incorporate WebQuests in their standard curricula. At the time of implementation there is a need to consider all the six components that are essential for a successful WebQuest. References Almeida, C. Vesu, F. and Ponte, J.P. (2003). WebQuest construction and implementation by mathematics student teacher: The case of a WebQuest to learn isometries. In A.M.Vilas, J.A.M.Gonzà ¡lez and J.M. Gonzà ¡lez (Coords.), Advances in Technology-Based Education: Toward a Knowledge-Based Society, Junta de Extremadura: Badajoz, pp. 1396-1399. Brooks, Jacqueline Grennon and Brooks, Martin G. (1999). In Search of Understanding: The Case for Constructivist Classrooms (revised edition). Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD). Chandler, H. (2003). Concept mapping and WebQuests in social studies. Media and Methods, 39(3), 38-39. Cho, K., & Jonassen, D. (2002). The effects of argumentation scaffolds on argumentation and problem solving. Educational Technology Research and Development, 50(3), 5–22. Dodge, B. (1997). Some thoughts about WebQuests. Retrieved June 7, 2007, from theWebQuest Homepage, San Diego State University: http://webquest.sdsu.edu/about_webquests.html Dodge, D. (2001) FOCUS: Five rules for writing great WebQuests. Learning and Leading with Technology, 28(8), 6-9, 58. Jonassen, D. H., & Rohrer-Murphy, L. (1999). Activity Theory as a Framework For Designing Constructivist Learning Environments. Educational Technology Research and Development, 47(1), 61 – 79. Kennedy, S. (2004). The well-constructed WebQuest. Social Studies and the YoungLearner, 16(4), 17 -19. Lara, S. (2003). WebQuest: The use of Internet to Introduce Inquiry-Based Learning, Cooperative Learning   and 21th Century Skills. En Mà ©ndez Vilas, A. and Mesa Gonzà ¡lez, J.A. (coord). Advances in Technology- Based Education: Toward a Knowledge-Based Society. Vol. 2. Junta de Extremadura. Consejerà ­a de Educa- cià ³n, Ciencia y Tecnologà ­a (pp 1178-1183). Lipscomb, G. (2003). â€Å"I guess it was pretty fun†: Using WebQuests in the middle school classroom. The Clearing House, 76, 152-155. March, T. (2000). WebQuests 101. Multimedia Schools, 7 (5), 55-56, 58. March, T. (2003). The Learning power of WebQuests. Educational Leadership, 61(4), 42-47. March, T. (2007). What WebQuests Are (Really). Retrieved from http://bestwebquests.com/what_webquests_are.asp on June 7, 2007. Milson, A. J. (2002). The Internet and inquiry learning: Integrating medium and method in a sixth grade Social Studies classroom. Theory and Research in Social Education, 30, 330-353. Molebash, P., & Dodge, B. (2003). Kickstarting inquiry with WebQuests and Web inquiry projects. Social Education, 67, 158-162. Ngeow, K. & Kong, Y. (2001). Learning To Learn: Preparing Teachers and Students for Problem-Based Learning. ERIC Digest. [ED 457 524] Peterson, C., & Caverly, D. C. (2003). Techtalk: Developing academic literacy through WebQuests. Journal of Developmental Education, 26(3), 38-41. Savery, J. R., & Duffy, T. M. (1995). Problem-based learning: An instructional model and its constructivist framework. Educational Technology, 35(5), 31–38. Scardamalia, M., & Bereiter, C. (1999). Schools as knowledge-building organizations. In D. Keating & C. Hertzman (Eds.), Today’s children, tomorrow’s society: The developmental health and wealth of nations (pp. 274–289). New York: Guilford. Tomlinson, C.A. (2000). Differentiation of Instruction in the Elementary Grades. ERIC Digest. ED443572 VanFossen, P. J. (2004). Using WebQuests to scaffold higher-order thinking. Social Studies and the Young Learner, 16(4), 13-16. Vidoni, K. L., & Maddux, C. D. (2002). WebQuests: Can they be used to improve critical thinking skills in students? Computers in the Schools, 19, 101 -117. What are the Benefits of Webquests? In Tom March, â€Å"WebQuests for Learning†) http://www.ozline.com/webquests/intro.html retrieved from http://www.montgomerycollege.edu/ctl/Handouts/Benefits.htm on June 7, 2007.