Learning Team Assignment Essay

The objectives for week one and two were to evaluate individual characteristics of employees, analyze the impact of individual employee characteristics on organizational performance, determine management methods based on individual employee characteristics, determine strategies to motivate employees, and create effective organizational communication. Characteristics of an employee are very important to a manager. Some of the class agreed on several characteristics such as job satisfaction, personality, and general attitudes that can have a large impact on an employee’s behavior. A manager has to use his or her skills to decipher between an employee going through a bad day or an employee who may be extremely unhappy with the job he or she is doing. Preventing negative effects from employee characteristics are a must in any business. Managers can capitalize off the employees who have a positive, motivated attitude while at work. These types of workers should intermix with the pu blic to build good rapport with the community and the company’s customers. It’s important to pick out characteristics that are important on the job site, such as general attitude. It’s also important to know that depending on the characteristics, there are numerous factors that affect actual performance on the job site such as motivation, morals, priorities, etc. the greatest factor, according to many is simply, the attitude of the employee that can make or break the work environment depending on the positivity or negativity of it. Also learned was the use of knowledge of these characteristics and how to manipulate and use them to promote productivity and a healthy workplace environment. The other big issue addressed is that of communication. Depending on the employee, you as a manager will have to address how you communicate and the channel of communication to be used.

Abuse: How It Effects Cognitive Development Essay

Abstract Research indicates that traumatic childhood experiences, such as abuse, increase the risk for different cognitive development disorders that effect learning, memory, and consciousness. Statistics show that no one age, gender, or ethnic group is excluded. Cognitive development that is affected includes depression, learning disorders, developmental disorders, attachment disorders and PTSD. Patterns of attachment affect the quality of information processing throughout the individual’s life. With this evidence, it is imperative to have programs available that focus on prevention for parents and children. There are outside management courses, substance abuse classes, school based educational programs, required registration of offenders, and background checks. Treatment strategies for children are also important and should include establishing safety, dealing with the trauma, and positive self-assessment therapy, and counseling for functional impairment. Introduction Abuse increases the risk for suppressed cognitive development. Maltreatment comes in many forms: physical, sexual, psychological, neglect, and even abuse from peers. Current studies only focus on abuse from guardians. However, peer abuse exists as and does have a psychological effect on cognitive development (Ambert, 1994). Young children, still â€Å"embedded† in the present do not have the ability to see themselves a part of the bigger picture. The se themselves as the center of the universe and everything that happens is directly related to their own sensation. Development consists of learning to master those experiences and to learn to encounter the present as part of one’s personal experience over time. Piaget called this †decentration†: moving from being one’s reflexes, movements and sensations to having them. The age at which the abuse occurs can impact the learning and development leading to mental disorders, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PT SD), and attachment issues. Because of the results, help programs and education need to be in place for parents, abusers and children of abuse. For example, van Harmelen, deJong, Glashouwer, Spinhoven, Penninx, and Elzinga (2010) did a study on how childhood abuse affects cognitive disorders. The Implicit Association Test was used to evaluate depression and anxiety, although it has been shown to also impact learning and development and PTSD. Participants were asked questions in order to obtain self-reports in this study of depression and anxiety. It was found that childhood abuse leads to a higher self-depression ad self-anxiety view. From this study it is clear that abuse affects cognitive function. According to Feldman (2011), cognitive development is the way that an individual grows and changes and the change in their intellectual capabilities can influence one’s behavior and learning abilities. Different cognitive development happens in different stages throughout an individual’s life. These stages include: Infancy and toddlerhood (age birth to three years) children learning to sit, crawl, and walk, memory functions begin, visual recognition, and language development are present. During the preschool period (age three to six years) growth and muscular development carry on, neural interconnects grow and develop, memory functions grows, fine and gross motor skills become more refined so preschoolers can catch, throw, run, use silverware, and tie their shoes. During middle childhood (age six to twelve years) growth of body and brain function continues still. Gross motor functions develop to include biking, swimming, and skating. Increased fine motor skills include writing, typing, zipping, and buttoning. During adolescence (twelve years to twenty years), growth of body and neurological functioning continue and sexual characteristics develop. During young adult (age twenty to forty years) there is a peak in physical capabilities (strength, coordination, and reaction time), brain function continues to grow, stress can be a health threat (Feldman, 2011). Depending on the age the abuse occurs can affect each individual’s cognitive development to include but not limited to disorders like depression, anxiety, learning and memory disorders, PTSD, and attachment disorders. According to the definition given by Butcher, Mineka, and Hooley, depression is the emotional state that is characterized by extraordinary sadness. Since 1967, Aaron Beck has provided us with a model of his theory on depression. Beck’s diathesis-stress theory suggests that depression leads back to a dysfunctional formation early on, which left the individual vulnerable to depression if encountered with stress ors (Butcher, Mineka, Hooley, 2010). Butcher, Mineka, and Hooly (2010) discuss that according to Beck the parent or guardian are responsible for providing the child or adolescent’s schema. These may lie dormant until activated by a critical incident. It then triggers automatic negative thoughts that lead to depression. Reports of child abuse have suggested an increase in negative self-worth, negative self-attitudes, and negative self-associations. They tend to get caught up in a negative mood, which leads to depression (van Harmelen, deJong, Glashouwer, Spinhover, Penninx, and Elzing, 2010). A learning disorder is a term that refers to a delayed development. It may be with speech, mathematics, reading, memory, or motor skills. Poor motor function and memory are associated with the ability to learn and functioning a school setting. Contributions to exploring the relationship of cognitive development and learning are growing. According to the studies done by Giesbrecht and Merckelbach (2012) some victims of abuse tend to compartmentalize their trauma. While research shows that some learning disabilities are hereditary, other studies have shown the impact that abuse has on the ability to learn and retain information. Learning disabilities are the products of delicate central nervous system impairments. These learning disabilities are the consequence of immaturity, deficiency, or dysregulation partial to those cognitive skills that are in normal brain functions (Legano, McHough, and Palusci, 2009). In addition, there is a positive correlation between abuse and cognitive failures from Broadbent, Cooper, Fitzgerald, and Parkes’s Cognitive Failures Questionnaire that measures everyday lapses and errors. There has been a major change in the way one is diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD is a severe and chronic condition, which is no longer conceptualized as a normal response to and abnormal stressor but rather a pathological response to an extreme form of stress (Butcher, Mineka, Hooley, 2010). There may be a bidirectional and temporal relationship between Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), the hippocampus and neuropsychological functioning in the structural and functional part of the brain. These may either precede the development of PTSD or emerge after the onset of PTSD (Gould, Clarke, Heim, Harver, Majer, and Nemeroff, 2012). Those that have been sexually abused have long-term mental and emotional suffering that lingers. They are likely to have feelings of anxiety, depression, anger, and low self-esteem and are more likely to suffer PTSD (Milner and William, 1995). These can impact marriages and other close relationships. Research by DeBellis, Hooper, Woolley, and Shenk (2009) pediatric PTSD symptoms are associated with lower visual memory, developmental trauma, anxiety and can lead to problems with adult PTSD. A cognitive treatment for PTSD is to vividly recount the traumatic event over and over until there is a decrease in the emotional responses. One other important aspect of a child’s development is their form of attachment. This begins within the home and with the guardian. According to Ainsworth, there are four classifications of infant attachment that can have an impact on the child’s future. A secure attachment is where the mother is a confident base when she is in attendance. As soon as she leaves the child is obviously upset and immediately goes to her upon return. The avoidant attachment is a style in which the child does not seek closeness to the mother and seems to avoid her upon arrival. The ambivalent attachment is an attachment in which the child shows varied reactions. They cry when she leaves but upon return they kick and hit her. Last is the disorganized-disoriented attachment. This style shows contradictory behavior. They will not look at the mother upon arrival. These seem to be the most negatively attached children (Feldman, 2011). Infants, toddlers, children, and adolescents are more likely to develop negative attachments if abused. Separation anxiety seems to be the biggest problem of individuals that have been abused (Barth, 2009). According to Butcher, Mineka, and Hooley (2010), early victims of rejection and abuse have damaging effects on a person†™s worldview. They also suggest that a parent-child relationship is bidirectional. Some children are easier to love than others based on their temperaments while the guardian’s mental stability affects the attachment relationship. The type of attachment formed correlates to the type of parenting style. The different parenting styles are authoritative, authoritarian, permissive, or neglectful. According to Butcher, Mineka, and Hooley (2010), the authoritative parent is high on warmth and moderate on control. Research shows that children of authoritative parents tend to be friendly and confident. The Authoritarian parent is low on warmth and high on control Research shows that children of the authoritarian parent can be conflicted and moody. These adolescents usually have more negative outcomes especially with social anc cognitive skills. Next, the permissive parent is high on warmth but low on discipline. Studies indicate that children of permissive parents are impulsive and aggressive. They are often. selfish and demanding. Last, the neglectful parent is low on warmth and low on control. Children of neglectful parents are moody with a low self esteem. They have conduct and peer problems. They also reflect poor academics. Researchers have shown that providing structure and guidance while allowing a sense of control and freedom gives the child a more positive attachment (Butcher, Mineka, and Hooley, 2010). Thus negative parenting styles can have an overwhelming effect on an individual’s ability to cope with later challenges. Method Harmelen, deJong, Glashouwer, Spinhoven, Pennix, and Elzinga (2010) explored the negative cognitive scars of abuse. The study dated from 2004-2007, which consisted of participants in the regular general population and those of mental care institutes at different stages of psychopathology. The ethical review board of the University Medical Center in Amsterdam approved it. Adults were between ages 18 and 65, had a past or present depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and/or social disorder. There were a total of 2981 participants (age M=41.9, SD=13.0). The DSM-IV was used as the diagnostic measure and past childhood abuse was measured by self-report and with the Beck Anxiety Inventory. Childhood abuse was assed by utilizing the Nemesis trauma interview which asks participants whether they and experienced emotional, physical, and/or sexual abuse prior to the age of sixteen. Answers were recorded. Computation came from subtraction of the mean rating of anxiousness from the mean rating of calm on the IAT-stimuli. A written consent was obtained after reviewing the study to the participants. Results The findings in the study of Harmelen, deJong, Glashouwer, Spinhoven, Pennix, and Elzinga (2010) explain that, when compared to the no abused group, abused individuals have a stronger depression, higher anxiety, and a lower self-esteem when compared to non-abused individuals. There was not a difference in age or education. However, females showed a higher effect of negative self-associations although both genders are affected by maltreatment. The study also showed a higher significance in correlation to sexually abused participants versus physically abused participants. Cognitive emotional maltreatment is related to the negative self-associations and development that individuals face. The study suggests that the longer that children are exposed to any form of maltreatment, the more likely they are to develop damaging cognitive schemas which lead to cognitive disorders (Harmelen, deJong, Glashouwer, Spinhoven, Pennix, and Elzinga, 2010. Discussion According to a recent study (Child Maltreatment, 2010) over 3 million children are abused or neglected in the United States each year. 8.7 million of the nations children or 1 in 7 have been maltreated. This could be mentally, physically, or sexually. Seventy five percent of all perpetrators are between the ages twenty and thirty nine. Studies have also shown that abused children are more likely to abuse substances (Wulczyn, 2009). There are certain reasons that increase the likelihood of abuse. These include family that bring in an annual income of under $15,000, presence of drug or alcohol addiction, the cycle of past abuse or cycle of violence hypothesis, stressful environments, high marital conflict, single parent families, and families that have more than four children. Incest happens in more wealthy families (Feldman, 2011). In addition, children that already have certain risk factors such as learning disabilities, behavior problems, visual or hearing impairments, or other medi cal problems can increase the possibility of abuse (Child Maltreatment, 2010). The consequence of early abuse may carry on into adolescence and even the early stages of adulthood. The results of this study make it clear that the United State needs to make sure that there are prevention programs, community management programs, and counseling programs all with the correct education and proper training. Wulczyn (2009) shows how prevention programs offer a chance to minimize the effects of maltreatment on the developing child, but many, if not most, jurisdictions lack the infrastructure to do so within the traditional child welfare system. Home visiting programs aim to prevent child abuse by providing knowledge, belief in abusing parenting, empathy, sensitive, responsive parenting, and the ability to provide a safe and stimulating home environments (Wulczyn, 2009). Barth (2009) describes a triple P-Positive parenting program to help parents deal with issues. This includes five levels of intervention 1. A media campaign that informs parents about issues and gets them involved 2. Targets an individual topic at a time such as toilet training or bedtime. Parents would be in direct contact with a trainer. 3. Helps parents concerned with their child’s development and attend brief programs to learn how to manage certain behaviors. 4. This is for parents of children with more severe problems like aggression or behavior issues. They are given certain skills along with contact with a primary care physician. Last is level 5. This is for parents of dysfunctional families with behavior problems. They attend eleven 1-hour sessions and practitioners conduct home visits to ensure the skill being thought are being used. The biggest question of how to prevent sexual abuse remains unanswered. There are numerous signs and prior efforts have been useful but new methods still need to be further explored and researched. Finklehor (2009) suggest that offender management and school-based programs should be necessary to help regulate sexual abuse. Registering sex offenders, notifying communities about their presence, background checks, controlling where they can live, and longer prison terms. Finklehor (2009) continues to say that one third of the offenders are juveniles which is why there is such a need for school based programs as well. This will help to teach students the skills necessary to identify dangerous situations. Abused children will demonstrate different behaviors once removed temporarily from the home and placed in a therapeutic environment (Ambert, 1994). In addition to providing services, sometimes a temporary removal needs to be entertained until the family dynamics can be evaluated. Until recently, no study actually showed that participation in a prevention program resulted in reduced rates of sexual abuse for participants (Legano, McHugh, Palusci). It is important for counselors or facilitators of programs to have an understanding of screenings, treatment evaluations, and treatment planning (Milner and Murphy, 1995). There needs to be sufficient legal and clinical instruction and training about child abuse before any assessment is conductive. The American Counseling Association has put into place a Code of Ethics for professionals to follow. Individuals need to be careful not to obtain a false positive based on bias in their findings. Working with children of abuse requires special training in order to achieve the desired outcome. It is the counselor’s responsibility to practice in the boundaries for which they are qualified to work. In addition, they have a responsibility to read and understand their ethics code (ACA Code of Ethics, 2005). References ACA Code of Ethics (2005) American Counseling Association. Retrieved September 22, 2012 from http://www.counseling.org/Resources/CodeOfEthics/TP/Home Ambert, A. (1994). A qualitative study of peer abuse and its effects: Theoretical and empirical implications. Journal of Marriage and Family, 56 (1), 119-130. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/352708 Barth, R. (2009). Preventing child abuse and neglect with parent training: Evidence and opportunities. The future of children, 19 (2), 95-118. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/27795049 Butcher, J., Mineka, S., & Hooley, J. (2010). Abnormal psychology. (14 ed.). Boston: Pearson Education, Inc Child Maltreatment (2010). Retrieved November 2, 2012 from http://archive.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/pubs/cm10/cm10.pdf DeBellis, M., Hooper, S., Woolley, D., & Shenk, C. (2009). Demographic, maltreatment, and neurobiological correlates of ptsd symptoms in children and adolescents. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 35 (5), 570-577. Retrieved from http://www.jpepsy.oxfordjournals.org Feldman, R. (2011). Development across the life span. (6 ed., pp. 178-251). Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education, Inc Finkelhor, D. (2009). The prevention of childhood sexual abuse. The future of children 19(2), 169-194. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/27795052 Giesbrecht, T., & Merckelbach, H. (2009). Betrayal trauma theory of dissociative experiences: Stroop and directed forgetting findings. The Americal Journal of Psychology, 122(3), 337-348. Gould, F., Clarke, J., Heim, C., Harvey, P., Majer, M., & Nemeroff, C. (2012). The effects of child abuse and neglect on cognitive functioning in adulthood. Journal of psychiatric research, 46 (4), 500-506. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2012.01.005 Legano, L., McHugh, M., & Palusci, V. (2009). Child abuse and neglect. Current problems of pediatric and adolescent health care,doi:10.1016/j.cppeds.2008.11.00 Milner, J., & William, W. (1995). Assessment of child physical and sexual abuse offenders. Family Relations, 44 (4), 478-488. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/585002 van Harmelen, A., deJong, P., Glashouwer, K., Spinhoven, P., Penninx, B., & Elzing B. (2010). Child abuse and negative explicit and automatic self-associations: T cognitive scars of emotional maltreatment. Behavior research and therapy, 48 (4), 486-494. doi: 10.1016/j.brat.2010.02.003 Wulczyn, F. (2009). Epidemiological perspectives on maltreatment prevention. The future of children, 19 (2), 39-66. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/27795047

The Color of Paradise and Other Movies Movie Review

The Color of Paradise and Other Movies - Movie Review Example The film â€Å"Paradise Now » develops into a thriller when something goes wrong during the early stages of the plan’s execution. Said and Khaled become separated and Jamal is convinced that Said may be betraying the cause. This movie is a tough film because of what it attempts to do, which is in regards to the fact that it is a rare thing for a movie to present events of the Arab/Israeli struggle from the Palestinian side, where terrorists are viewed as ‘martyrs’ and ‘freedom fighters’ instead of killers. This movie is certainly one of speculation and possible great controversy, and yet regardless is brave for dealing with such sensitive and so-called ‘faux-pas’ issues. Trois Couleurs: Bleu is a movie of great interest. The director and writer, Krzysztof Kieslowski, tells the story in this film from the perspective of Julie (Juliette Binoche), which necessarily makes the film very dark and introspective. Overall, in the end, the story of this film isn’t a terribly ambitious one, but at the same time it remains devilishly interesting and enjoyable and maintains a slow burn throughout which leads to an explosive finale. This movie is one of a complex psychological study of emotional liberty. The plot is that Julie, wife of the famous composer Patrice de Courcy, must cope with the death of her husband and daughter in an automobile accident which only she herself survives. While recovering in the hospital, Julie even attempts suicide in her distraught stage. For the remainder of the film, she devotes herself to mental suicide, disassociating herself from all of her past memories and distancing herself from former friendships. Visually, the director uses many techniques in order to properly portray the sense of loss and Julie’s internal conflict – both of which are primary topics of the issue in this film. As Julie watches the funeral for her husband and daughter from her hospital bed, the dark shadow of her finger caresses the tiny casket on the screen. This movie is one of a certain emotion, and a number of critics rate this film as one of the great motion pictures of all time.

Current Event Article 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Current Event Article 2 - Essay Example The case study method was used for the research study because the data generated can be interpreted in a number of ways. The British company Phipps Brothers was used because of the fact that it was founded by three brothers. As the company expanded, it faced many obstacles to growth in other markets. The business came up with three strategies to help combat these challenges: cost reduction, professionalism, and focus on specific markets. Phipps Brothers enacted these changes and the firm was able to expand to other European countries. Analysis: This article highlights the challenges that small and medium-sized firms have when entering into international business. If there is not a strong supply chain, then it can be difficult to establish a presence in a foreign market. Just as in the case used in this article, sometimes a company’s strategies need to change because something comes up that it did not foresee. What works well in the home market may not always prove successful overseas. Family-run businesses have the additional problem of personally knowing the other partners in the business. One hallmark about family-run businesses is that they are usually founded on a certain principle or belief, and this may need to be adapted when expanding

Exchange Rates Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Exchange Rates - Essay Example However, the opposite happens in fixed rate regime. Furthermore, in fixed exchange rate the price of one currency is permanent comparative to all other currencies by state authority. However, in flexible or the floating exchange rate system, the value of a currency is permitted to vary in reaction to the forces in the market. Alternatively, under the fixed exchange rates, expansion of money reduces interest rates thus leading to outflows of capital. The eventual loss in coffers lowers the money supply (Jones & Lumby, 2003). On the flip side, under the flexible regime the exchange rate is depreciated by the capital outflow resulting to a stimulated output (Mukherjee, 2007). Finally, under the fixed exchange rate, positive demand increases interest rates and provokes an inflow of capital that balances the loss of the coffers through deficit of trade. In contrast, under the floating rates the inflow of capital appraises the exchange

Theories of Policy Process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Theories of Policy Process - Essay Example The theory implies some policies can only change if certain restrains like stickiness and stakes of an institution are available. Policies are categorized into long-term policies and short-term policies. An example is if the country’s constitution states that a president should rule for two terms it is very difficult to implement a new policy, which suggests that the president must rule for one term, or three terms. Punctuated equilibrium theory seeks to explain simple observations like political processes. Political processes are continually associated with incrementalism and stability; they rarely produce large-scale departures from the past. Most policy areas experience stasis even though a crisis can occur. America is experiencing large-scale changes in policymaking and politics. Some Government programs can be altered in order to accommodate change. Strengths The theory includes periods of stasis or near equilibrium. In the event that an issue is seized by a subsystem and periods of disequilibrium, then a macro political agenda occurs. A macro political agenda can advance to the extent of causing changes in the policy process. Therefore, according to this theory small changes result in large changes. Weakness The theory is only applicable to situations facing stasis or equilibrium. In the event that there is no equilibrium variables and need for change, then the policy fails to exist. The Stage Heuristic Theory The theory states that the best way to study policymaking is to break it down to stages.

About Hp company Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

About Hp company - Research Proposal Example any’s major product lines comprise personal computing devices, enterprise servers, related storage devices, printers, and imaging products (HP 2008). The company has been declared by market research firms Gardner and IDC as the largest global seller of personal computers surpassing its closest rival Dell Inc. After having long commanded the industry, the latter has been taken over by 3.9% gap in market share. During 2006, HP generated annual sales of $91.7 billion then jumped to $104 billion the following year making it as the first information technology company to exceed the $100 billion sales mark (HP reaches 100 billion 2008). As opposed to other competing firms in the information technology industry like Apple, HP consumers are the middle and lower income consumers who opt for more affordable products. Even in its establishment, the company has long been committed in serving these consumers who are more price-sensitive and prefers more affordable products with lesser features. The company serves households and small and medium enterprises worldwide, always tailoring its products in order to suit the evolving needs and demand of the buyers. The success of HP can be traced to its ability to price its product more competitively in the market. It should be noted that the company’s sales have been generated by ensuring that consumers’ have an affordable choice in order to suit all their computing needs. The mere size of the company is also an advantage. It should be noted that since the business organization caters to a lot of markets worldwide, it is able to distribute it cost more efficiently through economies of scale. The large number of output that it produces in its plants allows it to distribute fixed cost thereby making its unit production cost relatively lower. This makes it possible for the company to charge prices which are more competitive than its other rivals in the industry. The company’s reach and exposure to both industrialized and

Plato, Aristotle, Sophism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Plato, Aristotle, Sophism - Essay Example Plato’s point is that the prisoners would be highly mistaken in that they would be taking terms in their own language to refer to the shadow that comes before their eyes rather than to the real things that bring the shadows. In this manner, Plato meant that the general terms of human language are not names of the physical objects or things that we can see. They are names of objects or things that we are not able to see, objects or things we can only comprehend with our mind. Plato’s aim in the republic is to explain what is important for us to attain this reflective understanding of real world. It remains the fact that our very ability to think and speak depends upon the forms. The terms of the language that people use, we get their real or true meaning by naming the forms that the things we perceive engage in. In addition, Plato tried to illustrate human nature for education and our want for education. For Aristotle, a firm understanding of what a cause is, and how many types of causes there are, is significant for successful explanation of the world around us. Aristotle identifies four kinds of things that can be applied in answer to a why-question: a. The material cause, which Aristotle stated that in every change, something gets a new determination first before undergoing any form of change, which is in potency to a new determination, then after that thing has been acted upon, it gets a new actualization. b. Formal cause, which states that every individual thing is made up not only matter, but also form. Form is the rule of determination, which accounts for the individual thing being the kind of thing it is. On the other hand, matter is the rule of potentiality, with the ability to become other than it is. c. Efficient cause, which states that, in addition to the causes that are aspects of material things, form, and matter, Aristotle, says that there must be a source for any change or motion. This according to Aristotle might be

The Effect of Media Type on the Message of Pakistan and the United Essay

The Effect of Media Type on the Message of Pakistan and the United States - Essay Example The story has seen widespread coverage across both newspaper and television media. This report will examine one television presentation and two newspaper presentations of the story and analyze how these differ in the way that they portray the information, the impressions they give, their focus, and the effect of the medium itself on the content. The television report was aired on CBS news, titled Terrorist cell phones link Pakistan to attacks. The two newspaper treatments were by the New York Times and USA today titled Pakistan’s spy agency is tied to attack on U.S. Embassy, and Admiral accuses Pakistani agency of backing terrorists respectively. Neil Postman was an American critic as well as being an author and media theorist. He produced a number of books, with several concerning the idea of mass communication being used to share ideas, how this has declined and the role that television plays. Finally, the results will be compared to the claims of Neil Postman, who proposed that different media had the potential to shape the news that we see. He argues that the method in which news is communicated can substantially impact what is communicated, and that television news is not an effective method of providing information, as it does not provide a complete or informative picture of what is happening. The results from my comparison agree with this, with the television news producing a more sensationalized picture that left out some key information, while the newspaper reports went in to more detail about the causes and effects of the event. The Television Perspective The CBS broadcast of the story was titled Terrorist cell phones link Pakistan to attacks, however the cell phones were mentioned only at the start of the three minute report. The attack on the US embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan was carried out by a group known as Haqqani, who have ties to the Taliban. While all those involved in the attack were killed, information from their cell phones, includi ng calls made and times, was able to be recovered. This led to the determination by US intelligence that both before and during the attack the cell phones were used to call Pakistani intelligence. This discovery has lead to Mike Mullen claiming that the Haqqani network acts is a ‘veritable arm’ for Pakistani intelligence As a consequence of this link, the US claims that all activities of the Haqqani network, which includes a string of high profile attacks, has been connected to the Pakistani intelligence, with them both protecting and funding the group. They claim that the Haqqani network, which has several thousand fighters, operates from within Pakistan, and is involved in raids that cross into Afghanistan. Furthermore, Pakistan uses the network to sell violence in an effort to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a stable and strong country. The CBS story also has a large focus on a truck bombing attack that occurred a few days prior. The truck was involved in the injur y of more than 70 American soldiers, and was known about prior to entering Afghanistan through an intercepted Haqqani transmission. The commander of US troops in Afghanistan General Allen called the commander of the Pakistani Army, General Kayani, asking him to head off the attack. Kayani promised to make a call, but the truck made

Legacy of the Samurai Essay Example for Free

Legacy of the Samurai Essay For seven centuries, the samurai ruled Japan as the powerful warrior class. As a class of warriors and knights, they led society in feudal Japan. The loyalty to his lord was much more important than his allegiance to his friends, family and even the emperor. Their philosophy was one liberated him from fear, and for these reasons, the samurai came to be the dominate force throughout medieval Japan. War played a central part in the history of Japanese samurai. As regional clans gathered manpower, resources and struck alliances with each other, they formed a hierarchy centered around a toryo, or chief. This chief was typically a relative of the emperor and a member of one of the two dominating clan families of the pre-samurai era. Though they were originally sent to regional areas for a fixed four year term as a magistrate, the toryo usually declined to return to the capital when their terms ended. Their sons inherited their positions instead and continued to lead the clans in suppressing rebellion throughout Japan during the middle and later Heian period. (Cook 24) One main reason why conflict between clans was so predominant was because they were typically started as a result of land ownership. Only a fifth of Japans land was suitable for agriculture. The struggle for control of land eventually gave rise to the samurai class. The samurai eventually became a class unto themselves between the 9th and 12th centuries A.D. They were called by two names: samurai which means knights and bushi which means warriors. The samurai came from guards of the imperial palace and from private guards that the clans employed. They also acted as a police force in and around Kyoto. These forerunners of what we now know as samurai had ruler-sponsored equipment and were required to hone their martial skills. They gave complete loyalty to their daimyo (feudal landowner) and received land and position in return. Each daimyo  used his samurai to protect his land and to expand his power and rights to more land. The first samurai were servants, yet their advantage of being the sole armed party increasingly became apparent. By promising protection and gaining political clout through political marriages they amassed power, eventually surpassing the ruling aristocrats. (Kure 10-12) In the late 12th century, the two most powerful clans served the emperor of Japan: the Taira clan, and the Minamoto clan. These two families became bitter rivals, and in 1192, Minamoto Yoritomo led his clan to victory over the Taira. The emperor, the traditional head of the Japanese government, declared Minamoto Yoritomo shogun, the head of the military. However, Yoritomo used his new power to strip the emperor of all political power, make his position as shogun permanent, and set up a military dictatorship known as bakufu. So, the samurai went from being servants of the land-owning daimyos to being the rulers of Japan under the shogun. (Dean 21) Over time, powerful samurai clans became warrior nobility, who were only technically under the court aristocracy. When the samurai began to adopt aristocratic pastimes like calligraphy, poetry and music, some court aristocrats in turn began to adopt samurai customs. (Dean 22) In spite of various scheming and brief periods of rule by various emperors, real power was now in the hands of the shogun and the samurai. The reign of the samurai lasted until the late 19th century. The image of the samurai that is probably most well-known is that of a sword expert, brandishing his curved katana with deadly skill. However, for the first few centuries of their existence, samurai were better known as horse-riding archers. Firing a bow while riding a horse was a demanding task, and mastering it required years of relentless practice. Some archers practiced on targets tethered to a pole, which could be swung to make a moving target. For a time, living dogs were used as moving archery targets, until the shogun abolished the malicious practice. (Turnbull 45) The amount and form of a samurais training depended on the wealth of his family. In  lower-class families, sons were sometimes sent to village schools for basic education, but they received most of their samurai training from their fathers, older brother, or uncles. Training in martial arts was considered very important, and often began at age five. Sons of wealthy families were sent to special academies, where they were tutored in literature, the arts, and military skills. (Daidoji, Ratti, and Cleary 6-10) Swordsmanship was taught in a similarly relentless manner. The most recognized weapon of the samurai throughout history was the katana. The oldest swords were straight and had their early design in Korea and China. A katana was never worn without its companion sword, the wakizashi; it was a shorter sword with a broader blade. Together the two swords are referred to as daisho, meaning large and small. The word dai (large) represents the katana and the word sho (small) represents the wakizashi. The smiths who created the katana for the samurai are widely regarded as the finest sword makers in history. (Daidoji, Ratti, and Cleary 42) The samurais desire for tougher, sharper swords in battle gave rise to the curved blade. One of the biggest problems in making a sword is keeping it sharp. A weapon made with a hard metal will keep its edge, but will be brittle and prone to breaking. Japanese sword smiths solved this problem by making the core of the sword with a soft metal that wouldnt break. This core was then covered with layers of harder metals that were repeatedly folded and hammered until there were literally millions of layers of metal laminated together. The edge was so sharp that a skilled swordsman could slice a human in half with one blow. Upon completion, the sword tester took the new blade and cut through the bodies of corpses or condemned criminals. They started by cutting through the small bones of the body and moved up to the large bones. Test results were often recorded on the nakago (the metal piece attaching the sword blade to the handle). The samurai often gave names to their swords and believed it was the soul of their warriorship. (Sato 28-33) In addition to swords and bows, samurai used a variety of bladed-pole arms. One of the more common Japanese pole arms was the naginata, which consisted of a sharp blade two to four feet in length mounted on a wooden shaft that  was four to five feet long. The extra reach afforded by these weapons allowed infantry to hold attackers at bay, or make a first strike before an attacker with a sword could reach them. They were also very effective against mounted opponents. (Kure 170) A big change occurred in the late 15th century because of the consistency of war and the introduction of guns into battle. In the 16th century, European traders arrived in Japan for the first time. The Japanese paid large sums for their matchlock guns, quickly mastering the smithing techniques needed to mass produce the weapons. Although the gun is not traditionally associated with samurai, it was a major influence on Japanese warfare from that point on, allowing daimyos to raise large armies of relatively untrained men armed with cheap guns. Many samurai adopted the unreliable weapons, which were best used as a backup to the more trustworthy sword. (Turnbull 73) The sword played a very key role in the methods and philosophies of the samurai. Without the samurai bushido, they would be considered by modern terms to be heartless killers. Bushido means way of the warrior. It was at the heart of the beliefs and conduct of the samurai. The philosophy of bushido is freedom from fear. It meant that the samurai transcended his fear of death. That gave him the peace and power to serve his daimyo faithfully, loyally and die honorably if necessary. Duty is a primary philosophy of the samurai. In order for the samurai to truly be able to serve his purpose, death must be ignored. An excerpt from _Code of the Samurai_ exemplifies this ideology: _One who is a samurai must before all things keep constantly in mind†¦the fact that he has to die. If he is always mindful of this, he will be able to live in accordance with the paths of loyalty and filial duty, will avoid myriads of evils and adversities, keep himself free of disease and calamity and moreover enjoy a long life. He will also be a fine personality with many admirable qualities. For existence is impermanent as the dew of evening, and the hoarfrost of morning, and particularly uncertain is the life of the warrior†¦_ (15) Religiously, Zen Buddhism spread among samurai in the 13th century and helped to shape their standards of conduct, particularly overcoming fear of death and killing, but among the general populace Pure Land Buddhism was predominant. (Kure 12) Honor was so important to the samurai that they would frequently take their own lives in the face of failure, or if they had violated bushido. This honor-bound suicide became very ritualized, taking the form of seppuku. Also known by the more popular phrase hara-kiri, seppuku was a way for a samurai to restore honor to his lord and family, and to fulfill his obligation of loyalty even if he had failed as a samurai. (May 2) Ritualized seppuku involved the samurai wearing the proper garments while he was presented with the ritual knife, wrapped in paper. The samurai would then take the knife and cut open his own stomach, from left to right, with a final upward cut at the end. However, seppuku was not a solitary act, and few samurai were left to die a slow and excruciating death from disembowelment. Another samurai would typically stand behind the one committing seppuku, and behead him with a sharp sword shortly after the seppuku cut was made to spare him from unnecessary suffering. (May 3) The original motivations for this method of death may well have been purely practical. Cutting off ones own head is impossible, and the spirit was felt to reside in the stomach, slitting the belly open was felt to be the most straightforward (if not quickest) way to die and free the spirit. (May 5) Although, seppuku may seem crude in modern day society, it was the only way to regain ones honor, and looked upon as honorable even after the samurais decline towards the end of the 19th century. The role of the samurai during peacetime gradually declined, but two key factors led to the demise of samurai: the urbanization of Japan, and the end of isolationism. As more Japanese citizens moved to the larger urban centers of Japan, there were fewer farmers producing the necessary rice to feed the  growing population. The lavish lifestyle enjoyed by the shoguns and most daimyos started to eat away at the economic system. Many Japanese, including lower class samurai, grew dissatisfied with the shogunate because of the deteriorating economic circumstances. (Dean 37) In 1853, U.S. ships sailed into Edo Bay with Commodore Matthew Perry at the helm, intending to deliver a message from President Millard Fillmore to the emperor. Although the emperor was still considered a figurehead, the shogun truly ruled the country. President Fillmores message was clear. He wanted to open trade relations with Japan, he wanted shipwrecked U.S. sailors to be treated properly by Japanese soldiers and citizens, and he wanted to open Japanese seaports as a resupply stations for American ships. (Kure 167-9) In Perrys wake, a rift divided opposing views in Japan. Some wanted to reject the American offer, continue with isolationism, and maintain their ancient traditions. Others, however, realized that Japan could never defend their country when faced with the better technology of the western civilizations. They proposed opening the gates of Japan with the intention of learning everything they could from the Americans, terminating isolationism and becoming a stronger world power. Ultimately, the bakufu decided to open Japanese seaports for American resupply, and later decided to establish trade with America. (Avakian 41) The emperor initially refused to approve to the treatys conditions, but because he was merely the face of Japanese government, the bakufu went ahead with the treaty anyway. Several factions of rebellious samurai wanted Japan to stay the same, and therefore supported the emperor and began a civil war against the bakufu. To much surprise, they overthrew the shogun, ending the Tokugawa period and restoring the emperor to his rightful power. Lower class samurai took positions of leadership within the administration, controlling the government from behind the new emperor, a young man by the name of Emperor Meiji. This event is known as the Meiji Restoration. (Avakian 43-48) Throughout Japan at the time, the samurai numbered 1.9 million. The samurai in Japan were not merely the lords, but also their higher retainers, people  who actually worked. With each samurai being paid fixed stipends, the upkeep presented an immense financial burden, which provoked the emperor and his oligarchy to act accordingly. Whatever their true intentions, the oligarchs started a slow and deliberate process to abolish the samurai class. First, in 1873, it was proclaimed that the samurai stipends were to be taxed on a rolling basis. Later, in 1874, the samurai were given the choice to convert their stipends into government bonds. Finally, in 1876, this option of conversion was made obligatory. (Avakian 49-54) Finally, in 1876, the emperor banned samurai from wearing their swords, leading to the creation of a drafted standing army. The final bell had tolled for the samurai they no longer existed. Not surprisingly, this led to a series of riots from disgruntled samurai. One of the major riots, the Satsuma rebellion, eventually turned into a civil war. This rebellion was, however, put down swiftly by the newly created imperial army The new army was trained in Western tactics and utilized more advanced weapons. Ironically, the core of the new army was the Tokyo Police force, which was formed largely of former samurai who had helped the emperor regain his empire. This sent a strong message to the nonconformist, rebellious samurai that their time was indeed up. (Kure 172-174) The samurai continue to impress, and serve as a model for obedience, reverence, and loyalty on so many different scales. The incredibly rich heritage provided by this elite class of warrior leaders can be linked to the foundations of numerous facets of the life we lead today. Although the samurai cease to exist, their spirit of honor and discipline has found a home in modern times. From the kamikaze pilots of Japan in World War II, to martial artists and even modern businessman who look to bushido as a guide to living an honorable life, samurai continue to positively influence Japan today. BIBLIOGRAPHY Avakian, Monique. The Meiji Restoration and the Rise of Modern Japan. Boston: Silver Burdett, 1991. 38-54. Cook, Harry. Samurai: the Story of a Warrior Tradition. New York: Sterling, 1998. 22-35. Yuzan Daidoji, Oscar Ratti, and Thomas Cleary. The Code of the Samurai. Boston: Tuttle, 1999. 10-44. Dean, Arlan. Samurai: Warlords of Japan. New York: Scholastic Library, 2005. 19-37. Kure, Mitsuo. Samurai: An Illustrated History. Boston: Tuttle Publishing, 2001. 10-179. May, Nick. Seppuku a Practical Guide. Gaijin Gleaner (1997): 1-5. 1 Dec. 2006 . Sato, Kanzan. The Japanese Sword: A Comprehensive Guide. New York: Kodansha International, Ltd., 1983. 28-80 Turnbull, Stephen. Samurai Warfare. New York: Sterling, 1996. 44-73. Yamamoto, Tsunetomo, and William S. Wilson. Hagakure: the Book of the Samurai. Tokyo: Kodansha America, 1983. 17-65.

Linear Programming: Advantages, Disadvantages and Strategies

Linear Programming: Advantages, Disadvantages and Strategies I LINEAR PROGRAMMING In a decision-making embroilment, model formulation is important because it represents the essence of business decision problem. The term formulation is used to mean the process of converting the verbal description and numerical data into mathematical expressions which represents the relevant relationship among decision factors, objectives and restrictions on the use of resources. Linear Programming (LP) is a particular type of technique used for economic allocation of scarce or limited resources, such as labour, material, machine, time, warehouse space, capital, energy, etc. to several competing activities, such as products, services, jobs, new equipment, projects, etc. on the basis of a given criterion of optimally. The phrase scarce resources mean resources that are not in unlimited in availability during the planning period. The criterion of optimality generally is either performance, return on investment, profit, cost, utility, time, distance, etc. George B Dantzing while working with US Air Force during World War II, developed this technique, primarily for solving military logistics problems. But now, it is being used extensively in all functional areas of management, hospitals, airlines, agriculture, military operations, oil refining, education, energy planning, pollution control, transportation planning and scheduling, research and development, etc. Even though these applications are diverse, all I.P models consist of certain common properties and assumptions. Before applying linear programming to a real-life decision problem, the decision-maker must be aware of all these properties and assumptions. The word linear refers to linear relationship among variables in a model. Thus, a given change in one variable will always cause a resulting proportional change in another variable. For example, doubling the investment on a certain project will exactly double the rate of the return. The word programming refers to modelling and solving a problem mathematically that involves the economic allocation of limited resources by choosing a particular course of action or strategy among various alternative strategies to achieve the desired objective. STRUCTURE OF LINEAR PROGRAMMING General Structure of LP Model The general structure of LP model consists of three components. Decision variables (activities): We need to evaluate various alternatives (courses of action) for arriving at the optimal value of objective function. Obviously, if there are no alternatives to select from, we would not need LP. The evaluation of various alternatives is guided by the nature of objective function and availability of resources. For this, we pursue certain activities usually denoted by x1, x2xn. The value of these activities represents the extent to which each of these is performed. For example, in a product-mix manufacturing, the management may use LP to decide how many units of each of the product to manufacture by using its limited resources such as personnel, machinery, money, material, etc. These activities are also known as decision variables because they arc under the decision makers control. These decision variables, usually interrelated in terms of consumption of limited resources, require simultaneous solutions. All decision variables are continuous, controllable and non-negative. That is, x1>0, x2>0, .xn>0. The objective function: The objective function of each L.P problem is a mathematical representation of the objective in terms of a measurable quantity such as profit, cost, revenue, distance, etc. In its general form, it is represented as: Optimise (Maximise or Minimise) Z = c1x1 + c2X2. cnxn Where Z is the measure-of-performance variable, which is a function of x1, x2 , xn. Quantities c1, c2cn are parameters that represent the contribution of a unit of the respective variable x1, x2, xn to the measure-of-performance Z. The optimal value of the given objective function is obtained by the graphical method or simplex method. The constraints: There are always certain limitations (or constraints) on the use of resources, e.g. labour, machine, raw material, space, money, etc. that limit the degree to which objective can be achieved. Such constraints must be expressed as linear equalities or inequalities in terms of decision variables. The solution of an L.P model must satisfy these constraints. The linear programming method is a technique for choosing the best alternative from a set of feasible alternatives, in situations in which the objective function as well as the constraints can be expressed as linear mathematical functions. APPLICATION AREAS OF LINEAR PROGRAMMING Linear programming is the most widely used technique of decision-making in business and Industry and in various other fields. In this section, we will discuss a few of the broad application areas of linear programming. Agricultural Applications These applications fall into categories of farm economics and farm management. The former deals with agricultural economy of a nation or region, while the latter is concerned with the problems of the individual farm. The study of farm economics deals with inter-regional competition and optimum allocation of crop production. Efficient production patterns can be specified by a linear programming model under regional land resources and national demand constraints. Linear programming can be applied in agricultural planning, e.g. allocation of limited resources such as acreage, labour, water supply and working capital, etc. in a way so as to maximise net revenue. Military Applications Military applications include the problem of selecting an air weapon system against enemy so as to keep them pinned down and at the same time minimising the amount of aviation gasoline used. A variation of the transportation problem that maximises the total tonnage of bombs dropped on a set of targets and the problem of community defence against disaster, the solution of which yields the number of defence units that should be used in a given attack in order to provide the required level of protection at the lowest possible cost. Production Management Product mix: A company can produce several different products, each of which requires the use of limited production resources. In such cases, it is essential to determine the quantity of each product to be produced knowing its marginal contribution and amount of available resource used by it. The objective is to maximise the total contribution, subject to all constraints. Production planning: This deals with the determination of minimum cost production plan over planning period of an item with a fluctuating demand, considering the initial number of units in inventory, production capacity, constraints on production, manpower and all relevant cost factors. The objective is to minimise total operation costs. Assembly-line balancing: This problem is likely to arise when an item can be made by assembling different components. The process of assembling requires some specified sequence(s). The objective is to minimise the total elapse time. Blending problems: These problems arise when a product can be made from a variety of available raw materials, each of which has a particular composition and price. The objective here is to determine the minimum cost blend, subject to availability of the raw materials, and minimum and maximum constraints on certain product constituents. Trim loss When an item is made to a standard size (e.g. glass, paper sheet), the problem that arises is to determine which combination of requirements should be produced from standard materials in order to minimise the trim loss. Financial Management Portfolio selection: This deals with the selection of specific investment activity among several other activities. The objective is to find the allocation which maximises the total expected return or minimises risk under certain limitations. Profit planning: This deal with the maximisation of the profit margin from investment in plant facilities and equipment, cash in hand and inventory. Marketing Management Media selection: Linear programming technique helps in determining the advertising media mix so as to maximise the effective exposure, subject to limitation of budget, specified exposure rates to different market segments, specified minimum and maximum number of advertisements in various media. (if) Travelling salesman problem The problem of salesman is to find the shortest route from a given city, visiting each of the specified cities and then returning to the original point of departure, provided no city shall be visited twice during the tour. Such type of problems can be solved with the help of the modified assignment technique. Physical distribution: Linear programming determines the most economic and efficient manner of locating manufacturing plants and distribution centres for physical distribution. Personnel Management Staffing problem: Linear programming is used to allocate optimum manpower to a particular job so as to minimise the total overtime cost or total manpower. Determination of equitable salaries: Linear programming technique has been used in determining equitable salaries and sales incentives. Job evaluation and selection: Selection of suitable person for a specified job and evaluation of job in organisations has been done with the help of linear programming technique. Other applications of linear programming lie in the area of administration, education, fleet utilisation, awarding contracts, hospital administration and capital budgeting. ADVANTAGES OF LINEAR PROGRAMMING Following are certain advantages of linear programming: Linear programming helps in attaining the optimum use of productive resources. It also indicates how a decision-maker can employ his productive factors effectively by selecting and distributing (allocating) these resources. Linear programming techniques improve the quality of decisions. The decision-making approach of the user of this technique becomes more objective and less subjective. Linear programming techniques provide possible and practical solutions since there might be other constraints operating outside the problem which must be taken into account. Just because we can produce so many units docs not mean that they can be sold. Thus, necessary modification of its mathematical solution is required for the sake of convenience to the decision-maker. Highlighting of bottlenecks in the production processes is the most significant advantage of this technique. For example, when a bottleneck occurs, some machines cannot meet demand while other remains idle for some of the time. Linear programming also helps in re-evaluation of a basic plan for changing conditions. If conditions change when the plan is partly carried out, they can be determined so as to adjust the remainder of the plan for best results. LIMITATIONS OF LINEAR PROGRAMMING There should be an objective which should be clearly identifiable and measurable in quantitative terms. It could be, for example, maximisation of sales, of profit, minimisation of cost, and so on, which is not possible in real life. The activities to be included should be distinctly identifiable and measurable in quantitative terms, for instance, the products included in a production planning problem and all the activities cant be measured in quantitative terms for example if labour is sick, which will decrease his performance which cant be measured. The resources of the system which arc to be allocated for the attainment of the goal should also be identifiable and measurable quantitatively. They must be in limited supply. The technique would involve allocation of these resources in a manner that would trade off the returns on the investment of the resources for the attainment of the objective. The relationships representing the objective as also the resource limitation considerations, represented by the objective function and the constraint equations or inequalities, respectively must be linear in nature, which is not possible. There should be a series of feasible alternative courses of action available to the decision makers, which are determined by the resource constraints. When these stated conditions are satisfied in a given situation, the problem can be expressed in algebraic form, called the Linear Programming Problem (LPP) and then solved for optimal decision. While solving an LP model, there is no guarantee that we will get integer valued solutions. For example, in finding out how many men and machines would be required lo perform a particular job, a non-integer valued solution will be meaningless. Rounding off the solution to the nearest integer will not yield an optimal solution. In such cases, integer programming is used to ensure integer value to the decision variables. Linear programming model does not take into consideration the effect of time and uncertainty. Thus, the LP model should be defined in such a way that any change due to internal as well as external factors can be incorporated. Sometimes large-scale problems can be solved with linear programming techniques even when assistance of computer is available. For it, the main problem can be fragmented into several small problems and solving each one separately. Parameters appearing in the model are assumed to be constant but in real-life situations, they are frequently neither known nor constant. Parameters like human behaviour, weather conditions, stress of employees, demotivated employee cant be taken into account which can adversely effect any organisation Only one single objective is dealt with while in real life situations, problems come with multi-objectives. II SITUATION ANALYSIS Phang furniture system Inc. (Fursys) manufactures two models of stools, Potty which is basic model and a better model called Hardy. SUPPLIES Maximum of 350 pounds plastic per day at the rate of $1.5 per pound by Keow supplies Up to 30 boxes of legs per day at the rate of $7.5 per box. Each box has 10 sets of legs by Yuen supplies Using linear programming the optimal production should be determined for maximum profit. Decision Variables The production units are in terms of number on daily basis. Therefore the decision variables are: Let, X1 = No. of Pottys production daily X2 = No. of Hardys production daily Objective Function The objective in the problem is to attain maximum profit. We have selling price for Potty and Hardy as $12.75 and $18. We need to calculate the unit profit gained by selling Potty and Hardy. Cost of production for 1 Potty = one pound plastic + one set of leg = ($1.5*1) + $0.75(1) = $2.25 Profit made by selling = $12.75 $2.25 = $10.5 Cost of production for 1 Hardy = 1.5 pound of plastic + one set of leg = ($1.5*1.5) + ($0.75*1) = $3 Unit profit made by selling Hardy = $18 $3 = $15 Constraints Plastic Potty requires one pound of plastic and Hardy requires 1.5 pound plastic. So the total plastic used daily is: (1)X1 + (1.5)X2 This plastic supply cant exceed the limit of 350 pounds daily, so constraint is (1)X1 + (1.5)X2

Symbolism in Bernard Malamuds The Natural Essay -- Bernard Malamud Th

Symbolism in Bernard Malamud's The Natural   Ã‚   The role of symbolism in Bernard Malamud's The Natural is important in helping the reader understand the theme and meaning of the novel as well as the time period in which it took place.   Malamud ¡Ã‚ ¦s use of symbolism defines the character of Roy Hobbs and shows how the events occurring around him affected his decisions and, eventually, his career.   Ã‚   Symbolism in The Natural takes the form of characters, such as women who strongly influenced Roy; historical events, such as the infamous 1919 World Series scandal; and even Greek and Roman mythology.   All forms of symbolism used by Malamud are woven into the life and career of Roy Hobbs.   As a first example, women have a tremendous influence on Roy ¡Ã‚ ¦s actions and feelings.   One of the more influential symbols in the book, women tend to control what Roy does.   The first woman Roy falls for is Harriet Bird whom he meets on a train on his way to Chicago to try out for the Chicago Cubs.   Roy is extremely attracted to her, but a major league ballplayer on the train named Whammer Wambold has already caught her eye.   Roy becomes jealous and begins to do things to try to get her attention.   At a stop in the route, the passengers get off for a break and go to a local carnival where Roy and the big leaguer clash in a contest of talent, a David-and-Goliath-type confrontation (Solotaroff 9).   Roy strikes out the batter with three blistering pitches, each of which make Harriet pay more and more attention to him.   As they arrive in Chicago, Harriet stays at the hotel at which Roy has booked a room.   She gives him a call and provocatively invites hi m to her room.   Succumbing to her invitation, and making his way to her room, he enters and se... ...he symbolism in The Natural is deep-seeded and is found by the reader upon reflection on the book. Therefore, understanding Malamud ¡Ã‚ ¦s use of symbolism is critical in understanding The Natural, its background, its times, and its meaning. WORKS CITED Abramson, Edward A.   Bernard Malamud Revisited.   New York:Twayne  Publishers,1993. Grail, Holy, ¡Ã‚ ¨Ã‚   Microsoft „ ¥ Encarta „ ¥ 98 Encyclopedia. „ ¦ 1993-1997 Microsoft  Corporation Helterman, Jeffrey.   Understanding Bernard Malamud.   Columbia:University of South  Carolina Press,1985. Malamud, Bernard.   The Natural.   New York:Avon Books,1952. Solotaroff, Robert.   Bernard Malamud: A Study of the Short Fiction.   Boston:Twayne Publishers,1989. Wasserman, Earl R.   "The Natural: Malamud's World Ceres" in Modern Critical Views: Bernard Malamud. Ed. Harold Bloom.   New York:Chelsea House Publishers. 47-64

Abstract Expressionism Essay -- Visual Art Paintings Artists

Abstract Expressionism "New needs need new techniques. And the modern artists have found new ways and new means of making their statements ... the modern painter cannot express this age, the airplane, the atom bomb, the radio, in the old forms of the Renaissance or of any other past culture." Jackson Pollock Rarely has such a massive transfer of influence has ever touched the world as did in the Paris to New York shift of the 1940's and 1950's. All of the characters of American art were to be expelled in a rapid shift of power. No longer would American artists be the lamb suckling at the teat of European sources, American art was to dispose of narrow-mindedness, an uninterested public, and liberate itself into a valued and meaningful force equal to, and in fact exceeding that of, art produced anywhere within the era. The painting and sculpture that emerged from the 'New York School' in the mid 1940s was the foremost artistic movement of its time. It was labelled as the Abstract Expressionist movement. This is a turning point in American art history for the reason that it caused the rest of the art world to recognize New York as the new center of innovation. The outbreak of World War Two had devastated the world massively, crushing world economies, social structure and optimistic manifestos left, right and centre. The war had long ruled out any naÃÆ'Â ¯ve enthusiasm for art or artist, art no longer had the courage to be a vehicle for ideology of any kind. European art took a more realist stance post-war and the Paris scene delved into accuracy and subjective art. The demand for art increased as financial affluence returned to the world, particularly America which (having entered the war later than most Allies) had not been so damaged economically and socially by the war. America had not suffered extensive bombing like Europe and was prepared to invest in art 'Modern art became a modern and popular affair' (Mid-Century Paintings in the USA by) Technological advances like progress in printing and reproduction methods brought art to a larger amount of the public, no longer was art a fad or declaration of wealth owned only by the elite. Government grants, banks churches and communities began to reward artists for works in exhibition and fund displays; this insured that a steady flow of art and artists were drawn from shell-sh... ...m. In Minimalism objects are cut down to their fundamental, geometric form, and presented in an impersonal manner. This movement is a direct descendant of Abstract Expressionism, and colour-field painters in particular. Large scale washes of colour in sections and the overall emotion evoked being far more important than any kind of subject matter. A number of famous developments were led by artists associated with Abstract Expressionists and New York school artists. As the influence of abstract expressionism decreased in the 1960s, artists came to question the very philosophy underlying modernism. As the force and vigour of abstract expressionism diminished, new artistic movements and styles arose during the 1960s and 70s to challenge and displace modernism in painting, sculpture, and other media. This is how Pop art reared its head. Dada-like styles employed in the early 1960s and thereafter by Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns had widespread influence, as did the styles of many other artists. Abstract Expressionism, far from dead however, is still very much alive and living. It lives in modern pieces and artists across the globe; its influence knows no bounds.

Factors Influencing the Use of Presidential Veto Essay

The democratic system of government relies mainly upon the proper functioning and the harmonious relationship between its three main branches: The Executive Department which has the power to execute the law; b) the Legislative Branch which has the power to propose, enact, amend and repeal the law; c) the Judiciary which has the power to interpret the law. Our constitution has divided these three most important functions to these three departments which are considered co-equal and supreme authority within their own domain. The principle of separation of powers has for its aim the prevention of the over concentration of authority in one person or group of persons that might lead to an error or abuse to the prejudice of the whole state. The idea is that the separation of power will produce greater action on the part of these three departments, prevent any of these three departments from over-extending their authority to the point of encroaching into the domains of the other department, to prevent the possibility of abuse by any department in the exercise of its power and to obtain maximum efficiency in the delivery of public service. Austin Ranney (1995) once said that any concentration of powers in a single branch is tyrannical and only true separation of powers will protect the liberties of the people against the aggressions of government. (Austin Ranney, p. 240) Checks and Balances The US Constitution has provided for the principle known as the checks and balances. Under this principle, the constitution has given each department certain powers by which it may restrain the other department from improvident action. This enables the whole state to maintain the right balance among them and preserve the will of the sovereign as expressed in the constitution. Thus, pursuant to the principle of Checks and Balances, one department is allowed to resist encroachments made by one department against another or to rectify mistakes and errors committed by the other department. The principle of separation of powers should not however be interpreted to mean that there is a sibling rivalry of some sort in the exercise of the powers of these departments. The fact remains that even if one department may control, interfere with or encroach upon the acts done by another department pursuant to the constitution, it is still the policy that each department have to interact with one another to achieve a unity of purpose. There is therefore no wall of isolation or animosity among the three departments. Blending of Powers Corollary to the principle of separation of powers and the checks and balances is the principle of blending of powers which is very evident in the manner every democratic government runs. In the performance of a constitutional task, one department acts in a manner complimentary to or supplementary to the other. The principles of separation of powers, checks and balances and blending of powers can be adequately explained in the manner of enactment of laws and statutes. The principle of separation of powers provides that to the legislative belongs the power and authority to enact, amend and repeal a law. To the executive department belongs the power to implement the law. Thus bills are passed by Congress and sent to the President for his approval. The principle of checks and balances is manifested in the way the president vetoes the bills passed by the Congress. The power to veto bills passed by Congress is stated under Article 1 Section 7 of the United States Constitution, to wit: â€Å"Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the President of the United States; If he approve he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it, with his Objections to that House in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the Objections at large on their Journal, and proceed to reconsider it. (Article 1, Section 7, United States Constitution) Though the Congress enacts the law, the president has the prerogative to reject the law through his exercise of the veto power. In effect, the President, theoretically, can indirectly become a lawmaker by rejecting bills passed by Congress and by proposing to the Congress that certain bills be passed. The same is true for Congress which may greatly influence the exercise of the President of his authority to implement the law. It is clearly stated in the US Constitution that it has the power to override the veto power of the President provided it has the required numbers supporting it, to wit: â€Å"If after such Reconsideration two thirds of that House shall agree to pass the Bill, it shall be sent, together with the Objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that House, it shall become a Law. But in all such Cases the Votes of both Houses shall be determined by Yeas and Nays, and the Names of the Persons voting for and against the Bill shall be entered on the Journal of each House respectively. If any Bill shall not be returned by the President within ten Days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the Same shall be a Law, in like Manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their Adjournment prevent its Return, in which Case it shall not be a Law. † (Article 1, Sec 7, United States Constitution) In addition, to its power to override presidential veto, Congress may opt to exercise pressure to the president by not confirming certain presidential appointments which the constitution has delegated to the Legislative Branch. In addition, the Congress may also exercise its power to commence and initiate its power of Impeachment. (Gary W. Copeland) In effect, the Congress if it really wants to enact a bill into law may convince the President with the exercise of its power to sign the bills into law. Factors Why the President Veto Legislation There are different views on the president’s exercise of his veto power. Some say that the more the president exercises his veto power the more effective leader he is. (Jong R. Lee) The theory is that a president who can influence the Congress is more likely to veto a bill and once vetoed this bill will not be overridden by Congress. This appears to be conclusive considering the following statistics: from the time of Washington to Nixon the veto was used 2,257 times. Out of these, only 75 vetoes or only 6% have been overridden by Congress. On the other hand, some say that the president’s exercise of veto is a sign of weakness on his part. The idea here is that if the president really had control and influence over the Congress then they would not have passed these bills that prompted the president to override them in the first place. The veto power is one of the potent weapons which a president may exercise under our democratic system of government. It is even stated that it is the power of the President to veto legislations that make him a dominant American political figure. Copeland) The veto power of the president serves as a check to the power of the Legislative branch to make laws by exercising its veto power. One of the reasons cited for the exercise of the veto powers is because the bill is unconstitutional. The primary function of the President is not to please his political party or to please the electorates. His main responsibility is to protect the constitution and to ensure that the laws are passed i n accordance with the United States Constitution. As its protector, the Constitution has expressly given the president the power to veto bills which are unconstitutional. Thus, several presidents have in the past vetoed bills on the ground of their unconstitutionality. Thus, consider President Andrew Jackson who vetoed bills that seek to extend the charter of the Second Bank of the United States because he insisted the Bank was beyond the power of Congress to create. (Bruce Fein) Aside from the bill’s unconstitutionality, the president has also in the past vetoed bills based on serious ethical and moral grounds. One particular example is HR 810 or the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2006 which authorized the Secretary of State to conduct and support research that utilizes human embryonic cells. This bill was vetoed by the president. (â€Å"Message to the House of Representatives†) In his veto message dated July 19, 2006, President George W. Bush states that as though he is in favor of exploring the potentials of the research on stem cell, he however is apprehensive about the ethical repercussions of the said research. Signing this bill will allow the deliberate destruction of human embryos for the purpose of research which is damaging to our nation. In addition, it is widely acknowledged that the past president have used the veto power not merely to protect the constitution. The president has in the past used the veto power not merely as a means for protecting the constitution but also for various political purposes. It bears stressing that not all presidents have the support of the Congress. Several presidents in the past have to contend with a hostile Congress to get the needed legislations they wanted. If the president would not be firm in his response, it is possible that certain important pieces of legislations may not be passed at all. To avoid this from happening some presidents in the past have resorted to the extreme method of vetoing more laws to remind that that he holds the power. Consider the case of Franklin D. Roosevelt who in the past occasionally vetoed a piece of legislation simply to remind Congress that he is still in control (Richard E. Neustadt 1976) Harry Truman and Gerald Ford used the veto power for the purpose of determining differences in Congress to build a political base. (Neudstadt) It is the essence of democracy that the legislative and executive departments though they perform different tasks are co-equal. This may or may not be advantageous for the whole citizenry depending on the condition of the nation. It may happen that the country may experience economic difficulties. During this time, laws must be swiftly passed so that the needs of the people will be addressed more quickly. The ideal reaction would be that the Congress should communicate with the President so that they will have an understanding of what kind of laws need to be passed that can help improve the lives of the people. However, the exact opposite happens during economic difficulties. It is at this point that everybody wants to go grandstanding thinking that it is his best time to point the blame to another politician. It is at this time when every politician wants to be recognized for the littlest things he has done in the past. It is because of this reason that during economic difficulties and hardships there are more bills that are being vetoed by the president. Research has also shown that the president who feels that more voters are in his favor are more likely to use the veto power. The idea here is that the more the president thinks that he has the electorate on his side the more that he will tend to exercise this power to veto legislation. This could be measured by analyzing the results of the election in the past, the higher the votes the president gets the more likely it is that he will exercise this power. The political party who sponsored the bill may also influence the decision of the president whether he will veto it or not. The theory is that the more votes the bill receives from the members of his own party in Congress, the more likely that the president will sign the bill into law. On the other hand, the less votes the bill receives from the members of his own party, the more likely it is that the president will not sign the bill into law. Normally, when a bill is sponsored by a representative from a political party different from that o the president, the best thing for him to do if he seeks to have the bill passed into law is to compromise with the president and the other political party. Compromise can be manifested by deleting some portions of the bill which is objectionable on the part of the other political party. It bears stressing that if the sponsor of the bill refuses to eliminate these objectionable portions it is more likely that the president will likewise refuse to sing the bill into law and veto it. Conclusion The democratic system of government is indeed a complex system which requires the proper balance among its three branches. Based on the foregoing, there are many factors why a president may make use of his veto power. It could be because of the personality of the president. There are some presidents who are more inclined to veto legislations because they feel they have support of the electorate. President may also veto legislation because of the person sponsoring the bill. It is possible if the sponsor of the bill is someone other than a party mate of the president and the former does not make any compromises with the president such as deleting any objectionable portion of the bill then it is possible that the bill may be vetoed. Also, it could be because of the defects in the bill itself such as it is unconstitutional, unethical and immoral or may be because it is not yet timely.

Presidential candidate

For an individual to run for presidency in the United States of America, there are some of the requirements that he/she has to meet. They include: the requirement of the individual to be a natural born citizen of the United States. The requirements for one to be considered a US citizen are scrutinized before he/she is allowed to contest for presidency. Immigrants no matter the period they have lived in the US can not be allowed to contest for presidency.Children who are born outside America by American parents are considered eligible to run for the presidential position but it is a requirement that they should have lived in the country (US) for a minimum of 14 years before they run for the office. This is so because of the need of the president to be familiar with general issues facing the population as a whole (Michael, 2009). Majority of people expect the candidate to be of good moral standing. Therefore the morals and ethics of the presidential aspirants are put under scrutiny par ticularly by the opponents.This could prove to be difficult for an individual whose character had been compromised in one way or the other during his/her earlier life. Other aspects that could give an individual a better opportunity of winning in elections is experiences that he/she has had. Many of citizens vote for individuals who have had an opportunity to serve the public in any capacity and have shown his outstanding leadership skills. This shows that the individual the candidate has the experience and the capacity to deal with related positions (Robert, 2006).All US presidents have been white males possibly because of the cultural believes and practices that did not provide a level playing ground to both male and female. Majority of the US population is comprised of whites and considering the racial discrimination against immigrants that existed, it could not be possible for an immigrant to run for presidency. The US constitution also prohibits immigrants from running for pres idency there fore the only people who were in a position of becoming presidents were male whites (Michael, 2009).Laws governing qualifications for presidency should be reviewed so that they can be able to provide a level playing ground to both male, female and immigrants who are legal Citizens of the US. A constitutional perfect presidential aspirant should posses the following qualities which could ensure that there is no division between democrats and the republicans or any other party: He/she should clean and blameless such that his history when traced should not be a questionable one.His/her record should be one that characterized by biasness based on tribe, gender, race color, creed or any other factor that can be considered discriminatory. He/she should be married for at least ten years. This will ensure that the individual has what it takes to handle matters involving pressure because if the individual is able to manage his family for that long despite numerous challenges ass ociated with family, then he can be able to handle pressure that can come about with his position as president.He should remain alert to guard the country against attack by enemies. He should be able to defend the country through actions. He should be an individual with the interests of each and every person in society at heart. He should not be easily manipulated by individuals or organizations (Robert, 2006). He should also be an individual with excellent behavior with good hospitality. Should be friendly, warm, humble, loving to other people and also kind. He should have the ability to learn and teach others either literally or through actions.He should not be using any drug whether legal or illegal as it may interfere with his judgment ability. He should not have characters that may bring out a negative impression about him such as walking out on people. Should be patient and without greed, without jealous or envy and he should be able to bring up a morally upright family. It sh ould also include the current requirements but the clause that locks out immigrants from running for presidency should be done away with.Sections like the one with the age limit of a candidate should also be retained because they will ensure that the individual has enough experience before he/she is entrusted to lead the country. Political experience should be a must because it will be through that experience that he will know how things are run in the government and make necessary amendments to poor policies. The type of work that the individual is involved in should not be a factor in determining the qualities because there have been successful presidents in the History of America who had humble jobs like Jimmy Carter who was a peasant (Robert, 2006).These qualities will help the candidate to effectively run the government because such a candidate will be able to win the confidence and support of the citizen aspects that are considered to be important for successful governance. Re ferences Robert J. P. (2006). Qualifications and Attributes to become the President of the United States of America, http://www. lulu. com/items/volume_12/244000/244718/1/print/244718. pdf Michael, T. (2009). The Contemporary Presidency: Constitutional Reform and the Presidency: The Recent Effort to Repeal the Natural-Born Citizen Requirement. Presidential Studies Quarterly, Vol. 39,

How Should Rmit University Address the Issue?

How Should RMIT University Address the Issue of Declining International Student Numbers in A Very Competitive Global Market? [pic] Executive Summary Royal Melbourne Institution of Technology (RMIT) is a worldwide famous university and it provides global education service with good evaluations, lots of international students in Australia would choose RMIT University for their first or continuing studies and they are becoming a big part to consist of RMIT University students.But recently, because of the global financial situation change and current conditions in Australia, the RMIT University might face the declining problems of international students. Base on this overview, this research provides an analysis and recommendations of current RMIT University’s international student’s situations and future improvements. The purpose and objective of this research is searching the most closely reasons which are creating the biggest influence in international students’ ev aluations and social measurements.The major method of analysis adopts questionnaires survey; each questionnaire involves eleven progressive questions to measure the results from different gender, nationality, level of degree and personal opinions. The sample of survey can be found in appendix. The outcomes of primary and secondary data analysis indicate that the current international students declining in RMIT University because of the whole trend of the Australian international students is decreasing and lots of international students are not satisfied with RMIT University’s basic conditions or they just measured it as â€Å"Just okay†.This paper finds out the general evaluation of RMIT University is medium, a part of international students’ rate is high quality, but the most investigators evaluated as medium or lower indications. The major area of declining problem possibly is related with RMIT University itself, such as education and facilities quality, tuiti on fees and so on. But the integral situations in Australia also influence the student source of RMIT University. The recommendations are discussed as: 1. Improve education quality; . Enhance the quality of facilities and assistant services; 3. More overseas advertising; 4. Career or employment support; 5. Students wellbeing care; 6. Establish more scholarship programs and reduce tuition fee. Table of Contents 1. Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 6 2. Research Purpose and Objective†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 7 3. Methodology†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 8 4. Findings and Outcomes†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 9 5. Recommendations†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 15 6. Conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 9 Reference†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 21 Appendix†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 23 1. Introduction In this particular research paper, the major research project is around the question of â€Å"How should RMIT Univer sity address the issue of declining international student numbers in a very competitive global market? † to seek relative factors and then analysis main reasons and influence.The first part of this paper is identification of research purpose and objectives; in this part it briefly describes currently general situation of Australian international students market and most of universities’ behaviours. Especially, this part represents detailed information of international students in Royal Melbourne Institution of Technology (RMIT) and recent important performance, and then combines all mentioned data and information to confirm the research purpose is aim to find out core factors by examine all related elements.Base on the research purpose of this paper, the reasonable and logical methodology should be used in collecting data and distribute the results from data analysis, therefore this article adopts the method of questionnaire survey to collect information from RMIT Unive rsity’s international students. In this particular questionnaire, it concerns the research project to set up eleven progressively questions. And in third part of this paper, it through the main questions in survey to create accurate data results to assist the continuous analysis and final outcomes.At the end of analysis, according to previous detailed analysis of primary and secondary data, this paper suggests several reasonable and active recommendations such as enhance the quality of education system and facilities and so on to support the objective purpose of this research. Finally, the conclusion of this research summarise all findings and emphasize the key improvements which is suggested to RMIT University then help institution to solve current problems. 2. Research Purpose and ObjectiveA number of international students in Australia have increased considerably over many years ago. More people, particularly from Asia-Pacific region, were likely to study in Australia. Man y universities tried to develop educational systems into Australia education standard and undertake assessment of overseas qualification by the National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (NOOSR) in order to attract more international student (Auditor General Victoria, 2002). However, since the global financial crisis in 2008 numbers of international students are decreased by 10% to lowest levels.Margaret Gardner, vice chancellor and president of RMIT University, said that there is likely to be a decline in the total number of international students coming to Australia. This issue can be caused by many factors, that influence dramatically on decision, such as a soaring currency, restriction of visa application, etc. (Mercer, P 2011). Furthermore, students also have other option countries, which are more affordable study destination. All Australian universities are faced high competitive situation.This seems to be very concerning issue due to the fact that an education industry ea rns a massive income from international student. According to Ding, K (2012), international students bring Australia  a huge $16. 3 billion in export income in 2010-2011. RMIT University is one of high reputation universities in Melbourne. It provides 74,000 students, including 30,000 international students inshore and off shore from more than 100 countries (RMIT University, 2012). However, it has also been in the declining of international student numbers situation even numbers of student in higher education was still growing (Lane, B 2011).In 2011, the Australian Government has changed some visa application policies that would help reverse the decline in international enrollments (PIER, 2011). This may bring advantages to all universities, including RMIT University to have more international students’ enrollments. The purpose of this research is to examine various factors, which affect on decreasing in numbers of international student at RMIT University. The issue will be considered thoroughly in order to find out appropriate solution for this situation.As a result, some crucial recommendation will be given to RMIT University to address the issue of declining of international student numbers. 3. Methodology Research was created by RMIT International students in order to investigate the declining of international student numbers issue faced by RMIT University and give some crucial recommendations to address the mentioned issue. Interviewees comprised 26 overseas students, divided by gender half and half from Chinese(14), Thai(2), Taiwanese(2), Malaysian(1), Indian(2), Ethiopia, Saudi Arabian, Pakistan, UAE, and Kenyan.Most respondents were student 21 – 30 age group. This survey consisted of 11 questions. Personal information was surveyed in the beginning, regarding gender, age, and nationality. Other questions were linked to the factors that affect the problem of declining international student numbers in RMIT University. Furthermore, it can b e inferred to some solutions that address the issue effectively. In the second part of the survey, the interviewees were asked about the person who influence most to study overseas, including provide financial while they are studying.The questions focussed on internal factors that encourage international student studying at RMIT University. The next questions pointed at factors from RMIT University. The participants were asked for an opinion about the most popular education level in RMIT University for international student, also ranked a satisfaction of quality of educational system, facilities and student service at RMIT University if they were concern in these factors. The rest of the questions related to external factors, which would influence participants study at RMIT University. The respondents were asked to rank each factor influences’ to study at RMIT University.Additionally, they were requested to show other option country for studying aboard, unless they studied in Australia. The last question asked for the recommendation to attract more international student come to study at RMIT University. A copy of the interview questions appears in the appendix section of this report. 4. Findings and Outcomes Generally, to study overseas will offer international students a better education and more job opportunities. On the other hand, international students also make significant contributions to Australian society and economy. For example, they will bring different cultures to communities and enrich them.The Australian economy as well as universities will obtain benefits from the tuition fees paid by international students or other expenses. As the number of international students declined in Australia recently, RMIT University should pay attention to this issue for the sake of continuous making profits. Therefore, in this section we will analyse why the number of international students declined recently from secondary data which are collected from lite rature review and primary data which are collected from our questionnaires. The following graph shows the basic trends in international student visa pplications to Australia. Fig 4. 1 [pic] (Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics 2011) As Figure 4. 1 shows, there is a sharp increase of student visa applications from 2006 until 2008-09 because of the higher reputation of Australian education system. However, the total number followed by a significantly sudden decrease from 2008-09 until 2011. Because of the graph shows the whole trends of international student visa applications, it can be guessed that not only RMIT University experienced the decline, but also other universities such as Melbourne University or Monash University struggled.Moreover, the decline issue has not changed from the end of 2011 and still continued in 2012. The following Fig 4. 2 shows the change of volume of Enrolments and Commencements in different Australian educational sectors. As we can see the total volum e of Enrolments and Commencements in March 2012 declined by -8. 5% and -7. 2% respectively compared with the same month of last year. Especially, the Higher Education sector displays a decrease in Enrolments of 4. 0% and a 6. 0% decline in Commencements compared with 2011 figure. Fig 4. 2 pic](Source: Australian Education International 2012) What kind of reasons that contributed to this situation? According to Deloitte Access Economics (2011), the reasons include the appreciation of the Australian dollar which will increase the living cost in Australia for international students, the change of the General Skilled Migration program which made more difficult for international student to apply the permanent residency and the increased competition from other countries’ universities may also effect the number of international student visa applications.The above analysis is based on the secondary data, next we will use our own data which are concluded from questionnaires to do the further analysis. One question in the questionnaire is: How would you rank the quality of education system of RMIT University? The reason why we ask this question is the quality of education system is an important component of a university. If the quality of a university is good enough and has a higher reputation, then more international students will choose it and vice versa.The responses of this question can reflect international students’ attitudes to RMIT University. The result of this question is showing in the following Fig 4. 3. Fig 4. 3 [pic] Base: International students (26) Q: How would you rank the quality of education system of RMIT University? As we can see from Fig 4. 3, most interviewees which are 13 ranked the quality of education system of RMIT University as Medium. 7 interviewees ranked as High. However, we are very surprised that 2 interviewees ranked the quality as Low. This means they are not satisfied with the education of RMIT University.The reason they gave us why they ranked as Low is they think recent years RMIT University did not improve its education system a lot such as the courses in some programs did not change for a period of time. Combined with this question, we think one reason of declining international student numbers at RMIT University should be the quality of education system is not as good as other universities such as Melbourne University. Fig 4. 4 [pic] Base: International students (26) Q: How would you rank the quality of facilities and services of RMIT University?According to the answers of the respondent in terms of the quality of facilities and services in RMIT University (Fig 4. 4), the result looks like moderate. More than half of answerer (56%) thinks facilities and services quality can be accepted, only 4 students out of 25 who think RMIT University provide a good facility and services, while 28% respondents don’t like the facilities and services. Here, the facilities services, according to RMIT Un iversity, includes maintenance of all mechanical and essential services, mail services, cleaning services, fire and emergency services, and security system (RMIT University 2012).But in the survey, except the facilities mentioned above, the respondent also considers the teaching facilities, library facilities, sport facilities, frequency of social events, administrative services and support, online learning resources, IT support and equipment, university web site, financial support and advice of RMIT University provided. Some students complain that: â€Å"there is always a long line in the hub, in computer lab, and even the printer†, â€Å"no available group meeting room unless I booked it couple of days before†, â€Å"sometimes, I cannot login myRMIT†.Therefore, it is obvious to see that the quality of facilities and services of RMIT University is not a competitive advantage for attracting international student. Fig 4. 5 [pic] Base: International students (26) Q: How would you rank the following factors that influence you to study overseas such as at RMIT University? Knowing the factors that influence student to study overseas is significant to find the reasons of the changes of number of international students. As shown in the pie chart above (Fig 4. ), there are two main aspects that students will consider when they go to abroad for further study, that is, reputation of the university and education system quality, which occupied totally 52% of the all factors that the survey provided. After consider the university reputation and education quality, 15% international student prefer study at the country with the good currency exchange rate. In addition, tuition fee (13%) and social environment (10%) of the expected country as two important aspects will be considered before students choose the overseas university or the country.Few students take into consideration the education policy (e. g. Double degree program in short-term) and the coun try’s immigration policy (e. g. , permanent resident policy), from the survey result, these two policies have the same number of supporter (5%). In this survey question, seven factors were offered, it is clearly that reputation of university, education system quality, education policy and tuition fee refers to the university, while another three factors: immigration policy, exchange rate of currency, and social environment of that country related to the country.Regarding the survey result, compared with the concerns of the country, international students would like put more concentration on the choice of university. Besides, the survey provides an interesting choice, that is, â€Å"which country would you go to study instead of Australia? † Almost every respondent said they want go to USA and UK, and they gave similar reasons, like: â€Å"high quality of education in the world, good education facility, good education atmosphere, weakness of US dollar†. In fact, their opinion of the choice is consistence with the factors affect people study abroad discussed above.Thus, to attract more international students, the university should take more measures to improve their education quality and reputation, rather than relay on the policies of government. 5. Recommendations In the previous section, we have analysed the reasons that the number of RMIT University’s international students declined using both secondary data and primary data. In this section, we are mainly aiming to propose some recommendations for RMIT University for the sake of preventing the declining trend and continuous making profits.The last question in our questionnaire is: If you were reporting to RMIT Executive, what would you recommend RMIT University do to attract more international students? This is an open-end question and the purpose of it is to obtain interviewees’ suggestions about the improvements for RMIT University. Finally, we have concluded 6 recommend ations from all interviewees’ responses for RMIT University to address the issue of declining international student numbers. Improve Education QualityBasically, most interviewees’ first suggestion is about the education quality of RMIT University. Education quality includes many areas such as the quality of programs, courses allocation of programs, physical environment of study and the quality of lecturers. Therefore, we think RMIT University should devote some effects to improving these areas in the future. For example, some courses in the program have not been changed for a long time; RMIT University could allocate different courses for the program after a period of time.This will make the program fresh to students and follow the trend of educational development. By allocating different courses in the program regularly, the quality of program will be improved to a large extent. For the quality of lecturers, we think RMIT University should arrange some training course s for the lecturers regularly to enhance their abilities of teaching and also provide better resources and infrastructures for lecturers. This will improve the quality of lecturers in the long run. Enhance the Quality of Facilities and ServicesExcept the education quality, university’s facilities and services also play an important role in the levels of satisfaction of student experiences. To satisfy international student’s demand in terms of facilities and services, the paper would like recommend RMIT University provide more service counters in hub, and offer more computers in the lab, more group study rooms. For learning resource, more books or journals are required in the library and allowed registered student can assess more online learning resources.Furthermore, provide more writing workshop for international student. More Overseas Advertisements Our third recommendation is about the advertisement of RMIT University itself. We think RMIT University should advertis e itself more in education market especially in foreign countries such as Asian and European countries. In the advertisements, RMIT University should display its unique educational strength such as it is the only university that provides logistics program in Melbourne.Because of the globalization is becoming a trend gradually, the logistics in some Asian countries is boosting its development and demanding more good logistics graduates. As a result, more students want to go abroad to get better education in logistics, so this could be an opportunity for RMIT University to advertise itself and increase the number of international students. Moreover, we think RMIT University should also enhance its cooperation relationships with other foreign universities. For example, RMIT University could introduce more students exchange programs such as study tour and cooperation programs.Cooperation program means international student can study for a period time in his own country’s universi ty and then come to RMIT University to study another period of time to acquire the certificate. This economic way is becoming more and more popular in Asian countries because it can save much cost for students who want to study abroad compared with the way that they apply RMIT University directly. Through this way, RMIT University could also increase its international student numbers. Establish More Scholarship Programs and Reduce Tuition FeeThe next recommendation is about scholarships and tuition fees. Many interviewees mentioned RMIT University should also provide scholarships for international students instead of only providing to PR students or citizens. In fact, most American universities will provide a fairly amount of scholarship to its students regardless of their nationalities. Moreover, as the exchange rate of US Dollar is depreciated currently, more students will choose American universities for better education and scholarship. That is one reason of declining internatio nal student numbers in RMIT University.Thus, if RMIT University could also provide scholarships to international students, the number of students will increase to some extent because Australia has a better environment and society compared with America. This is a significant strength of Australia and an important reason for international student’s choice. Furthermore, tuition fee is another important aspect according to interviewees’ answers. They are not happy with the increase of tuition fee every year. Because the tuition fee is already very high for international students compared with local students.If the tuition fee increases every year, it will be a big burden for international students. According to their answers, they do not hope tuition could decrease, they just hope the tuition fee can keep stable during their study period because they think the tuition fee is an important factor to influence their choice of university. Therefore, we think if RMIT University could consider the issue of scholarship and tuition fees, it will have more chances to increase the number of international students and improve the reputation. Career or Employment SupportThe career support of a university provided is an advantage for attracting international students. Therefore, a suggestion for RMIT University is cooperate or communicate with some companies to offer some practical skill training opportunities to students, enable them obtain the practical work experience and professional skills before they get a job, thus, compared with their peer, the graduates will have more competitive advantage. Besides, RMIT University could provide job information to international students about working in Australia, such as: organise career expo.Take Care of International Student’s Wellbeing A sense of wellbeing is integral to a high-quality experience for international students and is contains accommodation, community engagement and health and safety issues (Counci l of Australian Government, 2010). International students face particular challenges and may require some specialized services to support their wellbeing, because they may be living independently and for the first time in a foreign country with an unfamiliar culture and limited English skills.Apparently, the issues of wellbeing are a responsibility of the council; however, university as an education provider and contact with international students directly, is an important channel to increase student awareness of safety and minimise safety risk by informing students. Therefore, RMIT University can provide safety information and advices to current and future international students and publicise the student personal safety guide to international student at orientation events. In terms of accommodation issues, as we known, there is no accommodation provided in RMIT University.So, for international student’s convenience and safety, RMIT University can cooperate with housing agenc y to provide housing information through school’s bulletin board and website. One survey which was held by Council of Australian Government (2010) indicates that 80 per cent of international students want more Australian students as friends. The paper suggests RMIT University should actively to promote social events, help international students engage with local students and community groups and helps them adjust to the new society and culture. . Conclusion At the end of this report, according to the above detailed analysis and recommendations suggested. In conclusion, the major reason to cause the declining issue happens to RMIT University can be divided into two sections, first one is the integral influence, because of the current international students situation in Australia is indicating an decreasing trend therefore the national factors influence the international students source of RMIT University.The second reason is the social evaluations, concerning the questionnaire survey’s result and analysis; the general evaluations for RMIT University from its international students are obtaining a medium level. Therefore, the results show that the RMIT University service provides to students which is just meet the basic level but not fully satisfied everyone, and most of investigators expect more improvements. Base on the research results, this report suggests several reasonable recommendations to help RMIT University abate current problems.The major opinions include establish more scholarship programs and reduce tuition fee, take care of international student’s wellbeing and improve the quality of education system and facilities. Because of these three suggestions are the key reasons which were reflected on questionnaires research, therefore these performance should be developed first as essential conditions to innovate the whole institution then develop the other parts as long term enhancement and future strategies.