Memory Study Essays - Memory, Mental Processes, Implicit Memory

Memory Study The study of human memory and in particular the attempts to distinguish between different types of memory have benn investigated for the last century. Philosophy, psychiatry and psychologh have all contributed to this study. Korsakoff, Freud and Ebbinghaus are among the early contributers. Although their observations were not always methodological as strict as with current research they did play a vital role. One critisim of the early work was that there were few attempts to develope theroetical accounts of the dissociations that they observed (Schacter, 1989). This is of great importance to the study of implicit memory. One of the earliest uses of 'implicit' and 'explicit' memory distinctions in research was by Wiliam McDougall (Outline of psychology, 1924). This distinction defined 'explicit' memory as involving conscious recollection of a past event and 'implicit' memory as involving a change in behaviour that is attriduted to a recent event but contains no conscious recollection or explicit reference. (Schacter, 1989). Much of the controvacy that surrounds implicit memory study centeres arround its definition. Whether it defines the pretest situation or a theoritical construct of the underlying memory process. The main argument is that if similiar items must share common features if they are to belong to the same catagory of test or process. " Some ttheorists, for example, have argued that different manifestations of memory are attributable to the operation of the distinct memory systems(e.g. Schacter 1989; Squire 1992; Tulving 1993; Tulving and Schacter 1990). Others argue that these different manifestations are consistent with a process viewpoint (e.g. Jacoby et al. 1989a; Kolers and Roediger 1984; Roediger 1990; Roediger et al 1989)." From Richardson-Klavehn (1996). To explicate the positions, a review of the experimental evidence is necessary. Recently five main areas have informed research into implicit memory, Schacter (1989).These are savings during learning, effects of subliminally encoded stimuli, learning and conditioning without awareness, repetition priming and preserved learning in amnesic patients. These are reviewed in turn. Savings are the ability to relearn previously learned material in the absence of any knowledge of the previous learning situation. Although there is an influence of the previous learning situation on proformance. The most conclusive evidence for this comes from Nelson (1978), who has shown savings for items that are neither recalled nor recognised. Studies have demonstrated implicit memory for subliminal or briefly exposed stimuli under conditions in which subjects had no explicit memory. An auditory divided attention task in which homophones were presented on the unattended channel together with word intended to bias the low frequency interpretation of the homophone (e.g. taxi - FARE ), Eich (1984). Lewicki (1985) found that after exposure to adjective -noun pairs, subjects tended to choose the adjective that they had been exposed to when they were asked about the noun. Schacter (1989). Learning without awarness has been shown it rule learning studies. Subjects were shown letter strings from an artifical grammer and were able to identify grammatically correct strings even though they were not conscious of the propper rules, Reber (1976) called this implicit learning. Repetition Priming effects have been characterised by lexical decision, woed identification and word stem of fragment completion tasks. This area derives from two distinct and at times The study of human memory and in particular the attempts to distinguish between different types of memory have benn investigated for the last century. Philosophy, psychiatry and psychologh have all contributed to this study. Korsakoff, Freud and Ebbinghaus are among the early contributers. Although their observations were not always methodological as strict as with current research they did play a vital role. One critisim of the early work was that there were few attempts to develope theroetical accounts of the dissociations that they observed (Schacter, 1989). This is of great importance to the study of implicit memory. One of the earliest uses of 'implicit' and'explicit' memory distinctions in research was by Wiliam McDougall (Outline of psychology, 1924). This distinction defined 'explicit' memory as involving conscious recollection of a past event and 'implicit' memory as involving a change in behaviour that is attriduted to a recent event but contains no conscious recollection or explicit reference. (Schacter, 1989). Much of the controvacy that surrounds implicit memory study centeres arround its definition. Whether it defines the pretest situation or a theoritical construct of the underlying memory process. The main argument is that if similiar items must share common features if they are to belong to the same catagory of test or process. " Some ttheorists, for example, have argued that different manifestations of memory are attributable to the operation of the distinct memory systems(e.g. Schacter 1989;

Theories of Desire

Theories of Desire Introduction Sophocles wrote the play Antigone in the classic year 442BC. Antigone continues to draw interests and literary debates in the postmodernism era. Chief among the discussions in the play revolves around theories, obsessions and new perspectives of the classic play. It has been observed that, as a point of fact, the play has been an obsession in the 18th century to date. Indeed, scholastic interest and analysis explain the relationship between Antigone and the modern political, controversial and conflict laden times.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Theories of Desire specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Nonetheless, other quarters are of the view that Antigone presents nothing to be thought about in the modern hence dismissing its relevance to modern interests and applications. This paper takes the modern approach in referring to the relevancy of the play by critically giving an insight on the perspect ives of the theories of desire. It is argued that desire in Antigone is greater than the confines of men and laws. Theories of Desire Desire in this context is used to describe the obsession that people have in the society. Obsession takes different shapes in the society because people have different experiences. An attempt to understand Antigone must be backed by modern adaptations of the play by the likes of Jean Cocteau, Bertolt Brecht, Jean Anouilh and Heaney. In the Anouilh’s text, the greatest concern revolves around an attack of the family, youth, lofty, ideals and love and friendship. Contrary to Sophocles play, Anouilh leaves the powerful illustration of the philosophy of the desire for death, foreignness and mixed registers. An analysis of these differences between the modern and classical texts helps to understand the mystery surrounding the philosophy of death in Sophocles’s Antigone. In the classical Antigone, Sophocles clearly illustrates that Antigone as a character is foreign to the land of Thebes as indicated by her words to her father shortly before his death. In the play, her nature of desire is hard to understand and is coupled with her religious concerns. This is different from Anouilh texts that espouse that Antigone choice of death is a motivation by the dullness and lack of passion in life due to loneliness. This life according to Anouilh is one that repeats itself in a cycle explained by boredom from one lack of compelling life cycle to another meaningless in the other. A reference to Anouilh may partly explain the recent happenings of the uprisings in the Muslim and Arab worlds (Sophocles and Johnston, p. 5). By analogy, the ideal held by the toppled governments represents Creon’s actions in some respects. The young and the old in these states represent the Antigone in Anouilh’s text. Years of state neglect to the necessary and basic requirements of the people found desires and insistence to live better liv es embedded in the daily struggle and hearts of the citizens of these countries. Therefore, it is from one basic act of denying the necessary needs required for better lives in the future that finds form in a forceful nature. This is through sacrifice of lives and blood shedding, just like in Antigone.Advertising Looking for research paper on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More According to Sophocles the idea of foreignness shadows Antigone’s actions and desires. Recapping the view of the Muslim and Arab worlds, it is also clear that the citizen’s modern approach to things is extremely foreign to the age old perspectives of the older order. Fueled by the modern use of technology especially, social media, the youth in these countries have the connection of a family with ideals and views that those in power are not privy to and do not even understand. For the old order, it is their home ground reg ister; however, for the new generations, this is their point of action hence particularly foreign to what has already been established. The insistence on religiosity is a constant reminder of the value of belief in what is right and justice to follow. For Antigone, this bordered the belief she had in her traditions and hence her religion. For the youth in these countries, the belief in change for a better life and the need to chart new courses resembles what was in Antigone. However, Anouilh’s text must guide this view in the analysis that the Arab world uprising is not about the choice of death as Creon observes. Therefore, it becomes crucial to note that Anouilh’s text at this juncture departs from the tenets of the Arab life and its consequences to the modern people. It is the desire to right what is wrong in order that the future generations may reap the benefits of the philosophy of death. This is captured by Sophocles in Antigone of which later Creon finds truth in. In this sense then Antigone from Anouilh becomes a stranger to what Sophocles intended. The misrepresentation of Anouilh, thus, allows an understanding of the real impact of tragedy one that is well captured by Sophocles. In the words of Marcel Anouilh’s work lacks the quality needed to explain human drama. According to him, Antigone’s by Sophocles, actions and desires can only be explained by invoking the ideas in religion just like Kierkegaard. Therefore, in this view, Anouilh’s text is a secularization of the actions in the tragedy Antigone (Sophocles and Johnston, p. 15). Sophocles tragedy is a clear emphasis on the absolute contradiction and irreconcilability between Antigone and Creon. Clearly from their perspectives they are both right in a powerful cancellation between the state and kinship. The problem is that they cannot comprehend one anothers moral point of view and power in Sophocles text.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Theories of Desire specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Conflict, as Sophocles espouses appears as a first layer of disharmony through antinomy in that between the two no one is ready to cede ground for the other of which Anouilh fails to indicate just Jean Racine’s text. In these two texts, Antigone’s world is characterized as a doubt between the living and the dead through biological explanations. Creon and Antigone as presented Racine and Antigone indicate that they both had options, but they clearly intended to be antagonistic. On Antigone’s insistence on foreignness and Kierkegaard rendition of the extent of subjectivity, it becomes clear that conflict between the state and the subject is a guaranteed occurrence. The fact lies in the view that taboos and transgressions in the society act in unison to decide the fate of those who uphold them at the expense of the state. Lacking commensurability in the above vi ew again is a source of conflict between the subject and the state based on guilt held by the subject. In this view Antigone, qualifies for both options in Sophocles classic Antigone. By extension, this explains the modern relationship between governments and their subjects. While religion states equality and democracy, just like the flowing waters; a deep surgical analysis reveals that even the most democratic governments have instances of conspicuous treatment just like in Creon’s rule. Thus, Kierkegaard’s observation that deviating from aesthetics is a necessity brings truth home in the case of modernity. This reinforces his assertion that it is the rebirth of modern tragedy. Taking the example of the declaration of emergency situations in any nation, it can be noted that not all subjects behave in a certain way to call for such measures. On the contrary, there are citizens who are good at least in light of the situation while their brothers and sisters are on the w rong side of the law. However, in this case, the good suffer without any attempt to rationalize the boundaries. On the second note, the subject’s desire in favor of her point of view clearly puts the state and the subject on a collision path. A subject has the obligation to follow what the state requires of for effective and efficient governance. In addition, democracy defines that the voice of the majority should be heard. If the subject is not given his or her due demands, then necessary suffering is taken as justice. This is aimed at restoring the state under the invisible power of the subject. Further, this may translate to blood letting by a few who appear not realistic. In the end justice is achieved by the action of a few who deny their lives for a better cause. Therefore, in this desire, politics and what is necessary right governs the occurrence of such tragedy. Suffering can be in the form of death or even exile. In Sophocles Antigone, there is the displacement of t hings from their normal order. In terms of gender and religion, Antigone as a character goes overboard of what is Athenian for her gender. Secondly, Antigone does not represent the state or the kinship and neither the living nor the dead.Advertising Looking for research paper on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This intermixing of desires lacks from Anouilh’s text. The fact that the play supports Antigone, though an outsider to the happenings; Teireisia, reveals that Sophocles’ view of the state as a static entity should be questioned under the guidance of principles not easily settled on common human understanding (Sophocles and Johnston, p. 39). Antigone’s desire is absent according to Hegel. She represents what is admirable and what is acceptable in excess is too good to live. She represents those who cannot allow the state to carry own its activities without regard to whether right or wrong. This excess leads to Antigone showing that the way to gods who live in such excess. The occurrence of such needs for balance of equality on laws to all things under mankind is explained by this excess. Therefore, Sophocles’ text is a powerful reference to modernity on the will and power of religion, as opposed to the state authority. Antigone in the theory of desire as p resented by Sophocles is finally an examination of the problems of laws, family and state. Antigone’s actions do not support any at either perspectives, and the boundaries that lie between them are the necessary ingredients to tragedy. The customs, the taboos and religion, and gender all play as factors to make desire in any one of these disastrous and dangerous. In essence, Antigone finds fault in what is established, but not written down as any law. This is forms Antigone’s desire to rise above this tragedy. Conclusion In this analysis, therefore, it is worthy to note that the desire in Antigone is greater than the confines of men and laws. It is greater than the state and all its wise men, greater than family obedience, greater than love and the powers operating in the realm of human understanding. Antigone’s desire was thus like a process of justifying freedom in the confines of the society. However, religion should guide this proclamation. Sophocles and Jo hnston C. Ian. Antigone. Arlington, Virginia: Richer Resources Publications, 2007. Print.

Information systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Information systems - Essay Example In the case of a price war, a firm can maintain profitability as the competitors suffer losses. The low-cost strategy broadens the profit margin and targets a broad market (Griffin, 2007). The differentiation strategy concerns with offering products that possess different unique attributes. This strategy enables a firm to sell almost the same products to different markets and carry price discrimination across markets (Spulber, 2007). In the focus strategy, a firm sells and customizes unique marketing techniques to suit different markets. In the low-cost focus strategy, a firm specializes in a given market. It is essential to highlight that Coca Cola mainly uses the differentiation strategy while Toyota employs the low-cost strategy. In this sense, they gear their information systems towards meeting such competitive strategies. Toyota, in the lean manufacturing technique, uses globalized and automated information systems in enabling quick delivery of products across the world. Coca Cola, on the other hand, uses its information system towards market research. It employs the social media and mobile applications in understanding its market

Buyer Behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Buyer Behavior - Essay Example e a product is relatively expensive and possibly technologically complex, prospective purchasers often go through a complex search and evaluation process prior to making a purchase. Various models of consumer behaviour have been developed over the years. The models reflect the different buying situations in which consumers find themselves. Factors influencing consumer behaviour must be considered as well as similar factors influencing the buying decisions in business to business transactions. An understanding of these factors and how they influence the buying decision are extremely important when putting together a selling strategy. Market research also plays an important part in helping to identify relevant facts about buyer behaviour (consumer or organizational) and provides all kinds of information which forms the basis of strategy formulation. A motive to make a certain purchase is an internal state of the purchase. While consumer behavior is observable, motives are psychological constructs that can only be inferred. Buying motives for consumer products may be classified as economic, emotional, product, and retail patronage. Some of the motives may be rational while others are emotional. To illustrate, economic motives include product durability or economy in use. Emotional motives might include romance, pleasure, or prestige. Product purchase motives might involve ease for making repairs or ease of installation. Patronage motives relate to variety for selection or promptness in delivery. Motives relate to perception. Motives come from the consumers real self, self-image, ideal self, and looking-glass self. The way consumers envision the situation to themselves helps to shape their reactions or responses to marketers appeals (Sharon, Boyle, 2004: 343). Consumer goals and needs are constantly changing in response to environmental conditions, interaction with others, and physical conditions. As individuals realize their goals, new objectives may be

Critique of a qualitative article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Critique of a qualitative article - Essay Example Her contribution in field of research has enable her receive numerous awards such as the Eastern Nursing Research Society’s Distinguished Researcher Award, the Connecticut Nurse’ Association’s Diamond Jubilee award and many others. For the past 20 years, Cheryl main area of research has been on efforts to develop a research program on postpartum mood and anxiety disorders. Based on findings from the numerous studies she has undertaken, she has developed the Postpartum Depression Screening Scale (PDSS) which has been and continues to be published by Western Psychological Services. â€Å"There is no escaping the reality for Mothers of Children with Obstetric Brachial Plexus injuries† is one of the papers written by Cheryl after extensive research on mothers experiencing care for their children with an OBPI. The site of the study was the United States of America and a total of 23 mothers of children with OBPIs were used for the study. Research on mothers expe riencing care for their children with an OBPI by Cheryl is a phenomenology research. This is because it involves small number of samples and is basically concerned with the systematic reflection on and study of the structures of conscience and the phenomena that appear in acts of consciousness. Shoulder dystocia is considered the obstetric nightmare and some likely complication of shoulder dystocia to the infant is obstetric brachial plexus injury (OBPI). Generally, 20% to 30% of infants with OBPI are characterized by residual functional deficits (Beck, 2004). The main objective of the study was to investigate mothers’ experiences caring for their children who have obstetric brachial plexus injury (OBPI) (Beck, 2004). The purpose of the study is practical because Cheryl focuses on mothers who had experience caring for children suffering from obstetric brachial plexus injury. The study states that the recent countrywide study in the USA, the reported mean and standard error of OBPI incidence was 1.51+-0.02 per 1000 live births. It is worth noting that the statistics is based 1997, 2000 and 2003 data on more than 11 million births in Inpatient database (Beck, 2004. The sample size of the study comprised of 23 mothers from the USA who had children suffering from OBPI. The mother’s age ranged from 25 to 47 years while that of their children ranged from 3 months to 10 years. Of the 23 women selected for the study, 1 was single, 3 were divorced and 19 were married (Beck, 2004). In terms of ethnicity; 1 each was Hispanic, Black and Asian while 18 were Caucasian. However, 2 of the women did not reveal their ethnic background. In terms of education, 2 of the women had high school diplomas, 3 reported partial colleges, 3 had associate degrees, 7 had bachelor’s degrees, and 4 had master’s degree while 2 attained doctoral degree. However, two of the participants did not reveal their level of education (Beck, 2004). Two methods was used to colle ct data-the Internet and in-person interviews. This followed an approval from the university’s institutional review board. There was quite a long period of time for data collection starting from October 2005 to December 2007. Because of the in-person interviews, the data collection method was partly a field study since it involved the researcher going to the camp to collect data (Beck, 2004). The researcher played a vital role in ensuring validity of the data through going out to the field and having first-hand information from those families who had

CSR For Nestle And MTN

CSR For Nestle And MTN Nestle (a high-income company) and MTN (a low-income company) have different approaches regarding CSR. This report will describe and evaluate those approaches. Introduction This is a brief description of each company highlighting some facts concerning their development. Section one Identifies the different types of stakeholders that the company should consider while mapping its local/global activities. Using the Stakeholder Saliency Model, allocates those stakeholders for both companies, taking into account two things: who has the most/least power in steering the companys decisions and whether or not this stakeholder is interested in CSR initiatives. Two differences have been identified: Nestle: firstly, host governments in developing countries are Dangerous Stakeholders and do not show much interest in CSR; secondly, social organizations, NGOs and the media are Dangerous Stakeholders and in favour of CSR. MTN: firstly, host governments in developing countries are Dominant and show interest in CSR; secondly, social organizations such as NGOs and the media are Demanding and in favour of CSR. The reasons behind this include: Host government in developing countries: corrupt government may find the high-income corporation (Nestle) an enticing opportunity to seize unlike MTN. Moreover, MTN which originated in a developing country, has a great deal of experience with such governments. Social Organization: MTN does not have a negative direct impact on peoples lives, unlike Nestle. Also MTN is not recognized globally while Nestle is since MTN operates only in developing countries while Nestle operates globally. Section two In this section the report answers the following: whether CSR initiatives adopted by both companies increased/decreased over time, and also who was behind the changes and why they occurred. It was found that both companies have increased their CSR initiatives especially in the globalization era for Nestle, and particularly since the 1970s as many social organizations emerged and FDI occurred in that period. Section three The report shows how authors classify the stakeholders perspective in different ways: some classify them according to the local economic situation; others in a developing countrys context; others classify the social and environmental issues depending on regions. A Ponte et al typology using four approaches (engaged/disengaged, proximate/distant) is applied to the above classifications. An analysis was made with the following results: There are many perspectives which support CSR initiatives and argue that those initiatives are good for business, especially the engaged approaches, and they support their argument with evidence. They are also good for society whether the approaches are engaged or disengaged. At the other end of the spectrum, there are many who do not agree with the benefits brought by CSR initiatives and believe it is bad for business and useless for society. II. Introduction The purpose of this report is to analyse, compare and contrast the socially responsible approach of two multinational companies (Nestle and MTN). This will be approached in the following order: firstly, a brief description for each company will be provided; secondly, the report will allocate the stakeholders using the stakeholder saliency model for each company showing the similarities and differences. This will be followed by a brief description regarding the changes of CSR approach for both companies and the reasons for these changes. The third section includes a critical analysis of both approaches using Ponte et al typology and two contrasting viewpoints. Finally, a conclusion sums up the findings showing the future of CSR for both companies. III. Brief History with some facts regarding CSR, Nestle  [1]  , It was in the 1860s when a pharmacist Henri Nestle developed a food formula for those infants who experienced problems in breastfeeding. This welcome innovation from Nestle is now sold all over the world (Nestle History, 2009). Some facts about the company include: 1905-to date: Healthy growth in general with some periods of struggle with a lot of mergers and acquisitions, one of the most important being with Movenpick Ice Cream. 1970s-1980s: Heavy attacks from social organizations and individuals for the unethical marketing activities encouraging mothers in the developing world to use its products instead of breastfeeding. (Douglas,1986) 1998 Nestlà © Corporate Business Principles was produced and updated to include the principles of the UN Secretary Generals Global Compact: Labour Standard, Human rights, the Environment (Nestle report, 2001) Creating the Shared Value scheme for a healthier world in the 21st century. (CSV mission, 2009) MTN Group  [2]  , Founded in 1994, MTN Group is a telecommunication company; it services in 21 countries across Africa and the Middle East. (MTN Report 1 and 2, 2009). 2007: MTN was the best tax payer for the year ending 2005/2006 in many African countries.(MTN History, 2007) 2007: Established the Corporate Social Responsibility Foundation. .(MTN History, 2007) 2009: According to management consulting firm Oliver Waymans annual State of the Industry report, MTN achieved the fourth place among the top 60 global performers in terms of its shareholder performance index (SPI) at the end of 2008 with total revenue of 102,526 million rand  [3]  , (MTN Report 1and 2, 2009 ). IV. Section one: Corporate social responsibility: CSR is the commitment by the company to behave ethically with its stakeholders and to fulfil all obligations of minimizing any harm and maximizing the benefits for society, humanity and the environment and that includes commitments by companies to contribute to social development and enhance the standard of peoples lives  [4]  . Stake holder Identification: According to many authors Mercier (1999), Freeman (1984), Donaldson and Preston (1995), stakeholders are usually all those groups or individuals that may affect or be affected by the organizations daily working process, and also include all those who could have shares or interests in the same organization (Cited in Perqueux, 2004.P:6). From the definition given above it could be interpreted that organizations should classify their stakeholders interests and power in a way that brings satisfaction because they will be assessed and evaluated by them in the future, and that what Rossouw and Sison (2006, p41) argued for when they described the corporations as a nation state is that they must be honest with its citizens otherwise they will be overthrown. From the two definitions mentioned above and by using the Stakeholder Saliency Model, this report will now show two things at the same time. The first is to show who stakeholder has the most or least effect in mapping the business activities, and second to what extent this allocated stakeholder is CSR driver for both companies showing the similarities and differences. An explanation for these will be provided. Nestle Power Discretionary Stakeholder: other inter-national institutions e.g. IMF, World Bank Dominant Stakeholder. Dangerous Stakeholder: Governments in developing countries, social organizations, NGOs, media. Demanding Stakeholder: people Definitive Stakeholder: Main Shareholders Dormant Stakeholder: Shareholders (Minority interest) Depending Stakeholder Legitimacy Urgency MTN Power Discretionary Stakeholder: other Inter-national Institutions such as IMF, World Bank Dominant Stakeholder: Government in developing countries Dormant Stakeholder: Shareholders (Minority interest) Demanding Stakeholder: Social organizations, NGOs, media. Dangerous Stakeholder Definitive Stakeholder: Main Shareholders Depending Stakeholder Legitimacy Urgency . The main similarities: Main Shareholders (Definitive Stakeholders with fake CSR ): As they supply the organization with the funds needed to build up capital, thus they have the right to vote, control and change the corporate structure if required, Mantyssari (2005), and that would have a substantial influence in mapping the companys business activities and other activities related to CSR. The following example shows how Nestles first priority is its shareholders and how Nestle manipulates the CSR approach. This happened when it announced the intention to transform Nestle into the worlds leading wellness organization to promote healthy eating by people through providing functional food instead of its ordinary range, spending SFr 2 billion on research and development in 2008. However, many experts point out that there is no substantial evidence that eating functional food makes people healthier. Lausanne and Vevey (The Economist, 2009. p39-95) indicate also to the reasons behind that by showing that in America the growth of functional foods between 2002-2007 was 15.8% a year while ordinary foods was only 2.9% suggesting profit was the main driver nothing else. The same is applicable in MTN regarding definitive shareholders, especially when looking closely at their annual report (2008 p172), showing the percentage of share capital, equal to 25%, was owned only by 8 shareholders, so this group of 8 has the majority portion of power to direct the company activities in the way they prefer, which is making profits. Minority interest Shareholders (Dormant Stakeholders with no effects on CSR): they do not have the enough power to steer the company in the responsible direction nether on its policy IMF, World Bank, WTO (Discretionary Stakeholders with a neutral position regarding CSR): through their regulation and requirements and conditionality they open new routes for investing. However, that does not oblige the MNCs to invest nor to participate in social responsibility initiatives. The main differences: Host governments in developing countries are Dangerous Stakeholders and do not show too much interest in CSR for Nestle, while they are Dominant and show interest in CSR for MTN) Jones (2005, p:9) pointed out that host governments use a lot of subsidies to attract foreign organizations, such as low custom tariffs or free capital movement in order to overcome difficulties (poverty, diseases, deathà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) Applying this to the selected companies: Nestle: this type of stakeholder should be allocated under Dangerous for many reasons. Nestle lacks experience in dealing with developing governments policies. Another reason is that kleptocratic government may find the high-income corporation (Nestle) an enticing opportunity to seize. For example: the BBC announced in December 2002 that Nestle was trying to persuade the Ethiopian government to pay USD 6 million instead of 1.5 million as compensation for nationalizing one of its subsidiaries in Ethiopia. This example shows how the Ethiopian government took possession of Nestlà ©s subsidiary without any previous notice or consultation. MTN: originally from SA, and all of its investments are located in Africa and the ME (developing countries). It has a great deal of experience with such governments so do not need to put it under Dangerous stakeholders unlike Nestle. But even though MTN has put governments under the Dominant category MTN has to comply with the King codes in South Africa  [5]  which include very strict rules regarding CSR initiatives in order be listed in JSE securities exchange and to be accepted by the government and society. (Institute of Directors in South Africa, 2009) Social organizations, NGOs, Media are Dangerous Stakeholders and in favour of CSR for Nestle, while Demanding and in favour of CSR for MTN: Nestle: Because of the nature of the business of Nestle (covering world-wide and working in the field of nutrition), it may be found that a lot of social organizations along with the media always attack it aggressively, especially if they discover the unethical approach of its social responsibility, pushing it to make more and more effort in the field of CSR. For example: the General Synod of the Church of England called for a ban on Nestle and asked Church commissioners to disinvest their GBP 1.1 million in it. Moreover in 1974 the British charity War on Want released a leaflet The Baby Killer criticising Nestle for the bad effects of its marketing strategies in Africa. (Kotler et al. 2009) MTN: However, there are many examples showing MTN has a good reputation among those organizations who praise its efforts to serve the people and bring prosperity to society. For example, South Africa media (South Africa info, 2008) praised MTN when it declared its intention, along with other operators, to establish a fibre network across the Sub Saharan centres in an effort to meet the soaring needs of their subscribers and connect the African continent with the rest of the world. The reason for this approval is because MTN does not have a negative direct impact on peoples lives, unlike Nestle. Also MTN is not recognized globally as Nestle is since it operates only in developing countries. V. Section two: This report will now answer the following question which way is the CSR changing and what are the main causes for this? In 1869 Henri Nestle said: During the first few months, the mothers milk will always be the most natural nutriment, put promoted Nestle products as a substitute. However, in 2007 Nestle stated that Nothing is a substitute for or equivalent or superior to breast milk Kotler et al. (2009). These two statements raise two questions: the first one is Did Nestle admit the guiltiness about its previous promotion?; secondly, If yes, then who was behind it? Actually to answer these questions, we have to consider that through Nestle growth, a lot of pressure and outside forces have pushed the company to change its attitude towards satisfying its stakeholders and make responsible efforts rather than only profit. Blowfield and Murray (2008, p:41-66) claim that the relationship between business and society changed through three eras: the industrial revolution, the mid-twentieth-century welfare state and globalization. Furthermore, through these eras there was a shift in corporate social responsibility, from a theoretical concerned with normative behaviour of the organization, to CSR as management practice, especially in the 1970s. Ackerman and Bauers (1976 cited in Blowfield et al, 2008) argue also that what a company can do to respond to social expectation rather than theoretical ideas of what it should do is what matters. This is reflected in public confidence over the years (see Appendix 1) which suggests public confidence began to incre ase in the late 1970s with a slight decrease in 1991. (Source: Frederick 2006) In relation to the two companies in this study, it may be that Nestle actually took into consideration social responsibility after the harsh boycott in the 1970s when it learnt a lot from that lesson and started to increase its commitment to society and allocated social organizations and media as dangerous stakeholders. MTN is a relatively new company established only in the 1990s, which could be viewed as the globalization era so has a high standard of CSR knowledge (King I, II, III code). Thus, it could be concluded that there was an increase in CSR initiatives owing to greater awareness among stakeholders, especially over the last three decades, and that increase was related directly to globalization and its characteristics such as free trade, rises in FDI in developing countries, soaring demands of the media and the NGOs. VI. Section Three: This section will be divided into three parts: Analysis of the different stakeholders perspective approaches, Depending on the outcome of the first part, the report will use Ponte et al typology to allocate the approach of both companies. A further analysis of these approaches will be conducted using two contrasting viewpoints. Many authors classify the stakeholders perspective in different ways. Some classify them according to the local economic situation such as Cannon (1994) by giving five types of societies which need different reactions from the business to help the economy out of the crisis: the high-stress environment (suffering from long time economic downturn), structurally disadvantaged areas (business in remote areas), the crisis zone, the transitional zone (change of the importance of industry in same area), and the powerhouse industry that used to drive the main local growth and now facing high competition from others. Other authors such as Hamann et al (2005) explore the stakeholders perspective in a developing countrys context when they pointed out some realities to be considered in achieving a successful CSR in South Africa: first, a long history of poverty and inequality: second, the need for effective CSR to destroy the bad image of exploitation and racism created by companies over a long period in those countries; third, the suppression of black economic empowerment which mostly comes from corruption: fourth, the need to enhance social aspects such as human rights and democracy. Others classify the social and environmental issues depending on the regions, showing the different CSR requirements among countries and they emphasise that each region needs its own CSR initiatives. For example, the USA needs to address renewed calls for nuclear power and to deal with air pollution, while some African countries need more concentration in improving the infrastructure and solving the conflicts between tribes and governments (PWC, 2006; Ethical Corporation, 2006 cited in Blowfield Murray,2008) (see appendix 2 for more details). Using the above mentioned methods, now Ponte et al typology can be used to allocate initiative approaches used by Nestle and MTN: Company Engaged CSR activities the factory and farmer scheme in China which has direct impact on company operations since it eliminates the suppliers and at the same time gives the farmers technical support. (Nestle China, 2009) Disengaged CSR initiatives: Nestle Nigeria along with the Red Cross started an initiative, an educational programme in 2003 to increase the awareness of HIV among people in Nigeria (Nestle Nigeria, 2009) Distant CSR activities the factory and farmer example in China, because the farmers are not one of Nestlà ©s workforces they are a separate entity and might be paid low prices for their milk supply. (Nestle China, 2009) Proximate CSR activities: Nestle creates job opportunities. It has now more than 265,000 employees worldwide from 100 different countries. (Nestle, 2009) Engaged and Proximate: the EcoShape bottle produced by Nestle North America in 2007. This example could be regarded as an engaged activity since it reduces the bad effects on the environment (will reduce the CO2 emission by 356,000 tons within three years) and at the same time it is proximate because it is closely related to the company operations (since it impacts on the environment in the same location as its operations). (Nestle America, 2009) -Engaged CSR activities: the Environmental Management System is one of MTNs policies to reduce the production waste by recycling and encouraging the employees to act socially responsible. (MTN Environmental Policy, 2009) Disengaged CSR initiatives: Arts and Aids awareness educational program for communities, conducted by the MTN foundation and regarded as a totally disengaged scheme carried out by MTN. (MTN SA foundation, 2009) Distant CSR activities: No distant CSR initiatives found. -Proximate CSR activities: the Arts and Aids awareness educational program could be regarded as a proximate CSR scheme since MTN originally operated in Africa and the Middle East. (MTN SA foundation, 2009) Engaged and Proximate: the 21 days of Yello care started in 2007. This scheme of 21 days gives the opportunity for MTNs employees to directly engage with the CSR initiatives programme with a prize as a reward at the end of this scheme for the best team. One team was rewarded for building a small pedestrian bridge. (MTN Yello, 2009) Now, the report will analyse the Ponte et al typology mentioned above showing two contrasting viewpoints: In favour of CSR: Good for business when (Engaged whether Proximate or Distant): Porter and Kramer (2006, p:83) indicate that working in a healthy society will keep the company healthy (health care for the workforce) and also supply it with a competitive advantage (efficient use of resources: water, land) and all of these will be achieved by Integrating Business and Society through CSR activities. Other authors praise the role of CSR in marketing and this could be applied in bringing a bright image to the company and to some extent increase its sales Hardeep and Sharma (2006). For example, Ogrizek (2002) said: There are clear and concrete market-driven benefits and competitive advantages for companies, which integrate their business policies with CSR. In respect of the two companies in question there are a lot of initiative approaches for both companies from their websites which all could be regarded as marketing tools and green sheen attempts (the new brand of Nestle: Nescafe Green blend). Good for society when (Engaged whether Proximate or Distant): advocators of this model argue that governments in the developing countries on their own cannot meet the increasing demands of the society and development requirements and this is actually what Samuel et al (2009.p394) found when they conducted research in Nigeria showing how CSR initiatives being carried out by 22 organizations complement government efforts to build up a stable economy. Furthermore, this perspective is also supported by the neo-liberalism theory in which many authors stress that only business and free markets can sustain the individual rights, society and the environment (Burchell, 1996, Barry et al 1996, Peter and Olssen 2002 cited in Zajda, 2009 p:15). No one could deny that Nestle creates job opportunities for 265,000 employees worldwide from 100 different countries and also that MTN donated about 1.5 Rand million to buy clothes with the help of the Red Cross in South Africa in response to attacks by f oreign nationals in 2008 (MTN SA foundation, 2009). At the economy level, The Economist (1999) emphasized the contribution of MTN as a mobile company in bringing the poor and isolated into the global economy. Opposed to CSR: Bad for business when (Disengaged): advocators for this approach are usually those who argue in favour of shareholder interests and indicate that the main objective of any company is only to maximize the shareholders value and minimize any kind of expense. That becomes very clear when Lawrence (1999) describes how the company should create a value management system in five steps in order to achieve the shareholder value, neglecting any component related to non-profit activities because it just an expense. Also, as mentioned earlier in this report, Mantyssari (2005) describes the shareholders as the heart of the business who supply it with the funds needed for the daily operations, so managers have to keep them satisfied by a high level of yield. Furthermore, some say that CSR is not only waste of money but also it distracts the managers from focusing on their real duties since effective CSR, which is not only a charity cheque, needs special talent and efforts, and that is also emphasized by Porter and Kramer (2006, p:91) when they argue that organizational adjustment that matches good CSR initiatives is what matters more than kind intentions. Useless for society and development (Criticizing all Ponte et al approaches): many protestors criticise the effects caused by MNCs activities all over the world since their negative effects outweigh their CSR initiatives. They think whatever the companies do for the societies is only a green sheen. For instance, Nestle is proud of itself, saying it always provides work opportunities for people, indicated that 97% of their workforces are distributed all over the world The Economist (1997.p153). However, for Corpwatch (2005) the truth is it exploits the workers in an awful manner and Corpwatch complained that 286,000 children work as slaves in the Ivory Coasts cocoa farms (90 hours a week with very low wages) and point out that Nestle is the third largest importer of cocoa from the Ivory Coast. Also it could be argued from bad for business angle as there is general agreement that if CSR is not focused and organized it will often come to nothing or may sometimes have harmful results. VII. Conclusion: From this report, a lot of findings can be drawn by analysing the corporate social responsibility approaches for Nestle and MTN. This report started by showing the importance of the different types of stakeholders that try to steer the companys activities in the way they desire, whether in a business or CSR approach. Using the Stakeholders Saliency Model these stakeholders have been allocated and two major differences were found. The first one is, Governments in developing countries where Nestle operate should be put under Dangerous stakeholder since they lack experience in dealing with such governments and the high-income corporation could also be seen an enticing opportunity to be seized. However, MTN (a low-income company) is the opposite case since it originated in such an environment. The other main difference between them is the danger of social organizations for Nestle such as NGOs and the media since it works globally and works in the field of nutrition, hiring people from po or countries, so may be targeted by such institutions. In contrast, MTN does not have a direct impact on peoples lives and is not recognized globally like Nestle since it operates only in developing countries. The report then analysed and evaluated the CSR approaches for both companies using Ponte et al typology to allocate them in four dimensions, engaged/disengaged, distant/proximate. It was found Nestle and MTN use all of them except for MTN which did not use distant CSR initiatives. The report attempted to answer the question which stakeholders were satisfied and which were not, no matter what type of approach was adopted, by contrasting two points of view (with and against CSR) and arguing them in four different aspects. Through the analysis of the aspect Useless for society, it was found some organizations and institutions are still not satisfied by the CSR initiatives and need deeper indicators, going beyond the basics and taking into account the real influences on the surroundings. Regarding the future of CSR, some authors such as Murray and Blowfield (2008, p:365-369) emphasised that the context analysis such as the mega trends (climate change, demographic change, poverty) will be no less important than simply examining the CSR approaches taken by the company.

Magical Realism and the Sublime in The Circular Ruins Essay example --

Magical Realism and the Sublime in The Circular Ruins  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   Among the many short stories that the Argentinian writer Jorge Luis Borges has written, "The Circular Ruins" was published in 1964 in a collection of his works entitled Labyrinths: Selected Stories & Other Writings. Even though "The Circular Ruins" may be classified as a Magical Realist text, one may wonder if this short story could be classified as the Sublime as well. By examining "The Circular Ruins," a reader will be able to see several similarities between Magical Realism and the Sublime.    Of course, the first step in deciding whether or not "The Circular Ruins" is a type of the Sublime is to look at some of the characteristics of the Sublime. For instance, one of the characteristics of the Sublime is that it causes the feeling of transcendence, which means that the reader feels as if or she is rooted in the world but, at the same time, senses something that is beyond the world (Sandner 52). By using the element of dreams in "The Circular Ruins," transcendence is experienced by not only the reader but the main character, too. With the specific purpose to "dream a man" and "insert him into reality," the main character travels to circular ruins to sleep (Borges 46). After he finally accomplishes his purpose, the main character discovers that he himself is only the result of someone else's imagination (Borges 50). As a result, the reader may wonder if he or she, like the main character, is just the dream of someone else. Therefore, while the character and the reader may f eel as if they are real human beings, they may begin to feel as if they are imaginary human beings, which is the sense of something beyond the world.    How does this feeling o... ...k P, 1986. Borges, Jorge Luis. "The Circular Ruins." Labyrinths: Selected Stories & Other Writings. Ed. Donald A. Yates and James E. Irby. New York: New Directions, 1964. 45-50. Faris, Wendy B. "Scheherazade's Children: Magical Realism and Postmodern Fiction." Magical Realism. Theory, History, Community. Ed. Lois Parkinson Zamora and Wendy B. Faris. Durham, N.C.: Duke UP, 1995. 163-186. Flores, Angel. "Magical Realism in Spanish American Fiction." Magical Realism. Theory, History, Community. Ed. Lois Parkinson Zamora and Wendy B. Faris. Durham, N.C.: Duke UP, 1995. 109-116. Longinus. On the Sublime. Cambridge: Harvard UP, 1995. Sandner, David. The Fantastic Sublime. Westport, C.T.: Greenwood P, 1996. Schaffer, Barbara Joan. "The Circular Ruins." 23 January 2001 <http://www.themodernword.com/borges/borges_paper_schaffer.html>.    Magical Realism and the Sublime in The Circular Ruins Essay example -- Magical Realism and the Sublime in The Circular Ruins  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   Among the many short stories that the Argentinian writer Jorge Luis Borges has written, "The Circular Ruins" was published in 1964 in a collection of his works entitled Labyrinths: Selected Stories & Other Writings. Even though "The Circular Ruins" may be classified as a Magical Realist text, one may wonder if this short story could be classified as the Sublime as well. By examining "The Circular Ruins," a reader will be able to see several similarities between Magical Realism and the Sublime.    Of course, the first step in deciding whether or not "The Circular Ruins" is a type of the Sublime is to look at some of the characteristics of the Sublime. For instance, one of the characteristics of the Sublime is that it causes the feeling of transcendence, which means that the reader feels as if or she is rooted in the world but, at the same time, senses something that is beyond the world (Sandner 52). By using the element of dreams in "The Circular Ruins," transcendence is experienced by not only the reader but the main character, too. With the specific purpose to "dream a man" and "insert him into reality," the main character travels to circular ruins to sleep (Borges 46). After he finally accomplishes his purpose, the main character discovers that he himself is only the result of someone else's imagination (Borges 50). As a result, the reader may wonder if he or she, like the main character, is just the dream of someone else. Therefore, while the character and the reader may f eel as if they are real human beings, they may begin to feel as if they are imaginary human beings, which is the sense of something beyond the world.    How does this feeling o... ...k P, 1986. Borges, Jorge Luis. "The Circular Ruins." Labyrinths: Selected Stories & Other Writings. Ed. Donald A. Yates and James E. Irby. New York: New Directions, 1964. 45-50. Faris, Wendy B. "Scheherazade's Children: Magical Realism and Postmodern Fiction." Magical Realism. Theory, History, Community. Ed. Lois Parkinson Zamora and Wendy B. Faris. Durham, N.C.: Duke UP, 1995. 163-186. Flores, Angel. "Magical Realism in Spanish American Fiction." Magical Realism. Theory, History, Community. Ed. Lois Parkinson Zamora and Wendy B. Faris. Durham, N.C.: Duke UP, 1995. 109-116. Longinus. On the Sublime. Cambridge: Harvard UP, 1995. Sandner, David. The Fantastic Sublime. Westport, C.T.: Greenwood P, 1996. Schaffer, Barbara Joan. "The Circular Ruins." 23 January 2001 <http://www.themodernword.com/borges/borges_paper_schaffer.html>.   

Vals Survey

1.After taking the VALS survey, I’ve learned the primary VALS segment that I match is ‘Experiencer’, which represents my dominant approach to life. This means I am motivated by self-expression. According to the site, experiencers quickly become enthusiastic about new possibilities but are equally quick to cool (Vals Survey). Experiencers tend to be young, enthusiastic, and impulsive consumers (Vals Survey). Additionally, this dimension seeks variety and excitement, savoring the new, the offbeat, and the risky (Vals Survey). An experiencer’s energy finds an outlet in exercise, sports, outdoor recreation, and social activities (Vals Survey). Experiencers are also said to be avid consumers and spend a comparatively high proportion of their income on fashion, entertainment, and socializing (Vals Survey). Their purchases reflect the emphasis they place on looking good and having â€Å"cool† stuff. I could not agree with this more. I tend to live life as if tomorrow would be my last day, so I prefer to spend my money on things that make me happy and keep me young. I was somewhat surprised to see that my secondary type is ‘Achiever’ rather than ‘Thinker’, because I constantly feel that I am mature, satisfied, and comfortable. I always value order, knowledge, and responsibility in my life. I am very well-educated and actively seek out information in the decision-making process. I am constantly well-informed about world and national events, and am alert to opportunities to broaden my knowledge. To summarize, I am either a very diverse type of person, or I know less about myself than I thought. 2.The various VALS types that one could be categorized under are innovators, thinkers, achievers, experiencers, believers, strivers, makers and survivors. Some are definitely easier to manage than others. I would say that innovators, achievers and experiencers are the most difficult to manage. The easiest to manage are probably the thinkers, believers, strivers, makers and survivors. Related essay: â€Å"Support Positive Risk Taking For Individuals† Innovators would involve a difficult lifestyle simply because they represent all three primary motivations in varying degrees. Achievers must balance career and family, which is difficult for a lot of people to do. As stated online, achievers are often interested in a variety of time-saving devices because of their busy lives. Experiencers are involved in a complicated life that would be tough to manage, because it requires a lot of money, a lot of risk taking, and being kept up-to-date on the latest styles and trends. This sounds like a very hectic lifestyle. 3.Since my VALS type is ‘experiencer’, one managerial conclusion that I can draw from this is that, when I become a manger one day, I will focus more on innovation and the ‘now’ of things rather than the past. Since an experiencer involves high resources and high innovation, I will be managing a company with great future prospects and hope for a lot of growth- whether it is through mergers, acquisitions, or expansion to foreign countries. This type of manager is also known as a ‘growth manager’. Growth managers tend to invest in the stocks of companies with rapidly growing sales and earnings (Fin Pipe). They believe that the stock price of this type of company will increase quickly as well, reflecting the strong growth of these companies (Fin Pipe). This always involves risk, which is a common characteristic of an experiencer.

Free Essays on The Life Of Carl Sandburg

Carl Sandburg was born in Galesburg, Illinois on January 6, 1878. He lived to become a Pulitzer Prize winning poet and biographer of Abraham Lincoln, novelist, journalist, children's author, and troubador of American folk songs. He grew up in the fields of Illinois, travelled the box cars of the midwest, campaigned for the Socialist party, was film critic and Chicago advocate. Carl Sandburg's poetry expresses the hearty, earthy nature of America, finding both soft and harsh beauty amongst her people. Sandburg died on Saturday, July 22, 1967, at his home in North Carolina. On October 1, 1967, his ashes were buried beneath "Remembrance Rock" at his birthplace in Galesburg, Illinois. Two of Sandburg's homes are now historic sites. The Carl Sandburg State Historic Site, his boyhood home in Galesburg, is where the poet and his wife rest for the remainder of time. Contact the Carl Sandburg Historic Site Association for hours of operation and special event information. At the time of his death, Carl Sandburg lived in North Carolina. The home is now a National Park with a nice bookstore containing new books and materials about the author. Write to them for ordering information. The Blockhead Travel Itinerary also has an interesting discussion of the Sandburg house. John Heasly also maintains a wonderful Carl Sandburg Historic Site Association w... Free Essays on The Life Of Carl Sandburg Free Essays on The Life Of Carl Sandburg Carl Sandburg was born in Galesburg, Illinois on January 6, 1878. He lived to become a Pulitzer Prize winning poet and biographer of Abraham Lincoln, novelist, journalist, children's author, and troubador of American folk songs. He grew up in the fields of Illinois, travelled the box cars of the midwest, campaigned for the Socialist party, was film critic and Chicago advocate. Carl Sandburg's poetry expresses the hearty, earthy nature of America, finding both soft and harsh beauty amongst her people. Sandburg died on Saturday, July 22, 1967, at his home in North Carolina. On October 1, 1967, his ashes were buried beneath "Remembrance Rock" at his birthplace in Galesburg, Illinois. Two of Sandburg's homes are now historic sites. The Carl Sandburg State Historic Site, his boyhood home in Galesburg, is where the poet and his wife rest for the remainder of time. Contact the Carl Sandburg Historic Site Association for hours of operation and special event information. At the time of his death, Carl Sandburg lived in North Carolina. The home is now a National Park with a nice bookstore containing new books and materials about the author. Write to them for ordering information. The Blockhead Travel Itinerary also has an interesting discussion of the Sandburg house. John Heasly also maintains a wonderful Carl Sandburg Historic Site Association w...

Did You Know You Can Delete ACT Scores How to Do It

Did You Know You Can Delete ACT Scores How to Do It SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Did you know it’s possible to totally delete a set of ACT scores you don’t like? Poof - just like that. A bad set of ACT scores can vanish. This isn't a well known fact, and in fact we were surprised to discover it ourselves. But it has big implications for how you test, especially if you're afraid of taking the test too many times because it'll look bad to colleges. We will explain how to delete ACT scores and discuss in which circumstances it might make sense. Read on for an exclusive guide to getting rid of bad ACT scores. What Does Deleting an ACT Test Score Do? Deleting a test record means you are completely erasing the scores from a particular test date. This includes both the overall composite score and the individual section scores. (For more on ACT scoring, see our post.) If you do this, those scores will be permanently deleted and you will never see them again. You also won’t get a refund for that test date. This is different from canceling scores – canceling stops the ACT from grading a particular test (students usually do this if they get sick or really struggle on test day). This means the scores never even exist because the test was never graded. For scores to be deleted, the test obviously has to be graded and scored first. We'll talk about some reasons students might delete an ACT test record below. Why Would You Delete an ACT Test Record? Basically, if you have an ACT score you’re unhappy with and don’t want colleges to see, you can delete it. Again, keep in mind you’re forfeiting the money you spent to get that score if you do this. This gets you around the requirement some colleges have to send all of your existing standardized test scores. For example, both Stanford and Yale require applicants to send all scores they have from the ACT or SAT. â€Å"Official scores from all test dates must be sent to Stanford directly from the ACT or the College Board (the reporting agency for the SAT) or both if the applicant has taken the ACT and the SAT. Applicants may not use the College Board's Score Choice feature or "hide" any scores with either testing agency," says Stanford on their admissions site. â€Å"You must report the scores of all of the SATs and any SAT Subject Tests you have taken, or all of the ACTs and ACT Writing Tests that you’ve taken," says Yale. However, if you delete an ACT score, it will no longer exist – making it impossible to send. I spoke with someone at the ACT who confirmed that colleges will not see scores you have deleted. Is this a bit of a sneaky workaround? Maybe. But if the ACT gives you the option to delete your test scores, there is nothing wrong with your using that service. By accepting the ACT as a standardized test, colleges have to also accept the ACT’s score policies, including score deletion. ACT Test Scores You Can't Delete Even though deleting ACT scores is possible in some cases, keep the following exceptions in mind. First, you can’t delete every possibleACT score you have. Specifically, you can’t delete scores associated with state or district tests. This is because those scores aren’t just for you, they’re used to evaluate your school and district. Furthermore, if you take the ACT as part of district testing, you didn’t pay for it. The ACT says students have the right to delete their scores because â€Å"students own their test scores.† In short, deleting only applies to testing that you paid for. A map showing the states that use the ACT as part of their testing. Image via ACT State Services. Second, deleting a test record won’t do anything about scores that have already been sent to colleges. So if you had your scores sent to colleges right after you took the ACT, you can't get those reports back. In fact, we recommend that you not send those four free score reports that come with your ACT registration because they’re sent before you know your score, which is pretty risky. Should You Delete Your ACT Scores? Don’t delete a test record before you’re sure of a few things. You don't want to act too quickly and completely lose a test record forever before you're positive you want it deleted. First, Where Are You Applying? Some schools, for example MIT, don’t require applicants to send all of their scores. â€Å"Students are free to use the College Board's Score Choice option and the ACT's option to submit the scores of your choice as well," they say on their admissions site. Harvard has the same policy: â€Å"You are free to use the College Board Score Choice option or the similar option offered by the ACT.† If you are only applying to schools that allow you to use score choice – or in other words to only send your best scores – you don’t have to worry about deleting bad ACT scores. To see if a school allows score choice, search for the â€Å"Standardized Testing† page on their application website. Schools will specify there if they want all of your scores or if they’ll let you use score choice. If the info isn't on the standardized testing page, check the Frequently Asked Questions. Also stay tuned for our post about which schools require all scores. Second, How Low is Low? In case you are applying to schools that require you to submit all scores, or even if you have a score you don’t think you would send if you had the choice, you should decide if that score is really too low to keep. See our guide to good, bad, and excellent ACT scores to see if the score you’re worried about is in range for your target schools. Don’t delete a score unless you’re positive it’s bad. This is especially true if your composite was lower than you wanted, but you had some high section scores. It’s possible that on a retake you could get a higher composite but have certain section scores go down, and you might want colleges to see those high section scores. For example, say your first ACT composite was a 26 but you had a 34 on the Math section. If you retake the ACT and get to a 32 composite but your math score is 30 the second time around, you would lose that high math score. Think carefully before deleting a set of ACT scores with any high section scores. Third, Don't Delete Your Score Too Quickly Do not delete your ACT score until you already have achieved a higher score on a retake. If you delete your score before you retake the ACT, what happens if you get an even lower score on the retake? Then you have lost your higher score and can’t get it back. The best case then would be to retake the ACT a third time, costing you more time and money. There is no rush on deleting your scores, so focus on retaking the ACT and getting a higher score before you worry about deleting a low score. Patience isn't only a virtue... it can save you time and money. Fourth, When Did You Take the ACT? If you took the ACT for a talent competition or other program in middle school or earlier, you don't have to delete those scores, even if they’re super low. Colleges are only concerned with standardized testing you took while in high school. If anything, participation in early talent programs will look good on college applications, so you have no need to delete a score from an ACT back in middle school. So How Do You Actually Delete an ACT Record? To delete a test record, you simply have to submit a written request to ACT. Provide your name and home address and state you wish to delete a test record. Mail the request to: ACT Institutional Services P.O. Box 168 Iowa City, IA 52243-0168 USA ACT will then mail you a form to complete and return. After you submit the form, the test record will then be permanently deleted from ACT’s records. There is no additional cost for this – however, you are forfeiting whatever you paid to take the ACT on that test date. What’s Next? Have an ACT score you’re not proud of? We have resources to help you prepare to knock your retake out of the park. Start by reading a guide to a perfect ACT score by our 36 full-scorer. Even if you're not going for a perfect score, these study principles can help you make the improvements you need to get a higher ACT score. Get strategies for reading ACT science passages, concepts you need to master ACT English, and learn how to stop running out of time on ACT Math. We recommend taking at least one full-length, strictly-timed ACT practice test to get used to the test format and build your stamina. Get links to free, official tests here. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes your prep program to your strengths and weaknesses. We also have expert instructors who can grade every one of your practice ACT essays, giving feedback on how to improve your score. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Intgratinh Information and Communication Technology (ICT) effectively Literature review

Intgratinh Information and Communication Technology (ICT) effectively into the early childhood education learning environment - Literature review Example Pre-schoolers are relatively young in terms of age. Therefore, it is necessary to closely examine the positive and negative impact of using ICT in early childhood education. To gain better understanding behind the need to incorporate the use of ICT in early childhood education, it is necessary to first discuss its importance followed by identifying useful ways on how the pre-school teachers can effectively integrate or implement the use of ICT within the early childhood education environment. Importance of Using ICT in Early Childhood Education There are many reasons as to why the New Primary Curriculum requires the need to incorporate the use of ICT in early childhood education. For instance, Can-Yasar et al. (2012) mentioned that it is necessary to expose children on how to use technology at an early age to prepare them with the use of a wide-range of technology in higher education. Furthermore, the act of early exposing children with the use of technology can somehow positively af fect their mental development and long-term motivation to learn (Can-Yasar et al., 2012; Celebi-Oncu, 2010). ICT can be used to expand each child’s knowledge. ... only their social-affective development but also their language, social-affective development, psychomotor skills (Can-Yasar et al., 2012; Celebi-Oncu, 2010; Forcier and Descy, 2008). In the process of allowing the pre-school students to develop a sense of belongingness inside the classroom, allowing them to use technology in learning will provide them with unlimited opportunity to work and learn collaboratively with other students (Forcier and Descy, 2008; Stephen and Plowman, 2008). Since the pre-school children will learn how to control their emotions and behavior in class, gaining friends will help these children gain both self-confidence and self-respect (Stephen and Plowman, 2008). Lastly, the use of ICT products in teaching can encourage the pre-school students to move their eyes and hands in coordination with their other body parts help them improve their motor and overall physiological development (Celebi-Oncu, 2010). Therefore, the use of ICT has been considered as a very p owerful learning tool in early years. Strategic Ways on How to Effectively Integrate or Implement ICT in Early Childhood Educational Learning Environment Constructivism means that each child plays a significant role in â€Å"constructing enw knowledge† (Lake and Jones, 2012, p. 164). As a constructivist approach to early education, play is defined as â€Å"a meaningful activity that children choose to participate in, that involves children in physical, cognitive, and communicative efforts in social and cultural contexts† (Lake and Jones, 2012, p. 164; Hedges, 2008, p. 10). Based on the childrens’ experiences with their environment, the pre-school students can effectively learn how to solve problems and improve thier social skills (Can-Yasar et al., 2012). Aside from making children perceive

Project Management #2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Project Management #2 - Essay Example These resources also include human resources, and so this would need facilitation of better management of people towards achievement of organisational objectives through the most economically feasible manner (Kyle, 1998). In this assignment, the pros and cons of systems approach in project management will be analysed in the following sections. For the concept of systems approach in project management to be clear, a project may be seen as a sequence of connected activities, which are both complex and unique. All these activities have a single goal to serve the organization. To meet the criteria of project related activities, these must observe a strict timeframe, must satisfy specifications, and must remain within budget. These sequence of activities are dictated by the technical requirements of the specific work, or in the other words, output is measured by the technical requirements and specifications. It is to be remembered that for any specific project, the activity parts are unique in the sense that under the given conditions identical parameters never repeat and they always vary in a random fashion, and project management is all about management and control of these random variables inherent in each piece of activities that constitute a project (Kerzner, 2009). Each project thus differs in purp... enging and it is calculated journey into unknown future; each step is fraught with uncertainty and risk due to invariable variations in one or more parameters, commercial, physical, or administrative angles. There are several types of such projects, and in fact all organizational activities may be placed in such formats. Taking examples from engineering, manufacturing, information technology, or scientific research, it has been observed that all projects enter into a timeline, despite indistinct beginning or end, although several key events mark significant points in the evolution of a project, namely, milestones. The time period spanning between the beginning and end point of any project is known as the life cycle of the project (Lambert and Lambert, 2000). It is very evident that the solutions to the best accomplishments of these projects from all angles are exercise of better controls and the best use of the available corporate resources. This means that most of the solutions lie internally than externally. The systems approach to project management is just another way to achieve the best suitable internal solution, where management principles are being restructured in a special manner and used in different techniques. While into a project, there are unique changes in situations both inside and outside the organization, and project management is one way to respond rapidly to these changes without altering the progress of the project. Clearly, this is a departure from the conventional forms of management strategies where the emphasis is on accomplishing the work (Wysocki, 2007). From common sense, thus, it appears that the process of project management will comprise of certain dynamic steps which include resourcing teams possessing expertise to execute actions