The Maasai Age-Grade System essays

The Maasai Age-Grade System essays Without war, how shall we know the courageous from the cowardly? (Massek 1974: 7-8). This quote comes from a story in a book of Maasai wisdom and proverbs. It is the story of an elder man taking his son to the Mountain of God to tell him the ways of the people of the Maa. He professes to his son the changes taking place in Maasai culture and their loss of prominence throughout the land. He tells him how the Maasai used to rule from the Northern Mountain of Gikuyu to the very gates of Mombasa (Massek 1974: 7). The father says that the warriors of today are no better then women, that without war there is no way to distinguish who the brave and courageous are among the Maasai. The father says that in these times the present any boy may put the sign of the courageous on his shield and go unchallenged by his age-group, and that now the Maasai no longer fight other cultures for their rights and property but are passive compared to the times of war and fighting that he used to know. Concl uding his story, the father says I say, I shall die as a Maasai, but I have no certainty for my children (Massek 1974: 8). The preceding story is one example of prevalent change in Maasai culture, a change in age-grade importance and relevance that has had a negative effect on the Maasai people. The warriors (Ilmoran) are a vital part of Maasai survival, performing a variety of tasks from capturing a cow to be slaughtered for ceremony to subduing a crazed rhinoceros charging the kraal (Saitoti 1980: 109). The children, warriors, and elders all have tasks that they perform as an integral part of society. The Maasai idea of age is much different from our own; they reckon time by ages or periods of approximately seven and a half years (Hollis 1971: 261). The Maasai idea of age is how they distinguish people amongst their respective age grades. For example, children are not all circumcised to...

Make Time to Be Solitary

Make Time to Be Solitary Loneliness expresses the pain of being alone and solitude expresses the glory of being alone. ~ Paul Tillich Books take many hours to write, which gives the public the impression that writers are lonely, solitary creatures. The average person cannot stand being alone. However, its next to impossible to be alone anymore. Im not talking about people interference, though that is an issue. How often do you write without access to the internet? Your phone? Earbuds or background music? Most writers arent solitary. On the contrary they usually cannot stand not to be connected. And maintaining that connection means you are not completely alone which could be impacting your writing. You may think you need the noise, connection, or music because your brain cannot take the concept of being totally shut off from it. Youve convinced yourself you need that accompaniment. Truth is, being focused on one, intense thing like creative writing is a challenge. We multi-task so much these days that we have lost touch with single-tasking. If we are too long silent online, or do not answer our phone, other people worry. Actually, when people are able to slide away into solitary mode and remain there a while, other people become concerned about broken, abnormal behavior. You arent depressed, are you? In reality, all the stimuli we cant keep up with might be more the cause of said depression. Suzanne Degges-White, a psychology professor at Northern Illinois University, says: â€Å"You can’t make good decisions if you don’t ever give yourself time to reflect.† And â€Å"if you’re constantly engaged in the world, it’s harder to make space for those moments of genius.† Resource: https://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/sc-fam-need-for-alone-time-1225-story.html Gaming  on your phone is not alone time. Background music is not alone time. Anything conflicting with alone time saps brain function. Find time where nothing is required of you. Absolutely nothing. Regenerate with alone time, then try writing with nothing else active around you. Attempt pure, unadulterated thinking about your story. This allows your writing to pour instead of fighting its way around the distractions.

Law And Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Law And Society - Essay Example His programs were collectively called the New Deal. The New Deal projects by President Roosevelt suffered massive drawbacks at the courts. Most of them were frustrated by the supreme courts issuing verdicts that they were unconstitutional (Himmelberg, p19). The statues and provisions in the new deal programs that were struck down by the courts include the Agricultural Adjustment Act, which supported financially staple farmers, the National Industrial Recovery Act, which approved the cartelization of industries, and the Railroad Retirement Act. According to Leuchtenburg, these sudden changes precipitated a constitutional crisis. They posed a difficult challenge to the conventional dogma of the Supreme Court leading to a constitutional revolution (Leuchtenburg p213). Frustrated by the courts actions, President Roosevelt reacted by announcing his reorganization of the judiciary. This was infamously known as the â€Å"court packing† plan (Mannino, p293). Several writers argue that the courts struck down numerous important laws in the twentieth century. The two pertinent reasons fronted for this precedence were; the laws were hastily and poorly drafted during the emotional hundred days of Roosevelt in office and that they were badly defended in the courts. It must be noted that these two arguments were found with flaws. One law in New York drafted by the best law practitioners in United States was a casualty in this period. This reason amongst others weakened the reasoning held at that time (Leuchtenburg p234). The court packing plan, for instance, according to Leuchtenburg had frightened the courts and posed a danger to them. This to him might have had some effect relative to jurisprudence. However, the interpretation of the constitutional revolution in the 1930s is diverse. Several law scholars have cited different Court cases of the twentieth century to support their stand on which case actually represented a constitutional revolution. In this term paper, the cases West Coast Hotel vs. Parrish, argued for by Leuchtenburg and Wickard vs. Filburn argued for by Cushman will be analyzed. As a result, determine which authors interpretations of the cases amount to a revolutionary case. In the case West Coast Hotel vs. Parrish (1937), the Supreme Court judgment upheld the constitutionality of legislation on minimum wage passed by Washington State. It overturned the trials court decision that was based on the precedent of Adkins vs. Children’s Hospital (Leuchtenburg, p164). This decision is believed to have ended the era in which the Supreme Court had a penchant for quashing legislation intended at regulating enterprise. Leuchtenburg argues that, this case marked a notable divide in the history of the courts. It also had a significant consequence on the destiny of President Roosevelt Court packing plan. In addition, Elsie Parrish case prompted a constitutional revolution in the United States Supreme Court (Leuchtenburg p163). Her case appeared to be heading for defeat since for a decade; the Supreme Court had ruled that a minimum wage act for women was unlawful since it violated the liberty of contract that the Court assumptions were guaranteed by the Constitution. Against all odds, Elsie Parrish was resolute in her quest for justice. Following the precedent of Adkins, her case was never watertight in the eyes of legal practitioners. Even at the time, the finest law practition

Career Planning assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Career Planning assignment - Essay Example From here, one gets to the final stage of career planning which is designing their professional development plan. At this stage, an individual states the improvements they need to make in order to qualify for the requirements which are supposed to take them up towards their career goal (Fuller 2011, p. 410). The following text is my elaborated career plan as I aim at owning a top-of-the-range lingerie selling store in the U.K. I have always aspired to go into self-employment as opposed to being employed by anyone else. Specifically, I have always promised myself that I would start and run an executive lingerie selling store in the United Kingdom. This career appeals to me because I have a good taste of fashion, and I am sure what I will have to offer will be irresistible. Additionally, I am good at convincing people, and this is a good sign that I will always attract clients. Commercial skills to enable them to plan promotions, pricing, and product presentation, to achieve budget forecasts and targets, to devise the best store layout, and to advise retail managers on matters such as competition and marketing initiatives. Lingerie business also requires high standards so that compliance with procedures and policies is observed, excellence in customer service is instilled, and finally safety, repairs, and housekeeping is maintained. Presently, the skills I possess are aligned towards my career, but they are inadequate. First, I have people management and financial management skills that I have acquired from my major. These are however not sufficient in the event that I had to apply for such a lingerie store management job. The skills I have in commercial management are only on product pricing, presentation and promotion. However, the career demands that I should be able to achieve budget forecasts and targets. Additionally, my communication skills which I am quite satisfied with still need to be sharpened so that I

Developing A Performance Appraisal System Essay Example for Free

Developing A Performance Appraisal System Essay All organizations utilize some sort of system that periodically reviews the performance of every staff member. As the director of human resources, you are responsible for developing such a system. Write a 750- to 1,050-word paper in APA format that details an original performance appraisal system for a human service organization. Address the following: Determine the elements that should be present in an appraisal system. What is the purpose of a performance appraisal system and how does it benefit the organization? Outline the elements of good appraisal systems. Determine the criteria for each element that should be present in an appraisal system. Cite at least two sources. Determine the elements that should be present in an appraisal system The elements that should be present in an appraisal system are thorough goal-setting process, which decide what you want from employees and agree these objectives with them. The key component of the people element is the manager, who give your employees the tools, resources and training they need to perform well. The manager drives the system by setting expectations, communicating plans, encouraging development, and giving and receiving feedback. Carrying out the appraisal allow managers to monitor and assess employees performance, discuss those assessments with them and agree on future objectives .It also identifies employees developmental needs and includes robust reward and recognition practices. Consider pay awards and/or promotion based on the appraisal and decides how to tackle poor performance. However, there can be dangers as well as benefits of linking rewards to performance. What is the purpose of a performance appraisal system and how does it benefit the organization? The purpose of a performance appraisal system is the two basic systems operating in conjunction: an evaluation system and a feedback system. The main goal of the evaluation system is to recognize the performance  gap (if any). This gap is the deficit that occurs when performance does not meet the standard set by the organization as adequate. The central aim of the feedback system is to notify the employee about the quality of his or her performance. Nonetheless, the information flow is not entirely one way. The appraisers also receive feedback from the employee about job problems, etc.) One of the best ways to appreciate the purposes of performance appraisal is to look at it from the different viewpoints of the main stakeholders: the employee and the organization. Outline the elements of good appraisal systems 1. Measurement vs. Management the performance measurement aspect of the performance appraisal system is a useful tool for measuring current productivity levels and determining the gap between those current levels and desired productivity levels. 2. Employee Input Employee input is a vital element of the effective performance appraisal system. It is essential for supervisors and managers to include the employee in the performance management process to ensure that the employee feels a sense of engagement in the process. 3. Clarification of Expectations Before a manager or supervisor can expect an employee to meet expectations, it is essential to ensure that the employees perception of what is expected is in alignment with the managers perceptions 4. Employee Development Perhaps the most essential element of an effective performance appraisal system is employee development. While the performance appraisal itself may identify areas where improvement is necessary, the employee development portion of the overall performance management system is used to determine the best way to bring this improvement to fruition. Determine the criteria for each element that should be present in an appraisal system There are four key elements in a good performance and appraisal system: Set objectives decide what you want from employees and agree these objectives with them. [ If appropriate, set timescales for  achieving them. – Manage performance give your employees the tools, resources and training they need to perform well. If appropriate, set timescales for achieving objectives. – Carry out the appraisal monitor and assess your employees performance, discuss those assessments with them and agree on future objectives. Provide rewards/remedies consider pay awards and/or promotion based on the appraisal and decide how to tackle poor performance. However, there can be dangers as well as benefits of linking rewards to performance.

The Facts About Educational and Roth IRA’s Essay -- essays papers

The Facts About Educational and Roth IRA’s In 1997 great things came into play for the taxpayers. The Tax Reform Act of 1997, which was inacted by the IRS, allowed single taxpayers and married taxpayers a considerable amount of tax relief for the Educational and Roth IRA’s. Individual Retirement Accounts, also known as IRA’s, are accounts opened in an individual’s name only and provide tax-deferred savings for retirement. The contributions may be fully deductible, partially deductible, or nondeductible. All IRA’s have the same basic characteristics that enable customers to save money while gaining benefits that may include tax-deferred savings and tax deductions. An IRA is a product in which customers place additional products into, such as CD’s, stocks, bonds and mutual funds. These products are placed into IRA’s to meet customers’ retirement, education, or other future needs. The customers are able to select these products based on their tolerance to risk and their individual investment goals. The IRA will hold these products and provide the potential tax shelter and savings incentives. In order to explain the great qualities of the Roth IRA and the Educational IRA, you must know just a few things about the Traditional IRA. The Traditional IRA is the original product offered to help individuals set aside funds for retirement. To be eligible to contribute to the Traditional IRA the customer must be 70 1/2 or younger, and have an earned income. With the Traditional IRA any withdrawals are subject to income tax in the year in which they are being withdrawn. In addition there are some penalties which may apply if the individual is under the age of 59 1/2 when the funds are withdrawn. There are only seven ways the customers may withdrawal from their Traditional IRA before age 59 1/2 with out being penalized a 10% premature-distribution penalty. These seven ways would be death, disability, medical expenses over 7.5% of AGI, health insurance premiums for certain unemployed individuals, first time home buyer (up to $10,000), higher education expenses, and substantially eq ual periodic payments. With the Traditional IRA the maximum contribution allowed is the lesser of earned income or $2,000. This contribution is not tax-deductible (smartmoney, the ira super page, 2000). With a Traditional IRA there are required minimum distributions which must ... ...two options which they can choose from. The first option is to withdrawal the remaining amount, but it will be subject to income tax and an additional 10 percent tax that represents earnings. The second option is to have the remaining amount rolled over into another IRA. In addition to the two options just discussed the Education IRA can be designated to another beneficiary instead of rolling it over. Bibliography: SmartMoney.com (2000). Roth IRAs: You wanted to know [Internet]. Available: http://www.smartmoney.com/ac/ira/index.cmf?story=know [2000, January 28]. SmartMoney.com (2000). Roth IRAs: To convert or not [Internet]. Available: http://www.smartmoney.com/ac/ira/index.cmf?story=convert [2000, January 28]. SmartMoney.com (2000). The IRA Super Page [Internet]. Available: http://www.smartmoney.com/ac/ira/index:cmf?story=supertable [2000, January 28]. TrowePrice.com (2000). Education IRAs [Internet]. Available: http://www.troweprice.com/college/cpklib2.html [2000, February 8]. Dow Jones Industrial Webcenter (2000). What’s Hot! [Internet]. Available: http://www.irs.ustreas.gov/plain/hot/not97-603.html [2000, February 7

Importance and uses of contrastive linguistics Essay

Introduction: Contrastive Linguistics, roughly defined as a subdiscipline of linguistics which is concerned with the comparison of two or more (subsystems of) languages, has long been associated primarily with language teaching. Apart from this applied aspect, however, it also has a strong theoretical purpose, contributing to our understanding of language typology and language universals. The study of two languages in contrast, here called contrastive analysis, has been referred to by a variety of names, not all of which mean the same to all writers. One can find the following terms used: contrastive studies, contrastive language studies, contrastive linguistics, applied contrastive studies, contrastive description and others. contrastive analysis investigates the differences between pairs (or small sets) of languages against the background of similarities and with the purpose of providing input to applied disciplines such as foreign language teaching and translation studies. With its largely desc riptive focus contrastive linguistics provides an interface between theory and application. It makes use of theoretical findings and models of language description but is driven by the objective of applicability. Contrastive studies mostly deal with the comparison of languages that are ‘socio-culturally linked’, i.e. languages whose speech communities overlap in some way, typically through (natural or instructed) bilingualism . Much progress has been made in classifying the languages of the earth into genetic families, each having descent from a single precursor, and in tracing such developments through time. The result is called â€Å"comparative linguistics.† Of even greater importance for the future technology of thought is what might be called â€Å"contrastive linguistics.† This plots the outstanding differences among tongues – in grammar, logic, and general analysis of experience.A major influence on the development of the contrastive analysis approach has been the interest shown in it by language teachers and learners, and much CA has been undertaken with language teaching rather than translation in mind. One can prevent development of errors through a prior contrastive analysis and error analysis, leading to the development of appropriate teaching materials to  reinforce correct language learning. Relevance and uses of contrastive linguistics: The relevance of CL to translation: The emphasis of much of the work on CL on teaching and language learning raises questions about its relevance to translators. At a practical level, it is probably most useful in pointing out areas where direct translation of a term or phrase will not convey accurately in the second language the intended meaning of the first. At a global level, it leads the translator to look at broader issues such as whether the structure of the discourse for a given text-type is the same in both languages. Furthermore, although Contrastive Analysis is widely practised, there are a number of theoretical and practical problems in its application, all of which must affect judgements as to its usefulness in preparing or evaluating translations. There is some overlap between these problems, but they can nevertheless be related to specific difficulties of identifying a common ground for comparison, comparing descriptions of different languages, taking account of psycholinguistic and sociocultural factors, and taking account of extratextual and intertextual factors. Identifying a common ground for comparison All comparisons require that there be a common ground against which variation may be noted, a constant that underlies and makes possible the variables that are identified. Fonnal similarity is unreliable for several reasons. In the first place, a particular grammatical structure in one language may be a requirement while in another it may be one choice amongst several; in the second place, the choice represented by a grammatical structure in one language may have a different significance in that language from the choice represented by an apparently equivalent structure in another language .in the third place, in one language a particular structure may be unmarked while in another it may be marked. A pair of sentences might be semantically and/or pragmatically equivalent but have widely varying likelihoods of occurrence in the languages from which they are drawn. A simple example of all these points is that of the Portuguese expression â€Å"muito obrigado/a and the English expressio n much obliged. These  are syntactically and semantically comparable but have a different likelihood of occurrence, muito obrigado/a being the normal way of thanking in Portuguese and much obliged being a rare and more restricted usage than thanks a lot (and other related expressions) in English. Comparing descriptions of different languages Apart from the real but unavoidable problems arising out of comparisons of descriptions that utilize different linguistic models, there are problems that arise even between descriptions that utilize the same categories and theoretical framework.Understanding between and among disparate cultures has challenged mankind throughout history; and clearly, communication, intercultural communication, is a key element in achieving understanding. We believe a disciplined, linguistic approach to the study of intercultural communication, an approach that includes the building of linguistic corpora, research in contrastive rhetoric, and practical, real life application of the best practices learned, can provide valuable insights toward achieving understanding among cultures The relationship between contrastive analysis and translation The relationship between CL and translation is bidirectional. On the one hand, the translation of specific pieces of text may provide the data for CL On the other, CL may provide explanations of difficulties encountered in translation.The crucial factors here are what size of language sample has been chosen for translation, whether it is naturally occurring or fabricated for the purpose, and whether the translation is the analyst’s own. Though the focus of CL may continue to shift towards pragmatics and discourse analysis, its use in translation is not inevitable. It is however unlikely that it can be dispensed with completely either in the training of translators or in the assessment of translations, even in its more traditional lexico-grammatical manifestations; CL has arisen as a result of the needs of the language teaching profession and this project is no exception in that one of its major objectives is to provide teachers with assistance in the use of parallel concordancing in the classroom.It gives valuable evidence for translators on the transferability of certain collocations and colligations from one language to another. The f uture of CL’s use in translation may well lie in projects such as this, which are capable of providing with equal  facility explanations of past translating decisions and guidance as to prospective ones. As a useful learning tool: Knowledge and understanding of languages is increasingly important, and this course focuses on how such knowledge can be applied. It helps learners know more clearly and finding similarities and differences between them, thereby detecting errors, which bilingual learners often make, and how to fix. This assignment is based on contrastive linguistics. It uses many methods, especially contrastive method and surveys on grammatical aspect of these words. This study uses one-way transfer. We find a lot of two languages’ differences which may be make errors in structure and semantics. It is useful for bilingual learners to find mistakes which they can meet. Contrastive linguistic gives a comparative method to translate a learner’s thinking in an informed way. Giving structure to his/her intuitive relationship to the language. This bilingual approach in cl saves the students’ infinite time and labour. It has been proven that students learn faster and more effectively us ing it.Since it is our nature to compare, Contrastive Linguistics is the technique that clarifies our understanding of the language. For learners, similarities between languages cause no difficulties, while differences cause interference to learning. Through Contrastive Linguistics we can target and resolve the typical difficulties and Common Mistakes of our students. We can examine aspects that would not normally be noticed without such comparison. Bi-lingual comparative courses overlap in fruitful collaboration with other approaches. They clear away students’ deep-rooted mistakes and empower teachers with the answers to many of their students’ doubts. In Language Teaching: The change that has to take place in the language behavior of a foreign language student can be equated with the differences between the structure of the student’s native language and culture and that of the target language and culture. The task of the linguist is to identify these differences. The task of the writer of a foreign language teaching program is to develop materials which will be based on a statement of these differences; the task of the foreign language teacher is to be aware of these differences and to be prepared to teach them; the task of the student is to learn them. Importance of CL due to growing demand: There is a growing demand from both public and private sectors for professionals combining excellent language skills and sound linguistic theory and methodology. You study linguistic theory, description and methodology with a particular focus on corpus approaches and a strong multilingual component with high relevance for language professionals, especially in the field of foreign/second language learning, teaching (and testing), linguistics focusing on usage-based models and methods in language research and their applications, especially in multilingual contexts. It help students acquire the ability to read, write, speak, and understand world languages reach maximum capability with respect to communications, effective reasoning, and analytical thinking; to educate students for living and working in a competitive global society.. As the field of linguistics became more accepted as a discipline, other scholars from different fields began to incorporate language-related topics into thei r work. Contrative Linguistics found its way into sociology, anthropology, language arts, foreign language learning and teaching. It helps the translators to analyse the basic meaning and gist of the second language giving them an edge in interpretation jobs .

Distinctive Human Resource Are What Firms Need Essay

Introduction Benchmarking is a crucial management tool that guides the stakeholders on the overall performance of the organization as well as mobilizing the employees on a continuous improvement of the organisation’s environmental and social performance. Bench marking is considered to have an impact when the results of the organization performance are immediate (Vorhies and Morgan, 2005). It is essential to recognize that benchmarking and the transfer of the best industry practices are supposed to help an organization in the long run through maximum utilization of the available resources and filling in the gaps associated with an organization poor performance (Drew, 1995). The notion of a single best practice may be overstated. Distinctive human resource practices help to create unique competencies that differentiate products and services and drive competitiveness in organizations. People management practices are the drivers of efforts to create distinctive competencies and, in turn, business strategies. There are various human resource management models that have been used by companies to benchmark and stay competitive in the turbulent business environment and they include the Industrial Organization Model and McKenzie’s 7s Strategy which include shared values, structure, strategy, systems, style, staff and skills. Shared Values Shared values are commonly held beliefs, mindsets, and assumptions that shape how an organization behaves and its corporate culture. Shared values are what engender trust. They are an interconnecting centre of the 7Ss model. Values are the identity by which a company is known throughout its business areas, what the organization stands for and what it believes in, it central beliefs and attitudes. These values must be explicitly stated as both corporate objectives and individual values. Structure Structure is the organizational chart and associated information that shows who reports to whom and how tasks are both divided up and integrated. In other words, structures describe the hierarchy of authority and accountability in an organization, the way the organization’s units relate to each other: centralized, functional divisions (top-down); decentralized (the trend in larger organizations); matrix, network, holding among others. These relationships are frequently diagrammed in organizational charts. Most organizations use some mix of structures: pyramidal, matrix or networked ones to accomplish their goals. Strategy Strategies are plans an organization formulates to reach identified goals, and a set of decisions and actions aimed at gaining a sustainable advantage over the competition. Systems Systems define the flow of activities involved in the daily operation of business, including its core processes and its support systems. They refer to the procedures, processes and routines that are used to manage the organization and characterize how important work is to be done. Style Style refers to the cultural style of the organization, how key managers behave in achieving the organization’s goals, how managers collectively spend their time and attention, and how they use symbolic behaviour. How management acts is more important that what management says. Staff Staff refers to the number and types of personnel within the organization and how companies develop employees and shape basic values. Skills Skills refer to the dominant distinctive capabilities and competencies of the personnel or of the organization as a whole. Industrial Organization (I/O) Model The external environment is primary determinant of the organizational strategy rather than internal decisions of managers. The environment presents threats and opportunities all competing to have equal access to resources. Resources are highly mobile between firms. Organizational success is achieved by offering goods and services at lower costs than competitors. Professional sports 49ers †¢ The 49ers have succeeded by using a strategy of long-term player development by recruiting through college drafts rather than trades. This helps the team cement loyalty to the club by the players. Raiders †¢ The Raiders scoop up talented players who fail or do not fit in elsewhere. The club reinforces its strategy through autocracy where the members are not supposed to participate in decision making. The system of the club embraces outside recruit of experienced players. Retailing: Sales as the Service Sears †¢ The Sears selection system requires extensive training. The style keeps track of employee attitude and morale through employee surveys, pay programs to match other retail business through industrial organization model. Nordstrom †¢ The Nordstrom structure of hiring is decentralized and uses no formal selection tests. There are continuous stream of programs to motivate employees with very little attention paid to the staffs in terms of training and commissions when retailing. †¢ The link between employees and product market strategy is sometimes less direct in services, but there are still relationships between the way employees are managed, the competencies employees help produce, and the way companies compete. Professional Service Firms; Information and Advice as the Product Boston Consulting Group (BCG) †¢ The style of BCG is to hire the best undergraduate and MBA students to work for them. †¢ The firm’s system requires rigorous selection procedures and through industrial organization Model provides exceptional compensation to the employees as compared to other organizations. †¢ The firm develops its staff through formal training. †¢ BCG shared value approach expects each team to come up with innovative ways to reinforce its entrepreneurial culture. McKinsey †¢ The professional firm develops its distinctive capabilities through on-campus recruiting and employee skills and development through extensive training model. †¢ The firm’s strategy lies in providing clients with consistent services. The core competency is also consistent with the products and the techniques of the company. Business Schools Harvard Business †¢ The business school staff development represents internal skills development. The school hires employees and turns them into experts. †¢ The business school invests a lot on employee development through the staff model. Wharton School †¢ The school recruitment strategy model relies on external environment to recruit its employees from a network of academicians. †¢ The system model that is used to make the institution maintain a competitive edge in the market is by hiring employees with superior technical skills and by making use of its outside market. Financial Services Chubb †¢ The insurance firm success is based on its shared value model of becoming the insurance of choice. †¢ The firm makes substantial staff investment through its recruitment, intensive training and testing before hiring. American International Group (AIG) †¢ The success of the insurance firm is through its industrial orientation strategy model where the company identifies new areas of business, creates new products, and benefits from the first mover advantage as a result of exploiting the market. †¢ The company’s competencies are its ability to respond to the turbulent business environment. †¢ The company hires from its competitors and invests less on staff development. The Shipping Business FedEx †¢ The shipping business has a strategy model of empowering its employees in the implementation of its vision. †¢ First service company to win the Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award †¢ Intensive orientation program for staff development. †¢ One hub at FedEx meant that there were fewer coordination problems, allowing for autonomy and participation through it structural model. †¢ This model highly enhances loyalty in employees. UPS †¢ The orientation of the company structure model takes an autocratic approach where the employees have no direct say over work organization matters. †¢ Company standards for each task through its shared value model. †¢ Pays the highest wages and benefits in the industry (Industrial Organization Model). †¢ Productivity of UPS’s drivers is about three times higher than that at FedEx due to its high compensation. †¢ UPS’s business demands a level of coordination that is incompatible with individual employee involvement and a â€Å"high commitment† approach through it structural model. Food and Beverages Coke †¢ Coke builds on employee skills and hangs on them through staff development model. †¢ Coke hires college graduates with little or corporate experience and provides intensive training. †¢ There is promotion and seniority based salary incentives. †¢ Decision making is centralized Pepsi †¢ The company relies on employees’ innovativeness to identify market niches †¢ Pepsi hires employees with experience and advanced technical skills through industrial organization model. †¢ Decision making is decentralized. †¢ Employees have little job security. †¢ Less loyal employees. References Drew, S. A. W. (1995). Strategic Benchmarking: Innovation Practices in Financial Institutions. International Journal of Bank Marketing 13 (1),4-16. Vorhies, D. W., & Morgan, N. A. (2005). Benchmarking Marketing Capabilities for Sustainable Competitive Advantage. Journal of Marketing 69 (January Issue), 80–94.

Vietnam War The Easter Offensive

Vietnam War The Easter Offensive The Easter Offensive occurred between March 30 and Oct. 22, 1972, and was a later campaign of the Vietnam War. Armies Commanders South Vietnam United States: Hoang Xuan LamNgo DzuNguyen Van Minh742,000 men North Vietnam: Van Tien DungTran Van TraHoang Minh Thao120,000 men Easter Offensive Background In 1971, following the failure of the South Vietnamese in Operation Lam Son 719, the North Vietnamese government began assessing the possibility of launching a conventional offensive in spring 1972. After extensive political infighting among senior government leaders, it was decided to move forward as a victory could influence the 1972 US presidential election as well improve the Norths bargaining position at the peace talks in Paris. Also, North Vietnamese commanders believed that the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) was overstretched and could be easily broken. Planning soon moved forward under the guidance of First Party Secretary Le Duan who was assisted by Vo Nguyen Giap. The main thrust was to come through the Demilitarized Zone with the goal of shattering ARVN forces in the area and drawing additional Southern forces north. With this accomplished, two secondary attacks would be launched against the Central Highlands (from Laos) and Saigon (from Cambodia). Dubbed the Nguyen Hue Offensive, the attack was intended to destroy elements of the ARVN, prove that Vietnamization was a failure, and possibly force the replacement of South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu. Fighting for Quang Tri The US and South Vietnam were aware that an offensive was in the offing, however, analysts disagreed as to when and where it would strike. Moving forward on March 30, 1972, Peoples Army of North Vietnam (PAVN) forces stormed across the DMZ supported by 200 tanks. Striking the ARVN I Corps, they sought to break through the ring of ARVN firebases located just below the DMZ. An additional division and armored regiment attacked east from Laos in support of the assault. On April 1, after heavy fighting, Brigadier General Vu Van Giai, whose ARVN 3rd Division had born the brunt of the fighting, ordered a retreat. That same day, the PAVN 324B Division moved east out of the Shau Valley and attacked towards the firebases protecting Hue. Capturing the DMZ firebases, PAVN troops were delayed by ARVN counterattacks for three weeks as they pressed towards the city of Quang Tri. Coming into force on April 27, PAVN formations succeeded in capturing Dong Ha and reaching the outskirts of Quang Tri. Beginning a withdrawal from the city, Giais units collapsed after receiving confusing orders from I Corps commander Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Lam. Ordering a general retreat to the My Chanh River, ARVN columns were hit hard as they fell back. To the south near Hue, Fire Support Bases Bastogne and Checkmate fell after prolonged fighting. PAVN troops captured Quang Tri on May 2, while President Thieu replaced Lam with Lieutenant General Ngo Quang Truong on the same day. Tasked with protecting Hue and re-establish the ARVN lines, Truong immediately set to work. While the initial fighting in the north proved disastrous for South Vietnam, staunch defending in some places and massive US air support, including B-52 raids, had inflicted heavy losses on the PAVN. Battle of An Loc On April 5, while fighting raged to the north, PAVN troops advanced south out of Cambodia into Binh Long Province. Targeting Loc Ninh, Quan Loi, and An Loc, the advance engaged troops from the ARVN III Corps. Assaulting Loc Ninh, they were repelled by Rangers and the ARVN 9th Regiment for two days before breaking through. Believing An Loc to be next target, the corps commander, Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Minh, dispatched the ARVN 5th Division to the town. By April 13, the garrison at An Loc was surrounded and under constant fire from PAVN troops. Repeatedly assaulting the towns defenses, PAVN troops ultimately reduced the ARVN perimeter to about a square kilometer. Working feverishly, American advisors coordinated massive air support to aid the beleaguered garrison. Launching major frontal attacks on May 11 and 14, PAVN forces were unable to take the town. The initiative lost, ARVN forces were able to push them out of An Loc by June 12 and six days later III Corps declared the siege to be over. As in the north, American air support had been vital to ARVN defense. Battle of Kontum On April 5, Viet Cong forces attacked firebases and Highway 1 in coastal Binh Dinh Province. These operations were designed to pull ARVN forces east away from a thrust against Kontum and Pleiku in the Central Highlands. Initially panicked, II Corps commander Lieutenant General Ngo Dzu was calmed by John Paul Vann who led the US Second Regional Assistance Group. Crossing the border Lieutenant General Hoang Minh Thaos PAVN troops won quick victories in the vicinity of Ben Het and Dak To. With the ARVN defense northwest of Kontum in a shambles, PAVN troops inexplicably halted for three weeks. With Dzu faltering, Vann effectively took command and organized the defense of Kontum with support from large-scale B-52 raids. On May 14, the PAVN advance resumed and reached the outskirts of the town. Though the ARVN defenders wavered, Vann directed B-52s against the attackers inflicting heavy losses and blunting the assault. Orchestrating Dzus replacement with Major General Nguyen Van Toan, Vann was able to hold Kontum through the liberal application of American airpower and ARVN counterattacks. By early June, PAVN forces began withdrawing west. Easter Offensive Aftermath With PAVN forces halted on all fronts, ARVN troops began a counterattack around Hue. This was supported by Operations Freedom Train (beginning in April) and Linebacker (beginning in May) which saw American aircraft striking at a variety of targets in North Vietnam. Led by Truong, ARVN forces recaptured the lost firebases and defeated the final PAVN attacks against the city. On June 28, Truong launched Operation Lam Son 72 which saw his forces reach Quang Tri in ten days. Wishing to bypass and isolate the city, he was overruled by Thieu who demanded its recapture. After heavy fighting, it fell on July 14. Exhausted after their efforts, both sides halted following the citys fall. The Easter Offensive cost the North Vietnamese around 40,000 killed and 60,000 wounded/missing. ARVN and American losses are estimated at 10,000 killed, 33,000 wounded, and 3,500 missing. Though the offensive was defeated, PAVN forces continued to occupy around ten percent of South Vietnam after its conclusion. As a result of the offensive, both sides softened their stance in Paris and were more willing to make concessions during negotiations.

Token Boards for Reinforcing Behavior in Classroom

Token Boards for Reinforcing Behavior in Classroom Like any educational tool, a token board is most effective when used consistently within the context of a comprehensive classroom management plan. Token boards have been associated with Applied Behavior Analysis, as they provide a simple and visual method of structuring and providing reinforcement. They can be used to narrow or broaden your reinforcement schedule. They can be used to teach children how to defer gratification. They can be used narrowly to address specific behavior problems. At the same time, unless you and your staff or you and your collaborating teacher are clear about how a token is earned, you can end up with a lot of dysfunction. The purpose is to provide clarity about which behaviors, even academic, that you are reinforcing. If you get preoccupied and dont consistently award tokens, you also undermine your whole reinforcement plan. For these reasons, its important to address how you make and use a token board in your classroom. Basically, a token board has individual pictures or tokens that are held in place by Velcro. The tokens are stored on the back of the board until they are moved to the front of the board. Usually, the number of tokens is determined by how long you believe you can defer reinforcement. Many token boards (as the one depicted above) may include a place for the students choice of reinforcement represented by a picture.   Token Boards Used for Reinforcement Creating a clear sense of contingency is the first and primary purpose of a token board. Your student needs to know that he/she receives a token and reinforcement for exhibiting a particular behavior. Teaching contingency is a process of first establishing one to one correspondence. In Applied Behavior Analysis, contingency is critical in order to match the reinforce to the behavior. A Token Board becomes a visual schedule for reinforcement. Whether you put a child on an 8 token schedule or a 4 token schedule, you are expecting a child to understand that they will receive access to reinforcement when they fill their board. There are ways to build toward an eight token board, including starting with a smaller number, or starting with the board partially filled. Still, the likelihood of increasing the behavior, whether it is communication or academic, is to be sure that the child knows that behavior is being reinforced. Addressing Specific Behaviors with a Token Board To start a behavior change program, you need to identify both the behavior you want to change and the behavior that should take its place (replacement behavior.) Once you have identified the replacement behavior, you then need to create a situation where you are reinforcing it quickly using your board. Example Sean sits very poorly at circle time. He gets up frequently and throws himself on the floor if he doesnt get access to a preferred toy, Thomas the Tank Engine. The classroom has a set of cube chairs that are used for circle time. The teacher has determined that the replacement behavior is: John will stay seated in his cube during group with both feet on the floor, participating appropriately in group activities (singing, take a turn, listening quietly.) The Stimulus-Response will be Sitting, please. The naming phrase will be Good sitting, Sean. A classroom aide sits behind Sean in group: when he sits for approximately a minute quietly a token is placed on his chart. When he gets five tokens, he has access to his preferred toy for 2 minutes. When the timer goes off, Sean is returned to the group with Sitting, please! After several successful days, the reinforcement period is expanded to about two minutes, with three-minute access to the reinforcer. Over a couple weeks, this could be expanded to sitting for the entire group (20 minutes) with a 15-minute free place break. Targeting specific behaviors in this way can be extraordinarily effective. The example above is based on a real child with real behavior issues, and it took only a couple of weeks to effect the desired result. Cost Response: Taking a token off the board once it is earned is known as cost response. Some districts or schools may not permit response cost, in part because non-professional or support staff may use it as a punishment, and the motivation may be revenge rather than behavior management. Sometimes taking away a reinforce after it has been earned will generate some pretty unmanageable or even dangerous behavior. Sometimes support staff will use response cost just to get the student to flip out so they can be removed from the classroom and placed in an alternate safe setting (this used to be called isolation.) Token Boards for Classroom Management A token board is one of several different  visual schedules you can use to support classroom management. If you have a reinforcement schedule based on the board, you can specify either a token for each completed tasks or a combination of appropriate participation and work completion. If you give a token for each completed worksheet, you may find that your students choose only the easy ones, so you may want to offer two tokens for a particularly difficult activity. A Reinforcement Menu A menu of reinforcement choices is helpful, so your students know they have a range of choices that are acceptable. You may create a choice chart for each individual child, or permit them to choose from a larger chart. You will also find that different students have different preferences. When you create a students choice chart, it is worthwhile to take the time to do a reinforcement evaluation, especially for students with very low function.

Why I chose funeral service as a career Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Why I chose funeral service as a career - Essay Example A funeral service career provides an individual with an opportunity to engage in assistance of his fellow beings by providing them guidance and emotional support in a time when they need it the most. The loss of a close friend or a family member is a very difficult period and a funeral service career provides an opportunity to be of help to these people by comforting and soothing them. This career raises a person’s self confidence and it earns an individual respect in the society as well. A funeral service career requires the qualities of being sympathetic, considerate and caring. It is a career where an individual needs to feel the pain of others so that he can help them in the most appropriate way. I believe I possess all these qualities and I am more than willing to be of all help to my fellow beings. Therefore, funeral service is the best career option for